By Brian Babyok, Colton McBryer and Jordan Harris
This is a script and treatment for a story that never got off the ground. It’s a bit darker than I had planned, initially, but it’s intriguing. I may revisit it at some point.–Barry
Page 1 (full page)
“Dance the Desperate Breath”
Panel 1. Phineus sits upon an elaborate throne made of bone (ref. H.R. Giger). He is surrounded by a harem of women that all look like Sara, though their ages vary from 14 to 84, all clad in naught but their bloomers and corsets. Phineus is clad as a Victorian gentleman, though he wears no shirt or jacket, merely spats, pants, suspenders, and a vest, revealing his left robotic arm as a work of brass, gears, and steam. More troublingly, his right arm is covered in eldritch runes, and is the only part of him that seems to have any vitality left. He seems utterly adrift, filled with apathy and brooding contempt behind the sunglasses he wears. His sword leans against the throne, stained with old blood and gathering dust.
1 CAP: Civilization has fallen and risen. Humanity has once again crawled from primordial abasement. Phineus, has watched and suffered. Once the last Green Mage, Phineus has forsaken that noble path, turned from all he held dear by the mistakes of pride and grief. Now, Phineus is sodden and dissolute. How he came to this is a tale to be told…
Page 2 (5 panels)
“Total Sex”
Panel 1. A murder scene within a college dorm; a teen-aged girl is sprawled on her bed, tangled in her sheets. Her body is sunken and lifeless.
1 CAP: Six-hundred years ago…
Panel 2. Close-up of the corpse’s face; her contain the only remnants of life, gleaming reflectively.
Panel 3. Extreme close-up of her eye. We can see the reflection of Cassander, the Incubus, in them.
Panel 4. Cassander sits in a chair, smoking a cigarette while watching television.
Panel 5. With a tongue just a little too long to be human, Cassander licks the corpse with one last bit of “affection.”
Page 3 (6 panels)
“Foreplay”
Panel 1. The sun rises, shining red as fresh blood over the city of Pittsburgh in the year 2062.
Panel 2. The scene is Phineus’ study. A 93 year old Phineus paces in front of a window, half-silhouetted by the light. A police officer with a moustache and crew-cut sits nervously.
1 CAP: The police officer didn’t quite believe in what Phineus did, but he was not certain in his disbelief. His skepticism warred with the evidence, and he was right to come to Phineus again, as he had once before.
Panel 3. Phineus holds an orb in his right hand. It is an intricate work of interconnecting lines and geometric shapes. It looks placed and soothing, shades of green on green. Phineus looks puzzled.
2 CAP: Phineus thought the conundrum of deaths seemed as magic to him, but no wards had been triggered. To his ruin, Phineus agreed to investigate.
Panel 4. Phineus sits in the police officers car as they drive to the crime scene. They pass a closed night club with an ad on the marquee for a band called the Law Punks. Their symbol is a single arrow pointing upwards.
Panel 5. The crime scene – the body is covered with white cloth. Phineus and the police officer are entirely silhouetted by the light above.
Narration 5. It was in this room of concrete and rot that Phineus would first drink the wine of his bitter unraveling.
Panel 6. Phineus pulls back the white cloth with a flourish. The body is revealed as that of a man, desiccated as the body of the woman in page 2.
Page 4 ( 4 panels )
“The vital breath”
Panel 1. Wide panel of the crime scene. Phineus stands over the man’s body, with the crystal sphere in his outstretched arm. The sphere flares with a bright green light, illuminating the room but, strangely, not the body. The lines and geometric we saw on the sphere are now written in shadow across the walls and ceiling.
1 PHINEUS OH, YEAH, THIS IS BAD.
Panel 2 Phineus stands with the police officer (I’m going to say that he’s McThorn, last seen in The Eyes Have It, unless there’s some reason not to). Both of their faces are bathed in rune-filled light. McThorn looks around the room, a little dumbfounded.
2 PHINEUS THERE’S SOMETHING REALLY STRANGE ABOUT THIS
3 MCTHORN HUH, YA THINK?
Panel 3. A close up of the dessicated corpse. The floor around it is brightly illuminated by the mystic light, but the corpse is deeply shadowed.
4 PHINEUS HIS DEATH WAS DEFINITELY MAGICAL, BUT IT’S LIKE NOTHING I’VE SEEN BEFORE. HE WASN’T BLASTED WITH ENERGY. HE HAD HIS ENERGY REMOVED. ALL OF IT.
Panel 4. Phineus and McThorn. McThorn has regained his composure, but now it’s Phineus who looks stunned, or even a little frightened.
5 MCTHORN WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?
6 PHINEUS HIS SOUL. HE HAD HIS SOUL TAKEN FROM HIM.
Page 5 (5 panels)
“A little madness in the Spring is wholesome even for the king”
Panel 1. McThorn and Phineus survey the room.
1 PHINEUS YOU SAID THERE HAVE BEEN OTHERS?
2 MCTHORN MAYBE. WE’VE FOUND SOME SIMILARITIES IN 6 OTHER VICTIMS, ACROSS 4 STATES. MOST RECENT WAS IN FLORIDA A FEW MONTHS AGO.
Panel 2. McThorn talking. In the breast pocket of his shirt, we can faintly see the outline of a pack of cigarettes.
3 MCTHORN THREE COLLEGE KIDS ON SPRING BREAK. THE CORONER CALLED IT AN OVERDOSE AND KEPT IT QUIET, BUT I’VE READ THE REPORT. IT WAS THE SAME AS THIS SHIT, MAYBE WORSE. THE THINGS THOSE KIDS DID TO EACH OTHER BEFORE THEY DIED…
Panel 3 Phineus’ back is silhouetted in the foreground, and we see McThorn over his shoulder.
4 PHINEUS YOU SMOKE?
5 MCTHORN WHAT? YEAH, I DO, BUT WHAT…
Panel 4 Phineus’ outstretched right hand to McThorn, as the cop takes the pack from his pocket.
6 PHINEUS GIVE ME ONE.
Panel 5. Phineus withdraws the cigarette with his robotic left hand, holding it up in the air. He grins cockily at McThorn as he chides him.
7 MCTHORN HEY, NO, THIS IS A CRIME SCENE, BEAM. YOU CAN’T JUST LIGHT UP IN HERE!
8 PHINEUS HOW ABOUT YOU STOP PISSING YOURSELF AND LET ME DO MY JOB, OKAY?
Page 6 (8 panels)
“Smoke ’em if you got ’em”
Panel 1 (inset). Closeup of Phineus’s black silhouette against the bright green background. He conjures a small flame from his right fingertip and lights the cigarette.
Panel 2. The cigarette begins smoking prodigiously. Huge gouts of smoke fill the room, obscuring everything. Phineus’ voice comes out of the clouds.
1 PHINEUS EMOTIONAL MAGIC ALWAYS LEAVES A MEMORY OF ITSELF BEHIND. USUALLY THOSE TRACES ARE INERT, BUT IF YOU KNOW HOW TO ASK, THEY CAN BECOME ELECTROSTATICALLY CHARGED.
Panel 3. The smoke congeals into two dense, man-sized clouds of smoke at the front door of the apartment. Phineus and McThorn watch the pillars of smoke.
2 PHINEUS NOW, LET’S SEE WHAT WE’RE DEALING WITH.
Panel 4. The smoke has completely coalesced into two human-shaped clouds, like fuzzy-edged outlines of men. One is large and imposing, with tiny horns protruding from his head, a cloud-based version of Cassander. The other, the owner of the apartment, is smaller and submissive, following behind the Cassander cloud.
3 CAP HE KNEW HIS KILLER. HE BROUGHT HIM HERE.
Panel 5. The clouds entwine, their heads merging in a passionate open-cloud kiss
4 CAP THEY WERE INTIMATE…
Panel 6. Cloud-victim kneels before Cloud-Cassander, apparently cloud-fellating him.
5 CAP VERY INTIMATE…
Panel 7 Reaction shot of McThorn and Phineus shocked, appalled, and disgusted, yet unable to turn away. (ref. Two Girls One Cup reaction videos)
6 PHINEUS (very small, to himself) WELL, I DIDN’T KNOW THAT WAS POSSIBLE.
Panel 8 Wider shot of the apartment. The cloudy outline of the victim now lies on top of the actual victim. In one corner of the room, Cloud-Cassander is tearing open a cloudy hole in space with his hands, and is stepping through it. Phineus points at it.
7 PHINEUS AFTER HE KILLED HIM, HE OPENED A SPATIAL RIFT, THERE! AND I THINK I CAN FOLLOW HIM.
Page 7 (six panels)
“Rituals”
Panel 1. McThorn steps back as Phineus pulls several items out of his bag of holding, including a candle, chalk and a ruby encrusted amulet.
1 CAP: RITUALS. SOMETHING YOU DON’T HAVE TIME FOR IN COMBAT.
Panel 2. Phineus places the candle on the nightstand.
2 CAP: I FIND MYSELF ENJOYING THE RITUALS MORE AND THE COMBAT LESS.
Panel 3. Phin lights the candle with the tip of his right index finger.
3 CAP: I GUESS IT MAKES SENSE. I’M 93. I’M TIRED.
Panel 4. Phin traces a doorway in the air with the chalk.
4 CAP: BEING IMMORTAL WAS NOT AS FUN AS A I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE.
Panel 5. Phin places the amulet where a doorknob would be.
5 CAP: I’VE GOT A 92 YEAR OLD WIFE, THAT I LOVE AND WHO WANTS TO DIE A NATURAL DEATH.
Panel 6. Phin turns to McThorn.
6 CAP: SHE’LL LEAVE ME BEHIND AND I WILL BE ALONE.
7 PHINEUS: ALL SET. LOCKDOWN THE CRIME SCENE UNTIL I GET BACK AND DON’T LET ANYONE IN.
Page 8 (six panels)
“He met the nightmare”
Panel 1. Phineus steps into the “door” which now that it’s opened, the it appears to be looking into a room which is a blurred version of the scene below.
Panel 2. We’re inside a huge bedroom, with giant cathedral ceilings, marble flooring, emperor sized canopy bed, and very tapestries. I’m picturing something very Middle Eastern look to it. The room itself is populated by several servants who are performing various tasks; including but not limited to, a man who is on all fours acting as a table for another servant who is pouring tea into a teacup which is sitting on the mans back. Cassander, shirtless but with dark pants is looking out a large glass window out onto the city of Pittsburgh. He is smoking a cigar.
Panel 3. Phin steps into the room startling all of the servants.
1 CAP: THIS IS NO ORDINARY DEMON, MOST DON’T HAVE THE RESTRAINT TO LIVE AMONGST US.
Panel 4. Cassander has turned and is facing Phineus. As a test, Phin quotes King Lear, Act 3 Scene 4.
2 PHINEUS: THE PRINCE OF DARKNESS IS A GENTLEMEN: MODO HE’S CALL’D, AND MAHU.
Panel 5. Cassander replies to Phineus in kind.
3 CASSANDER: OUR FLESH AND BLOOD, MY LORD, IS GROWN SO VILE THAT IT DOTH HATE WHAT IT GETS.
Panel 6. Phineus begins to circle closer to Cassander.
4 PHINEUS: AN EDUCATED AND LONG LIVED DEMON I SEE. WHY SHOW YOURSELF IN MY CITY?
Page 9 (five panels)
“Excitement”
Panel 1. Cassander casually throws the cigar to the ground.
1 CASSANDER: ISN’T IT OBVIOUS? I CAME FOR THE EXCITEMENT.
2 PHINEUS: I HOPE YOU ENJOYED YOURSELF.
Panel 2. Cassander starts to sensually touch his own body which see that he has a ring on each finger.
3 CASSANDER: I HAVE BEEN.
Panel 3. Cassander slides his left hand into his pants.
4 CASSANDER: I’VE TALKED TO YOUR GRANDDAUGHTER AT THE COLLEGE. SHE’S PRETTY. ALL THAT RED HAIR, MUST REMIND YOU YOUR WIFE. BACK WHEN SHE WAS YOUNGER OF COURSE.
Panel 4. Phineus blasts Cassander with his mystical blast.
5 PHINEUS: ALRIGHT. ENOUGH. THIS ENDS NOW.
Panel 5. Cassander standing there smiling unharmed.
6 CASSANDER: I TOLD YOU I CAME FOR THE EXCITEMENT PHINEUS. DID YOU REALLY THINK THAT WAS GOING TO WORK? WHAT’S NEXT SOME MAGIC MISSILES?
Page 10 (seven panels)
“A Cunt Like You”
Panel 1. Cassander and Phineus square off, the beautiful room in ruins, the window shattered. The wind blows sharply, whipping Phineus’ clothes around him. Phineus smirks wearily at Cassander.
1 Phineus: MAGIC MISSILES…THAT’S FUCKING FUNNY, YOU BASTARD.
2 Cassander: YES, I AM CERTAINLY A BASTARD, BUT YOU CAN CALL ME CASSANDER. I’ve had over two millennia to perfect the use of my tongue. A cunt like you can only dream of the things I’ve done.
Panel 2. Cassander fights back with an eldritch web of burning runes in the air – they look like extrapolations of the runes on Cassander’s body. Phineus grimaces in pain, forced to his knees as they scorch his skin and clothes.
3 Phineus: EVEN A DOG CAN LEARN A FEW TRICKS IF IT LIVES LONG ENOUGH.
Panel 3. Sensing the kill, Cassander grabs onto Phineus and slams him onto the ground.
Panel 4. Next, Cassander straddles Phineus, pinning him by his shoulders. From the angle we see them, they could be lovers that like a bit of rough trade.
4 Cassander. POOR OLD PHINEUS, I WOULD GLADLY MAKE YOU A PRISONER OF MY SEX. YES…I THINK I WOULD ENJOY BEING A PART OF YOUR FAMILY. YOU’RE WELCOME TO SHARE MINE.
Panel 5. Cassander sinks his hands into Phineus’ shoulders, blood welling up.
5 Phineus: YOU KNOW SOMETHING, CASSANDER? THERE’S MORE THAN ONE WAY TO SKIN A CAT…
Panel 6. Phineus frees his sword, slicing deeply into Cassander’s chest. It is a deep blow, the shock of agony freezing on Cassander’s face.
6 Phineus: …EVEN IF IT’S A POUND OF FLESH AT A TIME!!
Panel 7. Cassander licks Phineus’ face, leaving a trail of blood and slime. Disgust radiates from Phineus.
Page 11 (six panels)
“At the Heart of it All”
Panel 1. Phineus and Cassander stagger away from each other, neither one of them capable of pressing the attack. Both are badly injured.
Panel 2. Phineus and Cassander exchange looks of deep hatred. The air practically burns with unspoken, helpless rage.
1 Narration: SO DID PHINEUS AND CASSANDER MEET IN BATTLE. WOULD THAT ONE HAD FINISHED THE OTHER THEN AND THERE. INSTEAD, THEY BOTH RETREATED TO HEAL THEIR WOUNDS AND NURSE THEIR HATREDS
Panel 3. Cassander staggers into a room that is the opposite of his room. It is sharp and clean, all angles and razors, like something out of a David Cronenberg’s movies.
2 Cassander: MERIDIANA! I AM A WOUND.
Panel 4. Meridiana rises, clad in a tight black dress; she looks very much like Diamanda Galas, save that she is more like ripe rotten fruit than the sharp demonic boniness of Galas. Her body, too, is covered in the same runes that mark Cassander.
3 Meridiana: MY BROTHER, MY LOVE, WHO HAS CAUSED THIS AGONY? WHO HAS MARRED YOUR BODY IMMORTAL?
Panel 5. Meridiana carries Cassander like a bride through a door that seems to be sweating.
4 Meridiana: IN THE UNMANIFEST WOMB, YOU SHALL HEAL, I SHALL BE YOUR AMNIOTIC FLUID. SPEAK TO ME OF YOUR HATREDS AND I SHALL LISTEN AS THE VIRGIN QUEEN IN HEAVEN.
Panel 6. Meridiana cradles Cassander, entwined in a room of flesh and fluid. It is hard to tell where their bodies begin and end.
Page 12 (seven panels)
“Cut by Loving Hands”
Panel 1. Phineus all but collapses inside the door of his house. He spits up blood.
1 Phineus: Sara, please, help….I need you….
Panel 2. Sara hurries as best she can down the steps. She is old, and uses a cane, but she is still beautiful. But so terribly brittle.
2 Sara: Oh, no, dearest. I will grab the poultices and potions. Just hold on a little longer.
Panel 3. Phineus, Sara, and their children are gathered in Phineus’ study. He is propped up in a plush, griffin-clawed chair, bandaged. He drinks a brandy in one hand and some noxious looking potion in a beaker that smokes like something Grandpa Munster would drink in the other.
Panel 4. Cole shakes her head.
3 Cole: Dad, you shouldn’t have taken such a risk…going into the domain of an Incubus without backup. They’re seducers and tricksters all. This one sounds like a true devil, too.
Panel 5. Phineus looks irritated as he takes a swift swig of the potion. Whether it’s at Cole or the taste of the liquid is anyone’s guess.
4 Phineus: Dammit COLE, I know. I’ve been doing this for a long damn time. I should’ve been able to take him down without breaking a sweat. The fourteenth Enochian Key surely would’ve laid him low. Od cicale qaa and so on… He was just, stronger than I expected.
Panel 6. Sara kisses Phineus on his head and places her hand on his shoulder, expressing decades of love in these simple gestures.
5 Sara: PHINEUS, LOVE, YOU KNOW WE’RE JUST WORRIED TO SEE YOU INJURED SO. IF YOU WEREN’T SUCH A CROCHETY OLD MAN, YOU’D KNOW THAT.
6 Phineus: CROCHETY! OLD!
Panel 7. Phineus and Sara exchange grins. Phineus is weary, but Sara looks for a moment as if the years have fallen from her, as if some inner fire of youth sparked for a moment.
7 Narration (Phineus): FOR ALL THE JOY OF THAT MOMENT, MY OLD HEART BREAKS. WE HAVE A FEW YEARS LEFT BEFORE SHE GOES, AND SHE’S MORE WORRIED ABOUT MY OWN WELL-BEING. EVERY TIME I TAKE HER TO THE DOCTOR’S, I WORRY THAT THERE’LL BE SOMETHING. SOME TRUE SIGN OF HER END, THEN AND THERE. PERHAPS I’M THE STRONGEST MAGICIAN OF THE COUNCIL, BUT I FEEL POWERLESS IN THAT MOMENT. LIKE ANY OTHER OLD MAN WITH HIS TWILIGHT ACHES.
Page 13 (5 panels)
“With a little help from my friends”
Panel 1. The next morning, Phineus is half walking, half stumbling to the kitchen table, smirking in pain.
Panel 2. Sara has set the table for breakfast, including a rose in a bud vase, and holds out a cup of coffee to him.
1 Sara: HOW’S MY GREEN MAGE THIS MORNING?
Panel 3. Phin takes the coffee in one hand,
Panel 4. and stretches, holding his back with the other.
2 PHINEUS: STIFF. SORE. FEELING MY AGE FOR ONCE. BUT I’LL LIVE, THANKS TO YOU.
Panel 5. They sit at the table to eat. He rests his hand on hers, an unconscious gesture after so many years.
3 PHINEUS: I WAS STUPID YESTERDAY- I WALKED INTO THAT FIGHT UNPREPARED, AND HE TOOK EVERYTHING I THREW AT HIM. IF I’M GOING TO TAKE THIS DEMON DOWN, I NEED TO KNOW WHAT I’M UP AGAINST. I’M CALLING IN SOME FAVORS.
Page 14 (4 panels)
“Working the clues”
Panel 1. Phineus in an alley. With one arm, he pins a man in a black trenchcoat up against the wall by his neck. The other hand is raised and glowing with power, as though ready to blast the man. The man looks terrified, and points, giving Phin directions. He is also obviously not human- hundreds of spikes protruding from his face reveal him to be demonic. (ref. Doyle from Angel: http://www.geocities.com/friendlyfellows/doyle/doyledemon.JPG)
Panel 2. Phineus talking to an old man in a magic curio shop. Lots of old books on shelves, crystal balls, pickled eagles’ claws, and other magical accoutrement. Phin has his hand outstretched. A holographic image of Cassander floats above his palm. The curio shop owner studies it carefully.
Panel 3. Closeup of a parchment page in a very old book, with yellowed paper and ink. It shows an old-fashioned woodblock illustration of a figure that bears a resemblance to Cassander, but more demonic than we’ve seen him, with horns and leathery wings. The old man’s finger points at the illustration.
Underneath the drawing is written, in an archaic script: “Incubi nec Exorcistis obediunt, nec exorcismos pavent, nec res sacras reverentur ad earum approximationem timorem ostendendo”
(“…the Incubi…do not obey the Exorcists, have no dread of exorcisms, no reverence for holy things, at the approach of which they are not in the least overawed.” Text taken from “Demoniality, Or Incubi And Succubi” by Ludovico Maria Sinistrari 1622-1701: http://dlxs2.library.cornell.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=witch;idno=wit082 )
Panel 4. Phin stands by himself in the curio shop, talking on a (super tiny and futuristic nanotech earpiece) cell phone to Sara.
4 PHINEUS: HI BABE. I THINK I’VE GOT A LEAD. THERE’S A MONASTERY IN THE KYRGYZ REPUBLIC THAT MIGHT HAVE SOME INFORMATION ON CASSANDER. I’M
HEADING THERE NOW- I’ll BE BACK BY MORNING, SO DON’T WAIT UP.
5 PHINEUS: YEAH, I’ll BE CAREFUL. LOVE YOU TOO.
Page 15 (8 panels)
“Checkmate”
General description- this is a wordless page in two columns. It alternates between Phin’s storyline, which is drawn in bright, well-lit images (it’s daytime in Kyrgyzstan), and Sara’s, which is entirely in shadow. The overall effect is like a checkerboard.
In Panels 3 & 4, and 5 & 6, the panels should look as similar as possible. That is, in 3 & 4, both are kneeling with arms extended. In 5 & 6, both are still kneeling, grabbing the arm of the other figure in the scene, etc.
Panel 1. Phineus steps through a glowing spatial portal. The curio shop is visible through the portal. He now stands on a desolate, mountainous crag. In the background, an ancient monastery is built nto the mountainside. (Ref. Taktsang Monastery in Bhutan: http://www.explorehimalaya.com/gallery/bhutan_picture/Taktsang%20monastery.JPG)
Panel 2. Sara is working at the desk in her bedroom, seen only in silhouette. Cassander, also seen only in silhouette, approaches behind her. He is completely silent, but Sara still senses his approach.
Panel 3. Despite her advanced age, Sara’s instincts take over. She grabs a powerful pistol from a panel in the desk, and whirls around, knocking over her chair. She drops to one knee, into a combat stance, from decades of experience, and fires at Cassander.
Panel 4. Phin has been brought to the chamber of the monastery’s leader, who sits on a raised dais in a simple wooden chair, flanked by other monks. They all wear colorful robes (ref. http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhistworld/robe_pics.htm ). Phin kneels in respect to the monks, while explaining his situation, and projecting a holographic image of Cassander from his extended hand. The monks look on the image, and lean their heads together in discussion.
Panel 5. Phin still kneels. A monk brings forward an ornately carved wooden box, which he presents to Phin. Phin takes the box with one hand, and grasps the monk’s arm in friendship with the other.
Panel 6. Sara still kneels. Cassander is hit several times, but uninjured. He grabs the pistol with one hand, and Sara’s neck with the other, and Sara grabs helplessly at his hand.
Panel 7. Cassander throws Sara on the bed, and stands over her menacingly.
Panel 8. Phin is again outside the monastery, now carrying the box. He gives a little wave to the monks standing outside the monastery watching him go, and opens a spatial portal. Through it we can see the outside of his house, where it is still night.
Page 16 (3 panels)
“Returning home”
General description- three very small panels.
Panel 1. Phineus opens the front door to his house. The closing portal might still be visible behind him.
Panel 2. He enters the front hallway. The house is completely dark, except for a light coming from their bedroom.
1 PHINEUS: SARA? YOU DIDN’T WAIT UP, DID YOU?
Panel 3. Phineus walks to their bedroom door, which is ajar but obscuring his view to the bedroom. He has no idea anything is wrong.
2 PHINEUS: SARA?
Page 17 (full page)
“Jesus Wept”
Phineus stands in the doorway, and we look over his shoulder at the bedroom. The room is lit up, and is a sight that destroys Phin. Furniture and knick-knacks are broken and strewn around the room. Sara is naked and spread-eagle on the bed. Her wrists and ankles are tied to the bedposts with lengths of heavy rope. The back of Phineus’ head blocks our view of her torso, but Sara’s head and face are visible- her eyes are open, but she is obviously dead, dessicated like the previous victims, with a look of horror fixed on her face.
On the wall above their bed, written in (Sara’s) blood is: ” ܘܳܐܬ݂ܝܳܢ ܗ݈ܘܰܝ ܕ݁ܶܡܥܰܘܗ݈ܝ ܕ݁ܝܶܫܽܘܥ ” (Aramaic, John 11:35: “And it brought tears to Jesus’ eyes”: See http://aramaicnewtestament.net/gospel/john_11.htm )
Page 18 (5 panels)
“Visions of Sara”
Panel 1. Phineus is manually taking the rope off of Sara’s left wrist, no magic.
Panel 2. Now he’s removing the rope off of Sara’s right leg. There are no tears, no anger. Just quiet resolve.
Panel 3. Phineus getting Sara some clothes from the closet.
Panel 4. Phin dressing Sara.
Panel 5. Phin is sitting on the edge of the bed holding a fully dressed Sara. Her hair is done and he did a good job of dressing her.
Page 19 (6 panels)
“Life without building”
Panel 1. A long while later the police have arrive and approach Phin who is still holding Sara, quietly rocking her back and forth.
1 OFFICER 1: MR. BEAM? SIR?
Panel 2. Another officer enters the room.
2 OFFICER 2: MR. BEAM? IT’S THE POLICE. YOU CALLED US. CAN YOU TELL US WHAT HAPPENED?
Panel 3. Officer 1 walks over to Phineus.
3 OFFICER 1: IS THAT YOUR WIFE? DID SOMETHING HAPPEN TO HER?
4 OFFICER 2: YOU MENTIONED THAT YOUR WIFE WAS MURDERED MR. BEAM, DID YOU DO IT?
Panel 4. With that Phineus looks up from his dead wife and stares at the two officers as if just now realizing that they are there.
5 PHINEUS: NO I DID NOT KILL MY WIFE. I FOUND HER DEAD AND TIED TO THE BED WHEN I CAME HOME.
Panel 5. The two officers stare at Phineus with alarm.
6 OFFICER 1: YOU DISTURBED THE CRIME SCENE?
Panel 6. Phin carefully places Sara on the bed.
7 PHINEUS: I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE THINKING BUT DON’T. I KNOW HOW SHE DIED AND WHO DID IT. CALL DETECTIVE MCTHORN AND TELL HIM WHAT HAPPENED HERE.
Page 20 (5 panels)
“Methods of planning”
Panel 1. Phineus is in his study, surround by the years of collecting mystical items. He has the box from the monastery sitting on his work bench in front of him. “Kim Li” is leaning against the table.
1 KIM: YOU’RE NOT AS STUPID AS I THOUGHT.
2 PHINEUS: SHUT UP SWORD.
Panel 2. Phin is studying the box, ignoring Kim Li.
3 KIM: ATTACK HIM WHERE HE IS UNPREPARED, APPEAR WHERE YOU ARE NOT EXPECTED.
4 PHINEUS: WHAT ARE YOU BABBLING ABOUT?
Panel 3. Phin turns to look at Kim Li.
5 KIM: CHAPTER 1, LAYING PLANS. SUN TZU’S THE ART OF WAR.
Panel 4. Kim Li “talking” to Phin.
6 KIM: DO YOU WANT TO TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED? PERHAPS I CAN HELP.
Panel 5. Phin explaining everything to Kim Li.
7 PHINEUS: SARA WAS MURDERED AND I’M GOING TO NEED YOUR HELP KIM LI.
Episode #21
“Cutting at the Edge”
Outline:
Wherein we see a flashback to Cassander’s history; he is seen ordering the death of the son of Alexander the Great, which carried out by his sister. The story ends with a disgusted Phineus in the present day, scrying his enemies history with Kim Li, held by the blade, Phineus oblivious to his blood flowing down its length.
Episode #22
“Cruciform”
Wherein Cassander in present day know the pleasures of his sister and orates on the death of Sarah while in a most Christ-like situation.
Episode #23
“No More”
Here, Phineus realizes that to slay a demon, he must become a demon, destroying Cassander’s world. He vows to start with Meridiana.
Phineus + Magician for Hire 
