cast of characters

  • ‘KEVIN MARSCAPONE’

aspiring spellcaster after curing self of Vampirism

  • ‘VINCENT MARSCAPONE’

KEVIN’s father

  • ‘MYRTLE MARSCAPONE’

KEVIN’s mother

  • ‘MORGYN EMBER’

Sage of Untamed Magic

// OPEN VISUAL //

ACT 1

MARSCAPONE SR. RANCH

MYRTLE MARSCAPONE is an elderly spellcaster who lives by herself in Willow Creek.

NOTE: in this continuity, spellcasting is known with certainty only to insiders – most spellcasters try to keep their abilities secret. MYRTLE became known in her younger years as the ‘White Witch’ during the war against the East and is well-known amongst the spellcaster community. Despite her wartime stance, she later extended an olive branch by adopting Tzu Prano, then an orphan from Goryeo.

Today she is providing a demonstration for her son, KEVIN MARSCAPONE.

KEVIN is learning relatively late for his age; during his youth he was afflicted with the curse of Vampirism, a ‘gift’ from his late father. It has been just a few short years since he finalized the Cure. In that time he has learned a number of ritual and quick magics but is still dwarfed by his mother’s facility.

Sparks crackle gently in the air as MYRTLE waves her hands around. In a moment, she brings her fingers together, then apart, revealing a small fireball that she quickly snuffs out.

KEVIN tries to mimic the action and almost gets there when the fire travels down his arm rather than appearing between his fingertips. The smell of burnt hair wafts up; the wave of fire has singed his armhair.

The pair frown.

MYRTLE

WE’LL TRY AGAIN TOMORROW. WE NEED TO GET ON THE ROAD.

KEVIN affirms wordlessly.

KEVIN

IT LOOKS LIKE… (leaning to view clock) SIX TO SIX.

MYRTLE stands and straightens out her dark dress. She is thin; gaunt, even. But her gaze is intense and active with an expressiveness that defies her posture.

MYRTLE begins another invocation, but the sparks are smaller, blues and purples that seem to spiral before dissipating; each curled like tiny woodshavings.

MYRTLE

(with confidence) HOME-WARD-IAL!

With the last two syllables, MYRTLE pulls a wand out of a tiny rift in space-time. THE WAND is straight but imperfect; forks and joins as immovable evidence that it was once part of a tree.

MYRTLE

AS YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS KEEP THE BEST OF SPELLS ON RESERVE. “NEVER –”

KEVIN

“BE CAUGHT UNAWARES.”

This is apparently a stock phrase of theirs.

KEVIN

AND YOU’RE SURE THAT THE AUGMENTS…? WILL GO… OKAY?

MYRTLE

WE’VE SENT PEOPLE WITH PACEMAKERS AND ARTIFICIAL KNEES JUST FINE. I’VE TOLD YOU THIS.

KEVIN pauses, and looks down.

KEVIN

WELL FORGIVE ME, MOTHER, FOR BEING A LITTLE NERVOUS. I’M PROPPED UP ON A BIT MORE THAN A PACEMAKER.

MYRTLE

ARE YOU READY?

KEVIN looks up at his mother.

KEVIN

YES, I AM. AS I’LL EVER BE.

The two link arms. With her right, MYRTLE waves the wand, which sizzles and throws off the same twirling light as it did when it was conjured.

// THE MAGIC REALM //

THE MAGIC REALM is a strange place, eternally bound in the blueish illumination of the moon. The twilight is everlasting, never does true night or true day occur. Bound by starlight but bathed in oxygen, the place is a bit heady.

Standing before a stone arch are MYRTLE, KEVIN. Before the two is the main building of the Magic College.

MYRTLE

(looking toward him) LOOKS LIKE MY SON IS IN ONE PIECE, JUST AS I’D EXPECT.

KEVIN

(short-of-breath) I’M … OKAY.

KEVIN looks toward his mother.

MYRTLE

YOU’LL SOON RECOVER, THE AIR IS DENSER HERE.

KEVIN

I’VE READ THE BOOK TOO, JUST – GIVE ME A SEC.

KEVIN attempts to stand, taking his right hand and slamming his fist against his chest. He coughs painfully.

MYRTLE

I DON’T THINK YOU –

KEVIN

MOTHER!

A bystander, previously silent, encounters the two while leaving the school. It is MORGYN EMBER. He wears a bright red coat and boots up to his knees.

MORGYN

MISSUS… MARSCAPONE – !

MYRTLE

HE’S OKAY, JUST GIVE HIM SPACE.

KEVIN has finally stopped coughing but he still stands bent over uncomfortable. In time, he slowly makes his way to stand aloft. MYRTLE, MORGYN look at each other helplessly.

MORGYN

KEVIN, PLEASE LET ME INTRODUCE MYSELF – I –

KEVIN

MORGYN, ONE OF MY MOTHER’S ADORING STUDENTS.

MORGYN thrusts out his hand to meet KEVIN’s.

MORGYN

WHY JUST LAST WEEK YOUR MOTHER WAS TELLING ME HOW QUICKLY YOU MASTERED THE ART OF ‘OBJECTS AND THINGS’, AS SHE CALLS IT. SO MUCH FOR ‘OBJECTIONS’.

MORGYN leans his head toward MYRTLE, acknowledging an inside joke assumed to be common knowledge.

KEVIN

HUH?

MYRTLE

‘REPAIRIO’. (turning to Morgyn) I HAVE BEEN USING THE CONVENTIONAL LATINATE WITH HIM.

MORGYN

(mouthing ‘oh’) YOU HAVE? INTERESTING. WELL ALL THE BETTER THEN! I KNOW IT ISN’T SO PLEASING TO OUR AMERICAN EARS BUT IT REALLY IS A SIMPLE SYSTEM.

I’M SO SORRY I CAN’T STAY LONG BUT PLEASE LET ME TAKE A MOMENT TO MAKE YOU SOMETHING – I’D LOVE TO HAVE TEA SOMETIME AND PICK YOUR BRAIN ABOUT WHAT YOU’VE BEEN LEARNING.

THIS ONE WAS MINE, BUT I THINK YOU’LL MAKE BETTER USE OF IT…

From his pocket, MORGYN retreives a GLIMMERSTONE: a small crystal so smooth and light as to seem like plastic. It is pale blue but shadows of indigo form in the corners.

ACT 2

K.MARSCAPONE TOWNHOME INT

KEVIN//

Father --

You should be happy to learn

I ...

Mother's salmon bushes...

poooof...

Up in flames.

VINCENT//

No!

Say it ain't so!

VINCENT//

You ARE okay, right?

KEVIN//

Yes, I'm OK.

It was pretty spectacular.

VINCENT//

Inferniate?

KEVIN//

Yes.

Inferniate.

ACT 3

K.MARSCAPONE TOWNHOME INT

t.b.c - to be continued