Kingdom Come
By
Wayne Power
Fade in. Darkness.
Narrator
When skies above were not yet named
Nor earth below pronounced by name
There was water.
Ext. Under seas.
Narrator
But the waters were not still.
Ext. Below sea. Tiamat the serpent lays coiled.
Narrator
To the north lay Tiamat
The Mother Serpent, Queen of salted sea
Ext.Below sea . Aspu sits in lotus position
Narrator
While to the South Aspu reigned over the fresh waters
Ext.waters mixing. Figures emerge.
Narrator
And where they entwined,
Gods were born
Gods fiercer than any still beheld.
Beautiful yet uncontrollable.
Ext. New born Gods do battle with each other.
Narrator
Ever multiplying filling the once tranquil seas with
War.
Ext. Freshwater. Aspu stands arms outstretched
summoning power of sea.
Narrator
Aspu dismayed at the warring nature of his children
struck a terrible blow.
Intent on ceasing the voracious spred of his offspring
He cursed them with deformities.
Ext.Sea. Deformed monsters emerge from mixing sea.
Narrator
Gone was the beauty of the Gods.
Through shame they became still
And their warring ceased.
Ext. Under sea. Deformed Gods hide in fear
behind rocks and under ground. Some commit
suicide. Tiamat watches scournfully on.
Narrator
Tiamat engulfed by the stillness and suffering of
Her children swore vengeance on Aspu.
Int.Sea cave. Aspu battles Tiamat and monsters.
Narrator
Aided by many of her children Tiamat slaughtered Aspu,
And the fresh waters swam red in blood.
Int.Sea cave. Marduk holds dead Aspu in his arms.
Narrator
Marduk , a warrior God, first born and favorite of Aspu,
Swore vengeance on his father's killers.
A war that would set mother against son began.
Ext.Sea bed. Battle ensues.
Narrator
Marduk and his army of offspring waged a terrible
and savage war on his siblings.
Those loyal to Tiamat were slaughtered
in their thousands.
Ext.Sea bed. Tiamat passes over battlefield blanketed
in dead bodies of her monstrous children.
Narrator
With all but a few of her offspring vanquished, Tiamat took a new
mate with whom she would create a new army.
A force that would crush the conquering
hordes of Marduks young.
Int.Sea cave. Kingu and Tiamat entwined.
Narrator
This mate was Kingu.
Second born of Tiamat and Aspu,
brother of Marduk.
Int.Sea cave. Tiamat gives birth
as Kingu watches on terrified.
Narrator
The unnatural union of mother and son produced
monsters fuelled by hatred and vengeance.
Ext. Seabed. Army of horned tailed monsters chant.
Narrator
Thus was born the race of Demons.
Ext. Battlefield. War rages between
Marduks army and Demons.
Narrator
Almost all that stayed and fought soon lay dead.
Ext. Battlefield. Marduk stands on top of
a tower of slaughtered bodies.
Narrator
On a desolate battlefield covered by his dead kin
Marduk stood alone.
Narrator
His falling tears of sorrow caused
ripples in the now still waters.
Int.Sea cave. Tiamat lays coiled.
Narrator
The ripples lapped against the cold scales of Tiamat,
who lay waiting on word of battles far to the North.
In these ripples lay images of death and sorrow.
Only one remained standing.
His sword glistening in the blood of her children.
It was Marduk, slayer of his siblings
and best loved of his father, Aspu.
Ext. Battlefield. Marduk stands sword in hand.
Tiamat glides toward him.
Narrator
Long did Marduk wait the arrival and vengeance of his mother.
When they finally did meet, the sound of Marduks sword tearing
through the flesh of the mother serpent echoed
through the blood soaked waters.
Ext.Sea. Water turns red with blood.
Narrator
Marduk's sword had cut her in two.
From her upper half Marduk made the sky,
while from the other he made the earth below.
From her tongue were birthed forests
Narrator
And from her tears came the rain.
Marduk stood victorious
But Marduk stood……
Alone.
Fade out.
Fade in.
Night. Ext.
Top of snowy mountain. Lucifer stands
gazing at sky.
Lucifer/narrator
In his lonliness, he created us from the stars
that filled the skies above.
I was the first, the Morning star.
His brightest son. And so we angels filled
his life and Paradise was born……
and that dear brother is the story of our creation
as told to us by our father… Marduk.
Lucifer turns to look upon the crystal city of Heaven.
Shining crystal buildings tower into the clouds.
Lucifer
But even after the creation of such a wondrous place,
I fear that he was not content. Perhaps the absence of his siblings filled his heart with woe or maybe he has left to fill the rest of the surrounding land with his creations.
Lucifer
Whatever the reason, all I am really sure of is that I must find him and discover his reason for leaving us all.
That now must be my purpose.. why..Raphael? Why has he left us here to grieve and wonder if he will ever return? and make us whole again.
Raphael places hand on Lucifer's shoulder.
Raphael
We are all shocked and grieved by the Fathers
disappearance, Lucifer. We all feel his absence.
That is why, even as we speak, groups of our brothers prepare themselves for the search that lies ahead.
Our search will not be in vain.
Lucifer
I hope you're right Raphael…
After all, without our master, what purpose do we serve?
What reason for our being is there?
Raphael
I'm not sure my brother. But maybe purpose isn't all that important. Maybe we can just be…and finally have lives of our own making.
Day break.Int.
Great hall in crystal palace.
Groups of angels sit around giant table.
Michael
So it is decided. Four teams of two shall set out in separate directions into the unknown territories that surround our walls. Lucifer and I shall journey Westward.
Raphael and Damiel shall quest to the North.
Lucifer
And Gabriel, you and Uziel shall head South, while Aziel and Behizel search the Easterly region. Of course this leaves Azriel behind, entrusted with the great task of watching over the young…that is of course only if you think you're capable of such a majestic task, my brother.
Azriel
I do not venture with you brothers because of fear.
I stay because of anger. I say, if it suits our Lord and master to abandon us, with out even an explanation as to why he would go, then I say leave him exiled.
Azriel
After all, it was he, who chose to leave, was it not? He has proven, through his own actions that he cares not about us.
It has been long since he abandoned us and we still live, we have proven that we don't need him.
Lucifer, were you not one of the many who believed that we would all cease to exist with out the presence of our loving father? But look at us now, we are still here, and we ourselves are creating new life.
Our offspring, the Cherubs, their songs fill our streets and Heaven, our city, still continues to grow.
If he doesn't want to be here, then leave him be.
For I care not. I know many of you feel the same as I, but you still venture off into the unknown, risking your own lives as if they were not your own to risk.
Heaven needs you all. Now more than ever.
Michael
We are all aware of your feelings Azriel and indeed many, including myself agree with you. But, for the sake of Heaven, there are questions that remain unanswered, and we are unable to answer them to the masses.
Michael
So it is for the populous of Heaven I go, to find the answers to their questions.
Azriel
So you quest out of duty toward your fellow angels?
How very noble of you, Michael.I'm sure that it is not out of jealousy that you travel on this quest. Why, if only Michael could bring back our absent father from the unknown territories, then, would not all lay praise to him?
And maybe, just maybe, they would favor you over the Morning Star.
Michael
Ridiculous. Your bitterness has driven you to madness.
Lucifer
Enough. Whatever the reasons be, we have decided to search.
I go out of devotion. Others search for answers. Some leave out of curiosity, to know what lies beyond these crystal walls. Either way, tomorrow we leave this place behind not knowing when or even if we shall return. So for now, let us not argue but embrace each other as brothers, for it may be the last time we do so.
Azriel
As always, the Morning Star is right.
Gabriel
Now, let us end this council and enjoy our final hours in this, our city.
Ext. Streets of Heaven.Council of angels walk through roaring crowd.
Azriel
Lucifer, beware as you journey with Michael. Envy has ravaged his spirit. Sometimes I fear his actions.
Make sure you return to us. Heaven needs you most of all.
Lucifer
Fear not for my well being, my brother. I shall return.
And I shall return with our father.
Azriel
That remains to be seen.
Uziel
I still don't think it wise that we leave so soon.
We are still unsure as to what it is that lurks in the shadows surrounding our walls. Many claim to have seen strange creatures move in the darkness. What if they are real and not just a conjuration of a bored mind?
What if they are hostile and they turn their evil on Heaven?
Gabriel
If they do, then Heaven will fall.
What do we know of warring and battles?
All we know is how to serve and praise our father.
That is another reason for us to be successful in our quest, we need our protector back. Our great warrior.
Unfortunately he never made warriors of us, fearing we would fight each other as his siblings had done so before.
We are weak. All we know is devotion. That is why we must succeed.
Raphael
Damiel, do you fear what lies beyond these boundaries?
Damiel
I know not what lies beyond, so how can I fear it. But I know father created all, so if it is half as beautiful as Heaven, then we have nothing to fear.
Raphael
I'm excited as to what sights our eyes shall behold.
Damiel
It doesn't hurt the ego either to know that we will return as heroes…if we return at all.
Night. Int. Lucifer's bedroom.
Lucifer is asleep dreaming.
Lucifer stands before Marduk.
Marduk
Do not come in search of me, my son. You will bring
great danger unto you and all of your kin.
Lucifer
Why? Why have you abandoned us my lord? Why have you left us cold and uneasy in this never-ending night?
Do we displease you? Do our existence offend you?
Forgive us our mediocrity; love us once more…love us.
Marduk
Do not come for me, morning star. Stay. Stay.
Lucifer falls to the ground as if bound by invisible chains. A great black dragon wraps its self around Marduk. Its gaze falls on Lucifer.
Dragon
I see you.
Fade dream.
Lucifer awakes sweating blood.
Lucifer
I'm coming for you father.
Morning. Ext. walls of Heaven.
Crowd has gathered to bid farewell to travelers.
Azriel
And so we bid our brothers good journey and pray to our father to watch over them as they venture so boldly into the unknown. All our hopes go with them that they will be successful in their quest, but more importantly that they return to us safely. Know dear brothers that our spirits travel with you. When you lie beneath the darkened sky of night, all our prayers and dreams are of you. For all are one and we are united in spirit forever. Leave now brothers, and may your travels be swift and true.
The crowd roar and all eight travelers embrace and then go their separate ways.
Day. Ext.Forest. Lucifer and Michael
walk through an overgrown wood.
Lucifer
I had expected to encounter different lands from the ones we already are accustomed to. We have been traveling almost a full week now and all we have seen is trees, trees and more trees.
Michael
It would appear that our fathers' creative endeavors lack the originality that we had accredited him with. I wonder if the others are also lost in infinities of trees.
Lucifer
I pray not. Who knows? Perhaps they have been more successful than us, and even as we speak, the streets of Heaven are once again radiated with the glow of our father.
Michael
Ever the optimist, are we not? Face it Lucifer, father left us for a reason and even if by some minute chance, we do find him, it's doubtful that, that reason will have changed.
Michael
He won't return until he wants to return, and face it, he may never desire such a thing. Any way, things aren't that much different in his absence. It was tough at first, but things have gotten better. Angels are continuing with their lives, finding new purpose in their young, while others have turned to constructing beauteous structures and statues. In many ways things are better now…we're no longer slaves.
Lucifer
If you feel that way, then why do you search for him with me?
Michael
It's like I said at council. I search for him to find the answers to the questions that the rest of the angels of Heaven yearn for. No other reason. I know in my heart that we shall return alone, but the others need to see that for themselves. When they see he is gone for good, then - and only then - will they start to forget him. Then they can move on with their lives.
Lucifer
Have you no love for our father? We were never slaves. We lived to serve him. That was our purpose, our reason to exist. That was our life. There's a difference between that and slavery. Without him to serve I feel hollow, and without purpose I fear I might shatter.
Michael
In my own way, I truly love our father. But it is our brothers and Heaven that holds the priority of my affection. Heaven is all that matters to me. You, poor Lucifer, you need love. Isn't the love of all of Heaven good enough for you? The love of my own kin is good enough for me. Heaven is my God who I shall serve with all my essence.
Lucifer
We're not so different really…………wait - do you hear that?
Michael
Yes. It sounds like running water.
Both run until they break through the forest.
They come to a stop by a cliff side. They turn to each other and smile.
Michael
The sea, dear brother. The sea from where we were all born. The place were all life began.
Day. Ext.Desert.
Uziel and Gabriel struggle through the dense heat.
Gabriel
I cannot take this heat any longer. Why didn't we bring more water?
Uziel
Well I don't think that we were expecting this. A full week of sand and scorched rock and heat. No water…no rain. Why would father create lands such as these? Nothing could possibly survive here.
Gabriel
And by the looks of things, unless we find water soon, we won't survive long either.
Uziel
I…can't ……… take this………Why have you forsaken us father?
Why have you left us here to die?
Uziel collapses.
Gabriel falls to his knees.
Gabriel
Don't let us die here father. Not here…not in this hell.
I thought I was forever.
Gabriel collapses.
Shadowy figures approach from the distance closing in
On Gabriel and Uziel.
Day. Ext. Cliff by the sea. Lucifer and Michael
stare at the ocean.
Lucifer
So where do we go from here? Do we just turn back or do we……
Michael
…Jump in and see what lies beneath?
Lucifer
I suppose it's possible that father could be somewhere in there. After all, is that not from where he came?
Michael
Maybe. But look. The sea seems to stretch out forever on all sides. It would be a never-ending search, and we don't even know if we could survive beneath the seas. Maybe we should just turn back.
Lucifer
I didn't come this far just to turn back. If you want to return home and tell the others that your quest was
Lucifer
aimless, then do so. Unlike you Michael, I didn't come because I wanted to prove the quest would be fruitless.
I came to find my father and I will not return with out him.
A black tentacle springs forth from the sea.
Lucifer, frozen in fear gets caught
and dragged into the sea.
Michael runs into the forest screaming.
Michael