Episode_Foundation

ZEKE (Narration)
I can feel you here again. Good...I was starting to worry you wouldn’t show.
Then again...there’s not much purpose to this without you, is there?
It’s all in your shadow from now on...just the way it was meant to be.
The truth is…I don’t know if I’m sorry or not. Because…
Even nightmares like this have to happen for a reason.
And if it isn’t to shape me into the person I was always meant to be…
Then why?
Why can I feel you so clearly?

06/24/2016
Blackthorne Valley

*Zeke is sitting against a huge tree, his head tilted up. Out of breath, his eyes glaze over as clouds pass. Standing in front of him is Garrick, a knight sworn to Astra Dominus.

GARRICK
Get on your feet, nice and easy. I’m takin’ you home.

ZEKE
Have fun carrying a corpse, cuz that’s the only way you're gonna--

Garrick grabs Zeke by his arm and starts dragging him away.

GARRICK
I’ve lost all my patience for this.

ZEKE
Get off me! HEY!

GARRICK
What were you thinking? How were you planning on getting back into Astra Dominus? Did you think you were going to skip right past the border wall the same way you left, and everything would’ve been fine?

ZEKE
I don’t care, I just needed to get away from home. I was gonna figure out the rest after.

GARRICK
What’s wrong with home?

ZEKE
It’s my parents.

GARRICK
Oh, sweet saints.

ZEKE
They just don’t understand. It doesn’t matter what I do, it’s never enough.

Garrick turns around at the sound of branches snapping. Abel, now in plain sight, smiles at the knight - feigning innocence as if he was no enemy at all.

GARRICK
...One of Blackthorne’s scoundrels.

ABEL
Indeed I am! And you, I believe...are outside your jurisdiction.

Garrick drops Zeke to the ground.

GARRICK
The boy wandered beyond the wall. My business stops and starts at escorting him home.

ABEL
Then I’m quite sure any further violence will be unnecessary. It is still my responsibility to see that you turn around. Comprende?

GARRICK
I’ve got some issues with tha--

Zeke tackles Garrick, nearly knocking him to the ground. The knight grabs his wrists, preventing Zeke from continuing his assault.

ZEKE
You fed my parents to the snowmen and thought I’d just lay down and die with them?!

GARRICK
What? Have you lost your mind?! I’ve done no such thing!

ZEKE
LIAR!

Garrick kicks Zeke square in the chest, sending him back against a tree unable to catch his breath.

GARRICK
...huff...the boy was sound just a few minutes ago. Lunatic...I shoulda known, it’s the only reason anyone ‘wanders’ past the walls...

ABEL
That is enough. He is under my protection now, and this is the last time you will be asked to leave.

GARRICK
I can't do that.

ABEL
You will not like my methods, but if you insist...

With Abel’s war talon impaling his chest, Garrick spits his last words with blood.

GARRICK
When the republic of Astra Dominus wills the end of Blackthorne, they’ll send a lot more than me to make it happen.

ABEL
Then I’d suggest Astra Dominus find new Archsages that learn from their mistakes. We have run you off before, and we will do it again with no problem.

GARRICK
So speak the stars, the lot of you will shatter.

ABEL
You and your prayers mean nothing to the stars.

Abel shoves the knight off his talon and he falls to the ground.

ABEL
You’re not special.

Abel swipes blood off of his talon, indirectly splattering against Zeke’s face and making him flinch slightly.

ABEL
You.

The two lock eyes as Abel kneels down in front of Zeke and extends a hand.

ABEL
I can see the pain in your eyes.

Zeke gets up without Abel’s help. Abel walks away as the boy trails behind him.

ABEL
If you’ve come this far to run away from your pain, you may find a lot of power in learning to wield it. Come along, now. Come out from underneath who you were…

Zeke looks up at the mountain plateau. He squints, very carefully making out a flamingo standing at the top and returning his watchful eye.

**Next Episode: Polar Eyes