Original subtitles

I was always interested in geophysics, but mainly as a hobby.

It's just boring lab stuff.

But I think there is a sort of romance to what you do.

No, come on. You're in the field.

A geological engineer is like an Indiana Jones, but with rocks.

It's really not that romantic.

I'm just studying the effect of climate change on geological structures.

I know it sounds pompous, but I just have this real

need to make a difference while I'm still on the planet.

No.

That's not pompous at all.

I'm trying to do the same thing.

Yes, with predictive algorithms.

Yeah, well, I was doing that, but I'm working on a different project now.

Yeah, you said that you joined another company, but you never told me what it was.

We study alternate power sources.

It's so vague.

How is it that someone like you isn't already involved with someone?

Well, this is job.

It's kind of all-consuming, always on call, lots of travel.

I'm really glad you're not involved with someone.

I mean... And I'm glad I sent next to you the lecture of the Geophysics Institute.

Yes, timing is everything.

Well, here's the timing.

It's the best month I've had in a long time.

Is everything OK?

Yeah, I'm just going to go to the bathroom, if that's all right.

Yeah.

There it is.

Why would the Pendulum Center soon, ordinary jewelry store?

The Pendulum Center, we can assume that

something is tickly out of the ordinary is afoot.

Do you think there's some sort of artifact in that store?

The magic of a gem, a king's harness, or a martyr gambler?

Or a robbery?

Oh!

You footpads.

Out of our way, fool!

Out of our way, fool!

This.

Yeah.

Put it down. What are you?

His guardian angel?

As a matter of fact, I am.

Well, you made a big mistake.

This is none of your business.

It's my business.

Who the hell are you?

I'm Red Rock.

And you're the one that made them a freak.

Shall we?

Guys?

What's going on out there?

What is going on in here?

Sorry.

Excuse me.

Thank you.

I had to take a call.

Don't worry.

Is this some sort of...

...assignition?

I am not angry.

I am disappointed.

No chaperone.

No discussion with the family of his intentions.

I mean, how well do you know this bloke?

You are being ridiculous.

Oh, it is ridiculous to be concerned for your safety.

For your honor.

Will you listen to yourself?

You sound like some kind of uptight Victorian tyrant.

We're in the 21st century.

Jassy belts are no longer in style.

Has it gone that far?

Oh, my God.

As the closest thing you have to a parent, and as someone with more experience in the

world, it is my responsibility to protect you.

There are so many things wrong with that statement.

We're going to need to number them.

One, you are not my parent.

You're my great-great-great-great-grandparent.

And two, I have greater experience in this world than you do.

And three, it is Charlie's responsibility to protect me, not yours.

It is not just my personal and familial feelings towards you,

but my experience as a librarian, which is greater than yours.

Along with all the excitement and satisfaction of this

job, is the fact we are not granted a personal life.

Outside romance is half a minute.

What about you and Anya?

Well, if not strictly forbidden, then... Charlie discouraged.

You realize what you're saying?

Of course.

I do not regret all the consequences of my actions.

But I will be lying to you if I told you they had not caused me some very deep pain.

Look, we all have to make our own choices, don't we?

You chose to be a librarian, Nysa.

And all choices have consequences.

Uh, hey, guys.

What?

Hate to interrupt, but, um...

The Q2 better see something.

Right, so I was able to hack into the Belgrade CCTV systems.

Looks like Belgrade has its very own Batman.

Correction its own Superman.

You guys weren't kidding.

This guy is amazing.

I guess the pendulum knew what it was doing when it sent us there.

Oh, it's a shame he didn't reveal himself.

Uh, yeah, that's what I thought as well, but then

I used your high-definition enhancement program.

And... You did?

Wait for it.

Congratulations.

You're dating a superhero.

Are you okay?

I don't get it.

You're involved with a guy who's faster than a speeding bull that can leap over

tall buildings in a single bound, and you're bummed about it.

It's not all bad. I mean, all superheroes have secret identities.

Okay, but since there are no actual superheroes, he must be using magic.

Which is why the pendulum sent me there.

So, this superhero knows.

It's a, um, modern invention.

Not really. It's been a thing for almost a century now.

I started out in comic books for kids, and now it's taken over the culture.

Superheroes feel the public's need to believe in someone

with extraordinary powers, protecting them from a evildoers.

So, someone like me... Except you don't actually have superpowers.

He's got the costume, though.

And I kind of think if anyone fits the bill, it's probably me.

In any event, if Lysa is correct and this fellow is in

possession of a magical artifact, then we must retrieve it.

Do we, though?

If he's just, you know, fighting crime and protecting the city?

He may seem like a perfectly admirable chap when trying to impress a young lady.

But we know how this goes.

Magic corrupts all those who employ it.

So, we must find this artifact if we are to save this young man.

So, what's the plan?

You and Charlie find out what you can about the thieves.

After all, the pendulum did send us to the jewelry store before our superhero arrived.

Lysa, you must reconnect with your young man and draw him out.

Oh, what? Now you're okay with me seeing him?

Oh, no, he's for professional basis.

No.

No, I don't feel comfortable contacting him under false pretenses.

Oh, I saw the way he was looking at you.

I'm pretty sure you won't have to do the contacting.

I think you're overestimating my...

Hello?

The truth is, my life's kind of boring.

I think a woman like you's used to a more exciting type.

Again, I think you're being too modest.

To do what you do, explore caves, climb

mountains, all in the name of saving the planet.

I think it's really heroic.

A relic? Me?

No, that's not me.

I think I'm just obsessed with rocks.

Yeah, well, I think there's more to you than you're willing to admit.

Hey, you.

This area is for the right personnel only.

What are you two doing here?

I'm... the librarian.

Of course you are.

We're looking for the suspects arrested in their jewelry store robbery last night.

They're in holding cell D down the hole into the left.

Oh, right.

There you go.

Thank you.

Really get in the hang of that one.

Right?

So maybe we used to shoplift now and then, but

we'd never done anything like that in our life.

Where'd you get the shotgun?

A book his mother is a back hunter.

That guy was her favorite.

She's going to kill me if I don't get it back to her.

Straighten out.

How did that guy do that? You said you were hanging around on the street

corner trying to figure out how to get free beer. Yeah.

Then what happened?

I just heard the voice in my head saying think bigger.

Go for a big score.

Before I could even tell the other guys they seem to get the same idea.

Didn't that seem strange to you?

It does now.

But at the time, it was like something possessed us.

Yeah.

Yeah.

To Darwin called it the imperfection of the geologic record, because there's a

disproportionate amount of younger rocks available for study.

Due to the erosion of rocks from the Precambrian period?

Yes, that's exactly it.

That's exactly right.

You have a beautiful mind.

You know, I think I would be more interesting if I didn't spend all of my

time measuring neutrino fluffs and I salbedo feedback.

All of your time, really?

All right. Well, what about you?

You told me that you'd abandoned your work in predictive

modeling for a new project, and then you avoided the subject.

I want to know what your secret is. It's difficult to describe.

You think you're going to have to get a phone?

Give me the knife.

No. Leave me alone or I'll stick her.

Why? What are you to gain from this?

I don't know.

Hello?

Hmm.

Are you following me?

Good thing I was.

Ah, it's high time we met.

I am Vikram Chamberlain, fellow superhero, and guardian to this young woman's honour.

Robert, I can explain.

Is there something I said?

I don't understand. Why are you so upset?

Let's try sexism, anachronistic, Victorian, merese, toxic masculinity, toxic.

I want to ask him masculinity.

He'd be toxic, you silly girl.

How did it go?

We gained valuable information.

We?

No.

I gained information.

Vikram scared him off just as I was earning his trust, which

by the way is something we have nothing of, apparently.

Guardian of my honour, really?

Hmm.

What about you? What did you learn?

Oh, I found some of Robert's articles and research papers.

His early work is mostly about using the geological

record to find patterns related to climate change.

Pretty straightforward stuff.

Then, about a year ago, he became interested

in folklore about giodes and covalent crystals.

According to Slavic mythology, there are stones called allotiers,

believed to be the mother of all stones and nestled in the navel of the earth.

Slavic mythology. That would explain what brought him to Belgrade.

The allotiers are referred to in both ancient Russian

and Balkan poetry as a mighty force that has no end.

He made a sketch of it.

It's not too large.

He could be carrying.

That's when he's cursed.

When he sensed danger, I saw something on his arm.

It was under the skin, it glowed, but it was smaller than this.

What did you glean at the police station?

There was something odd about our jewel thieves.

They weren't hardened criminals.

They said something just came over them.

Couldn't explain their behaviour.

They said they felt possessed.

It sounds like our case with the cut purses at the park, but what is the connection?

There's only one way to find out.

You must lure him into another liaison.

lure him?

Like I'm some kind of femme fatale?

Exactly, but you'll be operating strictly in your capacity as a librarian.

Why would he even want to see me again after what happened?

What happened?

It was revealed you have a protective relative, whereas you found out he has

superpowers who has more explaining to you.

It is our best shot.

OK.

Connor, you continue the research on Robert and the Altir.

Myself and Charlie should accompany Miss Fatale.

No. No.

If I do this, I'm doing it on my own.

I didn't know if you'd come.

No, I didn't either.

Don't worry.

I'm alone. I promise.

Are you sure about that?

I'm so sorry about what happened.

Vikram can be all overprotective.

I felt terrible when you ran off like that.

I ran off because you couldn't possibly understand what's happening with me.

Try me.

You might be surprised at what I can understand.

What do you do when you spent your entire life studying science and then you find

out that I'm all powerful forces at play in the universe?

Hmm.

Like what?

Like... magic.

I am.

This stone in your arm.

Is it what glows when you become red rock?

As a part of it, it's a shard.

It embedded itself in my arm when I accidentally activated the mainstone.

And where is that?

It's still where I found it. I'm studying it.

I think you're messing with things beyond your control.

Why don't you just let me try and take out the shard?

Take out the shard.

Have you seen the strength it gives me?

Can you imagine the power if I could harness the mainstone?

But there's always a price to pay for using magic.

The difference I could make in the world.

You are making a difference.

A scientist.

If science is the beal and endle, then why don't you give up on your work?

What's the mystery project?

And who is this guy, Chamberlain?

He's a relative.

A distant relative.

There's nothing for you to be jealous about.

Liza, this isn't about being jealous.

This is about me telling you my deepest secrets,

and you're still hiding something from me.

Look, in case you hadn't realized, I care about you deeply.

We can be honest with each other.

I'm sorry.

You're right.

I am keeping things from you.

It's this project.

I

have to go.

No, you don't.

Robert, Robert!

We now know two very important things.

Red Rock is deriving his power from a larger alleteer

stone and not just from the shard in his arm.

Great work, Liza. I'm glad you think it's great.

I feel a bit shady.

But didn't he also say that he was still studying it where he founded?

Yeah.

And Connor said that the stones were nestled in the navel of the earth.

Well, we also know that Bell Grade has an extensive network of underground caverns,

so we can assume this is where the alleteer can be found.

Which cavern?

I mean, they go in for miles.

Ah, Robert had white clay on his shoes.

This would indicate an area by the Sarva River.

Ah, I think I have an idea where it may be.

Excellent.

We go tonight.

Almost ready.

Liza, you're right.

How can you tell when the corruptive effects of magic have taken hold of her person?

Well, it usually begins innocently enough.

A fascination with some previously unimaginable phenomenon.

Then the magic is used.

A feeling of exceptionalism sets in, followed by a sense of omnipotence.

Then presto.

You have a monster on your hand.

Okay.

You really care for this fellow, don't you?

I didn't think I had it in me to feel this way.

It just happened.

I thought we were just gonna be friends.

But he was so smart and so...

So...

Pantsom.

We met in a lecture.

We had coffee, we exchanged books.

These things have a way of taking on a life of their own.

Nobody realized how good of a person he was.

It's so decent.

You know, before he was gonna be a geologist, he was a divinity student.

He thought about becoming a priest.

Sounds almost too good to be true.

Well, yeah, then he found magic.

And power, and I think he's becoming obsessed with both of them.

It's only a matter of time, Lysa.

Magic, power, corruption.

It's the devil's equation.

I'm not worried about what's gonna happen to him.

What makes you so sure this is the way?

I'm following the hunch.

I had a feeling that he was looking for this place.

In a cult history circle, it's something people whisper about.

Hang on.

It's just what I was afraid of.

What is this place?

I remember everything I told you about Germany under Hitler.

Of course I did.

Much terrific.

A dark period of history.

When this area was occupied during the Second World War, the Germans maintained

bunkers on the ground to avoid Allied bombers.

This doesn't look like a bomb shelter.

Robert discovered that some of these places weren't just for hiding.

There was something else entirely.

Like what?

Like hidden laboratories.

From leasing the power on the magic artifacts.

So where is this done?

What is it?

It looks like a primitive magnetic susceptibility detector.

It's used in geology to measure the electromagnetic fields intensity in rocks.

These screws are fresh scratches on them.

Yeah.

Nothing here.

No, wait.

See that?

Tiny crystallized fragments.

Yeah.

The stone was here.

You must have moved it.

Then we must find it.

Before he's completely corrupted by its power.

You sure he said he was down here?

He said it was still where he found it.

We've looked everywhere.

We must decamp before Red Row returns.

We need to understand what we're dealing with.

Okay, here's what we know.

I had to dig into some dark corners of the library's

collection, but I found the archive of the Anan Airba.

The what?

The Anan Airba were a pseudoscientific organization within the German army.

They were tasked with creating false historical narratives

to support Hitler's racist theories, heavy on occult beliefs.

Apparently, when they tried to tap into the power of

the elitir, they unleashed unwanted contrary forces.

Contrary forces?

Yeah, for every power that had granted them, the stone created more antagonists

who rose up against them, partisans, guerrilla fighters.

Oh, so they canceled each other out?

Created so many problems for them that they scuttled the program.

It's Newton's third law.

Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.

But this is magic.

Yeah, but even magic has to be subject to the laws of physics, so Newton believed

that forces come in action reaction for force pairs.

So in this instance, the force pair is the superhero and... And the super criminal.

Or super crime in the form of the current crime.

It's a feedback loop.

So this rock, this elitir, is giving Robert his

powers and turning ordinary people into felons.

When I tapped into the local crime database, it showed that 90% of recent

incidences have committed by first-time offenders.

And the numbers are increasing rapidly.

So, the red rock continues using the power of the stone,

the entire city will ascend into neighboring and chaos.

Yes, Robert will become more and more corrupted by magic.

We need to find that elitir.

APSA.

The ASAP.

Right.

And at the very least, we need to remove that shard from his arm.

Voluntarily or involuntarily?

Charlie.

Some training removing bullets in the field.

We can get that shard out.

One way or another.

If you

do want to get involved, you can see this one out.

No.

No, I'm a librarian.

I'll find him into the room.

Robert.

I do know what I was staying.

I've had my ways.

I know that's not stylish, but I needed to find you.

This is not something you can control.

I can control it.

You think you can, but you're dealing with forces greater than you are.

How do you know?

Project I'm working on, it has to do with thaumaturgy.

You mean magic?

Yes.

And the artifacts that possess it.

And these friends of yours?

Part of the same organization.

But they don't know that I'm here.

They wouldn't like it if they did.

So what's been happening between us as a part of your job?

I only realized what was happening after we became involved.

Robert. Why are you here?

Because I care about you.

And I know what happens when people abuse magic.

I'm not abusing anything.

I was chosen for this.

Message yourself.

It's already happening.

Oh, you're not the same guy that in first met.

You used to talk about doing good for society.

I'm Red Rock.

Without me, society would fall apart.

What you're doing is causing society to fall apart.

There's a feedback loop.

The stone doesn't just give you your power.

It creates a purpose for your power by turning other people to crime.

You're wrong.

I'm not.

Listen to me.

I am part of an ancient and secret institution.

And they have access to tools more powerful than your alatier.

And when we're another, my colleagues will get it from you.

Don't walk away from me again.

I care about you.

I am on your side.

No, you're not.

So sorry.

But I must demand that you hand that sacred stone over to us.

Demand.

Alright.

That refusal is not an option.

Well, give me this.

You suddenly have a massive power, friends.

Give that back.

We need to put this where it can do no harm.

We'll see how it's here.

Now she's got the power.

No way.

It appears

that we have the advantage.

We are taking the alatier with us.

But before we do, we have to remove that fragment from your arm.

She knows what she's doing.

It won't hurt.

Much.

Stop.

There's got to be another way.

No!

Stay back or I'll snap her neck.

Now give me that stone.

What are you doing?

You don't want to do this.

You read to me so we can find the stone.

You betrayed me.

Don't come any closer.

Come on, you one hand.

Get back!

Give me the stone or I will crush.

Give me the stone and I'll let that go.

Do not harm her.

Charlie.

Give it to him.

No! We're librarians. We don't give up artifacts.

It's mine.

I found it.

Give me the stone and I will leave the city and you can go about your business.

Don't listen to him. It's just a stone talking.

He won't hurt me.

There's a will.

Give it to him.

No.

Charlie, no.

No!

I'm the man I first met.

I was no one.

I was an anonymous scientist working on a

problem that will never be solved in my lifetime.

Maybe not.

But another scientist will stand on your shoulders and it will be solved.

It may not be as glamorous as being Red Rock, but it is real.

It matters.

What matters is this, the power that I get from this with this.

I can fight injustice every day.

What you're doing is creating injustice.

You are turning innocent people into criminals every time you used a stone.

I'm telling you it is Newton's dirt law.

You and I both know this is outside the realm of science.

This is about scary.

Okay, find them. Forget science.

What about the Gospel of Matthew?

Violence begets violence.

You just threatened to kill me.

Is that who you are?

Please.

You can stop this.

Right to me when you get to California.

You should come and visit.

Faculty housing and Caltech is like a five-star hotel.

You mean bunk together?

That is mighty presumptuous.

Thought it was worth a try.

Maybe our paths will cross again one day.

But not now?

A lot has happened in the last couple of weeks.

I've had a chance to think about things, about my life and about...

all the commitments I've made.

And I'm not one of them.

Hey, you need to do your book?

And I need to do mine.

Yeah, your work, the organization that you

worked for, you never really told me what it was.

Believe it or not, I'm just a librarian.

Well, um... Yes, this is goodbye.

Yeah.

Goodbye, Robert.

Man, you feel pretty awesome to have this sort of power.

Even for a moment.

You don't think this debris has any more juice left than it do you?

Don't even think about it.

This is going into storage and the library.

I will just stop wondering.

Now, Connor, it isn't necessary to employ a

supernatural hoodwinking to become a superhero.

It merely requires that one have an extraordinary

intelligence and a superior physical dexterity.

It's true.

Batman doesn't have any superpowers.

In my day, a batman was a personal servant to a military officer.

Oh, well, now he's a billion dollars for each other.

Did the department proceed without incident?

This idea that a librarian can't have a personal life.

I don't think I really understood what I was getting into.

We all face that realization at some point.

But you are a remarkably wise person.

You will find the proper balance.

That is a change of tune.

No more. I am the guardian of this young woman's honor.

Yes, I may possess a finally honed intellect and his cyclopedic knowledge.

But I can still learn a few things.

The library tells us to avoid romantic entanglements.

But we are human.

We have human emotions.

It is up to each of us to sort that out for ourselves.

Did you know that when you were with Anya?

Or did you only realize that now?

I only know that the heart wants what the heart wants.

But does the heart ever want to be alone?

For oft when on my couch I lie, in vacant or in pensive mood, they flash

upon that inward eye, which is the bliss of solitude.

And then my heart with pleasure fills.

And dances with the dathadils.

William Ward's work.

We were pals.

It was worth an eye.

We used to lock about a late district together.

Larking about.

Sounds good.

Anyone up for a walk?

Count me in.

Me too.

Always up for a good lark.

Dathadils.