Voices Synopsis

Hearing voices is never a good thing, especially if you are a citizen of Aruya, a dystopian society that expires those who don’t fit in. “Misfit” is the exact word to describe fifteen-year-old HESTER CAMDEN. She’s not interested in the end-of-the-year dance. She daydreams too much. And then there are the voices in her head, her little secret. She knows better than to tell anyone – it’s not normal, and she knows what happens to those who aren’t normal.

While on a class field trip, the voices beg Hester for help. She investigates and inadvertently frees GALE, an outsider trapped within Aruya by the malicious INSPECTORS, who rule the city. Gale became imprisoned when he and the beautiful SOLARIS attempted to steal an amulet rumored to be the source of the Inspectors’ indomitable strength. Although Solaris escaped with the amulet, Gale was left behind at the mercy of the Inspectors.

By freeing Gale, Hester has committed an unforgivable crime. Hester and Gale barely escape Aruya with their lives.

Gale, a citizen of the sky realm Ilo, helps Hester adjust to life outside of Aruya. He identifies her gift as a highly-tuned sensitivity to the quanta, the basic unit of Manipulation, a meditative art which allows the Manipulator to harness the flow of natural energy. Gale begins to train Hester in Manipulation, and Hester, who flowers under Gale’s gentle touch, begins to develop feelings for her teacher.

Hester’s sensitivity becomes a perfect medium for Solaris to contact Hester in vision-like dreams. When Hester tells Gale about her growing relationship with Solaris, Gale grows angry, claiming Solaris used him to secure the amulet.

The duo elicits the interest of QUEEN MERCETE, who convinces Hester she could free Aruya from the Inspectors’ grip.

Seventy years ago, the city of Aruya sparked civil war by seceding from Dericia under the auspices of the reformer SERENA CEDMETH, who had in her possession a powerful amulet which could defy fundamental laws by creating energy.

As the war dragged on, the citizens of Aruya clamored for a drastic solution. When the Inspectors convinced the people to call for a realm of their own, Serena Cedmeth sacrificed herself in order to create the current city of Aruya, over which the Inspectors assumed control. Before her untimely death, Serena prophesized the reunion of Dericia and Aruya under the guidance of “the one who wears my name”.

Queen Mercete realizes that Hester Camden is a perfect anagram for Serena Cedmeth, and convinces Hester that she could be the all-powerful savior destined to reunite the realms. At first, Hester is intoxicated by the idea of bringing the rest of Aruya into the natural world and cooperates. However, when the Queen has Gale imprisoned for trivial reasons, Hester realizes that the Queen’s means don’t outweigh the ends.

When Hester doesn’t comply with Mercete’s increasingly tyrannical wishes, the Queen has Hester imprisoned as well. Hester contacts Solaris for help. Solaris attempts to transport Hester and Gale into the realm of Ilo but fails.

Solaris deposits Hester in the spirit realm, populated by quiet spirits uninterested in human affairs. A friendly spirit EURYDICE agrees to transport her into the sky realm in return for a favor: Eurydice asks Hester to send back home a few wayward spirits summoned into the earth realm.

In the sky realm, Hester is greeted by Solaris, who tells Hester that Gale remains in the clutches of Mercete. Solaris shows Hester the stolen amulet, revealing that Solaris has been unable to wield it. When Hester fails as well, she begins to further doubt herself.

Hester learns that Solaris is creating a portal into the earth realm, and assumes that Solaris means to wage war. Hester steals the amulet in order to thwart Solaris’s plans. After initial difficulties, Hester succeeds in yielding the amulet, which she uses to contact Gale. However, their conversation is interrupted by a furious Solaris.

Solaris explains that the portal to the earth realm was simply an alternative plan to rescue Gale. Solaris still loves Gale, but doesn’t believe he would forgive her for fleeing Aruya without him.

Solaris agrees to accompany Hester to Aruya. Hester faces the Inspectors, who are possessed by dark spirits summoned by Serena Cedmeth’s sacrifice. As Serena sacrificed herself to create the current state of Aruya, Hester sacrifices everything she can, stripping herself of even the quanta. Bolstered by her family and friends, Hester defeats the Inspectors and sends the spirits back to the spirit realm, as promised.

Aruya begins the arduous process of rebuilding. Because Aruya is protected by the might of the sky realm, Queen Mercete can do nothing but watch, although relations between the two cities remain tense.

Gale and Solaris, despite their past grievances, reconcile and accept each other. On their wedding day, Hester considers the possibility that one day, Dericia and Aruya might be reunited once again.