HOME | DD

Description
body div#devskin0 hr { }

Prologue

(The cry of an eagle is heard as the camera slowly moves towards the peak of a mountain on the outskirts of a small Chinese village.)

Thaddeus: (gravely, narrating) Deep in the forests atop the mountains surrounding Jungle Village, a mysterious sect of warriors makes its nest...

(An armored man adorned in a beaked mask and bird wings drops from the sky, landing in a crouch and staring intensely at the camera through narrow eye holes.)

Thaddeus: (narrating) The Falcon clan.

(In a tree near a small clearing, a lone Falcon watches intently as a wild boar lazily munches grass in the open. Leaping from the branch that supports his weight, a pair of hooked blades shoot out from the toes of his boots, delivering instant death upon plunging into the pig's side.)

Thaddeus: (narrating) Reclusive, secretive...Deadly.

(The Falcon unleashes a shrill shriek, summoning a pair of compatriots who each grab an end of his kill and haul it off.)

Thaddeus: (narrating) Many deny their existence altogether. Only a select few outside their ranks have ever seen them...And those that have were sought out by the Falcon chief.

(A bearded Falcon donned in a suit of whitish-grey feathers chuckles to himself, presiding over the Falcon camp's late night revelries from a heavy wooden throne.)

Thaddeus: (narrating) White Falcon...The mystery man of the mountains. What little people know about him mostly comes from myths...By some accounts he's a disillusioned government soldier, and a Spaniard who sought a fresh start by others. But regardless what version of the story's being told...

(In the streets of Jungle Village, a frightened orphan flees an angrily shouting vendor, clutching a stolen rice cake tightly in his hand. He glances momentarily over his shoulder and bumps into a tall Falcon, the latter leaning down and offering the boy his hand.)

Thaddeus: (narrating) Whenever Falcons venture beyond their roost...

(Back at the Falcons' camp, the orphan boy grins as he is fitted with a child-sized Falcon mask.)

Thaddeus: (narrating) They're never without their reasons.

(Faces and snippets of events appear on screen as Thaddeus continues his narration.)

Thaddeus: (narrating) This came to be an issue when Chi Chi, Zen Yi's betrothed, was nabbed from the X-Blade's compound...

(Sitting on the steps of his workshop, Thaddeus glances up as the thundering of hooves approaches. Zen Yi dismounts his horse and approaches, face twisted with concern.)

Zen Yi: Brother Thaddeus...I am in need of your hands again.

(Thaddeus nods and rises, the camera tracking the pair as they gallop side-by-side down a worn dirt path on horseback.)

Thaddeus: (narrating) We set out to discover the reason for her abduction.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 1

(Opening credits roll as "The Baddest Man Alive" plays. From a pair of trees close to a remote inn, three figures watch Thaddeus and Zen Yi slow to a halt in front of the entrance, waiting until they've dismounted to charge from their hiding spots. Zen Yi and Thaddeus share a knowing look.)

Zen Yi: You hear that?

Thaddeus: Yep...

(Thaddeus pivots on his heel and snatches one of the assailants out of the air, throwing him to the ground roughly.)

Falcon: Uff!!

Thaddeus: (shocked) Falcons?!

(The two standing Falcons let loose a wild battle cry and charge Zen Yi simultaneously, the latter somersaulting over them and sending them sprawling into the dirt with a double kick.)

Zen Yi: (angrily) Where did you take Chi Chi?!

(The first Falcon scrambles to his feet, frantically searching for something in his pocket as Thaddeus charges. He gets his foot up just in time, planting his boot in Thaddeus's chest and sending him flying back.)

Thaddeus: Oof!

(Zen Yi bounds around his prone adversaries and rushes to aid his fallen friend, but the combatants recover and jump in front of him, blocking his path. The opposing fighters continue in this manner a short while longer before the first Falcon shouts to get their attention.)

Falcon: STOP! Everyone, stop fighting and calm down! We have no weapons, and mean neither of you any harm!

(A whistle from Zen Yi's direction catches the Falcon's attention, and he turns to see the X-Blade holding a knife to the throat of each of his comrades.)

Zen Yi: And if it weren't for the fact that you're all unarmed, none of you would be alive at the moment. Now either tell me where my wife is or your reasons for being here...Before my patience runs out.

(The Falcon pulls a pure white feather from his pocket and holds it to the light as Thaddeus rises.)

Thaddeus: White feather...A symbol of peace and neutrality for the Falcons.

Falcon: Quite right, Blacksmith. I trust your friend Zen Yi will be releasing my men now?

(Zen Yi glances at Thaddeus, releasing his captive as the latter nods.)

Zen Yi: You just said "my men," not "my comrades." These men are underlings, and not equals?

Falcon: Correct. Men in the Falcon clan of exceptional fighting prowess bear titles, like every other clan in your home village.

(The Falcon jabs a thumb at his chest.)

Falcon: I am Red Falcon...Second-in-command to White Falcon.

(Zen Yi takes an aggressive step towards Red Falcon, brandishing his knives menacingly.)

Zen Yi: If the man trusts you, then he most likely confides the dirty details of his little schemes in you...So where the hell is my wife?!

Red Falcon: (warily) Be still, and be calm...A Falcon is never without his reasons. All will be explained...

(Red Falcon snaps his fingers, and another of the Falcons produces two pristine, wax-sealed envelopes.)

Red Falcon: If you accept White Falcon's invitation to join us tomorrow evening for our nightly festivities.

(Zen Yi turns to Thaddeus, who shrugs.)

Thaddeus: Do we have any other choice?

(Zen Yi swears under his breath and sheaths his blades, taking the envelopes from the Falcon soldier.)

Zen Yi: We accept.

(Red Falcon smiles slightly beneath his mask.)

Red Falcon: There is a small village marked on the maps contained within those envelopes. Be there tomorrow by sundown if you wish to reclaim your wife.

(The Falcons lift off, and Zen Yi watches them go in silent fury, walking towards the entrance to the inn once they're gone.)

Zen Yi: Let's settle in for the night...We're likely in for a few long coming days.

(Thaddeus sighs and hands the reins of his horse to an employee, patting the animal's side as it is led off.)