VERVM CORPVS — Tower
©2004 Joshua Scott Emmons, All Rights Reserved.
EXT. OUTSIDE CASTLE - DAY
A woman is mounted on a horse riding out of castle gates.
This is KALONIKE, princess of the city of VERVM CORPVS. She
is trailed somewhat distantly by a bunch of mounted anonymous
guards. At the princes's side is the only unmounted member
of the party, a shepherd named KYLE.
KYLE
So, you're riding out so that the
people can see you?
KALONIKE
I'm riding out to inspect the
towers.
KYLE
And I'm walking because...?
KALONIKE
You are walking because the castle
has no shorter horses.
Kyle stares at her blankly
EXT. CITY OUTSIDE THE CASTLE WALLS - DAY
The small party continues their rather leisurely ride through
the city. Huge towers, no more than three or so visible at a
time, may be just cresting the horizon in the distance. A
large crowd has gathered street-side to watch the princess's
procession. One distinct member of the crowd is KRAID, who
will be introduced later.
KALONIKE
(sighs)
You are tall, shepherd. You ride
very high in your saddle, higher
than I, and if our horses were the
same size you would stand out. And
my people don't want to see a
shepherd. They want to see their
princess.
KYLE
But you said we weren't...
KALONIKE
It's called "inspecting the
towers", but there's not much to
inspect, really. They're towers,
after all.
They just sort of stand there. Is
the tower there? Yes. That's what
I do. But the reason I do it is to
be among the people. Look at them.
SHOT OF KRAID AND THE CROWD
KALONIKE
They love me!
BACK ON THE PRINCESS'S PARTY
KYLE
Because I don't have a horse.
KALONIKE
Now you're catching on!
EXT. OUTSIDE THE TOWER - DAY
The party has come within easy viewing distance of a tower.
It's gigantic, on the scale of the Washington Monument. An
equally huge wall runs between this tower and the identical
towers on either side of it, and between those and the ones
next to them, and so on surrounding the city. Architecturally
the towers and walls are very simple. Straight and smooth
with very few embellishments, but there's something slightly
arcane-looking about them.
KYLE
So the ruling family has been
"inspecting towers" for
generations, and all this time none
of them have actually been doing
anything?
KALONIKE
Well, once upon a time there was
probably a reason. Maybe people
were worried about them falling
down or something. Or thought
daemons would be able to break
through the walls.
But for thousands of years the
towers and walls have stood. The
tradition would have been
abandoned, but we recognized the
value of getting out amongst the
common folk every so often.
KYLE
I feel so privileged.
KALONIKE
(nose in the air)
You don't get to feel privileged
unless you have a horse.
EXT. FOOT OF THE TOWER - DAY
The tower is so massive that, at this range, it's hard to see
it's a tower at all. There's a proportionately large door in
the tower. There's no handle or hinges. It might well be
decorative. Above the door in (you guessed it) large letters
is the inscription "VERVM CORPVS".
KYLE
I didn't realize they were so big!
KALONIKE
From a distance they look like they
could be as big as the castle's
towers. But they're actually
double the size.
KYLE
And they have doors! Do all have
doors?
KALONIKE
(thinking hard)
I think... Maybe. Yes.
KYLE
What's inside?
KALONIKE
(shrugs)
I couldn't tell you.
KYLE
All this time and you've never
looked inside?
KALONIKE
What of interest could possibly be
in there?
Kyle walks up to the tower doors.
KYLE
It could be extraordinary. It
could be magical.
Close on Kyle
KYLE
(quietly to self)
It could be anything.
KALONIKE
Look, shepherd. I know your life
has to have been pretty boring, but
not everything is a big adventure
waiting to happen. Not every door
contains mysteries waiting to
unfold.
Kyle indicates the inscription above the door.
KYLE
Well, what about these runes? What
do they mean?
KALONIKE
Ha ha. They say "verum corpus" in
the old tongue, that's all.
KYLE
Why put the name of the city on the
towers?
KALONIKE
Don't know.
KYLE
Which came first, do you think?
The towers or the city?
KALONIKE
I really don't care, Kyle. I've
done this a hundred times. I didn't
care before and I don't care now.
Let's go. I'm bored...
FROM THE POV OF A HIDDEN THIRD PERSON WATCHING HALF-WAY UP
THE TOWER.
KALONIKE
...and no one is paying any
attention to me here.
BACK ON THE GROUND
KYLE
We just got here!
Kalonike doesn't reply, only turns her horse and starts
riding away slowly, leaving Kyle no choice but to follow.
KYLE
Come on, your highness. I haven't
seen anythingÑ
There's a loud BOOM from above. Kalonike is spinning her head
around looking for the source. Kalonike's guards are charging
towards her shouting and pointing above her.
KALONIKE
What wasÑ?
Kyle looks unerringly straight up.
KYLE
Princess!
FROM THE GROUND LOOKING UP.
A large chunk of the tower is falling down towards the
couple.
KYLE
RUN!
The princess's horse rears.
She is thrown.
Kyle spins. Princess is on the ground, stunned.
KYLE
PRINCESS!
Kyle dives to put himself between the princess and the
collapsing tower.
FROM THE GROUND LOOKING UP
Instinctively, Kyle puts his hand up to ward off the falling
tower.
CLOSE ON KYLE'S HAND
Kyle's hand starts to shift and warp.
WIDE
Kyle's hand explodes, releasing a torrent of streaming black
ooze.
This ooze utterly tears apart the pieces of falling rock
directly above the couple
CLOSE ON KYLE'S FACE
Kyle's eyes are wide with disbelief.
KYLE
WhaÑ?
CLOSE ON KYLE'S EYES
KYLE
WhaÑ!
CLOSE ON KYLE'S EYE
KYLE
What isÑ!?
BLACKNESS
BLACKNESS
GUARD
They're here! Here!
CLOSE ON KYLE
Kyle's on all fours, shaking his head as though waking from a
dream.
KYLE
What is happening?
CLOSE ON KALONIKE
She lying on her back, directly beneath Kyle, suggestively
close.
KALONIKE
(softly)
Kyle?
CLOSE ON KYLE
He's blushing and looking acutely self conscious.
KYLE
Oh. Ummm.
TWO FRAMES FROM THE SIDE
Kyle's basically on top of Kalonike, her nose almost brushing
his. In the second frame she asks:
KALONIKE
(whispers)
Why are you blushing, shepherd?
KYLE
Uh...
Kyle is yanked off of the princess rather roughly by one of
her guards
KYLE
Well, IÑ HURK!
GUARD1
Good God!
GUARD2
How is it possible?
GUARD3
Merciful God, who holds back the
desert!
Guards, swords drawn, have now formed a perimeter around the
princess.
GUARD
Are you ok, your highness?
KALONIKE
Yes... Yes. I think so.
CLOSE ON GUARD
GUARD
To the castle. NOW! Four by four,
three man point. Three in the van.
WIDE AGAIN
The ring of guards with Kalonike in their center pushes
through the crowd of onlookers that is starting to gather.
GUARD
MOVE! Everybody out of the way!
Kyle tries to follow behind, but gets left in the rush, lost
amongst the crowd.
KYLE
Princess? Princess! Wait!
Kyle sees he is lost and plops down right there in the
rubble.
KYLE
Wait...
Kraid makes his way to him in the crowd.
KRAID
Sand in my eye! What happened
here!?
KYLE
I... I'm not really sure.
KRAID
The princess. I thought I saw the
princess earlier. Is she ok?
KYLE
I think so. Yes.
KRAID
Praise God! What about you?
You're alright?
KYLE
Yes...
Kyle looks at his hand that a moment ago seemed to be a sea
of blackness, but now looks like a normal hand.
KYLE
...I think I'm ok.
INT. TREVOR'S CHAMBER - EVENING
The chamber of TREVOR CLOSE is dark and private. It looks
like the kind of place where a lot of scheming gets done.
There's a fancy wooden chair in the middle of one wall that
comes just shy of a thrown. TREVOR is seated in it. His
ADVISOR stands close at hand.
TREVOR
My niece lives.
ADVISOR
It seems improbable... if the thief
did his job.
KRAID
Don't you "if" me. I know what "if"
means. "Kraid's not getting paid,"
is what. Well burn that! I set the
boxes where you told me to. I made
sure the princess was on her mark.
I gave the signal.
TREVOR
Fear not. You'll have your chips.
But first: you're sure she's alive?
KRAID
Alive enough she walked away. Or
was dragged. Don't know how either
was possible, that much rock
falling down. But the boy said she
was fine.
ADVISOR
Ah yes, the boy. You were supposed
to make sure the princess was
alone, were you not?
KRAID
He seemed pretty hot on her. Didn't
think I could get him away without
getting all suspicious.
TREVOR
You said he tried to protect her.
KRAID
Heh, yeah. But no boy's gonna stop
a tower from falling.
ADVISOR
And yet, the princess lives.
KRAID
A fluke. Luck.
ADVISOR
I wonder.
TREVOR
Enough. This may work out for us in
the long run. The princess will
help our credibility if we can keep
her under our control.
ADVISOR
And how do we control her?
TREVOR
This newcomer has given me ideas.
Baulstrode thinks he's given my
niece a watchdog, but I know the
hearts of little boys.
KRAID
(clears throat)
TREVOR
You'll be wanting your pay. Here
it is.
TREVOR hands a bag of "chips" to KRAID.
KRAID
Thank you kindly. You know how to
get meÑ
TREVOR
Your services will not be needed
again.
KRAID
Right. Well then.
KRAID exits.
TREVOR
Talk to Conner. Make our thief
disappear.
ADVISOR
At once, my lord.
ADVISOR exits.
TREVOR
Soon now, Baulstrode. I'll let you
live long enough to see me claim
Kalonike as my prize. My prize! Oh,
how I know what she does to the
hearts of men.
©2004 Joshua Scott Emmons, All Rights Reserved.
