Dawn of Light
Chapter 1: Dawn



Page 1

(setting: outside Krimirah's house--a small one room, wood house, with a small tilled area outside for growing food)
Panel 1
Just outside the house.  A young Krimirah holds her arm up, as if raising an invisible sword.
Krimirah: I am Krimirah, greatest warrior of Eutheria!  It is up to me to save the world!

Panel 2
Kria: Take THAT, evil beast!
She swings her "sword" so her arm now points towards Jarys (also younger), who looks annoyed.

Panel 3
Jarys: Why do you keep playing that stupid game, Kria?  You can't be a warrior.  You're a girl.
Kria: Momma says I can be anything I want.

Panel 4
Jarys: Not ANYthing.  C'mon, quit playing, you gotta help with dinner.

Panel 5
A black panel with a single word balloon:
He's wrong.


Page 2
(inside the house, night, everyone else is asleep)
Panel 1
Full body shot of Krimirah (current version)
holding her wooden sword in front of her
Kria (thinking): I CAN be a warrior.  And I WILL be.

Panel 2
She slides her sword in under her sash.
(thinking): No matter what...

Panel 3
Straps her bag around her waist (closeup)
(thinking): ...anyone else says.

Panel 4
Opens the door, looking back.

Panel 5
Outside, she stops to look back at the house.
(thinking): Goodbye...Mother...Father...Jarys...

Panel 6
Closeup of her feet as she leaves
another possibility, just a small gray panel



Page 3
It's sometime later, but still night.
Panel 1 & 2
Close up on Krimirah's feet, walking along a thin, dirt path.
walking sound effects crnch crnch
Show Krimirah walking in the distance, silhouetted.

Panel 3
Krimirah stops, seeing the light from a fire in the distance.
(Thinking) That's odd...A fire out here?

Panel 4
Krimirah pulls her sword out.

Panel 5
Krimirah approaches the fire, which turns out to be in front of a small tent.

Panel 6
Krimirah looks slightly surprised.
voice (off panel): Hold it!


Page 4
Panel 1
Grithanin (looking smug): I dunno who y'are, but...
(close up?)

Panel 2
Grith (dramatic, full body shot): Y' won't be gettin' nothin' from me!  >:D
Not without a fight!

Panel 3
The two come face to face.
Grith: Wait...You're a girl??
Kria: Nice observation. ¬.¬()

Panel 4
Grith: What're you doin' out here?  Don'tcha know it's dangerous?
Kria: I'll take my chances.  I'm heading to the city.

Panel 5
Grith: The city??....What for?

Panel 6
Kria:  I'm going to be a warrior.  I just thought that'd be a good place to start.

Page 5
Panel 1 & 2
Grithanin looks a bit shocked, then begins laughing.
Grith: Ah hahahahahahaha!  A girl warrior!  That's a good one!  Ha ha ha ha!

Panel 3
Krimirah gives the "evil eye". (dramatic closeup)

Panel 4
(zoomed out)
Grith: Well if you're goin' to the city, y'could just come with me.  I'm headin' that way myself.
Kria: I think I can get there myself, thanks.  I don't need your protection.

Panel 5
Grith: Fine.  Not my problem if you run into trouble.  But if you're really determined, y'might wanna at least wait till morning.




Page 6
Panel 1
It's early in the morning.  
Grithanin is strapping on his boot sheaths, and Krimirah examines her sword.

Panel 2
Grith looks up and notices Kria's wooden sword.
Grith: Wait a sec.  Is THAT your weapon?  A stick?

Panel 3
Krimirah, indignant, slips her sword under her belt: I carved this myself.  And it's all I got.
Grithanin: Well you're gonna need a better weapon then that if you're goin' off on some adventure.  And some armor, too.
Kria: Well I don't exactly have the money.

Panel 4
Grithanin starts taking down the tent.
Grith: Well...maybe I can help you with that.
Kria: What...?  What do you mean?

Panel 5
Grith stuffs the rolled-up tent into his bag.
Grith: Well, I could maybe lendja some money.  Just enough t'get whatcha need.
Krimirah looks surprised.

Panel 6
Grith starts walking, his bag over his shoulder.  He looks back at Krimirah.
Grith: Y'gonna move or you just gonna stand there?

Page 7
Panel 1
Shown in the distance, Krimirah and Grithanin walking along a path, Grith leading, through a dry, grassy plain with few trees.
Kria: I don't get it.


Panel 2
(closer shot)
Kria: You're basically giving me this money?

Panel 2
Grith: Cuz I know y'won't be able to pay me back. >X3
But on the other hand...

Panel 3
(show both)
Grith: If you DO manage to get the money...then you owe me.
Kria: Right. ¬.¬() But you said I can't be a warrior, so why bother--

Panel 4
Grith: Hold it!
He stops suddenly, looking serious, holding his hand out behind him for Krimirah to stop.

Panel 5
Kria: What...
Grith signals for her to be quiet.  They hear a buzzing sound (BZZZZZZZZ)

Panel 6
The buzzing is louder.
Grith looks back, alarmed: ...crap...


Page 8
Panel 1
Close-up on Grith's hand, grabbing Kria's wrist.
Grith: C'mon!

Panel 2
They run, Grithanin pulling Krimirah along behind him.
Kria: ??!

Panel 3
close-up, Kria looks over her shoulder

Panel 4
Behind the pair is a huge swarm of large insects.  Loud buzzing.

Panel 5
Back to Kria and Grithanin, still running, Grith is no longer holding Kria's arm.
Buzzing sound.
Kria: What are those things??
Grith: Hellflies!  Trust me, you DON'T wanna get stung by one'a those!


Page 9
Panel 1
Buzzing sound through each panel.
Krimirah swats back a fly with her sword. (THWACK!)

Panel 2
Grith (looking back at Krimirah): No sense usin' your sword, there's too many!
Kria (holding her sword ready): Well at least I can try to defend myself!

Panel 3
Kria hits another fly with her sword while Grith pulls one of his battle knives from a belt loop.

Panel 4
The two are seen swatting flies back as they run.

Panel 5
close-up: Grith grabs a hold of Kria's upper arm
Grith: Hold on!

Page 10
Panel 1
Grith pulls Kria with him as he dives...

Panel 2
...and they tumble into a particularly large tree, which is hollowed out at the base with a large opening.  They barely fit in, squeezed together.

Panel 3
Grith peeks out as the swarm buzzes past. (somewhat distant)

Panel 4
Grith: They're gone. (close)

Panel 5
They scramble out of the tree trunk.

Page 11
Panel 1
They are now standing in front of the tree, the landscape is similar but dryer.  The path they were on earlier is no longer visible.
Zoomed-out shot.
Kria: We're way off the path...

Panel 2
Grith: No big deal.  I know where we are.

Panel 3
Grith: And the next town oughta be just over that rise. (points)
(long panel--Grith and Kria stand on the left end of the panel,  to the right of them is a rising slope at the horizon.)

Panel 4
Grith: And the good thing is, from all that runnin', we're actually gettin' there faster. X3


Page 12

Next day, late afternoon...On the trail after leaving the small town where they spent the night.  Scenery is similar, but more foliage.

Panel 1
Scenery shot, not showing the characters
single speech bubble
Krimirah: Are we getting anywhere?  It's been almost a whole day since we left that town!

Panel 2
Grithanin: Day's only half over, babe! XD  But don't worry, we'll get there by dusk.

Panel 3
Krimirah:  Ugh!  Good thing I'm used to being on my feet all day.

Panel 4
Grithanin: Jus' keep your eyes open.  Gets a bit dangerous aroun' here.
Krimirah:  What?  More bugs?

Panel 5
Grith: Nah.  Bandits.  Thieves an' the like.  More likely to run into 'em closer to the city.  Good place for 'em cuz of all the travelers.

Panel 6
Kria: (determined look) Well, if we run into any, it'll be a good test.

Page 13

Panel 1
Show a bandit peeking from behind some bushes.
Or just a telltale "rustle".
Or some similar sort of thing, to hint at the idea of bandits hiding there.
Grithanin (off panel): Right.  Nah, don't worry about it.  Anythin' happens, I'll take care of it.

Panel 2
Krimirah: (annoyed)So you think I should just--
Grith: (holds out a hand to silence her, as they both stop) Hold it.

Panel 3
Grith walks ahead cautiously, appearing to be looking for something.

Panel 4
Kria: What's going--

Panel 5
Grith makes another sign for her to be quiet.

Panel 6
Zoom out, only Grith can be seen, his back is to the viewer
Grithanin: Alright...

Page 14

Panel 1
Grith (closer): I know you're out there.  So y'might as well show yourselves.

The rest of the panels show the theives coming out of hiding, from behind bushes and in trees and such.  There are five of them.