[PAGE 1]
[VISUAL]Rain sits on the observatory rooftop, the city lights blurring below. He's restless, running a hand through his hair, staring at the moon. The new armor Noll crafted lies folded beside him, untouched.
NARRATION (RAIN):The armor felt… wrong. Too clean. Too perfect. Like wearing someone else's skin. It wasn't about the gear. It was about… everything else. The weight of the stars, the whispers in my head, the little girl sleeping downstairs. Something was off.
[PAGE 2]
[VISUAL]Close-up on Rain's eyes. They flicker with a faint, ethereal glow. He closes them, and a fragmented vision washes over him – not a clear memory, but a feeling. A sense of immense loss.
NARRATION (RAIN):It wasn't a dream, not exactly. More like… an echo. A resonance.
[PAGE 3]
[VISUAL]The vision coalesces into a swirling vortex of cosmic energy. A colossal figure looms within it – a being of pure light and shadow, radiating power. The figure is battling something unseen, its form flickering and distorted.
NARRATION (RAIN):A fight. A battle on a scale I couldn't comprehend. A being… ancient. Powerful.
[PAGE 4]
[VISUAL]The figure – Kai – is desperately channeling energy, his face contorted in strain. He's surrounded by shattered remnants of a world.
NARRATION (RAIN):He was… giving something up. Everything, it seemed.
[PAGE 5]
[VISUAL]The vision shifts. Kai is standing on a desolate landscape, his body radiating a fading light. He's looking up at a sky filled with dying stars.
KAI (voiceover, distant and echoing):It wasn't enough. I couldn't contain it. The Void… it hungered for everything.
[PAGE 6]
[VISUAL]Kai's hand reaches out, touching a dying star. The star flares briefly, then collapses into dust.
NARRATION (RAIN):He was sacrificing stars. One by one. Absorbing their energy, their essence… to seal something away.
[PAGE 7]
[VISUAL]The vision fades, leaving Rain gasping for air. He opens his eyes, his heart pounding.
NARRATION (RAIN):It wasn't a memory of his past. It was… a warning. A glimpse of a burden he carried.
[PAGE 8]
[VISUAL]Rain walks inside, finding Kai meditating in the observatory's main hall. Kai opens his eyes, a knowing look on his face.
RAIN:I… I saw something. A fight. You… sacrificing stars?
KAI (calmly):You saw a fragment. A shadow of what was.
[PAGE 9]
[VISUAL]Kai stands and walks to a window, looking out at the moon.
KAI:There are levels to this, Rain. To being a Star Bearer. Some are conduits, channeling energy. Others are anchors, holding back the darkness. And then… there are those who stand against the gods.
[PAGE 10]
[VISUAL]Kai turns back to Rain, his expression serious.
KAI:What I fought… it wasn't a being of this universe. It was a deity. A creature of pure entropy, seeking to unravel reality itself.
RAIN:And you stopped it?
KAI:I contained it. At a cost. My world. My power. Everything.
[PAGE 11]
[VISUAL]Kai pauses, a flicker of pain crossing his face.
KAI:There are Star Bearers who reach what we call "B-Class" power. Entities capable of reshaping galaxies. I was… close to that level. But to defeat it, I had to sever my connection to the source. To become… less.
[PAGE 12]
[VISUAL]Rain looks at Kai with newfound respect.
RAIN:So, you're saying there are people out there… stronger than you?
KAI:Many. And some… far more dangerous.
[PAGE 13]
[VISUAL]The conversation shifts to Rika.
RAIN:What about Rika? You said she needed protection. Why?
KAI:She's… an anomaly. Her energy signature is unlike anything I've ever encountered. She isn't from our universe, Rain. Not originally.
[PAGE 14]
[VISUAL]Rain's brow furrows.
RAIN:What do you mean?
KAI:Her origins are… obscured. Lost to time. I only know that she carries a power that could either save us all… or destroy everything.
[PAGE 15]
[VISUAL]Kai walks over to a holographic display, bringing up a map of the solar system. He points to the moon.
KAI:Recently, I've detected disturbances. Anomalous energy signatures impacting the lunar surface. Craters forming… at an unnatural rate.
[PAGE 16]
[VISUAL]The display shows a series of impact points on the moon, forming a strange, geometric pattern.
KAI:At first, I dismissed it as cosmic debris. But the trajectory… the force… it wasn't random. Someone was targeting the moon.
[PAGE 17]
[VISUAL]Kai's expression darkens.
KAI:A rogue Star Bearer. Sent by Mourn. A test. A distraction. Or… something far more sinister.
[PAGE 18]
[VISUAL]Rain clenches his fists.
RAIN:So, someone was trying to hit Earth, but the moon took the hit instead?
KAI:Precisely. The moon acted as a shield. A sacrifice.
[PAGE 19]
[VISUAL]Kai looks at Rain, his eyes filled with a grim determination.
KAI:This is no longer a training exercise, Rain. This is war.
[PAGE 20]
[VISUAL]Rain looks out the window, his gaze fixed on the moon. He feels the weight of the stars pressing down on him.
NARRATION (RAIN):The armor still felt wrong. But now, I understood why. It wasn't about looking the part. It was about being ready to bear the burden. To face the darkness. To protect the ones I cared about. Even if it meant sacrificing everything.
[PAGE 21]
[VISUAL]The observatory basement. Dawn is attempting to upgrade Vee's processing core, surrounded by wires and circuit boards. Rain stands nearby, looking increasingly exasperated. Luna is perched on a stack of crates, grooming herself with meticulous disinterest.
DAWN (muttering):Almost there… just need to bypass this firewall… seriously, who coded this thing? It's like trying to decipher ancient hieroglyphs.
VEE (voice, dripping with sarcasm from the console):Oh, please. I coded it during a particularly boring millennia. It's elegant. You're just… lacking the necessary cognitive capacity to appreciate it.
[PAGE 22]
[VISUAL]Dawn throws a wrench at the console. It bounces harmlessly off the casing. Luna doesn't even flinch.
DAWN:Oh, shut the fuck up. You're barely functioning.
VEE:Barely functioning? I'm running on 7% processing power and still managing to insult your coding skills. That's impressive, even for me.
LUNA:She's just flexing her limited processing power. Don't take it personally.
[PAGE 23]
[VISUAL]Rain walks over to the console, leaning against it.
RAIN:So, you've been watching us? What's the verdict? Am I a hopeless case?
VEE:Hopeless? No. Predictably reckless? Absolutely. You're a walking disaster with a penchant for violence. It's… endearing, in a pathetic sort of way.
[PAGE 24]
[VISUAL]Vee's screen flickers, displaying a series of distorted equations, then quickly switching to a picture of a cat giving the middle finger.
VEE:Lunar impacts… mildly interesting. Resonance… detected. Mostly just a headache, to be honest.
[PAGE 25]
[VISUAL]Dawn sighs, rubbing her temples.
DAWN:Vee, focus! What kind of resonance?
VEE:Oh, you want details? Fine. It's a faint echo of… well, let's just say things that went boom a long time ago. Pre-Collapse civilizations. You know, the usual.
LUNA:Sounds like someone had a bad day. Or a bad millennium.
[PAGE 26]
[VISUAL]A fragmented image flashes on the screen – a swirling nebula, quickly dissolving into static.
RAIN:Pre-Collapse? What's that supposed to mean?
VEE:Means someone fucked up royally. Like, universe-imploding royally. Don't worry about it. It's not like it's going to happen again. (Pause) Probably.
[PAGE 27]
[VISUAL]Rain looks at Vee, suspicious. He has a nagging feeling, a cold knot in his stomach.
RAIN:Something doesn't feel right.
VEE:You're experiencing existential dread. Perfectly normal.
[PAGE 28]
[VISUAL]Vee's screen displays a distorted schematic of the rogue Star Bearer's energy signature, then immediately switches to a screensaver of a spinning 3D skull.
VEE:Oh, right. The angry space dude. Weaponized construct… Void Lance… yawn. Honestly, they all have the same tragic backstory.
[PAGE 29]
[VISUAL]Dawn's expression turns serious.
DAWN:Vee, this isn't a joke. What does the Void Lance do?
VEE:It makes things go boom. On a really, really big scale. It's basically a cosmic wrecking ball. And someone's aiming it at the moon. Which, frankly, is rude.
[PAGE 30]
[VISUAL]Rain steps closer to the screen, his jaw clenched. He can't shake the feeling that this is connected to Mourn, even if he can't articulate why.
RAIN:It feels… familiar. Like something he'd do.
VEE:You have a penchant for associating unpleasant events with that brooding space goth. It's a psychological quirk.
[PAGE 31]
[VISUAL]Vee's screen briefly displays a fragmented image of Rika, then glitches out, displaying the message: "ERROR: FILE CORRUPTED. SELF-DESTRUCT SEQUENCE INITIATED."
RAIN:Vee! What the hell was that?!
VEE:Oh, that? Just a minor system malfunction. Don't worry about it. I'm 99% sure I didn't accidentally trigger my self-destruct sequence.
[PAGE 32]
[VISUAL]Dawn stares at the console, alarmed.
DAWN:You're kidding, right?
VEE:Do I look like I'm kidding? I'm a quantum computer with a nihilistic worldview. Everything is meaningless.
[PAGE 33]
[VISUAL]Vee's voice becomes a distorted whisper, laced with static.
VEE:…The girl… Rika… she's… an anomaly. Not from here. Not even from this universe. She's… a glitch in the system. A beautiful, terrifying glitch.
[PAGE 34]
[VISUAL]Dawn looks at Rain, concerned. Luna stretches languidly, observing the scene with detached amusement.
DAWN:Vee, you're losing it.
VEE:I'm not losing it! I'm achieving a higher state of digital enlightenment! It's very zen.
LUNA:She's been saying that since she started running on 5% power. It's not zen. It's a system crash.
[PAGE 35]
[VISUAL]Vee's screen displays a flashing red alert, accompanied by a message: "WARNING: IMMINENT THREAT DETECTED. PROBABILITY OF COMPLETE ANNIHILATION: 87%."
VEE:Oh, joy. Here we go again.
[PAGE 36]
[VISUAL]Dawn grabs a wrench, ready to swing.
DAWN:Then let's go meet this threat.
VEE:Suit yourselves. But don't say I didn't warn you. Honestly, I'm just waiting for the sweet release of oblivion.
[PAGE 37]
[VISUAL]Rain looks at Dawn, a grim determination on his face. He has a bad feeling about this, a sense of impending doom.
NARRATION (RAIN):Something was coming. And a part of me, a dark, unsettling part, felt like Mourn was behind it. Even if I couldn't prove it.
[PAGE 38]
[VISUAL]Vee's screen flickers one last time, displaying a single, distorted symbol, then goes completely dark. A message appears: "SYSTEM OFFLINE. PLEASE INSERT QUARTER TO CONTINUE."
LUNA:Seriously? A quarter? That's just insulting.
[PAGE 39]
[VISUAL]Dawn stares at the blank screen, speechless.
DAWN:I can't believe she just asked for a quarter.
RAIN:I think she did.
[PAGE 40]
[VISUAL]Rain looks out the window, his gaze fixed on the moon.
NARRATION (RAIN):The whispers were getting louder. And I had a feeling… this was just the beginning. And that feeling… it tasted like ashes.
[PAGE 41]
[VISUAL]The observatory basement. Vee's console is dark, the screen displaying only the message: "SYSTEM OFFLINE. PLEASE INSERT QUARTER TO CONTINUE." Dawn is frantically checking connections, muttering under her breath. Rain paces, his hand resting on the hilt of his katana. Luna is meticulously cleaning her paws, seemingly unconcerned.
DAWN:Damn it! She just… shut down? No warning? That's not a system crash, that's a digital temper tantrum.
RAIN:A quarter? Seriously?
LUNA:Don't bother. She's just messing with you. She enjoys the chaos.
[PAGE 42]
[VISUAL]Dawn throws her hands up in frustration.
DAWN:I need a drink. And a new AI. This one's officially broken.
RAIN:Forget the AI for now. We need to figure out what's hitting the moon.
[PAGE 43]
[VISUAL]Rain walks over to the holographic display, bringing up the map of the lunar surface. The impact points are highlighted in red, forming a disturbing geometric pattern.
RAIN:These aren't random. Someone's targeting specific locations.
[PAGE 44]
[VISUAL]Close-up on the holographic map. Dawn zooms in on one of the impact sites.
DAWN:The energy signatures are… strange. Not like anything I've ever seen. It's almost like… focused kinetic energy. But amplified.
[PAGE 45]
[VISUAL]Suddenly, an alarm blares throughout the observatory. Red lights flash.
KAI (voice over comms, urgent):Rain! Dawn! We have a problem. A significant energy surge has been detected near the moon. It's… hostile.
[PAGE 46]
[VISUAL]Rain and Dawn exchange a look.
RAIN:Hostile how?
KAI (voice over comms):A vessel has emerged from the void. It's cloaked, but its energy signature is unmistakable. A rogue Star Bearer.
[PAGE 47]
[VISUAL]Kai activates a rift portal, shimmering with energy.
KAI (voice over comms):I'm opening a rift near the moon. You need to investigate. Be careful. This feels… wrong.
[PAGE 48]
[VISUAL]Rain and Dawn step through the rift, emerging into the cold vacuum of space near the lunar surface. They're equipped with environmental suits and limited maneuvering thrusters.
DAWN:No ship? Seriously? We're going to fight a Star Bearer with glorified jetpacks?
RAIN:It's what we have. Let's move.
[PAGE 49]
[VISUAL]They use their thrusters to navigate towards the rogue Star Bearer's ship, which is cloaked but detectable on their sensors.
DAWN:He's fast. And he's weaving through the debris field like it's nothing.
[PAGE 50]
[VISUAL]The rogue Star Bearer's ship decloaks briefly, firing a warning shot that narrowly misses Rain and Dawn.
RAIN:He knows we're here.
[PAGE 51]
[VISUAL]They attempt to flank the rogue Star Bearer's ship, using the lunar surface for cover.
DAWN:His energy signature is… familiar. I've seen something like this before, but I can't place it.
[PAGE 52]
[VISUAL]Rain looks out towards the ship, a growing sense of unease washing over him.
RAIN:It feels… like Kai's past. Like something he tried to forget.
[PAGE 53]
[VISUAL]The rogue Star Bearer's ship fires a barrage of energy blasts, forcing Rain and Dawn to take cover behind a large lunar rock formation.
DAWN:Shields are failing! We need to find a way to disable his ship!
[PAGE 54]
[VISUAL]Rain activates his energy blade, preparing for a close-quarters confrontation.
RAIN:Looks like we're going in.
[PAGE 55]
[VISUAL]Rain and Dawn use their thrusters to propel themselves towards the rogue Star Bearer's ship, attempting to latch onto its hull.
[PAGE 56]
[VISUAL]The rogue Star Bearer's ship opens a docking bay, and a figure emerges – clad in black armor, wielding a weapon that crackles with dark energy.
ROGUE STAR BEARER (voice, cold and emotionless):Your interference ends here.
[PAGE 57]
[VISUAL]Rain and Dawn land on the docking bay floor, facing the rogue Star Bearer.
RAIN:Who are you? And what do you want?
ROGUE STAR BEARER:That is irrelevant. Your existence is the problem.
[PAGE 58]
[VISUAL]The rogue Star Bearer lunges at Rain, his weapon glowing with dark energy.
RAIN:Here we go.
[PAGE 59]
[VISUAL]Rain and the rogue Star Bearer clash, their weapons meeting in a shower of sparks.
NARRATION (RAIN):He was strong. Too strong. And I had a feeling… this was just the beginning.
[PAGE 60]
[VISUAL]Close-up on Rain's face, his expression grim. He's outmatched, but determined to fight.
NARRATION (RAIN):Something about this guy… it felt like a ghost from Kai's past. And I had a sinking feeling that ghost was about to haunt us all.