BLOOD RIOT  ANNOUNCER The order of introductions has been  chosen at random. You, in the red...  SQUIRE OF ZELENNE You are addressing my master,  Champion Zelenne. He wears red to...  ANNOUNCER Yes, yes, yes. Save It for the  podium. You have first intro. Wait here till you’re called.  CROWD (Cheers)  ANNOUNCER WELCOME BACK!!  I trust you are all rested from this afternoon’s festivities. We saw some incredible victories. Some horrifying defeats, and one utterly cowardly failure.  CROWD (Booing)  ANNOUNCER BUT! We’ve found ourselves with  four champions who have won their rounds, and not run away!! So...who’s ready for the final round?  CROWD (Cheer)  ANNOUNCER As am I! The final round is unlike  any other. It’s not merely a pitting of man against beast. It is not a simple contest of submission- based, hand-to-hand combat... ...and it’s certainly not a battle of wits on a chessboard. This round, ladies and gentlemen, is the most deadly, the most unforgiving, the most devastating form of ultimate combat in existence.   (MORE)  ANNOUNCER (CONT'D) To take place here, in the chosen  arena, surrounded by the dead bodies of the fallen false prophets and the defeated abominations of the forest. Look upon the dead! Will your champion soon join them? This... ...is BLOOD...RIOT!  CROWD (Cheer)  ANNOUNCER NOW!! To meet the champions! First,  the followers of Zelenne!  SQUIRE OF ZELENNE To those of you who cheer, you have  chosen the righteous path! We are the followers of the true prophet Zelenne. Abandoned in the forest as a child, and raised by wisps, he has seen more in his young life then all the history books. He learned to fight by surviving the Lusus Naturae. He has spoken to magic itself, looked in its eyes, and It has run away scared. We have seen firsthand his stoicism, his grace, and his power.  ZELENNE I am Zelenne, and I am the Chosen  One! (Cheer)  CROWD  SCENE BRAKE Formosa. What’s wrong?  KARRAS She’s sad.  KEVIN Well...that explains It, I guess.  Who else is up for a game of obvious statements?  ORA Kevin, don’t.  KEVIN  KEVIN Sorry.  FORMOSA Why did we do that?  KARRAS Do that?  FORMOSA We just...my whole life I have  known that they’re all the same. That they all exist just to terrorize and destroy us. But, you saw that thing, right? You all saw It!  ORA Yes. We saw.  KARRAS I saw It, Formosa.  FORMOSA It didn’t want anything to do with  me. It was scared! My father...he was wrong.  ORA I know...  FORMOSA I have spent my life running from  them or defending against them. My short sight was based on fear. But these people! They caught them, they were around them. They knew that the Lusus Naturae needed to be made to fight. Their ignorance was self-inflicted. It was based on superiority. And we held an entire round of this ridiculous tournament just to slaughter them. Why? What was the point?  KEVIN Power...it’s always...  KARRAS Kevin?  KEVIN (changing the tone, trying  to cheer up Formosa) (MORE)   KEVIN (CONT'D) Look. People are horrible, it’s the  way of the world. Let’s go throw mud at them! Would that make you feel better? Some of those monsters probably deserved It, too! I mean... Ugh, Hey  KARRAS Grrrrrr...  KEVIN Well, that seemed unnecessary. I am  just trying to cheer Formosa up. I don’t think being a jerk to me is doing that.  ORA It honestly might be.  See? Here.  KARRAS FORMOSA ORA  Formosa, I... I don’t think I should be dealing with a wisp. I’m not exactly their favorite, remember?  FORMOSA Look, it’ll probably be fine.  Honestly, at this point, I’m--  KARRAS Formosa, I have to ask you an  important question. Would you feel better with a hug?  FORMOSA Oh. No, Karras. That’s nice that  you’re thinking of me...  Okay.  KARRAS  ORA Hug Kevin.  KEVIN Wait, what?!  Okay.  KARRAS  KEVIN He...help?  Ora...you’re such  FORMOSA Ora, go. Find the  a.... Prophecies.  How?  KEVIN  FORMOSA Use the wisp. But remember to stay  close, you can lose them if you aren’t careful.  ORA Wait!!  KEVIN Wow...  FORMOSA Shh... Come here, Come here... If  we don’t even get the Prophecies, then this really was all for nothing.  ORA Fine.  KEVIN (wheezing)  Wh--wait! Okay. Okay buddy, that’s - -  ORA Karras, I think he might need to  breath.  KARRAS Oh... Oh.  KEVIN Ora...Ora, wait. Let me go with  you. I know how important these Prophecies are to you. I want to help.  KARRAS I’ll stay with Formosa.  ORA Kevin...  KEVIN Ow!...I’m just a little tender.  ORA I think It will be better to do  this alone.  KEVIN What?! Look! I can-- Ow...  KEVIN (CONT'D) Aw, Karras, you broke my thing! My  arm or elbow or something!  FORMOSA (laughs a little)  But with love.  KARRAS You did It, Kevin! She smiled!!  KEVIN No, no no...Wait, wait, wait!! I  can’t take any more love right now.  ORA Also, I need to keep a low profile  and one person can sneak around a lot easier than two. Keep an eye on him, Alright?  FORMOSA Yeah, I will. The wisp will lead  you to the marked scroll, but don’t lose sight of It. I have slowed It down, but that’s all.  ORA Right.  Ready?  FORMOSA  ORA Ready.  KEVIN Just... be careful.  ORA I will.  KEVIN Why do I never believe her when she  says that? SCENE BRAKE  NARCIRAC I am Narcirac, and I am the only  Chosen One!  CROWD (Cheers)  ANNOUNCER Take your place and pick up your  weapon. And now for your final champion, meet the followers of Isten!  CROWD (Cheer)  ANNOUNCER Isten and his followers?  ISTEN (laughs)  Followers? What sort of prophet would I be if I needed followers to exalt me and tell me I’m great?  ANNOUNCER I don’t know... The regular kind of  prophet, I guess.  ISTEN Well, all the regular ones seem to  be dead...or about to be...  ANNOUNCER Whatever, do what you want. I get  paid either way!  ISTEN Friends!  CROWD (Cheer)  ISTEN I present myself before you: not  humbly, for humility is for those who don’t believe in their true abilities. It is a crutch to lean on in case of failure. I have no such need for a crutch.  SPECTATOR #5 Your awful! Keep Quiet!!  ISTEN A simple man, but a brilliant  one...a kind man, but a strong one...an intractable man, but a limber one...a poor man...but a prophet!  Stop him!!  SPECTATOR #1  ISTEN A Chosen One must not simply prove  themself in the field of combat, no! They must prove themselves with their mind! These other champions have claimed to be the voice of the people. To speak for the good in the world, yet not a single one of them spoke for themselves.  ZEALOT #4 That mouth will help you to your  end!  SPECTATOR #4 Let him speak, you Zealot freak!  ISTEN A voice of the people with the fear  to speak for themselves?! That is no hero, no champion, no Chosen One!  ZEALOT #3 NO ONE HAS CHOSEN YOU!  ISTEN I am the only voice! The one true  Chosen One!!  CROWD (Cheers and Boos)  ANNOUNCER Isten, ladies and gentlemen!  Take your place and pick up your weapons! All fighters! Prepare for battle!  SCENE TRANSITION  LINUS Did any of that make any sense at  all?  HAL If you’re an intellectual like me,  you appreciate the nuance and brain power that logic requires.  ANN Nobody cares.  LINUS I dunno. Some of the people seem to  like It  ANN It’s only interesting to anybody so  painfully pedantic that they like to hear themselves talk.  HAL A low IQ isn’t your fault, Ann, but  you really shouldn’t hold that disadvantage against deep thinkers like myself and Isten.  ANN Here, open that to any page and  start reading.  HAL Ah, yes, a book. Haha, of corse.  Chapter Six...Change Intermitten--  ANN This book doesn’t have any  chapters.  HAL You see that? That’s what we call  ‘ad hominem.’ It’s an attack - not on my argument’s merits - but on me as a person. And it’s the lowest, most base form of debate, Linus.  (MORE)  HAL (CONT'D) One only resorts to such unbecoming  as...  ANN Asking you to read isn’t a personal  attack. It just made you feel stupid.  HAL As only an ad hominem could!  LINUS I wish Vorlauf were here. He  usually has a good handle on big questions like ‘what’s ad hominem mean’ and ‘should we fight this guy we just met.’  HAL Did he leave?  ANN Yeah, he hates the Riot as a sport.  HAL Really? That’s strange, he never  mentioned anything about that.  ANN If you ever listened instead of  focusing all of your stupid energy on being a logic dorbel you’d know that.  HAL Uh...  ANN That was an ad hominem.  SCENE BRAKE  ORA Come on...  In here?  VORLAUF Oh, hello.  ORA Ah!  VORLAUF ...were you looking for something?  ORA Just...my Prophecy. It was stolen.  VORLAUF That’s funny. I, too, thought the  Prophecies would be here....  ORA You’re right...  You kill a wisp for that ring?  VORLAUF Oh, you know a thing or two don’t  you? But to answer your question, of course not.  ORA (Gasp)No...  VORLAUF But, I’m certainly not against such  a thing.  ORA You’re...not gonna let me have my  Prophecy are you?  VORLAUF (Laughs)  Oh, absolutely. Sure! Why not?  ORA You don’t believe It was stolen, do  you?  VORLAUF Funny enough, that is the part I  believe the most. Don’t you find It a bit curious? How we keep running into one another?  ORA I don’t think we’ve met.  VORLAUF (chuckles)  Don’t insult me, I’m sure we have not officially met, but have been acquainted? Crossed paths? Shared experiences?  (MORE)  VORLAUF (CONT'D) Shadow Run is one thing...It would  seem improbable. But somehow I feel... Of course. It is you.  ORA I really don’t know what you mean.  I don’t think we’ve ever seen each other before...  VORLAUF The fire...the small house. I was  so sure we had the right person, but then something happened. You remember, don’t you?  ORA I wasn’t there. I’ve never met you.  VORLAUF Sure you were. When you witness  magic, It tends to stay with you. I mean, I should know, I’ve witnessed that evil numerous times. But, that day, the magic...there was a girl who was quite good in battle.  And you say that wasn’t you?  ORA I’m telling you. I’ve never met  you. I’ve never seen magic. It’s a myth. Now, I’m gonna just grab my Prophecy and leave, if that’s alright with you.  VORLAUF Okay, maybe you’re not lying.  Because even if that wasn’t you, this Prophecy you’re after? I know you stole It from a bar.  ORA Alright. You got me. I stole a  piece of paper from a bar. Ya’ got me. What’s the punishment for that?  VORLAUF I don’t care about that anymore!  I’m after the magic. Somebody performed magic. My people believe we eliminated that magic. But some of us know how ridiculous that is...don’t we?  ORA So what do you want from me?  VORLAUF Magic...where is the magic? It is a  threat to our society and our livelihood.  ORA I. Don’t. Know.  VORLAUF I don’t believe you.  ORA He’s dead.  VORLAUF Ballocks.  ORA The son of the family you  slaughtered? It was him...and he’s dead.  VORLAUF Really?  ORA Yes. And you murdered him, too.  Now, give me my Prophecy.  VORLAUF What was the point of this Prophecy  obsession if the person you thought It was about has been dead?  ORA You’re as bad as Isten with your  talking and talking.  VORLAUF Let me see your eyes...  ORA Get away from me.  VORLAUF I’d watch yourself. I’m a Vigile  and a damn good one. I know you had a wisp lead you to your Prophecy. I knew I’d seen you before. I don’t just keep running into innocent people where magic shows up.  ORA So what? Who cares if magic exists?  What’s wrong with something greater than what we see?  VORLAUF Order. Stability. Magic is too  powerful for mere mortals. It corrupts and leads to tyranny. I have seen It! The only way to keep the world safe for all living beings to exist in a harmony is to stop that magic that only exists to upend and destroy.  So, if I seem a bit persistent, forgive me.  ORA I don’t forgive you.  VORLAUF And I don’t care.  ORA If you don’t think the Vigiles only  exist to keep the masses powerless, oppressed and desperate at the whims of the powerful few then you doesn’t really know what tyranny means. I’m leaving.  Ugh!  VORLAUF  ORA Let go of me!  VORLAUF Oof!! You stupid little fool.  ORA Fool?  VORLAUF The Prophecies? Only a fool would  live their lives in service of a mystery person who doesn’t even exist.  ORA Believing in people’s better nature  prevailing isn’t foolish, mister... (MORE)  ORA (CONT'D) I just realized I don’t even know  your name. . Vorlauf’s pride is slightly wounded. He is a proud man.  VORLAUF The name is Vorlauf. But, that  doesn’t matter much now, does It...Ora.  ORA How did you....  SCENE BRAKE  ZELENNE You are nothing! You will pay for  your hubris!  ISTEN And they say I talk a lot.  NARCIRAC Get off!  LYANORA Your time has come!  NARCIRAC No! Wait!!  AAHHHH!!  ISTEN Seems like you got lucky, Zelenne.  One down and you did nothing but trip over your own feet.  ZELENNE You insult me. I survive because It  is my destiny.  LYANORA Your destiny is to serve me or die.  ZELENNE You have no honor. To kill a person  you did not defeat yourself.  LYANORA If anyone has no honor It is Isten.  ZELENNE Agreed! He does not believe in  anything!  ISTEN Wrong. I just don’t believe in you  and the worlds you have made up!  LYANORA You have dropped your weapon! Let  go mine and take your defeat!  ISTEN Make me...  ZELENNE With pleasure.  ISTEN Shit...  Oof!  AAAAAA  HA!  LYANORA ZELENNE ISTEN  LYANORA my leg!! (Screaming)  ISTEN Relax, technically it’s still  there, you just can’t really wa...  ZELENNE And I say with pleasure. Die, you  enemy of the land!  ISTEN (Choking)  ZELENNE Come on...  SCENE BRAKE Aaagghhh!!!  AAAAAAHHHH!! My leg!! You cut off  VORLAUF  ORA Oh sorry...did that hurt?  VORLAUF Not at all.  You do have some skills...I will give you that.  ORA So...do... Oof!  That was a dirty trick...  VORLAUF No such thing.  ORA Look, just hand over the Prophecies  and you can go on doing whatever your thing is... UGH! ...terrorizing innocent civilians, I believe?  VORLAUF Protecting the people? Sure, I’ll  get back to that.  VORLAUF (CONT'D) But, not before I protect them from  you.  ORA That set on losing, are you? Happy  to oblige.  VORLAUF Ugh, I am tired of this.  ORA Ahhhh.....  VORLAUF It’s over.  ORA Oof!!  VORLAUF If It makes you feel better, you’re  not bad in a fight. But you protect magic and that is bad for the world.  ORA You can’t do this forever. All  tyranny ends. If it’s not you, then the next, replaceable fool they hire to replace you.  VORLAUF Well that may be...but what you  call tyranny, I call equality. You might have learned that...but now it’s time to go to sleep. AAAAAHH!  SCENE BRAKE  ISTEN (Choking)  ZELENNE That’s...who did magic?! UGHGGGHHGH-  ISTEN You...you are the...coward.  ZELENNE AAAAAAhhh....You will never be the  Chosen O... AAAAAAAAHH!!  ISTEN Oh, shut up.  LYANORA I will defeat you! You are nothing!  My body is only the start! The Chosen One can never be defeated! You will see me again!!  ISTEN I’m looking forward to It.  CROWD (Cheers)  SCENE BRAKE I...I...I What...what...What...?  KEVIN Ora!!  ORA  ORA Kevin, did you... did you .... Did  you just see that?  KEVIN No, I was around the corner and  heard an explosion. What happened?  ORA Kevin, I-I think I maybe...  KEVIN Wait...  This is the guy out cold.  ORA Kevin...I think  from the bar! He’s  I...  KEVIN Don’t worry, it’s fine; he’s not  dead. Where are the Prophecies?  ORA In there!  I’ll be keeping this ring. I’d say thank you, but...  KEVIN Where are they?  ORA Look! There! Look in that chest.  KEVIN Yessss! This must be every one that  was turned in! Maybe even past years! Hey, grab that other side.  KEVIN (CONT'D) One, two, THREE!  ORA Okay, let’s go.  So, where’s Formosa?  KEVIN Well, they were at the tent, but  Karras was trying to get her to go to the fight.  ORA Do you think It worked?  KEVIN Your guess is as good as mine. But  I know they would not mind seeing Isten taken down.  ORA Right.  SCENE BRAKE  ANNOUNCER We have a champion!  ISTEN Yeah! Ha Ha Ha!.  CROWD (Cheers)  ANNOUNCE We finally have It! The alignment  of Prophecy and prophet has occurred! We no longer need wonder when such a momentous event could occur. For we are its witness! Our champion weathered a barrage of challenges, powerful opponents and dynamic obstacles. Ladies and gentlemen...  CROWD (Cheers)  ANNOUNCER ...Please greet and show the  requisite deference to the savior of the land! Our one true prophet!  ISTEN AAA!....  CROWD (Gasps)  ANNOUNCER The Chosen One...ISTEN!  ISTEN I...I...What?....  CROWD (Gasps)  ANNOUNCER Whats going on  SQUIRE OF ZELENNE NO PROPHET BUT THE TRUE PROPHET!  FOLOWERS OF ZELENNE  FREEDOME!  You have killed the proven Chosen One...  SQUIRE OF ZELENNE He was a false prophet! And you!  NO! RESTORE THE ORDER!  Wait...  ANNOUNCER  SQUIRE OF ZELENNE FOLLOWERS OF ZELENNE ZEALOT #5  SQUIRE OF ZELENNE You declared him the One...  FOLLOWERS OF ZELENNE (Yelling)  ANNOUNCER Wait...wait...wait, wait  wait...WAIT... You don't know how this works...  SQUIRE OF ZELENNE Followers of Zelenne!!!  ANNOUNCER Hold on, hold... help... HELP....  SQUIRE OF ZELENNE We will only serve the true  prophet! SCENE TRANSITION  LINUS What is happening?!  AAAAAAAA  FALLING SPECTATOR  HAL LOOK OUT!  ANN HEY! WATCH It!  BIG ZEALOT You fight for us for truth, or you  fight for evil!  ANN You really don’t want to do this.  BIG ZEALOT EVIL MUST BE REMOV....  HAL That’s a...what...storm clouds?  ANN It was clear skies a second ago...  LINUS I don’t know what It is...but it’s  getting closer...  END OF EPISODE 19