The Magi: Memories

Part 3

At the Inn

(Bruce enters the inn, party is sitting on comfortable chairs. People are busy making food in the kitchen.)

Kan: (looks to Bruce) Well?

Bruce: What?

Kain: Let’s see it.

Bruce: (looks at Kain cockeyed, Kain points to his sword) Ooooh.

(Bruce unsheathes and holds up his sword. Kain squints and camera zooms on the marks on the blade)

Kain: Can I see it for a second? (takes the sword from Bruce, and motions for Gabriella to come closer) Do these look familiar to you?

Gabriella: (scrunches forehead) Hmmm… (points to marks) These look like runes… Is it some sort of spell?

Kain: A sealing spell to be exact. (holds it above his head) Yep, this is a Magi sword, and a good one at that. How much did it cost?

Bruce: (shakes the empty pouch) A lot.

Kain: Like I was saying, this set here (points to first part of runes) is the beginning of a high level sealing spell, but as it goes into this section, (points to next part) it adds an elemental follow up to the base set. (pulls out his swords) As you can see, these blade has blade has fire runes and this has ice. That’s why I was able to use them in that spell this afternoon. (resheathes his swords and points to the runes on Bruces) This part resembles an earth rune, but I’ve never seen one used in this sort of spell.

Bruce: What does that mean?

Kain: It means, I have no idea what this does. So be careful, I don’t want you blowing up a town trying to unsheathe the damn thing. (hands back the sword)

Bruce: Gotcha (resheathes it)

(Dinner bell rings, a chef guy comes out of the kitchen)

Chef: Dinner is ser-

(Bruce runs past him full speed, sits down at the table, and starts eating)

Chef: Served (frowns) how rude.

Kain: We’d better get in there before Bruce chokes on something.

(everybody goes into the dining area. Kain sits to the left of Bruce and across from an empty seat. Nanesse sits to Kain’s left and across from Gabriella. Spike sits across from Bruce. Everyone starts filling their plates.)

Nanesse: Ooh.. It all looks so good!

Kain: Don’t eat too much, we don’t want you getting sick and staying up all night.

Nanesse: Kay (nods her head).

Gabriella: So Nanesse… How long have you two been together?

Nanesse: (not really paying attention) Always. He’s my best friend (takes a drink).

Gabriella: Oh, I was thinking about settling down, raising a family. And a strong guy like that would make a great husband…

(Nanesse does a spit-take, makes a whining sound and latches onto Kain’s arm.)

Kain: (looks down at her) Calm down. She’s only plaing with you. I’m not going anywhere.

(Nanesse sticks out her tongue at Gabriella who laughs. Kain takes off his jacket)

Kain: Nothing like a good dinner to warm you up.

(Bruce is still stuff his face when he looks over to agree with Kain. The dragon on Kain’s neck is glaring at him. It snorts and goes back to normal. Bruce starts choking. Kain slaps him on the back till he stops)

Gabriella: You’re supposed to chew then swallow, are you some kind of animal?

Spike: (looks to Gabriella) He’s afraid. (looks Bruce right in the eyes) Tell us.

Bruce: (coughs) tell you what?

Spike: Tell us why the mere image of a dragon sends you into fits.

Bruce: I don’t know what you’re talking about. I am a first class royal knight of (his country’s name). I’m not afraid of any-

Kain: (puts his hand on Bruce’s shoulder) Go ahead, it’s best to let these kinds of things out.

Bruce: (winces) Ok… It happened when I was four. (flash) We were coming home from a trip. Our village was on fire.

(flashback. To little Bruce and his parents come to the top of a hill before the village. They run through the burning town. When they come up to their house, a dragon comes from the other direction. Bruce’s dad tells his mom to keep Bruce back as he draws his sword. The dragon peels off towards the dad who does the same. It then smashes him with its face and knocks him out of the way. It then comes up on Bruce and his mom who are running away. The mom trips and yells for Bruce to run. As soon as soon as the dragon gets to Bruce, his dad jumps off a house roof and sticks his sword all the way through the dragon’s eye. It bucks off the dad and turns around. It runs straight into Bruce’s house, demolishing it. Camera shows the ground in front of Bruce’s dad. His hand reaches out for the mom’s hand then they both fall to the ground. Bruce yells for his parents then falls to his knees, crying. Flash forward to the dinner. Everyone is solemn.)

Bruce: My home was gone. (lowers his head)

Gabriella: I guess that makes all of us orphans…

Bruce: (raises his head) What? My parents aren’t dead. Damn thing just burned my house down (makes a fist).

(everyone boo’s him and throws crutons and peas and things at him)

Bruce: My dad broke his ribs!

(a turkey leg smacks him in the head, knocking him out of his chair. Everything settles down. Spike is thinking hard. The chef sticks his head out of the kitchen)

Chef: Is everything all right in there?

Gabriella: (turns her head) We’re fine. Just ignore us.

Spike: (looks to Kain) He knew you…

Kain: Who, the chef?

Spike: The man on the roof. He said he knows you.

Kain: Well I don’t remember him, but then again, I don’t remember much. (looks to Nanesse) How about you?

Nanesse: Nope… But he was scary. Do we really have to fight him? (yawns)

Kain: Not if we can help it. (puts his hand on her head) Don’t think about it now, or else you won’t get any sleep.

(The plates are clean so Henry takes them away. The innkeeper comes in and stands at the table)

Keeper: How are you all doing? Was your dinner all right? Not too salty I hope.

Kain: No, of course not. I can safely say this was the best meal I’ve had in years.

Nanesse: Yeah, not like that crappy stew you’re always mak-

Kain: (clamps Nanesse’s mouth shut) We would also like to rent rooms for the night. How much do we owe you? (pulls out money pouch)

Keeper: Oh no! I can’t allow you to do that. We are all in your debt for saving out little town. No, you shall stay here with our compliments. (looks back) Henry, come show these people to their rooms!

Henry: Yes sir! (runs in). Please follow me.

(Pan to second floor of inn, party is following Henry. They come to a set of two doors and Henry stops.)

Henry: (opens the first door) The ladies will be staying here, and the gentlemen will be in there.

Gabriella: (walks past Henry, touches his face, and winks) Goodnight.

Henry: (blushes, gets out of the way, and stutters) Goo-goo-goodnight.

Nanesse: See you in the morning. (runs in after Gabriella) Why do you keep doing that?

(Spike walks into their room, Bruce follows. Kain begins to follow, but Henry stops him)

Henry: Ummm… Sir?

Kain: Kain

Henry: Master Kain…

Kain: Close enough. What do you need?

Henry: I was just wondering… You’re a Mage, right?

Kain: Yes I am.

Henry: Wow…

Kain: Have you never seen one before?

Henry: No, I’ve never left the town, and we don’t get a lot of visitors here: Mostly people buying armor. I figured all I would ever need is right here. But after today, I’m beginning to wonder…

Kain: There is a huge world to explore, maybe it’s time for you to check it out. But I can’t tell you what to do. It’s all up to you. (puts his hand on Henry’s shoulder) It’s late, you should probably sleep on this. Goodnight Henry.

Henry: (thinking, then looks up as Kain walks away) Oh, yes. Goodnight then.

(Kain walks into the room. Spike is taking off his boots and other accessories, Bruce is lying on his bed staring at his sword)

Spike: (turns to Bruce) You going to sleep with your sword?

Bruce: (frowns) No.

(Bruce puts his sword under the bead, but it slips out of it’s sheath enough to be able to see most of the runes. Spike props himself against the backboard of his bed, samurai style, sword on his shoulder)

Bruce: Are you?

Spike: Always.

Kain: They won’t attack again. They’re waiting for us.

Spike: Either way, it helps me sleep.

Kain: (blows out a candle) Eh, to each his own.

(Bruce lays down and pulls out his new flute. He lays back and starts playing. The melody isn’t great, but it’s not bad)

Kain: Not bad Bruce, (blows out the last candle) not bad at all.

(camera moves around the room. A faint glow is coming from under Bruce’s bed. Camera swoops underneath. The runes on the sword are lighting up. Colors dance across the bottom of the bed to the rythem of the music. Camera passes by and comes out the other side of the bed and up to the window. From there you can see random woodland creatures standing at the edge of the forest.)

Spike: That’s enough Bruce. (music continues) Stop it. (plays louder) I swear Bruce, If you play one more note, it will be your last.

(the music pauses for a moment. The camera goes into the girls’ room, they’re lying on their beds. Bruce plays a few more notes)

Spike: (voice muffled by wall) That’s it!

(sound of beds moving in the other room, then swords clanging)

Kain: Guys! Go to sleep!

Gabriella: Boys… Nanesse, are you asleep?

Nanesse: No

Gabriella: Are you scared?

Nanesse: No, we’ll be ok. Nobody’s stronger than Kain.

Gabriella: I hope you’re right.

(They lay silently for a moment)

Nanesse: What was your sister’s name?

Gabriella: Michelle… But she was known all over Terra as “The Demon Slayer.”

Nanesse: What was she like?

Gabriella: She was kind and understanding… Well, unless you were a demon. That’s why it was so hard to go on after she died.

Nanesse: What happened to her?

Gabriella: I was 14 when it happened, but I remember it like it was yesterday (flash).

(Flashback to Michelle and little Gabriella walking through a deserted seciont of a town at night)

Michelle: Stick close to me Gabby, I don’t want you getting eaten.

Gabriella: No stupid demon is going to get me, I’m too strong. And don’t call me Gabby.

Michelle: Of course you’re strong, you’re my sister. Speaking of which, have you been practicing?

Gabriella: MmmHmm, everyday.

Michelle: Good. You know Gabby, I’ve been thinking. I think you’re old enough for a real sword. How would you like one for your birthday?

Gabriella: Really?

Michelle: It’s about time you learn to handle an actual blade.

Gabriella: Yay! (hugs Michelle) You’re the best sister in the whole world.

Michelle: Calm down. Don’t forget we’re on a mission. If you get overexcited you are bound to make mistakes.

Gabriella: Ok. What exactly are we looking for?

Michelle: That’s the problem. The townspeople said it was a shape shifter, so we won’t know ‘til we find it. Keep your eyes peeled; it could be anywhere.

Gabriella: Is a shape shifter like a doppelganger?

Michelle: Not quite.

(figures dart in and out of the shadows. Michelle’s sword is resonating, so she unsheathes it)

Michelle: (whispers) It’s close… Can you see it?

Gabriella: No.

(more figures go by, sword resonates faster.)

Michelle: Shit.

Gabriella: What?

Michelle: Take this and stay back (hands her the sheath).

Gabriella: Why? What’s wrong?

Michelle: Just do it!

(Gabriella walks backwards to the wall of an old house. She presses up against the wall next under a trellis)

Michelle: (looking around) I shouldn’t have taken you with me. They set a trap. This is not good.

Gabriella: You can take care of them, can’t you?

Michelle: If you stay where you are, I might be able to.

(The trellis above Gabriella shimmers a bit in the moonlight. Arms reach out from both ends and clasp over Gabriella’s mouth, and muffles her screams. Michelle turns to see what’s happening. The terries changes all the way into what looks like a lizardmanish thing. She starts to run forward to save Gabriella, but a huge demon jumps off of a building and lands in front of her.)

Demon: I will be your opponent tonight.

(demons jump off of buildings and up from the ground to form a circle around them)

Michelle: Out of my way.

Demon: (cracks its knuckles) I won’t be so easily pushed aside.

Michelle: Then you die.

(the demon punches at her, but she raises her sword up and dashes straight at him. Her sword goes lengthwise through his arm until it reaches the shoulder. She then spins under and cuts it into two pieces which fall on the ground)

Michelle: (puts her sword to its neck) I said, get out of my way.

(he punches down with his other hand. She cuts it off at the shoulder, spins and cuts off his head. She then starts to run towards Gabriella, but a smaller demon dives and slashes Michelle’s back. She hits the ground and rolls. The demon dives after her, but at the end of her roll she sticks her sword out and plunges it through its chest. 5 more demons leave the circle and stand in front of her.)

Demon 2: There’s no escape. You will never kill our kind again.

Michelle: I will fight until my dieing breath.

Demon 2: We will not allow you such pleasure.

(all 5 attack at once. She kills them all with some cool moves. More replace the dead ones in the circle. They keep attacking)

Michelle: (under her breath) Damnit… There’s too many. (kills 3 more). Gabby!

(throws the sword at the demon holding Gabriella. The sword hits it in the forward and sticks to the wall.)

Gabriella: Michelle!

Michelle: Run Gabby! Take the sword! It’s yours now! (pulls a blade from her sleeve and kills another demon)

Gabriella: No! I can’t leave you behind!

Michelle: Do what I say! Go!

(Gabriella starts crying and runs. The demons close in on her. Gabriella keeps running. Michelle lets out a bloodcurdling scream, Gabriella pauses, then runs off. Flash. Return to Gabriella and Nanesse.)

Gabriella: (a tear goes down her cheek) I can still hear her screams…

Nanesse: (falling asleep) That’s so sad…

Gabriella: It’s late Nanesse. Go to sleep.

Nanesse: MmmmHmmm…

(Nanesse falls asleep. Gabriella looks to Nanesse for a moment, rolls over, and goes to sleep)

End Part 3