Act I: A World of Gold and Corruption[SCENE START]EXT. EMPIRE CAPITAL - DAY (FOUR-YEAR TIME JUMP)Four years have passed. The sky above the massive, sprawling stone Capital is bright, but the streets below are suffocating.Massive banners hang from the palace walls. They feature smiling, glamorous "Imperial Heroes" clad in shining armor. But beneath the banners, imperial soldiers heavily tax, beat, and drag away poor citizens.ASHER (V.O.)Four years. Four years since our family was ripped apart. I used to think the world was full of heroes like my brother Yurto wanted to find. But I was an idiot. This world doesn't have heroes. It just has corporate celebrities backed by a rotten Empire.Deep inside the palace throne room, a ten-year-old CHILD KING sits on a massive throne, eating candy. Leaning over his shoulder is PRIME MINISTER HONESTUS, a heavy, sinister man with a sickening smile, whispering orders into the boy's ear.ASHER (V.O.)The King is just a puppet. Prime Minister Honestus pulls the strings, running a corrupt empire that mirrors the worst nightmares. And the "heroes" everyone loves? They're just executioners in capes.[SCENE END]Act II: The Price of Treason[SCENE START]INT. APARTMENT - NIGHTAsher (now 10 years old, but aged by stress) sits in a small, dark room. He is completely frantic, sweaty, and anxious—looking very similar to Hughie from The Boys. His beautiful white angel wings are tightly bound and hidden beneath a heavy, oversized trench coat.On the table are stolen Imperial documents, troop movements, and blueprints of the palace.ASHER:(Muttering frantically, hands shaking)If I can just link the Prime Minister to the underground trafficking ring... if I can just find proof...Suddenly, his door is kicked open. A squad of Imperial soldiers storms in, led by his "friends" from the neighborhood and his girlfriend, LILA. Lila looks at the stolen documents on the table with absolute disgust and betrayal.LILA:You're a spy, Asher? You're working with the rebellion against the Empire? Against our Heroes?ASHER:(Pleading, hands up)Lila, please! You don't understand! The Heroes aren't who you think they are! They're killing people in the outer districts! They're monsters!LILA:(Coldly)Secure the traitor. The Empire protects us. You're just a disease.Lila turns her back on him. The soldiers grab Asher, but he panics. Using his small frame, he knocks over the oil lamp, causing a sudden burst of fire and smoke. He dives out the second-story window, crashing onto the cold stone alleyway below.[SCENE END]Act III: Caught in the Alley[SCENE START]EXT. CAPITAL ALLEYWAY - NIGHTRain begins to pour, mixing with the trash in the dark alley. Asher sprints through the shadows, his chest heaving. He collapses against a brick wall, gasping for air.SFX: SLOW CLAPPING.Out of the shadows steps CORVUS, an elite Imperial Spy and assassin. He wears sleek, dark leather armor and holds a jagged, poisoned dagger that glows with a faint green light.CORVUS:(Smirking)Running away from your little girlfriend, bird-boy? The Prime Minister doesn't like leaks. Especially from rats hiding inside his own ranks.Corvus lunges forward with terrifying speed. He slices the air, cutting Asher's shoulder. Asher screams, falling backward onto the wet pavement.CORVUS:(Stepping on Asher's chest)What's the matter? Aren't you going to fight back? Where's that famous Arcana?Asher stares up at the blade in pure horror. His mind goes completely blank.ASHER:(Thinking, panicking)My Arcana... my wings... how do I even use them?! It's been four years! Four years of hiding, four years of pretending to be normal so I wouldn't get caught! I forgot... I forgot how to fly! I'm going to die here.Corvus raises the dagger high, aiming straight for Asher's throat.CORVUS:Die for the Empire.[SCENE END]Act IV: The Gritty Return[SCENE START]EXT. CAPITAL ALLEYWAY - CONTINUOUSBefore the dagger can drop, a heavy, black leather-gloved hand clamps around Corvus's wrist.SFX: LOUD BONE CRACK.Corvus howls in agony as his wrist is instantly shattered. A heavy combat boot kicks Corvus square in the chest, sending the assassin flying backward into a stack of wooden crates, splintering them to pieces.Asher blinks through the rain, looking up.Standing over him is a tall, broad-shouldered young man. He wears a gritty, rugged black leather jacket, dark combat pants, and heavy boots. He has a rough, sharp jawline covered in a dark beard and a prominent goatee. His hair is messy and dark. The cheerful, manic energy is completely gone, replaced by a cold, hardened edge.But carved onto his face is that familiar, permanent, Alastor-like grin. It is Zora.ASHER:(Gasping, tears mixing with rain)...Zora?Zora doesn't look back at him. He just adjusts the collar of his leather jacket, his eyes locking onto Corvus as the assassin stumbles up from the wreckage. Zora doesn't even activate his shadow tentacles. He just raises his fists in a realistic, gritty brawler stance.ZORA:(Voice deeper, raspy, but carrying that smooth theatrical tone)Four years, little brother. And you still can't clear an alleyway without making a mess.Corvus roars, drawing a backup blade and rushing Zora. Zora moves like a professional cage fighter. He ducks under a wild swing, plants his foot, and drives a devastating liver shot into Corvus, lifting the assassin off the ground.SFX: DULL THUD. CRUNCH.Zora follows up with a brutal elbow to Corvus's jaw, then grabs the back of the assassin's head, smashing it violently against the brick wall. Corvus drops to his knees, coughing up blood. Zora steps over him, his Alastor grin widening with dark, predatory hunger as he raises his boot to crush the assassin's skull.ASHER:(Screaming)Zora, stop! Don't kill him! We need him for information!Zora's boot hovers inches above Corvus's face. He pauses. Slowly, he lowers his foot, letting out a dark chuckle. He turns around and extends a heavy, leather-gloved hand down to Asher.Asher takes it, and Zora pulls him up effortlessly, pulling him into a brief, tight grip before releasing him.ZORA:(Grinning wide)You've grown, Angel. Now come on. The Empire is going to be crawling with soldiers soon, and we have two other brothers we need to find.The two brothers stand together in the pouring rain, looking out at the glowing palace of the corrupt Capital.[SCENE END]
