Dragon Slayer Page #11

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BROTHER JACOPUS:

Now are you cleansed of your sins!

Now are you born again, purified in

spirit, into the fellowship of Jesus

Christ!

The travelers enter and mingle with the congregation. Valerian

scans the crowd until she locates her father, Simon, a balding

sturdy journeyman. He's overjoyed at her return and gives

her a hearty embrace.

SIMON:

Welcome back, my son.

VALERIAN:

Father, what are you doing? Have you

all lost your minds?

SIMON:

Some have.

He points to the monk, who is dunking a screaming infant and

carrying on about the Bishop of Rome.

SIMON:

It's this monk. He can read and write,

and talk too, I'm afraid.

VALERIAN:

And they listen?

SIMON:

Shh! They think this a holy place, a

tabernacle.

VALERIAN:

This is the granary. What kind of

welcome is this? I've got news of

the sorcerer and news of the dragon.

SIMON:

You were brave to go, you and your

friends. But nobody cares. Listen --

he knows what they want to hear.

MONK:

Brother Jacopus strides back and forth before the assembly

in an inspired state.

BROTHER JACOPUS:

The man who walks with Christ is not

a man to fear a dragon: Yea, though

I walk through the valley of the

shadow of death I will fear no evil!

You say you are preyed upon by a

foul beast. Yes, but what is the

nature of this beast? It comes to

you on bat's wings and clawed feet,

does it not? It breathes fire, does

it not? And it lives under ground.

This is no dragon. This is Lucifer!

VOICE:

Whoever it is, he's dead.

This is Galen, who has just stepped into the hall, tattered,

bedraggled and triumphant.

BROTHER JACOPUS:

Nay, brother! It is not as easy as

that. Allegiance to Christ, to be

sure, but also prayer and confession.

These are the arms by which Satan

may be put down.

GALEN:

You're talking about superstition,

friend. None of that has anything to

do with what I, Galen, have already

achieved.

He marches to the center of the gathering.

SIMON:

(to Valerian)

You brought this stranger?

VALERIAN:

Ulrich's apprentice. He's a braggart,

but it doesn't matter.

GALEN:

People of Urland! Send a messenger

to the king. Vermithrax is dead.

Crushed by the power of the moon and

the stars! Laid low by ancient wisdom.

Dropped into the Abyss by mystical

practice.

BROTHER JACOPUS:

Spoken like a pagan. Every word as

reprobate as it is false!

(holding up his cross)

Solum in hoc signo vinces!

GALEN:

Nihil plus mysterium!

He gestures boldly and a fireball crackles at the monk's

feet. The holy man scurries back. A hush falls upon the

congregation.

CUT TO:

DRAGON COUNTRY - DAY

A procession of curious villagers winds its way into the

badlands. They gather on a promontory overlooking the dragon's

lair. They stand there for a long time, a chill wind whipping

their garments, trying to understand what's happened. The

monk is mightily displeased.

BROTHER JACOPUS:

Praise God! Blessed is he that is

humble before the Lord!

VALERIAN:

Your god had nothing to do with it.

Indeed, Galen's act is already the stuff of legend:

MALKIN:

We saw it with our own eyes. He flew

to the mountain top. He was a bird.

He brought forth lightning. I saw

it.

Some of the younger villagers scamper forward to the spot

where the cave had its opening. With yells and whoops they

beat the ground with clubs. In the crowd Simon begins to

smile, then to laugh. Soon he leads the villagers in a

tumultuous cheer. Brother Jacopus and some of his converts

drop to their knees and pray.

CUT TO:

CELEBRATION:

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