Chapter 1
(Naera is camping out after a long day. She takes out her journal, sighs, and starts writing.)
Day 3.
Today, I walked. And walked. And walked. Much walking was done. I should write a song about it. Because it's all I do these days.
My posterity is going to really bored when they read this, I can already tell. I'm not too concerned, since I'm fairly convinced at this point that I won't have any posterity anyway. So I can write whatever I want here. Pushkin. Bob. Flatulence. Goombkinarglrgrlap. There. Now I can't have posterity, because they can't be allowed to read this.
(Naera chuckles, and then becomes despondent.)
I have no idea what I'm looking for. I can't even be sure that I'm going south. I don't know if "south" is even the right direction. Where did I even get that impression, anyway? When I left, it seemed like the right way to go. Now I'm wondering if I'm just being an idiot, following feelings like they'll lead me somewhere.
Corrin always said that Pavah speaks to us through our bodies, not through words. It speaks through feelings. Small thoughts. Things like that. Not through dreams. Not through people. That's what uneducated poets say.
But I still can't turn back. That is very clear. So there is something pushing me forward. It's not just me being an idiot.
I'm just praying that whoever - whatever - is doing the pushing will send me a signal sometime soon. Otherwise, I'm as good as doomed.
(Scene change. Naera is wandering the snowy wilderness, finding a trail. She goes down it, and sees a plume of smoke off in the distance. She camps for the night.)
Day 4.
I found a road today, with a plume of smoke off in the distance. That has to mean a town, or a house, or some place with other people in it. I'm sincerely hoping so, anyway, because I'm almost out of food. And I am not terribly excited at the idea of hunting or trying to find edible plants in this snow.
It's strange that I haven't seen anyone else on this road. I know it's winter, but don't people still hunt or go to other towns around here? For all I know, though, these people go into hibernation this time of year and don't wake until spring.
Either way, I'm not losing anything by going to the smoke. Right?
I really wish that I knew what I was doing. It would make my life so much easier. And considerably less terrifying.
(Next day. Naera goes down the road, headed towards where she saw the smoke. She comes upon an old farmhouse, and goes to look at it. It's abandoned, and there are signs of fire damage inside.)
(Now very suspicious, Naera continues down the road, and finally comes upon the source of the smoke: a ruined, burned-down town.)
(She halts, staring around at the destruction. It looks recent.)
Naera: What....happened here?
Gods....
(she wanders forward, walking slowly, looking around her. Plainly astonished.)
(she sees a figure in the distance - a young woman, on her knees in the snow. Naera awkwardly approaches her.)
Naera: Um.....
Hello?
(the girl initially doesn't respond. Naera leans over, and sees that the girl's eyes are closed.)
Naera: Uh....hello? Can I - are you alright?
(she steps forward, crunching in the snow, hesitantly reaching out to touch the girl's shoulder. The girl finally seems to wake up, notices Naera, and immediately attacks her.)
(there's a scuffle. The girl pins Naera to the ground, and is about to stab her with a sharpened piece of wood.)
Naera: WaitWAIT!
DON'T! PLEASE!
(The girl halts.)
Naera: I'm not...I'm not going to hurt you! It's....I didn't.....please don't kill me.
(the girl lowers the stake. She stares at Naera, who tries a smile. Finally, she gets up off of Naera, who staggers to her feet, hands up. They look at each other for a few awkward moments.)
Naera: Uh....I'm...Naera.
(The girl doesn't respond.)
Naera: Naera. My name. It's Naera. (pointing to herself). Naera.
Completely harmless. Not interested in setting things on fire. Promise.
(the girl looks at her for a minute longer, and then walks away. Naera slumps with relief. She looks up, and sees the sun setting. She sighs, looks at the girl, who is once again kneeling in the snow. Gingerly, she sets her stuff down.)
Naera: Um. Is it all right if I camp here?
(the girl glances at her, then goes back to staring off into space.)
Naera: I'll....take that as a yes.
(she sets up camp, making a fire. She brushes off her hands, and then looks towards the girl. Evening has fallen. The girl hasn't moved.)
(Slowly, Naera takes out her flute, standing up. She prepares to blow into it, and then looks back at the girl.)
Naera: Hey. Hello?
(the girl glances at her.)
Naera: I'm drawing up wards for the night. If you want, you can come into my camp before I do. You'd be under protection.
Probably better than sitting in the snow all night. I'd say.
(the girl doesn't respond. Naera sighs, and begins to play.)
(she makes a slow circle around her camp, playing as she goes. The girl watches. As Naera is about to finish, the girl approaches. Naera pauses, seeing her, and smiles at her while still playing. The girl smiles back uncertainly, and points at the campfire. Naera nods, and the girl comes in. Naera finishes the ward, and lays down her flute. The girl stares at it.)
Naera: Heh. No one should be able to see us. And if anyone walks through, they'll just sort of....teleport to the other side. No worries.
(the girl cocks her head.)
Naera: I'm...guessing that you can't understand me.
(the girl furrows her brow.)
Naera: Right.
Well, let's try this again. (points to self) Naera.
(she points to the girl, with an expectant expression. The girl stares at her for a second, and then points at herself.)
Girl: Kolyrah.
Naera: Kol....Kol..deerah?
Girl: (shakes head) Naht, naht. Kohl. Leeeerrrr. Ah. Kolyrah.
Naera: Ko...lyrah.
(The girl nods.)
Naera: Kolyrah. All right.
It's...um....very nice to meet you. Kolyrah.
Kolyrah: Kat duya sevbak.....Neerrah?
Naera: (smiling) Naht. NAI-ruh.
Kolyrah: N...Naarrrah.
Naera: (laughs) Close enough.
(Zoom out. We go a distance away, following the trail of ruined towns to an encampment. Soldiers are eating and talking, generally having a good time. We pass them, coming up to a figure standing on a hill. A shadowy mustachioed figure. He is looking out over the horizon, towards a settlement. One of the soldiers approaches him.)
Soldier: Looks to be easy enough, sir.
Man: Indeed.
(there is a pause)
Soldier: Something wrong, sire?
(Mustache doesn't respond for a moment. Then, he turns to the soldier.)
Mustache: Bring out the Borman.
Soldier: (tenses) Yes, sir.
(The soldier heads back to camp, approaching a tent set off from the others. Inside is a cage, with a guard.)
Soldier: The General wants him.
(The guard rises silently, unlocks the cage. Inside, we see the bulky outline of a man, bound and gagged, hunched up against the wall of the cage. The guard goes in, and takes him by the arm, dragging him out of the tent. The soldier and guard go back to Mustache on the hill. The guard throws the bound man at the General's feet.)
General: Remove the gag.
(The guard hesitates, and then does as he is bid. The man rubs the corners of his mouth, marked with raw sores.)
General: This is the last town we will have to break through before heading to the heart of Gulaya. It's been far too simple so far.
Man: (laughs hoarsely, and then starts coughing) And what...do you expect me to do about it?
General: What should we expect?
Man: And why should I tell you?
(the general turns to him, and kneels down, looking him in the face. He removes the man's blindfold, revealing bright golden eyes glowing in the darkness, face heavily bruised.)
General: Do I need to repeat myself?
(the man gives him a hard look, which the General returns: grey against gold. Finally, the man looks down, face shadowed. He touches the ground with a finger, and hums a deep, quiet note, breath rising in fog before his face. His eyes glimmer. He sees large shapes, silhouettes of hulking beasts.)
Man: They have makurak. Well-armed. Well-trained. This town is the gateway into Gulaya proper. Strong protection. Nothing....like the last settlements.
(the General gets to his feet, turning to the other soldier.)
General: Makurak.
Soldier: We haven't met any of those yet.
General: It seems that it's finally time to employ our next plan.
Lieutenant, make the preparations.
Lieutenant: Yes, sir.
General: Private.
Guard: Yes, sir.
General: Back into holding.
Guard: Of course, sir.
(the guard reaches down, and replaces the gag on the golden-eyed man. Right before the blindfold is tied back into the place, the man gives the General a hard, hateful look. He is taken away, back towards his cage. The General returns to looking out over the horizon. We get a good look at his face.)
General: Hard days ahead.
