(no subject)
Characters
Necromancers:
Richard
Vizier
nate, a sleepwalker
Geomancers:
Vincent (current day)
Delongy (Current day; apprentice)
Henry "Hank" William Methot (1930's; world war 2 vet)
James Wilkins Lampkin (early 1900's agent provacateur; active in labor unions, pushed towards socialism)
Time: Five Years Ago
Open scene. A work glove is on the drive stick controlling a contraption. Panning out, we see that the driver, a mustachio'd man, is in the cockpit of a crane., working on the construction of a building; nearby is a sign that reads "Coming soon: The Coffeetorium! Four stories of Caffiene, brought to you by Sundollar Coffee!"
Operator radios the foreman: "Hey, jim, the cranes been acting a bit herky-jerky last couple a' days. We should probably have it checked out soon.
Foreman, over radio: "Allright, dan. I'll get someone on it tonight; but we've got to finish up this job, we're late enough as it is.
"Operator: "Right. I'm almost done with today anyways. Lemme just drop this load. Over."
Further panning out reveals that the work area is in a fenced in area, adjacent to a congested street, though the sidewalk is open.
==============
vince walking through New York City. Looks up in the sky, sees that construction work is being done on the building behind him. Cranes lifting huge rails of rebar. Wearing a khaki trenchcoat, white shirt and tie, smoking a cig. Checks his watch, takes a puff of his cigarette, looks at it; as a truck passes by in the traffic, he tosses it into the open window into the driver's face.
Driver: WHAT THE FUCK (slams his brakes), gets out of the truck.
Driver: Who the fuck do you think you are, asshole?
Vince: Looks at him.
Vince: Who? Me?
Driver belts him a good one in the face, Vince allows it, falls to the ground.
Driver starts to kick at him, beating him viciously, bloodying him up.
Vince says nothing. Crowd begins to gather, though no one intervenes.
Driver: How do you like THAT asshole? You wanna throw something in my face again? You got something you need to say you needed to throw a lit cigarette in my face, huh?
Vince looks up, black eyed.
Vince: You ...you ever read...The Epic of ...*cough* ... Gilgamesh?
Driver: What?
Vince: Gilgamesh. Old story. Big tough guy beats everyone up, fucks everyones wife and sister. One day, he loses his best friend. Tries to live forever...dies anyways. Ever read it?
Driver (A thoughtful, but concerned look comes into his eyes): Wait...What...what are you getting at?
Cut to the neck of the crane; the rusted screws begin to turn and wind; maye indicate this with wiggly lines?
Vince: See, the part i always liked about that story....the tough guy....he doesn't get what he wants.
Vince sits up; Driver raises his fist, ready to punch.
Vince: For once. You see, that was pretty rare, back in those days. Might means right, you know? The weak weren't chosen by the gods--well, the weak are NEVER chosen by the gods, i guess-anyway, so, they were pretty much fucked at the end of the day. Well, Old gilgamesh, he was tough as they come. Went to the ends of the world, to find the secret flower of immortality .
And he even finds it. Then, get this, the poor sap, ends up falling asleep! Some snake comes by, nabs it from him.
Vince Lights a cigarette.
Cut to the operator: The seat he's in begins to vibrate wildly, though he's still roughly got it under his control.
Anyways, the reason gilgamesh goes on his journey for immortality is, his best friend Enkidu is killed when gilga spurns the love of the great goddess Ishtar. The big G feels guilty as hell, right? Wants a little insurance he won't fall down dead at the god's whim either.
*takes a puff*
Bythis time, the driver, looking panicked, starts to back away.
Driver: Look, you little rat. I dont know what your talking about....
Vince: -Anyways, reason I bring it up is...the moral of the story...and its a pretty shitty moral--is that death comes for everyone. Even the tough guys. Even. The. Tough. Guys.
First panel: Shows Vince's point of view of the panicked driver standing in the street
Next panel: A half ton of rebar smashes down on the driver, killing him instantly.
Everyone panics, runs away to avoid the wildly careening crane, spilling peices of rebar everywhere. Except Vince. Reaches into the open car window, grabs a wallet, takes out the driver's ID, focuses in on his address and his name: Thomas Edward Delongy.
======================================================================
Vince walks up to an old victorian style building, climbs the stairs, knocks on the door. Dressed differently, in a suit and tie, still the same shirt and tie under his dress jacket.
knocks, lights another cigarette. Waits. Rings the doorbell.
Finally, a young man, pale complexion, tall, prominent eyebrows opens the door. He's obviously only about 14 or 15 years old.
Vince: Hi. Are you matt?
Matt: Yes.
Vince: Matt, I have some very difficult news for you. Your father passed away today.
Matt: What?
Vince: He...he was involved with a tragic incident down town. A crane malfunctioned and spilled rebar everywhere, and, your father, well.....
Matt: He.....He WASNT my father.
Vince: I...well, yes, i'm sorry. Your adopted father. I understand you...lost your mother some time ago as well. I'm sorry.
Matt: Silent. Pensive.
Matt: So....so what's going to happen to me? You taking me to social services or something?
Vince: Not quite. I'm not...exactly a social worker, in the strictest sense...
Matt: wait, what? your not? What are you, then?
Vince: Silent.
Vince: May...May I come in?
Inside; sparsely decorated living room.
Matt: Well...so...who are you exactly?
Vince: I'm part of an...organization. We've had our eyes on you for quite some time matt.
Matt: A organi...wait, you mean, you've been spying on me?
Vince: Not spying, perse. You've been tailed, yes, I can tell you that.
Matt: So.....you know.
Vince: Yes. We know. We know all about your special...abilities.
Matt: So...do you work for the feds? gonna make me live in some lab and do experiments and dissect me?
Vince: Laughing : Oh....oh, God no. No, we're not from the government.
At least not your government.
Panel focusing on Delongy.
Vince: We're much, much bigger than that.
======================================================================
Five Panels: First four broken into equal squares, with one long fifth panel at the bottom.
First Panel:
Messy, stone wall, perhaps with tribal or ceremonial marking scratched into it; not neccessarily graffitti though
Second Panel:
A young, man, perhaps about 10 or 11, wrapped in a shawl over his head, runs past,
Third Panel:
He jumps over a sleeping vagrant, tossing off his shawl, turns a corner,
Fourth Panel:
Vagrant grabs the shall, surprised at his good fortune.
Fifth Panel:
He's then stampeded and trampled by angry soldiers, in pursuit of the young man
"GET HIM!"
"HE'LL FETCH A GOOD PRICE, THAT LILY-WHITE SKIN!"
"THERE HE IS!"
==
First panel
Ducks into a dark doorway....three soldiers pass by.
Second panel,
Across from him, he sees he's sharing the shallow door way with someone, whose half-lit by the moon, half-covered in shadow.
"Ooouuuhhh....."
Third Panel:
From the boys point of view:
"Uh...sir? I...I need you to be quiet...see, those guards, they're chase...they'er chasing after..."
"Ouuuuuuuwwwww"
Fourth Panel
Repeat third panel, no dialogue
Fifth Panel
"Um...sir....are...are you allri-"
Sixth Panel
Hand reaching out from the shows
Seventh panel
A face comes out into the moonlight, half rotted, one or two loose teeth hanging by threads, we see some poor individual, ravaged by some sort of disease, possibly a leper
Boy: "I......OHMYGOD!"
Eighth Panel
Voice Balloon coming out of the darkened alley, surrounded and being closed in on by the soldiers who were giving chase
Boy "AUUUUUUUGH!!!!"
Ninth Panel:
Soldiers take him kicking and screaming
Tenth Panel
Old man crawls out of the door way, dazed, confused touching his face....which is completely healed??
========
First panel
Complete black out
Second Panel
Bottom right corner , small tight view of a moderately lit room, typical of the age and place (1218, Jerusalem); View comes as if a blindfold is being removed from our eyes
Third Panel
Completely removed blindfold, full view of the room; it's absolutly palacial
Fourth Panel
A brown face, older man, possibly arab, but speaking fluently
"I suppose you're wondering where you are..."
Fifth Panel,
View of the boy, bound to a chair with twine, gagged, looking quite roughed up
Sixth panel
"Well, my young little...toy..."
Seventh
"My good friend...you're master, of course, has informed me that you have made another attempt to escape.
and being the good friend that I am...I saw fit to arrange for the safe return of his property."
Eighth Panel
Looking downward upon from the point of view of the owner, Young Man, (heretofore known as richard), looking nervous, the shadow of this man cast over half his face, looks to his left.
Richard: "MMMMMPHH!
Owner: "Of course....I never said we couldn't have our own little fun before I returned you to your rightful place, now can't we?"
Ninth Panel
Same perspective, Richards Eyes closed, as to the left, a crashing noise erupts. The shadow of the man is looking to the noise, shocked, surprised.
==========
First three panels, equal in size,
1: Richards eyes tightly closed in fear, still same perspective looking towards and down at him, we see the shadow of a fist connect with the slave owner
2: Same perspective, a loud scream of pain and terror rings out. Richards eyes clenched tightly shut.
3. Same Perspective. Silence.
Fourth Panel, Long and thin, spanning the length of the remaining space; the final fifth panel should fill up foughly a quarter-to-half the rest of the page
Closeup of a mans mouth, hooded in black, eyes not visible
"Well now, with that nasty bit of business over with...
"It's Richard, now, isn't it?'
Fifth Panel:
Room seen from above, Richard, opens his eyes, surprised at what he sees: the room is a mess, chairs and furniture broken, he's a surrounded by men garbed in black, the slave owner laid out: bloody and beaten, and missing his right hand, which lies on the ground near his feet, cut neatly, fingers twisted as if broken.
"We've been waiting a long time to meet you."
.
===========================================================
Black Panel.
Voice-over. "My name is Tom Delongy."
Second panel, a flame on a candle, close up.
V/O: "And I work for the good guys."
Pan Out to Hooded men, almost like monks, lead man holding the candle, in what appears to be a large cavernous temple. Delong is walking beside them, not part of the procession, but watching it in awe; the monks act as if he were not there.
V/O: "Five years ago, my whole life changed. I had been living with my adoptive father. He was my mom's boyfriend before she died, and I guess he felt sorry for me, so he took me in. We never got along much, but we stayed out of each others way. He was a good man, though.
Following behind the procession is Vince, clad in the same shirt, tie, but also the monks robe over it. The tie is badly splotched and stained.He also wears a loose belt, with latches from which hang two sai daggers (similar to how Raphael tucked his daggers into his belt from TMNT)
V/O: That's Vincent. I've never learned his whole name. He say that IS his whole name, but that's stupid. Who does he think he is, Prince? Everyne has a last name...
Vince gives a sideways, knowing glance at tom.
V/O: "Don't they?"
V/o: Anyways. My dad died in some kind of accident. I guess the people Vince works for...well, who I work for...had been keeping an eye on me, and they came to me and...well, told me that I had some sort of destiny. That I was special. That there were people out there who meant to hurt people like me. That he would teach me how to hurt them first. They got me out of there. Vince promised me he'd help me stay safe. Not that I really needed it.
Delong, approaching an unlit torch, waves his hand, and it bursts into flame.
V/O. I've always been able to take care of myself.
Steps back. The entire group is before a platform, upon which there are five thrones. Four thrones are occupied by ancient, age-worn men, clad in white robes, with red rubies on the right breasts of their robes. The center throne, higher than the others, is empty.
The elder to the right, closest to the center throne stands; he is bent and crooked postured, though you can still see he is clearly the tallest of the Old Ones.
He Speaks.
"We are gathered here, my friends, my students, as we have in years before, to pass judgement."
Tom looks at vince...he doesn't return the look.
"We are gathered because there has been a violation of our ancient order's most solemn tenets. One among us has claimed....a Blasphemy!"
Vince lowers his head; his eyes are hidden within the shadows of his cloak's hood, with only his lower face visibl in the fire light.
"One of us has read heretical works, has read of the so-called....Geomancer Messiah. And, drunk on his own pride, has found it fit not only to claim the existence within the propecies of such a messiash...but that HE HIMSELF IS THE MESSIAH!
The collected monks all lower their heads, rocking back and forth...with the exception of vince, still with his head lowered.
"Will Vincent, Honored One, of the Five Fates, approach?"
Vince: Yes, Most Ancient One?
Ancient One: Do you deny that YOU are the one I speak of?
Vince: No, Lord. All you speak is true.
Ancient one: Very Well. Do you repent?
Vince. [Pause]
Ancient One: I ask again...Do you repent of these blasphemies? Do you return to our truest faith and disavow these untruths sowed among us by the Dark One?
Vince: No. I do not.
Ancient one: I Ask one final time, my young student.
Do.
You.
Repent?
Vincent: [Pause.]
Vincent: NO. NO, I DO NOT.
Vincent: I REFUSE TO SIT BACK WITH THE REST OF MY FLOCK AND MERELY AWAIT THE COMING STORM! THE DARK ONE IS OUT THERE...and yet, we sit here, among our books, our scrolls, milling over footnotes, over copies of copies of copies of books from libraries that were burned down CENTURIES ago! We must ACT! We must HUNT the dark one, we must--
Ancient One: ENOUGH! (Large block letters)
Ancient One: I see that you have turned from our faith. That you are lost to us, forever.
Vince: No, my Lord, I--
Ancient One: AND AS SUCH. You must leave us.
Vince: Struck by that, as by a blow
Wh-...What??
Ancient one: You, who have done much in our service....it is with great regret that I do this...but you mustbe cast out, like a stone upon a white river. We cannot allow your...treason to infect younger minds. (Close up on Delongy face)
Vince: No...no, you can't...YOU CAN"T DO THIS! YOU CANT DO THIS!
(The monks behind Vincent approach and grab hold of him.)
Ancient One: You will be stripped of your garb.
(The robe is torn off, a rip across the right breast)
Ancient One: You will be stripped of your rank.
Vince raises his fist, but its grabbed by three more hands.
Ancient One: ANd you will be stripped of your ceremonial weaponry
Vincent: No...NO, NO! I EARNED THOSE! I-...
Vincent, grabbing his daggers, slashes in a wide arc before they can grab them.
A monk from behind manages to grab one, though he's punched in the face for his trouble, vince, tossing off the remains of his garb, runs towards the exit of the temple.
Ancient one: "Get Him! GET HIM AND THAT DAGGER!, "
tossing back his hood, revealing a ravaged face, with one blank, milky white cataract eye
Vincent, jumping over obstacles and guards, slashes at one guard, dressed something like a ninja, with obscured face, felling him.
Cut to Delongy, unnoticed in the commotion, sliding to the ground, and picking up the other sai.
Vince, Almost to the exit, which is slowly closing, with the setting sun falling behind out mountain beyond them.
Cut to delong, slipping into the shadows.
Vince dives, just as the gates close, barely making it, indiana jones style.
Falling into a ravine, he pulls a machete and cuts a way through it, slowly, his way blocked by much, vines, branches, tall grasses.
tripping, he falls into a swampy, green, body of water. Underwater, he opens his eyes....looks upward, sees his pursuers gathering above the surface. He swims underneath the surface for some distance, until his breath finally gives out. He rises to the surface. Gulps in a breath of fresh air. Dives underneath again. Swims, strugling against a strong current. sees the orange sky above. clenching his eyes....opens them, and sees a boat coming his direction. he's struggling to get a way, while still holding his breath...Which, finally, gives out....A flush of bubbles pours out of his mouth...and he floats to the surface.
From above, a flurry of bubbles...the, nothing. Then, his body rises to the surface back first. We see it from the boats point of view, which gets closer, closer....a hand reach out....And Vince rises from the water, enraged, foaming, raising his dagger....
From vince's point of view, he sees a terrified Delongy.
Delongy: "NO!"
Vince: Matt....Matt? What are you...Why are you....?
Matt: I....brought you your....
Reaching behind, he pulls out the second sai dagger.
Matt: its...its yours. Vince.
View of vince:, in shock, exhausted, confused.
Matt: "Take it."
Vince takes it....then, flipping it, he hands it, handle first, back to delongy.
Vince: No. I need you...to take care of it for me.
Matt: But...
Vince: No, buts. I'm...going on a long journey. And I need somone to watch over it for me while I'm gone. Someone to hide it.
Matt: No, but, see
Vince: And I'll be back for it. After I...after I complete my destiny. You understand destiny, don't you matt?
Matt: ....Yes.
Vince: Allright then. Thank you. (Climbings abord the small raft of a boat.)
Take me to the edge of the river, please. Before the guards catch scent of me...
Matt: No, you dont understand Vince. I told them you went the other way. That you took to the mountains, that you were trying to escape to the east.
Vince: oh, well, thank you--
Matt: And the'll keep going that way...
Vince: narrows his eyes
Matt: Unless you take me with you.
Vince: Matt, you dont understand...
Matt: I understandly Plenty. You're gonna go hunt down the Necromancer. Not just any necromancer...THE Necromancer! You really think I'd rather hang around here reading for another ten years? I'm going with you.
Vince: Matt, its going to be dangerous.
Matt: Vince, if you dont take me with you...i'll tell them where you went. the paths you took. You know I can find you....from the dirt you travel upon.
Vince....Pause
Vince: Exasperated.*: Sigh*
Vince: Allright. Lets get going.
Matt: Niiiiiiice.
As they float off down the river, towards the sunset.
Vince: I suppose....it was time I took on an apprentice anyways...