[Thin opening frame depicting a panoramic view of Loram State College, with a sign in the foreground identifying it as such. Caption should overlap two frames.] CAPTION Loram State. A typical college in a typical college town. Where typical sophomore Keith Franklin is having another typical moment in his typical life. [Keith and Henry's dorm. Hilary smacks Keith a good one in the face.] HILARY I am THROUGH with you! KEITH Hilary, let me explain! HILARY What's to explain? You forgot my birthday for the second time in a row and you didn't call me once over summer break! KEITH I wrote you letters! I can't afford phone calls! HILARY You could've called collect! KEITH [scratching his head, "Godai" position] Oh, yeah, right... Didn't think of that... HILARY That's your problem! You *never* think! You're the most inconsiderate, thoughtless man I've ever met, and I never want to see you again! KEITH Wait! I'll-- I'll take you to din--! HILARY And get a real haircut! [She slams the door in his face.] LARRY CARICATURE [Peeking from the bottom of the frame and holding a pen:] I resent that remark! [Keith slumps on his unmade bed, facing the ceiling.] KEITH Well, I guess it doesn't get any worse than this. [A brown bag hits him in the face.] Huh? HENRY Yo, roomie! KEITH Henry. You're back. What's this? [indicating the bag] HENRY I packed you a lunch. Time to brave the registration line! KEITH College is hell. [New page? Scene of Gehenna. Illustrate each of the following captions, but don't feel obligated to use three frames. Two frames, with the captions overlapping, would work as well.] CAPTIONS No, college is not hell. And neither is this, though it's just about as close as you can get. Welcome to Gehenna. The citizens of this horrid place call themselves the Zhiren, and despite their wicked appearence, they're not truly evil, just ill-tempered. If you lived in an endless series of sweltering, dimly-lit caverns that smelled like rotten eggs, wouldn't you be? ZHIREN #1 (to two others) [pointing "sky"-ward] Hey! It's Princess Akruna! [New frame: Akruna rides a huge, flying creature, ugly but not threatening, that looks like a cross between a flying dinosaur and a hairy bat. She smiles cheerfully and waves to the crowd.] CAPTION Okay, so they're not *all* ill-tempered. [Akruna flies toward an elegant, yet hideous castle carved into the rock.] [New frame: The Zhiren Emperor relaxing in a small ornate, room. Spear-carrying guards are at the door. He sits in a chair, staring intently into a scrying pool. Akruna walks in, startling him.] AKRUNA Hi, Dad! EMPEROR Akruna, how many times have I asked not to barge in like that? You interrupted a very important scrying spell! AKRUNA Watching pro wrestling again, huh? EMPEROR The Masked Annihilator was about to get pinned! AKRUNA Well, speaking of the Mortal Plane-- EMPEROR No. AKRUNA But you don't even know what I'm going to ask! EMPEROR No, you can't go to the Mortal Plane. AKRUNA But Zephistra and I have been working on this spell! See, we could go up there if we were invisible-- EMPEROR No! Our peace with the Higher Power has been kept for over five thousand years, and I'm not about to let you endanger it by straying into neutral territory. AKRUNA [whining] But, Daaaaad! [The Emperor turns on her, growing to fifty feet tall. Smoke belches from his nose, fire comes from his fanged mouth, and his eyes glow.] EMPEROR DO NOT ANGER ME, DAUGHTER!! THOU ART MY CREATION, AND THOU SHALT DO MY BIDDING!! IF THOU DOST NOT... [An enormous index finger, with a sharp nail, points at Akruna, who jumps and bugs out.] THEN I SHALL *DESTROY* THEE!! AKRUNA [running away:] WAAAAHH! [The Emperor is relaxed once more, looking pleased with himself.] EMPEROR Heh, heh. I still got it. [Keith and Henry wait in an absurdly long line. As they talk, the following things appear behind them, one at a time: -- A man gasping "Water, water" (in "small speech") -- The "Registration Line Gift Shop" -- Porta-potties, with sign: "LAST CHANCE TO GO FOR 3 MILES" -- A cow skull, tumbleweed, and cactus.] HENRY So what was that between you and Hilary? KEITH We broke up. HENRY I thought you broke up last Homecoming. KEITH No, that's when we made up. HENRY But didn't you make up over Spring Break? KEITH Yeah, but we broke up again. HENRY Why don't you give up, man? KEITH Because I love her. HENRY You sure? KEITH Yeah! Of course I'm sure. I think. [A crazed Jacques, wearing a tattered Ozzy t-shirt confronts them.] JACQUES True believers!! Welcome back to campus! HENRY Jacques. Smelling just as sweet as usual, I see. JACQUES [thrusting flyers into their hands] I've come to invite you to the semester's first meeting of the Loram Occult Club. There will be a Summoning! HENRY Not another one? JACQUES [unpeturbed] Yes, another! And this one shall be successful beyond your wildest imaginings! [Walking off, index finger thrust in the air] Ten PM Thursday! Free pizza and beer! Be there! HENRY Well, hell. For free pizza and beer I'll attend a meeting of the Asthmatic Yodeling Club. [Keith is examining the flyer.] KEITH [off-frame] Well, this is different. [Close-up of the flyer. Besides the usual, club name and place, there's a crude drawing of the Binding Gem.] [Next frame: Henry looks through binoculars, while Keith still looks at the flyer.] KEITH Wonder what that nut has planned this time? HENRY Cool! I can just make out the auditorium! [Bhardon at a podium.] BHARDON Loyal followers, our long wait is nearly at an end! For five millenia the truce between our race and the Higher Power has prevented us from reclaiming our birthright! But no longer! If Armageddon is what is keeping us from the Mortal Plane, then Armageddon it shall be! Tomorrow, we act!! [Reverse shot: A surprisingly large number of Zhiren raise their fists in salute.] CROWD ALL HAIL LORD BHARDON!! NEXT: SUMMONING AND REBELLION