In this episode of Firstworld, S1E11, "A Door at the Edge of Night," Andora, the recently-imprisoned Grand Witch of Illreign, runs afoul of a number of inmates whom she had a hand in capturing in her time before she became a tyrant and outlaw.
FADE IN:
EXT. / EST. SKYHOOK - NIGHT
TITLE:
Skyhook The Sorcerers' Prison
CUT TO:
INT. PRISON CAFETERIA - NIGHT
ANDORA enters the mess hall at the rear end of a single-file procession of some of the most frightening beings imaginable: DEMONS, WARLOCKS, IMPS, GREMLINS, GOBLINS, SUCCUBI, WRAITHS, etc. They are each given a tray and sent to a FEW CAULDRONS brimming with various bubbling crudes, steaming and foul.
A hulking TROLL CHEF as menacing as any inmate there shovels heaping spoonfuls of the lumpy sludge into their bowls.
TROLL CHEF
Next? Come on, scum, Move it along 'fore your gruel gets cold. Next?
Andora reaches the twelve-foot chef and raises her eyebrow.
TROLL CHEF (CONT'D)
Well, bless me bones! Welcome, Miss Grand Witch. You honor this humble kitchen wit' your divine presence.
ANDORA That sounds suspiciously like sarcasm.
TROLL CHEF Not at all, Miss. So what'll it be, then?
ANDORA What's the soup of the day?
TROLL CHEF Oh, I've a fine selection. Brown lumps in grey sauce, or grey lumps in brown sauce?
He bursts into a PHLEGM-FILLED LAUGH before slinging a ladle of sludge onto her tray that splatters her face and robes.
ANDORA
Mmm. Just like mother used to dredge.
TROLL CHEF
Move along now!
The chef prods Andora forward with his ladle. She sits alone at the end of one of the hall's many long, wooden tables. Across the cafeteria, CELA, flanked by two GOBLIN TOADIES, studies Andera between modest bites of stale bread.
GATEKEEPERS patrol catwalks above the cafeteria floor with their staffs ready to break up any brawl that might ensue.
At that moment, XARION comes to stand over Andora's table. He is shadowed by DAGALACE, the Mage Killer: a kind of priestess with red, scaly skin and catlike eyes. The other with Xarion is VOLKARR, a robed and impossibly ancient old man with a beard almost down to his belt buckle.
XARION Well. If it isn't Andora of Illreign.
ANDORA
Afraid I'm not signing autographs today.
XARION
You look in need of company, Andora.
ANDORA
You look in need of a hairdresser.
XARION
Do you not remember who I am?
ANDORA
Did we court at the university? I have been known to exemplify poor judgment.
XARION Might I join you?
ANDORA
No, I'm saving that seat for someone more pleasant. A nice leper, perhaps.
Xarion CHUCKLES, then takes a seat across from her anyway.
XARION
How the mighty have fallen, eh? I never believed I would live to see this day. So, who was it that toppled you? I hear whispers of stolen spell books, an unlawful allegiance with Crimsonwind, even that you were bested by an upstart from Highwing with a third your mastery.
(beat) What was that pup's name, Dagalace?
DAGALACE
Matris, Lord Xarion.
XARION
Yes, that was it. Matris. Daughter of Unice, husband to Valaris of Southtower, the same woman you yourself destroyed.
ANDORA
The Parliament has assigned me a personal biographer for the duration of my stay?
XARION Much in the same way you attempted to destroy us during the Ybandii Campaigns.
ANDORA Attempted? You give yourself too much credit, I think.
XARION We are still here, are we not, Witch?
Andora looks at their bleak surroundings then back to Xarion.
ANDORA
Yes you are, and if my wiping your kind from the face of this world while razing your cities to the ground and condemning you three to an eternity of incarceration was all somehow part of your master plan, Xarion, then you have my congratulations. It worked marvelously! Alas, I think you and I both know different. (beat)
Now, if you do not mind, I'm finding this gruel only mildly less unsavory than your company, so if you will kindly piss off, I'm trying to eat.
Every INMATE in the mess hall is stone silent, their eyes now on Xarion following Andora's emasculating verbal harpoon.
He purses his lips as he stands from her table.
XARION
We are owed a great debt by you, Andora.
ANDORA
Well, they confiscated my purse when I was brought onboard, Xarion, so I fear you are quite out of luck there.
XARION
Careful now. Fate weaves a bitter design.
ANDORA
As does your tailor.
The other inmates are CHUCKLING under their breath now.
XARION
What I mean is, you are one of us now.
ANDORA And what is that? A pathetic remnant of a pathetic race, happily done away with?
Xarion slaps Andora's bowl of gruel from the table.
XARION A prisoner, Andora. (beat)
No Witches or Fighting Mages can fly to your aid now. And I make it my oath that you will not live out your sentence here.
Four Gatekeepers come to stand around Xarion's group. They say nothing, but he knows they mean for him to move along.
XARION (CONT'D) This is only the beginning. An eternity is a very long time to have to look over one's shoulder. Watch yourself, Andora.
Xarion, Dagalace, and Volkarr leave to find their own table.
CELA (O.S.)
Xarion of Darksands.
Andora looks up to find Cela standing over her with her tray.
CELA (CONT'D) He was once a vizier, a counselor to the throne ... before Highwing and Shadowfall sacked the Ybandii Temple under your orders. Those that follow him are Volkarr and Dagalace, Mage Killers both.
ANDORA Oh? And here I had them pegged for backup singers. I know who they are, Cela.
(beat)
I am the one who put them here.
CELA
They are but the first of many. Others imprisoned within Skyhook's walls that you have wronged will come to harm you, and the mystical barrier that surrounds this place renders all magic inert.
ANDORA You believe you are telling me anything I do not already know? I designed Skyhook.
CELA Helped design.
ANDORA
Nevertheless, I know more about the inner workings of this prison than you realize.
CELA
Be that as it may, Andora, you will not long survive without my protection.
ANDORA
Your protection? So you are not one of them? Out for my head?
CELA
It is not your head that interests me.
ANDORA
I would have thought, given our history--
CELA
We can either dwell on what is passed, or we can move forward toward our goals, but we can hardly be expected to do both.
ANDORA What are your goals, Cela?
(beat)
What are you after?
CELA
That will keep. For now.
ANDORA
I am expected to just trust you, then?
CELA
Oh, you and I might achieve much together once you are properly ... motivated.
Andora looks Cela in the eye. She isn't buying this.
CELA (CONT'D)
No matter. I am not deterred. Your tune will change. I guarantee it.
ANDORA And when will that be, Cela?
CELA
When you learn that, save for me, you have no allies in this place.
HIGH SHOT. Cela walks off to return her tray, leaving Andera sitting at the table, a lone fish in an ocean of predators.
She scans the cafeteria where she discovers EVERYONE staring at her hungrily before we
SMASH CUT TO:
MAIN TITLES
END OF TEASER
Comments