PP#19:
The Witches Keep Witching
The story continues to unfold while I also learn to screenwrite. Enjoy.
Start from the beginning.
What follows is a fictional account.
Witch Town, Part 7
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(ANIMATED MOVIE)EXT. BADLANDS, AFTERNOON
Warlock Warren is magically flying through the Badlands. He is rushing past rock formations and pieces of floating rock all around him. He flies in a crossed-legged seated position, hands emerging from his robes to make a mudra-like formation in front of his belly. A spiral of magic is held between his hands, and a purplish aura of magic spell encircles the warlock’s body.
A dark, red sun hangs low in the sky, wisps of grey smoke arise from the ground here and there.
Brown trolls are lumbering across the rocky terrain, knuckles often so low that they drag on the ground or are used to propel themselves forward much like apes do.
Warren continues to fly in line with the marching of the trolls, seeking their source and their leader.
His robes whip through the air as he goes, flying over a section of trolls that has stopped in the middle of a hanging circular platform of rock. Many trolls are resting and trying to bear the heat.
The marching trolls head again from that clump to very narrow raised areas of rock that roll up and down like a series of twisting hills into the distance.
Warren flies towards a canyon of red rock that is carved out of the badlands into a large series of ravines that spread out and intersect like a maze. At this point the warlock alters his flight position, head leading the way, eyes looking forward, belly down, arms tight to his sides and feet pointing behind him.
The warlock knows exactly where he is going as he is weaving in and among the canyon’s multiple, convoluted pathways. It also seems as though his flying spell speeds up, shooting flaming sparks from behind his feet.
His destination appears out of one last portal at the end of a canyon ravine. It opens to the center of the entire canyon: a massive rockland valley that opened like an enormous saucer bowl to hold the tribes of trolls.
EXT. VALLEY OF THE ANCESTORS, AFTERNOON
All kinds of trolls are pouring into the open rockland from different sides, each from one end of the Badlands. There are green trolls from the south, red trolls from the east, and blue trolls from the northwest. The brown trolls enter from the southwest.
Among the mobs of trolls on the ground there are also makeshift structures. They are hardly less than scaffolds, just pieces of timber crossed in squares to create semi-huts and enclosed spaces. Taller tower versions of these log structures line the upper wall of the valley as watch towers.
And in the center is one larger structure of log walls made into a pentagonal shape and covered by a loose cloth tent colored in deep purple, black and grey.
Warren heads straight towards this large tented structure, coming again to fly in a seated position and slow his speed.
EXT/INT. CEREMONIAL TENT, AFTERNOON
Warlock Warren comes to hover above the ground before placing his feet down on the rocky earth and casually walking out of his meditative flying spell.
He walks through the trolls, who look at him quizzically but let him be. He ignores all of them.
Finally he comes to one troll who is unique among the creatures. He is smaller than the others and much thinner. He wears a feathered and scaley vest of bones and a headdress of some bird beak that is quite long and pointed.
This unique troll, JAWTOOTH THE SOOTHSAYER, turns to see Warlock Warren approaching him. He throws his long, thin arms into the sky, waving wildly, one handing holding the knobby end of a wooden rod.
JAWTOOTH THE SOOTHSAYER
Ah, Warren, looks like you found us.Warren approaches the troll quickly.
WARREN
I followed the tribe. They are all walking this way. Why?JAWTOOTH
You get right to it, don’t you?WARREN
Does this have to do with the light warriors?JAWTOOTH
We heard of the attacks.WARREN
Attacks? All I heard was one on the School of Witchcraft of the Old Hen Cacklers.JAWTOOTH
If it were just one, do you think we trolls would have run here so fast? We are not easily scared, as monsters go. I’m sure you know that.WARREN
Where else have the attacks happened?JAWTOOTH
All over the monster lands. The witches were only the latest. Before that there were attacks in the Skeleton Mines, the Vampire Vaults, and Werewolf Caverns.WARREN
Then how come nobody knows this yet? How do you know all of this, even before myself, or the coven, or entire Enclave?JAWTOOTH
The warlocks are too focused on other things to see. And it’s not like the skeletons, werewolves, and vampires are known to have been in great, shall we say, communication. Anyway, the attacks are only very recent, really since yesterday. They seemed to be targeting more remote locations first. That is, until the school got hit.WARREN
Then how do you know? Did they strike in your dens?JAWTOOTH
No, we weren’t attacked. And it’s not like they call me a soothsayer for nothing, you know. My readings told me all I needed. Come see, I will show.Warren follows Jawtooth towards the back of the tented structure. There is a small fire and some benches. On one of the benches, Jawtooth grabs a pouch.
The soothsayer takes the pouch, shakes it in his hand over his shoulder, and simply deposits its contents on the ground in front of the fire. The fire crackles and brightens momentarily.
Jawtooth gazes at some small bones and scraps of hard material carved into strange runes.
Warlock Warren leans in with curiosity.
JAWTOOTH
(pointing with a long finger at a series of runes on one side)
See this. These mean attacks at the mines, caverns and vaults. And this here, this one is the Witch School. And where we are now, our Ancestral Grounds, are far over here, away from the attacks.Warren looks hard upon the runes, seeing symbols and patterns in his own way, trying to decipher.
WARREN
I can see what you mean. Even my rudimentary knowledge of the runes indicate these same places you mentioned. But how do you know what is attacking them?JAWTOOTH
Right here.The troll points at one lonely rune in the middle facing towards all of the attacked regions.
JAWTOOTH (CONT’D)
That’s why.Warren inspects closely.
WARREN
By the Enclave, you are right. It is very obvious to see.There is a closeup of the rune, which shows a symbolic warrior figure beaming light from throughout it.
WARREN
But what do they want?JAWTOOTH
Your guess is as good as mine. Perhaps it is man’s final judgement upon us.WARREN
Mankind may have its quarrels with those of us from the monster world, but they do not possess this sort of otherworldly power. They are too clouded by technology to connect to spirit anymore.JAWTOOTH
As you say, old friend.The soothsayer looks like he is being sarcastic and does not believe the warlock a bit.
WARREN
Jawtooth, may I ask… do the runes indicate where the light warriors may strike next?JAWTOOTH
(face chagrined)
Yes. They point directly towards your Warlock Enclave. And from my guess they could likely be there already. I am sorry I did not have time to warn you, Warren. I did not mean to let you down. I was going to send word for you as soon as possible.WARREN
No need to apologize. I understand, my dear troll. You had to think of your people. You have many to care for here. But I am glad I found you. I must return to the Enclave at once.JAWTOOTH
Of course.The two nod their heads at each other, then Warren returns to his flight position from earlier, in sitting meditation. But not but a moment or two after, he transitions into the fully extended-body quicker flight mode to launch himself out of the valley and the whole canyon region.
As Warren approaches the skyline, he summons his portal to open a door for him, and he quickly moves into the green-purple tunnel vortex of inter-dimensional travel.
In other words, he is taking the shortest of short cuts back to the Enclave.
The warp tunnel swallows Warren up, then whooshes out of sight in a flash of light.
FADE OUT
“
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Many blessings,
Matthew