Tag: War
ZONA: That is *not* the reason we came after you. The reason … I … came after you.
TULA: There was more than one reason. More than one purpose in our actions. Not all of it is under our control. But you are here. Zona and you are together. And that is a powerful good, not just for you two.
PONTAGAR: And that? (pointing at the torc)
ZONA: Mentl is my silver-bonded and a member of our tribe.
PONTAGAR: Charming.
MENTL: You got a problem with that, Big Red?
PONTAGAR: (shrugs) If I do or don’t, what does it matter to you? Just kill a dragon, little man, and this I swear - any problems I ever had with you will go away. Gen venon co Eroghen. Welcome to the tribes of Erogenia.
ZONA: I’m proud of you, Pontagar. You’ve learned some rudimentary manners.
PONTAGAR: Hmf!
ZONA: But we also have some important news. From my mother.
(Pontagar and Rannik’sears prick up)
ZONA: And also from my father.
(Pontagar and Rannik: “WHAAAA?”)
TRANSCRIPT:
PAUSE. Zona and Pontagar eye each other.
PONTAGAR: You got what you went for. He’s here, now. And … I saw some of what he can do. (To Mentl)
PONTAGAR: So - you’re going to fight for us? Use your magick?
MENTL: Yeah.
PONTAGAR: You can kill an ogre and you can dig a hole in the ground. Can you kill a dragon?
MENTL: (thinks) Yeah. Yeah, I’m pretty sure I can.
PONTAGAR: Good. Because if you can’t, then you won’t be any special use. And the warriors we lost because Zona was gone will have bought us just one more little magicker with their lives.
ZONA: Pontagar …
MENTL: No, he’s right.
: That’s why you guys came after me. That’s what Erogenia needs. That’s what The Book said. And now that I’m here after going home, after training there and all - I can feel it. It’s … really sometimes like it’s hard to even keep it under control. What did Tula say - A “walking earthquake”, or something? Well, that’s what my job is now. So point me where you need me. I’ll do the magick.
Transcript:
ZONA: So … Benelek, Tragan, Musta …
PANEL 2 (Yatta-Ta throwing his hat in the fire)
RANNIK: And Sheahla. That’s just today.
ZONA: Gods.
PANEL 3 CU on Zona
ZONA: How many left?
RANNIK: Twenty five, Highness.
ZONA: I … If I’d been there …
PANEL 4
CU on Rannik
RANNIK: Don’t. You had good reason to do what you did. And you succeeded. So did we, frankly. We fought well, we fought hard. We got everything we were sent to get and more. Our little band weren’t sent here to win the war, Zona. We were here to be a bug up the ass of the Urtts, and to get the information that your mother needs to make preparations to win the war. All of us knew what we were in for. All of us - including you - were willing to die if we had to.
PANEL 5
On ZONA
ZONA: I know. I know, I just wish …
PANEL 6
ON PONTAGAR
PONTAGAR: Wishes don’t win battles, princess.
IPOLA: But seriously - only use it when it’s vital you send the message instantly. There’s so much we still don’t know about these rings. Whether the enemy can detect them, for instance, or if there is a limit to how much energy is in them - everything we find out just raises more questions.
ZONN: I understand. And you’re leaving tomorrow.
IPOLA: Yes.
ZONN: Let’s make good use of the time, then.
IPOLA: Zonn …
ZONN: Mm?
IPOLA: Zonn, there’s still so much to discuss, to plan … to … arrange …
ZONN: Of course. Hours until noon. We’ll talk about it over breakfast.
IPOLA: It’s just … we … I … oh, Goddess, I wish I didn’t love you so much …
ZONN: So inconvenient.
IPOLA: Terribly …
JEEVIK: Good morning, my l -
JEEVIK: Ah.
JEEVIK: Very good. I’ll keep the breakfast warm for awhile, then.
ZONN: And you are right about one thing: With what’s at stake, we have no right to hold ourselves apart from the fight. I know the Urtts as well as you do. It wouldn’t end in Erogenia.
IPOLA: No - no, it wouldn’t. Have you spoken to Uissan?
ZONN: Yes. I understand that they look at the Urtts as … victims like themselves, in a way. But even he acknowledges that three thousand years later they’re as responsible for themselves as we are. But … well, they’re talking among themselves about it. We’ll see if they come up with something. Anyway. The answer you were looking for from me is - yes. If you call, I will come. Alone if necessary, but with all our strength if possible.
IPOLA: I have something for you, then. These are few and precious. We still have not figured out how to duplicate the magick in them, but I brought this one for you.
ZONN: What … what does it … do?
IPOLA: I’ll teach Chera and you together, to make sure that there’s always someone who knows how to use it. Watch:
YANORA: Yes, Ipola? Ohhhh … Well, well, well!
TRANSCRIPT
ZONN: Ipola …
IPOLA: Wha … it’s morning already.
ZONN: Yes.
IPOLA: You look awful.
ZONN: Not surprised. It was a long meeting. A lot was said.
IPOLA: And?
ZONN: We are your subjects.
IPOLA: Ohh. Thank you, Zonn.
ZONN: It will be for a year at a time - just like all the other tribes.
IPOLA: Of course. This … this means a great deal to me.
ZONN: I know. It means a lot to us, too.
IPOLA: I’m so sorry for the way I tried to bully you. Cha na amanh.
ZONN: It’s balanced. Cha nethron.
IPOLA: It was an oath I had hoped never to need to fulfill, but the choices of the Urtts have forced it on me.
UISSAN: You still intend that this is the end of your war now? To annihilate the Urtt people?
IPOLA: I can see no other way. We let them in peace for twenty years, and all they did with the time was to arm and grow stronger and more vicious. And now, with the return of Shuach’s power and the dragons, their own intent is very clear.
IPOLA: They mean to eradicate our nation and enslave all of us. Every human. Every human child, every human female everywhere on Teria. If we defeat them as before, leave them on their side of the river as before, then in twenty years again or thirty or forty they will rise again and threaten us as they do now. I wish I was clever enough or good enough to think of another solution, but I can’t.
UISSAN: I see. I will go to my people and see what our own wisdom can offer. But know that there are many who look at this solution of yours with horror. That the brutality and coldness of it is not something that they can support with all their own cha, regardless of its seeming necessity. They will say that the Erogenians of today are not as different from their ancient ancestors as they wish to appear.
IPOLA: I understand. Tell them this for me: If, in their wisdom, they can offer a better solution that does not sacrifice the future of my people, I will listen with open ears and heart. Tell them that Ipola says that the word of the Nassim, especially in this, carries special weight for me, even in the face of the oath of my youth.
TRANSCRIPT:
IPOLA: He is a powerful enchanter - yes, we need him, too. And we need you.
ZONN: What about my tribe, Ipola?
IPOLA: Any warriors - every one of your warriors willing to fight. I need them.
ZONN: I … How do we get them there? It’s fifteen hundred miles. They can’t all ride aburori.
IPOLA: Almost no one can. This was a one-time favor from a good friend.
ZONN: So how?
IPOLA: I can find a way. We can find a way. I just need to know if you will come. If I call, will you come?
ZONN: For you, Ipola … if it was just me … I can’t speak for everyone.
IPOLA: Of course. So please hold a council, get an answer. I have to leave in three days.
ZONN: We’ll have the gathering tomorrow.
IPOLA: Ah. All right, thank you.
ZONN: At that time I’ll ask them if they want to pledge fealty - or not.
IPOLA: Oh.
ZONN: We have something here of our own, Ipola. The young folk have never known Erogenia - or you. And it’s a long way away. Also - a lot of my warriors have never known real war. I do my best to train them, but … well, that thing you were talking about earlier? About finding a new way? We might have stumbled on it, accidentally. We live in peace with the Nassim. And we … we tend not to get into stupid fights like we did when I was young at home. We solve our problems most of the time without bashing each other. Our enemies are monsters and animals and the heat and sandstorms. It’s a harsh life, but ...