Episode 2

EXTERNAL: TRIANGLE MTS. MORNING
Close-up: CHLOE ISIS , face overexposed in morning Sun. Her nose wrinkles and her eyes flutter, face twisting into a mask of disgust.

CHLOE ISIS

What are you doing?

Zoom out, reveal her rolled in a blanket, further out to a wide shot revealing VALENTINE over a camp fire.

VALENTINE

Cooking.

CHLOE ISIS gets up, inspects frying pan.

CHLOE ISIS

What’s that?

VALENTINE

Sausage. It was patties, but they kind of fell apart in the bag, so now it’s more of a sloppy joe sausage.

CHLOE ISIS

Sausage?

VALENTINE

Sausage.

CHLOE ISIS

Real sausage?

VALENTINE

From a pig.

CHLOE ISIS

Gross!

VALENTINE

Where do you think it comes from?

CHLOE ISIS

I don’t eat meat.

VALENTINE

You have to eat meat.

CHLOE ISIS

(points)
That used to be an animal.

VALENTINE

Yeah. A pig.

CHLOE ISIS

But it used to be alive. It used to be a living, breathing, thing. It used to walk around and sniff other pigs.

VALENTINE

Its only crime was being delicious.

CHLOE ISIS

I’m not eating any. That’s awful.

VALENTINE

Suit yourself. (Takes pan off fire.) What are you going to eat?

CHLOE ISIS

I’ve got trail mix.

VALENTINE

Won’t go far just on trail mix.

CHLOE ISIS

I’ve never seen the Sun that low over there.

VALENTINE

Probably almost seven. I figured we should get an early start.

CHLOE ISIS

Seven in the morning? Jeez, what are you worried about, it’s only ten miles to Wicked City. We’ll be home by dinner.

VALENTINE

Have you ever walked ten miles? We’ll be lucky to get there before midnight.

CHLOE ISIS

A person walks about four miles an hour.

VALENTINE

Over flat ground in a straight line. We’re going through forest and underbrush. We’ll be walking all day.

Montage of events matching NARRATOR’s monologue.

NARRATOR

It wasn’t long before Valentine got Chloe up and moving and on down the highway that zig-zagged through the mountains to the edge of the Valley where the road continued North along the edge of the Black Forest, which was Triangle’s only real protection against the trolls on the other side. The woods were so thick and overgrown that even the oafish trolls couldn’t force their way through quiet enough to avoid being heard miles away.

VALENTINE

How are we ever going to climb through that?

NARRATOR

An army of trolls was one thing, but Chloe Isis and Valentine were considerably smaller. They managed to find all number of nook and cranny to slide through between bush and boulder. The trees were so ancient and at ease that Valentine and Chloe could only occasionally see the sky, filtered through leaf, branch, and knotty twig. When the valley raised up the slope of the next mountain, and then down into another valley, they were able to find a break in the coverage at a stump pressed up against a boulder.

VALENTINE and CHLOE ISIS approach a stump. It is tipped on its side, roots splayed out in all direction like fingers. When they reach it, we see it is several feet taller than them, and they must use the branches as a ladder to climb it.

On top, they steady themselves against the Ice-Age boulder and look out over the valley. From here, we can see the river crossing not far off. Across the river is a yellow plain dotted with homesteads.

CHLOE ISIS

There must be a town past all that. I hope we can get there soon for lunch

VALENTINE

You want lunch already?

CHLOE ISIS

We’ve been walking all day!

VALENTINE

It’s still morning. If there's a town, we won't see it for a while

NARRATOR

The trees on the east slope of the mountain were gnarled and veiny, the oldest they’d seen so far. Their leaves were a thick, malicious green with deep brown bark split to reveal yellow marrow within. These were trees that had fought hard to stay alive in the blistering wind that surged across the plains full force into the Triangles. The air here was heavy and wet with rain trapped for years. This side was steep and allowed little foothold but for discarded branches, roots, and the few stones exposed through the bed of slimy yellow leaves.

VALENTINE

I don’t look forward to coming back up this way.

NARRATOR

They reached the bottom and dusted themselves off.

VALENTINE

That river can't be far.

CHLOE ISIS

It’s probably going to be dark soon.

VALENTINE

It’s not even noon.

NARRATOR

They pushed on over the mud and rocks of the floodplain. These trees were young, none more than a century. Their translucent, yellow leaves scattered across the ground, but not in any bed thick enough to keep Valentine and Chloe from sinking ankle deep with each step. It wasn’t long before they reached the river, swollen with winter melt and moving too fast to cross.

VALENTINE

We need to find a bridge.

CHLOE ISIS

You don't think you can swim that? I don’t know about you, but I’m burning up. It’s not that far. We could hold our clothes over our heads.

NARRATOR

Valentine gave it some thought.

VALENTINE

That water is barely warmer than ice, we'll be dead before we reach the middle. Come on, there’s got to be a road somewhere, or maybe a house with a boat.

NARRATOR

They went north along the river bank, which was even ground with hard-packed mud. The spring floods had not yet started.

CHLOE ISIS

This would be a good place to cross. Look at the rocks, it’s probably not even over our heads.

VALENTINE

And the water is only barely more than freezing. Our hearts would stop as soon as we got in the water.

CHLOE ISIS

You know, you worry too much. I don’t think I like that about you.

VALENTINE

I can live with it.

NARRATOR

In late afternoon, when everything was yellow on the other side, they came to a bridge, ancient and brown, made with desiccated planks and metal nails that once could support heavy carriage or train.

CHLOE ISIS

You want to cross that?

VALENTINE

You’ve got a better idea? And don’t say swimming.

CHLOE ISIS

We might as well. It’s what we’ll be doing once that bridge collapses around us. I’m sorry you’re afraid of a little cold, Rubin.

VALENTINE

Jump right in. Go ahead, I’ll meet you on the other side.

VALENTINE starts to climb up a concrete pylon.

CHLOE ISIS

How am I supposed to get up there if you go first? I can’t reach those boards. Come back here.

VALENTINE drops down and lifts CHLOE ISIS by the waist. She reaches...

Reaches...

... And catches hold, dramatically pulling herself up. VALENTINE nimbly follows.

VALENTINE

Look, we can go to that knoll over there. We can probably see a little farther down the road.

CHLOE ISIS

What’s he gonna know?

VALENTINE

Huh?

CHLOE ISIS

What’s that gnoll gonna know about what’s down the road?

VALENTINE

Let’s just go.

Montage matching NARRATOR’s monologue

NARRATOR

The Sun’s red rays dried their sweat to a scratchy salt film. As they approached the knoll with two tall pine trees in the center, they saw it was haloed with broken and leaning gravestones and what remained of steps.

CHLOE ISIS

It’s a graveyard!

VALENTINE

Let’s check it out!

NARRATOR

It was ancient, the stones were stark and dry with letters and dates worn almost to nothing.

CHLOE ISIS

It’s too bad nobody picks them up.

VALENTINE

I think we’re the first to see this place in a long time.

NARRATOR

They searched between the rows for a readable date, crawling on the short, wiry grass that poked through the acidic soil.

VALENTINE

The Sun is almost gone.

CHLOE ISIS

It goes down fast in the shadow of the mountains.

VALENTINE

We should stay here tonight.

CHLOE ISIS

In the graveyard?

VALENTINE

It’s as good as any. We can set up set shelter in the trees.

CHLOE ISIS

I’m almost out of trail mix.

VALENTINE

I saved some muffins and potatoes. We’ve got enough for breakfast. After that, I hope we can get to Wicked City pretty quick. Look, there’s a stream down there we can clean up in.

CHLOE ISIS

I’m dying for a shower.

VALENTINE

We’ll have a fresh start in the morning. We can get into Wicked City and be on our way home before we even know it.

CHLOE ISIS

You’re making the fire.

FADE TO BLACK

FADE IN...
INTERNAL: HOOK’S APARTMENT
HOOK is sitting at the table. TREMONT is looking out the window with his arms crossed.

HOOK

Still nothing?

TREMONT

I thought I told you to pipe down.

HOOK

So you still don’t want to tell me what that coat does?

TREMONT

What did you tell the girl?

HOOK

She was carrying on about some ice that is growing on the Tree of Life. I told her that’s what it did.

TREMONT

And that’s what it does.

HOOK

Am I magic, or just lucky.

TREMONT

I wouldn’t go with lucky.

HOOK

You’re such a party pooper.

TREMONT

I’m stuck playing babysitter to a grown up street urchin. How do you expect me to feel?

HOOK

Coat’s got to be worth it. Bandyboo paid enough for it.

TREMONT

Bandyboo?

HOOK

That name ring a bell? Big guy. Real soft spoken.

TREMONT

You said he was a troll.

HOOK

I did business with the troll. I only met the real Bandyboo once.

TREMONT

Keep talking.

HOOK

I think I asked you first. What about the coat?

TREMONT draws his sword half out.

HOOK

Give it a rest. I’ve yet to even see the other half of your sword. The troll did all his dealings. The two of them lived down in Wicked City and rarely dealt with humans.

TREMONT

And he’s calling himself Bandyboo?

HOOK

That mean something to you?

TREMONT

Get your traveling clothes on.

HOOK

Are you kidding? It’s almost midnight.

TREMONT snaps his finger and HOOK’s table collapses on him, covering him with drink and debris.

HOOK

Yes sir.

FADE TO WHITE.

DAHOOTY (OFF-SCREEN)

Trolls!

FADE IN...
EXTERNAL: ANCIENT CEMETERY, MORNING

VALENTINE sits up.

DAHOOTY (OS)

Trolls!

CHLOE ISIS rubs her eyes.

CHLOE ISIS

(Rubbing eyes)
Who's yelling?

DAHOOTY (OS)

Wake up! Wake up! Trolls!

VALENTINE stands, looks around.

VALENTINE

I don’t see anyone.

DAHOOTY (OS)

Trolls!

CHLOE ISIS

Up there!

CHLOE ISIS points up. An Ibis is flapping above them. He is DAHOOTY. His wingspan is massive, and he has a long, bent neck and a saber-shaped beak. DAHOOTY lands between CHLOE ISIS and VALENTINE.

DAHOOTY

You move, trolls come this way.

CHLOE ISIS

Who are you?

DAHOOTY

Me Dahooty. You deaf, girl? Trolls come to eat your guts if you not running now.

VALENTINE

I don’t see any trolls.

DAHOOTY

South, through those trees. They spot your fire last night. Take long way around to ambush you. I follow all night. Dahooty good friend!

VALENTINE

(Peering through the trees)
There are no trolls.

CHLOE ISIS

There!

CHLOE ISIS points west, toward the river, where two riders can be seen galloping across the plain toward the cemetery.

VALENTINE

Those aren’t trolls.

DAHOOTY

Whatever they are, we better not meeting them, now go go go!

VALENTINE stares suspiciously at DAHOOTY a few seconds.

VALENTINE

You’re awfully insistent on getting us moving.

DAHOOTY

You clearly not understand immense danger this side of river.

CHLOE ISIS

It’s two knights.

VALENTINE

What makes them so dangerous?

DAHOOTY

They’re monsters. They’re killers. Let’s go!

VALENTINE

First you say trolls, now you say knights. Whose side are you on?

DAHOOTY

Knights! Trolls! Anything! Everything! Let’s go!

VALENTINE

I think we should stay right here. What do you think, Chloe?

CHLOE ISIS

Sounds good to me. Maybe they could give us a ride.

VALENTINE

We’re going to stay.

DAHOOTY

Fine. Stay. Take chances. Something you should know though.

VALENTINE

What’s that?

DAHOOTY

Dahooty serious about troll.

Underbrush explodes and a bloated, pink monster bursts from the trees, bellowing, with a battle axe raised over its head. TROLL chops at VALENTINE, who dodges left. CHLOE ISIS gets on its right and kicks Troll in the shin. TROLL turns on Chloe and tries to chop her sideways. DAHOOTY circles about, cawing and crying. VALENTINE picks up a large branch and clubs Troll over the head, knocking it into a clutch of gravestones, smashing them under its weight.

VALENTINE

Chloe! Come on! Let’s go!

CHLOE ISIS tries to dart past, but TROLL grabs her ankle and pulls her to the ground. VALENTINE jumps on Troll’s back and pummels TROLL's shoulders and head with his fists. TROLL releases Chloe and gets up with VALENTINE still on its back. VALENTINE kicks at Troll’s back and legs. TROLL slaps and claws at VALENTINE.

DAHOOTY

Run! Run!

CHLOE ISIS picks up a piece of broken headstone and hurls it at Troll, striking Troll in the chest. TROLL bellows and lunges for Chloe. CHLOE ISIS dodges and picks up another rock, backing up and taking aim, throwing rock and picking up another in quick succession.

VALENTINE

Hey! Watch out for me!

CHLOE ISIS throws another rock that smashes Troll in the face, knocking Troll to his knees. TROLL roars and spits out a mouthful of broken teeth. TROLL tries lunging at CHLOE ISIS from a kneeling position, but VALENTINE continues to pound Troll’s head.

DAHOOTY

Glithvals! They’re Glithvals! Run!

TROLL reaches back and grabs hold of VALENTINE’s arm, pulling Valentine over Troll’s head, and tossing Valentine effortlessly down the hill, where VALENTINE rolls until he is stopped by a pair of headstones.

TROLL tries loping back the way it came, but CHLOE ISIS throws another rock, striking Troll in the top of it’s head. TROLL’s eyes go wide and it falls face first into the grass. VALENTINE gets up and inspects himself.

CHLOE ISIS

I killed the troll!

DAHOOTY

(Landing)
You killed the troll.

VALENTINE

He’s not dead. Look, he’s still breathing.

DAHOOTY

Those knights Glithvals. No friends of ours. Come on, we go!

CHLOE ISIS

Glithvals? Do you think they’re chasing us?

DAHOOTY

Why would Glithvals chase you?

VALENTINE

They wouldn’t.

DAHOOTY

You don’t talk to Dahooty now? Dahooty save your life.

CHLOE ISIS

Maybe they want the coat.

DAHOOTY

What coat?

VALENTINE

Why would they?

DAHOOTY

They coming this way. Surely they saw battle. They hand out a beating!

CHLOE ISIS

Let’s get out of here before that troll wakes up. Come on, grab our stuff!

DAHOOTY

Collect everything. Quick!

CHLOE ISIS

What can you carry?

DAHOOTY

Dahooty is just a weak little bird. Tiny little legs and thin wings. Only good for accessories... or maybe a money pouch?

VALENTINE

Don’t give him anything. For all we know, he came with the troll.

DAHOOTY

That absurd! Dahooty not come with trolls.

VALENTINE collects their blankets and belongings with CHLOE ISIS’s help.

DAHOOTY

They almost here!

VALENTINE

I’m ready! Go! Go!

They run down the east slope of the hill along a path through the brush made by the troll. By the time they reach bottom, they can hear gruff voices of the Glithvals above them. They run out of the trees onto the plain with DAHOOTY flying over head.

VALENTINE

Did they see us?

DAHOOTY

They are still on the hill. Dahooty can’t see what they’re doing.

CHLOE ISIS

Where are we going?

VALENTINE

They’re on horse, they’ll catch us in no time.

DAHOOTY

A road crosses the stream, not far ahead. It leads into a town to the south. We’ll be safe there, the Glithvals won’t give chase.

NARRATOR

They ran and ran with Dahooty flying above, keeping an eye o the knoll, but the Glithvals never gave chase. By noon, the hill was out of sight, and Chloe and Valentine were winded.

CHLOE ISIS stops, doubling over and panting.

CHLOE ISIS

I can’t go any more. We’ve got to stop.

VALENTINE

They must have seen us.

DAHOOTY

Glithvals see everything! Go! Go!

CHLOE ISIS and VALENTINE

No!

DAHOOTY

So unsafe.

VALENTINE

Look! Smoke, from a chimney! The town isn’t far.

CHLOE ISIS

We can finally eat.

VALENTINE

That will be great, I’m starving.

CHLOE ISIS

Do we have any food left? I’m all out of trail mix.

VALENTINE

Everything is raw, we can’t eat without a fire, and there’s nothing to burn.

CHLOE ISIS

I haven’t eaten all day.

VALENTINE

And neither have I. That town can’t be far. Fifteen minutes, half an hour, no more. Dahooty?

DAHOOTY

Oh sure, Dahooty sees it close.

NARRATOR

They reached the road not far after with a narrow wooden bridge meant for no more than getting a man and occasional horse or cow across the gurgling stream. It was much smaller, but much more sturdy than the last bridge they’d crossed. There was nothing left on the plain to build but the rock these people could tear from the earth. Nonetheless, they'd erected a quaint little town with dirt roads and stone-front buildings.

With DAHOOTY circling overhead, VALENTINE and CHLOE ISIS walk into town.

FADE TO BLACK

Episode 1

FADE IN:
INTERNAL: VALENTINE’S BEDROOM, MORNING
A small bedroom with a bookshelf, computer desk, and a bed. Sunlight streams around the blankets that have been hung up to cover the two windows. The blankets are a mess, with VALENTINE poorly concealed beneath them. He is young, with dark, messy hair and long, slender limbs. With a gasp, he sits up, confusion on his face.

NARRATOR

Valentine awoke suddenly from a dream that he was a single cell on the bottom of the ocean. All Valentine could remember was that it was very dark, and he was very, very lonely.

VALENTINE gets out of bed, puts on a T-shirt, ragged pants, and looks at himself in the mirror, pulling his crusty eyes open wide, and sticking out his tongue to inspect. VALENTINE walks out of the bedroom.

Cut to hallway, wide shot, looking up as VALENTINE walks down the hall and past the camera, which turns to follow him down the stairs into the living room and stops looking over his shoulder at CHLOE ISIS, sitting on a white couch. The living room has three large windows blown out white with the sunlight streaming through. CHLOE ISIS is tall with fire-engine red hair.

NARRATOR

On his new couch, Valentine found something he didn’t expect. He didn’t know her, but he’d heard the stories.

VALENTINE

What are you doing here?

CHLOE ISIS

Want to go on an adventure?

VALENTINE

(shrugs) Sure.

CHLOE ISIS holds out a smokey blue glass bottle that twinkles in the sunshine. VALENTINE takes the bottle and drinks.

VALENTINE

Uck, that takes like battery acid.

CHLOE ISIS

Probably is. Some guy told me it would cure all my ills. It’s worked so far.

VALENTINE

What kind of adventure?

CHLOE ISIS

Extreme importance. You and I are going to save the world.

VALENTINE

From what?

NARRATOR

Valentine was a man of few words.

CHLOE ISIS

From the Black Ice that has frozen the Tree of Life. It’s going to consume the world if we don’t stop it.

VALENTINE

(crosses his arms)
Where do you suppose we find the Tree of Life?

CHLOE ISIS

In the most ancient quarter of the Old City, deep in the gorge at the edge of the Great River, where all life first came into creation, deep at the bottom of the sea.

VALENTINE

(Looking over his shoulder.)
Did you say the sea?

CHLOE ISIS

The Tree of life has grown cold. Old City has started to freeze.

VALENTINE

You can’t get into Old City. It’s closed.

CHLOE ISIS

Well, I did. And I can do it again too. Did you ever think you were going to be a hero?

VALENTINE

(Rolls back his eyes in thought.)
No, not really.

CHLOE ISIS

Well, let’s get going!

VALENTINE

I don’t even have socks!

CHLOE ISIS

There’s no time for that now, we have to reach Old City before it’s too late!

CHLOE ISIS grabs Valentine’s wrist and drags him out the front door. Cut to...

EXTERNAL: VALENTINE’S HOUSE. MORNING
Crane shot, looking down on Valentine’s quaint brown house with big front windows and bluestone front steps. CHLOE ISIS pulls VALENTINE behind her. Camera follows from behind as they walk intercut with close-ups of their faces as they talk.

VALENTINE

How did you hear about this?

CHLOE ISIS

I had a dream about it.

VALENTINE

We’re doing this because of a dream?

CHLOE ISIS

Don’t tell me you’ve never had a dream that you knew had meaning, that someone was trying to give you some kind of message.

NARRATOR

Valentine thought back to the one from which he’d just awoke, the dark, droning of the lightless seabed, sand beneath and thousands of pounds of water crushing down on him.

VALENTINE

Nobody gets inside the city. That’s what they told me and my Dad.

CHLOE ISIS

Well, the Tree of Life is sick, and we’ve got to save it. We don’t have a choice.

Closeup on CHLOE ISIS as she smiles, with big eyes and sunlight glistening on her teeth.

NARRATOR

Valentine was starting to see the logic of her arguments.

They pass down cobblestone streets and orange brick buildings chipped and worn by the wind.

VALENTINE

How are we supposed to save this tree? How can we stop the ice?

CHLOE ISIS

Way I see it, this is magic ice, not like anything you’ve seen. If we’re going to stop magic ice, we’re going to need magic of our own.

VALENTINE

Do we have magic?

CHLOE ISIS

You ask too many questions. I hope the entire trip isn’t going to be like this. I might have to rethink the whole adventure.

VALENTINE

No, no, it’s cool. It just seems like an awful lot at once. I mean, do you even know my name?

CHLOE ISIS

It’s Rubin, right?

VALENTINE

Call me Valentine.

CHLOE ISIS

I’m Chloe Isis. Pleased to meet you. Now, to answer your absurd question, no, of course I don’t have any magic, but I know where to find it. There’s an old wizard in Triangle that owes me a favor. If he can’t give me advice, there’s probably a few other avenues we can explore.

VALENTINE

We’re going to Triangle?

CHLOE ISIS

Don’t be such a baby. How else do we get to Old City?

VALENTINE

There’s other ways.

CHLOE ISIS

And we don’t want to take them, believe me. I’m telling you, we’re not starting this thing out on a good foot.

Scenes match NARRATOR’s dialogue.

NARRATOR

Triangle was a half day’s journey from Valentine’s home. They took it by train over the soft, rolling hills and deep valleys, full of short, sharp blades of grass still yellow from winter, baking golden brown in the new sun. Triangle was the hub of three highways through the Southern Tier, forming a web across the county that reached out north from other lands Northwest, and to the fabled ruin of Old City to the west. Chloe and Valentine arrived at Triangle by lunch, which they purchased from a street vendor on the train platform. They ate grilled cheese with peppers and spinach.

Zoom in on Valentine and Chloe eating sandwiches on the concrete platform.

VALENTINE

So where is this wizard?

CHLOE ISIS

Oh, he’s around. Usually doesn’t take him too long to find me. He’s got spies all over the town.

VALENTINE

Are you sure he’s a wizard. Have you seen him do magic?

CHLOE ISIS

Oh sure, lots of time. What’s wrong, Rubin, you sound like you don’t trust me.

VALENTINE

Call me Valentine, and sure, I trust you, I suppose, but, I mean... we’ve been at this all day and I haven’t seen anything. I mean, I had things to do!

CHLOE ISIS

What did you have to do? Fifty years down the line, you won’t remember anything else about this week. It's an adventure, it's going to take time.

CHLOE ISIS leads VALENTINE through the streets of Triangle past dirty wooden buildings with broken boards and posts. People shamble about like they are only half alive. A few take a passing notice, but most don’t look up.

VALENTINE

It’s like everyone is zombies.

CHLOE ISIS

There are Glithvals in town.

VALENTINE

Glith-what?

CHLOE ISIS

Warrior-priests from Old City. No one smiles when the Glithvals are in town.

VALENTINE

What do they look like?

CHLOE ISIS

Keep your eyes open, there’s no way to miss them.

NARRATOR

This was a prospect Valentine found daunting. It seemed sure they would cross paths eventually. Valentine had never considered himself a warrior of any sort, let alone a priest. The Glithvals were sure to take issue with unwelcome visitors in the city they protected.

CHLOE ISIS

There’s one now!

VALENTINE

Where?

Wide shot of the crowded street. Towering above the crowd are three armored men with long hair and beards.

CHLOE ISIS

Those are the Glithvals.

The crowd parts before the warriors and they stomp past Chloe and Valentine without looking down. The people are all silent until the Glithvals are gone. Then the murmur and din return, slowly at first, building to a dull roar.

VALENTINE

They’re monsters.

CHLOE ISIS

You haven’t seen them in a fight.

CHLOE ISIS starts walking. VALENTINE struggles to keep up.

VALENTINE

You have?

CHLOE ISIS turns down a corner and leads him into a damp alleyway with garbage and stray animals lurking in the shadowed corners. CHLOE ISIS stops halfway down the alley.

CHLOE ISIS

They follow the trolls. I was in Tiphereth, north of here, and a few Glithvals came in hunting a warband. The trolls found us that evening, came in over the mountains when it started to get dark. I’ve never seen a raiding party that big. The village was swarmed before anyone even knew what was going on. The trolls were hacking and slashing, and setting fire to every structure they had time to stop at. The Glithvals had been drinking at the tavern, but still met the enemy lightning quick. They all had swords, but I don’t think one was ever drawn. Glithvals use magic, burning the trolls, or tossing troll like sticks without even a touch. I saw one tear down a light post from fifteen feet away.

VALENTINE

And we have to fight them?

CHLOE ISIS

Not if we’re lucky. Come on, my friend is just up this way.

CHLOE ISIS takes VALENTINE's wrist and drags him around a corner, where a single torch burns nearly at extinction above a warped wooden door.

VALENTINE

You sure he’s a wizard?

CHLOE ISIS

They don’t all live in towers, Rubin.

VALENTINE

You can call me Valentine.

CHLOE ISIS

He may not be as talented as the rest, but he has ears and he knows what wizards know.

CHLOE ISIS knocks on the door and it resonates with a heavy, ominous, and hollow ‘Thump! Thump! Thump!’ like the sound is bouncing down a long corridor. CHLOE ISIS steps back and crosses her arms. VALENTINE waits to he right. Footsteps, far off at first, but getting louder as they approach, echoing off stone walls within. Half a dozen heavy metal locks crash open on the other side and the door swings open to reveal a bedraggled old man with an untamed white beard that wraps up around the sides and back of his head, but leaving the top bare. He is wearing a blue bathrobe that is dirty and frayed from years of use, tied tightly in the front with an overhand knot. He is HOOK. His eyes are wide and crazed, and he clearly doesn’t recognize Chloe Isis at first.

CHLOE ISIS

Hook?

HOOK

(Looks her up and down) Chloe Isis?
...
What are you doing here?

CHLOE ISIS

I’m saving the world.

HOOK

Again? (Pokes a long, knobby finger at VALENTINE) Who is this?

CHLOE ISIS

This is Rubin.

VALENTINE

Valentine.

CHLOE ISIS

He’s coming with me. The Tree of Life is freezing.

HOOK’s eyes get wide again and he looks up and down the alley.

HOOK

Get in here. Get in here.

HOOK grabs CHLOE ISIS and VALENTINE and pulls them both inside.

INTERNAL: HOOKS APARTMENT
One room with a table and tiny bed in the corner. Every other inch of the walls are shelves with books crammed in from ceiling to floor. HOOK pulls VALENTINE and CHLOE ISIS inside, slams the door, and locks the single bolt.

HOOK

You know better to talk about that in public! What if the Glithvals hear you?

CHLOE ISIS

So what if they do? I’m not afraid.

HOOK

You will be when they drag you back to Old City and put you in chains. Do you think I haven’t seen it? They have no mercy, young lady. No mercy.

HOOK’s eyes blank as he wanders off in thought, turns to VALENTINE, looks him up and down, and approaches, pointing a long, knobby finger at him)

Who is this?

CHLOE ISIS

His name is Rubin.

VALENTINE

Valentine.

HOOK gets inches from VALENTINE and looks him up and down.

HOOK

Could be a spy.

CHLOE ISIS

He’s not a spy.

HOOK

Where did you meet him?

CHLOE ISIS

I went to his house.

HOOK

I don’t trust him. Leave him here, I’ll find a place to dispose of him.

HOOK draws a small knife from inside his robe.

VALENTINE

(Backs up with hands raised).
I’m not a spy!

HOOK

I’ll be the judge of that, young man.

CHLOE ISIS

Stop! (Steps between them) He’s not a spy! (Circles him closely.) Look, Hook, we need to know how to melt the ice on the Tree of Life.

HOOK

How should I know? Use a torch. I’ve got one here. Only cost you a few pennies.

CHLOE ISIS

It’s magic ice. We need magic to melt it.

HOOK

(Lights a long, wooden pipe.) Magic ice?

CHLOE ISIS

Placed there by a curse. It’s spreading over the land.

VALENTINE

She’s seen it.

CHLOE ISIS

It’s made the people of Old City despair. It’s already here in Triangle, can’t you see it?

HOOK

I’ve seen it. I’ve seen it. Thing is, that kind of magic, you can’t just waltz in there and break it down. You need to combat it. On its own level.

CHLOE ISIS

That’s why we came to find you. How do we fight it, Hook?

HOOK

You’ve got to give me some time, let me do some digging. Couple’a days. I should have an answer for you. In the mean time, I’ve got another way to help you get in there.

CHLOE ISIS

Tell me, Hook, tell me!

HOOK

There is this coat. A Maroon Coat, came from a great and mighty wizard. It’s said the magic in that coat can protect you from anything. You could wade right into that magic ice and not even burn. If you want to save this tree, this coat is the only way to get there.

CHLOE ISIS

What is it? Let me see it!

HOOK

Don’t got it. It got stolen by trolls a couple years back. They took it back to Wicked City as a prize.

VALENTINE

You want us to find it?

HOOK

No, my boy, we want you to find it. (Puts his arm around VALENTINE and leads him away from CHLOE ISIS.) You, me, and that little girl over there, we want you to find it, because if you don’t, there is no way we can accomplish this mission of yours. (Takes a long draw on his pipe.) Hear me?

HOOK exhales a billowing cloud of bluish smoke that swirls around Valentine, slowly dissipating and fading.

VALENTINE

Yes sir, of course, sir.

NARRATOR

Valentine did not like addressing this man as sir.

HOOK

Good. (Leads VALENTINE back to CHLOE ISIS.) You see, without that coat, the moment you go wading in that river to save the Tree of Life, your legs will freeze and crack and shatter. You don’t want that, do you?

VALENTINE

Um... no.

HOOK

Of course not. Now, last I knew, the Maroon Coat was in possession of an old troll named Bandyboo. He owns a junk shop on the edge of Wicked City.

VALENTINE

Junk shop?

HOOK

Oh sure, trolls love junk. Can’t get enough of it. I’ve seen them wandering around the city picking up trash to take back and sell it for a tidy profit. Not a bad thing to keep in your mind. If you ever need a few pennies, just track down a troll. He’s bound to buy whatever trinket you happen to be offering, be it whittled stick or painted stone. Trolls eat them up.

VALENTINE

Can we just talk to him?

CHLOE ISIS

Bargain with a troll? Are you kidding?

HOOK

Why not? How else are you supposed to buy it back?

VALENTINE

Buy?

HOOK

I’m not asking you to walk in and take it.

CHLOE ISIS

We don’t have any money!

HOOK

You’ll have to earn it then. Lord knows Bandyboo isn’t going to just hand it over.

VALENTINE

This is too important for games. If we just explain to him what we’re doing, he will be moved to give the coat to us in good faith.

HOOK

And he’ll be so swayed by the melody of your song that he just gives it to you out of the sweetness of his black, slimy little heart. This is a troll, boy. If you want something, you’d best be ready to give it to him if you don’t back it up. If you give him something nice, he’ll probably be a little more inclined to listen.

VALENTINE

(Raises his fist.) If he doesn’t, I’ll give him something to help think it over.

CHLOE ISIS

All right, Rubin, that’s what I thought!

HOOK

You do that, boy. Come back and tell me how those trolls answer back. Better yet, write me a letter while they’re chewing on your guts. (Chuckles and turns away.) He used to have a store in the marketplace, but I’ve heard he moved. Ask around town, someone is sure to know him. Now go.

CHLOE ISIS

All right, but...

HOOK

There’s no time for that now. Move. Quickly.

HOOK ushers them out the front door, back into the alley.

VALENTINE

Why you! Let us back in there!

HOOK laughs and slams the door. VALENTINE and CHLOE ISIS dust themselves off. VALENTINE breathes heavy, calming himself down.

CHLOE ISIS

So then we go east.

VALENTINE

That’s it? He pushes out so we go brave the trolls?

CHLOE ISIS

You got a better idea?

VALENTINE

Well, no...

CHLOE ISIS

So we go east.

VALENTINE

(shrugs) We go east. You want to stay here tonight?

CHLOE ISIS

Stay here? In Triangle? We’ve got to keep moving. It’s barely one o’clock! What time do you think it gets dark?

VALENTINE

Be the time we get out of the valley and over the mountain the sun will be almost down. You want to go through the Black Forest at night, because I certainly don’t.

CHLOE ISIS

So we camp out at the top of the mountain.

VALENTINE

The top?

CHLOE ISIS

Why not? Haven’t you ever wanted to see the sun rise from the highest place in the world?

NARRATOR

Better than midnight at the lowest for sure.

VALENTINE

Sure! Of course I have. We’re going to need food though. And supplies.

CHLOE ISIS

Then we’d better go shopping.

VALENTINE

I only have six dollars.

CHLOE ISIS

Everything will work its self out.

Montage matching NARRATOR’s monologue as CHLOE ISIS and VALENTINE collect supplies.

NARRATOR

They bought food at the food maker, drink at the drink maker, and a little desert from the vendor on the street. Chloe moved off and came back with blankets that she put in a sack that she negotiated from a spinster for only two coins and a gem that was probably fake. When they were ready, the sun was just over their heads, painting the world red and drawing long shadows on the road to the East Gate, which wasn’t as much of a gate as two guard houses manned only in daylight hours and never on holidays and weekends, and usually just by stable boys the Elder Council had talked into feeling tough for the afternoon.

The guards glared menacingly as Chloe and Valentine passed, but said nothing. Their auspicious posts required the guards to wear heavy plate armor, more likely as a deterrent from attacking an innocent passer-by. Valentine hoped this news never reached the ear of a marauding troll warband, or any other invading force that might show up at night or during the Feast of Saint. Sebastian on the First Sunday of Spring.

Triangle was the gateway to all of the South, wedged in a pass between two mountains and a river. If it were to be captured, it would surely spell doom for every free man, woman, and child anywhere in a few days march of the town. Trolls weren’t too likely that smart–they were big, brutish creatures that smashed down everything in their path, but strategic importance was wholly lost on them. They were disordered and easily kept at bay, and served as a limited defense in themselves against any invader that may want try and attack from the north.

The hillside was warm as Chloe and Valentine followed the highway zig-zagging through the pine trees that were flexing their muscles and stretching every needle and thorn in the new Spring sun. Chloe ran and jumped and skipped and made Valentine carry both their packs, but even he found opportunities for a little skipping of his own.

NARRATOR (cont)

They were at the summit of the hills when the red sun finally touched the far-off mountains in the west. Chloe stood at the top with her arms spread wide, soaking it in. When she was done, they descended a little until they found a sheltered clearing in the trees to lay their blankets and built a little fire. They ate cheese and spinach sandwiches with avacado smeared over it. For desert they ate orange slices and drank tea until the whole world was dark and they fell asleep holding hands with the eye of the full moon looking down on them from above.

Fade to...
INTERNAL: HOOK’S APARTMENT
HOOK is asleep sitting up. A clay cup is knocked over in front of him. Heavy pounding on the door. HOOK snaps awake.

HOOK

Whoisit? Huh? Whos’ere?

More pounding.

HOOK

I’m coming, I’m coming, hold on. Miserable piece of...

As soon as HOOK turns the door handle, the door is thrown open and three GLITHVALS enter. They are TEPPINS, LOKIA, and TREMONT. TEPPINS wears a skull-faced helmet with long, twisting horns.

TEPPINS points at HOOK , and he is hurled back against the bookshelf behind him, knocking most of its volumes to the ground.

HOOK

Marshal Teppins! You came!, and so fast!

TEPPINS traces a line in the air, and HOOK is lifted off the ground, hanging suspended above a pile of books.

TEPPINS

I don’t have much time.

HOOK

No sir, of course not!

TEPPINS

Give it to me.

HOOK

I don’t have it yet. Soon. That coat is on its way.

TEPPINS flicks his finger, hurling HOOK against the bookshelf, smashing it apart, leaving HOOK atop a pile of books and broken boards, holding his back and clenching his teeth against the pain.

TEPPINS

(to TREMONT) You called me down here for this? Next time, you’d better see it before you pull me away from dinner. (Removes helmet. To HOOK) How long?

HOOK

Day or two.

TEPPINS

Where is it?

HOOK

That’s for me to know and deliver to you very shortly. Now, about this reward...

TEPPINS draws his broadsword and presses it against HOOK’s throat.

TEPPINS

Reward? You deserve a reward? You give me some reason to even believe you, and we can talk about a reward.

HOOK

My sources...

TEPPINS

Your sources are running out one by one.

TEPPINS leans in, pushing harder against HOOK’s neck.

HOOK

Wicked City. A street girl named Chloe Isis went off to get it.

TEPPINS

Who has it?

HOOK

Got taken from me by a troll.

TEPPINS

You sent a little girl to fight a troll.

TEPPINS looks over his shoulder to the GLITHVALS. All laugh.

HOOK

Not to fight, to pay back the debt I owe him.

TEPPINS

Ah yes, because trolls like to eat little girls. This story doesn’t smell right.

HOOK

But it’s true, sir. I wouldn’t lie. Not to you.

TEPPINS

I’d know if you were. (Sniffs at HOOK.) (To TREMONT) Stay here. Keep your eye on him. If this girl comes back, pay her for her services and throw this thing in the river.

TREMONT

(Deflates)
I live to serve you, Marshal Teppins.

TEPPINS exits, followed by LOKIA.
FADE to BLACK