ACT 1: A MOMENT IN TIME
SCENE 1: THE END?
LOCATION: HANGROAD SQUARE, HOLY CITY OF REGALIA. EVENING.
VHILOMIR KADE lies in anguish whilst pinned down by a Clicker's tail tearing into his arm whilst TRISTAN KADE is beaten into the ground by a Clicker using HELENA KIND as a human mallet. They are surrounded by Clickers on all sides.
A record scratches.
Freeze frame.
Freeze frame.
VHILOMIR
"Indeed, that's me. Inches from what feels like the end, and what do I do with my final moments? Perform a soliloquy whilst my Silven Uncle-In-Law is being beaten down by a Clicker using his bastard Silven daughter into the ground. All to save one Manathar. Fitting for a Kade with Dorrin-Lo blood, I guess. All the same, I'm sure you're all wondering how it is I find myself in this predicament. For that, we'll start at the beginning. -- Don't worry, I'll present the SparkNotes version of events, to save everyone the time of day."
==
SCENE 2: THE BEGINNING
LOCATION: DORINN, ANGLIA. MIDNIGHT.SCENE 2: THE BEGINNING
FREYA LO lies upon white linens soaked in blood, cradling a newborn draped in Lo-Red protectively by her chest. ALEXANDER KADE overshadows her from not too far, handling a newborn wrapped in Kade purple and gold. FREYA carries with her an expression of equal malice and fatigue, in contrast to ALEXANDER and his pensive, stony stare.
ALEXANDER KADE
As agreed, the boy will be raised by us as a Kade, as is his birthright. He will be Moriarty's Ward. The girl is yours to do with as you please.
FREYA LO
Philip… and Astrid. Those are their names… and you WILL use them!
ALEXANDER KADE
Careful, Lady Lo. Very little ties you to us with Leopold's.. absence. With all that you seek to domineer, I can't imagine it should have been so difficult to manage one meek husband.
FREYA says nothing, her gaze only growing with heavier rage -- her talons digging into the cloth draping her daughter, ASTRID. As her gaze falls upon PHILIP, her son, that rage turns to wretched agony. ALEXANDER begins to depart, with PHILIP in tow.
FREYA LO
My son! He's my Son! -- Return him to me, PLEASE!.. PLEase!.. please.. !
Freeze frame. VHILOMIR walks upon the frozen scene, turning to the crowd. FREYA's voice echoes into the distance, as all turns to blackness besides VHILOMIR. A spotlight bursts itself onto his figure, illuminating him.
VHILOMIR
"My humble origins, my beginning. Between the absentee Father gone who-knows-where and clinically insane Mother, I was destined for some poor fate, My cards had been dealt, and the Hand was crappy. But, a Kade I was all the same. Surely I'd keep a stiff upper lip and make something GREAT of myself. Right?"
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SCENE 3: INFANCY & LOSS
LOCATION: ANGLIA, AXFORD. MIDDAY.
ELIZABETH OF DORTON can be seen quietly sobbing in the foreground, dragging her weak hands over her flat stomach whilst overlooking what seems to be infant clothing. MAXIMILLIAN KADE can be seen walking away from her, his distinguished stature betrayed not a shred of emotion as he leaves ELIZABETH to sob. A 5-year-old PHILIP can be seen playing with two boys in the background, only to then be scolded and marched in-line by MAXIMILLIAN.
Freeze frame. VHILOMIR walks upon the frozen scene, passing a wistful glance towards PHILIP, then slowly shaking his head before turning to the audience once more.
Freeze frame. VHILOMIR walks upon the frozen scene, passing a wistful glance towards PHILIP, then slowly shaking his head before turning to the audience once more.
VHILOMIR
"Turns out Moriarty was too 'busy' to be my surrogate Father. Whatever. I grew satisfied being raised by Maximillian instead, and his wife Elizabeth was lovely. She did, however, suffer many, many miscarriages. It was… well, maybe I found the silver lining back then and held on tight. Reflecting on it, it was definitely a weird time, but I regret not cherishing it. Because of what came next."
Years have passed in a flash. An older ELIZABETH can be seen being dragged into the balcony by Anahera Insurgents, before being thrown off said balcony and onto the stone-cold pavement below with a horrifying CRACK.
VHILOMIR
"This… was when the Opium Addiction started if I recall. Elizabeth suffered, not only at the hands of the Anahera Insurgents, but due to her own inability to birth more sons. It taught me very early on that I wasn't the only one suffering. That life wasn't fair."
==
SCENE 4: TOUGH LOVE
LOCATION: STREETS OF REGALIA, NOBLE DISTRICT. DAY.
A few more years have passed. A teenage PHILIP is seen being beaten by a belt in the middle of the street by CEDRIC KADE, whipped into submission. A dagger lies at PHILIP's feet, the blade caked in fresh blood. One CECILE RAVENSTAD watches on in horror. VHILOMIR watches from the foreground, off centre-stage, before turning to the audience.
VHILOMIR
"Mm, this one stung. I genuinely believe this was the moment I lost all opportunity to be a son worth being proud of in Dad's eyes. This makes Sid Dad #3, to those not counting. The girl watching? Young love. Can you blame me?"
==
SCENE 5: THE GINGER TOOTH FAIRY
LOCATION: KADE ESTATE LABS, REGALIA. NIGHT.
Another few months have passed. A teenage PHILIP cowers in the corner of his laboratory as PERCY RAVENSTAD pulls back his fist, only to bash it into PHILIP's open mouth. Blood and teeth fly outwards, before splattering across the floor alongside PHILIP's now limp body. VHILOMIR watches from the foreground, off centre-stage, before turning to the audience.
VHILOMIR
"Dad's taste in men… well. For some reason, seems every one of his beloved is cursed to lash out violently or at the very least threaten at the prospect of their homosexuality being brought up in any way beyond a shining compliment or brought up at all. First Percy, and nowadays even his guy-pal Louis seems hostile when it's brought up. After this, I earned my 'gold smile' -- ergo the fake teeth filings. I don't grin much as a result."
==
SCENE 6: FAMILIAL GOODBYES
SCENE 6: FAMILIAL GOODBYES
LOCATION: OUTSKIRTS OF REGALIA. DAWN.
More years pass, now. PHILIP watches his Mother, the Red Empress Lo, utter her final 'Oh' upon ASTRID stabbing her in the heart, before fading to dust alongside her army. The scene warps, as PHILIP tearfully witnesses ASTRID's carriage ride off for AXFORD -- with ASTRID never to see public life again. ASTRID's dagger used to end their Mother's reign remains held in his gloved hands.
VHILOMIR
"I don't blame her, really. For leaving, or 'retiring' as she put it. Astrid's a hero to me, always has been since she vanquished the 'Lo darkness' and saved the City. But before she was anything close to as idolised as a hero, she was my Sister. I was her hero -- I was SUPPOSED to be her hero. That was my role, wasn't it? Now she's gone.
Sometimes I wish I could've been there to spare her the heartache of having been the one to deal the final blow. To spare her the reality of how cruel and sadistic Lady Fate could be in the tapestries she spins. As much as I loved Mom, Astrid was always more her daughter than I was her son."
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SCENE 7: MEMORIES THAT TIME FORGOT
VHILOMIR
"I'm sure it's hard to empathise with a KADE of all people, I mean. I'm a royal, I'm a Noble. I've never actually faced the struggles of poverty. So many of you have faced ''far worse'' in your exotic homelands and your Orc-Raided Villages and Dead Parents and blah blah blah. Spare me for craving a modicum of normalcy and compassion.
Besides, it seems a handful of honourable mentions have slipped through the cracks of my sporadically woven tale. After all, I've been around for a long time in Regalia. This City has a way of making even a year or two feel so much longer. Time almost feels… fluid. Untethered."
MENTION #1
PHILIP can be seen with ROSELYNE COEN, her gaze tear-soaked as she moved to offer a final kiss between the two -- only for PHILIP to turn away and disavow her the opportunity. Leaving her atop the balcony, colder than any winter wind could rend a lovelorn heart. The spotlight illuminating VHILOMIR is flickering, now.
PHILIP can be seen with ROSELYNE COEN, her gaze tear-soaked as she moved to offer a final kiss between the two -- only for PHILIP to turn away and disavow her the opportunity. Leaving her atop the balcony, colder than any winter wind could rend a lovelorn heart. The spotlight illuminating VHILOMIR is flickering, now.
VHILOMIR
"What's a monologue without a little romance. I had a chance at love, once. A chance to settle down, have kids. Do my part as a Kade, have three sons and fade into obscurity as all married Noblemen seem to. But, I gave that all up to play the part of Mother's Lo-Loyalist following her return. For the security of the Empire, I'd told myself, attempting to carry the weight of the world on my shoulders. Looking back, I may have been emulating Jared. I wonder if that makes him Dad #4 of sorts, or just a very dysfunctional Uncle."
MENTION #2
An explosion! PHILIP can be seen suffocating in the flaming remains of a Noble Event gone awry, his frame held beneath fallen debris. His vision fades in and out of consciousness, the skin at his back scarred. Darkness takes hold. The scene warps and a month has passed. One CECILE RAVENSTAD can be seen tending to the still comatose PHILIP. Slowly he stirs. A single Kade-Blue eye opens to the world.
An explosion! PHILIP can be seen suffocating in the flaming remains of a Noble Event gone awry, his frame held beneath fallen debris. His vision fades in and out of consciousness, the skin at his back scarred. Darkness takes hold. The scene warps and a month has passed. One CECILE RAVENSTAD can be seen tending to the still comatose PHILIP. Slowly he stirs. A single Kade-Blue eye opens to the world.
VHILOMIR
"I'll be honest, I feared fire for at least a year following that. Do you know how it is that dreams feel far, far longer than just the hours you've spent sleeping? Fathom that for a month-long nap, trapped in a maze of your own subconscious making. It was equal parts horrifying and enlightening, being made to face my own mental demons so intimately. But, I like to believe I rose from the depths of my weakness reborn. Speaking of reborn…"
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SCENE 8: REBIRTH THROUGH ABYSSAL BAPTISM
SCENE 8: REBIRTH THROUGH ABYSSAL BAPTISM
A figure cloaked in darkness cradles one PHILIP KADE's weakened frame, his head buried into PHILIP's neck-crook whilst PHILIP stared upwards. As weak as he seemed, a content smile overtook his features, with trickles of blood staining the collar of his shirt.
VHILOMIR
"If allowed to run rampant, the VOID is a force beyond Nature's grasp -- capable of consuming this World. But, given Focus through my Flesh-Vessel, it may yet be harnessed to the betterment of this.. World? No, that's not quite it. I still care, of course. My Empire, my People, my Family -- I've always butchered my own flesh to feed their needs. Like Jared, ugh. Only now I realise I'm beyond the compulsion to self-sacrifice for success. Beyond the self-loathing and desire for appreciation that compelled my previous actions. PHILIP KADE's actions, not MINE. Not now."
"At the cost of my Humanity, I am my own immortal force in this cruel World -- defying its natural order. Finally free. A worthwhile spend even as I writhe in the stone beneath a force greater than my own, wouldn't you agree.."
".. Mother?"
FIN.
