EXT. SECOND STATUE, HIEROGLYPHIC BASE – LATER
Another statue of the kingly demon, larger than the first, presides over the dunes. Its left hand holds a ball of petrified flame; the other hand grips a grotesque greatsword, blade resting on the right shoulder. Its base is etched with HIEROGLYPHICS.
Thrukna dismounts and approaches. She traces the etchings with her fingers, reading — but stops.
A faint HUM.
Then a BURST of startling purple light as a HOLOGRAM flickers to life: A SUCCUBUS PRIESTESS, translucent and dignified despite the cultic garb that exposes her breasts. A sacramental stole obscures her nipples and areolae.
Thrukna jumps back, hand snapping toward the crescent-curved blade at her chiseled waist.
Phira'ag leaps between Thrukna and the hologram, protective.
_
HOLOGRAM PRIESTESS
(voice like siren song) Welcome, visitors. This monument chronicles the glorious defeat of OBSIDIOUS, Demon God of Planet Babylus.
_
Thrukna and Phira'ag growl in unison, baring teeth.
On the back of Thrukna's shawl, a BABYLUS SIGIL mirrors the marking carved into the stone.
_
HOLOGRAM PRIESTESS (CONT'D)
Nearly a century ago, Obsidious and his acolytes sought to conquer our world, Mother Georuchsia.
_
CLOSE ON: Hieroglyphics depicting meteors raining down, ferrying incalculable Babylesion forces onto Georuchsia. A fierce battle ensued.
_
HOLOGRAM PRIESTESS (CONT'D)
But their invasion was thwarted by none other than Our Grace and Saviour… Autarch ABBELIX!
_
Phira'ag savagely barks at the mention of the name.
CLOSE ON: Hieroglyphics depicting a winged figure wielding a scythe, engaging a black, three-eyed titan. Their clash was calamitous.
_
HOLOGRAM PRIESTESS (CONT'D)
Obsidious's attempts to dominate us culminated in his utter obliteration.
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THRUKNA
(furious) Shut up!
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HOLOGRAM PRIESTESS
Lord Abbelix incinerated Obsidious's body, then claimed the very blade cast from the Old God's remains… His soul core.
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THRUKNA
(voice breaking) Claimed? He stole it… With that filthy Dwarven magick!
_
HOLOGRAM PRIESTESS
Thus, armed with a greatsword born of his greatest enemy's demise — a blade still rich with its former life's insatiable thirst for conquest — Abbelix became unrivaled. He became supreme.
_
The Hologram Priestess raises her arms theatrically.
_
HOLOGRAM PRIESTESS (CONT'D)
All hail Abbelix, Father of Demons, Autarch of Georuchsia, the Darkest of the Dark Lords!
_
Thrukna trembles, her rage barely contained. The Babylus sigil flutters violently in the wind.
She takes a deep breath, then steps forward. Her voice is calm, like a poisoned well.
_
THRUKNA
Obsidious's resurrection is imminent.
(beat)
And when My Lord returns, there won't be a single stone left on this pathetic world to chronicle its fate… To burn in my master's guts along with its autarch.
_
The Priestess's countenance remains placid, yet her gaze tracks Thrukna with unsettling precision.
Thrukna points at the effigy, smiling with the madness of a fanatic.
_
THRUKNA (CONT'D)
All hail Lord Obsidious…
_
Heat ripples along Phira'ag's nape as his throat ignites.
_
THRUKNA (CONT'D)
… Devourer of Worlds!
_
A FIREBALL rockets from Phira'ag's maw. It BLASTS a hole through the statue's chest.
Thrukna laughs like a madwoman, indulging in the sight of charred stone raining from the flaming cavity.
The Hologram Priestess slowly turns her head. Her eyes lock directly onto Thrukna.
_
HOLOGRAM PRIESTESS
Good aim.
_
Thrukna's expression drops.
_
HOLOGRAM PRIESTESS (CONT'D)
Now steel yourselves for the consequences, desecrators of His Lordship's visage.
_
The hologram CUTS OFF.
A beat of silence, save crackling fire.
Thrukna stares at a flame of burning rubble.
Phira'ag wets her face with his nose, snapping her out of trance.
_
PHIRA'AG
Let us move on now, Mistress. Our quest has only begun.
_
She wipes her cheek.
Suddenly…
From the statue's smoking void crawls a living nightmare: ARMOURED ANTHROPODS, a swarm of metal-shelled insectoids, clicking and chittering. They spill from Abbelix's chest like vindictive, demonic blood.
Phira'ag growls.
Thrukna vaults onto his back.
_
THRUKNA
(in Orcish) Run!
_
Phira'ag sprints for his life.
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EXT. ASHEN DUNES – CHASE – CONTINUOUS
They tear across the dunes at full speed. Behind them, the swarm pours over sand, stone, and cribraria — relentless.
Phira'ag snaps at the nearest creatures, crushing shells. GREEN BLOOD sprays.
Thrukna leans low, slashing with her crescent blade, cleaving anything that climbs too close.
Too many.
The swarm surges, clinging to Phira'ag's hindquarters.
He yelps, stumbling.
One of the insects SLAMS into Thrukna's wrist. Her blade flies from her grasp, instantly swallowed by the writhing mass.
She snarls.
Thrukna forms a BLACK MAGICK MUDRA, chanting harsh syllables in Orcish.
Her tattoos and eyes ignite GREEN.
The power surges. Not outward, but into Phira'ag.
Her green aura fades as his reddens, heat rippling off him.
His eyes blaze.
Phira'ag plants his paws and unleashes a localized SUPERNOVA.
The swarm is engulfed by a hurricane of flame.
Chitin and armor burn. The air fills with the stench of scorched insect.
The surviving bugs abruptly halt their pursuit.
Instead, they turn back, swarming over the corpses of their kin, feeding.
Thrukna and Phira'ag vanish into the night.
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