CHAPTER 16: "ECHO ISLAND"
FADE IN:
EXT. GOTHIC CITY OUTSKIRTS - NIGHT
METE HAN (looking around) This island… the only thing I know is that my brother was searching for it.
He turns to Erett.
METE HAN (cont'd) Erett… do you know anything?
ERETT (shaking his head) No. Just what Bilge Kağan mentioned… there are 7 Echoes. 7SV, the Creator SV he talked about. But I have no idea what it is.
KEISE (urgent tone) Okay, forget all that for now. A MASSIVE CREATURE is coming straight at us!
EXT. FOREST - NIGHT
Indeed, a TWO-HORNED, PIG-LIKE, RED-COLORED creature charges toward them at full speed.
METE HAN reaches for his sword, draws it.
At that moment, the words YOUR SV IS INSUFFICIENT appear above him.
ERETT (shocked) Our SV is zero, we can't fight!
He pushes Mete Han aside. The creature's attack misses.
SETSUKO (shouting) Stop! Stop! Look! It has an EGG! Right there! Run quick!
KEISE (shouting) Let's go!
The team starts running.
EXT. FOREST - CONTINUOUS
As the creature chases them—
SLASH!
It is suddenly CUT IN HALF from the middle.
A TALL MAN WITH HAWK-LIKE EYES and a long sword appears.
MAN (cold) Don't stop here. Go to the city. And no matter what… NEVER COME BACK TO THIS ISLAND.
KEISE (stunned) Who the hell are you?
The man stops. Smiles faintly.
MAN Doesn't matter. If you've fallen onto this island… you won't care who I am anyway.
He pulls out a CARD from his pocket. The card glows faintly, covered in complex symbols.
MAN (holding the card up) This island… is YANKI ISLAND.
He pauses, his eyes scanning the team.
MAN (cont'd) Here, everything works with CARDS. Fight, solve puzzles, form alliances with other players… you collect cards. Each card gives you a different ABILITY. The more cards you collect, the stronger you become.
ERETT (shocked) Cards? What abilities?
MAN (spinning the card in his palm) Ignite fire, control water, heal wounds, foresee enemy movements… even SLOW DOWN TIME if you want.
SETSUKO (eyes sparkling) Cards like that exist?
MAN (nodding) They do. But they're not easy to find. Every card has a PRICE. Every power has an ECHO.
METE HAN (serious) So… how do we use these cards?
The man takes the card in his palm. Closes his eyes. The card begins to glow faintly.
MAN (opening his eyes) Hold the card in your palm. FEEL YOUR ECHO. Take a deep breath. The card will speak to you.
He tosses the card into the air. It spins—
It IGNITES INTO FLAMES. The fire dances in his palm, then fades.
MAN (cont'd) Like this. But remember…
He lets the card fragments fall to the ground.
MAN (final words) Every card here has a price. The stronger you get… the more your echo consumes you.
He turns and disappears into the darkness.
KEISE (shouting after him) Wait! What's your name?
The man's voice echoes from the darkness:
MAN (distant) My name doesn't matter. Just stay alive.
Silence. The man vanishes.
EXT. GOTHIC CITY - NIGHT
The team slowly walks toward the city.
But the people seem NOT HUMAN, more like ROBOTS. It's obvious.
METE HAN (whispering) Be extra careful here. We don't know where Bilge Kağan is.
The city gates are OPEN.
At the city entrance, a MASSIVE BRIDGE stretches toward the island they fell on.
EXT. ISLAND ENTRANCE - NIGHT
At the island entrance, a WOODEN SIGN hangs:
YANKI ISLANDSV0 - SV1 ONLYSV2 AND ABOVE CANNOT ENTER
KEISE (looking at the sign, joking) So… now what? Are we gonna collect cards like in a game?
SETSUKO (smiling faintly) Looks like it.
ERETT (serious) Then… we need to collect cards to survive.
METE HAN (looking ahead) First, let's get to know the city. Then… we collect the cards.
FADE TO BLACK.
[CHAPTER 16 END]