Convergence
Written: 2007
Created by Julie Ruffell and Trish Ellis
Writing © Julie Ruffell 2007.
"Convergence" © Julie Ruffell and Trish Ellis 2007
Description: The walls separating worlds of humans and the magickal creatures of myth, the Unus'Pri, begin to fail, causing a convergence of the two worlds and war. The six-part promo introduces some of the leading characters of the series and tells the story of the beginning of first human/Unus'Pri war.
"Unus Past" - promo issue 4
Sem'Queul in the present day council hall.
SEM'QUEUL (v.o.)
Atlantis had betrayed me, Zere'El and Gev'Ma were dead. I was the new leader of the Unus'Pri and my people were terrified.
Caption: Nearly 4,000 years ago.
CU on Sem'Queul's wound as a salve is rubbed on it.
SEM'QUEUL
RRRRRR-AAAHH!
The Unus'Pri shaman continues to spread the salve.
SHAMAN
My apologies, First. This salve hurts, I know, but will form a protective covering. The wound is deep and infection could kill you.
SEM'QUEUL
And what of the baby?
SHAMAN
If dragons gave birth to live young I would be worried about trauma to the child. But, for an egg, there should be no complications...if you rest.
SEM'QUEUL
Everyday I rest is another day to allow the humans to recover and build their numbers. We have to contain them and fast. Our long life lines make us slow. The humans are quick to mobilize and their numbers far surpass our own. Everyday is another that my mother is not put to rest and my la'shen's killers allowed to live.
SHAMAN
I cannot imagine your grief, First, but if you go out again to fight in this state, you or your child could die. You need to rest and lay your egg. Even at your peak, with the human's new weapon --
SEM'QUEUL
Is made of wood! There is nothing for a dragon to fear. We will burn their weapons; we will burn their kingdom and their armies! Treknor and Atlantis will be nothing but smoldering ruins and their weapon will die with them!
The shaman backs off.
SHAMAN
Forgive me, First.
SEM'QUEUL
Leave me.
The shaman leaves.
SEM'QUEUL (v.o.)
My side hurt, but though it was the most painful physical injury I had ever experienced, it paled in comparison to my rage. There's something about betrayal that wounds you deeper than any physical or emotional pain. Yes, I grieved for my mother and my la'shen, but grief could not hold my focus like my rage. I cared about nothing by my vengeance.
I have heard the humans speak of how revenge is best when cold, when you have stewed in it for so long that to execute it is the greatest pleasure.
But in my experience to delay satisfying your rage is to make it impotent. You become trapped in anger, but you lose the drive to make the one responsible pay. Rage is the hardest emotion to maintain.
I did not want to let my rage subside from anything but satisfaction. Atlan may have survived. I needed to know he was dead, and I would destroy his kingdom to see to it.
Council Hall. A large assortment of Unus'Pri are gathered. They all appear fearful. Sem'Queul enters and they watch her limp to the throne. They are concerned at her injury, but they have desperate hope in their eyes as she survived the weapon.
SEM'QUEUL
Atlantis has turned on the Unus'Pri, and has allied with Treknor, which seeks our destruction. The humans have declared war with their actions and their murders.
I know you are scared. The humans have never had the power to oppose the Unus'Pri in such a manner. Now their technology has granted them methods to counter our natural abilities that have guarded us from their savagery. They outnumber us 40 to 1, but could never exploit that advantage before now. But they are not all aware of this shift in power. If we can eliminate Treknor and Atlantis, we can contain the other humans and reclaim our position at the top.
Yes, the Treknor has found a way to kill dragons, but a weapon is only an object. It cannot think or fight for itself. It can be destroyed. Its operators can be killed. The humans are clever, but not unstoppable. Our long lives have made us complacent and the fear of death freezes us and prevents us from action. We are no the edge of a precipice. If we allow our fear to get the best of us, then our fear will become reality and the humans will kill us all.
Stand with me, all of you. There must be no doubt, no delay. Some may die, but as a species we will live.
Caption: City of Esom - capital of Crakin.
Unus'Pri lay siege to the kingdom of Crakin. Large panels of the battle - lots of differently sized Unus'Pri and their forms of attack. As human defenses are designed to repel humans, most of them are completely ineffective against the Unus'Pri. Esom has very few ballistae, which are a prime target for the Unus'Pri.
SEM'QUEUL (v.o.)
We attacked Crakin first, the weakest ally of Treknor. It was important to give the Unus'Pri a win. Fear was our greatest adversary.
The Esom ballistae are destroyed by Unus'Pri. Humans fight desperately against the Unus'Pri, but they are completely overwhelmed. Humans fall and the walls of Esom are torn down. Humans start to flee.
SEM'QUEUL
Kill every solider! Do not let them escape to increase another kingdom's battalion!
A manticore fires spikes from his tail, hitting several soldiers in the back, killing them. Other Unus'Pri follow suit, attacking the human's backs.
SEM'QUEUL (v.o.)
I had never been one to condone slaughter, but I had to be sure my people would be safe. The humans had brought this on themselves.
Knowing most humans treated women as inferior, I allowed the women to escape with the children, as it was not any of them who had created the ballista. But, in order to kill the creator and prevent the recreation of the weapon, all of the men had to die.
Humans fall to their knees, begging for their lives. Sem'Queul sets them on fire.
SEM'QUEUL (v.o.)
Our victory over Crakin was absolute. The savagery and the swiftness of our attack had reminded the humans why they feared us. It was they who froze and they who died. Our causalities from the battle were minimal.
Aerial view of Crakin. It's nothing by smoldering ruins.
SEM'QUEUL (v.o.)
We wiped out Crakin. Nothing remained. The survivours would flee to their allies and spread panic.
Unfortunately, with my laying imminent, I did not have the stamina to go after another kingdom that day. I needed rest.
The Unus'Pri army among the ruins of Crakin.
SEM'QUEUL (v.o.)
We camped among the remains of Crakin, surrounding ourselves in our victory.
The Unus'Pri are merry, heartened by their win. They have always been uneasy about the humans and to finally be proactive about their threat also adds to their good cheer. Dragons start fires and the Unus'Pri hunker down to warm up. They eat and wounded are treated.
Sem'Queul walks among her people, who acknowledge her as she passes.
SEM'QUEUL (v.o.)
I had not realized before that moment how defeated we had become over the years. The callous nature of the humans and their technology had caused us to scurry into the shadows. We had sat back as their numbers grew and territories spread. While others had been immobilized by fear, some, like me, had let naiveté hold them back.
But finally the lines had been drawn and I would not allow us to lose.
Sem'Queul sits away from the others.
SEM'QUEUL (v.o.)
Weariness began to overwhelm me, and I fell into slumber.
Sem'Queul's dream. Sem'Queul stands in darkness. Zere'El's decaying, decapitated head appears.
ZERE'EL
To place trust in destruction will destroy you.
Sem'Queul's body shatters, and her head hits the `ground'. Dragon feet stand on either side of Sem'Queul's head and blood drips onto her head. She looks up to see Gev'Ma with a gapping hole in his chest.
GEV'MA
Rashness creates a world of fools.
He kicks her head with the side of his foot and she skitters along until she crashes into a dragon's egg. The egg shatters as she hits it, leaving her among shell bits, but the egg was empty. Zere'El's head appears again. Sem'Queul's body begins to grow back as Zere'El speaks.
ZERE'EL
Life blooms despite of death. Life can rise where there is nothing but ash. Life is meaningless among darkness.
Sem'Queul is restored. Gev'Ma stands beside her. He picks up a piece of the broken shell.
GEV'MA
Shattered dreams.
He places the shell in her hand.
GEV'MA
Shatters hope.
He closes her hand around the shell. Sem'Queul's hand glows. Sem'Queul opens her hand to drop the shell as it burns her. The shell piece is now a glowing orb. A mini city of Atlantis is inside. Sem'Queul raises her foot to crush it, but she begins to shrink and is pulled inside. She stands in Atlan's throne room, the size of a human, but in dragon form. She turns to see Atlan sitting on his throne. His face is distorted.
Sem'Queul snarls and changes, but Sem steps between them and holds out one of her arms straight out at Sem'Queul. Sem'Queul is frozen, mid-run.
SEM
Betrayal...
ATLAN
An act of the cowardly and the desperate.
SEM
Forgiveness...
ATLAN
Only to those worthy.
SEM
Revenge...
ATLAN
To be carried out upon --
Sem'Queul is awoken before her dream finishes.
WERV
First!
She raises her head and shakes it to dislodge the strange dream. She looks down at Werv.
SEM'QUEUL
Report.
WERV
Atlantis has sent a messenger.
SEM'QUEUL
They dare come here to 'talk' after what they have done?
WERV
He will not deliver his message to any other than you. Shall I bring him forward?
SEM'QUEUL
No. We will return him to Atlantis with a message of our own.
Aerial shot of Latrel.
Caption: Latrel - capital of Atlantis.
SEM'QUEUL (v.o.)
My dream had strengthened my conviction, solidified my course. I would not be swayed by human tricks again and I decided to respond to the human attempt at treachery with a message I knew a human could understand.
Atlan's throne room. Atlan paces the floor. Sem and Mevel look on.
HARPY
King Atlan of Atlantis!
The royals turn to look at the window Sem'Queul had always utilized. A harpy stands on the sill, holding the messenger in her hand. Her other hand tosses the messenger's tongue into the room.
HARPY
First Sem'Queul will hear no more human lies.
She guts the messenger to the shock of the royals, then drops his corpse with no regard and takes off.
Caption: Kingdom of Bemnak - ally of Treknor.
The Unus'Pri lay siege to another ally of Treknor, decimating it.
SEM'QUEUL (v.o.)
At dawn, while my message was delivered to Atlan, we attacked and eradicated Bemnak.
Caption: Kingdom of Renwoir - ally of Treknor
SEM'QUEUL (v.o.)
Two days later and Renwoir fell. My people grew stronger, more confident. The humans ran from us once more.
A map, showing fires where destroyed kingdoms once stood. All allies of Treknor have been destroyed.
SEM'QUEUL (v.o.)
Treknor's allies had been stripped from the land. But before we would take Atlantis and her allied, Treknor itself would fall to me.
Treknor. Zere'El's remains are hanging on the wall.
SEM'QUEUL (v.o.)
My mother's remains were nailed to their walls, defiling her. They thought to give me pause, but the insult only flared my anger.
But I would not be foolish either...
Caption: Unus'Pri camp - Perton.
The Unus'Pri are camped among the remains of Perton. They rest and prepare. Sem'Queul studies a large map that has been drawn in the dirt. Werv and several other commanders stand gathered around the map.
SEM'QUEUL (v.o.)
Treknor was heavily armed. While Atlantis was a kingdom of technology, Treknor was a kingdom of war, and its army had been battling Unus'Pri for generations. My mother had often been asked to intervene, but she had always advised the Unus'Pri to avoid Treknor. Much as she disliked the humans, she was also afraid of them and all out war.
I did not share her fear.
WERV
Their battlements are heavily walled. The ballistae are not in the open and will be hard to hit in a straight assault.
SEM'QUEUL
They will focus their attention on the largest in the army. We will use flyers to distract their archers while you, Werv, with the werewolves and any others who can scale the walls, will come at them from below. Destroy the ballistae and then we can send in our bigger troops.
WERV
It's risky...
SEM'QUEUL
My mother's remains were nailed on their walls. The risk is acceptable to be rid of Treknor.
The commanders look at each other - they agree.
RUNNER
First!
Sem'Queul looks at the runner, bidding him to speak.
RUNNER
Atlantis has sent another messenger.
SEM'QUEUL
I never thought of Atlan as a fool. Send the same reply. In fact, do not bother me again with such things. Send the same reply for any messenger sent to us.
RUNNER
With respect, First, I believe you will want to meet with this one. It's Atlan.
Sem'Queul looks up, surprised.
Atlan stands in a semi circle of Unus'Pri. His face is scarred from fire and he holds one arm close to his ribs. They look at him with hate. He eyes them nervously, but holds his stance and his composure. Sem'Queul arrives with the other commanders. Atlan kneels, arms outstretched, as he did the first time they met.
ATLAN
Honoured First --
SEM'QUEUL
Do not speak. You are bold to come, Atlan, that I will grant you, but you are also a fool.
ATLAN
I know I have wounded you, Sem'Queul, and for that my life is yours. I came here in hopes you would spare my people for my mistake.
SEM'QUEUL
"Mistake"? Betrayal is not a "mistake"; it is the act of a coward. It is a choice, not something one blunders into. You sided with Treknor, you shot me, you killed Unus'Pri, you killed my la'shen! How dare you come here and call your actions a "mistake".
Because the Unus'Pri are standing against you humans, slaughtering you for your actions, now you come to us groveling that you have done wrong. Not because you have learned anything, but in a desperate attempt to save your lives until you can threaten us again.
Since your species came into being you have warred and plundered and murdered, yet Zere'El gave you chance after chance to learn to live as one with us. Yet even when she gave up your king, I defended you, thinking you could come to be our equals.
In return you slay my mother and attack us openly - an act of war. But you expected us to cower, when instead we rose our ranks to destroy you.
How foolish do you think we are to accept your words as truth?
ATLAN
Kalen --
SEM'QUEUL
Kalen and his kingdom will burn!
Sem'Queul blows fire, creating a burning ring around Atlan. The Unus'Pri leap back, nearly as fearful as Atlan. Atlan holds his hands in font of him, assaulted by the heat. Sem'Queul looms over the flames, staring down at Atlan.
ATLAN
Sem'Queul, I beg you to --
SEM'QUEUL
I will spare no human who threatens the Unus'Pri! You attacked my people, Atlan! You attacked me! After Treknor, Atlantis will fall.
Sem'Queul closes her hands together and the ring of fire moves in and consumes Atlan.
ATLAN
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!
His burnt skeleton falls to the ground and shatters, brittle from the heat.
Caption: Orin - capital of Treknor
Treknor is as armoured as Atlantis is splendid. The kingdom is heavily fortified, especially Orin. Zere'El's remains can be seen hanging displayed in the center of Orin.
SEM'QUEUL (v.o.)
It was time to strike Treknor. Kalen had pulled his forces into Orin. He did not even bother stopping us as we destroyed and burned the villages and cities of his kingdom. To hold so many soldiers in Orin, he would have had to have sent his citizens and those of his allies away. If they were smart, they would have fled. If they were stupid, they went to Atlantis. Not that it mattered to me. I only wanted Treknor to fall, Kalen to die and my mother to be put at peace.
The battle at Orin. Bodies litter the walls and the ground, both human and Unus'Pri.
SEM'QUEUL (v.o.)
I have seen far too many battles, both before Treknor and since, but the carnage and the blood I saw at Orin was never matched. The Unus'Pri fought with centuries of bottled fear, unleashed into rage, and the humans fought out of sheer desperation to survive, the most basic and savage impulse.
The sky itself seemed to rain arrows upon us, both from bows and ballistae. The dragons unleashed waves of flames, attempting to destroy the arrows before they hit our ranks. Sometimes we succeeded...other times our fire was used against us.
Flaming remains hit the ground or flyers, and when they impact, they split and exploding, hitting any in their path.
SEM'QUEUL (v.o.)
There were none unscathed. An arrow from a ballista had raked across my front, my blood falling to the earth. I did not fear for my life, but the fear for my child drove me. I dove forward, and with magick I ripped the walls of Treknor wide open.
I did not think I had such power, but the Unus'Pri assaulted the gash like a wave, slamming into the wounded and dwindling human ranks. The battle became more brutal. At times you could not tell the human dead from the Unus'Pri.
The power it took to split the walls and my injury weakened me. I was forced to hang back and watch. Mostly I had to dodge the ballistae that still fired, until they too were destroyed.
I let my guard down when the ballistae stopping firing. I held my position too long. I actually felt small, frail arrow that had been shot from a simple bow. Such a tiny thing, barely larger than one of my claws, but it struck me in the stomach, into my bleeding wound and I felt its impact. I pulled the arrow out, but I felt strange where I had been struck.
I landed and examined my injury, trying to understand the odd sensation. It was not pain...it was more of a numbness, but it felt familiar.
Orin's walls crumble.
SEM'QUEUL (v.o.)
I looked up as the walls crumbled and thought no more of the arrow.
Several dragons carry Zere'El's remains to Sem'Queul.
DRAGON
First, Zere'El the Timeless can at last be laid to rest.
SEM'QUEUL
Survivours?
DRAGON
None, First. Every last human in Orin is dead, at your order.
SEM'QUEUL
I thank you all for restoring honour to my family and dignity to my mother.
The Unus'Pri travel home to the council hall.
SEM'QUEUL (v.o.)
Our causalities at Treknor were severe. Much as I wished to press on to Atlantis, we first needed to tend to the dead, treat our wounds, and, for me, lay my egg.
A giant funeral pyre, surrounded by Unus'Pri, especially dragons. Sem'Queul stands closest to the fire.
SEM'QUEUL (v.o.)
All the dragons who had fallen were released together, equal in ranks, purified by fire, released to the heavens.
Sem'Queul lies wrapped around her egg.
SEM'QUEUL (v.o.)
While I cared for my egg, my body healed, and my mind tried to the same.
There are tears Sem'Queul's eyes.
SEM'QUEUL (v.o.)
Mourning seemed insufficient for my mother and my la'shen. While Atlantis stood, I felt as though I had let them down. It was my duty to find their justice for them. I tried to focus my thoughts to my child, but to look at my egg reminded me of Gev'Ma and made my heart heavy. But, as time passed, I settled into the fact that soon I would be a mother, and that I had a part of Gev'Ma that would be with me always. I grieved for my losses, and I came to forget about Atlantis. I had had enough of blood and of death.
I wanted to know nothing by the life that grew before me. I embraced my new role as a mother, but the humans would take even that from me.
CU on the egg, which begins to crack. Sem'Queul, who had been sleeping, awakens.
SEM'QUEUL (v.o.)
At the first crack, my heart froze. Everything that had transpired before was forgotten. My world was only my egg, on my child who I would see for the first time. One cannot imagine the excitement of that moment before it happens to you.
The egg cracks further. The baby's skin can be seen (but not in any great detail).
SEM'QUEUL (v.o.)
The urge to crack the shell and peal it off was almost irresistible, but it's important for the baby to do it themselves; a right of passage.
A small hand with four clawed fingers poke out of the shell, pushing at it, trying to force it open. An eye looks out.
SEM'QUEUL (v.o.)
Tiny glimpses of my child thrilled me. I wondered if I would have a son or a daughter. Would my shen'sha resemble me or Gev'Ma?
The baby continues to push at the shell.
SEM'QUEUL (v.o.)
Such a blessing would remove all the darkness from my life, would free me from my burdens...
An arm and a shoulder are out now, but they appear strange for a dragon.
SEM'QUEUL (v.o.)
As I saw more of my child, I grew alarmed. The baby did not look...normal. I feared the battles and my injuries had caused damage, regardless of what the shaman had told me. Immediately the rage came back. Dragons only birth one young. Had the humans harmed my child? After everything else they had done, the thought numbed me. I could not grasp such an event or how to react to it.
CU of the egg shell breaking in half (child still unseen). Sem'Queul's face - a mixture of pain, horror, revulsion and shock.
SEM'QUEUL (v.o.)
When my mother had been killed, I thought nothing would ever be able to hurt me to that level again. Then Atlan betrayed me and my la'shen was killed, and I was sure I had faced the worst moment I could in my life.
It is hard to grasp just how much one can endure. Your body can survive more pain than you can imagine, but a pain to the mind can shut you down. I was always able to process my pain, both physical and emotional, but the day my shen'sha was born, no other pain would ever compare. My mind blanked, and, for a time, I was lost to this world.
Full panel of the baby, Gevma'El - he is a cross between a human and a dragon.
TO BE CONTINUED...
