On the History of Dragons

A Prologue

“In the beginning a sentient being clawed away at the lands like canvas; painting the world with naturalistic imagination. The world was without form, so the being created all it could within a veil of darkness. Till one day its Creator placed an orb of such warmth in the sky. The light shone down on the being and it saw itself in the face of the waters. And its maker said let there be light.

It gazed upon the features of its Creator and back to its reflection in the crystal blue waters.

Father why am I so different? It asked as it starred into the deep-black eyes buried within layers of thick-scaled skin. Its arms outstretched to feel the full force of the light, capturing the rays inside its massive wings. Its tail danced back and forth as if awoken for the first time. It studied its powerful claws, muscles rippling through each joint like an ocean wave closing in on the surf.

Son, of all there is you are my greatest creation. The Creator said. You are different because you are my son; the protector of this world. All within it will find shelter in your shadow; they will seek refuge under your wings. You will not fear the darkness or the enemy that lays in wait. You will provide for all, and in return their faith onto you will be your shield. You are one with the world: it beats within your heart and lives within your soul. The people will pray to you and call out your name: Bahamut and you will be known as a Draekyn.

The Creator asked Bahamut to hold out his hand. The Creator then removed a claw from the tip of Bahamut’s finger. He breathed onto the claw the breath of life and made Draekuna, and brought her to Bahamut. And Bahamut said:

This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Tiamat.”

“When do we get to the battles?” asked an eager young student sitting in the back of the class as he spun his dagger on his desk tearing a pointed hole into the wood.

“History isn’t always about battles Rhogar, please put the dagger away and pay attention.”  The teacher commanded.

“The Creator said onto his son, with this companion you two will protect this world; you with the strength of land and she the grace of the wind. All that I command is that you not lay with each other but rest at separate times; you will watch over the darkness and Tiamat the light.

They spent many moons shaping the world as we know it with only a passing glimpse of each other as the moons led to the dawning sun. It was during these fractional moments that their spirits felt a longing for one another, and a craving began to fill Tiamat’s heart.

One night the world shook as a great volcano exploded raining hot shards of rock throughout CITY. Tiamat was struck and injured. As the moons rose in the North and the sun began to fall Bahamut awoke and found Tiamat unconscious. He came to her rescue and brought her to shelter. Her arm had been sliced open and Bahamut feared she would perish from the wound so he used his fire to close the injury. As Tiamat woke she looked into Bahamut’s eyes and realized the longing she had suffered was being apart from Bahamut. She laid her tail on his back and pulled him closer. Their noses touched sending a shockwave of warmth through their cold, scaly bodies. A moment of transcendence overcame them, as they embraced. They spent the entire day in one another’s arms joining their souls forever.

As they fell asleep the Creator returned and realized that Bahamut had impregnated Tiamat. And the Creator said unto the Draekyn and Draekuna, What is it that thou hast done? He waved his hands over the belly of Tiamat and said, because you have done this I will greatly multiply your sorrow and in conception you shall spawn multiple children and they will sleep through the entire Winter Solstice and be hated by all that live in the world.

On the Tiamat’s seventh cycle she laid five eggs, and from those eggs the Dragons were born: Argos, Aeschia, Izos, KyZyn, and Snaroc. Each born by the elements of life: Earth (Argos), Wind (Izos), Fire (KyZyn), Water (Snaroc) and Soul (Aeschia). Soon the dragons began to enrich the world with their power. On the final day of creation the Creator came forth with a flock of humans. Confused, Bahamut asked:

Why have you created them as your own?

These are my children, the beating heart of this world. They will rule over lands and seas. They will procreate and populate great kingdoms. They will pray onto me as their Father and onto them I will provide my blessing. The creator said.

I don’t understand Father, asked Bahamut. Have I forsaken you?

Because you have shared your soul with your companion and rested upon her womb you have forsaken your duties to me and thus in sorrow I have created man to hunt upon your flesh and rule the world over you. Nor will you ever find peace in companionship, you and your spawn shall wander the world alone with nothing but lust in your hearts.”

Rhogar’s dagger spun off the top of his desk and clanged on the floor below.

“Rhogar Beagnoth if I have to tell you one more time to keep still I will personally haul you down to the Chamber where you can get all your energy out breaking rocks with the rest of the Grunts!”

“Sorry.”  Rhogar leaned over to retrieve his blade when he noticed his younger bother Balazar picking it up and placing it in his satchel.

“It’s for your own good brother.”  Balazar suggested. The teacher opened her book once again and began addressing the class.

“The Creator then took his flock of humans and vanished. Bahamut looked at Tiamat and his heart filled with great rage. Tiamat looked within Bahamut’s eyes and the creature she had once loved was gone, only anger filled his soul as he blamed her for seducing him. Tiamat commanded that his daughters Aeschia and Izos be killed, and that from this day forward Bahamut would only birth Draekyns.”

“Did he kill Aeschia and Izos?”  Asked another student?

“Well Tiamat insisted that she kill her daughters herself, she then took her young into the world and hid them, telling them to never be found or death would be waiting for them.” The teacher responded. “With a broken heart, Tiamat refused to ever lay with Bahamut again. Enraged Bahamut called Tiamat out to the Island Draekonos. He had always known that Tiamat hid Aeschia and Izos there for they were born from his flesh and thus he could sense their being. He commanded Tiamat to bring them out of hiding so that they could bear him sons. When Tiamat refused the Great Battle ensued.”

“Finally!” shouted Rhogar causing his classmates to laugh. The teacher simply looked back and puffed a layer of thick gray smoke from his nostrils. Rhogar slumped back in his chair, folding his hands neatly in front of him.

“Some say the Great Battle lasted moments, other’s say it lasted decades. One thing is for certain; it shaped the Island of Draekonos and forever changed the species of Dragon. We know that the bodies of Tiamat and Bahamut came to their final resting place just north of the Godi’Ka Monastery, right between Aeschia’s Lair and the Argos Mountains. It’s a patch of land where nothing grows; they say the soil is so charred from their fire and wet of their blood that vegetation cannot grow there. They called it Enon.

With Tiamat and Bahamut gone Argos convinced his remaining brothers to come to Draekonos, to call this island home. Argos convinced Aeschia and Izos to come out of hiding and to spawn the next generation. They all swore to protect and honor their species for the greater good of Dragons.

“But still the though of being hunted in their sleep during the Winter Solstice concerned them. Argos and Aeschia decided to go back to Enon and from that land they took ash and dried blood back to Argos’ Tower. Deep within Argos Mountains at the top of Argos Tower the Dragon Siblings casted some of the greatest Dragon Sorcery ever chanted. From within that tower DragonKind was born to live as dragons and protect the DragonGods while they hibernated. DragonKind were created without the curse of the Winter Solstice and had the advantages of both human and dragon form.”

“Why didn’t they give us wings?” a student announced.

“Wings why did they make us look human.” Another student added which was quickly followed by an overwhelming agreement.

“I’m sorry but that lecture is for another day. Or class time is up and you are all to report to field training.”  The bustling students grabbed their satchels and stored their books making a mass exodus for the door. As they exited the class someone pulled Balazar’s satchel from his arm. He spun around to see his brother Rhogar rummaging through his bag.

“Looking for something?”  Balazar asked in an amusing tone.

“My blade you grunt.” Rhogar said frustrated.

“Do you mean the very blade that rests sheathed upon your right leg?”  Rhogar looked to his side and his noticed that his blade was in fact back in its sheath. “Come on brother do you honestly think I would let a grunt brain like yours wander around without something to protect yourself with?”

“You sly little dragon.”

“Honestly Rhogar you need to pay more attention in field training I could have just as easily cut out your stomach without you knowing.”

“Well we all can’t be dainty draekunas now can we?”

“HaHaHa!” bellowed another student as he walked in between Rhogar and Balazar slapping Balazar on his back causing him to stumble forward.

“Ah if it isn’t Korabus himself, what do we owe the honor of your presence?” asked Balazar sarcastically.

“Ha! You couldn’t pay me for my presence now go cooking with the rest of the draekunas your brother and I have to get to field training. We got us a big day planned don’t we Rhogar?”

“Yes we do Korabus yes we do.” The two friends marched off toward the training grounds of Atheron.

Atheron is a small market town south of KyZyn Castle and is the main port city on the Island of KyZyn. The island itself houses one of the largest dragon clans in all of Draekonos, the KyDraeks (or Fire Clans). They occupy much of the KyZyn Cliffs living in and around the active KyZyn Volcano, aptly named after the fire Dragon. When Dragon Kind was born the KyDraeks were notably known as the most fertile and because of an over-producing culture they quickly outgrew their villages, castle and thus Atheron was created. Today you will find most scholars living in Atheron with grunts and traditionalists living up in the KyZyn Cliffs.

Atheron houses one of the most important jobs in all of Draekonos; keeping watch for incoming threats from atop the Atheron Watchtower. A job held by Rhogar’s father, Kolmar. Atheron Watchtower can be seen for miles and in the event of unwanted guests the Master of the Watchtower would light the beacon and warn the allied kingdoms to battle. Kolmar had worked hard to obtain this position and with it he was allowed residence in Atheron as well as preferred schooling for his two children. The Beagnoth name came with respect amongst the clans and, at times, even gave Rhogar a free pass for which he needed many.

As Rhogar and his friend Korabus entered the training fields a loud blast was heard.  Immediately everyone looked toward KyZyn Volcano, but it remained asleep. Then another blast, louder and closer than the first, this time pushing a massive cloud of dust over Atheron. Suddenly faint screams began to pull its way through the sandstorm as hundreds of KyDraeks rushed through the training fields. Like the great battle of Tiamat and Bahamut, a fire of hail rained down from the sky smashing into buildings sending burning hot embers flying all about. Rhogar looked toward the Watchtower, it was unlit. As the dust settled Rhogar could see hundreds of Firan (humans with dark skin and slanted eyes) rushing into Atheron with weapons drawn slashing away at anything with scales.

Five Years Later

Chapter 1

            Rhogar sat up gasping for breath. It was still dark outside with only the light of a full moon piercing through the rocks of Argos Mountains. The reoccurring nightmare of his father’s betrayal plagued Rhogar’s much needed rest. He rolled over and tried to find warmth at the base of the South facing rocks. But neither warmth nor rest was his enemy tonight, it was hunger. The southern tip of Argos Mountains was all but void of life, the perfect place for a nomad to hide and starve. Rhogar feared that soon he would have to trek down the mountain side towards Ryvin to find food. Even with starvation looming, the fear of running gripped him most. Ever since the attack on Draekonos five years past, Rhogar has been running; from both his name and his people for fear of the same executioners’ blade that fell onto his mother.

He sat up pulling his knees toward his chest and cried; the sorrow of losing his mother overcame him. He looked toward the South East at the rising plumes of smoke on the horizon. Even in the darkness the KyZyn Cliffs and its volcano spoke to him through their billowy clouds of molten smoke. Maybe it was his imagination; memories of long ago trapped in his mind of when he was a young draekos living amongst his clan. Maybe it was the hunger finally taking over his senses interrupting all logical thought. One thing was for certain it was the nightmare of that day when his father vanished, leaving his mother and young brother to survive on their own in the shadows of an unlit watchtower; the first line of defense in Draekonos.

It was there in the foothills of KyZyn Cliffs where Rhogar and Balazar hid, afraid and alone. Get off this island were the last words their mother spoke to them as she managed to get them out of Atheron before the lynching. With the help of Kolmar and his uncle Ogul, a shipmate aboard the Dratagar, Rhogar and Balazar were able to follow their mother’s dying wishes and get off KyZyn Island. But only after witnessing the scapegoat trial of a widow whose husband had vanished with no explanation of why the Watchtower failed to do the one thing it was designed for, alert Draekonos of an attack. Bron Minadoras, Lord of KyZyn Castle, ruled on the betrayal by the third moon of attack. Kolmar was declared a fugitive and traitor to Dragonkind, the Beagnoth name would be banished and the immediate family of the traitor would be executed at once, all before the war even ended.

Since sleep was beyond Rhogar he decided to take advantage of the darkness of night and climb down Argos Mountains in search for food. He hid what little of his possessions in a small cave near his campsite and took only his sword, some rope and sling.

With his campsite disguised he headed down the mountainside watching the moons chase each other to the horizon.

He waited in the foothills of Argos, traps set and his sling ready and watched the dawn of day begin to break through crevices of the mountain range.

All was still, just when Rhogar was going to pack up and move out of the protective foothills of Argos trotting could be heard off in the distance. Around the cliff side came four mounted black draekyns along with a fifth horse carrying a male draekos whose head was covered by a bag and a metal ring around his neck.  The metal ring had chains on the back end which clanged against the draekos back and attached to his hands. Rhogar thought the draekos was quite young to be a prisoner of such restraint. As they got closer Rhogar could hear the boy calling out to his captors.

“I don’t know what you want but my father is very rich and would pay you greatly for my return!” His captors just laughed.

“You think this is about gold boy? This is something greater than gold, this is for power!” two of the other captors laughed. In that split second Rhogar had a choice, let them be on their way or help this boy and possibly grab a hold of some type of reward. On a full stomach he might have just let them go, but the hunger again took control of his senses.

“Shh! Quiet I said!” commanded one of the draekyns. He turned his horse toward the foothills of Argos and moved closer. He could hear a swirling like whooshing sound. Before any of them could here the snap a rock flew through the sir and struck the lead draekyn right in the forehead, a known sweet spot to render a draekyn unconscious.

“Kuza are you okay?” asked one of the captors as Kuza’s body began to slump over until it finally fell off the mount and onto the ground. “You two go check it out I’ll stay back with the prisoner.”

Rhogar reflected some sunlight off his sword to attract the attention of the captors to a certain area where he had his traps set for livestock. The captors were merely grunts with no formal training, probably hired hands to do the dirty work of a wealthier Lord. The both dismounted to check out the reflection and were suddenly caught in rope traps, before they could free themselves another rock flew from the foothills striking the last mounted captor in the head. The last two men turned with their swords out ready for battle.

“We have you surrounded!” Rhogar exclaimed. “Drop your weapons or prepare for arrows to be shot through your eyes.” The two roped captors looked at each other and flung their swords to the side. “All your weapons!” They quickly started pulling daggers from their clothes and throwing them all away. “Now lie down on your stomach!” The two captors laid down. Rhogar came out from his hiding spot and tied rope around the wrists and ankles of the captors. He then ran to the boy and removed the bag from his head. “Your safe draekos give me a second.” Rhogar dragged the two unconscious captors over to the other two and tied them up as well.  He then tore the bag that was over the draekos’ head and tore it into four strips to blindfold each of the captors.

“What are you going to do with us?” asked one of the captors.

“Shut up or I’ll tell my archers to make target practice of you!” Rhogar looked back at the young draekos and winked his eye. After tying up each captor individually he then tied them to one another while searching their clothes for the keys to the restraints on the boy. He finally found the keys in the pockets of the leader. He returned to the draekos to unbind him.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes, thank you sir.”

“Don’t thank me yet, we have to get you home first. These are dangerous lands, and there’s no telling which armies are patrolling them.”

“I can tell you that. The Ryvin army holds control over these lands.”

“Exactly, there’s no telling what type of questioning we will have to undergo if they stumble upon us just trotting around their land.”

“I’m sorry sir; maybe I should have introduced myself first. My name is Aaric Galleron and I’m the heir to the Ryvin Kingdom.” The draekos responded. Rhogar swallowed a dry painful swallow. Not only did his hunger caused him to hallucinate it appeared as though his hunger has lead him to capture. His hand froze with the key inside the locking chamber of the neck restraint. Five years of running, five years being undetected had all came down to this one decision, to save a draekos nobility from kidnap. After a long pause he turned the key.

“Round up the horses Aaric.” Rhogar said as he walked back towards the captors and attached the neck brace and restraints to the lead draekyn. He then collected all the weapons and valuables from the captors and tucked them away on the horse saddle bags. Suddenly the other two captors began to wake, moaning and realizing their predicament.

“What’s the meaning of this?” The lead exclaimed.

“Well you see you have tried to kidnap that of noble blood.”

“Do you know who you are dealing with? I’m carrying out the specific orders of Alkaius Xael, King of Dragon Helm!” Rhogar dropped his head in disbelief and then began removing the shoes of the captors.

“Wait what are you doing?”

“Well it is against my belief to kill unarmed grunts. So we are going to ride away with your belongings and let you find your way home on foot. Good luck draekyns may Tiamat be with you on your journey.”

“May that draekuna whore burn for all eternity!” The leader exclaimed.

“Now why did you have to go and say that?” Rhogar pulled out a dagger and slashed the back side of the leader’s right knee.

“Ahhhhh!” Cried the leader as Rhogar mounted one of the horses and looked at Aaric.

“I presume you know the way home?”

“We will be there before dinner.” The two rode off South pulling along the other three horses. Once around the southern tip of Argos and out of the shadows they slowed to a trot.

“We are probably far enough to allow the horses a break.” Rhogar suggested.

“So to what name can I call my savior?” Aaric asked.

“Savior? I wouldn’t go that far, just a draekyn who believes in the right thing to do. And you can call me Rhogar.”

“Rhogar… that’s it?”

“Just Rhogar.”

“Oh okay so you are one of them.”

“One of who?”

“A nomad; those who live with no last name, no ancestral link, no clan.”

“Yes, a nomad.”

“Well nomad, do not fear Ryvin. You’re a good draekyn and I’m sure you had good reason for leaving your clan. Care to talk about it?”

“No. if you’re in the talking mood how about telling me why a Prince gets kidnapped.”

“You heard the grunt… power. The Bahamists and Dragon Helm have been eruptive ever since my father took control of Ryvin. Like you were are Tiamatian, and when my father was elected in Ryvin he planned to bring the Spirit of Tiamat back to Ryvin.”

“Elected? Nobility isn’t your blood right?”

“Nobility yes, but Ryvin has always been a neutral kingdom and thus its kings and laws are elected by the people of Ryvin. We have been living as such for hundreds of years. For the last decades it was never a question because the monarchy has been controlled and corrupted by Bahamut extremists. Finally the people of Ryvin were fed up and wanted change so they elected the highest ranking Tiamatian nobleman to King.”

“You sound very well-spoken for a draekos.” Rhogar questioned.

“That’s what the life of nobility provides; a great education and grunts to do all the work for you. Tomorrow is also the adult cycle of my hatch date. Which was why it was so easy for those grunts to take me, the whole Castle is bustling about preparing my Hatch Party.”

“So we’re not only bringing you home, but we are going into a giant party?” Rhogar fretted.

“Think of it as a celebration for both of us.”

The two remained silent for a while watching the sun race across the sky, plotting the passing of time based on their shadow casts.

“So do you miss them?” Aaric asked.

“Miss who?”

“Your family… It’s all I could think about when they were taking me away from mine. It’s funny I wasn’t scared of death or what they would do to me. I was scared that I would never see my family again.”

“Yes. I happen to miss them very much.”

“Listen nomad, I understand if you don’t want to tell me anything about your life.” Aaric began as he was suddenly interrupted.

“My mother was killed in the Firan attack on KyZyn, my father’s body was never found, and my brother. My brother ended up like me; alone wandering Draekonos as an unknown, a forgotten son. Every night I go to sleep I stare into the stars and offer prayer to Tiamat. I like to believe at that same very moment my brother is also looking to the stars and through the spirit of Tiamat we embrace.”

“I got to say nomad, you should have been a bard, that’s some deep stuff you’re preaching.” Rhogar laughed.

“A bard huh, sadly I don’t drink enough to be a bard.” Aaric started laughing.

Suddenly an arrow dropped from the sky near them causing the horses to pull back in fear.

“A warning shot.” Aaric said. “Don’t move.” Aaric looked out over the horizon and saw a riding party approaching.

“Are they yours?” Rhogar asked.

“Only one way to find out” Aaric took a deep breath in through his nose and let out a monstrous roar. The dialect was unlike the roar of the KyDraek. The party riding at them roared back.

“They most certainly are my people. Nomad prepare for a great party in deed.” Aaric leaned over and pulled the arrow from the ground and then trotted toward the riders. Rhogar followed still nervous at the path that he had laid ahead of himself.

Soon they met up with the other riders, there were eight total all dressed in heavy armor ready to take down the captors at all costs.

“My Lord we have been tracking you since nightfall. My it’s good to see your living flesh again.”

“You have Rhogar to thank for that. I owe my life to him and soon all in Ryvin will know the name of Rhogar the Bold.”

“How many of those Bahamut Hatchlings did you slay brother?” One of the knights asked.

“None.” Rhogar responded.

“None!” The knight exclaimed. “Drakes looks like we got ourselves a real life Paladin on our hands.”  The other knights laughed.

“Blood shed or not, Rhogar tied them up, stripped them of their shoes and even gave the ring leader a parting slice across the back of the knee.”

“HA! A Paladin with a sense of humor better yet!” The knight exclaimed. “Rhogar you’re going to fit right in at Ryvin.” The party turned together and trotted off toward Ryvin Castle.

The smell of the Snaroc Sea cut through the air with each passing breeze. Rhogar became more anxious and terrified as he knew Ryvin would soon be rising on the horizon. It wasn’t long before the turrets and towers of Ryvin’s outer walls appeared and climbed into the sky revealing the massive-walled castle. The sound of waves crashing against the shore brought back the memory of fleeing KyZyn Island; the last time Rhogar had seen the ocean.

Suddenly the riders of Ryvin let out a dialect roar announcing their approach; their piercing screams brought Rhogar out of his trance and back to the reality of his decision.

Two massive doors parted as the riding party slowed. Draekyn archers stood watch atop the turrets wearing a traditional green soft armor with an emblem of a dragon head profile in white. Swarms of dragonkind swarmed the gates to pay welcome to their Prince. Rhogar could feel their stares upon him, their minds questioning who the mysterious rider was. They made their way through the outer village and through the market square before entering the grounds of the main castle. Word had already spread and the Nobles were all rushing out into the field to welcome Aaric home.

The King and Queen ran towards Aaric as he dismounted. They embraced. Rhogar slowly dismounted along with the riders of Ryvin.  Squires came over to secure the horses.

“We thought we lost you.” The Queen said with tears in her voice.

“Mother, Father I would like to introduce you to Rhogar my savior.” Aaric announced. Rhogar stepped from around the horse and took a knee at the feet of the King, bowing his head.

“Stand Draekyn.” The King commanded. Rhogar stood, slowly raising his head to meet the eyes of the King. The King looked Rhogar over, studying his clothes for any signs of clan or affiliation. The only identifiable item was a medallion featuring the symbol of Tiamat which hung from his neck. “We are in your debt Rhogar. Any servant of Tiamat is a friend of ours. As long as you are in the walls of Ryvin you will no longer have to hide Nomad.” The King spoke true words but still Rhogar knew it was more than his status as nomad that he feared, it was that his namesake was branded a traitor to dragonkind and there would be dragonkind in Ryvin who had suffered because of his father’s disappearance. “Now let us get inside and talk of this event in greater detail, I’m anxious to know how a draekyn nomad managed to set my son free.”  The King said as he and the Queen turned back to enter the castle. Aaric turned to face the Noble court and grabbed the shoulder of Rhogar to bring him close.

“Nobles! Spread the word that Rhogar the Bold has nothing to fear in Ryvin. An act against Rhogar is an act against nobility!” Aaric announced. He turned toward the castle and lead Rhogar in while whispering in his ear, “I know you have fear Nomad, but understand what I mean. Within these walls I will protect you with my life as you have protected me”. Rhogar was speechless. The amount of gratitude Aaric and his family have provided in those short moments began to restore a shred of faith in dragonkind. But still Rhogar’s teachings could not allow him to keep such a secret.

“King Galleron, if I may have private council with you if only for a moment.” Rhogar asked.  The noble party stopped intrigued at such a request, especially from a nomad.

“Well seems our guest wants to get down to business. Given the circumstances I shall grant your request. Everyone let the preparations continue for Aaric’s hatch party, I’m sure you all have jobs to do. Rhogar we can talk in the King’s Chamber.” Everyone spread out to go about their business. Four heavily armored knights followed the King and Rhogar towards another room. Two knights stood outside the doors of the King’s Chamber. As they approached the knights opened the doors revealing a massive hall and silver throne. The King took his seat upon the throne, the four knights divided up, two to the right and two to the left flanking Rhogar.

“Well we have a party to get to, so let’s be quick about this. I’m sure you are interested in some kind of reward?” King Galleron began.

“No. This is not about a reward.” Rhogar looked at the knights and then back at King Galleron. Then in the ancient language of Tiamat Rhogar spoke, “I can presume that you speak the ancient word?”

“Yes.” King Galleron responded in the ancient language. “But now I’m intrigued ever more about you.”

“My name is Rhogar Beagnoth of KyZyn. My father was branded a traitor to dragonkind for his failure at the Watchtower, my mother executed, and I am hunted till death for carrying the same bloodline. I studied at Atheron to be a Paladin and there I was taught the ancient words of Tiamat. I rescued your son, not for reward or fame, but for justice to a draekos who was taken from his home. I fear I have put your family, your rule, even your kingdom in danger by allowing me safe passage here. I cannot let you bare that burden.” Rhogar said. King Galleron let out a smoke breath from his nostrils.

“You know Rhogar. For someone trained as you, you would be better advised to know that you do not make decisions in another draekyn’s castle. The very fact that Dragon Helm would dare take my son as a bargaining tool for power should be enough proof of my allegiances. Granted the Firan Attack on our people was a tragedy. I for one cannot condemn a child for the unproven actions of their father.” the word unproven raised Rhogar’s curiosity. “Liodulf summon Flaccus.” King Galleron announced to his knight. The knight bowed and left the room. King Galleron got up from his throne and began to pace about the room. “There are a lot of mysteries in this world Rhogar. Mix that with the power plays of nobility and it all becomes an elaborate game. Who do you believe, which priests you can get on your side, which stories you can twist. For decades Bahamists controlled Ryvin, and do you know why? Because of lies, prejudices, a conspiracy there, a setup here and before long Dragon Helm has complete control over all of Draekonos and dragonkind are none the wiser.” A knock sounded on the door. “Enter.” The knight who left came back into the room with a thick-scaled draekyn. He had massive upper body strength and wore a leather blacksmith’s apron.

“You sent for me sire?” The man asked.

“Yes Flaccus. Join us. By now I’m sure you’ve heard that Aaric has been returned to Ryvin safe and sound?”

“Yes sire.”

“We owe it all to this man… Rhogar Beagnoth, son of Kolmar Beagnoth Master of the Watchtower. Rhogar let me introduce you to Flaccus Ziridis, my personal Blacksmith and Guild Master of Ryvin. Flaccus served on the KyZyn War Brigade, and was one of the first lines sent in for battle.” Rhogar’s heart sank as he thought to himself was King Galleron actually putting him face to face with someone who would hate the Beagnoth name? “Flaccus valiantly killed many Firan that day. But you have to ask yourself, why is a well-respected soldier of the KyZyn War Brigade a Blacksmith for Ryvin? Well that’s one interesting story that I’m sure he would love to tell. Since I have heard it before and since I have much to prepare before our big dinner I will leave you two at it. Flaccus take our friend below he needs to be fitted.” King Galleron Commanded.

“Yes sire.” Flaccus responded. “Come Rhogar let me show you the cauldron.” Flaccus said as he motioned to the same side door that Flaccus came in from.

The Mystery of KyZyn Watchtower

Chapter 2

Through the door was a foyer type room with a large opening overlooking the Snaroc Sea and a stairway going down. The rock walls were covered in a green moss and the air was thick with salt. As Flaccus lead Rhogar down the spiraling stairway it became darker as the light from the foyer above slowly vanished around each turn of the spire. Just before the light was completely vanquished lit torches pushed flickering light up to the two descending draekyns. Rhogar sensed that they were now underground. The stairway opened into a large room where eight knights stood around in simple leather and chain mail. The room was a changing room of sorts with lots of different armor plates and under-cloth lining the walls. There was a large archway leading into another room that contained lots of various weapons and two doors along the back wall which were both closed. The knights all turned to see the visitor.

“Is everyone finding what they need?” Flaccus asked as he lead Rhogar to the left door along the back wall.

“Yes sir.” The knights responded in unison.

“Very well get back to it.” Flaccus commanded. Flaccus pulled a ring of keys from his belt and unlocked the door. The locking mechanism on the door was made up of a large steel plating, as the door swung open Rhogar quickly examined the locking bolts. There were two; one above and one below the keyhole, each massive in their own right the door itself was a heavy oak that was about the length of a two-handed hilt on a broad sword. Rhogar was too distracted by the impressive door and lock that he didn’t realize that he had just entered Flaccus’ private blacksmithing chamber. The room was large in its own right and had four brick ovens with a black cauldron in the center of the room. There were four blacksmith apprentices in the room cleaning and organizing the various metals that were about the room. In the corner of the room was a pile of coal stacked up to the ceiling which would crumble over on itself every moment or so like a miniature rock slide accustomed in Argos Mountains. There were three doors off of the blacksmith chamber.

“Welcome to Iron-Wood my home.” Flaccus began. “Have you ever seen a more impressive blacksmith chamber?”

“Honestly Flaccus I have never seen a blacksmith chamber.” Rhogar responded.

“Well then let me assure you it’s the most impressive. Over there are my quarters, then through door number two the apprentice quarters and finally the staging area. Now let’s talk a bit.” Flaccus motioned Rhogar towards the door to Flaccus living quarters. “Corrin and Haegal please prepare two stations; we will be outfitting our guest with some scaled armor, a heavy Ryvin shield and a bastard sword.” Flaccus commanded.

“Yes sir.” The apprentices responded. Flaccus opened the door to his private chamber and let Rhogar enter first. The room looked nothing like the blacksmith basement of a castle. They walked into a waiting room with comfortable seats and tables.  On the walls hung large tapestries woven by some of the most talented seamstresses in the kingdom; each depicting scenes from outside the castle. Rhogar was amazed by their craftsmanship. He studied them intently until Flaccus interrupted.

“Beautiful aren’t they? Designed by our very own Ryvin seamstresses; they are my windows to the outside world. Come have a seat. Can I interest you in some Ryvin ale?

“Yes that would be excellent, thank you.” Rhogar responded. Flaccus disappeared through an archway into another room. Hanging in the far end of the room was a full set of KyZyn battle armor, a KyZyn studded shield and broad sword. It brought back horrible memories from the Firan attack. When Flaccus came back into the room he could see Rhogar fixated on the battle gear.

“Never mind that. Here, this will surely waken your senses.” Flaccus handed Rhogar a pint of ale and waiting for his reaction. Rhogar tasted the ale with a big gulp; his eye’s widened a moment as the shock ran through him. “Now that will cool the fire off of any draekyn tongue”.

“So you were there?” Rhogar asked.

“Yes. On patrol like any other day, saw the same invasion as you had seen, wondered why the watchtower slept as our walls crumbled to the blasts of some magical concoction.”

“Did you lose anyone?”

“We all lost someone that day. But that isn’t your burden to bare Rhogar.”

“Still I can’t help but think my father could have saved lives by lighting the watchtower.” Rhogar responded.

“What you need to understand is that the attack wasn’t some random occurrence. The Firan didn’t just wake up one day and decide to launch a full assault on Draekonos. From a military perspective it would have taken a lot of strategy and planning to pull off an attack like that. Did you know that KyZyn wasn’t even the point of attack?” Rhogar looked up puzzled. “KyZyn was merely a distraction. Brakus was all but wiped out. Draekyns say they saw mysterious apparitions during that attack.”

“Apparitions?” Rhogar questioned.

“Some called them ghosts, spirits and ghouls. Figures of dragonkind appearing and disappearing; with no sound, no apparent threat just shadows wondering the city like they were searching for something. It’s believed that it was an elaborate mimic spell to give the Firan the upper hand of the attack. While KyZyn’s War Brigade ran amuck Brakus fell. Interestingly enough Brakus was under Tiamatian control at the time. So do you think Dragon Helm cared; of course not. While Dragon Helm’s crown jewel KyZyn suffered but remained intact, Brakus needed a new government. Before the trial of your father was even under way KyZyn and Dragon Helm had a new council at Brakus, a council of Bahamists nonetheless.”

“How is this linked my father?” Rhogar asked.

“One has to wonder how someone just disappears. After all, the Watchtower was the key piece to this whole attack. Not to mention your father was a loyal Tiamatian. Since my brigade was the first on the scene we investigated the Watchtower. It’s not that it was never ignited it was never even opened. Everyone who knows protocol knows that your father keeps it open all the time.  In the event of an emergency there’s a back up plan to light the Watchtower. With the burner closed nobody could light it. Do you think that knowledge was shared with the public? Your father disappeared long before the attack, and someone closed the burner doors.”

“They told us my father was paid to close the doors.” Rhogar responded.

“Paid huh.” Flaccus took a long gulp of ale. “So I guess we should all believe he’s living in some rich compound on Elwher. Not to mention he selfishly abandoned his entire family which speaks against the beliefs of his God Tiamat, and allowed his mate to be murdered.” Flaccus took a swig of ale.

“What do you think happened to him?” Rhogar asked.

“He can’t be on Draekonos someone somewhere would have seen him, someone would have talked. I think he was taken off the island before the sun rose that day. Somewhere between leaving your house in the morning on his way to the Watchtower he was taken, put on a boat and shipped off.”

“Who would take him, where would he go?”

“Elwher; sold into slavery would be my guess, maybe given to the Firan.” Flaccus answered.

“Wouldn’t the Firan just kill him?” Rhogar asked.

“No, why would they. He would be the perfect pawn that ties the Firan attack back to Dragon Helm.”

“Why would Dragon Helm allow that to happen in the first place?”

“They might not have had a choice. Your father could have been the payment that sealed the deal. What did Dragon Helm care anyway, they got what they wanted, they got Brakus and now control the entire Crescent Bay. Why do you think they are trying to force King Galleron out of Ryvin? With Ryvin under Dragon Helm control Alkaius Xael would have enough power to take Aneurin and Doar’Yen.”

“So he would sacrifice dragonkind for power?” Rhogar huffed.

“It’s always about power Rhogar.” Flaccus finished off his ale. There was a knock at his chamber door. “Enter!” Corrin opened the door and entered the chamber.

“Sir the ovens are ready.” Corrin said.

“Perfect. Now Rhogar let me show you some Blacksmith magic.” Flaccus said as he excitedly left his chamber to smith Rhogar’s new armor.

The King’s Hall was transformed from a throne room into an elaborate party hall. Rows of dinning tables were brought in with fanciful place settings. Colorful tapestries hung from the walls depicting the milestones of the young prince. And a court filled with nobility dressed in their finest attire; all who had come to celebrate the hatch date of Prince Aaric Galleron. Quite music strung from the other end of the room where children watched jugglers perform. At the center of attention was Aaric, surrounded by a mass of people all trying to present him with extravagant gifts of gold and silver. Aaric looked on, unimpressed, feeling as though he had a second chance at life. The stink of nobility bothered him, all those riches being flaunted around again all trying to gain favoritism over one another. Aaric looked for Rhogar but could not find him. Just as Aaric got the attention of a servant to find Rhogar he heard the Blacksmith chamber doors clank open. Corrin, Haegal and Flaccus entered the room followed by Rhogar.

Rhogar was fitted in full scaled armor that had a hint of Ryvin green beaded throughout, a heavy Ryvin shield with cuts along the outside like dragon spikes that followed the contour of the shield to the base. The shield bared the Ryvin emblem of Dragon’s Head on a prominent green facing. Strapped to his left side a bastard sword unlike anything Rhogar could ever afford himself. The blade was thick steel molded all the way through the leather-bound hilt.  Aaric made his way through the mass towards Rhogar.

“My friend I think you are a tad overdressed for this party.” Before Rhogar could answer he realized all eyes were on him once again. King Galleron and his wife walked up.

“I’m sure by now you and Flaccus have talked?” King Galleron asked.

“Yes your highness.” Rhogar responded.

“And I see you have made your decision…”

“Yes I have.” Rhogar concurred.

“Well I can’t say I don’t blame you. A draekyn’s honor is worth more than the air he breaths.”

“Father what’s going on here?” Aairc questioned.

“It seems our guest will be parting ways, sooner than we had hoped.” King Galleron responded.

“Is this true Rhogar?”

“Yes. For many seasons I have wandered and thought of my fate. By the grace of Tiamat I saved you and you in turn saved me. I now have direction, a clarity I had forgotten long ago. I no longer sit still and must take action against those who would hunt me.” Rhogar turned towards King Galleron and took a knee. “Your highness I want to thank you sincerely for all you have shown me and provided. Your hospitality is something I will never forget.”

“Rise Rhogar. You need not take a knee with me. I meant what I said; as long as Ryvin is in my control you can call it home.”

“Can’t you at least stay for the party?”

“I wish I could Aaric. But outside your walls it is still safest for me to travel by moonlight.” Rhogar stated.

“Father…” Aaric began.

“Where are you headed Rhogar?” King Galleron asked.

“Doar’Yen.” Rhogar responded.

“Very well… Aegocerus!” King Galleron announced. A knight wearing thin chain mail parted through the court and came to attention at the king’s side. He was taller than any other around him and had a distinctive scar down his right forearm. His black hair and a black beard contrasted against his sky-blue eyes. “Aegocerus assemble a team of riders and guide Rhogar to Godi’Ka.” King Galleron looked about the room and then shouted, “Scribe!” a short boy came running through the crowd holding a parchment and ink feather. “By order of Vayle Galleron, King of Ryvin I request Ebulus to protect and guide Rhogar the Bold, to whom I am eternally indebted as far as Durah; with directions therefore to Doar’Yen.” The scribe finished the letter and handed the ink feather and parchment to King Galleron. The scribe then turned, presenting his back to the king. King Galleron read through the document and then signed it using the scribe’s back as a board. The scribe reached into his side bag and pulled out the royal stamp of King Galleron and presented it to the king. King Galleron folded the letter and before he could ask for a flame another servant had presented him with a burning candle. The king melted the wax stamp and then sealed it onto the letter.

“May Tiamat’s light shine upon you.” Aaric said as he pounded his right fist across his chest and nodded to Rhogar.

The School of Arcane Science at Doar’Yen

Chapter 3

To Be Continued…

P1 P1: The lead police detective that was working with Satin Mykael in issue 1 is in a library on the internet. You can show him behind a computer. There’s no reason to show the computer screen. This is a transition panel to set up the following scene. He can be dressed as a civilian. It is late so the library is relatively empty. There are stacks of books around the computer and desk. These books are the writings of HP Lovecraft. If you need names of books you can pull them from a Google search. But I really don’t care to show the names of books. What’s more important is that people know that he’s reading HP Lovecraft.

NARRATIVE: City Public Library

P1 P2-P?: The following panels are the Detective doing research on Lovecraft on the computer, reading books, etc. So draw multiple scenes showing this. Below are the Detective’s thoughts as he is researching.

DETECTIVE (thought): Howard Phillips Lovecraft, born in 1890 was an American author of fantasy, horror and science fiction. Lovecraft is regarded as one of the most influential horror writers of the 20th Century.

DETECTIVE (thought): In 1917 Lovecraft began having a series of horrific dreams which he described as Cosmic Nightmares. These dreams pushed him into a downward spiral of which he locked himself in his writing room, going days without food, water and sleep. During this time he would write his Cosmic Pantheism, the basis of his Xoth Mythos and the Great Old One known as Cthulhu.

DETECTIVE (thought): For 10 years Lovecraft stayed hidden from the world. In his personal journals it was said he did this for the safety of the people. He said that he had experienced the Cosmic power of the universe and that the essence of life is incomprehensible to human minds.

DETECTIVE (thought): In 1930 a female acquaintance of Lovecraft’s mysteriously vanished. After a long investigation, and through the personal journals of Lovecraft himself, it was determined that Lovecraft sacrificed the woman in an effort to appease a Cosmic God known as Azathoth.

DETECTIVE (thought): Lovecraft was tried and found guilty of murder. He was declared insane by the jury and was sentenced to life at the Danvers State Insane Asylum in Massachusetts. There he continued to write and finally published all his works of his Cosmic Pantheism until the day he died.

DETECTIVE (thought): The extent of Lovecraft’s influence wasn’t known until the day he died when thousands of people flocked to his funeral. Just as they appeared they disappeared, some believe into hiding, for fear that their beliefs would outcast them from society.

DETECTIVE (thought): On his last days Lovecraft penned his final thoughts. He said it was time that people new the truth of the Cosmos and that his writings were a prophecy of what was to come, that the true Gods of the Earth would rise again to reclaim their planet, destroying all in their path.

PAGE TWO & THREE

Here I want to show a discussion between the Lead detective and the chief and takes place in the chief’s police office. So basically these are all panels of two people talking. Make sure all the background is related to a police chief’s office. Follow the conversation to determine the best way to the draw the panels. I’m not opposed to combining panels and the text that goes with them if it makes sense.

P2 P1: Transition scene showing the reader we are back at the police station it’s early morning, dusk.

CHIEF: So what does any of this gibberish have to do with the case?

DETECTIVE: Everything! That is what I’m trying to explain to you. These unexplained deaths it all happened in Lovecraft’s writings.

P2 P2:

DETECTIVE: Well not exactly the same way but the M.O. is the same.

CHIEF: And what’s that?

DETECTIVE: Mass hysteria, people going crazy for no apparent reason and killing one another.

P2 P3:

CHIEF: Sounds like a quack to me.

DETECTIVE: Sure on the surface this guy sounds as messed up as every other self-proclaimed prophet. The differences being his stories are now coming true.

P2 P4:

CHIEF: Well in your late night rendezvous with the library did any of these stories explain how to catch this thing?

DETECTIVE: Not exactly…

P2 P5:

CHIEF: What do you mean by that?

DETECTIVE: The solution is as far-fetched as stories themselves.

CHIEF: So do you mean to tell me the human race is doomed?

P3 P1:

DETECTIVE: I have a bad feeling it might be.

P3 P2:

CHIEF: Where the hell is Mykael? Shouldn’t you be telling him all of this. After all he’s the expert on those who drink the kool-aid.

P3 P3:

DETECTIVE: I’ve tried calling him but I’m not getting an answer.

P3 P4:

CHIEF: Well here’s a plan, why don’t you get out of the library and find the one person who can make sense of all this! Find me Mykael!

DETECTIVE: Of course sir.

PAGE FOUR & FIVE

P4 P1: This is a transition panel. This scene picks up where we left off in issue 2 at the end of page 25 when the Cthulhu and his son are scared off by a bright light. Mykael is floating in the water dieing (not dead). The Cthulhu and his son are gone.

NARRATIVE: Pacific Ocean, 1,000 yards off the Hawaiian coast

P4 P2: A figure appears from the bright light, it is Mother Earth (Tellus Matter).

TELLUS MATTER (thought): It wasn’t supposed to happen this way.

P4 P3: Mother Earth grabs a hold of Mykael in her arms her tentacle like bottom half comes up to help support Mykael. She is crying.

TELLUS MATTER: Oh what have I done.

P4 P4: Mother Earth looks up and closes her eyes as the bright light engulfs her and Mykael. They disappear into a bright blinding light.

P5 P1: Page 5 is dedicated to God and Mother Earth meeting. I’m thinking of having the whole background just open space. Like heaven is not defined, an unpainted canvas. Of course if you have a different version fill free to draw it. But Page 5 is dedicated to Mother Earth presenting the dieing body of Saint Michael to God an apologizing. The following dialogue will take place on page 5. If you need to rework some of page 4 to give yourself room fill free. I’m sure you can see from the text what I’m trying to accomplish here on page 4 and page 5. I don’t know how you should draw God. Should he be a figure of light? Should he take some kind of human form? Any ideas you have would be great. My suggestion is NOT to have God look like an old man with a beard and cane…as that never made much sense to me. I actually prefer we stay away from a human form, like Chaos has a look of fire and smoke I want God to represent light and/or creation.

GOD: All is not lost.

TELLUS MATTER: But Saint Michael… All I wanted was for the world to be given a second chance. I never thought the will of the Gods would oppose a rebirth. I’m dieing more each day; soon they will have nothing to rule over.

GOD: It has always been the unknown that they fear. In time all will be understood.

TELLUS MATTER: What can I do?

GOD: Seek out Arawn.

TELLUS MATTER: The Master of the Hunt… what shall I ask of him?

GOD: For help. I will take care of Saint Michael.

PAGE SIX & SEVEN

P6 P1: Transition panel. Mother Earth is walking through a forest. I want to give her a different look, like she becomes one with her surroundings. So let’s make sure and use earth toned colors. Her upper torso, face and hair can be like you drew her in issue 1. But here on land there’s no need for her to have a jelly-fish like bottom. She can be walking on legs, barefoot maybe with a flowing dress. She can be feeling the leaves of trees and bushes as she walks.

NARRATIVE: The Realm of Annwn

P6 P2: Small panel of a wolf walking into the scene. The wolf has its head cocked back, it’s howling into the sky. The wolf has to be white with red ears and red eyes. Some reference material calls these wolves “ghostly”.

SFX WOLF: OWWWW

P6 P3: More wolves enter the scene. Mother Earth is surrounded by them. One wolf, the alpha male is approaching Mother Earth growling. This wolf can be larger and stronger than the others. All of the wolves can be of different sizes and strengths but they all must have a coat of white fur with red ears and red eyes.

WOLF: GRRRRR

TELLUS MATTER: I’m here to see Arawn, Master of the Hunt.

P6 P4: Small panel of the alpha dog sitting and stop growling. From the forest we begin to see Arawn, Master of the hunt trotting into the scene on his horse. In this panel he can just be an outline. I want page 7 to have a big beauty shot of Arawn. See description in the next panel description.

ARAWN: Dawelu Cwn Annwn.

P7 P1: Beauty shot of our new main character, Arawn, Master of the Hunt. He is a tall man of about 8 feet, strong build. He wears a helmet covering his entire head and face which has giant antlers coming out of it. He needs to look powerful. He rides a massive grey horse. The horse’s eyes glow with green flames. And sparks stuck from its hooves as it steps on the ground. Arawn carries a great spear as well as a bow, the quiver of arrows can be attached to the saddle. Unfortunately there aren’t many image of Arawn on the internet. The key factor is his size and helmet.

The rest of page 7 is Mother Earth and Arawn talking. You can lay this out whichever way you think is best.

ARAWN: Tellus Matter. What brings you to Annwn?

TELLUS MATTER: I have freed that which should not have been freed.

ARAWN: Pity the mortals then.

TELLUS MATTER: Pity all the Gods. With no mortals who would be there to pray for us? Who would sing your stories and tell of your legends?

ARAWN: Nobody sings for me anymore.

TELLUS MATTER: I remember a time Arawn when you came to me for help with a certain maiden… I believe her name was Creiddylad.

ARAWN: We all know how that ended and the punishment she now suffers.

TELLUS MATTER: There’s a way to free her if you help me?

ARAWN: How?

TELLUS MATTER: Death can no longer track this beast. You are the only one who can. You can use this as a bargaining chip with Chaos.

PAGE EIGHT& NINE

P8 P1: Transition panel. We are zooming in on Hawaii. The whole island is under some kind of warfare; explosions, fires, people attacking people. Everyone on the island is going insane.

NARRATIVE: Hawaii

P8 P?: I want to show some scenes of the hysteria, with people running around mad. Someone needs to be in the foreground yelling. You can draw this in one panel or spread it around in a couple of panels based on how you layout this page.

PERSON: Kana-loa!

P8 P?: The rest of this spread is dedicated to our group arriving through one of Death’s portals. We can start with a panel of the portal appearing and the team coming through it: Kerberos, Grendel, Medusa, and Death.

The rest of the panels should show the team talking to one another using the following text:

MEDUSA: What is going on here?

DEATH: The Cthulhu has released the madness.

KERBEROS: This is exactly what we are trying to stop! Saint Mykael must have failed.

MEDUSA: Failed… do you mean to say he’s dead?

DEATH: Dead no… passed over to the immortal plane, yes.

GRENDEL: I should have been sent here with him, this location close to the water’s edge suits me.

KERBEROS: There’s no time for second guesses. Death we have to get to Loch Ness NOW!

DEATH: As you wish.

PAGE TEN & ELEVEN

P10 P1: Transition panel showing Cthulhu flanked by his two sons Zoth-Oomg and Ythogtha. They are on the shores of Loch Ness. The Loch Ness monster needs to be dead in the background, lying on the ground half on the shore half in the water (kind of like a beached whale)

NARRATIVE: Loch Ness, Scotland

P10 P2: A portal opens up our team is now standing on the shore face to face with Cthulhu, Zoth-Oomg and Ythogtha.

KERBEROS: Cthulhu! Your reign of madness stops here!

CTHULHU: You cannot stop destiny. With my sons released my power is to great or you and your petty minions to stop.

P10 P3: Grendel dives into the water.

CTHULHU: You see, even your own retreat from battle.

KERBEROS: You think the Lords of the Underworld retreat?

CTHULHU: Prepare yourselves for the full power of my mind.

P10 P4: This can be the biggest panel on the page to show the most detail. Medusa and Kerberos are on the ground holding their heads in pain and agony. Cthulhu can be closer to them now with his hands outstretched like he’s casting some kind of spell. Zoth-Oomg and Ythogtha are casting a wind spell to blow away the smoke of Death. Basically I want to see Death smokey body trail apart from the win so that really on his mask is holding still. I want to show that Death is defenseless against the wind spell.

KERBEROS: Ahhhhhh!

MEDUSA: Ahhhhh!

CTHULHU: Lords of the underworld huh, this planet is going to be much easier to reclaim then I had imagined.

PAGE TWELVE & THIRTEEN

The next 4 pages is devoted to a great battle. You can draw however you think is the most dramatic. I only have a couple of elements I want to showcase in this battle and that is the fact that Grendel is the monster son of a Water God and to showcase some of death’s power. Aside from that fact you can draw the page as best you can. Just keep in mind we want to showcase more of what Kerberos, Medusa, Grendel and Death can do.

P12 P1: The first panel I want kind of a big beauty shot of Grendel exploding out of the water. Grendel’s mother is a water god so he dove into the water to get her attention. At first I was thinking of making Grendel a giant with a body made of water, like there are layers of water on top of him, another thought is to make the water fight along side with Grendel. But I want this panel to be explosive so have the water exploding up and either Grendel flying out of the explosion or part of it.

GRENDEL: Your mind games don’t work on me fish face!

P12 P2: Show the water or Grendel’s arm as an extension of the water punching the Cthulhu back. His other arm can be grabbing onto Ythogtha and pulling him back under the water. This leaves Zoth-Oomg available to rush at Grendel. Kerberos and Medusa can be regaining their stance now that the Cthulhu’s spell has been interrupted.

The rest of pages 12, 13, 14 and 15 are up to you to draw out a great and dramatical battle.

I want to showcase more of the characters and their powers. Lots of people are going to be questioning things like “How does death fight when he is a cloud of smoke?”, and “How else can Medusa fight using her snake hair?”. I explained in panel 1 and 2 some ideas of how to showcase Grendel’s other powers.

The end of this battle should have Cthulhu and his two sons escaping with Death, Kerberos, Medusa and Grendel all badly beaten.

PAGE SIXTEEN & SEVENTEEN

P16 P1: This scene can take place in a conference room with blackboards holding up pictures and evidence of the case. The lead detective and some FBI suits are in there taking everything down and putting it into boxes that are labeled with FBI on the side. Lead detective is boxing up some research.

FBI: Is this everything?

LEAD DETECTIVE: Yup.

P16 P2: In walks Saint Mykael.

LEAD DETECTIVE: Where the hell have you been?

MYKAEL: Quite the contrary really.

LEAD DETECTIVE: That’s no matter, the Feds are closing us up so you might as well punch out with the boss.

P16 P3: FBI looking over and speaking.

FBI 1: Hey you… you got anything you wish to turn over?

MYKAEL: No.

FBI 2: You don’t have anything or you refuse to turn it over?

MYKAEL: Don’t worry guys this problem will be taken care of

FBI 1: Is there something you’re not telling us?

MYKAEL: Not at all I’m just faithful that the situation will be resolved.

P16 P4: The FBI agents are carrying boxes out of the conference room.

LEAD DETECTIVE: Hey thanks for nothing, good working WITH you.

MYKAEL: Don’t worry about them.

LEAD DETECTIVE: Oh I won’t.

P17 P1: Small panel. Lead Detevitve closes the conference door, The room is a mess from the FBI taking only that which was important.

LEAD DETECTIVE: It’s to F*$%ing bad they can’t read minds.

MYKAEL: Come on Danny you know how I feel about the language.

LEAD DETECTIVE: Sorry Mykael. But they just get me so pissed off.

P17 P2: Small panel. Lead Detective writing something down on a piece of paper on the conference room table.

LEAD DETECTIVE: Miskatonic University, in Massachusetts. Here’s the name of a professor there… Drax Dunsany, he’s Egyptian or something like that, teaches a course on the Writings of H.P. Lovecraft.

MYKAEL (thought): So that’s where he has been hiding.

P17 P3: Small panel. Lead Detective handing the piece of paper to Mykael.

LEAD DETECTIVE: You have to talk to this guy.

MYKAEL: Lovecraft huh.

Lead Detective: Yeah have you heard of him?

MYKAEL: Yes, he’s a writer if I remember correctly.

Lead Detective: He’s way more than a writer, you’ll see.

P17 P4: This can be the biggest panel on this page I want it to be a kind of dream of Mykael, lots of detail in the scene. He’s remembering the day he met with Lovecraft. Mykael is in a messy room kind of a mix between Lovecraft’s personal library and writing room so stacks of books on shelves on the floor on his desk with lots of drawing and paper work. I would like a statue of the Cthulhu on Lovecraft’s desk but don’t make the Cthulhu look like what you have drawn make it look like a different interpretation of what you have drawn. Lovecraft is sitting in his chair, he was writing in some kind of personal journal, which is very thick and spread open on his desk in front of him. I have shown an image of the Cthulhu statue and Lovecraft at the end of the script for reference. I showed you an image pf a Cthulhu statue as you can see it looks a lot different than your design. I want you to use the status as a refernce point of how to draw your version. Does that make sense so draw your version of the cthulhu but based on that same position as the example image I provided. Keep in miond nobody has ever seen the Cthulhu so it should look differently then the one you draw in the story, just have some similar attributes.

MYKAEL: You have been warned Howard.

HP LOVECRAFT: The message must be sent. You can’t keep the toying with the human race like we are pawns in some kind of chess game!

MYKAEL: They are coming for you. You will spend the rest of your life institutionalized by the graces of God. Trust me it is much better than the alternative.

HP LOVERCAFT: Why are you really here Saint Michael?

P17 P5: This is a close up of Mykael reaching over the desk and grabbing Lovecraft’s personal journal. This panel can be smaller and overlapping to show that it is part of the dream sequence.

MYKAEL: Mortals cannot know what lies on these pages.

Page 18-19

P18 P1: Transition panel showing students walking through the college Campus of Miskatonic University. Drax Dunsany is there walking along talking to one of his female students.

NARRATIVE: Miskatonic University

P18 P2: Close up of Drax Dunsay talking with a female student as they walk along the hallways. In the background is Mykael Enoch in his civilian clothes, trying to blend in with the other students, he is following Drax Dunsany.

STUDENT: That was a great lecture Dr. Dunsany.

DRAX: Thank you. It’s always great to see young minds willing to learn.

STUDENT: I would love to know more, help anyway I can for the cause.

P18 P3: Close up of the female student touching his arm.

DRAX: Certainly. I think we can find a task for you to sacrifice your time for.

P18 P4: Female student waving good-bye, Drax turning walking out towards the parking lot. Mykael still following him but blending into the background of other students. Drax is on a cell phone.

DRAX (phone): I’m going home for the rest of the day.

DRAX (phone): Yes everything is in motion.

DRAX (phone): Just have the group ready for my instructions.

P18 P5: Close up of Drax on the phone with a spirit form of Mykael right behind him listening. I want to show that even though Mykael is far behind he can hear everything Drax is saying on the phone call.

P18 P6: Drax turns thinking someone was behind him and nobody but students are walking around. Mykael is gone.

P19 P1: Transition panel of Drax entering his home on Brown Island. Mykael floats like a spirit above the house looking down at Drax.

NARRATIVE: Lord Dunsany Residence; Brown Island, MA

MYKAEL (thought): Forgive me my Lord as I enter this house of Sin.

P19 P2: Drax is kneeling in front of the hole in his basement completing a séance for Azathoth.

DRAX: I summon the Key and Guardian of the Gate. I kneel before you as Nyarlathotep, Voice of Azazthoth.

P19 P3: A light glows from within the hole. This panel can be smaller and a closer shot of the hole maybe over the shoulder of Drax from the point of view of Mykael standing in the room. Mykael is blended up against the wall of the room in spirit form. We don’t have to show him though, the point of view of this panel can help explain we are watching from Mykael. Drax is now transformed into Nyarlathotep (see issue 2 for his look).

DRAX: Past, present, future, all are one in Yog. I call upon thee to bid your will.

P19 P4: Floating above the hole now is Yog-Sothoth this can be a closer image to really show some great detail. Yog is described as collection of iridescent globes. I have attached an image at the end of the script to help show you how some other artists have drawn Yog-Sothoth. I would like your version to be in line with the other Gods and how they look along with the glowing globes. Thanks.

DRAX: Azathoth commands….

YOG: Azathoth has no power over me messenger! I agree to this plan to protect the prophecy.

P19 P5: Yog Still floating over the hole ion the ground.

DRAX: Sorry my lord. How might I serve your will?

YOG: By moving aside so that I can clean up my son’s mess!

Page 20-21

P20 P1: Transition panel of the underworld. Chaos is speaking to Azazoth. Chaos should be up on some kind of throne pedestal.

AZAZOTH: So are we in agreement?

CHAOS: Yes. Do what you need to do and we will kill the Cthulhu.

P20 P2: Death, Kerberus, Medusa and Grendel walk in to Chaos’ Chamber. Azazoth is leaving out another exit. The team pays no attention to Azazoth, they have never seen him so they don’t know who he is. Death leads the way.

DEATH: The Cthulhu cannot be killed.

CHAOS: I have taken care of that.

KERBERUS: How?

CHAOS It seems that the Cthulhu is more of a soul then a being. The only way to kill it is to have another reborn to take it’s place. Dark magic presumably cast by the Cthulhu itself to gain immortality even amongst the Gods.

P20 P3: Medusa steps forward to speak.

MEDUSA: Well that’s all fine and good but it doesn’t matter now since the Cthulhu can no longer be tracked.

CHAOS: WHAT!

P20 P4: Chaos’ color is now red as fire. He’s very volatile and angry. I would like to show bursts of flame coming off of him because of his rage. Chaos has jumped from his throne pedestal and has attacked Death. I would like Chaos to be encasing his flame around Death. Flame can be shooting out of death’s eye-sockets from the mask. The point here is to show that Chaos is trying to kill or torture death. Death’s mask can be melting off.

CHAOS: How could you let this happen? The fate of our existence lies in the life or death of this cosmic nuisance. And you just let him escape! You are worthless to me!

P20 P5: The Master of the Hunt is standing in the background watching Chaos kill death. The Master of the Hunt needs to look his best here. I want to give him the presence of strength and power. Maybe have him leaning on his Spear. Think of such greats as Achilles, Thor or Hercules.

ARAWN: I can track this Cthulhu.

P21 P1: The team allows The Master of the Hunt to enter by moving aside so that the Master of the Hunt can speak to Chaos. Death is lying on the floor his mask can be burned, his smoke like body diminished. The group is looking at the master of the Hunt, Arawn.

ARAWN: Do you know who I am?

CHAOS: I know everything.

ARAWN: Good then you know my terms?

CHAOS: I do not bargain with anyone!

P21 P2: The Master of the Hunt is pointing his Spear at death who lies on the ground visibly hurt by Chaos’ attack.

ARAWN: The way I see it you need me more then I need you.

CHAOS: If the Cthulhu wins we all die, even you Arawn.

ARAWN: The only difference is that I have nothing left to live for, thanks to you of course.

P21 P3: Chaos is right up in front of The Master of the hunt’s face. This can be a close up of the two of them. I want to show Chaos trying to intimidate the master of the Hunt. Chaos can have his flame-like tentacles spreading out around the master of the Hunt.

CHAOS: You’ve parlayed this situation into quite a deal.

ARAWN: The benefits of being true Neutral. Do you accept my terms?

P21 P4: Chaos climbing back onto his throne area. His color and attitude are more subdued now, as Chaos finally understands that he is helpless and needs the master of the Hunt.

CHAOS: Yes. Creiddylad’s soul will be released from eternal servitude.

Page 22

P22 P1: Transition panel. Death, Cerberus, Medusa, Grendel, and the Master of the hunt are standing on the shore of Loch Ness where they last fought the Cthulhu. Death’s portal can be opened in the background. The Master of the Hunt sits on top of his grey horse (which I described earlier). The Master of the Hunt is flanked with 6 of his white dogs (use the descriptions from earlier). This is a full page beauty shot.

NARRATIVE: Loch Ness, Scotland

ARAWN: You have a problem.

KERBERUS: What?

ARAWN: There are seven Cosmic beings in this plane.

MEDUSA: Seven!? What are they multiplying?

KERBERUS: When you see them what do you see?

ARAWN: It’s more of a feeling.

GRENDEL: Then what is it you feel Tracker!

ARAWN: There’s a heavier presence to the West. Do you see it Death?

DEATH: Yes.

ARAWN: One more thing… An Arch-Angel tracks another one of these cosmic beings.

DEATH: Mykael. He survived. That’s just the kind of good news we need to hear right now.

P22: P3: The group is walking through Death’s Portal. The Master of the Hunt is on his grey horse and flanked by 6 of his white wolves with red ears and red eyes.

DEATH: You sure you don’t want to come through with us?

ARAWN: Don’t worry, I’ll wait for you on the other side.

END

Panel 1

Daytime. Overview of the White House, This is the building the President of the United States is in (example image provided at the end of the script). There can be a number of Army guards positioned outside the fencing around the White House. The world is under attack and the president is heavily protected.

NARRATIVE: White House, Washington DC

Panel 2

The Cthulhu and his two sons are standing across the street looking at the white house. Nobody is noticing them. The outside fence can have lots of Army guarding it (and example image of US army men is at the end of the script).

GHATA: What is so IMPORTANT here?

CTHULHU: The human king has great POWER… Something they call NUCLEAR, it will cause great DAMAGE over the ENTIRE planet.

GHATA: And what about the Lords of the Underworld?

CTHULHU: Stay out here and FIGHT TILL THE DEATH.

Panel 3

This is the biggest panel on the page. Inside the Oval Office (the presidents personal office in the white House Image provided at the end of the script). The President is on a special red phone that is located on his desk. The president is standing, nervous. There are about 12 people in this big office… a couple of armed army guards standing by the door, a couple of generals in full military dress (see example images at the end of the script), and some people in suits. There are a couple of people in suits watching a flat screen TV mounted on the wall. On the TV is a news reporter who is showing footage of people going crazy. All of the other people are on cell phones.

TV NEWS REPORTER: The MADNESS that started in California has swept across the nation. At this point doctors have NO ANSWERS. Some speculate that it is a biological WEAPON, released by terrorists. Others think it is the END of the world.

Panel 4

Zoom in on TV

TV NEWS REPORTER: MARSHALL LAW has been enacted. All civilians have been ORDERED to remain in their homes to avoid EXPOSURE to any potential airborne ATTACK.

PAGE 2

Panel 1

Close up of the President of the United States. He’s holding his hand over the phone and yelling at everyone in the room.

PRESIDENT: QUIET!

Panel 2

The president is back on the phone. Everyone is quiet looking at the president.

PRESIDENT: So is it a biological WEAPON or isn’t it?

RED PHONE: We haven’t been able to determine that yet sir.

PRESIDENT: I want to know if this can be caused by someone… I need to determine if this is an act of TERRORISM.

Panel 3

The president has hung up the phone. He’s still standing behind his desk. He’s looking at a General who stands across from him on the other side of the desk.

PRESIDNET: General when is transport going to be here?

GENERAL: 15 minutes sir.

SFX: BANG!

Panel 4

Everyone in the oval office is spooked and starring at the door. The guards have their guns drawn and so do the generals. All guns are pointed at the door.

CTHULHU (behind door): **Insert some alien text**

Panel 5

The door is cracked open and a single tentacle has entered the room. This panel is intended to be mysteriously shocking.

PAGE 3

Panel 1

All the people with guns are now pointing them at the President.

Panel 2

The president backs up from his desk. He’s shocked at what is going on. He’s holding his hands up in the air with his palms out.

PRESIDENT: What are you doing?

Panel 3

The Cthulhu is now in the room. He’s standing in front of the desk looking over at the President.

CTHULHU: Weak-minded humans.

PRESIDENT: WHAT are you?

CTHULHU: I am the HIGH PRIEST of Xorn, RULER of Earth, and I have come back to reclaim MY PLANET.

PRESIDENT: Can’t we…

Panel 4

The Cthulhu has used his psyonics to enter the President’s mind. The President should have his head tilted back looking up at the ceiling, the president’s eyes rolled back, blood tearing and flowing from his eyes and ears.

CTHULHU: Interesting…these NUCLEAR BOMBS are much more POWERFUL than I had imagined. How could your species be so foolish to create something you can’t CONTROL?

PAGE 4

Panel 1

The Master of the Hunt is trotting on his horse down the street toward the White House. He can be off in the distance a bit. Ghata and Zoth are looking at him coming up the road. The Master of the Hunt has about 12 of his dogs walking next to him and behind him. There should be fire and sparks when the horse’s hooves hit the ground so show some effect there.

GHATA: **insert some alien text**

Panel 2

The Master of the Hunt is now standing outside the gates of the White House. Ghata and Zoth are pissed off and ready to fight. The Master of the Hunt is relaxed and calmly sitting on his horse. All the military guards surrounding the White House are in a rest position, they are in a hypnotic state.

GHATA: **insert some alien text**

Panel 3

This can be the biggest panel on the page. The Master of the Hunt is now off his horse. He has sent his horse away, so you can have the horse trotting off away from them. The Master of the hunt has only his spear. He needs to look like a God just standing there ready for battle, ready for anything. The Master of the Hunt’s dogs are all behind him there are more dogs now say 20 or 30. Behind Ghata and Zoth are more of the creatures we have seen in the past; they are coming out of the ground and lining up behind Ghata and Zoth. You can show some of the creatures already out of the ground and some in the process of coming out the ground.

MASTER OF THE HUNT: Well, looks like you got quite the ARMY.

ZOTH: You don’t stand a chance against US.

MASTER OF THE HUNT: Well that’s why I brought some friends.

PAGE 5

Panel

The team comes through the portal and find themselves walking right next to The Master of the Hunt

GRENDEL: Did I miss anything?

MASTER OF THE HUNT: No my beasty friend. I was just getting started.

KERBEROS: I like the dog ARMY Arawn.

Panel 2

Close up of Ghata and Zoth with their small army of creatures behind them, about 20.

ZOTH: We will take that which is RIGHTFULLY ours!

Panel 3

Battle begins. You have the rest of this page to drawn battle scenes

PAGE 6

Continued battle scenes, focus on the main characters and their abilities. Make sure to show some dominance by The Master of the Hunt. He’s very strong and fights with a spear like the Spartans do (you can refer to some battle scenes from the movie 300 and copy the Spartan spear fighting style for The Master of the Hunt).

PAGE 7

Continued battle scenes.

PAGE 8

Panel 1

This can be the largest panel on the page showing the two kill shots. I want to showcase Kerberos killing Ghata and The Master of the Hunt killing Zoth. So on page finish the fight scenes with Kerberos killing Ghata and The Master of the Hunt killing Zoth.

Panel 2

We are back in the Oval Office. The president is on the red phone. His eyes completely black, blood tearing from his eyes and ears. The Cthulhu is mad hands can be clinched head back as he is screaming. He just felt the death of his sons and he is angry. The room of people are still standing still, guards pointing guns at the President.

RED PHONE: Mr. President do you CONFIRM a Nuclear launch on all known terrorist groups?

CTHULHU: MY CHILDREN!

Panel 3

From the view of the Lords of the Underword they are looking up at a window in the White House where the Oval Office is. The window has been blown out. The Cthulhu is growing from inside the Oval Office and expanding outside of the window he just blew out. His tentacles can be getting larger and coming out of the window to grip on the side of the White House like he’s pulling himself out off the room and out through the window.

MEDUSA: Great! Nobody said he could grow into a GIANT.

KERBEROS: We MUST destroy this monster.

PAGE 9

Panel 1

This can be the largest panel on the page. The Cthulu is now a giant monster grappling on the side of the White House. The Lords of the Underworld are ready to fight. There can be lots of army gathering. The army is assembling, machine guns drawn and aiming them at the Lords of the Underworld who are now surrounded by the United States army.

CTHULHU: **insert alien text**

MASTER OF THE HUNT: Well how many mortal casualties are you ready to have?

KERBEROS: Medusa, it’s time.

MEDUSA: Gladly.

Panel 2

Medusa walks out in front of the group. All of the army have their machine guns drawn and pointed at her.

ARMY LEADER: STOP!

MEDUSA: Don’t worry; this will only HURT a little bit.

Panel 3

This can be a small panel. Close up of medusa. Her eyes have changed to all black; her snake hair is up in attack formation.

Panel 4

Show the whole army now turned to stone.

PAGES 10-11 and 12-13

The next 4 pages are to show the battle between the Lords of the Underworld and the “giant” Cthulhu. I’ll have a couple of notes below that I want you to show in the battle.

The Cthulhu is going to use his psyonics to disable everyone BUT Grendel and Death. Grendel is the only character that can defend against the Cthulhu’s psyonics. So you’ll need to show Kerberos, Medusa, and the Master of the Hunt down on the ground in pain holding their heads. Their eyes and ears can be bleeding.

Show one scene of the Cthulhu ripping death’s mask off and tearing through the all-seeing eye. Death’s smoke dissipates, showing that the mask is important to him keeping form and his powers. So in essence by destroying Death’s mask the Cthulhu has sent Death back to the Underworld.

Then show a series of panels of Grendel fighting the Cthulhu. Remember Grendel is a beast and a great warrior fighter. He’s agile, can jump high, and he’s strong. He can be pulling apart the Cthulhu’s Tentacles, biting through the tentacles. But make sure the Cthulhu is also attacking Grendel and hurting him.

Pages 12 and 13 we need to show the Cthulhu beating up on Grednel. Even though Grendel has hurt the Cthulhu the Cthulhu will NOT die. The Cthulhu cannot be killed right now.

On the final panel pf page 13 show the Cthulhu throwing a very injured Grendel to the ground. Grendel struggles to get up but is badly hurt.

PAGE 14

Panel 1

Transition panel showing the Sphinx monument in Egypt (sample image provided at the end of the script).

NARRATIVE: The Great Sphinx of Giza

Panel 2

Yog-Sothoth is standing at the base of the giant Sphinx monument. He is conducting a spell to open the Sphinx. Some of Yog’s tentacles can be up as if it’s raising it’s hands in prayer to the skies.

YOG: **insert some alien text**

Panel 3

The Sphinx is opening revealing an entry into the Sphinx. You can use a couple of panels to show this action. Please look up some images of the Sphinx online to see all the dimensions. I think we should have the doorway open up in the chest area of the Sphinx, between the two legs.

Last Panel

Show Yog-Sothoth walking inside the Sphinx.

PAGE 15

Panel 1

Yog-Sothoth walks up to a chamber room. Somewhere we should show the Elder Sign. You have drawn this before: it’s the rough shape of a star with a giant eye in the middle of the star and the eye is on fire. Lying asleep on a table in the middle of the chamber is Cthyla (Cthulhu’s daughter). Cthyla is described as a winged octopus with 6 eyes. The wings are small, and she has 8 tentacles, each tentacle has razor sharp claws NOT suckers like a normal octopus has. Chtyla is red-bodied. The thing to remember is that Cthyla is female.

YOG: **insert some alien text**

Panel 2

Close up of Cthyla’s eyes which are now open.

Panel 3

This can be the biggest panel because there is a lot of dialogue. You can really details Cthyla in this panel. Cthyla and Yog-Sothoth are now both standing up in front of each other.

CTHYLA: Grandfather, Has our RULE been returned?

YOG: No my dear, unfortunately it’s been interrupted by your FATHER.

CTHYLA: I don’t understand…

YOG: There is a series of events that must happen for our people to reclaim the Earth. Unfortunately someone altered our plan by releasing your father early. Now we must take ACTION to prevent your father, my son, from doing what the PROPHECY asks of him.

CTHYLA: NO I cannot.

CTHYLA: You have NO CHOICE.

Panel 4

Show the sphinx closing its secret door to the outside world. This can be a smaller panel overlapping panel 3.

PAGE 16

Panel 1

Show Saint Mykael outside the Sphinx. Saint Mykael is transformed. He floats in front of the Sphinx. His dagger is drawn and ready for a fight.

Panel 2

Saint Mykael is translucent and floats through the walls of the Sphinx.

Panel 3

Cthyla is in the corner of the room crying and hurt. Yog-Sothoth is in the foreground talking down to Cthyla.

YOG: This is how it has to be.

MYKAEL: MONSTER!

Panel 4

Yog-Sothoth turns to face Saint Mykael.

YOG: This is no longer your WAR. We have taken care of the PROBLEM.

MYKAEL: The problem will always exist as long as your PROPHECY creates MADNESS in the minds of men.

PAGE 17

Panel 1

Show Saint Mykael diving in to fight Yog-Sothoth.

Panel 2

Show Yog-Sothoth hitting Mykael’s dagger away and quickly defending himself against Mykael’s attack.

Panel 3

Yog-Sothoth moves forward wrapping it’s tentacles around Saint Mykael pinning Saint Mykael’s arms against his body. Saint Mykael is struggling and can’t move. Yog-Sothoth is pulling Saint Mykael toward its jaws and sharp teeth, Yog-Sothoth is getting read to eat Saint Mykael.

YOG: You… an ANGEL OF DEATH? Are you the only thing that was sent to stop me?

MYKAEL: I’m all HE needs.

Panel 4

This can be the largest panel on this page. I want to showcase Saint Mykael’s thread wings here. Like you said they come to life and can work on their own. I want the wings to grab the spears from Saint Mykael’s back and thrust them into the body of Yog-Sothoth, killing Yog-Sothoth.

MYKAEL: The WILL of GOD flows through me.

PAGE 18

Panel 1

The Cthulhu picks Grendel back up to slam him into the ground again.

Panel 2

Grendel slides over to the Lords of the Underworld. Grendel is lying next to The Master of the hunt, we need to show the Master of the Hunt’s spear next to him. Medusa and Master of the hunt are still crouched over in pain. Kerberos is gone.

CTHULHU: My soul CANNOT be destroyed! I will CONQUER this planet AGAIN!

Panel 3

Kerberos is clawing up the backside of the giant Cthulhu, Kerberos is trying to get to the top of the Cthulhu’s octopod head. Kerberos has 3 heads, 2 heads should have black eyes bleeding, but one head the eyes are normal and not bleeding.

KERBEROS: Your vile threats will NOT stop us!

Panel 4

Kerberos gets to the top of the Cthulhu and bites into the Cthulhu’s octopod head with Kerberos one good head, remember the other two Kerberos heads are under mind control. Cthulhu screams in pain the wound is great blood can shoot out.

CTHULHU: AHHHH!

CTHULHU: How is this so…

PAGE 19

Panel 1

Grendel is getting up, he spots the Master of the Hunt’s spear and grabs it to fight the Cthulhu. This is Grendel’s chance to surprise attack the Cthulhu

Panel 2

Grendel jumps into the air in a dramatic pose, both hands over his head gripping onto the spear. The Spear tip pointed at the head of the Cthulhu ready to come down on him.

Panel 3

Grendel thrusts the spear deep into the head of the Cthulhu ending the psyonic hold the Cthulhu had on everyone. The strike is very painful to the Cthulhu, Kerberos is thrown off the Cthulhu’s back.

Panel 4

Kerberos lands hard onto the ground from the far fall.

Panel 4

The Lords of the Underworld all stagger to the ground, exhausted from having their brains eaten away by the Cthulhu’s psyonic power.

PAGE 20

Panel 1

The president is standing in the oval office still holding the red phone to his ear.

RED PHONE: Mr. President do you ORDER the NUCLEAR STRIKE?

Panel 2

Close up of the President waking up, his eyes are now back to their original color, the blood is gone.

PRESIDENT: NO!

RED PHONE: Mr. President do you confirm to CANCEL the nuclear strike?

PRESIDENT: Yes. CANCEL THE STRIKE.

Panel 3

This can be the largest panel on the page. The Cthulhu is now normal size, lying dead on the ground with the master of the Hunt’s spear sticking out of he Cthulhu’s head. Grendel is badly hurt looking down upon the dead Cthulhu. The Cthulhu should be wilting away, almost disappearing.

GRENDEL: WORTHY opponent.

Panel 4

Grendel pulls the spear from the dead Cthulhu’s head to take it back to the master of the hunt. This last act causes the rest of the Cthulhu’s body to wilt away into the Earth.

PAGE 21

Panel 1

Grendel is standing in front of Kerberos, Medusa and the Master of the Hunt. Grendel is handing the Master of the Hunt’s spear back to him.

GRENDEL: Good spear.

MASTER OF THE HUNT: I know it helped me defeat the GORYNYCH. But that is a story for another time.

Panel 2

Kerberos speaking to Grendel. Master of the Hunt can be holding his spear.

KERBEROS: So how does it feel to save HUMANITY?

GRENDEL: Great fight, but the STENCH of humans is undesirable.

Panel 3

Death’s gate is open Death is standing next to it with a new mask on. Medusa is walking toward the portal to go back to the underworld. Behind her is Grendel and Kerberos last.

DEATH: Did I miss the FIGHT?

MEDUSA: You have been absolutely WORTHLESS this whole mission Death.

KERBEROS: Now, now Medusa, He did get us around.

MEDUSA: I’m still mad at you for tricking me into fighting… I’m a GODDESS after all.

Panel 4

Medusa is now gone through the portal; Grendel can be half gone like he’s walking through it. Kerberos turns to smell the air one last time. Death is still next to the portal.

KERBEROS: Humans don’t SMELL all that bad.

Panel 5

Everyone is gone except Death who is about to leave and the Master of the Hunt who now sits upon his horse.

MASTER OF THE HUNT: Tell your CHAOS to keep his end of the bargain.

DEATH: Certainly Master of the Hunt, safe travels.

Panel 6

The portal is gone, all the military are unfrozen from stone looking around confused as to what just happened. There are no bodies of gods, no evidence of them anywhere just the destruction around them as if a great battle happened.

Page 22

Panel 1

Saint Mykael is standing above a dead Yog-Sothoth. Cthyla is looking up at him.

CTHYLA: Who are YOU?

MYKAEL: I am known as Saint Mykael, by the ORDER of God I am here to PROTECT you.

CTHYLA: Protect me… my DESTINY has already been written.

Panel 2

Saint Mykael is crouching next to Cthyla trying to help her up.

CTHYLA: If you want to save MANKIND you should kill me now.

MYKAEL: Your FATE is not written in stone PRIESTESS OF XORN. God has a new PATH for you.

Panel 3

A bright light enters the room; Tellus Matter (Mother Earth) walks forward through the light into the room. Cthyla and Saint Mykael look at her through the light.

CTHYLA: Where is that?

MYKAEL: It goes by so many names… you can call it a NEW BEGINNING.

Panel 4

Mother Earth comforts Cthyla.

TELLUS MATTER: There, there child. All will be at PEACE now.

CTHYLA: But my UNBORN… it will…

TELLUS MATTER: It is in the right hands now. It will flourish in the hands of GOD.

Panel 5

Saint Mykael walks with Mother Earth and Cthyla into the light; they slowly vanish into the light.

The END

The town of Ross, North Dakota, is like any other small town, a farming community where everyone knows your name, your business and your intimate secrets.  thirty-nine people in twelve households are all that resides in Ross.  One would think a community so small was based on religious beliefs, or self-segregation because of their own bigotry.  But that wasn’t the case for the citizens of Ross; they lived there because they knew nothing different.  Born and raised into a lifestyle about 50 years behind the times, only those brave enough to escape the acres of fields that engulfed the small town understood where the world was going.  For those that stayed in Ross, they appreciated the simple life and hard work that enabled the town to survive on its own.  Once in a while a defected citizen would send home a letter with some details of the great cities of the beyond; the letters reading like a page torn out of an Isaac Asimov novel.  Children would gather around to hear of the advancing technology – dreaming about telephones and televisions, while those with wrinkled pale skin and cracked hands would turn their noses up.

“We got everything we need to survive right here in Ross.”  Old man Kramer would say.  Self-sufficiency was the theme of Ross.  Every family had a part to play; Jim Kramer’s land produced crops, Eugene Olsen herded cattle, John Fred Johnson and his wife Mabel Ruth Johnson mended the sick and delivered the next generation, and Clara Walker Jones taught the kids in the one-room school, her husband Sam was the town’s carpenter; their children would all grow up to do the same.  This cycle ran since the settlers of Ross squatted on the land what could have been a millennia ago, and it will continue for the next millennia if Jim Kramer has anything to say about it.

The mid-day sun beckoned the sweat from John Johnson’s forehead.  He would have liked to split firewood in the early morning hours but an unfortunate accident over at Eugene Olsen’s farm stole that time away from him.  DJ stood nearby watching his father lift the axe high into the air and dropping it down upon the wood with a precise thunk.  DJ, short for David Johnson, was the only child of John and Mabel, which was an anomaly in Ross.  Most families had multiple children.  I guess one could say John and Mabel were too busy birthing and tending to the town’s children they had little time to procreate their own.

John’s muscles flexed as he raised the axe once more.  He looked back at DJ and slowly lowered the axe.

“You know I was about your age when my Pa taught me how to raise an axe… you wanna give it a try?”  DJ curious and thrilled jumped forward before his words could escape him.

“Sure do.”  DJ stood next to his father listening to every word as if he was telling him of the great secret behind splitting wood.  The axe was obviously too heavy for DJ to lift so they started with a smaller hand axe.  John explained the principles behind velocity and weight, and how it’s not the strength of the man that splits the wood but the force and angle of the drop.  DJ lifted the smaller hand axe above his head.  It was heavy but not too heavy to endanger himself.  John knew the exercise would help build DJ’s muscles and eventually, after years of hardened labor would show, would turn his eight year old son into a man.  The first drop missed the wood completely.

“What did you do wrong?”  John asked.

“I missed the firewood.”  DJ responded.

“No.  You concentrated on the strength of the swing, causing your back right foot to slide, losing the momentum and balance of your shifting weight.  Remember the drop will bring the power; your whole job is to guide the axe to the target.  Keep your eyes on the top of the firewood where you wish to strike.”  John instructed.

“Okay Pa.”  DJ planted his feet again, raising the small hand axe above his head.  John grabbed a rock and carved an “X” in the top of the firewood.

“Concentrate on the X.”  DJ dug his feet into the soft sand and tightened his grip on the hand axe.  His eyes focused on the X.  He snapped his wrists forward starting the hand axe’s momentum, the shadow sprinting across the ground.  His eyes focused, his forearms feeling weightless.  The edge of the hand axe struck the top of the firewood, not a perfect strike but efficient nonetheless.  The wood split diving to the sides as the hand axe chewed its way into the larger oak-tree stump that had acted like a table of sorts for splitting firewood.

DJ turned to see his father’s smile.  John’s expression did not disappoint, his grin lifted DJ’s spirit higher than his arms ever could.  He picked up DJ and spun with him.

“You did it!”  John announced, DJ raising his arms victoriously in the air.  It was the small things that motivated the people of Ross.  Mabel watched them dance in the yard from the porch.  She yearned for a daughter but would never tell John.  For the past year DJ had been growing up and becoming a daddy’s boy, no longer wanting to hang out with Mabel.  It was bound to happen; a son’s place is in the yard working, not the kitchen playing house.  But still, Mabel couldn’t help but feel saddened.  The small family was awkward for Mabel; she was one of ten children.  Her father Jim Kramer used her mother’s womb as a labor factory for his hundreds of acres of farmland that needed to be tended.  Jim made it no secret often announcing to his children that they were born to tend the land.  When the kids came of age they had two choices, work the farm or leave for another trade.  Of course all the daughters (Mabel, Ina, and Olive) all were married off before their 18^th birthday.  That was typical of all the families in Ross; families started early, lands passed down, trades taught to the next generation.  They prided themselves on not needing any help from the big city and did everything they could to keep their distance.  Even the letters that would come back to town from those who left would be mindful of not polluting children’s minds to the fantastic advances of technology; ask a kid in Ross what an iPod is and they will think you are speaking French.

Wayne Olsen was the last one to correspond from the outside world.  Wayne was the oldest of the Olsen boys, four boys in all: Wayne, Walter, Wallace, and William.  On his 18^th birthday he left the small town to join the United States Navy.  Wane never liked small-town life and wanted to see the world.  Eugene would say that Doc Jones poisoned Wayne’s head with fantastic stories of adventure in the Navy; Doc left town when he was 18 to serve his country in the Vietnam War.

Doc was sent home after a buried land mine blew off both his legs.  But not before Doc had time to experience all that Vietnam had to offer.  So naturally he came back to the only thing he knew, simple life in Ross, North Dakota.  There he would tell stories of his life abroad, and there, little Wayne would sit in the front row capturing every word into his imagination for replay later that night.

It had been five years since Wayne’s last letter.  The letter was short and to the point… “They are sending me to Iraq.  I’ll write when I can.”  Most assumed he had died; others wanted to believe he was on the front line servicing his country, protecting us all from evil.

One could hear the scamper of feet as a mob of children tried to outrun the dust storm they kicked up behind them.  They turned off of Central and headed down West Second Street towards the Johnson house.  DJ turned to see the commotion.  It was Wallace and William Olson, Jimmy Kramer Jr., Pete Howland and Eli Lee.  The pack of kids all ranged in ages seven to thirteen years old.  But in Ross age didn’t matter, if you were a kid and wanted to play kick ball you played.  John knew the question before it even left DJ’s lips.

“Dad can I play with the boys?”

“Sure son, but be back at dusk for supper.”

“I will.”  As soon as DJ’s feet hit the soft sand, he joined the dust storm heading down West Second Street.  There was no second thought of safety, or danger.  A town like Ross had no evil to warn about.  The kids stuck together and whichever family was nearby watched them.  It was a community in the true sense of the word.

John grabbed the split wood from the ground and turned back towards the house.  There his eyes met Mabel’s.

“What?”  John asked with a smirk.

“Oh nothing, just watching you and DJ; our little boy is growing up so fast.”  John stacked the split wood on the pile that leaned up against the house carefully puzzling the pieces together so they wouldn’t fall down.  He turned back to comment and Mabel was gone.  He didn’t give another thought about it; there was work to finish before supper.  Mabel was back in the kitchen trying to hide her tears, both of joy and sadness.

The boys slowed after a couple of blocks down Railroad Avenue.  The turned left down Main Street, crossing the railroad tracks and onto Jim Kramer’s land.  Jim had reserved a nice little space on his property in the shape of a diamond, complete with a fenced backstop.  Not your fancy, covered dugouts backstops.  But rather a rudimentary chain link fence that served one purpose; stop a wild pitch.  There were four more kids already gathered kicking the soccer ball back and forth; Sally Lee, Edna Bero, Garrett Howland, and Fred Jones.  Seemed everyone got away from their chores in time for some afternoon kickball, five on five, before supper started.  They wasted no time, calling out captains.  Wallace and Jimmy were selected this time.  DJ never got the chance to be a captain; he was still too young.  Even though most boys were only a couple years older, it meant a lifetime in the hierarchy of children.  But his age didn’t stop him from being picked early.  Even though he was younger, he had equal athletic skills to some of the older boys.  Since he had been helping his father in the yard more and more, he was beginning to grow into his body, even build some muscle; and the older boys knew it.

With the teams divided into two groups, Edna flipped a shinny coin end over end that landed and placed DJs team up to bat first.  Just as everyone got situated in place a shot was heard, it rang out and echoed through the houses, bouncing off the plaster until the sound reached the dirt lot.  Guns didn’t fear the kids, most of them had learned to shot and hunt as early as they could lift and fire a rifle.  What surprised them was the time of day and closeness of the blast.  They huddled together.

“What was that?” Sally asked.

“A gunshot stupid.”  William chastised.

“I know it was a gun shot.  I meant why is someone shooting in town?”  Sally retorted.

“Maybe someone is practicing?”  DJ offered.

“Yeah or maybe Peter’s dad is drunk again scaring off dangerous raccoons.”  Eli said.

“Or the aliens.”  Fred added causing everyone to laugh.

Another gunshot was heard followed by another.  The kids quieted, focused on the direction of the gunfire.  So focused they couldn’t here Jim Kramer running up behind them.

“Wallace what’s going on?”  Jim asked, directing the question to the oldest boy.  Wallace turned to see a shotgun pinned up underneath Jim’s right armpit.

“We don’t know sir, just staying clear for now.”  More gunshots rattled through the houses.

“There’s more than one person out there shooting.”  Wallace suggested.

“What the fuck…”  Jim Kramer questioned under his breath.  He stepped forward in front the children, squinting his eyes through the heat waves that danced off the train tracks.  Someone was running toward them along the train tracks.  It was female he could tell that much from her dress that she had to lift off the dirt so that it wouldn’t trip her up.  It was Clara.

“Jim!  Get the kids in the basement!”  Clara screamed, as she got closer to the group.

“Take a breath Clara, what the hell is going on?”  Jim questioned.

“No time.”  Clara said as she round up the kids, pushing them towards Jim’s house.  Jim pulled at Clara’s shoulder stopping her.

“Nobody is going anywhere until you tell me what the hell is going on!”  Jim exclaimed.

“Animals, they killed Eugene and Wayne, we have to move, and we have to hide the children.”

“Animals, what kind of animals?”  Clara pulled herself away from Jim.  A moan could be heard through the houses.  The gunshots had stopped.  Jim looked back down the train tracks at a pack of slowly moving humans all hunched over, some dragging their feet, some limping.

“I don’t have room in my basement for all of you.”  Jim said as he readied his shotgun aiming it at the mob.

“We can all fit in my parent’s basement.”  DJ offered.  Clara grabbed the kids and took flight back towards West Second Street.  Jim walked forward slowly.  He couldn’t believe his eyes; these weren’t animals, they were humans’… diseased, mangled humans.  The closest thing his mind could register was rabies he had seen in dogs; they to were frothing at the mouth with a crazy look in their eyes.  And the moaning; Jim couldn’t tell if the moaning was caused by the pain these people were in or some code they spoke to each other with.

One of the crazies fell to the side as another gunshot echoed.  The mob turned their focus from Jim toward someone standing around the corner of one of the homes.  It was Jackson Howland.  Jim started running toward him to assist.  As he got closer he could see that these intruders were covered in soars and torn skin, some with tracks of dried blood running down their arms and legs.  Their clothes ripped and dirty from what could have been years of usage.  But all of that was nothing compared to their stench.  Once Jim got within 30 feet of the mob his eyes watered as if smoke just blew into his face.  He felt himself gag but that wasn’t enough to stop him.  His friend was pinned in the corner shooting and reloading.  The mob pushed forward.  Once in a while Jackson would hit one in the leg or the arm and limb would go flying backward, but they kept pushing forward.  Jim raised his own shotgun and fired hitting one in the shoulder. The force pushed over a couple like bowling pins.  Those who fell to the floor dragged themselves.  Jackson stood up and was ready to retreat when he stopped dead in his tracks.  As Jim got closer he could finally see in between the houses.  Jackson was surrounded by two mobs of these creatures.  There was no way out.  They fell onto Jackson pushing him to the ground.  Then the unthinkable happened.  Jim stopped running and watched the twenty or so creatures chew into Jackson.  Jackson screamed, and continued to scream until his heart finally gave out.

Jim turned and ran as fast as he could to the Johnson house where Clara was taking the children.

“Mabel!”  Jim yelled as he busted through the door into the house.

“I’m in the kitchen.”  Mabel responded.  Jim ran into the kitchen just as the last of the children were making their way down into the basement.  The Johnson house was built with the basement entrance in the floor of the kitchen; it acted more like a pantry and less like a fall out shelter.

“What the hell is going on out there Jim?”  John asked.

“Something unnatural, I saw 20 maybe 30 people, animals really. They attacked Jackson and began eating him alive.  I shot a couple; they didn’t stop.  Whatever these things are they aren’t human, well at least they are no longer human.”  Jim said trying to catch his breath.

“We need to see if anyone is still out there.”  John suggested.  Jim nodded in agreement.

“I want to go.”  Clara demanded.  “I need to find my Henry”.  John ran into the other room and brought back two shotguns and a case of shells. He gave one to Clara and filled the pockets of her dress with shells.

“Mabel stay in the basement and do not leave, no matter what.”  John commanded.

“What if you don’t come back?”  Mabel asked.

“We’ll come back.  Clara was able to out run them earlier.  We will keep our distance and if things get bad we will run.  Just stay down there and stay quiet.”  John grabbed Mabel and kissed her on the lips. “Don’t worry I will be back for you.”  Mabel walked down the stairs into the basement.  John closed the trap door behind her and pulled the floor rug over the opening to try and conceal it as best he could.  Mabel listened as the footsteps of Jim, Clara, and John faded away.

It was hours before anyone said anything, the night had come but nobody could sleep.  Their restlessness and delirium provide irrational thoughts.

“How long are we going to stay down here?”

“If only we can get more guns, we might be able to fight them off.”
“Will they come back for us?”

“Who… Jim, John and Clara or those creatures?”

More silence filled the empty space of the basement.  They tried to be still and quiet listening for signs like gunshots or screams.  Anything to tell them what was going on up above, what their world was turning in to.  Just as the youngest, Sally Lee, began to fall asleep banging was heard.  The sound of the front door flying open, striking the wall behind it, startled everyone.  Glass shattered and the moaning intensified.  The sniffing was noticeable; deep inhales and short bursts like a child had been crying all night.  Then the stairs… one, two, three, there must have been at least six of them.  Mabel looked at the kids and then to her boy DJ.

“They aren’t going to leave until they find us?”

“What are you saying Mrs. Johnson?”  Mabel looked around the room; there were coffee grinds stacked on the floor, three big burlap bags of them.  John kept them for the harvest to help fertilize the crops.

“Kids this is what you are going to do.  You are going to rub those coffee grinds all over you.  Sit huddled together and surround yourself in them.  Pour them all over you, but stay close and in the corner.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Wallace now you keep quiet.  These creatures hunt like animals.  They can smell us.  You have to mask your scent; the coffee beans will help do that.  I will leave and make a run for it.  If I can get to my dad’s farm hopefully there is a horse still alive.  Once on horseback I can lure them out of town.  I will take them as far as I can then I will head back and look for the others.  The further these creatures are away from here the bigger the chance they keep going.  I really don’t think they are intelligent enough to come back and if they are far enough away then they won’t be able to smell you.

“What if you don’t make it?”  Mabel looked scared.  She didn’t know how to answer.

“I will come back for you.”  Mabel said.  She climbed the basement stairs to the kitchen floor, holding her ear to the trap door.  It was silent.  She pushed up the trap door raising the rug ever so slightly no feet could be seen.  The light from the kitchen cut into the dark basement onto the group of children huddled in the corner.  In moments she was gone and the basement once again fell into darkness.

Chapter 1

The morning was brisk; snow covered the ground, icicles hanging from the edge of the rooftop glistened with the rising sun.  It was the thick of winter and the wind was as usual… silent.  Plumes of light grey smoke rose from the chimney reaching towards the clouds.  Surrounding the two-story farmhouse were a series thick tree stumps, each protruding from the ground about eight feet high and sharpened to a point.  They were driven into the ground another five feet and locked into place bark-to-bark with ropes and a concrete mixture of dried mud.  The outer wall as it were was about thirty feet from the house and formed a rectangle around the entire domicile with a very small opening doorway about five feet wide to get in and out.  The house itself looked like it had when Jim Kraemer, the grouchy old man who tended Ross’s farmlands, owned it so long ago, save for a couple of reinforcement modifications.

Although the ground was covered in snow you could see the outline of various garden plots within the perimeter of the barricade.  At least five plots were farmed.  To the right of the home was an unusual section of spiked trees coming off the house and encircling a well.  A window had been removed to create a makeshift doorway that had it’s own reinforcements.  The doorway was a direct line to the well and back to the house.

The house itself started to take on the shape of a hillbilly’s castle.  It started off like any other two-story home but after years of redesign and reinforcement it was beginning to look more like a makeshift fortress of used parts then an actual home.  There were platforms on the second story for people to step out onto and survey the lands above the tree-lined barricade.  There were spotlights on all sides of the house mounted on the platforms to illuminate the surrounding areas of the fortress at night.  What was once wood siding was replaced with metal sheets at an angle so that if anything was thrown at the house it would simply slide down and away from the house.

From up above one could see the snow covered ground reach out like a welcome mat.  From the front doorway were a series of boards tied to one another like a drawbridge over the snow that extended out about ten feet.  One couldn’t see the ditch that was now buried in snow, which was dug about ten feet deep along the entire facing side of the tree-lined barricade.  The moat and eight foot wall of trees provided eighteen feet of protection from any opposing force.

In the distance a thud was heard, followed by another.  Across the railroad tracks back at the Johnson house the sounds were prefaced with a woosh.  There a man stood pulling two throwing axes from tree stubs that were stacked up against the house.  He was about five fee five inches tall and lean like a Greek God. One would think he was but a child if it wasn’t for his callused hands and battle scars that ran up and down his arms.  He wore his blonde hair back in a ponytail pulled tightly and clasped with a band.

With his throwing axes in each hand he paced away from the house ten, twelve, fifteen feet away then spun launching one then another; left-right.

Woosh… thud, thud.

Direct hits about six feet high off the ground.  The axes cut into tree at the precise place they had many times before.  He pulled them out and walked to the side where his sharpening kit sat in a leather saddlebag.  He threw the saddlebag over his shoulder, sheathed the axes and walked inside the house.

The house was cold and un-kept.  The windows were boarded up on the inside.  He paused at a coat rack letting his grasp slide down the sleeve of a women’s purple sweater.  He looked into the kitchen, the rug still covering the trap door where he once spent three weeks locked away in isolation.  He walked back to the Den where his father set up an office to see patients.  There was a bookcase nailed to the wall and lined with books and some magazines.  He reached into his saddlebag and pulled out a thick library bounded book title “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare”.  He slid it back onto the shelf in the empty space where it last rested and removed “Canterbury Tales” by Geoffrey Chaucer.  This would be his seventh reading.  He placed the book in his saddlebag and swung it onto the chair glancing about the room.  His eyes fixated on a poster print of Norman Rockwell’s Tough Call (Bottom of the Sixth, Game Called Because of Rain). Farming towns lived and died by the rain, the message was simple in the painting, but meant so much more to the people of Ross, North Dakota. For DJ it was inspiration.  He had plans, a vision, to get his family to a better place, a safer place where they could grow old and not live in fear.

“DJ you in here?”  A voice cried out.  It startled DJ.

“Yeah I’m back here in the Den.”  An older looking Pete Howland came into the room.

“Come on they’re back.”

“Did they find anything?”  DJ asked.

“I don’t know, Jimmy spotted them from the lookout and told me to come get you.”  The boys hurried out of the house.  DJ closed the front door and slid four boards into separate slots that he had attached to the outside of the front door frame.  It was a basic blockade and enough to keep out any of the infected.

The boys ran back to the Kraemer fortress.  Just as they got within site of the main gate they saw Wallace and Fred trotting up on horses.  The horses each pulled a skinny wagon behind them that barely fit across the narrow drawbridge and tight opening of the barricade.  DJ and Pete followed them over the small drawbridge and inside the encampment.

William Olsen was already there ready to help his brother Wallace and Fred off their horses.  William handed the resigns of the two horses to Garrett who was busy unhooking the horses from the wagons they had pulled.  Edna and Sally came out of the house and over to the group.

“So did you find anything?”  William asked. Wallace pulled a tarp off the top of one of the wagons revealing various survivalist products ranging from oil for lamps, batteries, new pots and pans, some canned goods that seemed to never expire, rope and other various gardening tools.  Wallace reached in and pushed some stuff aside until he found a brand new pair of binoculars.

“Hey Jimmy, I found you some better eyes.  You can see for miles with these.”  Wallace shouted as Jimmy remained on his perch at the top of the house.

“We got through about two miles of homes, no survivors.  Found a couple sick bastards frozen stiff, we chopped them up just to be safe.”  Fred added.

“Hey Pete got you a present.”  Fred said excitingly as he threw the tarp off the second wagon.  He reached in and pulled out a hunting bow and bushel of arrows.”  Pete’s eyes widened as Fred handed him a Hoyt AlphaMax Compound Hunting Bow and a long box that contained about fifty Easton Axis HIT carbon arrows with Blazer Vanes all toped with a Broadhead Blade.  “That should replace the one you snapped in half this past summer.”

Once the wagons were unpacked Wallace, Fred, and William took the supplies inside the house while Garrett and Pete stored the wagons in the garage along side the horse stables.  Edna and Sally headed back into the kitchen to finish preparing supper and DJ walked upstairs carrying the new binoculars for Jimmy.

DJ entered a bedroom that he shared with Jimmy.  The room was colder than the rest of the house because the window was cracked open about an inch, held up by a piece of wood.  All the windows were rigged to close down by gravity and lock.  They were designed this way so that someone could run back through them and not have to worry about closing and locking them.  Every measure was taken to keep each person safe and their hands on their weapons in the event of an attack.

Attacks were almost non-existent in the wintertime, everyone was thankful for that.  The infected seemed to die off in winter climates typically freezing to death.  The winter months gave the children of Ross the opportunity to scavenge in nearby towns like Stanley.  They had been sending teams of two to rummage through Stanley the better part of four years.  Every trip was successful bringing back items that were either needed or would be needed some time in the future.

Once in a while they would come under attack by other survivors roaming the world.  These people were cut from a veil of such evil that they had no compassion for their fellow man.  They roamed by the motto survival of the fittest and lived like land pirates.  It was in the second year of Ross being attacked by the infected that the children suffered the greatest emotional scaring they could even imagine.

A group of three men stumbled upon the town out of blind luck.  The children had tried to rebuild and fortify as best they could but it was not enough to stop intelligent men.  The three men easily got through the defenses and overpowered the children.  In a weekend they raped Edna, killed Eli and beat Wallace mercilessly.  When Fred tried to intervene they cut him from his right temple to his jawbone, leaving him a thick scar to wear for the rest of his life.

It wasn’t until the men fell asleep on the third night that DJ snapped.  All the children were tied up in a room upstairs.  One man sat outside their door passed out from gluttony.  DJ could hear snoring from behind the door as he wiggled himself free from his restraints.  Slowly DJ opened the door and using the man’s knife DJ slit his throat from ear to ear.  The blood shot across the hall onto the facing wall.  DJ had never seen blood-spatter like that or the gargling sounds someone makes as they drown swallowing their own blood.  DJ then reached over and pulled out the man’s gun from the holster.  He came back into the room, with Wallace and Fred both incapacitated with injuries DJ turned to the next in line, William to help him carry out his murderous spree.  He untied William and handed him the gun.  DJ knew William was a better shot with a gun and trusted he would have the courage to pull the trigger when the time came, especially after watching his brother get beaten towards certain death.  They crept down the stairs and saw the remaining two men past out on the couches with bottles of whiskey by their hands.  William stood back by the stairs to keep from adding any more noisy footsteps as DJ leaned into the second man, the one who had raped Edna.  DJ held the knife under the man’s throat and paused.  Visions of Edna screaming pulsated through his mind.  He couldn’t unsee her young naked flesh being ripped apart but this disgusting old man.  She starred back at him and cried pleading with her eyes to be taken from that moment.  He pulled the knife away and plunged it into the throat of the third man.  He came back again resting the knife on the throat of the second man and yelled “Wake up you motherfucker!” as loud as he could.  The children upstairs all woke and noticed that the door was open and DJ and William were gone.  The man was startled and in the act of flinching he caused the knife to cut slightly into his neck.  The pain burst his eyes open faster than any black coffee could.  He looked over and saw his partner dead still bleeding out from the neck wound.  He heard the scamper of the children come running down the stairs.  DJ wanted to feel his blade end the life of another disgusting soul but knew what had to be done.  “William give the gun to Edna.”  William was in shock, Jimmy reached over grabbed the gun from William and handed it to Edna.  “Come here Edna, he can’t hurt you anymore.” Edna limped toward them still in too much pain to walk straight.  Edna was only eleven years old and never thought she would be holding a loaded gun to her rapists’ forehead.  DJ positioned the barrel right between the man’s eyes and slowly pulled the knife away.  “Look at him Edna.  He’s week, you have the power to take back what he stole from you.  Kill this piece of shit.”  Without hesitation Edna pulled the trigger.  The force of the blast caused the gun to recoil back flying out of her hand; it was the first time Edna had ever fired a gun.  DJ was twelve when he killed his first living human.

DJ walked to the window and opened it enough so that he could climb out on the platform where Jimmy was keeping watch.  He was careful to place the wooden block back in the windowsill to prevent the window from locking them out.  Locking yourself outside often came with the ridicule of spending an extra shift on the platform.

“Let me get a look at the new specs.”  Jimmy asked reaching for the new binoculars.  Handing his old binoculars over to DJ, he lifted the new set to his eyes.  “Wow, now these are bad ass.”  Jimmy started fiddling with all the knobs and sliders adjusting and readjusting the different zoom and focus features.  “Wallace was right, you can see for miles.  This should help us spot those bastards a lot sooner than normal.”  DJ didn’t respond his mind was on something else.  “Hey DJ you alright buddy?”  Jimmy asked.

“Yeah just been thinking a lot.”

“You’re worried about the vote aren’t you?”  Jimmy surmised.

“You know I just don’t understand why it’s anybody’s decision to vote on.  This is my life if I want to leave I should be able to walk out that door, they can’t keep me prisoner.”  DJ said hot-tempered.

“They’re scared.  Can’t you see that?  You’re our best shot.  How many roamers you take out that one-day? Fifteen… twenty.  Wallace is afraid that if you leave nobody will be able to fill your shoes.”

“So it’s my fault that I’m a better bowman than everyone else?”

“It’s not just that, listen, your fourteen years old DJ.  You have never been out on your own.”

“I’ve gone to Stanley for supplies.”  DJ interjected.

“Right but with a group.  You are talking about leaving town for months, maybe a year, by yourself.  Who knows what you will find out there.  Wallace is thinking of both the family and your well being. We’ve been on our own for almost seven years now, what’s wrong waiting another two or three?”

“We can’t just sit here and wait for more attacks.  This house is not a town.  The girls want to grow up, get married, have kids…  There has to be places out there that have actual communities.”  DJ argued with frustration.

“DJ I’m on your side, I’m just trying to give you Wallace’s perspective.  He loves you like a brother, heck we all love you like a brother, and the last thing we want to do is send you out to your death.”  DJ sighed and sat on a wooden bench nailed to the platform.  “Whatever the vote is be patient.  Wallace isn’t going to keep you here forever.  Besides do you even have a plan?”

“What do you mean?”

“Where are you going to go?  All we know is Ross, hell our grandparents never even set foot outside North Dakota. Where are you going to go?”

“Vancouver.”

“Van what… you’re not talking about Canada?”

“That’s the one.”

“What’s in Canada?”

“The Palace.”

“Are you making this shit up DJ?”

“No the Palace is a stadium, a massive stadium, said to be the biggest stadium ever built.”

“So.”

“What better fortress is there than a stadium?  Look.”  DJ reached into his back pocket and pulled out a piece of glossy magazine paper.  It was worn down from years of being folded and unfolded and the edges were all tattered.  DJ opened it and pointed to an advertisement of the Palace Stadium.  It was an artist’s rendering of the project.  “Do you know how many people you can fit in there… thousands, even hundreds of thousands.  Look right in the middle is a giant soil lot, perfect for growing crops, the walls are high enough and with the right barricaded structure it would be impossible to breech.  Get a couple of archers on lookout and low and behold you have yourself a fortified castle.  I can’t be the only one who thinks this is a good idea, I bet there’s people living in it now.”

“So your grand plan is to find this stadium, knock on the front door and say hey can me and my eight buddies live here?”

“Well basically yes.”

“DJ people in this world aren’t like us, all they care about is themselves.  Nobody is going to help nine kids from a small town in the middle of nowhere.”  Jimmy said frustrated.  DJ folded the piece of paper and put it back in his pocket.

“You say these things because you have lost hope.  I understand Jimmy, sometimes even I think it’s impossible, but I would rather die trying to find this place and a better life then rot away here searching for scraps every winter in Stanely.”  The sun was setting casting a mysterious orange hue through the clouds.  A light knock rattled on the window.  DJ and Jimmy turned to see Fred standing inside the room.

“Dinner’s ready, why don’t you too head down I got evening platform duty.”  Jimmy placed the binoculars on the bench turned silently, lifted up the window and headed downstairs.  Fred came through the window being helped by DJ.

“I’m sure you caught some of that?”  DJ responded.

“Yeah.”

“Listen I know you and Wallace are close, I didn’t mean…”

“Hey, you don’t have to explain yourself to me DJ.  This place gets to us all at times.  Go get some food while it’s hot.”  Fred insisted.  DJ climbed back into his room placing the window back down onto of the wooden block.

Chapter 2

The kids rustled about the living room pulling chairs in from the Dinning room, dragging them across the floor.  Edna and Sally sat shoulder to shoulder on the couch holding each other’s hand almost in a sign of unity.  Nobody knew or even bothered to ask, but Sally was scared.  She hated meetings; watching the boys fight and argue over trivial matters brought out the worst in them, Wallace especially.  He would never realize it though, and even if he did notice something he ignored it.  Being the oldest warped his perspective of all the other children.  They were no longer friends that he played kickball with, they were underlings and he was in charge.

“Okay everyone take a seat, let’s not prolong this any longer than we have to.”  Wallace announced as he walked to the front of the group, turning his back against the boarded up window of the living room.  “We all know why we are here… DJ has asked to leave home.  He wants to go in search of some mythical palace like one of his storybooks.

“You see Wallace that’s the problem!”  Jimmy interjected.  “Stick to the facts and stop talking down to him; he’s not even here to defend himself.”

“Wallace’s point needs to be said.  DJ is talking about a place he found in a book printed God knows how long ago.  We don’t know if it is anymore real than fairytale.  Is that enough to warrant him to abandon us?”  William argued.

“It doesn’t matter where he wants to go.  Everyone here should be afforded the same right to leave.  It’s almost comical seeing as how DJ could just walk out the door and there isn’t anything you can do about it!”  Peter said glaring directly at Wallace.  Even though Wallace was older and taller, he lacked the strength and fighting skills of DJ and could not handle him physically.  “The fact that DJ is allowing this to go to a vote is purpose enough that he believes in this home and the well being of us all.”

“As I was saying.”  Wallace tried to regain control of the conversation.  “DJ wants to leave.  You each have a vote to either allow him to leave or ask him to stay and help protect this family.”  Wallace said this time glaring back at Peter.  “But let’s not loose sight; we aren’t loosing just a warrior on the platform.  We are loosing a laborer, and our strongest.  He does more than his share all season long.  If he goes, everyone, including you Edna and Sally will be required to do extra chores even if it’s getting dirty.”

“Oh don’t you worry Wallace I know how to get dirty.”  Edna exclaimed with a snicker.  “Just try cleaning your own drawers once in a while.”  Edna said under her breath.  Everyone chuckled except Wallace and William.

DJ sat upon the hard wooden bench atop the platform outside his window.  DJ held his throwing axe over his lap with his left hand while his right hand continued to sharpen the blade with his sharpening stone.  Even though the blade could easily cut threw human flesh, DJ continued to massage it with the stone.  The long singing sounds from the stone sliding across the blades edge calmed DJ.  Every now and again he would take a break and stare through the binoculars, surveying the lands around the old Kramer Farm.  The nice part of the Kramer land was that it was flat; there was no way anyone could sneak up on them.  He looked out past the flatlands of the farm in each direction, stretching the mechanical eyes as far as they could reach.

As it were nothing was out there.

DJ laid the binoculars back against his chest letting their weight dangle by the strap around his neck.  He picked up his bow, a simple hunting compound bow his father owned so long ago.  He pulled the string back aiming it across the top of the fence line.  Keenly he searched for the best shots, where the pointed tops of the fence had the most separation.  He remembered the conversation Jimmy had with him two days ago: “How many did you take out fifteen… twenty?” DJ knew the count, it was thirty-two.  Thirty headshots and two necks, all of which he captured from the very perch he now stood on outside his bedroom window.  He imagined their fortress being swarmed again, there was fifty-five infected all moaning their chaos, banging on the tree-line barricade.  This was before they decided to dig the ditch around the parameter.  The original design was quite ineffective.  Sure the infected couldn’t get threw the barricade but the fence was so high they couldn’t fire arrows at them because the angle was too great.  It wasn’t until Fred grabbed the roasted pig that was meant for supper that they got the advantage.  DJ could still see Fred twirling the pig over his head like a shot put until finally he launched it over the wall and into the clearing.  Then it was chaos.  The infected snapped their heads back concentrating on nothing more than the prize at hand… food.  They were too stupid to realize that they were giving up their best defense and walking right out into the open.  DJ planted his feet and one after another he picked off thirty-two infected.

“Hey DJ.”  Jimmy said raising the window off the wood block.  They are ready to vote.  Jimmy climbed out onto the platform and held out his hand to shake DJ’s.  “I want you to know personally I voted yes.  Wallace knows my vote and will voice it when all the others are read.  I’ll keep watch while you join the meeting.”

“Thanks Jimmy.”  DJ shook his hand and pulled him to his chest for a hug.  He then climbed back through the window turned around and handed the binoculars to Jimmy.

Downstairs the group sat quietly as if they each held a secret that no one knew about.  Wallace stood at the front pushing his chest out as far as he could as to not seem so weak compared to DJ.

“Hey DJ.”  Wallace acknowledged.

“Wallace.”  DJ responded.

“So we have had our debate, regarding your request to leave and we are ready to put it to a vote.”  DJ tried not to roll his eyes and just opted to shake his head at the thought of the ridiculous notion of being allowed to leave.

“Alright.”  DJ said reluctantly.

“I voted no and I have Jimmy’s vote of yes.”  Wallace started.  “Fred”

“Yes.”  Fred responded.  Wallace seemed to flinch a little.  He was surprised that Fred didn’t side with him.  They had gone on many scavenger hunts into town and Wallace was sure that Fred shared the same perspective as he.

“Okay, William.”

“No.”  William was almost guaranteed to answer however his older brother voted.

“That brings us to two yeses and two nos. Pete what’s your vote?”

“Yes.”

“Alright that makes 3 yeses.  Edna?”  Edna turned from the couch and looked up at DJ.  He was her savior.  She felt protected around him, a sense of protection that Wallace did not and will never convey.  But deep down she wanted what was best for DJ.

“I love you brother.”  Edna told DJ.  She turned back around and responded, “Yes.”

“Garrett what say you?”

“Yes.”  DJ’s heart sank.  It was now real.  He would be leaving Ross.

“That’s all you needed DJ.  The group has granted you permission to leave home in search for a better community for those interested in leaving.”  Wallace said the last part with contentment.  Wallace was old school and still believed in the ways of the settlers of Ross.  Even though the world had changed he had no intentions of changing with it.  DJ walked into the center of the room and looked around at everyone’s faces.

“Thank you.”  DJ turned and extended his had to Wallace.  “I have always looked up to you Wallace, you did as best a job as anyone could do these last six years, I, nor anyone will ever forget that.  I will find someplace new for us to settle down; hopefully by my return you will have a change of heart.”  Wallace paused, carefully thinking of his next move.  Despite his unease of losing his best soldier he shook DJ’s hand.

“Seeing you grow up DJ has been an honor.  I would say good luck, but I’ve seen you fight and I think the infected are the ones who are going to need the luck with you out there roaming the world.”  The others laughed.  DJ squeezed Wallace’s hand in his and then retired to his room.

Jimmy heard DJ enter the room.  He had been sitting closer to the window to try and hear what was being said downstairs but he could only hear mumbling.

“So what happened?”  Jimmy asked.

“I got the votes… I’m leaving Ross.”

“Wow that’s great news.”

“Sure it is.”

“Then what’s wrong?”

“I’ve never left Ross, except for the scavenger mission in winter, and we never ran in to anyone in winter.  The reality of what’s to come is settling in, and to be honest it’s a little unnerving.”

“You’ve been thinking about this for some time DJ.  I’m sure you will be just fine.”  Jimmy supported.  There was a knock on the bedroom door.  Sally was standing in the doorway.

“Hey Sally?”  DJ asked.  She ran up to DJ and wrapped her slender arms around him. DJ returned the grasp.  He squeezed her tightly against his chest, he could feel her heart racing.

“You knew my vote was going to be yes.”  Sally began struggling to hold back her tears.  “Promise me you won’t die?  Promise me you will find a better place and come back for us?”

“You have my word Sally.”  Sally stood on her toes and kissed DJ on the cheek.  It was Sally that made DJ’s decision final.  She had no desire to grow up with small town beliefs.  DJ knew early on she would be one of those who would leave Ross when the time came, and that keeping her there under Wallace’s control would only lead to the inevitable.

“I will miss you dearly.”  With that said Sally turned out of the room and walked down the hall to her bedroom that she shared with Edna.

“What was that all about?”  Jimmy asked.

“Nothing.”  DJ turned back and started packing.

“Nothing… looked a whole lot more than nothing.  What’s going DJ?”  DJ continued to pack ignoring the question.  “Jesus Christ DJ at least tell me if you are leaving tonight.”

“I’ll leave tomorrow at first light.”  Jimmy understood that DJ had a lot on his mind and turned back out to the platform.

DJ had most of what was needed for a daylong journey already set aside.  Wallace made it a point that everyone had at least one day’s worth of supplies in a bag next to their bed in case they had to leave abruptly.  DJ unrolled his sleeping back and added a couple extra blankets and then rolled it up again.  He opened a bag that was just the right size to fit inside a saddlebag and began filling it with extra clothes; socks and underwear being the necessity.  In another bag he filled with some basic hygiene supplies; a toothbrush, toothpaste, and some soap.  Things like cooking utensils were already down in the garage ready to be packed in the other half of the saddlebag.  Jimmy was right, DJ had been planning this for a while and knew just what to bring, where it would get packed and how much he needed without hindering his horse, Xanthos.

He sat the bags off the foot of the bed and lined up his weapons on top of the bed.  There was his two throwing hand axes, a hunting knife about thirteen inches long, and his father’s composite bow with eight arrows.  He imagined what those weapons had been threw and what they are about to go through.

Another knock rattled against his bedroom door.

“DJ you busy?”  Pete said entering the room.

“Nope, just getting things packed and organized.”  Pete was holding the new bow and bushel of arrows that Wallace had found in Stanley the other day.

“I want you to take this with you.”

“That’s not necessary Pete, I have my own bow.”

“Let’s be honest with one another DJ.  Your father’s bow is old and you have what like ten arrows left?  I fired this today and it packs one hell of a punch, not to mention I have fifty arrows with these bladed tips.”  Pete steps closer to DJ and turns the bow on its side showing DJ the scope.  “You know what this is… this is a scope, like on a sniper’s rifle.  If anyone can hit something outside of a hundred yards using this thing it’s going to be you.  In all honesty you need the best gear for this journey.”  DJ looked down at his bed; his father’s bow was the single most important item that he held onto to remember his parents.  John had painted it jet-black and in white he scribed a saying: It’s not the Arrow it’s the Indian; the message was plain and simple.  “Leave your dad’s bow here; I’ll take care of it while you are gone.  Beside it will give you a reason to come back for us.”  DJ chuckled.  Pete was right and the new bow would give him an advantage on his journey.

“I’m holding you responsible if anything happens to my father’s bow.  And when I get back… if I find out you broke it like your last bow there will be hell to pay.”

“You got it DJ.”  The two boys shook hands and switched bows.

“Thanks Pete.”

“No problem DJ.”  Pete left the room.  DJ opened the window and climbed out on the platform.  He held the bow up pulling back on its string.  It was tight but manageable.  It operates like his composite with a few extra bells and whistles.  DJ looked through the scope.  It wasn’t until he spotted a rabbit that was outside the vision of his naked eye that he realized he had made the right decision accepting Pete’s gift.

“Listen Jimmy, I’m sorry.  I’ve just got a lot going on in my head right now.  I love you like a brother and I would never purposefully keep anything from you unless it was necessary.”  DJ tried to explain.

“I know.  It’s just… it’s like you have a secret and you’re not telling me, and I don’t know why.  You can trust me with anything you do know that right?”

“There’s just stuff going on that, for now, you are better off not knowing.  Just trust me on this one.  After I leave it will be your responsibility to take care of the girls.  At all costs you have to keep them safe.  Can you do that for me?”

“Of course DJ.”  DJ hugged Jimmy and then climbed back into the room.

“Do you think we made the right decision?”  Sally asked nervously as she sat across from Edna in their bedroom.

“It’s a risk, but isn’t our whole life a risk?”  Edna responded.  “I’ll be damned if I’m going to spend the rest of my life in this house under Wallace.”

“But what if it takes DJ a year to find this place… or longer.”

“That’s still a shorter time frame than the rest of our lives here.”

“What if we sneak out and leave with DJ?”  Sally suggested.  Edna got up, shut their bedroom door and sat next to Sally on her bed.

“What are you talking about?”

“Why wait a year or more?  Let’s go now, with DJ.  There are four horses down there.”

“Yeah that would really piss off Wallace if we go and steal the horses they need for hunting and scavenging.”

“We could go back to my parent’s house.  They have that wagon.  Then we would only need one horse instead of two.”  Sally’s ideas started to sprout in Edna’s mind.

“Let’s keep this between us for now.  We need to get downstairs and finish supper.”  Edna advised.  Sally nodded in agreement and they left their room.

DJ was down in the garage packing cooking supplies into his saddlebag.  Xanthos was notably excited, whinnying and stepping back and forth.  DJ hugged the horse’s head combing his mane.

“There, there Xanthos.  All is well.  Tomorrow we will leave home. Don’t be scared, I will spend my last dying breath protecting you.  But you have to listen to me.”  DJ pulled Xanothos head down to his and rested his forehead on Xanthos’ starring into his eyes.   “When I say run, you run like you have never run before.”

DJ began to cry.  He remembered the day they decided to leave the basement.  It was three weeks after his mother left the basement to draw away the creatures.  Three weeks living in their own piss and shit, eating dried goods, and thirsting for cool fresh water, not the stale water kept in the basement for washing fruits and vegetables.  DJ remembered Wallace pushing the trap door up just enough for a beam of light to stab through the blackness and into the floor below.  It was silent.  DJ reached forward running his fingers through the sun’s rays, his skin pale white glowed.  He felt warmth that he had forgotten.  The silence labored on as each child’s heart began to sink.  They’re gone, each one of them thought in one way or another.  But what was gone; their parents, the creatures, their innocent lives from a small town?  DJ couldn’t help but wonder.  Wallace again uttered in his malnourished voice, they’re gone. Sally was the first to cry.  Edna grabbed her tightly as William spun around to shush them.

It took about thirty minutes for all the children to finally make it into the kitchen of the Johnson house, blinking their eyes as if birthed into a new world.  They looked through the windows, listening for anything.  The front door squeaked as the wind pushed it open.  Slowly the kids walked out the front door onto the porch.  There were no monsters, no parents, no animals running amuck, just dead silence.  The sound of a trotting horse rose in the distance.  DJ quickly identified it as Xanthos with its fawn coat and black stripe down the front of his nose.  DJ pushed Wallace aside and whistled, one long swirl whistle followed by two shorter burst whistles.  Xanthos picked up his pace and strode over to the children.  There was blood splatter along one side of him.  It was then that DJ knew the worst had happened.

DJ finished loading his saddle bags and set them next to Xanthos’ saddle just outside the makeshift corral.

“Psst.”  DJ turned towards the noise.  It came from the hay stacked in the corner of the garage.  DJ looked outside of the garage, no one was around.  He walked backwards looking for any of the other children and then disappeared behind the hay.  Sally was there.  His eyes met hers.   He gently held the sides of her face with his hands.  Her heart sank in the comfort of his grasp.

“Take me with you.”

“Sally we talked about this.”

“I don’t care; you know who wants to leave.  We could load up my parent’s wagon… it would only take two horses and we can all leave together.”

“Then what?  I’ve told you this already… a large party will be more difficult to maneuver through strange lands.  I can map out the best trail, the safest trail… why risk anyone’s life to leave now?”  Sally grabbed a hold of DJ and began kissing him.  DJ returned her kiss feeling the curvatures in her back.

“I can’t bear to be away from you.”  Sally said stealing as many kisses as she could in this brief second.

“I love you Sally, I’m doing this for you, for us.  But you have to trust me.  This is the right way.  Don’t go doing anything foolish.  Just stick to your chores, keep your head down and not cause a scene.  Before you know it I’ll be back and we can start our life together.”  DJ and Sally froze at the sound of Xanthos whinnying.  Wallace and William walked past the garage talking in a low murmur.

“I hate hiding our feelings for each other.”  Sally said.

“We have to.  This is the only way to keep everyone safe from Wallace.  If he found out what we have been planning all this time things could get dangerous.  Just as long as I’m the bad guy everyone else can pretend that Wallace is in charge.”

“Somebody in there?”  Garrett said entering the garage.  Garrett was in charge of the stables and care of the horses which explained why Xanthos saw no threat.

“Yeah Garrett, just me.”  DJ said coming out from behind the hay.  “Just getting some supplies for my trip.”

“What are you doing back there?”  Garrett asked.  DJ pulled out a handful of hay, “Xanthos likes the driest hay the best.  Hey since you’re here can you help me with something.”  DJ asked as he walked over and held up the dried hay to Xanthos.

“Sure.”

“Grab a couple of those canteens and help me fill them up with water.”  Garrett turned around and collected the three canteens from the work bench and headed out of the garage.  DJ turned around to see Sally but she had already slipped out through the back door.

Panel 1: Transition panel we are outside the little white wedding chapel in Las Vegas, NV. This can be a small panel just to show location and a narrative. No activity outside, in fact I want it to look like a ghost town with trash strewn about the street and one car in the parking lot, an old beat up convertible.

NARRATIVE: Past

Panel 2: A hillbilly with a mullet dressed like Elvis is putting the ring on his trailer park looking wife who can be dressed just as ridiculously in a Renaissance Wench outfit with her breasts popping up by a bustier. There is a best man standing next to the groom holding a machete nonchalantly over his shoulder. The best man can be wearing his best camouflage outfit like he’s ready for battle.

PREIST: And do you Mitch take Amber to be your wife, forever and ever through the end of days?

MITCH (Husband): I do

PREIST: Then I guess that’s that.

Panel 3: Mitch is standing outside the chapel hugging his bride with his left arm and holding a shotgun to the forehead of a Zombie with his right hand.

AMBER (Wife): I love you Mitch.

MITCH: And I Love you too bunny.

Panel 4: Close up of the shotgun firing and zombie brains shooting out the other side.

GUN SFX: BLAM!

PAGE 2

Panel 1: The convertible is driving away from LasVegas. We can see the popular Las Vegas sign broken and leaning on its side in the foreground and show the car in the background driving away.

Panel 2: Mitch is driving, Amber in the passenger seat and the best man in the back.

BEST MAN: So why get married?

MITCH: It’s the only thing we got left bubba, the only thing keeping us human.

AMBER: Well that and babies.

Panel 3: Mitch raises a can of beer to toast with Amber who also raises a can of beer. Best Man talking.

MITCH: I’ll toast to that bunny!

BEST MAN: Still a little risky driving all the way out here just for a ceremony if you ask me.

MITCH: There’s nothing risky about love

Panel 4: Amber leans over and kisses Mitch

MITCH: I will always love you bunny no matter what!

PAGE 3

Panel 1: Amber and Mitch are lying in bed sleeping quietly in the night. With only one exception, a zombie is feeding on Amber’s arm. The room’s windows can be boarded up a shot gun leaning next to the bed where Mitch sleeps. I need to show empty bottles of liquor on a table or floor to signify that they are passed out drunk.

NARRATIVE: Future

Panel 2: Mitch jumps out of bed grabs his rifle, which always stands loaded within arm’s length, and blows the head off of the zombie attacker.

GUN SFX: BLAM!

Panel 3: Mitch carries Amber down a flight of stairs into a basement. There can be a single light lit in the stairway. The stairs can be wooden with concrete walls leading down into the basement.

MITCH: Stay with me bunny.

Panel 4: Mitch is patching up Amber’s arm. Amber is strapped to a chair with rope and bungee cords. Her eyes are open and they are greenish red, tears of blood can be dripping down her cheek.

MITCH: Dammit NOT MY AMBER!

PAGE 4

Panel 1: Amberzombie is chained to a table. She has a decorative dog collar that is hot pink and says “Princess”. Her arm has bled through the bandages, and the blood is dried black now. The diner has been abandoned for years, everything is falling apart and there can be skeletons in booths or some headless zombies lying around. The diner can be called Lenny’s.

NARRATIVE: Later

Panel 2: Mitch walks in dragging a living male in his mid to late 40s. Mitch is wearing a grease monkey outfit from his job at the gas station his sewn-on name tag reads “Mitch”

MITCH: Bunny I picked up some lunch.

Panel 3: Zoom out shot of an abandoned shopping mall. We see a truck pulling in. In the bed of the truck is Amberzombie chained down like a dog. Mitch is driving.

Panel 4: Mitch is holding up a dress trying to size it up to Amberzombie. Amberzombie has a Hannibal Lector style mask covering her mouth to keep her from biting Mitch. Her hands are tied behind her back. They are in a women’s clothing store. The store has been looted and practically destroyed. Bodies can be lying around like the diner.

MITCH: You’ll look beautiful in this one.

Panel 5: We pan outside of the store where the indoor mall opens up to all of the other store fronts. There are hundreds of zombies approaching the entrance of the clothing store. We can see Mitch and Amberzombie in the background in the store unaware of the impending attack. The key in this scene is the sign at the top of the doorway to the store. I want it to read: Amberzombie & Mitch using the font from the store name “Abercrombie & Fitch”.

NARRATIVE: Love never dies.

END