SCENE: Office of IDORU REIBIA. Massive window dominates one of the walls, looking onto the plantation grounds below. The light of the setting sun shines through the window into the office. The other walls are covered in expensive wooden paneling. In the center of the office is a large desk with a marble tabletop. IDORU REIBIA is sitting behind the desk, a scowl on his face, swirling wine in a glass, looking out of the window. In front of the desk are his direct underlings: CAPTAIN OF THE GUARD, BUTLER, OVERSEER 2, OVERSEER 3 and OVERSEER 4. CAPTAIN is getting a dressing-down from IDORU REIBIA.
IDORU REIBIA: What, precisely, do you mean, hm? Do I run a whorehouse here? How do five of my guards all end up scowling drunk on the same day without you knowing?
CAPTAIN is shrinking back, bowing profusely. IDORU REIBIA doesn’t even look at him.
CAPTAIN: Your lordship, I will put them straight at once. But it truly must be impossible: the wine cellar must be locked at all times. Only Aspel should have the key.
CAPTAIN bows his head in the direction of the BUTLER, who shoots him an angry look.
IDORU REIBIA: And why was it not locked, Aspel?
ASPEL THE BUTLER: Your lordship, ordinarily, this would be completely impossible. But today our usual shipment of groceries from Renlomel arrived late, and -
IDORU REIBIA turns his seat around, not listening to ASPEL’s explanations, and glances between the five people arrayed in front of him, his scowl growing deeper.
IDORU REIBIA: And where, in the name of all that is unholy, is Araltek? My lands are split into four sectors. I have one overseer for each sector. Why do I see three of them for their daily report? How does three equal to four, hm? Is this how we will count the harvest too, every three sacks equal to four on paper?
IDORU REIBIA drains his glass, and rings a bell three times. A teenage demihuman SERVANT enters through the doors with a new bottle of wine and refills his glass.
IDORU REIBIA: The bastard must be in Renlomel with his lover. You -
IDORU REIBIA points to CAPTAIN.
IDORU REIBIA: Go and drag them both here. If Araltek is not there, just his girl, someone will pay for this nonsense.
CAPTAIN bows, taking the opportunity to leave the room. IDORU REIBIA takes a sip of his newly refilled wine and grimaces, turning to his SERVANT.
IDORU REIBIA: What is this? I said white wine, this is rose.
SERVANT shrinks back.
SERVANT: Ah, we are out -
IDORU REIBIA: Whip.
SERVANT’s eyes go wide, and he tries to make a break for the door, but is caught by the BUTLER. BUTLER strips the shirt off him and pushes him to the ground, handing IDORU REIBIA a whip. IDORU REIBIA starts whipping the SERVANT.
IDORU REIBIA: All I ask is that the rules be followed. Is that so much to ask?
SERVANT struggles on the ground, wheezing.
SERVANT: Shield hero…Will get you…
IDORU REIBIA: What are you whispering about? Shield hero? He is in Melromarc, and owns a slave of his own. He won’t come and help you.
Whipping continues. Finally, IDORU REIBIA seems to calm down.
IDORU REIBIA: Something is rotten in this house, I can smell it. I’ll just have to find what it is.
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SCENE: Road heading to the town of Renlomel. The sun has set CAPTAIN OF THE GUARD is heading to town, followed by two GUARDS. A whistle sounds from the side of the road, and the trio turns their heads to look. CAPTAIN OF THE GUARD is hit by an invisible force, and comes flying into the ditch on the other side of the road. The other two guards get peppered by crossbow bolts and die instantly. RAPHTALIA fades into visibility, sitting on top of the CAPTAIN OF THE GUARD, her grip tight against their neck.
RAPHTALIA: You get one chance to speak. Tell me why you were heading into town this late in the evening. Scream, and you die.
RAPHTALIA relaxes her grip by a fraction. The CAPTAIN croaks out.
CAPTAIN: Fuck you!
RAPHTALIA unsheathes her sword with her left hand and in one smooth motion stabs through the CAPTAIN’s throat, separating his spine and killing him instantly. She gets up, crawling out of the ditch, and comes back up on the road. From the other ditch come six DEMIHUMANS armed with crossbows.
RAPHTALIA: Saela, you have the fastest legs here. Remember that tree where we picked up the weapons? Naofumi and Filo should be sleeping under it. Sprint there, kick them in the head to wake them up - something’s going down.
One of the DEMIHUMANS nods and sprints off into the orchard on the side of the road.
RAPHTALIA: The rest of you, help me hide this trash.
DEMIHUMANS help RAPHTALIA carry the corpses into the orchard. RAPHTALIA returns to the road, and makes sure to kick dirt over the spilled blood, to hide it away.
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SCENE: CONSTANCE is set up in the middle of the slave village, giving orders to DEMIHUMANS. Teenage runners are coming and going, delivering messages from several units circling the estate. NAOFUMI and FILO approach at a jog. They look better, but still not completely rested. CONSTANCE sees them.
CONSTANCE: You are here, good. Start evacuating the kids. We will go after the manor in half an hour. Filo, join up with the screening groups - we are doing our best to make sure nobody leaves the estate before we are done here.
NAOFUMI nods. FILO starts doing stretches.
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SCENE: CONSTANCE, FILO and NAOFUMI are leading a group of armed DEMIHUMANS up the road towards the manor under the cover of darkness. RAPHTALIA fades into view next to their group.
RAPHTALIA: I cut the legs of all filofials in their stables. There should be no way for them to flee now.
CONSTANCE nods.
CONSTANCE: I think you, Filo and Naofumi should head in and take out the Marquis. Without him, the other guards may give up without a fight.
FILO knocks her fists together.
FILO: Finally. I was growing bored.
FILO turns into a giant bird. RAPHTALIA and NAOFUMI climb on top of her, and set off towards the manor. They reach it in moments, and FILO leaps up to the second story, breaking through the large window of the office with a single kick, blowing the shards of glass away from their group with a gust of wind. The office is empty. NAOFUMI and RAPHTALIA hop off, and FILO turns back into a human.
RAPHTALIA: Follow me. His bedroom is close.
They exit the room and rush down the corridor, following after RAPHTALIA, and soon come to a set of large double doors. RAPHTALIA fades from view as she approaches them. The doors fly open, revealing an empty bedroom: THE MARQUIS is not here.
INVISIBLE RAPHTALIA: Damn it all, where is he?
NAOFUMI: I don’t think he would have had the time to run if he heard us break the window. He must have suspected something was off earlier.
They proceed down the corridor, checking the rooms on their way. Suddenly, RAPHTALIA stops them.
INVISIBLE RAPHTALIA: Wait. Look into the courtyard.
In the courtyard is IDORU REIBIA, lecturing a dozen guards. He is facing away from the window near them. INVISIBLE RAPHTALIA opens the window as NAOFUMI and FILO approach closer. With a quiet rustle of clothing, INVISIBLE RAPHTALIA leaps forwards.
IDORU REIBIA turns around, unsheathing his sword in one smooth motion, blocking an attack he cannot see. His arm buckles under the weight, but holds strong. His face is a mask of confusion, until RAPHTALIA fades into visibility, standing with one leg on his shoulder. Her sword was stopped centimeters away from his face by the block. She leaps off, landing in front of him, her sword held in front of her.
FILO leaps from the window, spinning through the air and landing on top of one of the GUARDS, breaking their neck with her weight. NAOFUMI rappels down on a grappling hook coming from his shield.
NAOFUMI: Careful, he is level thirty!
IDORU REIBIA is completely focused on RAPHTALIA, his words strained through clenched teeth.
IDORU REIBIA: Lowly demi. You dare make a mockery of me?
RAPHTALIA: I haven’t even started.
GUARDS rally around FILO, drawing their weapons. FILO picks up the GUARD she killed and uses them as a bludgeon, sending other guards flying. NAOFUMI shields her from attacks.
IDORU REIBIA draws a whip with his other hand, and strikes at RAPHTALIA’s hands with precision. RAPHTALIA spins her sword, slicing the whip in half in mid air, and closes in on IDORU. They trade blows. IDORU is fighting like a man possessed, his face growing redder with rage by the minute. RAPHTALIA looks calm, scoring small cuts on his arms, face, and torso, but can’t seem to place a killing blow.
IDORU REIBIA: Pathetic demihuman! Just die already!
RAPHTALIA’s voice is calm, as if narrating a lecture.
RAPHTALIA: The Waves tried to kill me, and I didn’t die. Your dungeons tried to kill me, and I didn’t die. Sickness tried to kill me, and I still didn’t die. If you want me to die, then you would need to do better than that.
IDORU REIBIA is momentarily confused, and RAPHTALIA scores a shallow cut on his thigh.
IDORU REIBIA: My dungeons? I’ve never even met you!
RAPHTALIA: Did you forget already? I am Raphtalia. You sold me but a few months ago.
IDORU REIBIA: What? You can’t be! She was a child!
RAPHTALIA: And now she has a sword.
FILO and NAOFUMI clean up the other guards, and FILO moves to help RAPHTALIA, but RAPHTALIA snaps at her.
RAPHTALIA: Stay out of it! This one is mine.
IDORU REIBIA: You sure are cocky, to think you can take me alone. I am Idoru Reibia, one of the seven best duelists in the kingdom!
RAPHTALIA: Cocky?
RAPHTALIA picks a perfect moment, and kicks IDORU in the solar plexus. He skids on the paved ground, sword flying out of his hand, and wheezes, trying to get his lungs to cooperate. RAPHTALIA calmly walks to where his sword fell and picks it up, then walks over to IDORU and drops it in front of him.
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RAPHTALIA: Get up and fight. We aren’t done here.
IDORU barely manages to wheeze the words out.
IDORU REIBIA: What?
RAPHTALIA towers over IDORU, her gaze full of cold fury. She leans over, hissing the words.
RAPHTALIA: I remember how you whipped me. How you laughed at my cries. I remember the smirk in your eyes. I want to see that smirk die. You say you are a duelist? You are nothing. Every wound on your body is an opening I had to kill you, and that I chose not to take. This fight will go on until one of us falls apart. Until you fall apart. Until you realize that there is nothing you can do to win, no technique, no skill, no weapon that will make you better than a pathetic demihuman. I will give you hope, and then crush it, again and again and again, until you break and beg me to kill you. Then you will have my permission to lose.
IDORU REIBIA looks into RAPHTALIA’s mad eyes, and sees only death. He panics, and looks around in search of anyone, anything that will save him. His gaze lands on NAOFUMI, who is standing to the side with his arms crossed.
IDORU REIBIA: Sir Shield Hero! Spare my life!
NAOFUMI: After how many people you killed, you think you can beg for your life? Beg Raphtalia. Maybe she will be merciful.
NAOFUMI doesn’t sound like he believes RAPHTALIA will be merciful.
IDORU REIBIA: I was wrong! Please! I’ll apologize!
RAPHTALIA kicks him over to his back and raises her sword.
RAPHTALIA: Fight or die. I don’t care which.
NAOFUMI raises a hand to stop her.
NAOFUMI: Wait. Don’t kill him.
IDORU REIBIA: Thank you! I owe you my life, Sir Hero!
RAPHTALIA looks over at NAOFUMI.
RAPHTALIA: Why not? You aren’t about to tell me that if I kill him, I wouldn’t be any different from him?
NAOFUMI snorts.
NAOFUMI: No, that would be stupid. I just want to put him on trial in front of the other freedmen, then hang him. The order is important, I think.
IDORU REIBIA chokes on his words. FILO brings a rope, and RAPHTALIA flips IDORU onto his stomach, tying his hands behind his back. His face contorts into a scowl.
IDORU REIBIA: Why?! You own slaves too, I know! Do you think you are better than me? If not for me, all those dogs would have died in the wilderness! I saved them! I -
His words are cut short by RAPHTALIA gagging him with more rope. IDORU tears up and starts to sob through the gag. NAOFUMI looks down on him with pity, and ignores him. Soon, CONSTANCE enters the courtyard, alone.
CONSTANCE: I see you got Idoru. The others are going through the other buildings, tying up the human servants.
She comes close to IDORU REIBIA, and looks down on him.
CONSTANCE: Mind if I have a minute with him?
NAOFUMI shrugs.
NAOFUMI: Sure. But don’t kill him before we put him on trial.
CONSTANCE nods, and drags IDORU REIBIA behind a crate where she’d be hidden from the rest of the courtyard. NAOFUMI stands watch. She takes her mask off and looks down at IDORU. IDORU’s eyes widen, his breathing speeding up from behind the gag.
CONSTANCE: Ah, hello Idoru. I see that you recognize me. How have you been?
CONSTANCE sits down next to IDORU REIBIA.
CONSTANCE: See, I quite like to explain things to your kind, when I get the chance. They almost never get it, of course, but it’s the effort that counts. I’ll try to use terms you’d understand. Raphtalia told me you are a phrenologist, correct? Well, I am afraid you are making one big mistake in that theory. See, you have found that the skulls of slaves have these “bumps”, and concluded that they depress brain development, or some such. But of course the real link goes the other way around. Any normal skull has these bumps; it is the skulls of slavers that lack them. And do you know why?
CONSTANCE looks into the distance, as if trying to remember something, or simply making shit up.
CONSTANCE: See, inside of the head of any slaver there is this parasite that feeds on their brain, making them dumber. This parasite has a curious mating behavior, only spreading from one slaver to another. And because of that, it has an ability to vibrate when the slaver starts to think that slavery might be bad. This causes a mild headache, and over time, the slaver learns not to think of it. Of course, their skull gets polished by these vibrations - at first it simply removes the bumps, but for someone of your pedigree, I am sure we could use your skull as a shaving mirror.
CONSTANCE puts her arm around IDORU’s shoulders. He tries to shrink back, but is prevented by his bindings.
CONSTANCE: You may ask: where did I learn about this parasite theory? Well, it comes from the same reliable source as your theories of phrenology: it was revealed to me in a dream. And there is only one known way to get rid of this parasite, which is, of course, hanging.
CONSTANCE pats IDORU on the cheek as she gets up and puts her mask back on. IDORU tries to scream through his gag, his tears mixing with snot on his face.
CONSTANCE: Do not worry, good Lord. We will make sure to get rid of your parasite.
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SCENE: Manor courtyard is filled with the crowds of DEMIHUMANS: men, women and children. A good quarter are armed. A lot are weeping.
IDORU REIBIA is gagged and tied to a crate. NAOFUMI is standing on top of that crate, addressing the crowd. RAPHTALIA and CONSTANCE are standing by his side. RAPHTALIA has a stack of clean papers in her hands.
NAOFUMI: As I told you we would, we won this fight. It was difficult, and some of our fighters got hurt: but thanks to your training, none have died. Once I finish this speech, I will start to move you across the country to safety, as I have done with some of the old and the young. Soon after, you will walk freely among the towns of Shieldfrieden. But first, we must discuss two things.
NAOFUMI looks into the eyes of the armed DEMIHUMANS closest to him.
NAOFUMI: This is not the only village of slaves in Melromarc. It is not even the only village of slaves near this town. I intend to free all of them, and for that, I will need an army. At the same time I must fight the Waves, and for that too, I need an army. If you do not want to help with that - that is fine. I will rest well knowing you can hunt for food or money, and could protect yourselves if necessary. Live a good life in Shieldfrieden. But if you want to help - if, like me, you cannot stomach the existence of slavery anywhere on this earth - then tell me, and we will fight it together.
NAOFUMI lightly pokes IDORU REIBIA’s head with his boot.
NAOFUMI: Finally, there is the question of this trash, the so-called marquis of this land. You may ask why he is still breathing. The answer to that is quite simple: I believe that he should stand trial for his actions. Of course, we cannot put him on trial in any of the courts in this land: he hasn’t done anything illegal. But I believe that he has violated more fundamental laws, and he should be judged for that.
NAOFUMI: I speak about the universal rights of personhood - what in my world would be called human rights. In your world, this concept does not yet exist. This is an idea that all people, everywhere, regardless of birth or social standing, have a set of inalienable rights; and if these rights are violated, then that is wrong, regardless of what the local laws say about it. One of those rights is a total prohibition on slavery: no person shall be held in bondage. Another is a prohibition on torture or degrading treatment. It is these rights that Idoru here has violated.
NAOFUMI: The reason I want to put him on trial is not to debate the technicalities of law, or to question if he is innocent. In this case, there is no point in that. Perhaps we shouldn’t even call it a trial. But I want to record your stories - the abuse you suffered at his hands - and write them down, so that future generations know what happened here. And I want him to listen, so that he knows what he will hang for. Those of you who want to leave their stories behind - come talk to Raphtalia. If you do not want to do this - this too is fine. I understand how difficult talking about this could be, so do not feel ashamed to stay silent. Ultimately, we would not have time to listen to everyone before he hangs - before the night is over, this estate must be empty. Simply come to me, and I would move you to a safehouse.
NAOFUMI hops off the crate. RAPHTALIA sets up a writing station nearby, and DEMIHUMANS line up to talk to her.
Hours pass. The crowd grows thinner and thinner, as more and more people vanish with NAOFUMI. CONSTANCE brings stacks of books and documents out of the manor, giving them to various people to bring alongside during teleportation. Other people bring tools, bags of wheat, money, jewelry, weapons and clothing. RAPHTALIA writes furiously, tying stacks of paper together with string to keep them together in a red binder. She even has to go and fetch more paper from the office.
NARRATOR: Stress! Alertness! Attention! There is a limit to how long a person can remain in the state of full concentration. Inevitably, over time, awareness slips. No amount of “machismo” or “force of will” can keep a soldier fully alert over a dozen hours of patrol. This is a simple biological reality! The only reliable way to bring them back into top shape is to let them rest!
Finally, only a scant few people remain: the party, SYNE, RALUVA, and two dozen other DEMIHUMANS. All of them have already talked to RAPHTALIA. She sighs, and stretches her arms, tired from hours of writing. NAOFUMI, FILO and CONSTANCE gather around.
RAPHTALIA: Let’s get this over with.
NARRATOR: Alertness is a silent killer. Once it slips, you may not notice! You drive a car down the road, and for a moment, you zone out. That single mistake can cost you your life! But if you survive - if the car stays in the lane - you may not even realize you zoned out. You will keep doing it up until your inevitable demise!
A noose has been lowered from a window. RAPHTALIA yanks IDORU REIBIA onto the crate, making him stand straight, and puts his head through the noose, tightening it. His face is dark, empty of emotion. He mumbles something through his gag.
SYNE: Take the gag out.
RAPHTALIA turns to her.
RAPHTALIA: Why? I heard enough of his bleating to last me a lifetime.
SYNE: I want to hear what he has to say. Last words, you know? Criminals get those before the execution.
RAPHTALIA sighs, and takes out the gag. IDORU looks at her, then speaks, his voice crackling strangely, barely above a whisper.
IDORU REIBIA: [Hetgnert semt narg eyeg nieesreve eht fo ecargyb!]
SYNE: What is he saying? I can’t hear…
NARRATOR: A full day of organizing the people! A full night of writing down records! Raphtalia reacts too slowly. That single moment is enough to cause a disaster!
IDORU REIBIA: [Leaseht Esaeler!]
Purple light comes from the middle of his chest. Similar light comes from the obelisk in the center of the courtyard. The earth begins to shake. RAPHTALIA’s eyes go wide, and she pulls out her sword, decapitating IDORU in one smooth strike. The light doesn’t fade. A deafening roar comes from under the earth.
NAOFUMI: Everyone, out of the manor, now! Filo, bird form!
FILO turns into a bird. CONSTANCE and NAOFUMI hop on her back. Remaining DEMIHUMANS flee from the manor.
RAPHTALIA reaches into IDORU’s clothing, and pulls out a symbol of the church of the three heroes. It has an eye in the middle, and grows bright purple. She slices the symbol in half. The light fades, but the obelisk is still glowing, and the earth keeps shaking. She curses, and jumps on FILO alongside the others. FILO leaps up, on top of the roof of the manor, boosted by wind. Outside of the manor, DEMIHUMANS form into groups, taking out crossbows.
With a clap the earth splits in half, a massive fissure forming through the center of the manor. The building begins to collapse into the forming void. In the darkness, two giant red eyes open.
SYSTEM MESSAGE: Area raid activated! The Beast of Shrakarsth has awoken!
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DRAMATIS PERSONAE
SYSTEM MESSAGE. The voice of the system.
NARRATOR. The voice of drama.
NAOFUMI IWATANI, THE SHIELD HERO. The first socialist. Protagonist. Knows of at least two human rights. Somewhat sleep deprived.
RAPHTALIA. Casual dueling enjoyer. Hates slavers. On a quest for vengeance against IDORU REIBIA.
FILO. Bird. Likes to fight. Still sleep deprived.
CONSTANCE VON MARUKIEVICH / FREDALIA. Organiser of slave rebellions. Gives slavers pointers as a hobby.
IDORU REIBIA. Slaver. Previously enslaved SYNE, RALUVA and RAPHTALIA.
SYNE. Childhood friend of RAPHTALIA. Previously enslaved by IDORU REIBIA. Proactive.
RALUVA. Childhood friend of RAPHTALIA. Previously enslaved by IDORU REIBIA. Old.