CHAPTER 3 - BARDS, WARLOCKS AND SAGES

EXT. THELBIAN ROYAL CASTLE (GARDEN) - DAY

A wide space of both, intricately coloured assorted flowers and pillars of vegetation lined alongside the footpath. Sunny, not a cloud in sight and a slight warm breeze brushes off Amber's skin and hair as she stares at a ladybug struggling its way up the stem of a flower. She tries to help it up but flies off onto the pavement, chasing it she encounters a man stomping the ladybug. King Sorca, looking down at her with an unamused glare.

KING SORCA

Is your mother not around to keep you entertained?

AMBER

She is outside with her butler shopping…

KING SORCA

Well then, wait inside for her… darling…

Amber stares as King Sorca walks off with his men following him. She waits until he enters the castle. A butterfly catches her interest and she follows it down the path. Heading adjacent from the path, through a trail and into a gate covered in vegetation. She pauses, looking at the gate from curiosity she tip-toes towards the gate and peeks inside, nothing but darkness and a cold wind hitting her face.

AMBER

I wonder what's down there… I’d never seen this part of the palace before…

A tall slim Thelbian LEPTUM wearing a maniacal, long whiskers pointed fox ears and two tails with a deep dark red hue emanating from his fur is dressed formally.

LEPTUM

Lady Amber… your mother has arrived. She has a gift for you.

AMBER

A gift?

LEPTUM

Hurry now we’ll have to leave again in a short while.

He holds his hand out, beckoning her to hold it, both walking off into the castle.

CUT TO:

INT. THELBIAN ROYAL CASTLE HALLWAY

Leptum and Amber meet up with Cerlincia and the shopping she just came with. Plenty of dresses, sheos, books and supplies for home schooling. Selcian and Dark Elf slaves lower the heavy loads and open the wooden crates revealing shandallers from Whiteland and cutlenery from Gawvia.

CERLINCIA

(beconing the slave)

Yep… easy dose it just hear yep place here… GENTLY DOSE IT!

LEPTUM

(approaching cerlincia)

Hard at work I see, mistress, may I be of assistance in any way?

CERLINCIA

No no no… You’ve done plenty on our outing… Amber come along, I have a surprise for you.

Cerlincia takes Ambers hand from Leptum and walking out the two heavy FRONT DOORS meeting three carriages they pace down the stairs and onto the cream gravel path.

A butler holding a wooden case with a black Thelbian retractable blade. Glass encasing the weapon with strips of gold wrapping around the blade and handle. Interictally casted roses barley noticeable with a slight purple gleam emanating from the harsh sunlight.

The butler lowers it to show Amber as he opens the case.

CERLINCIA

Your very own retractable Thelbian blade. Custom made by Vulkan The Fourth and his adversaries.

Amber stares in amazement.

CERLINCIA (CONT’D)

Dark moon steal, a grade higher than regular moon steal. The most durable of steals. Mined from the suspending moon atop Gawvia, the innermost core so to speak is so high in carbon and dense, that even the most skilled of sages find it difficult to pull.

AMBER

Can I hold it?

CERLICIA

It’s heavy dear… very… and the trigger is sensitive, so sharp he told me a falling hair can be sliced with its edge. He sharpened and polished it for five years, apparently sharper than a Valkyries obsidian sword glass sword. It's one of a kind.

AMBER

Mommy, why did you get me this?

CERLINCIA

… If one day you ever were in need… to protect yourself, I commissioned it for you if ever the day were to come.

AMBER

Thank you so much it looks so pretty. I promise I won't touch it until I get permission from you okay?

KING SORCA (O.S)

WHAT!!! HOW COULD HE!!!

CUT TO:

CASTLE HALLWAY STAIRCASE

King Sorca crumples the piece of paper with a phoenix next to him sleeping.

KING SORCA

DISOBEYING MY ORDERS!

King Sorca throws the paper away.

KING SORCA (CONT’D)

A half breed… as an apprentice Bard of THELBIA?! PROPOSTURUS!!! Poluk! Where is Casias as of now?

POLUK, a short man wearing traditional Thelbian attire holding a book and a pencil on with two tails.

POLUK

Heading to Storik City, Sire…

KING SORCA

I want him brought immediately to the castle… I can't have him fooling around with a half-breed in the Capital…

POLUK

Understood, Your grace.

Poluk walks down the stairs and out the two doors, Amber staring in amazement at his short height.

King Sorca, vexed at the situation, turns and heads to his study chamber down the hallway as Amber watches.

CUT TO:

CASTLE ROYAL LIBRARY

King Sorca entering the library throws himself on his chair and slouchs from exhaustion holding his face. KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK, King Sorca sighs in annoyance-

KING SORCA

YES… I’m busy another time.

AMBER (O.S.)

Father… Are you okay? You seemed very sad

KING SORCA

Come in, darling.

Amber pushes the door open, struggling slightly and looks at her father. Too shy to approach, she hesitates.

KING SORCA (CONT’D)

Close the door behind you, do you want something?

AMBER

Father, you look tired, more than usual…

She approaches and holds his hand as he looks down at her.

KING SORCA

That's my job dear… to deal with people… Tell me did you see the gift your mother made for you?

AMBER

It's very pretty, father, I don't think I’ll be able to use it in a while though.

KING SORCA

Don't be that way darling, once you grow older I'm sure you’ll find great use for it. Come... let me show you something dear...

He lifts Amber, placing her on his lap

KING SORCA

In our culture darling, we hand down a weapon to our children first and once your tails grow out you’ll get your very own armour soon enough.

AMBER

But father, I'm not a warrior.

KING SORCA

Oh Amber, understand it's in our family bloodline to do so.

He grabs a map folding it out on his desk of the known world showing Amber.

AMBER

Wow, father… What place is this?

KING SORCA

This my child is the known world… The Shattered Lands of Mamseque.

AMBER

Where is Thelbia?

KING SORCA

(His finger inching up the map)

That's Thelbia, we live in the southern part. And a to the north is Storik City. You see, if one day you were to grow five tails... all of this will be yours darling.

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AMBER

So small daddy, compared to this one...

Amber points to Raizia

AMBER

This big country? It’s super big.

KING SORCA

Thats Raizia darling, a realm we call it... similar to Thelbia

AMBER

What's above Razia?

KING SORCA

The winds dear, too strong so nobody could see for themselves what's there. It's too cold.

Amber points to the east.

AMBER

And in this direction? The map just ends…

KING SORCA

That my dear is The Vally Of Patrified Trolls… Further beyond that is known as the Forbidden East.

Her finger points to the very left of the map.

AMBER

And this weird-looking one here?

KING SORCA

Those scattered islands on the west are known as The Shattered Lands Of Gawvia…

AMBER

Father, what's all the way down here…

KING SORCA

That dear is the Sea of Giants.

AMBER

Giants?

KING SORCA

Yes dear they exist… some are so big their heads are above the clouds.

AMBER

So how do they eat?

KING SORCA

They eat dragons… and drakes, gryphons and eastern dragons also…

AMBER

Do they not get lonely?

KING SORCA

You see darling… Giants are technically immortal in a way. The oldest Giant to ever live was Sernic The Wise. He lived to three thousand years give or take.

AMBER

So how did he die?

KING SORCA

Bayden the Immortal killed him. Giants have a ritual where they hold a ceremony to kill themselves once 50 years have passed. Giants don't stop growing. And get taller and bigger the more time goes on.

AMBER

(Feeling drowsy)

I… wouldn't want to do that… if I was a giant.

KING SORCA

And that is why the sea of giants exists, they walk around the southern sea, cursed, because they are too big to walk on land, crushing every ship that dares to pass the sea. Nobody knows what lays beyond the Sea of Giants.

He looks at Amber, sleeping on his shoulder… he smiles in comfort, rubbing her head.

CUT TO:

ROYAL CASTLE LIBRARY - MOMENTS LATER

Gold rays of light spill through the windows filling the library with a crimson hue bouncing off the red carpet. The chandeliers diffracting their ambient, rainbow light, glittering onto the books and shelves.

A soft Knock knock knock, as the door CREEEEKS open. Cerlincia, looking at the couple sleeping in peace.

CERLINCIA

Never have I thought I’d see the day, my liege. You look at peace with your one hundred and sixty eighth child. I pray that she is the one you're hoping for…

Cerlincia closes the door slowly, waking Amber up finally.

Amber gets her bearings on her surroundings… coming to realise she slept longer than expected. She glances at the map and books on the table. Letters upon letters written in Thelb New Orcish script next to an ink jar. Under the pile of books and scrolls, she sees a bunch of keys in a ring.

CUT TO:

EXT. ROAD TO STORIK CITY THELBIA - DAY

On the countryside rolling hills with high mountains some peeking through in the distance from Raizia.

TOREN

A lot warmer in these parts, wont you say?

Toren and some of the men sit in the cart quietly, staring at him.

TOREN (CONT’D)

Three gruelling weeks in the mountains and I’m the only one to survive while you sit in this blissful weather…

WAGON PASSAGER 1

Stop whining… King's orders, you wouldn’t understand the consequences of disobeying.

TOREN

Storik City, I heard a lot about it, I’ve never been.

WAGON PASSENGER 2

Like they hate half breeds?

TOREN

You know, I didn’t choose to be this way.

WAGON PASSENGER 2

How did the likes of you happen anyway, Raizians are reserved usually, they don’t travel much beyond their realm. And us Thelbians despise the idea of it… two different races mingling is bewildering, often ends up with the child badly deformed or born brain dead.

TOREN

An aged Thelbian raped my mother, she couldn’t bare to rid of me, so she kept me. The Crimson Mad Fox was my father?

WAGON PASSENGER 3

Our mothers told us stories to scare us… Everyone knows him, the worst thing to come out of Storick City.

TOREN

He came to Raizia running away from the Thelbian government, Raizian warlocks captured him and killed him.

WAGON PASSENGER 1

Did they not hate you growing up then?

TOREN

Raizians don’t mind half breeds, most half breeds used to reside and move to Fralon City for refuge.

WAGON PASSENGER 1

An aged Thelbian raping a Raizian!? And the child being born healthy, something out of a fairly tail, usually we are sterile by then, and lose our appetite for women completely.

TOREN

A messed up fairy tail that’s for sure.

Arriving towards the city, Toren stares with amazement, he has never seen anything like it before. Buildings so tall they feel like they'll topple over, bridges connecting each while birds are flying through and perching. They cross the bridge and cobblestone roads rumble the cart through the streets. The stench hits torrent and his nose scrunchies from the order of dung, Thelbian wastes and the sewage. Looking outside he sees people looking miserable.

WAGON PASSENGER 3

We’re here.

Toren exits the wagon and the sun blinds him as he squints his eyes. Casias approaches him pulling his hood down and handing him a key and a few Quotes.

CASIAS

This building is rented for a couple of days, make sure to wash yourself and rest. I'll come over with fresh medical materials to clean your wounds from the dirt.

TOREN

Right.

CUT TO:

EXT. TOWN SQUARE, STORIK CITY - DAY

Casias looking through the wares he spots a few vials and flasks assessing them, going through further he isn’t satisfied with what he is finding.

CASIAS

Poor, poor, wears, everytime i'm in the markets nothing of value for medicine is around here. You there! Haven't you found anything of quality with them merchants this past month?

CHEMIST

Sorry Sire, this is all I could find, medics from the south haven't been around lately.

CASIAS

Great, I'll have to make do with primitive dark elven equipment, if only us Thelbians knew how to heal instead of swinging swords.

CUT TO:

WANDERERS TOWN HALL, TOWN SQUARE

Crowded building with interictally designed roofing and pillars. Queues upon queues behind different exceptions and different stall. People waiting around with babies crying and families pleading, others hauling around paper work.

He jogs up the stairs and makes his way through another flight of stairs on the upper floor. Casias approaches the receptionist in the front desk holding a tote bag with equipment.

CASIAS

Hello there Ilean.

ILEAN

Bard Cases it's an honour to have you visit again. So, what can I do for you today?

CASEAS

I wanted to request an immediate meeting with the guild master of diplomats please.

ILEAN

Immediate? O-of course, rite away Sire.

CUT TO:

WONDERS TOWN HALL MAIN OFFICE

As Casias and Ilean walk through the upper hallway, she pauses, in her tracks, turns and knocks.

ILEAN

MASTER, Bard Casias wishes to speak with you immediately.

A servant opens the door and Casias walks in. The servant closes the door behind him as she leaves.

Bard Casias and MASTER BRAKE are left alone. Brake, doing handstand push ups, same height as Casias, scarred all over and blind in two eyes, a mohawk and earrings drooping down from his ears touching the floor every time he does a rep. He pauses and gracefully lands on his feet standing up slowly.

CASIAS

Brake… it's been a while…

BRAKE

Sure has Caseas…

He grabs a towel wiping himself down

BRAKE

Another apprentice is it?

CASEAS

Yeah… a half breed this time…

BRAKE

(in anger grunts)

God! You think this is a joke! How many!? One two?

CASEAS

I want to register him, half Raizian half Thelbian, he excels at the retractable sword… calm as well his rage does not control him…

Brake walks to his desk and pours a glass of rum for the both of them he then gets two steel balls beside them and pulls the heat out of them and the cups and drops them inside.

BRAKE

How many tails?

Casias sits and picks up a glass

CASIAS

None… Listen Brake, I know I'm not compared to the others… not a good teacher… I do have my faults of having so many failed subjects… half of the apprentices I have under my control I'm not even sure where they are… but I'm trying to make a change of this state… I think Thelbia will need him.

Brake leans over to the side and pulls out a few papers out from is drawer and dashes them towards Casias.

BRAKE

Listen, I'm not sure what you're trying to do. I dunno if you're trying to pick a fight with the blood king or whatever… but know this, our days as apprentices are long gone, this is the fifth time you've come to me and with a half breed no less This time. I can't keep helping you like this!

Casias picks up the quill and pauses for a moment

CASIAS

Brake, please.

BRAKE

Why Casias… Why all this trouble, you seem to have only half the attention on all your apprentices and now another? It takes 12 years to become a bard… it's not easy, and your metamorphosis’, no, us both… our time will come. Very soon.

Casias begins to fill out the form

CASIAS

… I know.

BRAKE

Then focus on who you've elected and made the most progress on.

CASIAS

That's the problem Brake, all they are interested in is learning history and psalms, epics, myths, chronicles, sagas and stories of the past, poems and songs, what use are they if none of them are willing to learn Devine Macrame and soon study sage craft, combat and the fine arts of our sword.

CASIAS

You, my brother, were a sage once, a deadlock now… but nothings holding you back from your goals.

Brake leans over closer to Casias

BRAKE

This… half breed-

CASIAS

His name is Toren…

BRAKE

Toren… right. Do what you must, however I think what would perfect your successor is to make them teach what they are good at to someone of great relevance, or dismiss your other apprentices.

Casias, surprised.

CASIAS

Bu-

BRAKE

All of them… And you will not be allowed to select more apprentices.

CASIAS

I suppose it's for the best.

BRAKE

You can leave the Quotes on the table.

Casias gets up and drops a pouch on the table.

BRAKE

Come back with the form soon, I'll see to it you’ll have his biometrics recorded accurately!

CUT TO:

TORENS CHAMBER - MOMENTS LATER

Casias comes in, he sees Toren cleaning his blade from the blood, rags of blood are hanging about as he sits shirtless on his bed.

CASEAS

I brought these to patch you up.

Toren stares in an unpleasant manner.

SOME TIME LATER

Casias stitching up Torens wounds as the golden hour sets in, remnants of strings and bandages are left on the side on a stool with some equipment.

CASIAS

You're angry.

TOREN

Why shouldn't I be. Was left to die with my people. Betrayed by our only allies.

CASEAS

I pleaded… I had to force them to open.

TOREN

They all died besides me, I couldn't help anyone. I was powerless.

CASIAS

Powerless or not, they did not focus on you. That's why you didn't die. What would they do with your head anyway? You're only half Raizian.

Casias pulls the string tight

TOREN

(Grunts)

That's reassuring. A bard knowing I'm filth of the earth. I didn't agree with your terms yet by the way.

CASEAS

What will you do if you refuse? Go to the golden forests? In north Razia? It's too far and you'll die. Even if you are accustomed to the north. Ifrits run those lands.

Casias picks up a cotton ball and starts dabbing him with it.

TOREN

I’ll manage

CASIAS

You’ll manage to die. And even if you decide to go somewhere else, where would you go? Gawvia? You’ll be hunted. Or maybe Narkell, you'll be forced into poverty since nothing from there is worth anything. Whiteland maybe or even the Strip of Fire? Your life would be miserable.

TOREN

World is a big place, I'll find some mercenary work, somewhere. I have no interest in becoming a bard anyway… too much work. Learning poems and stories, no thanks.

CASIAS

Out of all the warlock types, bards are the most powerful. Other than sages, Bards go through the same trials as sages do.

TOREN

For what reason would I want to be a sage anyway.

CASIAS

“For a warrior of sword can only be felled by a warlock, and a warlock bested by a sage, and a sage bested by a deadlock, and a deadlock bested by a bard.”

TOREN

Those are King Ace's words.

CASEAS

Ahhh see, and who was King Ace?

TOREN

He was the most recent Warlock King. There hasn’t been one since.

CASIAS

And before that he was a Bard for Daidelf. But don't worry about him nor the poems and stories. We need you… my friend to be strong in order to help bring this realm divinity. Now then sit still, after this last pass of disinfection, I'll need to measure you and fill out a form.

Toren stares outside the window and sees birds flying alongside a phoenix.

END