This is version 4 of my Project ADC-1 comic book script. I’ve added a bit more dialogue at the beginning in an attempt to reveal more of the storyline early on.
I’ve also tinkered about with the moths. They are no longer flame proof, but they can release a thick smoke-like dust.
Characters
Captain Sylen Benevolen
Height: 184cm
Weight: 80kg
Hair Colour: Black-green, shoulder length
Eye Colour: Green
Skin Colour: Pale
Build: Lean
Age: 28
Attractiveness: Attractive
Attire: Black and green fitted leather body armour
Equipment: Pistol, knife
Lady Umia Yulon
Height: 179cm
Weight: 63kg
Hair Colour: Blonde
Eye Colour: Blue
Skin Colour: Pale
Build: Slim
Posture:
Age: 28
Attractiveness: Attractive
Attire: White oriental style tunic dress with burgundy swirling patterning.
Kopath The High Priest Of Mymosule
Height: 179cm
Weight: 70kg
Hair Colour: Bald
Eye Colour: Black
Skin Colour: Pale
Build: Thin
Age: 50
Attractiveness: Ugly
Demeanor: Devious
Attire: Black long coat
Dark Acolytes Of Mymosule
Hair Colour: Bald
Eye Colour: Black
Skin Colour: Pale
Attire: Black long coat
Equipment: Pistols, rifles, knives.
Captain Atonis Trogade
Height: 185cm
Weight: 84kg
Hair Colour: Blonde
Eye Colour: Blue
Skin Colour: Pale
Build: Muscular
Age: 30
Attractiveness: Attractive
Attire: Black and green fitted leather body armour
Equipment: Pistol, knife
Ion the winged panther
Weight: 250kg
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Green
Special Abilities: Has large wings on his back and can fly. Can communicate telepathically with Sylen Benevolen.
Equipment: Lightweight green leather armour
Green Moths
Appearance: They look like black and green versions of the Death’s Head Tiger Moths in our world.
Special Abilities: Can communicate telepathically with Sylen Benevolen. Can alter their colour to camouflage themselves. Can release a thick smokey dust.
Script
Page 1 (3 Panels)
Panel 1:
Establishing shot. It is dusk. The planetary rings are visible in the purple cloud-streaked sky. Captain Sylen Benevolen is standing on a cliff edge with Ion, his winged black panther. Helmet in hand, he is gazing across a mist filled abyss at the Dark Temple of Mymosule. There is a green moth on his shoulder and the ground around him is blanketed by green moths.
Green moth (telepathically): We have counted 107 invidividual acolytes so far inside the whole temple, Sylen. They have guns and daggers. We cannot defeat them all.
Sylen (telepathically): I cannot let them harm a single hair on her head. Those acolytes are evil people. They were founded before the Breaking Of The World and their rituals are horrific.
Panel 2:
Establishing shot. Inside the temple, Lady Umia wearing a thin white gown is being carried down a corridor in a cage by the black garbed acolytes of Mymosule. Her eyes are wide and she is grasping a locket that hangs around her neck. Lighting is provided by wooden torches. The acolytes are armed with daggers and rifles. On a wall, a green moth is watching.
Acolytes (chanting): Mym-mo-sule Mym-mo-sule Mym-mo-sule
Green moth (telepathically): Lady Umia is in a metal cage. They are carrying her to the sacrificial chamber! We need to help her quickly Sylen!
Panel 3:
Full shot. Back outside on the cliff, Sylen has donned his helmet and is climbing onto his winged panther.
Sylen (telepathically): Ion, let us infiltrate the temple and hide until they open the cage. Then we will rescue her from that hellish place.
Ion (telepathically): Aye Sylen and in the process, I will rend the acolytes to shreds.
Page 2 (3 Panels)
Panel 1:
Long shot. Sylen is flying on Ion out towards the tower with the swarm of moths flanking him like huge bat wings. The mist is swirling in their wake.
Sylen (telepathically): Moths, you will need to smother the torches with your moth-dust and cover our escape.
Green moths (telepathically): Aye Sylen.
Panel 2:
Inside the Dark Temple, Umia has been carried into a cavernous, circular sacrificial chamber. A central raised dais extends half way to the edge of the chamber. A mass of dark acolytes surround the dais. This is a mid-shot of Umia facing to the right of the panel. The silver locket still tightly grasped, she is staring wide-eyed at Kopath. Beyond and to the right of her we see a stone table at the centre of the dais. On the table are bolted black metal manacles. At the far end of the table is a stand holding a curved black dagger. Beyond the table is Kopath the High Priest facing us with a thin smile on his lips. There are no windows and the only light comes from wooden torches on the walls and on 2 torch stands at the altar.
Acolytes (chanting): Mym-mo-sule Mym-mo-sule Mym-mo-sule
Umia: No! Please!
Panel 3:
Lady Umia’s cage has been set down before the stone table. There are two large acolytes on either side of the cage. Kopath is still stood at the far end of the table holding the dagger up above his head.
A green moth is flying into Umia’s cage. Umia is pressing herself back away from the altar, her eyes are wide with fear and transfixed on the dagger.
Kopath: Behold the dagger of Mymosule!
Umia: Please no!
Page 3 (3 Panels)
Panel 1:
Lady Umia in the cage is in the foreground, holding out the back of her hand and the green moth has landed upon it. A slight smile plays on her lips.
In the background, Kopath at the far end of the table with the dagger above his head in one hand is pointing towards Umia with the other.
The two burly acolytes are opening her cage.
Umia (whisper): Sylen?
Kopath: Prepare the sacrifice!
Panel 2:
The cage is open and the two large acolytes have pulled Umia out of the cage by the wrists towards the stone table.
Kopath is still at the head of the table holding the dagger above his head.
Umia is trying to pull away from the table. She is looking wide-eyed in fear at the dagger.
The green moth is fluttering above Umia.
Kopath: You should feel honoured young woman. There is no greater reward than to be offered to Lord Mymosule!
Lady Umia (scream): Nooooooo!!
Green moth (telepathically): Sylen! The cage is open!
Panel 3:
Outside the chamber, Sylen and Ion are perched on a ledge above the ornate chamber entrance. They are mostly covered by the moths who have taken on the same dark grey colour as the stone walls of the temple. Some of the moths are peeling away leaving dark green, smokey, dust trails. Sylen’s head and shoulders and Ion’s head, shoulders and wings are visible.
Sylen (telepathically): Moths, storm the chamber and smother the torches!
Moths (telepathically): Aye Sylen, we will make it like the blackest night in there!
Page 4 (3 Panels)
Panel 1:
Inside the sacrificial chamber the moths are swarming around the walls leaving trails of dark green smoke in their wake. The dark smoke has smothered half of the torches in the chamber, it is darker now. The acolytes in the crowd are looking bewildered. Kopath, still behind the table is laughing maniacally. At the foot of the table, still in the grip of the two big acolytes, Lady Umia is being pulled towards the table by her wrists.
Kopath: Hahahaha!! The dark lord Mymosule himself is visiting us tonight!!
Panel 2:
The whole chamber is now dark except for a faint orange glow from the smoke shrouded torches. Only the edges of the characters in this panel are visible where the faint orange light from the torch stands near the table is illuminating them. Sylen and Ion have flown in over the crowd. Sylen having leaped off the back of Ion is crashing feet first into the big acolyte on the left while Ion is crashing into the one on the right. Umia has been released and is falling backwards. Kopath is still at the head of the table, his arms held up protectively in front of his face, the dagger in his right hand.
SFX: CRASH!! THUMP!!
Big acolyte 1: Aaaargh!
Big acolyte 2: Huuuuugh!
Kopath: What is going on?
Panel 3:
It is still mostly dark in the chamber. Some of the acolytes have started shooting randomly. Their muzzles flashes reveal Sylen and Ion standing over the two big acolytes who are now writhing on the ground. Umia is on the ground with her back to us having fallen away from the table. She is looking up at Sylen. Kopath is still stood at the head of the table arms held up defensively, the dagger in his right hand. The moths are swarming all around.
SFX: BLAM!
Big acolyte 1: Aaaargh!
Big acolyte 2: Huuuuugh!
Sylen (telepathically): Moths, swarm anyone who tries to shoot at us!
Page 5 (3 Panels)
Panel 1:
A muzzle flash from another direction then reveals Benevolen sweeping Lady Umia off her feet towards Ion. Ion is crouched facing us. The moths are swarming all around.
SFX: BLAM!
Sylen: Umia, it is I, Sylen. You will be safe soon.
Umia: Sylen, oh thank you so much!
Sylen (telepathically): Ion, get us out of here as fast as you can!
Ion (telepathically): Aye Sylen.
Panel 2:
In the near darkness, Ion is flying, carrying Sylen and Umia above the crowd towards us and the entrance. The underside of Ion is tinged with the faint orange glow from the shrouded torches.
Sylen: Hold on tightly Umia!
Panel 3:
Full shot. Ion is bursting out of the entrance way, jaws open wide in a roar, a couple of acolytes are falling before him. Astride Ion, Sylen is holding onto the reigns tightly with his left fist while he has his right arm around Umia. Umia has both arms wrapped around Sylen’s neck, her face is buried in his chest.
Sylen (telepathically): Get us out of here as fast as you can Ion!
Ion: ROAAARR!
Acolyte 1: Aiiiieeeee!!
Acolyte 2: Huuuuuurrrrr!!
Page 6 (3 Panels)
Panel 1:
Full shot. Sylen is astride Ion with Umia in his arms. Ion is bounding down a corridor. Behind them, the green moths are swarming around a couple of acolytes who are trying to take aim with their rifles.
Sylen (telepathically): Moths, cover our escape with your moth-dust!
Left Acolyte: Mmmmmffff!
Right acolyte: Ffffffttttttpp!
Panel 2:
Long shot. Ion with Sylen and Umia on board has hurtled out of an arched window over the misty abyss. His wings are spread wide.
SFX: WHOOOOOOSH!
Panel 3:
Full shot of an acolyte who has appeared at the window and is taking aim with a rifle.
SFX: Click!
Page 7 (3 Panels)
Panel 1:
The acolyte with the rifle is suddenly enveloped by a swarm of moths and smoke but the rifle still fires.
Acolyte: Ummfff!
SFX: BLAM!
Panel 2:
Mid shot. Sylen is holding the reigns with his left hand. His right arm is around Umia. The bullet has grazed Sylen’s left shoulder, his leather armour is ripped.
Sylen: Unngh!!
Umia: Sylen!
Panel 3:
Sylen is looking down at his left shoulder. Umia is peering at Sylen’s wound too. Behind them the moths are pouring out of the window leaving a trail of thick, dark green, smokey dust.
Umia: You’re hurt!
Sylen: It is only a graze.
Page 8 (3 Panels)
Panel 1:
Full shot. Flying on Ion through the purple dusk sky over forest covered ruins, Sylen has removed his helmet and has Umia sat before him in his arms. He is looking straight ahead. She is looking up at him. The moths flank them like giant bat-wings.
Umia: Thank you. They were going to … I’m so glad you came for me.
Sylen: You are safe now, I will take you back to Suborea.
Panel 2:
Mid shot. Umia is still looking up at Sylen. He is looking at her now.
Umia: I will never forget this Sylen.
Sylen: Your well being has always been my priority. More than you know.
Panel 3:
Mid shot. Sylen is now looking at Umia but she now has the locket in her hand again and is looking down at it.
Umia: I am very fond of you Sylen but …
Page 9 (3 Panels)
Panel 1:
An over the shoulder full shot of Sylen and Umia on Ion, arriving at the tree top city of Suborea, Ion is swooping down towards a giant bough. Captain Atonis Trogade is running towards them.
Atonis: Umia!
Panel 2:
An over the shoulder shot of Sylen holding his wounded shoulder watching Atonis carrying Umia away in his arms.
Atonis: Thank you Captain Benevolen.
Panel 3:
Umia is looking over at Sylen with a sad look on her face.
Umia: Thank you.
Sylen: Don’t mention it.
Page 10 (3 Panels)
Panel 1:
An over the shoulder shot of Sylen. It is around noon in an open air chapel high in the Suborean tree tops. Umia and Atonis are standing facing each other with a priest stood over them. Friends and family are stood watching the wedding ceremony.
Priest: Do you Captain Atonis Trogade, take Lady Umia Yulon to be your wife?
Atonis: I do.
Priest: Do you, Lady Umia Yulon, take Captain Atonis Trogade to be your husband?
Panel 2:
Sylen has turned around and we see a close up shot of his face. He is frowning.
In the background, Umia and Atonis are still stood facing each other.
Umia: I do.
Panel 3:
It is again dusk, the planetary rings are visible in the purple sky as Sylen flies on Ion over the forest covered ruins flanked by his green moths.
Sylen (telepathically): Say good bye to Suborea my friends, we will not see it again for a long time.
Sylen (telepathically): However, I want three of you moths to return to Suborea and remain there. Keep watch over Lady Umia and let me know the instant that she is in any danger.
Moths (telepathically): Aye Sylen.