CHAPTER 1 - DEAD BASTARDS
EXT. (RAIZIA) GRASSFIELD - DAY
Sunny, slight breeze with petals of flowers blooming in the spring. Under, resides a grave in a field of low rolling hills as far as the eyes can see with plum trees dotted and a cottage in the distance.
People stand in a circle watching a white shroud lowering to the base of the grave. A congregation of Dark elves, Thelbians, and WHITE RAZIANS surround it, mourning the loss of a man.
A large AMBER FOX approaches and rubs against a certain Dark elf VALKYRIE, nine feet tall with a giant sword attached to her back and a smaller thinner one on her waist. Two arms are cybernetic in appearance, with a small, red lotus tattoo under her right eye, with two distinct markings under.
As the corpse hits the ground Valkyrie stares shedding a tear.
VALKYRIE
For a man who caused the world to change for the third time, you will be the only one who will be lost even through legend…
FADE OUT:
BLACK
VALKYRIE (CONT’D)
…Father.
CUT TO:
EXT. (TERRA) ON TOP OF THE BLUE WALLS (SKY) - DAY
167 years ago
A four-winged dragon flies above the clouds towards two huge walls, the shorter further back. As it perches on one of the taller walls in front, it lowers one of its wings. BAYDEN THE IMMORTAL, a twelve year old, with empty elderly eyes is cloaked with a symbol of an eye and two crowns of light hovering over his head. His hair, black and long, fluffy and spiky with straight hair is covered in pearls and jewels carrying a CHILD. One of his eyes is masked in black, paired with an arm that is covered in black markings.
He unwraps the child from the cloak it was wrapped in, holds him from his hair and walks towards the edge of the wall. He holds the child out.
BAYDEN
The Third Change, in the 300 million timelines I've explored, in the 500 million different alternate possibilities, all of which, in my world, you, brought wrath to, and the others you destroyed. I've lived for 300,000 years. And you are the first of whom I’ve tried to kill, but alas. I'll leave it to fate.
DAHYA, a girl dressed in a red headscarf, with a tattoo under her lip and a crown of light is seen hovering, gives Bayden a concerned look.
DAHYA
Bayden, are you sure we can't just take care of him?
Bayden THROWS the child into the dark abyss overlooking a huge city of lights and skyscrapers.
BAYDEN
I tried… so many times. I see him now as a failure of a son.
He turns and walks back to the dragon, taking off.
The child lands on some draped cloth, cushioning his fall as he drops into a puddle where he is left half submerged.
CUT TO:
EXT. (TERRA) ON TOP OF THE BLUE WALLS - NIGHT - DREAM
A red-haired man, with glowing red Raizian eyes POINTS a finger towards a place in the distance out of view. With the sky on fire behind him, he turns and looks at the dreamer.
CUT TO:
INT. (THELBIA) THELBIAN ROYAL CASTLE (BEDROOM) - DAY
- BACK TO PRESENT
CERLINCIA, a royal Thelbian concubine, middle-aged, but fairly soft in appearance. Earrings dangling down from her fox-like ears with four tails, SHOOTS UP from the dream, places her hand on her head to wipe away the sweat.
CERLINCIA
Another dream from the prophecy…
(gets out of bed)
They will slaughter them all until the dreams fade I'm assuming.
She walks over to her window and sees her daughter AMBER reading a book. A small Thelbian girl with no tails just yet, deep amber in colour, small ears, barely emerging from her hair and dressed in a white sundress.
CUT TO:
THELBIAN ROYAL CASTLE - COURTYARD
Cerlincia approaches Amber, and sits, as a butler approaches and places an assortment of Thelbian sushi with raw meat, cakes, pastries, and other Thelbian delicacies.
CERLINCIA
Reading “A Tale Of The Nine Planets” dear?
AMBER
Mommy, look, I can finally read it by myself. See this long word says “as… as… as-tron-omey” and this one
(her finger follows the page)
says… “or-bit”. So in the end the sun and moon live happily ever after, don't they?
Amber opens the book to face Cerlincia, showing her the inside while the butler is pouring the tea into a ceramic cup.
CERLINCIA
Dear, the sun and moon can never be together.
AMBER
But why Mommy? That's not fair… The moon didn't want to be with the Earth, it wanted to be with the Sun.
CERLINCIA
Dear… the story is a parable, for different kinds of races not to interbreed.
AMBER
What do you mean?
CERLINCIA
Well, Jinn cannot marry a Dark Elf, a Gawvish with a Demon, nor a Thelbian with a Raizian, or any other races.
AMBER
That’s stupid…
CERLINCIA
Now… maybe our kind can marry other kinsfolk, a Dark Thelbian for instance, but they don't exist anymore.
AMBER
This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.
What about White Thelbians!!!
CERLINCIA
Oh, dear, they’re only myths… Come now, you're a princess, don't be so naive.
AMBER
Well, I'm never marrying anyway, I think it's dumb.
Cerlincia picks up her tea and looks at Amber with a hopeless stare.
CERLINCIA
…
SORCA, the Thelbian king emerges from the entrance to the garden, he has a long snout, fox-like in all his features, old-aged with bushy brows, hunched draped in purple in the royal garden followed by his escorts.
As they are strolling along CASIAS, the official BARD of Thelbia, lands with a THUD on the grass behind the king.
Young and quite devilish in appearance. Middle parted long flowing hair, a cape draped over his shoulders with the SEAL of warlocks on his back. A BROACH, made of gold holds it all together, the official pendant of a Bard.
CASIAS
YOUR GRACE…!!!
KING SORCA
At ease Casias. What urgent news have you brought forth this time?
Casias kneels.
CASIAS
The northern gate, your grace, is being overwhelmed by Razian refugees…
KING SORCA
As I said, Casias, we cannot bring any Razian into our lands, if we do, Selcia will bombard our nation and drag us into this meaningless squabble.
CASIAS
With all due respect the situation is more dire than-
Casias looks up
KING SORCA
Get rid of every Razian from inside our borders, that was the order I set out.
CASIAS
BUT-
KING SORCA
And that is to be obeyed, do I make myself clear?
Casias Stands
CASIAS
Your Grace, they are starving in the cold, we arranged a treaty with Razia concerning these types of matters if they ever came to be when you succeeded the throne.
KING SORCA
DO NOT TELL ME OF WHAT I KNOW! Queen Fenwa is dead, and so is their King due to his foolish ambitions. That Realm had no future, be it the North or the South regardless. Get out of my sight, I have more pressing matters to deal with.
CASIAS
…Your grace…
Casias backs off and walks towards the entrance of the palace as Amber is watching him.
CUT TO:
EXT. (NORTH THELBIAN/RAZIAN BORDER) NORTH THELBIAN GATE - DAY
A large crowd is gathered at a massive steel door, surrounded by mountains.
Slight snow drizzles upon the freezing people of Razia as they try to bang the steel gate open. Children are crying, camps set up with fire pits, cuts of different meats hung from the slaughters and people go around handing out stew rations to the refugees.
TOREN, a half-Razian half-Thelbian, with red drooping ears, paces around the camp, seeing if everyone is okay holding bowls of stew. Clearly not, as their frozen corpses pile up at the corners close enough to the camp.
Horses, cattle, and sheep are herded in makeshift pens, as for the Razian soldiers, not many are seen stationed. A Warlock or two, lower in rank close to the gates, are accompanied by a Razian reserve infantry, older bowmen with cruddy equipment, and old rusted Razian-crafted helmets.
Toren approaches the Warlocks, handing out the bowls.
TOREN
Gentlemen, your rations.
WARLOCK 1
Toren, they are your people, surely speaking to them made them come to their senses.
TOREN
The Bard sent back a letter saying the king refused for the third time. Besides, you know how much they hate half-breeds.
WARLOCK 2
He‘s known to be stubborn. The title of The Broken King is a fitting one.
TOREN
Give it 2 weeks and it will turn into a famine in these camps.
CUT TO:
MOUNTAIN PEAK
Across the distance over the peak of the hill facing the mountain, Selcian mercenaries are proning and scoping the camp.
SELCIAN 1
More women than men, but gold is gold in my book.
SELCIAN 2
Wouldn't carrying these to the capital to prove that we managed to kill them be difficult?
SELCIAN 1
I wouldn't worry. I know someone in the marine force operating a frigate that can give us a hand. He is stationed there in the meantime. Anyway, we’ve waited long enough, they look weak and tired so they won't put up much of a fight.
A STOCKY MAN approaches from behind
STOCKY MAN
Are we moving? The horses are ready. Oil is prepped, just be careful on the horses, they aren't too accustomed to this terrain.
SELCIAN 1
(closes telescope)
Let's move.
BACK TO:
RAZIAN CAMP
Toren steps back to look up at the gate where the Thelbian GUARD 1 & 2 are keeping watch at the peak.
GUARD 1
How long will they continue to plead?
GUARD 2
I feel bad, we need to let them in.
GUARD 1
King's orders. Otherwise you know the punishment for treason, three generations of your family will be stripped of everything and banished.
GUARD 2
What's that there!?!
GUARD 1
Looks like Selcians sniffed them out before they could flee.
GUARD 2
It’s way too far north for any Selcian mercenaries to be around, how did they-
An arrow flies through the guard's neck, his body THUDS off the floor.
Guard 1 fumbles for his announcement horn as he ducks but another arrow pierces his helmet through the upper part of his skull through the ear hole on top.
CUT TO:
SELCIAN SQUAD
Selcian 2 pointing his bow at the guards.
SELCIAN 2
No Thelbian swordsmen, please. Quite irritating in a fight.
A Selcian man is seen galloping towards the camp through the refugees and slicing up women as well as the children.
RAZIAN WOMAN
(Screaming)
AGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!
RAZIAN ELDERLY MAN
WE ARE BEING ATTACK, RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!!!
Chaos ensues as everybody runs from the group of killers.
The squad of a few dozen killing and shooting any red-haired person in sight.
Toren is alerted by a YOUNG GIRL. He looks over.
YOUNG GIRL
Toren!!! They are attacking us help-
Toren watches the young girl's head get pierced by an arrow. Her lifeless body drops onto Toren's torso.
TOREN
(holds her Body)
THEY!?!?
He spots a Selcian wrapped in a turban, with a ragged thobe and layer of chain mail pointing a bow at him.
Toren LAUNCHES towards the Selcian in an impressive blast, as an arrow flies towards him. He uses his arms to smoothly divert it away from him using RAYKEEDO, the Razian martial arts, composed for battle and war.
He clasps the man's jaw and flattens his face on the floor.
TOREN
THEY… THEY ARE DEVILS, GIRL!
Toren's rage is evident from his slit cat-like eyes. They dart around him and more people are dying than he can help. His ears twitch, and he ducks from a slash of a mercenary on horseback just in time. Toren unsheathes his Thelbian blade, hinged with an unused extension, and slices the horse's legs clean off.
As the mercenary is collecting himself off the floor, he turns and sees a blade flying towards his face
CUT TO:
THE GATE
Two Razian Warlocks are surrounded by an impressive number of higher-grade Selcian Warlocks.
WARLOCK 1
Well well well… you do realize a rank in Divine Macrame doesn't make you a better Warlock right Selcian?
SELCIAN WARLOCK
And understand that numbers beat power most of the time.
CUT TO:
OTHER SIDE OF THE GATE.
Three Thelbian Paladins are galloping towards the gate at full speed.
PALADIN 1
Betray the order of the king… and you're certain this is from Bard Casias.
PALADIN 2
This one is from a messaging phoenix, it can't be forged.
PALADIN 1
MEN OPEN THE GATE THAT'S A DIRECT ORDER FROM BARD CASIAS!
DOORMEN 1 & 2 turn to see the horsemen men arrive.
DOORMEN 1
The order from the king is to not!!!
PALADIN 2
Orders from Bard Casias… He promised you'd be spared and he would take full responsibility! Don't tell me you men agree with the king here!
DOORMEN 2
…Open the gates…
As the gates rumble open, Toren emerges standing, wounded carrying a Thelbian sword with his back facing the gate, and him facing what seems to be the last Selcian mercenary standing among the hundreds of corpses.
TOREN
It took three weeks, and alas you opened the gates too late. Have you men even considered your watchmen?
The doormen and paladins look at each other and then look up to spot a head and leg dangling off the edges of the gate roof.
TOREN (CONT’D)
They are slain… and you wonder why Razians bare grudges…
Toren circles around YUKDA, one of the slim selecians. Agile and light on his feet, he is in a warlock stance, getting ready to pull strings. The guards watch… and slowly approach to assist.
END