A Light In The Darkness

Sequence 1

It is a savannah with scanty trees and tall grass all around. The environment has an unsettling yet beautiful blue hue to it, disturbed only by the orange evening sun. On the savannah a single antelope buck feeds on the grass blissfully unaware of the five blue dots which are now encircling him. Within the blue grass a figure resembling a young girl with dark skin and glowing blue hair covered in red markings focuses intently on the buck within the blades with her piercing blue eyes.

The buck pauses his meal to gaze at this figure, his eyes are hypnotised by the flowing dance of her dreadlocked hair. He keeps staring as if unable to look away, completely immersed in the display until.....

...SNAP...

The buck hears the crack of a twig and darts away at lightning speed. A blue streak of light cutting through the grass quickly follows and soon overtakes him. Suddenly a young girl holding a spear leaps from the grass above the buck, full of rage. She channels that rage into a mighty throw of her spear which pierces through the skull of the buck and pins it to the ground as blood gushes everywhere.

The young girl stands over the moaning buck,her face and clothes splashed with blood,panting heavily as four other young girls run to meet her. The smallest one of them jokingly says to her, "I almost let it get away.

She is greeted back with an angry growl and condemnation, "What do you think you are doing!? Why are you such a worthless hunter?" as the other hunters stare silently in shock. She then goes back to finish off the moaning buck, resting her foot on it's head and twisting it's neck with her spear one swift motion. She then gestures to the rest of them and shouts, "Let us be leaving!".

Two other hunters rush to tie the dead and bleeding buck to a spear as the smallest girl stands alone looking dejected, still shaken by the words she heard. A hunter places her hand on her shoulder and consoles her saying, "Be patient with the King's daughter Zaka, she has much to bear with already".

The King's daughter leads the group westward as the sun sets on the horizon, her face full of concern and worry.

Worry about things to come.

Sequence 2

The hunters trek a considerable distance and finally reach the gates a massive walled city built upon the side a high mountain. The walls are guarded with patrolling archers and warriors with spears.

One of the archers on the walls waves her hands and signals to the gate keepers 'the King's daughter has arrived, open the gates!'.

The gate, adorned with lightning and lion symbols loudly and slowly swings open revealing the bustling market within.

The people of the market start to bow and make way as the hunters walk through the market square. The princess pays them no mind and continues to walk until suddenly she is tackled and thrown to the floor by a massive blue lion.

The lion opens his mouth wide to gently and playfully lick the bloody face of the princess as she laughs begging him "Haaa haaa stop it boy, haaa stoooop!".

As she plays with the lion a soft yet angry voice of an older woman shouts her name "MOISE!".

Moise looks up to see her mother, Queen Menefer and runs to hug her. The Queen stops her before she can get to her saying, "Why are you covered in blood?".

Moise looks down at her clothes covered in blood spatter and shrugs her arms saying, "I just got here".

The Queen raises an eyebrow and folds her arms as she scolds her daughter, "Really? You just got here yet you are playing in the middle of the market square?".

Moise also folds her arms and rolls her eyes as the Queen continues to scold her, "You are not a child anymore, you are royalty, start acting like it. I can not have you looking like this with convergence upon us!".

Moise throws her arms in the air, complaining as she walks away, "Alright mother I'll go clean myself".

Moise pets the lion and says, "Kosey let's go".

Before she leaves Queen Menefer calls her attention, "Don't forget your spear".

Moise raises her hand and a bolt of lightning shoots from it, quickly pulling the spear into her hand as she walks away.

The Queen shakes her head and whispers a prayer to herself, "Oh great Maahes shine your light over my daughter".

Sequence 3

Moise is sitting alone, sulking under a carefully constructed waterfall shaped like a lion effigy. Her spear rests on the wall and her ceremonial clothes are neatly folded beside her. She sits silently,lost in thought until she sees hears a rustling sound faintly in the background. Moise groans in an upset tone and steps out from under the waterfall saying "Hey I do not want to see anyone right now".

Zaka, the girl Moise berated earlier meekly steps out from behind the bushes. Moise asks sneering "What do you want?".

Zaka knells and responds "Mistress your father requests your presence at the throne room". Moise replies "I am on my way out, please do not..." Zaka interrupts and starts to apologise with tears in her eyes "Also... Mistress I am sorry for almost spoiling the hunt....".

Moise looks on with an annoyed expression as she continues. "..... I brought shame to you and to our house". Moises' face relaxes to that of remorse as Zaka continues to apologise "..... for this I accept any punishment you give me".

Zaka is still kneeling with tears in her eyes as Moise kneels down and puts her hand on her shoulders saying, "No...I am sorry, I should not have acted that way. That was your first hunt and mistakes are to be expected. Next time do not hesitate!".

Zaka responds in affirmation "Yes Mistress" and Moise responds in turn "Good now wait for me, we shall greet my father together".

Zaka leaves to stand guard on the path leading to the waterfall. She waits patiently, leaning on a wall until she hears Moise say to her "I'm ready"

She turns around and her jaw drops in shock to see Moise standing holding her spear wearing ceremonial blue and silver clothes, beads and a blue broch shaped in the face of a roaring lion.

They both leave the waterfall and make their way through the busy city. Zaka nervously complements her looks to break the silence 'Mistress you look very beautiful.'

Moise replies "Thanks, as do you".

Moise stares at a suspicious looking elderly man wearing a dark hood going in the opposite direction of the crowd beside them as Zaka replies "Thank you my Mistress, I tried my best even though I had to rush it..."

Moise stares intensely as Zaka tries to get her attention "Mistress... Mistress is something wrong?" and Moise replies, "That old man, where is he going?".

Zaka turns her head to the man and replies "Why bother with him? We have more importa..." but Moise runs off before she can finish.

Zaka screams after her as she runs through the crowd, "Mistress wait!".

Moise frantically pushes through the crowd into an alleyway chasing the man. The man turns round the corner with Moise not far behind shouting, "Stop!".

Before she can get to him, purple light and sparks flash brilliantly from around the corner and Moise runs round the corner to find nothing.

Zaka catches up to Moise who is looking solemnly at the sky and calls out "Mistress.....Don't run off like that you could have been hurt".

Moise replies under her breath as she turns around to leave, "Enough.... Let's go".

The two of them leave the alley and keep walking through the market as the crowd stares at them.

Zaka nervously asks, "Mistress may I say something?".

Moise growls under her breath "What..... is..... it?".

Zaka asks with concern in her voice "Mistress what troubles your heart? It pains me to see you like this".

They reach the base of the Royal Palace as Moise hits back while staring at it, "My troubles are my own.... and for your sake it should stay that way".

Zaka looks at the ground nervously holding herself as she replies sheepishly, "Yes Mistress".

Sequence 4

As they ascend the stairs and reach the entrance to the hall, Moise is anxious to see the end of the festivities and tells Zaka "Come let us be done with this ceremony".

They are stopped at the entrance by the two of the King's female guards "No weapons are allowed in the Palace!".

Moise responds, "Out of my way lowborn!".

One of the guards pushes Moise back saying, "The King has banned all weapons during the festivities".

Moise stares angrily at the guard, "I gave an order once, do not make me repeat myself".

The second guard responds, "We answer only to the King".

Zaka begs Moise as she and the guards growl angrily at each other, "Please Mistress follow them for now".

Moise hands Zaka the spear and tells her softly, "Keep it somewhere safe".

Zaka nods and replies "Yes Mistress" then quickly runs down the stairs to carry out the command.

The guards uncross their spears and allow her to walk through. Before she can get far one of the guards looks back and says, "Wait! Remove the dagger in your anklet".

Moise groans in annoyance as she pulls out a small dagger hidden in her clothes and throws it so hard it lodges into the wall.

She finally gets to go down to the throne room of the Palace which is filled with the upper class of society dressed up nicely for the occasion.

She awkardly meanders through them until she sees her father King Menes, the mighty. He towers over the rest of his court talking and laughing with a chalice of beer in his hand.

Moise is about to kneel and greet her father as custom demands but he stops her saying in his deep voice, "No no that is not how to greet your father".

He hands his drink over to a nearby servant and moves over to hug his daughter tightly.

He takes her aside and asks "How was the hunt?" She nervously replies "Oh it was great, not a problem".

He remarks "Brilliant, I heard you were also teaching the other girls, good to see my little girl is becoming a natural leader, just like her father".

Moise sighs as she hears this, The King notices and asks, "What is the matter?".

She sighs saying, "Father I ..."

Before she can finish the horns are blown to signify the start of the convergence.

The guards stamp their spears to the rhythm of drums and ceremonial songs which echo through the air, the people dance in celebration.

The Royal family, priests, King's court and the rest of the people proceed down to a large hall carved out of the base of the mountain lined with sculptures and murals telling the story of their people.

Moise sees another hooded figure slip away from the crowd, she catches a quick flash of the person's glowing purple eyes but does not follow.

Zaka catches up to her within the crowd, which brightens her mood.

Moise asks "Did you take care of the spear?" she replies "Yes Mistress I kept it somewhere safe".

She takes her position in the hall behind her mother and in line with the hunters.

The King and the highest priest 'Hakran' both step onto the platform, behind them is a lit altar of blue flame, the King raises one hand into the air and the music stops.

The King addresses the crowd saying "Children of the light we gather here to give our praises and offerings to Maahes, on this day of convergence, let us be reminded today of that his light shines within us all".

Two priests come in from the side bringing the buck that Moise had killed earlier and place it on the alter.

The King cuts his palm and places the bloody knife on the altar to burn as well.

The highest priest speaks as the other priests leave;

"Great, Maahes, son of Shekmet, Lord of the slaughter, King of the clouds, protector of the innocent and vanquisher of evil accept these gifts we offer in your name".

The priest removes a handful of lotus flowers from his bag and pours them into the fire which rises and gets more violent.

The priest continues to speak "Great Lord, though we are unworthy of your presence humbly we ask that you shine your light upon us".

Smoke slowly begins to fill the room as the King along with the priests step down and everyone kneels.

Suddenly lightning strikes the altar and a Maahes appears as a towering blue lion in a flash producing a thundering roar.

Everyone in the room bows and lowers their gaze to the floor, out of both fear and reverence.

Maahes speaks with a loud booming voice "Children of the light, through trying times you have remained faithful and your light has not been snuffed out. I have looked into the beyond, it showed me that there are those within and beyond this realm who wish to destroy your light".

Moise looks up at Maahes with a shocked expression on her face.

Maahes continues, "To save our race I am bestowing a great power upon a chosen warrior... It shall be the girl who looks upon my face".

Moise hears this and quickly lowers her gaze to the floor.

Maahes asks while looking at her "Why do you hide my child? Come forth and receive this power".

Moise stands as the others look on in shock, she walks onto the platform with confidence hiding the immense fear she feels.

Maahes speaks the language of the gods as he stretches his claws to Moises' forehead which produces a bright light.

Bright bolts of lightning come down from the sky and dance around them, Moise begins to see visions of a flaming Eagle surround and consume her with fire, she screams as her eyes and the markings around her body glow with the power flowing through her.

Then suddenly it all stops and everywhere is quiet. Maahes roars one final time and disappears with a flash of lightning.

Moise is still standing but begins to faint, her father rushes in and catches her before she falls.

Everyone kneels murmuring until a priestess shouts, "Behold the light bringer, behold the protector!" The crowd erupts into cheers and celebrations.

Moise looks at her father then at the crowd before losing consciousness.

The End?