The Chronicles of Sir William
Ch - 16
The Titan is Dead
OPEN ON:
INT. DANK CAVE - DAY
Lilith navigates a dark cave system by torchlight with
Hooty strapped to her back in his mobile birdhouse. King
follows along with a glaive in his paws. She flinches as her
torchlight reveals a silvery spider web and its occupant
gnashing its fangs.
LILITH
Agh!
KING
Hyah!
King steps forward and swings his glaive, knocking the
spider off it's web. Hooty snakes forward and swallows it
in one gulp.
HOOTY
Hooty to the rescue! Hoot-hoot!
LILITH
(relieved)
Oh, thank you-both of you!
KING
It'll take more than creepy crawlies
to thwart our expedition, milady!
King then swings his glaive and cuts through the web.
A throaty rumble echoes from deeper in
the cave as they venture on. A brutish creature, a Stone-sleeper, emerges into
the torchlight and bellows with rage.
HOOTY
But that might work!
They all scream and run for it.
HOOTY (cont'd)
TROLL! TROLL IN THE DUNGEON!
They come to a stop in front of a yawning chasm, trapped
between it and the cave demon chasing them.
Thinking quickly, Hooty bends his neck into a helicopter
rotor and lifts them over the chasm. The Stone-sleeper
doesn't notice the cliff edge before tumbling over it and
disappearing into the depths.
They all land on the other side with a relieved sigh and
continue through the adjoining tunnel. Troubled, Lilith
consults her research notes.
LILITH
I thought we'd have found something
by now. The Barghest chieftain said
the demons had a thriving
civilization here before the Titan
arrived.
HOOTY
(amazed)
Hoot!
They stop in a massive antechamber framed by massive stone
columns and walls. At the far end of the chamber is a
mural, depicting what looks like a Barghest warrior raising
his spear in triumph.
KING
*gasp* Wow! That looks like Haligor.
(flexing)
In top form, as always.
As they get closer, they can see the mural in more detail.
The warrior stands beneath what looks like a blue tear-
drop, surrounded by a spell circle comprised of intricate
pictoglyphs.
HOOTY
Hey, look up there! Doesn't that
look like a spell?
LILITH
You're right. In fact, that almost
looks like...
Lilith pulls out her penstagram scroll and flips to a post
made by Luz several weeks ago. It shows the video she
snapped of the Observer beginning to lift the curse on her
beast minions.
THE OBSERVER
"It's almost like you don't want to
be free of your curse..."
The video zooms in and freezes on the spell circle, briefly
flickering with its glyph symbols. The video
is captioned with: "Does anyone know this spell? Please
reply."
Lilith's eyes light up.
LILITH
This...this is it!
(ecstatic)
This is what we're looking for!
KING
You mean the spell that can lift
Eda's curse-?!
HOOTY
-And yours?!
LILITH
Yes, don't you see?! This must be
the magic behind Haligor's howl, the
power he used to defeat the Titan.
(giddy)
It's probably a powerful counter-
curse-or a dispelling charm, or-
KING
It doesn't look like it's all there.
King points out that the top half of the mural seems broken
off, leaving the depiction of the spell incomplete.
Disappointed, but undeterred, Lilith snaps a photo of the
mural with her scroll.
LILITH
It's still a start.
Lilith backs up to get more of the mural in frame when she
accidentally steps on a pressure plate. A series of muffled
mechanical clanking sounds echo through the chamber.
KING
Oh, no! We set off a trap!
LILITH
Just stay calm...and be ready.
Lilith poises herself to run.
HOOTY
(fretting)
Oh, what's it gonna be this time?!
Poison darts? Razor pendulums? A
giant rolling ball of DOOOM!
LILITH
(amused)
Oh please, Hooty. There's no way-
The far wall slides away, revealing a massive round boulder
that rolls into the hall.
The scream and run down the tunnel again. At the other end
they see the Stone-sleeper, having climbed out of the
chasm, lumbering in their direction.
LILITH (cont'd)
Forgive me, Hootzifer!
Lilith stretches out Hooty's neck into a stiff pole and
vaults over the cave demon with King on her back. They then
continue running. Confused, the Stone-sleeper turns around
just in time to see the rolling boulder squash him.
They then pause in the chasm chamber to catch their breath,
seemingly out of danger.
HOOTY
Phew! Another close one!
LILITH
(panting)
I suppose those Minnesota Jane
movies weren't too far off the mark.
They turn to leave, but are ambushed by a group of
mysterious robed figures. They carry torches and burning
censers, and wear masks reminiscent of Belos'.
The trio quivers as they are slowly hemmed in with no
escape.
TITLE
SEQUENCE:
OPEN ON:
EXT. LEVIATHAN ISLAND, BARGHEST TRIBE VILLAGE - DAY
Lord William marches out of a portal into the Barghest
village. There he sees a group of demons from the mainland
being trained in combat and survival.
The eyeball monster, the Snaggleback, and Tinella Nosa are
there, all looking more ferocious without the curse's
effects. They train on combat dummies.
CHIEF TARAK
That's right, channel your inner
demon! Fight!
Tinella immediately flies into a rage and devours her dummy
like a rabid animal, frightening her training partners.
WILLIAM
I received your call, Chieftain.
The Chief turns away from his training and bows to William.
CHIEF TARAK
Thank you for coming. I sent King
out with Dr. Clawthorne to be her
escort, but I haven't heard back
from him in several-
WILLIAM
-Days?
CHIEF TARAK
(weepy)
*sniff*-Hours! He knows I get
worried when he doesn't call!
William groans with frustration.
EXT. LEVIATHAN ISLAND, FOREST - DAY
Chief Tarak leads William and a party of warriors through
the woods, continuing to worry over King.
CHIEF TARAK (cont'd)
I mean, It's not like I expect him
to call every minute. Is it too much
to ask that he-?
WILLIAM
(impatient)
-Chief! Honestly, what sort of
trouble do you expect them to get
into after one night?
CHIEF TARAK
Well, that's just it. There's much
we still don't know about the
island. Chief Lykon forbid us from
wandering too far from the village.
As they speak, they are unaware of a dark presence stalking
them from the forest canopy.
WILLIAM
You know what, I take that back.
Knowing Hooty, he probably got them
stuck down a mine-shaft...Or annoyed
them so much they willingly jumped
into one-
Just then, their party is ambushed by the robed figures,
leaping out of the brush with grain flails, maces and
cudgels.
MONKS
Demons!
Don't let them escape!
The forest erupts into a melee. The Barghests fight with
fireballs and laser beams. The monks deflect the attacks
with bubble shields and shoot back with rays of blinding
light.
William steps forward to duel with one of the priests, but
his opponent stands frozen in shock.
MONK
What?! No, it can't be!
The monk lifts up his mask, revealing himself to be an old
witch in his eighties. He looks at William in amazement.
MONK (cont'd)
It's...It's you! At long last!
WILLIAM
Have we met...?
The monk turns and waves at his fellows to stop.
MONK
Stop! Cease! Everyone!
The monks stop fighting and back away in confusion.
MONK (cont'd)
Stop fighting. The day I foretold
has arrived!
The Barghests look equally confused.
MONK (cont'd)
Rejoice, for Sir William of Ossigard
has returned to us!
The monks all gasp and murmur in wonderment, removing their
masks as well. Their leader turns back to William and removes an amulet from his robe.
William lights up, recognizing the sigil.
MONK (cont'd)
(fondly)
Welcome back, old friend.
INTERMISSION:
William looks at the priest's sigil, amazed and overjoyed.
WILLIAM
You follow the Chantry of Light?
PRIEST
My friend, we are the Chantry. I am
Father Caiaphas. I was only an altar
boy when we last met...
(mournful)
...before the kingdom fell to Belos.
Before you were taken from us...
WILLIAM
But you survived! You escaped!
CAIAPHAS
Yes! We fled to this land and kept
the old ways alive, waiting for the
day you would return and lead us
against that heathen!
WILLIAM
(laughing)
Consider it done, Father. Belos is
vanquished.
CAIAPHAS
What?! You really mean-?!
WILLIAM
Yes. When I awoke from my sleep, I
found allies in the Boiling Isles
who helped me destroy that fiend!
Belos is no more!
The monks erupt in celebration, embracing and shedding
tears of joy. Caiaphas braces his heart, overcome with
emotion.
CAIAPHAS
Oh, my heart! I never in my wildest
dreams imagined-
He pauses, casting a leery glance over the Barghest
warriors. He takes William aside and whispers.
CAIAPHAS (cont'd)
-that you would return in the
company of demons. Are they your
mercenaries...?
WILLIAM
I can explain later. But don't
worry. They can be trusted.
CAIAPHAS
Hmm...
WILLIAM
They're helping me search for some
friends of mine. A female Witch and
a pair of little Demons.
CAIAPHAS
Ah, yes. We captured a few such
trespassers several days ago. Come,
we shall reunite you!
(excited)
And tell the others the good news!
The monks cheer and march into the forest. Chief Tarak
tries to follow, but William intercedes.
WILLIAM
(uneasy)
Erm...maybe it's best you wait back
in the village. I can take things
from here.
Tarak gives him a wary nod and leads his warriors back the
way they came.
CUT TO:
EXT. MONASTERY - DAY
Caiaphas and his monks lead William to a monastery on the
cliffs overlooking the boiling sea. They march into the
chapel where a mural depicting the Titan from the chest-up
hangs over the altar.
CAIAPHAS
I'm relieved to hear of your
victory.
(humorous)
Some of us weren't feeling up to
fighting a rebellion in our old age.
William looks up at the mural, conflicted.
INT. ABBEY, INFIRMARY - DAY
Lilith chafes in a rough-spun robe as she's "tended to" by
a flock of doting nuns.
NUN 1
Oh, my. How you must have been
abused by those awful creatures!
LILITH
*groan* For the last time! They're
my friends!
NUN 2
Poor dear! They bewitched her. She
can't tell friend from foe!
Just then, William and Father Caiaphas enter the infirmary.
LILITH
(relieved)
Oh, Lord Regent! Thank goodness
you're here!
(urgent)
We have to find Hooty and King.
They're being-
HOOTY (O.S.)
AAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHHHH!
They hear Hooty's muffled cry through the floor.
INT. DUNGEON
William and Lilith rush down into the dungeon where they
see Hooty being stretched out on a rack of torture like
taffy.
HOOTY
(pained)
AAAAAAAGGGGHHHH-
(relieved)
-Ahhhhhhhhhh, yeah! That's the
spot!
TORTURER
Oi! Stop that! You're not supposed
to be enjoyin' this!
HOOTY
How can I not?! This thing's worked
out kinks I've had for decades!
Lilith and William are repulsed to see what lies at the
other end of Hooty's sinuous body, something like a
flattened owl skeleton being wound between the spools of
the torture device.
KING
Help! Get me out of here!
King grasps the bars of a hanging cage nearby.
KING (cont'd)
I've had to watch this horror show
for hours now!
WILLIAM
Father! Release them immediately!
Caiaphas snaps his fingers and the torturer starts
unwinding Hooty from the rack.
TORTURER
(nauseous)
Couldn't stomach much more meself,
to be honest.
Caiaphas then unlocks King's cage and let's him hop out.
CAIAPHAS
Please forgive the misunderstanding.
Any friend of our Lord William...
Caiaphas trails off as he watches Hooty slither back into
his portable bird-house/backpack..
CAIAPHAS (cont'd)
(reluctant)
...is a friend of ours.
William fixes him with a grim stare.
WILLIAM
Caiaphas. We need to talk.
INT. SCRIPTORIUM - LATER
William remonstrates with Father Caiaphas at opposite ends
of a long table.
CAIAPHAS
No..No, this cannot be!
WILLIAM
I saw it with my own eyes, Father.
The Titan was a monster bent on
devouring worlds, and Belos had
become its vessel.
CAIAPHAS
Blasphemy! The Titan was our
protector. It gave its life so
witches could have a home in this
wretched land!
WILLIAM
(pained)
I know this is a...daunting
revelation-
CAIAPHAS
It is apostasy is what it is!
William winces, trying to stay diplomatic.
WILLIAM
Perhaps we simply misinterpreted the
ancient texts.
CAIAPHAS
(growing panic)
Don't insult me! I spent my life
pouring over the old scriptures. It
couldn't have all been for nothing!
Caiaphas steadies himself before turning for the door.
CAIAPHAS (cont'd)
I...I need some time to meditate on
this.
He flees the scriptorium, leaving William to hang his head
in anguish. Lilith, King, and Hooty gather around to
console him.
LILITH
Just give it time. I'm sure he'll
see reason.
WILLIAM
"See reason"? Not too long ago, the
Titan was your god too. How did you
take the news?
Lilith's mood seems to darken and she paces to the other
side of the room in contemplation.
LILITH
(resentful)
I once served a man who claimed to
speak for the Titan-and that my
sister suffered according to its
will. When I saw how Belos used the
Titan as a tool to control the
masses-to control me...I began
wondering if things weren't always
that way.
WILLIAM
(conflicted)
Our worship may have been...
misplaced. But faith is no fool's
errand...
(uncertain)
At least...that's what I believed...
William's gaze drifts out the window, solemnly taking in
the sight of the Leviathan's massive skeleton.
CROSSFADE TO:
INT. MONASTERY, CHAPEL - NIGHT
Father Caiaphas murmurs some prayers by candlelight beneath
the mural of the Titan. William enters and approaches him.
WILLIAM
Father?
CAIAPHAS
(solemn)
...*sigh*...After the fall, many of
us gave up hope. It took all my
might to keep their faith alive.
WILLIAM
(pleading)
And your faith, if not in the Titan
then in me, has been rewarded.
CAIAPHAS
We did believe in you, William. Even
after leading our king to his death!
WILLIAM
(pained)
Father...
CAIAPHAS
But we still believed, thinking you
had learned! But now you return
bleating the same foolishness that
killed him-of alliances with demons
and bards!
WILLIAM
If you won't trust in me, then trust
your own eyes. Come back with us and
see how the Isles are flourishing
despite all that!
Caiaphas turns back to gazing into the candlelight.
CAIAPHAS
No...If the Isles have changed as
you say, then there is nothing for
us there.
WILLIAM
I thought so too, but-
CAIAPHAS
-That is my final judgment...! Go...
Saddened, William turns and leaves the chapel. Ciaphas
continues to brood, looking up at the mural of the Titan
with mixed emotions.
THE OBSERVER (O.S.)
(taunting)
...Oh my, how sad...
Caiaphas flinches, hearing an ethereal whisper echo through
the chapel. He turns but sees no one.
CAIAPHAS
Who goes there?! Show yourself!
THE OBSERVER (O.S.)
"The Titan is dead, and we have
killed him." *laughing*...
An ethereal image of the Observer phases through the mural
and floats above him. Caiaphas trembles and makes a warding
sign.
CAIAPHAS
I-I warn you, spirit. This is sacred
ground!
THE OBSERVER
A lot of good that's doing.
CAIAPHAS
(cowering)
W-what do you want with me?!
THE OBSERVER
To show you the true way...
Caiaphas peeks out from the pews.
THE OBSERVER (cont'd)
The nonbelievers speak the truth.
The Titan was never a god. Not a
worthy one, anyway. I, on the other
hand-
CAIAPHAS
-Are what? Another monster?!
Another false idol?!
Caiaphas' fear turns to anger. He seizes a candelabrum and
swings it at the Observer.
CAIAPHAS (cont'd)
Begone! Back to the abyss from
whence you came!
The Observer's apparition vanishes, allowing the candles to
swing through it and crash into a tapestry. The cloth
catches fire and, slowly, the church does as well.
At first horrified, Father Caiaphas slowly grows a look of
impassiveness and allows the flames to engulf the chapel.
The Observer's disembodied laughter echoes overhead.
CUT TO:
EXT. MONASTERY STEPS - NIGHT
William sits huddled outside the monastery with King,
Hooty, and Lilith.
HOOTY
(consoling)
There, there. I know what you must
be thinking...
(teasing)
And the answer is yes! This is
exactly what it was like dealing
with you! And let me tell ya, it was
an ordeal!
KING
Hooty!
They then hear the sound of a clanging alarm bell and turn
to see smoke rising over the monastery. Entering the
cloister, they see nuns running for safety and monks
casting water spells on the blazing chapel.
WILLIAM
King! Run back to your village and
get help. We'll handle the fire.
KING
Got it!
King salutes and runs off into the woods. William casts
huge torrents of water on the inferno, but it's still not
enough.
HOOTY
Lulu! Get me to that well!
Lilith rushes for the covered well in the courtyard. Hooty
snakes down into the well and chugs its contents. He then
rears up and spits water over the fire like a yard
sprinkler.
As they fight the fire, one of the nuns runs up to William.
NUN
My Lord! Father Caiaphas is still in
the transept!
William rushes past the wall of flames, casting a
protective bubble over himself. He finds Caiaphas kneeling
on the floor of the chapel, trying to meditate.
WILLIAM
Father! What are you doing?!
CAIAPHAS
Leave me!
WILLIAM
We have to leave, the whole place is
coming dow-
Just as he says, one of the rafters falls from the ceiling.
William leaps over to Caiaphas just in time to protect him
under his bubble. He then drags the monk out of the blaze
just before the chapel collapses in on itself. The other
monks all mourn their fallen church.
MORNING
By dawn, the ashes have diminished to smouldering embers.
King and a troop of Barghest warriors help with cleaning
the charred timbers.
Elsewhere in the courtyard, William interrogates Ciaphas.
WILLIAM (cont'd)
Just what were you thinking?! "Oh,
this is fine. I'll roast some
sausages while I'm at it! Cheerio!"
CAIAPHAS
(despairing)
A fitting end to a wasted life. From
ashes I came, and so as ashes
depart.
Enraged, William seizes him by the collar of his robes.
WILLIAM
This isn't a psalm! The whole place
could've gone up! Someone-besides
you-could've died!
CAIAPHAS
(pained laughter)
Maybe the Titan would've saved them!
Disgusted, he drops Caiaphas into the mud.
CAIAPHAS (cont'd)
You said it yourself. All our faith
was for naught. So why mourn it?
WILLIAM
I don't know what to believe
anymore, Father...besides this.
William paces the cloister, taking a more rousing tone for
everyone to hear.
WILLIAM (cont'd)
That whatever lies in heaven or
earth, good will always conquer evil
in the end. That you can have faith
in!
Even Lilith seems inspired by his words. Caiaphas hangs his
head in shame.
WILLIAM (cont'd)
You'll have a chance to learn that
in exile.
CAIAPHAS
(solemn)
Very well...I will go.
Caiaphas takes his staff and prepares to leave before
William grasps his shoulder.
WILLIAM
-Not from the Boiling Isles, but to
them. You will bear witness to the
bounty of our new world, and testify
of it to our brothers so they may
join us one day.
William nods for two Barghest guards to flank Caiaphas and
escort him away. The monk bows his head and complies.
As he leaves, Chief Tarak emerges from the ruins of the
chapel and beckons to William and Co.
CHIEF TARAK
Lord Regent. Dr. Clawthorne. We
found something that may interest
you.
INT. CHAPEL CATACOMBS
They arrive to see that the wooden floorboards have burned
away, revealing more of the mural extending beneath the
floor.
The Titan appears to extend its arms and slash its left
wrist, letting drops of it's bluish blood fall. Lilith
gasps and brings up the photo of the mural she found in the
ruins, transposing it beneath the chapel wall. It's a
match.
LILITH
Look! It's the other half of the
mural we found in the depths.
The others huddle behind her, looking at the photo.
KING
But what does it mean? Why is the
Titan hurting itself?
LILITH
More like destroying itself. Why
would it willingly give Haligor the
secret to defeating it?
WILLIAM
Perhaps it tired of being the
Observer's puppet and took the only
way out it could.
LILITH
I...suppose it would explain why she
groomed Belos to be its next host.
Someone without a conscience to get
in the way of harvesting worlds of
their magic.
Lilith's tone slowly goes from skeptical to revelatory.
CHIEF TARAK
(amazed)
So, perhaps the Titan was our
savior...! If only...by saving us
from itself.
Lilith's spots the other half of the glyph circle at the
bottom of the mural and quickly snaps a photo.
LILITH
I don't know, but the Titan may have
just saved my sister.
WILLIAM
Well, if nothing else, I've got
quite the tale to spin for Luz over
breakfast. Care to join us, Doctor?
LILITH
Hmm...I'll catch up later.
Lilith gazes up at the Titan's likeness with newfound
fondness.
LILITH (cont'd)
(smiling)
I might stay and offer a prayer of
thanks.
William smiles and nods, leaving her to a moment of quiet
solace.