Blood of the Golden Ring: Part 2

EXT: MARKET STREET –DAY

Crowded market is filled with swarming customers, sidewalk vendors, jugglers and their noises.

Law and Lily follows their leader Zay watchfully.

LAW
(to Zay)
I’m really thirsty.

Zay ignores, or maybe he does not hear the soft spoken words.

LILY
Brother!

Zay pauses, and turns to his sister.

LILY
He said he’s thirsty.

Zay observes the nearby shops. He sees a small restaurant, and points at it.

ZAY
All right. See that restaurant over
there?

LILY
Yea.

ZAY
Take him, and wait for me there.
I’m going to find us a ride.

LILY
(to Law)
Come on.

They melt into the crowd.

INT: SMALL RESTAURANT –DAY

Hungry people having a feast. About a dozen of customers stand in line picking their choices from large iron pots of assorted soups and entrees.

At end of the line, they drop their coins into a large can of a bizarre shaped creature. The coins-collecting creature empties the coins into a small bucket, and FLIES toward an owner old lady reading a scroll.

She wearily snatches the bucket and spills the coins all over the desk before her. After screaming out some kind of ancient dialect to the flying creature, she begins counting the coins.

B.G Lily and Law enter the packed diner. They make their way to a busy waitress overloaded with empty pots, glasses, and napkins in her hand.

LILY
(smiling)
Pardon me…can me and my friend buy
some water?

The waitress points at the crowded bar.

Law pokes Lily’s back.

LAW
Can I please go use the rest room?

LILY
What? Let me guess you wanna eat
and sleep here too?

LAW
No. I really need to go.

LILY
Can you wait until my brother comes
back?

LAW
No…I don’t think so. I must go now.

LILY
Fine.

Lily approaches the bar counter as Law disappears into the crowd.

INT: STABLE – MOMENTS LATER

Zay enters the quiet stable, and tries to find a keeper. He sees someone but not entirely. Half the body is inside a box stall. Only a pair of legs is seen. The place is full of musty air.

His instinct urges him to be alert. He slows down, and gingerly approaches the motionless legs…and just as he expected…not a good sight.

The owner is DEAD. Pool of blood still drains down from his throat. Someone insanely sliced him just minutes ago.

Zay realizes that the threat is somewhere near. He runs to the closest box stall…snatches it open. Nothing. No horse. He goes to the next one. Nothing again.

BACKYARD OF STABLE

He rushes out of stable, and finds not a single horse. Only the leather ropes remain on the poles. Then, he sees a rickety shed, covered with weaving dried stems next to a well. It’s almost hidden. He runs to it.

RICKETY SHED

The squeaky door is opened. Zay enters. Behind the piles of haystack, a single box stall is secretly built.

BOX STALL

Another squeaky door is opened. Zay comes in, and he sees what he was looking for.

A black horse. Beautiful solid breed.

EXT: WATERWAY –BACK OF RESTAURANT –DAY

What a sneaky little Law emerges out of the back exit, and jumps over the waterway. He looks back. There is a man chopping wood on the other side of the fence. No one else is around.

He sneaks behind the thickets unnoticed.

BAMBOO FOREST

Law runs for his freedom weaving through skinny bamboo trees. A pair of birds flies over and dips into the forest. Law sees the birds, and terrified. He trips, falls, and impales himself onto a broken shoot. Crying out in pain, he looks at his right leg.

The broken piece had torn through a linen pant, and cut a good amount of flesh on his thigh.

He gets up painfully, and scoops up a handful of dried leaves to cover the wound. Clasping the leaves, he starts speed-limping. But, a few yards later, he feels something is not right. He pauses to check the wound.

The wound is still bleeding, but it’s not the wound bothering him. The dried leaves that cover the wound are TURNING GREEN. THEY ARE ALIVE AGAIN. He is stunned.

Terrifyingly drops the leaves, and looks at the wound again. Confused. A few more birds fly over, yelping, which daunts him to resume the run.

EXT: JUNGLE ROAD

Law comes out of the bamboo forest. To the left of the road is a market that he just escaped from. To the right is an open road, his freedom.

JUNGLE ROAD- CONTINOUS

Law limping on the road….but not for long, his effort for an escape is terminated by a shocking sight about two hundreds yard ahead.

A PACK OF WILD DOGS STORM OUT OF THE BAMBOO FOREST, barking and searching for their prey. They see Law, and rage toward him.

He limps back to the market.

About fifty yards away from him, someone emerges out of the woods and intercepts the raging creatures. It’s Lily.

Law checks back at the dogs, and sees Lily. He stops.

She doesn’t even glance at Law. Focusing on her move, she stands still between Law and the incoming enemies like a rock.

The dogs are sprinting faster as they get closer to her. Lily is standing still.

LAW
(screaming)
Lily!!

When the dogs come about fifty yards to her, she solemnly raises her hands and stretches them out.

LILY
(taunting)
Misguiding light!!

Her palms release two flashing rays of light. They fly toward two dogs that are ahead of the pack.

First ray hits the leading dog, and turns it into a WHITE RABBIT.

Second light hits the dog following the leader, and turns it into another WHITE RABBIT.

Ears of the two little bunnies spur up, calculating their danger in the zone. Both rabbits run to safety, into the woods.

The dogs change their direction as they have new preys now. They switch their target to the bunnies, chasing them into the woods.

A group of Orders emerge out of the woods. The leader gives an order from the wolf-mount, screaming.

LEADER
Get the boy!!

LILY
(to Law)
Run!!

Infantries load their bows, and aim at Law. Then, they unleash the load. The arrows fly by him.

LEADER
Charge!!

They charge toward Lily, but Lily is still not moving. Instead, she does her magic again.

LILY
(taunting)
Swarming beetles!!

PINKY smoke begins to swirl around her body….then she releases all the smokes. They rush toward a tree by the road, and BAMMMMMM!!!

BRILLIANT WHITE BEAM LIGHT- is discharged around the TREE. The raging Orders are temporarily blinded from the light. When they open their eyes, they see…..Lily’s magic.

Simultaneously, every single leaves fall off from the trees….on the way to the ground….the leaves TRANSFORM INTO BUGS….THICK BLACK FLYING BEETLES…FLYING TOWARD the Orders.

Lily’s powerful magic works amazingly. It brings chaos to her incoming enemies. Swarms of bugs hover, stinging them. Nibbling them. Scaring them. They totally lose their feet. All they can do is run away from the crazy attack of the flying beetles.

Lily turns to check on Law as she hears the galloping sounds coming from the market.

HER P.O.V:

Zay is on a horse, coming hard to Law, leaving a cloud of dust on the road.

JUNGLE ROAD/ ON LILY

An abandoned wolf-mount wonders around the leafless tree. Lily appears into frame, and approaches the big wolf. She makes a yelping sound to get attention. The wolf gazes at her, and then slips behind the tree.

Lily steps closer to it, and tries to pet its back. The wolf walks away, but Lily pursues with more yelping, taming the creature.

JUNGLE ROAD/ON ZAY & LAW

Law sits on a horse while Zay aids the wound. Zay wraps the linen cloth a few inches above the wound, and fastens it very tightly. Law SCREAMS in pain.

ZAY
Never run away again if you
want to stay alive.

Lily arrives. She’s mounted on the wolf. Her new pet.

LILY
(petting the wolf)
What should we name him?

ZAY
Nothing.

LILY
Why not?

ZAY
We’re not riding for long. We’re hitch hiking soon.

Lily’s face shatters.

LILY
Awww.

Zay retrieves a water flask from the pocket of a leather saddle, and hands a tiny capsule to Law.

ZAY
Here. Take this with water, so you
won’t get infected.

EXT: TERRACE –DAY

Prine Jahnn enjoys his lunch on a high terrace of a royal palace. Sitting across the table is the same woman he is dating. The youngest daughter of King Liden dines with him. She’s not eating much, but rather smiling and staring at the Prince with her passionate eyes. She’s in love.

They have another guest at the table. His name is LARGON. Scarred face veteran in fifties. Rocky, sincere, and calm.

PRINCE JAHNN
So, this will be your first time
going to the east?

Largon grabs the freshly cut tomatoes.

LARGON
This will be my third.

PRINCE JAHNN
I really appreciate your devotion
for this, but how is the retirement
so far major?

Prince pours more wine into Largon’s empty crystal glass.

LARGON
Thank you my Lord.
(beat)
Retirement is not bad at all. You
should try it.

They laugh.

Prince raises his glass.

PRINCE JAHNN
Salute to…your back to the barracks!

LARGON
(toasting)
Salute!

EXT: HIGH CLIFF –DAY

General Araton stands alone enjoying the lush panorama from the cliff. A familiar face, Lt.Saudakk approaches general. Without turning to the man, Araton speaks.

GENERAL ARATON
I wonder how my men managed to detain
the suspects….and carried out the
orders flawlessly in the past.

Araton turns to Saudakk.

GENERAL ARATON
Because they’re failing right now.
What would it take to kill one child
lieutenant?

SAUDAKK
It wasn’t one child. He is being
helped by two other kids.

GENERAL ARATON
Two kids….three kids…same thing.
They’re just kids!

SAUDAKK
They are more than that.

GENERAL ARATON
What are they then?

Saudakk takes a beat.

SAUDAKK
Knights. I’m very sure they’re knights.

GENERAL ARATON
Kngihts? You said they were kids.

SAUDAKK
Yes. They are very well trained sir.

Araton looks up to the blue sky.

GENERAL ARATON
We need air deployments.

EXT: EAGLE NEST FOREST -DAWN

SUPER OVER SCENE: EAGLE NEST FOREST, WATER VINE, EASTERN CONTINENT

A lone rider waits on his horse, staring down the foggy road.

(Sounds of galloping colt)

DOWN THE ROAD

Another rider is coming strong.

BACK TO LONE RIDER

Two riders converge. One of the riders is Largon in civilian attire, but equipped with a long sword on the back.

LONE RIDER
Everymen has what power?

LARGON
Power of the world.

LONE RIDER
Please follow me.

EXT: FARM LAND –DAY

Establishing shot of a lush farm land. Beautiful weather.

RICE FIELDS

Two riders paste along the country road. Lagon and the guide rider.

THEIR P.O.V:

A farmer working the farm land with two oxen and a plough.

BACK TO SCENE

LONE RIDER
General! You have a visitor!

The farmer, or so called general ignores and keep farming.

Largon dismounts as the rider gallops up closer to the farmer.

LONE RIDER
General. This man is from the West.

The farmer turns hard to the rider, and pulls him off the horse. The rider tumbles onto the ground.

FARMER
(furiously)
Do I look like a general to you?

LARGON (O.S)
Easy please! He’s just a guide
of mine.

Without looking to Largon, the farmer yells at the rider.

FARMER
Take your visitor back to where he
came from, and don’t ever come
back to look for me again.

Largon faces the farmer.

LARGON
Sir. I wasn’t looking for you. I
was looking for a young boy. He’s
about eleven years old.

FARMER
You are looking at the wrong place.
(points at his oxen)
Because those two are the only
living souls I know of.

LARGON
Well…what about a young boy with
birthmarks on his right forearm?

The farmer stares into Largon’s eyes. Taking a moment.

FARMER
Who are you?

LARGON
My name’s Largon. I’m a retired major
for Royal Regiment of Nazadine. Do
you know the boy?

FARMER
Yes I do.
(beat)
I’m retired, too.

The farmer leaves his duty of farming. He unleashes his oxen, and walks up to a shady tree. A long sword hangs on the branches. He snaps it off.

Largon shadows him with full alert.

LARGON
Who is he sir? What’s his
name?

FARMER
(jerking the sword off the sheath)
He is our King…I must find
him, and I don’t know his name…(beat)
but my name is Belivi.

FADE OUT TO BLACK:

(Sounds of the dogs barking)

FADE IN:

INT: WAGON/ MOVING –DAY

Law wakes up.

Barking sounds continue on. Lily is waving at playful village dogs chasing and barking at their wagon. She notices the sleepy head.

Lily laughs at the tiniest dog trying to catch up with the bigger ones.

LAW
Where are we?

LILY
Covina. We’re home.

EXT: SHACK/COVINA VILLAGE –DAY

Zay opens the door. He enters first. Lily follows, and then Law enters.

INT: SHACK

Empty space. Devoid of furniture and decorations. Nothing inside this shack except an OLD MAN who stands alone.

He speaks to Zay and Lily.

OLD MAN
Good job Zay, and you Lily.

His name is HING XI. Law is startled. Staring at the old man, Hing Xi. Then, full of joy on his face.

LAW
Papa.

HING XI
My boy Law.

LAW
(running to old man)
Papa!

He hugs Hing Xi with full of emotions….but…HIS HANDS GO THROUGH THE BODY OF HING XI. Like hugging the air.

He backs off, and looks at Hing Xi with confusion.

Hing Xi nods at Zay and Lily.

The two leaves the shack.

HING XI’S SPIRIT
Don’t be afraid son. You are seeing
my spirit as I’m no longer with you
in this world.

Law is dazed. He takes a step back. Brief silence there for a while.

HING XI’S SPIRIT
Orders had been trying to kill you
since you were in your mother’s
womb. They had been trying to kill
you before you were born.
(beat)

LAW
Why do they want to kill me?

HING XI’S SPIRIT
Because of the blood in your body.
For them, you weren’t suppose to
born. For others, your blood is
precious.

LAW
I’m very tired of running away from
those Orders people all the time Papa.
Can you stop them?

HING XI’S SPIRIT
It’s not me who is going to stop
them. It is you Law. You are the
one who will make the difference
for everyone. Follow me. I’ll
show you something you need to know.

EXT: FOREST PATH –DAY

Hing Xi and Law come out of the shack. Hing Xi leads him to the path.

LAW
You promised me you will come back
and see me Papa.

HING XI
I’m seeing you now.

LAW
But…you promised.

Law’s voice shatters. Trying not to cry.

HING XI
Be strong son. You are not like
others. The world lives upon
you.

Hing Xi points at a dying worm on the dried rocks.

HING XI
This little worm is dying from the
heat. Put some of your blood on it…
from your wound.

Law checks the worm, and his wound.

LAW
The blood is dried.

HING XI
That’s ok. Just put a little piece
of that dried blood on it.

Law does what he is told to do.

His eyes are wider than ever now, because he’s seeing….

THE WORM BEING RESTORED TO ITS NORMAL HEALTHY STATE.

HING XI’S SPIRIT
That’s why they want to kill you.
Your blood is a gift to humans and
all creatures, but not Orders.

They walk back to the village.

HING XI’S SPIRIT
We tried to hide you, hoping they
will never find you, but they have
succeeded. It’s time for you to
stand up and defend yourself.
Remember to always stay close to
Zay and Lily. …(beat)
Your life depends on them.

LAW
Who are they Papa?

HING XI’S SPIRIT
Gods have chosen ordinary people…and
train them to do extraordinary tasks
and missions. Those people are known
as Dark Knights….Zay and Lily are
chosen to protect you. Lily is a
bio-transformer dark knight. The
youngest and the best of her kind.
She can transform anything that’s
alive into anything she desires.
Zay is a warrior dark knight. He’s
trained to eliminate the threat.

LAW
Am I going to be a dark knight
like them.

Law looks up, and he sees Hing Xi’s spirit is beginning to fade away.

HING XI’S SPIRIT
There’s a book hidden under a barrel
behind the shack we met…find it..
read it…study it….and pray well my
boy.

Spirit slowly disappears.

EXT: AERIAL COMMAND UNIT/ ORDERS OF THE REPUBLIC –DAY

Aerial assault units are preparing their squadron of giant DRAGON mounts called, GAULDS. All mounts are heavily armored and draped in regalia of the Republic.

EXT: SKY –DAY

Teams of gaulds carrying aerial troops fly above the open sea.

CUT TO:

ESTABLISHING SHOT- A castle built on the high green promontory by the sea. Not very far from the castle, above the lime lochs are APPROACHING DRAGON MOUNTS.

SUPER OVER SCENE: HAGARI –LORD BATHERIE’S CASTLE

INT: DINING HALL

LORD BATHERIE is in forties. He is dining with wife and eleven-years-old daughter.

The big door is snatched open abruptly, terrorizing the lord and his family. He looks up to the guards storming toward the table.

GUARD #1
My Lord. Our castle is surrounded
by Orders!

EXT: PRINCESS ARIA GARDEN –MOMENTS LATER

Large glorious garden is filled with aerial troops and their massive dragons.

We are following a big chunky man fully equipped in military armors.

TRACKING SHOT – He is General Araton. Madly marching to meet….

EXT: HILL SLOPE –DUSK

Riding down the trail on the slope away from the castle is Lord Batherie on his fine horse. He is heavily guarded by a number of knights.

Two riders rally at the base of the hill, by an entrance to the garden.

LORD BATHERIE
(furiously to Araton)
Are you out of your mind?

GENERAL ARATON
Yes, I am. I am very out of my
mind after two of your civilians
had attacked my troops.

LORD BATHERIE
I don’t know who you are referring
to, but you must leave my premises
immediately.

GENERAL ARATON (cont.)
We are taking this castle for our
base, and you are ordered to leave
the castle by tonight.

LORD BATHERIE
Ordered by who? The Republic??

GENERAL ARATON
Who do you think? The Gods???

LORD BATHERIE
You gotta to be kidding me.

GENERAL ARATON
(pointing at his troops)
Does it look like I’m kidding?

General signals his troops. The dragon mounts take off and head toward the castle.

LORD BATHERIE
(frenzy)
I’m Lord Batherie of Hagari…this
is my land and this is a disgrace
to humanity.

Before general takes off, he warns Lord Batherie.

GENERAL ARATON
I’m not human…and you’re wasting
your time. You should be packing.

SERIES OF SHOTS:

EXT: MARKET –DAY

Troops of the Republic posting notices on walls of a building, while bypassers stop and watch.

EXT: OUTSIDE TOWN HALL –DAY

Mounted troops of the Republic arriving…dismounting.

EXT: SKY –DAY

Dozens of gaulds carrying the aerial squadrons of the Republic approaching a big city.

EXT: JUNGLE ROAD –DAY

A long line of transport-carriages being stopped and checked by the Republic troops.

END OF SHOTS

INT: KING’S ATRIUM –PALACE OF NAZADINE

Prince Jahnn is again surrounded by a handful of parliament members and military officials. Among them is Lord Batherie. In front of him is General Hao holding a notice, and reading it out loud as counselor Narobie stands behind.

GENERAL HAO
Despite of our efforts of warning
to avoid any interfering between us
and our fugitive, your nation had
violated the agreement we had.
This had led to an end of our
agreement, and time to practice our
military rights on your land. Any
actions against this warning will
lead to declaration of war…Lord
Sieger…from the court of Orders of
the Republic.

A brief silence there after General finished reading.

LORD BATHERIE
(frenzy)
If they want war, we should give them war!

The entire side of parliament seats agrees with the member. They rise up from their seats, and CHEER.

GENERAL HAO
We’ve never been in war with the
East…They are too strong and
powerful.

COUNSELOR NAROBIE
We are not going to war with the
East. We are going to war with
Orders General. Let’s not have
our people misdirected.

General nods to agree.

GENERAL HAO
If the East can help us, that would
be a different battle plan to draw.

LORD BATHERIE
What are we waiting for? Are we
just going to stand and watch them
take this land piece by piece?

Prince Jahnn listens and observes his parliament without any interfere, but kind of agitated.

COUNSELOR NAROBIE
Where is the kid they are looking
for? That’s we need to know. If
we can apprehend him before they
do, maybe we will see different
results. Let’s not go to war for
a kid who we don’t even know his
name for God’s sake.

LORD BATHERIE
(frustrated)
However it is, people are angry…
…and if you want to be a good
politician, you need to listen to
the people!

Prince gazes at the counselor who has no more opinions to address. So, he jumps in.

PRINCE JAHNN
I’ve sent a classified Royal
mission to the East. When I receive
the reports, I’ll make a decision
whether we will go to war or not.
That’s an order from the Royal
Chamber. Are there any questions?

Lord Batherie seems to have something to say, but he changes his mind to keep shut. Officials look around to hear anymore complaints, but no one speaks.

Prince, being escorted by two guards exit the atrium.

.....to be continued