User blog:1caiser/Screenplay: Truth and Ideals Chapter 1

Truth and Ideals

Written by Kai Socrius

Screenplay by Kai Socrius

This screenplay is an adaption of Chapter 1 of my story, Truth and Ideals. This assignment was originally written for my school's Creative Writing class.

I thought I'd share it here. Feel free to leave a comment, and enjoy reading how my Chapter 1 would have looked if it were animated.

INT. LAUGHING COFFIN HIDEOUT – TIME ARBITRARY

Leather boots amble toward the left atop a wooden stage against the rock wall of a cave. The boots then turn toward the camera, which pans up to reveal a man of Hispanic descent in his mid-twenties, POH. His hair and eyes are covered by a hood, and a tattered cloak rests on his shoulders. He addresses a congregation of players before him.

POH pauses once more to emphasize his next statement.

EXT. AINCRAD 20TH FLOOR, PANAREZE OUTSKIRTS — 12:25AM

A lone dirt path extends from the eastern gates of PANAREZE, the Labyrinth raid city of the 20th Floor of Aincrad. The city meagerly lights the horizon, but the surrounding landscape could still be easily identified; a grassy plains dotted with a few trees. Grass sways with the nightly wind. The camera sweeps across the landscape.

KAI stands beside the road, beside one of the trees. He is dressed in a dark blue, leather trench coat, with a LONGSWORD sheathed at his side. A PURPLE RECTANGLE appears as he vertically slices the air in front of him with his hand.

KAI pushes a button that shows two icons of two people’s heads, and pushes the first message thread at the top. The message reads: “Panareze, nighttime hunting, Time-Governing Covenants leader, 'Ferrick', Level 46. Two-handed spear user, short brown hair, leather armor. Usually accompanied by two or more players.” KAI looks to his upper left; a green bar showing the fraction “18800/18800”; after the term “LVL:” shows the number “90”.

KAI looks to the lower right, watching a numeral marked “«Hiding»” rise from 3 dashes to the number 99.9. The third digit oscillates between 6 and 9, and KAI looks away toward PANAREZE again. Three figures are walking from Panareze towards KAI.

FERRICK, as described in the previous message, walks into view beside HAL, a young adult male with black, short, curly hair dressed in a steel chestguard and armed with a SHIELD and SWORD. The two are followed by COCO, a young adult blonde dressed in light clothing. A DAGGER rests at her hip. The three walk toward the TREE KAI is hiding behind.

KAI draws his LONGSWORD, which is glowing blue. Kai thrusts his SWORD outward and FLIES through the air toward the trio. The three manage to jump away, and draw their weapons.

HAL’s SWORD glows orange as it swings down upon KAI, who steps to the side and bats the SWORD away with his own, which is GLOWING silver. HAL’S SWORD FLIES away, slowing reverting to its original color.

KAI raises his SWORD and swings down on HAL, who is guarding with his SHIELD. The SHIELD breaks as KAI’S SWORD touches it. KAI slowly turns, and his SWORD glows crimson red. The sword is swung in the figure of the number 4, and Hal hits the ground, bounces once, and explodes into countless blue FRAGMENTS.

KAI turns to FERRICK and lowers his body, leaping forward with his SWORD glowing blue. FERRICK manages to redirect KAI away by intercepting the SWORD with his SPEAR. KAI lands a short distance away, and turns to FERRICK and throws three «THROWING PICKS». Two of the PICKS hit FERRICK, one on the shoulder and one on the waist. FERRICK’S body seizes up and he falls to the ground paralyzed.

KAI raises his SWORD and begins to hack away at FERRICK’S back, revealing orange wireframe. Later, KAI slices at FERRICK’S neck, and FERRICK explodes into countless blue fragments.

KAI’S face contorts as he lays eyes on COCO, whose wrist is punctured by a THROWING PICK. KAI sees the WEDDING RING on COCO’S left hand, and cuts off the hand before preparing to end her life.

COCO’s body explodes into countless blue fragments.

Camera zooms out to show KAI among the swaying grass against a night sky. He sheathes his SWORD and reaches into his trench coat, pulling out a BLUE CRYSTAL». KAI looks toward PANAREZE.

KAI’s AVATAR vanishes in a glowing pillar of rising blue light, leaving the field with a murder that left no traces, save for a slash through of three player’s names on a distant black tablet.

FADE TO BLACK.