EXT. OUTLYING VILLAGE AT THE EDGE OF THE WASTE NEAR THE BURN -- DAY
The words "Two Years later, a village on the Edge of the Waste near the border to The Burn." appear on screen. A young boy of around twelve years kneels on the top of a knoll overlooking The Burn, a phenomena legend said was created in the ending of the old world. A half mile from the boy's position a red haze sits in the air for as far as one can see as if part of the sun sits upon the earth. Behind the boy sits a a large sprawling ramshackle village near a small stream, more a trickle that leads into the mountains that hug The Burn. The Boy is covered in an excess of hair from head to toe and his ears somewhat pointed and his nails long and sharp, his eyes slitted yellow like those of a wolf. He turns from looking at The Burn and sees a man on a riding lizard just leaving a small group of villagers at the far edge of the village. He sees his friend Toh peel off from the village loping how he did with one side of his body really withered and small and the other side overly strong and muscular, so most of his weight rolled on his one side using his strong arm and leg to move. The whole village was a standard mutant village near the Burn, everyone with deformities. Riso most times called the young wolf started walking down the slope to meet his friend. Toh came to a sweaty stop, a large worried look upon his face.
Toh
Ri, Riso (Panting) Riso, you got to hear, what, the rider(more panting)
Riso takes a step and puts his clawed hand on his friend's shoulder.
Riso
Take a breath Toh! You know it gonna take all day for ya to say what ya have to say if ya don't.
Riso walks up and helps support his friend. Toh takes big heaving breaths, slowly after a few seconds regaining his lungs while Riso continues to support him.
RISO (CONT'D)
Ok Toh, ya got your breath back in ya chest. Ya need to learn to pace ya self. Ya know running takes too much out of ya.
Toh stands up pride in his face, irritated at his friend for pointing out the weakness of his deformities.
ToH
Hey Riso, I can fight and hunt and anything anyone else can do, just slow sometimes, but I am strong, I am!!!!
With that he picks up a really large rock with his arm and throws it a tremendous distance. Riso smiles.
RISO
I know ma friend, I know. Ya courage more than vidrari lion. It's why ya my best friend, my best friend in whole world.
Toh smiles a big smile as Riso slaps him on the back.
TOH
I your only friend Riso, noone else like ya.(Smile) But thanks. (Excited face) I forgot, ohh I forgot. Divid from Luka Village come. He tell Elder that two more villages, including Luka village, it horrible, everyone dead, now five villages we hear about on the Burn destroyed by the black demons from the big cities. He say everyone should be ready to run. Elder say we should start gathering, he gonna move us.
Riso's face becomes angry and as he brings his arms up his claws lengthen and as he sneers fangs elongate in his mouth.
RISO
Why we gonna run?!!! I not afraid of these city demons! We need ta join other villages and hunt killers like Kupa Lizards, teach them the Mutants of The Burn are not weak, not prey!
Riso's eyes burn yellow and he starts to tremble, his face becoming more bestial and Toh backs up a step but then steps forward.
Toh
Riso!!! Riso! Little Wolf!!!!
Riso snaps out of it and the light fades somewhat.
ToH (CONT'D)
Riso, ya must calm, this why noone in village like ya. Ya know what happen when ya let the beast out. People get hurt, remember last time, ya almost kills Suki and ya like Suki.
Riso looked like someone dunked him in ice, all his fury leaving him.
RisO
Suki, they say she walk, thank tha Burn that. I know Toh, know. I, I, when I angry, happens. I canna control it.
Toh looks on his friend with sadness.
TOH
It alright, I always be ya friend, always. But Elder said I nee' come get ya and we nee' go help the olders get their stuff ready ta move.
Riso starts to get angry again but then both of them turn as large sounds echo across the desert. Both of them turn and see a large dust cloud on the horizon at least a mile across. Everyone in the village is scurrying around in panic. The Elder can be seen yelling and those near him, everyone with different deformities, start becoming more ordered. Males start grabbing the village's weapons, clubs, small metal blades. Those with weapons built in and the rest all start gathering around The Elder, at least a hundred.. Riso and Toh look at each other and both start rolling down the hill, Riso easily outpacing his friend, his claws extending yellow, eyes burning.
ExT. village near the burn in the waste -- day
Riso ran up just as the olders and women were already retreating to the west with the younglings taking all of their riding lizards as mounts and pulling the few wagons the village owned, leaving most of their stuff in the sand. The rest, all males above ten and those not too old to hold weapons stood arrayed in a semi broken line against the oncoming dust cloud approaching quickly from the deep desert of the Waste. The Elder stood, the most ancient mutant of the village, bent at the waist from the large hump across his back, his face malformed, 4 eyes across his leathery face. He could see as well as the Blood Eagles that always threatened the young of the tribe. He gazed into the distance towards the enemy. His first Captain of the hunt, Diego, a 4 armed brute who was as cantankerous and brutal as anything the Waste could produce was arguing with the Elder, two long blades in his upper arms and two knifes in his lower.
Diego
They just want slaves Elder! I say give them some and they go away! We not enough to fight city soldiers. They got fire weapons. I see them once when young on the hunt. We not fight that!
The Elder tsks him as Toh finally joins Riso and they wait for The Elder to tell them what to do. Toh has picked up a large rock with his strong hand.
The Elder
The city dwellers no come this far for slaves and did ya not hear Divid? These demons not takin', they killen' all.
Diego snapped his blades together causing sparks, showing his frustration.
DIEGO
He also say every village they been lookin' for someone. At Divid's village they say they lookin' for the wolf. Maybe they mean this worthless piece? (points a blade at Riso) He looks like a wolf, more a stringy piece of one, but if he who they look for then I say give him.
The Elder acts as if he does not hear looking into the distance as the army finally comes into view though still a far distance from them. Two flying beasts of several flying around shoot ahead of the army heading towards the village.
THE ELDER
They not city soldiers of younger days. These demons of this Lord Raven we hear in whispers the last few turnings of sun. These leave nothing in their wake.
Diego spits towards Riso's feet and Riso without even thinking of it takes a step towards the large mutant before Toh grabs his arm with his withered hand. Riso looks down seeing his friend's shriveled flesh and stops.
DIEGO
They might Elder if give them what want. And if it young troublesome pup here, then say we let'em. He nothin but curse on village, my own daughter he almost kill. Many years past ya say he gift from Gods, I say then, say now, he orphan we should never taken from The Burn. Those given up by their own, should die, it is the way.
Riso on hearing that felt shame rolling thru him but The Elder stepped to him and put his knarled ancient hand on his shoulder and glared all 4 eyes at Diego who fidgeted under the stare.
THE ELDER
With the pain of ya daughter's wounds I forgive ya talk Diego but not another word. Ya of all people should know The Mutants of The Burn do not give up our own, for any reason! To city demons or other.(Gazes Out at all the men standing the broken line) A gift he was and is, so no more will I hear ya question. We are Strong! The Mutants of the Irina Village, three hundred years our home, free and vicious as the Blood Eagle, cunning as the Vidari Lion!!! We not give our home without blood and demon's corpses filling the sands, feeding The Burn! SO SAYS I SO SAYS WE ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The entire roar of the tribe can be heard as far as sound can peel through the flat desert floor. Riso feels his own strength coming up, his rage. His claws extend, eyes burning yellow. Diego gives one last hard look at Riso, then a resigned nod to The Elder then clashes his blades in fanning sparks and turns towards the still approaching army now visible as a black line of demons. Diego's blades still sparking against each other, him at the end of a cresending lip of sand, out of the air above, two of the enemies flying beasts roll up, roaring sounds echoing off their flight and many villagers take a step back. Riso looks up and sees that the beasts are made of metal and two demons ride them.
ExT. outlYING VILLAGE AT THE EDGE OF THE WASTE NEAR THE BURN -- DAY
Two War Dog sledders, covered in black tech armor, including helmets, black as coal with bladed edges covering forearms, knees and sides of helmets with flechette side arm pistols, float above the mutant villagers in advanced hover craft sleds with two large flechette rail guns mounted, one on each side. Camera moves to a tech scope from one of their visors, zeroing in on facial recognition over the different mutant faces, from The Elder, to Diego, to a few others, skipping past, then settling on Riso. Laser lights analyze facial structure, then on vid, 93 percent match to a matching computer digital artistic representation of The Wolf of Lord Raven's vision.
War dog i
Target acquired, 93 percent match. Awaiting orders.
A few seconds the hover sleds hang static in the air. A voice echoes in their head gear.
ADjudant
The Lord Commander has ordered the battalion to move to your coordinates. Subdue target and return to recall point 1, sector zone Omni. Repeat on objective, subject must be taken alive, other mutants inconsequential.
WAR DOG I
Orders confirmed. Moving to acquire target.
War Dog I switches channels on his headset then looks over at his partner.
WAR DOG I (CONT'D)
We have our orders. Lay down strafing fire on mutants surrounding target while I acquire the subject.
War Dog II
Copy. Beginning cover fire.
Both War Dogs peel off to their separate missions.
EXT. oUTLYING VILLAGE AT THE EDGE OF THE WASTE NEAR THE BURN -- DAY
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The mutant line breaks stepping back as they see the metal demon beasts swooping off, one disappearing behind the village, the other circling to come in lower right at the line from a side angle from the west. The Elder sees everyone breaking and for the first time in his life Riso sees uncertainty and fear in The Elder. Out of nowhere Riso turns as his friend Toh screams.
TOH
We nah afraid!!!! We nah afraid of ya demons!!!!!! We ahh mutants of the Burn!!!!
With that Toh threw a rock with his strong arm, one larger then his oversized fist, just as the demon's flying beast starts firing some kind of weapon at the mutants to the west of Riso's position, tearing mutants into small chunks. Toh's rock hits the demon on the back of the beast right in the head and sails it off the back, landing on the ground amidst still living mutants from it's weapon fire. The mutants converge on it with blades and all manner of weapons, which elicits a cheer from those around but short lived as it's flying beast spirals up out of control then spins around towards the ground crashing into several mutants then explodes in a fiery burst, killing many more. The Elder puts a hand on a now dejected Toh. Toh looks up as Riso watches and the enemy on the horizon is now moving quickly towards the village.
ThE ELDER
I am proud Toh. I am proud my people!!!!! A youth shows us what for a breath we forgot! We are Mutants of The Burn!!!! IF WE DIE, WE DIE AS CHILDREN OF THE BURN!!!!!!!!!
The once broken retreating line's hearts surge and Riso sees all stand up strong, weapons tight within their grasp. They start screaming and stomping, Diego leads them all as the avalanche of demons roll upon their small village. Riso can see them now, giant rolling metal beasts, more flying beasts with demons atop them, other demons on foot with long fire weapons in their hands and in the lead giant demons holding the chains of packs of desert wolves snarling and looking to have metal as a part of their flesh. Their weapons start firing and mutants are obliterated in the spot but Diego himself 4 arms raised leads a charge across the desert sand and Riso's fury rises and his eyes flame yellow, his claws lengthening but The Elder steps in front of him dragging Toh with him.
The ELDER (CONT'D)
No Riso, no Little wolf. They look for ya which tells me no matter the cost ya they must na have. We must get ya gone.
Riso tries to step around The Elder but he is stopped. His anger is peaked, his eyes burrow into The Elder and even The Elder steps back but then steadies himself.
RisO
Our brothers ahh dying Elder!!!! I fight!!!!!!
The Elder looks at him with pride but sorrow and stands fast while Toh steps up to Riso and envelops his clawed hand with his strong one.
Toh
He right Riso. We must go!
Riso looks at his best friend and raises his claw to strike his only friend but sees belief in his friend's eyes, belief he would never strike him.
Toh (CONT'D)
Suki.
And with that one word Riso's anger deflates. Riso nods his head and The Elder smiles.
The ELDER
Good. Now let us get ya out of here while our brothers give their blood to make....
And with that The Elder is blown off his feet, chest exploding as Toh seeing something behind Riso lumbers past. Riso turns to see Toh with his strong arm holding the hand of one of the demons up in the air, 4 times his size, bigger even then Diego, the demon holding some kind of weapon but the demon's other arm is free, Toh's other hand next to useless. The demon is punching Toh in the face which is already bloodied but his friend refuses to let go. Riso's anger finally has a release. He blazes, a ferrule sun of animal ferocity. He leaps at the demon hurting his friend.
Riso
I will gut ya!!!!!
Riso is a blur as he leaps up and above Toh swiping his claw across the helmet of the demon only ripping off a chunk of metal for his efforts but unrelentless he clings to the demon's shoulders and neck swiping claw after claw across the demon's face until scraps of metal have peeled off and he finally sees blood fly from the gap but then a hand has grabbed the back of Riso's shirt and he is flying through the air landing hard ten feet away. He looks up and behind to see three more of the demons have arrived, one with an amputated arm at the elbow bleeding profusely upon the sand but not seeming to care. They all have large fire weapons in their hands aimed at Riso and a bloodied Toh on the ground. The one who threw Riso is dripping blood down a clawed up face but also seeming to be unfazed, his sidearm aimed at Riso.
War DOG I
Target must be taken alive. Holster weapons.
With that all the demons slide their weapons onto back sheaths and the one who spoke puts his weapon in a side holster. Riso's face is determined. He looks at his bloodied, barely moving friend, at the corpse of The Elder and other corpses of the people he grew up with and the diminishing sounds of battle that had been going on for a while. He will not be stopped. His eyes burn a fiercer yellow then ever before and as he moves he has a vision of how every demon moves before they do, a vision of what is to come before it comes, him ripping through them then grabbing Toh to escape. He then shakes his head coming back to the now and is so shocked that he can not move at all. Riso's rage and burning drains from him.
RISO
Wha' I just see?!
The three demons from behind grab him and he does nothing, the one with the amputated arm gushing blood all over the front of his shirt. He thinks he and his friend's life are over. The demon he had fought reaches a hand to his headset, his face plate, shredded blood seeping from his face. He puts his foot down upon Toh pinning him on the ground as he was attempting to get up. The demon stops listening and looks to his fellow demons holding Riso.
WAR DOG I
Our forces are being attacked by a second enemy from the north. We are to leave with the target....
A blade slams into his face to the hilt. He falls backwards in mid-sentence. And Riso feels the others release him and as he turns he sees Diego his upper arms whirling blades taking down the one demon with no arm with a double thrust through it's armor driven by the mutant's brute strength and through it's chest out it's back. It makes no noise as if pain is nothing to these beasts. Turk, a lizard skinned mutant and one of Diego's hunt pack seems to have acquired one of the demon's weapons and is firing into the remaining two demons, from a few feet away, tearing them to pieces but then he himself is torn down, holes peeling through his body as 4 more demons crest the rise firing their hellish weapons. The demons themselves are then tackled by at least a dozen more mutants, several injured, howling for blood, using clubs and blades to beat down the demons. But more demons arrive firing into their own men to kill the surviving mutants. Diego turns and throws the demon off his swords towards the enemy as they tear down the body of their fellow in mid air, but then several mutants surviving the onslaught rush those demons. Diego turns towards Riso grabbing from his stupor with one of his lower arms and Toh with the other shoving them and himself behind the perilous safety of the clay walls of the main meeting halls of the village.
DieGO
Get ya both out of here Riso. Don't know who city dwellers are who be helping us but no trust for any city folk.
With that the wall near his head is sheered through by the demon's weapons. Diego who Riso now sees has been injured, bleeding from a gash in his shoulder, shoves Riso and the still dazed Toh towards the west.
Riso
I can fight! I can kill!
Diego moves them further along the wall and just in time as more of the wall is disintegrated.
DIEGO
I know ya can boy! But it not time! Respect Elder's last wishes and take Toh!!!!
Riso looks at the barely conscious Toh, his face a swollen mess, then back at Diego nodding his head. Diego smiles, his mouth full of sharpened teeth.
DiEGO (CONT'D)
Good, now go and live to hunt another sunrise!!
And with that Diego goes through the back door of the meeting hall, a feral grin playing across his lips as Riso takes Toh's weight and they continue along the back of the buildings towards the west. They make slow progress at first but finally Toh's sense of awareness rolls back in and they move almost to the edge of the village, sounds of battle still everywhere but more to the north and east. Twice Toh and him have to duck into the doorway of a hut as a few of the flying beasts sail to the south as if they are searching. On one such moment as Toh and Riso begin to move out of one of the last huts after hiding from a flying beast, Riso's arm is grabbed from the shadows. He whirls his claw raised to only see a female mutant about 7 or 8 years old. She is frail and both legs are in splints and her face has healing claw marks. She looks like a pretty human girl except for the piercing blue eyes and the black as night feathered wings upon her back. Riso spits a curse.
RiSO
Suki, what in The Burn are ya doin' here?!!!!!!
Suki's eyes and face are tear streaked and she has her always present leather doll Riso had made for her when she was small.
SuKI
Oh Riso, I so scared, all the boom booms and people screamin' I hid. Older Tirah want me go, but I know go, not with ya and Toh and my Papa still here. No, no I no go. SO I hid but then everyone start screaming and fighting and loud noises and boom! Boom! Boom! I so scared but now I see ya, and then I no hide no more. Where's my papa? Where's Toh? Oh there's Toh, why you back there Toh? Oh my Toh, what happened your face?
Toh finally realized who it was as well as his bloody bruised face was in shock. Suki saw Toh and hobbled towards him wincing in pain as her legs took the pressure.
Suki (CONT'D)
Oh Toh! What did tha bad men do to ya?
Right then another demon flying metal beast rolls right out from the sky not more then a few feet. The demon on it's back looks right at Riso.
War dog iii
Target found, west end of the village. Acquiring. Send units for ground escort.
Riso looks at the barely moving Toh then Suki who could barely walk because of him. He looked at the Demon who landed his metal beast a dozen feet away, slowly getting off it, pulling some kind of metal bar in it's hand that extends to a few feet then starts to glow with electricity at the end.
SUKI
Oh Riso, make bad man go away. I no like bad man. I want my Papa!
Riso looks at Suki, more tears holding her eyes but the pure belief in him that he would make it go away, the doll he made for her years ago, gripped tight in her dirty fists. His eyes start glowing.
RiSO
I'm sorry I hurt ya little bird.
Suki smiles through her tears.
SUKI
It ok. I know ya not mean ta. I know ya love me. Ya always my brave wolf.
Toh nudges him.
ToH
Riso?! Demon man still here.
The Demon is stepping towards him, his glowing stick to the fore. Riso turns full face and looks at him. His eyes burn the fierce yellow of the sun, his hair standing up on end, his claws extending and this time he sees again everything the demon does before he does it, but this time, freezing is the last thing he intends on doing. He moves just as the Demon thrusts the glowing stick at his face ducking under at last second, crawling around the demon, climbing up its back as it's now reaching for him with it's free hand and just as he saw he grabs the hand flipping over it, using it as a lever, landing with both feet on the hand holding the glowing stick causing the demon to release it, as the wolf lands, swiping it out of the air before it even touches sand, spinning, slamming the glowing end right into the demon's metal face and sees it buck like a maddened beast but he doesn't relent, shoving it harder and harder, until the whole frame of the beast is smoking, then he steps back and watches it fall like a teetering rock, senseless to the ground. Riso smiles at Toh and Suki who are looking at him in awe and shock. His smiles turns into horror as he sees behind, coming over the rise, two of the demons with rifles and one demon holding tightly to the chains of two gigantic desert wolves. The demon holding the chains also has some giant blade strapped to it's back and a holstered weapon on it's side. Suki and Toh now turn and Toh picks up Suki with his strong side and hobbles back behind Riso.
ToH (CONT'D)
Uhh, Riso I hope ya have more tricks in ya.
Riso looks at his friend and Suki, takes one step forward, then holds the glowing stick in front of him.
Riso
I hope so to.
The two demons with the rifles step to the side getting a clear shot at Toh and Suki. The Wolves are strangely quiet, making no growls or such but stare at Riso, their teeth bared. The man holding the chains speaks.
War Dog iv
Identified target, designate "Wolf", surrender yourself or the mutants of this village, including the ones now 3.8 Clicks west of our present coordinates will be terminated.
Riso looks at the demons aiming their weapons at his friends then looks back at Suki and Toh and sees their determination and fear. His eyes glow yellow and sees the movements for the next few seconds, but his vision goes no farther then a few seconds. He comes back to the now.
War DOG IV (CONT'D)
Comply or the two mutants who stand with you will be terminated.
Riso again attempts to see the future but can only see far enough for him to have pushed Toh and Suki out of the way of a weapon blast and take down the two dogs and one of the demons with the rifle but no farther. He looks back at Suki and Toh.
Riso
They not be killed if I go with ya!(Motions To his friends)
Toh and Suki immediately protest.
Toh
No Riso, no!!
SukI
No go with bad man! I no like them! We fight! I kill them all for ya Riso! I can, well maybe not now, but I can! Tell them come back later and I kill them good!!
The War Dog with the wolves motions to his companions who start forward, holstering their rifles in back sheaths.
War DOG IV
The mutants are irrelevant. They will not be killed. Comply and surrender.
Riso starts walking forward his arms held, palms up. The two demons move to him and one takes out some high tech manacles and lock them around his wrists, then attached a chained third manacle to his neck. Riso sees the war dog with the wolves talking, one hand to his helmet. Riso looks back at the fear in his friend's faces. One demon stays with him, the other steps forward pulling his weapon out again.
Riso
What he doing? You said they nah be killed!!!!
The War Dog with the wolves looks at him.
WAR DOG IV
They will not be if they do not resist. Slave labor is high priority to the Lord Raven.
Riso hears this and loses it, his anger coming on in waves. As his hairs start raising and eyes burning, he is clubbed from behind, hard. He falls to the ground. He looks up and sees in a dazed haze a demon standing over him. He feels himself losing consciousness, but in the last second he sees the demon's chest explode, blood splattering him and everything, then a woman's face appears out of nowhere, a beautiful face, one of determination, then she's a blur forward, the Hawk. Blackness