The Magi: Memories
Part
I
Through the
(Fade in
to an old abandoned castle. Not much light except for the arrow slits. Bruce
and Squire are walking through. Squire is carrying a torch. A brick falls off
the wall and nearly hits Bruce.)
Bruce: (wipes dirt from his sleeve) Tell me again why we’re walking through this dark, wet,
God forsaken castle.
Squire: Apparently whatever we are here to kill has been
trouncing through the countryside, eating locals and generally making a
nuisance of itself. And since we’re the best of the best, we get to dispose of
the vicious beast.
Bruce: Well, we are the best, (rubs the back of his head)
so I guess it is our duty… What do you think lives here, besides bugs (kicks
huge beetle out of the way).
Squire: Probably an Ogre or something like that.
Both: It just damn well better not be a dragon.
Squire: Yeah, I know… It’s funny, Bruce, I’ve seen you take
down 30 armed men with your bare hands, and yet you run like hell whenever you
see a dragon.
Bruce: I have a problem, ok. It’s not that big a deal.
Squire:
Yes it is. If an overgrown lizard freaks you out, how can you expect to be
taken seriously as a knight? Are you some kind of coward?
Bruce:(upset)
Why can’t you just let it go? You know Squire; this is why the captain doesn’t
like you.
Squire: Fine, let’s just drop it. Have you heard from
Janette? She’s been asking about you at the bar.
Bruce:
She’s a little too possessive for my liking. Not to mention that thing on her
forehead. What is that?
Squire: No
idea, but she gets pretty mad if you stare at it.
(Roar from around the corner, Bruce unsheathes sword)
Squire: That’s our boy; let’s not keep him waiting.
Bruce: Here we come, you slimy bastard, ready or not.
(walks to the corner) Bet I can take it down by myself.
Squire:
Assuming you get to it before I do.
(Both walk around corner.
Camera switches to right behind them. Dragon is in his den, facing the other
way, rustling through the various gold artifacts covering the room. Bruce’s
eyes get huge, he makes a scared sound.)
Squire: Well I’ll be damned. What a coincidence. Let’s make
this a quick one.
(Bruce runs off screaming.
The dragon turns quickly, snorts, and chases after him, without noticing
Squire.)
Squire: Come back here and fight like a man!
Bruce: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!
(Dragon pounces, Bruce
trips and falls on his face, and the dragon lands on his sword. It screams
while writhing around and bleeding on the floor)
Bruce: Ah! It’s got me! I’m too young to die! Help! (stops
struggling) Oh hell, it’s dead. Get it off me.
(Squire helps him push dragon off, Bruce braces foot
on dragon’s chest and pulls out sword)
Bruce: I
told you I could take care of it myself.
Squire: Yeah yeah, you’re my
hero. Say, did you see all that gold back there?
Bruce: No,
I was too busy planning my kill.
Squire: Uh
huh... Well, my pockets are a little saggy. Think we should fill ‘em?
Bruce: (smiles) Now you’re speaking my language.
(they walk back to the
dragons den.)
Bruce:
(smells the air, wrinkles his nose, and looks down at his sword.) Oh… That’s
disgusting… You’ve got a date with the river. (places it next to the entryway)
(they sit on big piles of
gold and rummage through them, picking out the good stuff and pocketing it.)
Squire: You really need to learn how to face your fears. I
swear, running from a baby dragon. A BABY. I probably could have just knocked
him out with my torch and dragged him away.
Bruce: Why don’t you just get off my back? I killed it
didn’t I?
Squire: That you did. I guess that counts for something.
Not much, but something.
Bruce: (picks up a very gaudy gold/jewel encrusted tiara
and absentmindedly puts it on his head) Why do dragons collect gold anyway.
Squire: (picks up a gold plate and shines it) I’m pretty
sure they eat it. I heard some guy say that they use it fuel their fire or
something like that. Either way, it’s not going to be using this anymore,
(lifts up a bracelet) right Bruce? (looks at the plate, but doesn’t see Bruce in reflection).
Bruce? BRUCE!?
(more credits or something. Fade to forest,
Bruce lying on the ground)
Bruce: Ooww… my head… (Gets up off the ground, rubs his head.)
(a girl’s laughter from
behind. Bruce walks into a clearing. Two cloaked figures are talking nearby
their faces are hidden by hoods. The one in the dark green has a bow and is
sitting on a low branch The other has dark blue and is leaning against the
tree, a bit of silver hair is visible. He’s holding a large staff with a purple
ball at the top, and other colored balls inside the staff. Spike and Gabriella
walk into the clearing from different directions)
Nanesse (green
cloak): …and then I said, “Hey man, that’s my ear.” Can you believe it?
Kain (blue
cloak): (Speaking quietly and slowly) It seems we have company.
Bruce:
(Extremely confused look on his face) Uh… Wasn’t I just… (gets cut off by
Spike)
Spike: Old
man! What just happened? Where’d this forest come from?
Kain: I’d
say, a hell of a lot of seeds. As for how you got here; I’m not sure. My friend
and I were traveling the planes, when suddenly we found ourselves here. Can I
assume that you two are here under similar pretenses?
(Bruce and Gabriella nod)
Kain: Then
I suppose the best course of action would be to-
Bandit 1: (from
the behind) Well isn’t this a nice little party?
(Change to higher view of
the clearing. A group of bandits enter from the side near Gabriella)
Bandit 2: We just love parties.
(Enter a second group from around where Spike entered)
Bandit 1: If you be so kind as to place all
your money and weapons on the ground and back away, it would make this a lot
easier. We would also appreciate it if you wouldn’t make a fuss. That goes for you
too princess (looks at Bruce).
Gabriella: (looks at Bruce) Ha ha ha ha
ha!
Bruce: (still wearing the tiara and
extremely confused look on face) Princess?
Bandit 2: Please don’t try anything funny; I
simply abhor the site of blood. Just hand over your gold and everything will be
fine.
(Bruce figures out they are being robbed and steps forward
cracking his knuckles. Kain puts out his staff out in front of him. Spike sits against
a tree)
Kain: (stands up) So you’re looking for
valuables, right?
Bandit 2:
Yeah, what’ve you got.
Kain: What
about this? (holds out his staff) It’s a Magi artifact, very expensive.
Bandit 1:
What does it do?
Kain: (goes
closer to Bandit 2) You see this thing at the top?
Bandit 2:
Yeah.
Kain: It’s
called an Atma Sphere. It’s used to cast spells such
as confusion.
(Kain waves the staff slowly in front of him. A purplish
pink corona envelops the second group of bandits. Camera switches to their
point of view, as Kain and the group begin to dissolve and become the first
group and vice versa. Bandit 2 looks at Kain, who looks like Bandit 1)
Kain: (looking like Bandit one) This is
taking too long, just kill them all! (points to group one)
Bandit 2: (looks back and forth between
them) Come on boys, let’s get ‘em! (takes group two
against group one)
Bandit 1: (freaked out) What the hell?
(looks at Kain)
(Kain smiles at Bandit 1. He holds out his hand as a small
fireball appears on it and then closes his hand. Meanwhile the bandits are
beating the crap out of each other)
Bandit 1: (whiny voice) Ooooh
shit. Retreat!
Bandit 2: (has one of his guys on the ground
and is about to hit him again, doesn’t look up) Why? We’ve got ‘em beat!
Bandit 1: Just do it! NOW! (runs into
forest)
Bandit 2: Damnit…
Just when it was getting good. Let’s move out!
(Group 2 lets go of group one and goes into the forest.
Group one gets to their feet and follows.)
Kain: I guess they were smarter than they
thought. Anyway, back to the task at hand. We seem to have been brought here by
a teleportation spell, not an easy one to cast mind you- (cuts himself off as
he suddenly spins his body. An arrow catches his hood and rips his whole cloak
off and pins it to a tree.) Nanesse!
Nanesse: I’m on it!
(Nanesse pulls out bow and an arrow, knocking her hood back,
and shoots it into the forest. A scream and a thud follow, then soft moaning. camera
starts at Kain’s feet and goes to his head. He’s
wearing a normal outfit, with a ‘scarf’ from his nose down to his neck. Spike’s
eyes widen)
Kain: Persistent, aren’t they? Like I
was saying; a teleportation spell on this grand of a scale would take a great
deal of power, but it’s not unheard of.
(while Kain is talking the camera goes to Spike’s face, then
there’s a flash. Red filter keeps out certain colors. Young Spike (about 10)
skips through town happy and content. People smile and wave as he passes by. He
smiles and waves back. When he gets to
his house he sees Reise (about 16) walking out his
front door. He’s wearing a mask over the lower part of his face and holding a
bloody sword. The walls of Spike’s house have blood streaks. Reise walks past Spike who is in major shock. Reise walks past him and rubs his head. Spike looks up at Reise
and camera freezes. His hair is very light, his eyes are bluish gray, and a
tattoo is on his neck but is too blurry to tell exactly what it is. Flash back
to forest. Kain takes off his scarf thing showing a dragon tattoo on his neck.
Spike gets really pissed off)
Kain: So even if we simply returned to
where we came from, we would most likely be transported back.
Spike: (unsheathes sword and dives at
Kain) Murderer!
Kain: (steps out of the way) What?
Spike: (horizontal slash) You killed my
parents!
Kain: (blocks it with his staff) What
the hell are you talking about?
Spike: I’ve been hunting you for 8 years
(slash).
Bruce: Hey!
What’s wrong with you?
Spike: Shut
up or I’ll kill you next!
Bruce: Ok,
none of my business.
(Spike cuts the top part of Kain’s
staff off. He looks disappointed as he dodges some sword swipes and picks it up)
Kain: Shit…
I just got this fixed.
(He knocks out a couple spheres and puts them in his pocket.
He then takes the staff pieces over to Nanesse, avoiding Spike’s attacks all
the way)
Kain: Hold
on to this for me.
Nanesse:
(takes it) Ok.
Spike: Stop
playing around.
Kain: (dodges) What makes you think (pulls
out his swords blocks an attack) it was me anway?
Spke: (attack) Your hair (attack) and
your neck.
Kain: (clash) That’s funny, most people
have them. Besides, wouldn’t I have to be kind of old to kill your parents?
Spike: Everyone knows that Magi are
immortal.
Gabriella:
Wow. You’re a Magi?
Kain:
Actually, Magi is plural. One is a mage. And we’re not immortal; we just live
longer than you.
Spike: Not if I
cut off your head you won’t. (
Gabriella: Can’t we all get along?
(Kain pulls out a grey Atma Sphere and lights it up. He splits his double
broadswords apart. His outline begins to waver, then fades. He reappears to the
left. Does it again, appears to the right, then back to the center. He crouches
and then starts running straight at Spike. Switch to Spikes perspective.
Several images are running at him, he becomes confused. When they get to about
two feet away they all disappear but one. The real Kain gets to about 5 inches
from Spike’s face then disappears again. Spike looks around, rustling of leaves
above, Spike looks up. Kain is falling vertically head first towards him.
<Slow motion> Kain uses swords to disarm Spike, sending his sword flying.
Kain lands on his hands and spins down, does a double sweep (Eddy Style:
Tekken) and grabs Spike’s feet with his elbow as Spike falls. Kain then pins
Spike to the floor.)
Kain: Why don’t you take a closer look
at your evidence? (uses sword to pull down collar on shirt) Did your man have
one of these?
(Zoom up to Kain’s neck where a
dragon tattoo is flying upwards. The eye of the dragon turns to look at Spike,
squints, blinks, then goes back to normal.
Back to Spike’s face. Flash back to flashback. Freeze frame
on killer’s neck. Flash. Tattoo becomes a little clearer. Flash. Tattoo is
clearly a tiger. Flash. Back to present.
Spike: No… No it didn’t. I… I apologize
for the misunderstanding. (Kain helps him up). Is there anything I can do to
make up for it?
Kain: Come with us. Whoever brought us
here might be too strong for Nanesse and I to take on alone. We could use your
help. Who knows, you might even find what you’re looking for.
Spike: Perhaps you’re right. Whoever
brought us here is interrupting my search, and is going to pay. By the way, my
name is Spike.
Kain: (turns to Bruce and Gabriella) I
don’t know why we were chosen, but I’m sure it wasn’t at random. So if you come
with us, this will be resolved much faster.
Gabriella:
(nods) That makes sense, I’ll come.
Bruce: Actually, I would rather get back
to Jad, and claim my reward. (starts to wander off)
Kain: I wouldn’t wander around an
unfamiliar forest by myself. There could be any number of wild beasts wandering
around. Wolves… Ogres… Hell there could be a flock of dragons sleeping around
the corner.
Bruce: (freezes, eyes wide, turns around
calmly) On second thought, maybe I will come with you. That reward will still
be there when I get back. Besides, you guys will need a good bodyguard in case
there’s any uh… trouble.
Kain: Then it’s decided. We will go
together.
Gabriella: (looks around) Go where?
Kain: That’s a good point. Nanesse,
could you do me a favor and check above the tree line for a town?
Nanesse: Okie dokie
Kain: (looks up, takes a couple steps to
the left and holds out hands) Ok… Go!
(Nanesse runs and steps on Kain’s
hands, jumps, and goes flying through the branches. She stays in mid air, her
hair flying up. She looks around, spots a town, smiles then falls. Kain catches
her.)
Nanesse: There’s a small town to the
Northeast, about 20 minutes walk from here.
Kain: Off we go then. Why don’t you lead
the way… (looks at Bruce)
Bruce: (salutes) Bruce, Jad Royal knight, first class.
Kain: Bruce… I think you should lead, in
case there’s any… trouble.
Bruce: (shrugs) You’re the boss.
(Group begins walking. Bruce leads the way with Nanesse
right next to him. Kain is next to
Gabriella. Spike is taking up the rear)
Kain: That leaves you and me. My name is
Kain.
Gabriella: Gabriella.
Kain: (looks down at her sword) That’s
quite the weapon you have there. May I see it?
Gabriella: It belonged to my sister.
(unsheathes it and hands it to him)
Kain: (looks
at it) Hmmm… This is unusual… What does it do.
Gabriella: You’re
pretty observant. It senses the presence of demons.
Kain: So you’re an exorcist?
Gabriella: (chuckles) I guess you could say
that. And you’re a mage.
Kain: As far as I know, yes.
Gabriella: What do you mean?
Kain: Nanesse and I have no memory of
our pasts. We spend our time looking for our friends, hoping they know more
than we do.
Gabriella:
If you don’t remember, how would you know when you find them?
Kain: We
both have one of these.
(Kain pulls out a pendant from under his shirt zoom in on
pendant. Etched picture of Nanesse, Kain, and 4 other people standing together.
A thin mist swirls around the rest of the pendant)
Gabriella: Why
is it doing that?
Kain: Hmm…
We must be farther away from them now. It gets fuzzier the farther we are from
them.
Gabriella:
That helps a little, doesn’t it?
Kain: It’s
not as helpful as you think.
Gabriella:
Do you at least know their names?
(Kain turns over pendant, showing the
names: Vincent, Camille, Kain, Nanesse, Sydney,
Kain: We’ve
spent the last 30 years looking for them, but haven’t found anything.
Gabriella: That’s terrible.
Kain: At least we’ve seen a lot.
Nanesse: Hey mister Bruce, that sure is a
pretty hat you’re wearing. Does everyone wear those where you come from?
Bruce: Hat? (feels tiara, pulls it off
head) Oooooh… (puts it on Nanesse’s
head) I think it looks better on you.
Nanesse: (jumps on Bruce’s back) Thank you
Mr. Bruce! You’re the greatest!
Bruce: Just don’t call me Mr. Bruce, ok?
Nanesse: Ok Brucey!
Bruce: I guess that’s a little better.
Gabriella: That’s odd; I thought Elves didn’t
like humans.
Kain: (smiles) Nanesse likes everyone.
(fade out)
End Part 1
The Magi: Memories and all
prequels/sequels are © 2001/2002 by Scot Sizemore.