Ashborne – Episode 8: "The Pact That Burns"
Dark Fantasy / Action / Dialogue Script Format
📍**[EXT. THE BLIND ALTAR – SUNSET]**
[A scorched plateau lit by dying sunlight. In the center stands a broken altar, ringed in glowing, ancient glyphs. Kael limps forward, Ira walking beside him. The orb floats, quiet but pulsing.]
KAEL"This is it. The Blind Altar. Where Hollow Reign was first bound to the bloodline."
IRA (softly)"And maybe where it ends."
[She stares at the altar.]
📍**[INT. KAEL'S FLASHBACK – YEARS AGO]**
[A burning village. Choir soldiers dragging children into a circle of fire. One girl screams — her voice is identical to Ira's.]
CHOIRMASTER (V.O.)"Pain is the price. Power is the reward."
📍**[EXT. THE BLIND ALTAR – NIGHT FALLING]**
[Kael draws glyphs in the dust with a blood-soaked finger. Ashbreaker lies at his side.]
KAEL"The ritual needs a sacrifice. If it works... the curse might be sealed again."
IRA"And if it doesn't?"
[He looks at her.]
KAEL"Then I kill you before Hollow Reign takes over completely."
[Ira doesn't flinch.]
IRA"Do it."
📍**[INT. CURSESCAPE – INSIDE IRA'S MIND]**
[A black ocean. Ira floats at the center. Hollow Reign towers above — a god of smoke and mouths.]
HOLLOW REIGN"You think you can leave me? I am written in your marrow."
IRA (defiant)"Then I'll rip you out one bone at a time."
[She screams. The orb inside her glows white-hot.]
📍**[EXT. ALTAR – SAME TIME]**
[The air cracks. Lightning spirals around the glyphs. Kael steadies himself as the curse begins to manifest.]
ASHBREAKER (within Kael)"It's waking. And it's angry."
[A pulse knocks Kael back — Ira floats above the altar now, her eyes glowing like voidfire.]
📍**[EXT. RIDGE ABOVE – CHOIR ARRIVES]**
[Black-cloaked Choir monks begin to appear. Dozens. Leading them is a tall man with a staff made of fused bone and relics.]
CHOIRMASTER"The Oracle is awakening. Just in time for the Rebirth."
[He raises a hand. Choir soldiers begin to circle.]
📍**[EXT. ALTAR – MOMENTS LATER]**
[Kael rises, sword drawn.]
KAEL"You're too late. She's not yours anymore."
CHOIRMASTER"She was never yours to protect. You were ours. Saintfall."
KAEL (cold)"Saintfall died the day you carved that name into my back."
[A silence. Then: chaos.]
📍**[INT. CURSESCAPE – IRA'S FINAL CHOICE]**
[Hollow Reign screams, tendrils lashing through Ira's mind.]
HOLLOW REIGN"You will die without me."
IRA (calm)"Then let's die together."
[She plunges a phantom blade into her own chest — light explodes outward.]
📍**[EXT. ALTAR – EXPLOSION]**
[A massive shockwave erupts. Choir monks are thrown like dolls. Kael shields his eyes.]
[Ira descends slowly. The orb is gone — its glow now burns in her heart.]
IRA (softly)"It's… not gone. But it's quieter now. It listens to me."
KAEL"You made a pact."
IRA"Not with the curse. With myself."
📍**[AFTERMATH – SCORCHED GROUND]**
[Kael and Ira stand among the broken bodies. The Choirmaster kneels, injured but smiling.]
CHOIRMASTER"You think you've won?"
KAEL"You're bleeding out."
CHOIRMASTER (grinning)"The Oracle has awakened. The Curse King will answer her voice. Ashborne will burn again."
[His eyes go white. He convulses. Then collapses.]
📍**[EXT. HILLTOP – LATER THAT NIGHT]**
[Kael and Ira watch distant flames on the horizon.]
IRA"Did we just start a war?"
KAEL"No. We reminded them how dangerous peace was."
📍**[CLOSING SCENE – UNKNOWN LOCATION]**
[A chained god-heart pulses underground. A Choir child watches it, eyes glowing red.]
VOICE (V.O.)"Two flames have joined. All that remains... is the spark."
To be continued...