The Sabine Tale ~ part three________________________
They stare from the beach at the last of the explosions and dying fire in silence. Tears fill the eyes of the Hero Twins from a high hill past the fort, surrounded by the silent army watching with.
From his own hill, Romulus smiles and turns to the fort.
The last of the freed crews line up and watch waiting as nothing happens. Their silence is broken by the cheers of Romulus' army.
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Vulcan stands at the command post just over the hill and behind, near the trees. He stares at a compact like device, shaped like a clamshell, a depiction of Venus dancing nude to music box sounds ... he stares, then closes it angrily in his fist as he sound returning to the cheering armies.
Vulcan - Looking to the sound, "The bitch Morgan is dead ... ding dong, ding dong ..." Then to Romulus returning. "Come here."
The armor walks as Romulus thinks to resist, then painfully joins it's strides.
Romulus - The armor twisting his neck at a slightly odd angle uncomfortably, "What have you done to me ?"
Vulcan - "Sit upon the stone."
The armor does so while Romulus stares twitching against in reflex then relaxing broken of will.
Vulcan pulls a torch with one hand, tubes attached to his mechanisms, and smashes the planning table near the stone with his arm, then igniting the debris for a fire.
Leaning back into his following legs, it opens around him folding as a chair, comfortable in appearance. He stares a Romulus a moment.
Vulcan - "Phah ! You are no man." Blades slide from the undersides of his gauntlets and open scissor like. He laughs bitterly, "And look at me."
He picks up a stray piece of wood and tosses it into the fire, scissor tips used with delicate accuracy. Picking up the debris around him to burn, he then settling in and looks at Romulus twisting. He sharpens the blades against against each other as a mantis cleaning, before retracting them again.
Romulus - Pained, "What have you done to me ?"
Vulcan - Casually, "When I was a man, like yesterday you looked yet never were, I once knew love." He looks to Romulus, "Or I thought I did."
Romulus stares, Vulcan looks back to the fire, lost.
Vulcan - "But instead I knew pain ..." Casually distracted by a distant explosion, "Did you know that Zeus is dead ?" He looks across the sky ... "All dead ..." He looks back to Romulus, "But we're not. Are we ?" He laughs into the fear in Romulus' eyes, "No ... we are not."
Romulus - Broken, "Please ... what have you done ..."
Vulcan - Grins wide then looking away, "Nothing." He rises from the chair, it gathers to the trailing closed table attached while he looms over Romulus seated. "I've done nothing to you."
Romulus screams as the armor appears to contort and shrivel, Vulcan walking away toward field.
Vulcan - "So now let us go see to your crop."
Romulus crawls on fours, twisting in his screams to follow.
Allison Dorothy turn coldly to the hill when Vulcan and Romulus reach the top and scream their rage, shattering their cups as the Jabberwock breaks from the water and a broom flies from the rubble of the house.
They each grab theirs and immediately begin to rain fire, each one followed by the cheers and running forth of peasants and farm animals, impossible creatures and extinct birds, shaking off water with rage.
('Jack and Jill' by Raydio)
Vulcan walks down the hill, Romulus following as a dog. He sweeps his open arms, calling the filled armors to field, surrounding the gathering force.
From the trees and tall grass the Hero Twins rise with their armies, heavy spear in hand, obsidian lined clubs on their backs.
A rumbling in the trees past ...
A shadow over a proud soldier of Romulus ...
His friends look up, eyes wide and back away as he just notices the shadow ...
Crushed by frog as the ferryboat crashes through the trees, blowing train steam.
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Inside they continue to play cards, money flying around while the bearer fills drinks. Poker face ...
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Jim drives from atop in the wheelhouse, peering just over the front paddle wheel as it grinds a troop of soldiers and throws them over and behind mangled.
Jim - Smiling, "Mm. Every time."
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Inside the ferry, a beer glass falls off the table, is caught by the drinker who drinks it, placing it back then on the table. The pitcher bearer refills it while all the tables and chairs slide around, money and chips gathering on the floor with an occasional hop ! of all the furniture as the ferry bounces.
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Allison Dorothy firebombs in the background while the frog stares.
A soldier stares back, concerned. Special armor, looks important ...
Clemens loads a new spindle and spins it from the frog's back. Around him, armor is pried painfully with Mayan heavy spears, before the wearer hacked.
The soldier sees this, hears the frog croak, steps back ...
Frog tongue snaps him into his mouth and chews, mangling. The frog stops chewing and turns his eye up to Clemens, opening his mouth. The crushed soldier armor looks at Clemens with it's human eyes and screams.
Clemens - "Ewww ..." He shoots several times.
The frog spits him out.
The soldier moans ... the frog looks up again at Clemens, reloading.
Frog tongue grabs the soldier and bashes him on the ground a few times, then lays on the ground slack. He looks back again at Clemens, spinning the load.
Clemens - "Good job Calaveras." He looks over the field of destruction while the ferry grinds in the background, "Yep ... good job."
Calaveras grins, slurping back his tongue. They leap away, twitching and flexing armor left behind, pinned by the spears.
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Inside the riverboat, as it all slides with turning and tilting floor, game arrangements are changed, winners become losers, losers win, money flies away ... they play in sullen silence, navigated by the bearer.
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Romulus follows Vulcan twitching dog like on all fours against the armor as his master pontificates, oblivious to all around, destruction and explosion, a background ballet.
Vulcan - To Romulus at the waterfront, looking out to sea. "None left now, you know. None that care. I'm the last power standing, but how ?" He turns back to the field as the destruction dances before his eyes, occasional shots chipping at his gear.
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The wizard looks down from his bicycle over the field, a gathering troop beneath preparing to charge ...
Wizard - Into his radio, "Who the fuck are these guys anyway ?"
Baron - Voice over comm, "Those would be the founders of Rome, as it were."
Wizard - "Rome ... Never been there !"
Baron - "Do you like rubble ?"
Wizard - "In fact I do, good Baron ..." Putting away the radio, to himself while lighting a basket full of dynamite, dotting their wicks casually one after the other with his blunt, "... I do I do ..."
He gleefully tosses armloads, leaving slow motion explosions beneath in his wake, soldiers flying and flailing all around ...
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Vulcan - Gazing across the chain of explosions the wizard dropped, then after him in admiration of the bicycle, to fly ... "But to rule ? Was this sought ? No. I just like to build things you know ... to watch men suffer my own pain in place of it. To be free. To build. To grow."
Romulus screams, churning while the armor seems to crinkle it's joints, dropping him. Behind Vulcan the Orson breaks the surface of the water, and is crushed by the giant foot.
('Bannoy' by Pain Teens)
All that's left of the craft is a metal husk, twisted torn and melted. The balloons are gone, leaving bent spikes on it's back as it crawls out of the water on stumbling legs. Water pours from the reinforced but cracked engineer's cabin, intact but half filled.
Inside Xquic pounds the molten deck hatch open as the engine sparks, melting the mechanisms around and fusing the controls.
The crew pours out with their pistols and firing at Romulus' men. All the armored slump to the ground as the armor loses power. Many were broken and fall, some rising to pull it off.
Inside as the last of the water empties, the engine sends sparks down the spine. It seems to twist a roar as it starts to kick at the remaining soldiers and stomp the slow.
Romulus twists in a rage out of his armor as two of his own reach down to help him, the Orson stomping near, while past them all retreat to the fort.
Romulus - Helped up and calling to the soldiers, "! Fortify !
Morgan - As ropes fall from the decks, "Archers to us ! Field to feet ! We Take That Fort !"
The mangled and crawling soldiers make way up the hill for the fort, joined and some assisted by the healthy as they strip their gear. Regrouping all left at the wide path to the fort.
The Sabine men gather arms from Mars' fallen and gather toward the lumbering ship making it's way up the hill, trying to shake off Vulcan, scraping him on a rock as it heads toward the fort.
From the ropes descend Xquic and Lieu Hanh, greeted joyously by the Hero Twins and the rest. They turn to charge with the mass, Orson lumbering behind, in the distance the riverboat mows the beach.
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The wizard swoops over the man in the bell suit waiting in the field with his cannon, holding his helmet.
Wizard - Shouting through the radio, "Baron ! You're up !"
He drops the blunt down to the baron's pincered hand snapping up to catch it.
Baron - Putting the blunt in his teeth and the bulbous diving helmet over his head, "Hehhh. Hehe." The helmet has the words 'Baron of Lies' sprayed crudely across.
He jumps into the cannon with the sound of gears and hydraulics.
Baron - "Rode a cannonball indeed."
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A photograph of the Baron and nameless holding steins high under a banner declaring "The Bullethead Club".
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The cannon fires him just over the wall and through the heavy wooden gate, shattering it as the Baron is cratered just past it.
Baron - "Wizard ! The whatsahoosit's broken on my thingy jammer ! Can't move ! You said that wouldn't happen ! Awww damn it ... here they come ..."
The Romans approach cautiously, spears drawn.
Wizard - "Hang on ! I'm on my way ... (muttering) ... you old bastard ..."
Baron - "Wizard !" Clanging sounds. "They're poking me with their sticks !"
The Romans jab at the motionless diving suit with their spears, circling with curiosity.
Wizard - "Hit the reset button ! It's on your damned arm !" The diving suit's left arm shows crude letters painted 'reset' and an arrow pointing to a large red button.
Baron - "How the hell do I push the button ?! I can't move !"
Wizard - Swooping, throwing fireworks over the astounded soldiers surrounding the Baron. "Figure it out !"
Baron - To the soldiers looking back to him as he speaks, clearing his throat through a loudspeaker. "Urm ... whatever you do, don't push the big red button. I surrender, so long as you Do Not push the big red button on my left arm."
A soldier approaches to examine with a spear.
Baron - "My left. That's your left ... dumbass ..."
The soldier draws back angrily and stabs the red button.
The baron jumps up to his feet with a "Ha !" and begins to smash his way toward the fallen fort gate.
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Pistols thrown empty and hacking forth with swords, Lieu Hanh and Xquic rush forward in a straight run, flanked by the Hero Twins. The army tears at those they leave behind, those in front shooting wayward defensive arrows. One here and there they stick in the four charging as they approach the Baron fighting at the gate.
Xquic - "Baron Now !"
The baron turns and grabs her swinging, throwing her high by her feet, then drops to all fours.
In slowed time she pulls the board from her pack as she soars over the archers showering her armor with arrows. A bullseye at the center of the board while Romulus' gaze follows her turning behind him.
Lieu Hanh - "Hey !"
The bullseye lines up behind Romulus' head as it turns to Lieu Hanh.
Lieu Hanh - Arms braced and aimed on the baron's backs, arrows covering her armor, "For the bulletshop girl." She fires, exploding Romulus' skull onto the board which catches the bullet, sending Xquic flying with a cheer.
The last of the guards fall in distraction, the chains are broken, the Sabines are free and Rome never was again.
! The End !
Credits roll to 'Who Stole the Soul' (remix) over rotated 3D stills from the battle sequences through all three parts in order. Quick mixes between shots of rope and green screen reality with bloopers.
~ after credit ~
In the bullet-shop the lady waits while Lieu Hand and Xquic enter, their eyes going immediately to the corner which now bears a statue.
Lieu Hanh - With cold eye, "Who's this hussie ?"
The lady - Looking down, "Nero ..."
Lieu Hanh - "Uh uh. Xquic. Take care of that."
Xquic - Smiles at the lady, "My pleasure"
The shopkeeps eyes follow Xquic until they go wide at the sound of a crack and then back to a thud on the counter. Eyes up to Lieu Hanh.
Lieu Hanh - "Romulus." She slams the lacquered board on the counter to the surprised pleasure of the shopkeep, before a sound is heard up the stairs behind the counter. Lieu Hanh's eyes go suspicious before storming up the stairs.
Xquic - After looking around bored she whispers to the shopkeep "It's Wilhelm isn't it ?"
The shopkeep looks down with a guilty nod ...
Xquic points down at her crotch with both hands, whispering with wide eyes "God Damn !"
The shopkeep grins through gritted teeth and nods again looking down and to the side.
From upstairs a window crash and a Wilhelm scream.
Lieu Hanh - Stomping down the stairs and toward the door. "Your ex boyfriend just broke your window ! I'm gonna go make sure he pays for that." Opening the door, she shouts back "We're getting married on Tuesday !"
The shopkeep - Calls back, "I'll cheat on you !"
Lieu Hanh - "I'll cheat on you too !"
Xquic looks back with a smiling nod mouthing "With Me."
The door slams as the shopkeep fans herself with an exhale before looking down picking something from the counter up and placing it in a drawer before smiling at the bullet board.
