Chapter 7 - The Man of The Sea “Marin L. Daley”

“THE MAN OF THE SEA – MARIN L. DALEY”

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PAGE 1

[Scene — One year before the Trials | 15,000 feet beneath the continent | WUG Underground Tribunal Chamber]

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PANEL 1 — Ceiling-corner wide shot

An empty courtroom draped with WUG banners stretches into silence.

Two officers drag a shackled man with a black bag over his head toward a single chair before the judges’ bench.

CAPTION: 15,000 feet below the continent…

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PANEL 2 — Front medium shot

The officers slam the bagged man into a metal seat behind a desk engraved “Marin L. Daley.”

Chains clink sharply.

SFX (chains): KRRNK—!

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PANEL 3 — Front face shot

An officer rips the bag from Daley’s head.

He exhales sharply, blinking against the harsh light.

SFX (bag scuff): TFFK!!

SFX (exhale): Hff—

Daley lifts his eyes, expression cold, barely irritated.

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PAGE 2

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PANEL 1 — Wide shot (Daley’s POV)

Three judges sit elevated behind the bench:

• Center Judge X

• Left Judge XX

• Right Judge XXX

All three radiate detached authority.

CENTER JUDGE X:

“Mr. Marin Lameer Daley… do you know why you’re here?”

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PANEL 2 — Medium corner shot (Daley foreground)

Daley tugs against his shackles, wrists tense.

Two officers stand on either side, motionless.

DALEY (flat):

“Was that supposed to be a joke?”

“I don’t recall volunteering for an abduction.”

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PANEL 3 — Low angle, judges looking down

Center Judge X leans forward, tone polished but patronizing.

CENTER JUDGE X:

“You’re here because the government trusts you.”

“You share their vision—and you’ve been chosen to execute it.”

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PANEL 4 — Top-down angle on Daley

He stays composed, gaze fixed forward.

DALEY (calm):

“You bagged me, chained me… then called it trust.”

(beat)

“What’s stopping me from breaking free right now—”

“and killing each of you?”

(smirks faintly)

“Would that count as a peace treaty?”

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PANEL 5 — Wide shot (over Daley’s back)

The judges sit unfazed.

Right Judge XX speaks, voice clipped and superior.

RIGHT JUDGE XX:

“There’s no need for dramatics, Mr. Daley.”

“You’re not a prisoner.”

(beat)

“If you wish to leave, you may.”

“But by now you should know…”

“…how we handle classified matters.”

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PANEL 6 — Split close-ups

Right Judge XX looks down, cold and unbothered.

Daley glares upward, unamused.

RIGHT JUDGE XX:

“But if you tried something so foolish—”

“You’d wish you’d never been born.”

DALEY (grunts): Hmf.

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PAGE 3

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PANEL 1 — Over-the-bench medium shot

Daley smirks, leaning back slightly, curiosity flickering beneath his restraint.

DALEY (chuckle):

“That was quite the intimidation…”

“Hmf—just tell me why I’m here.”

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PANEL 2 — Top-front medium shot (judges)

Judge XXX adjusts his spectacles and clears his throat, reading from a crisp declaration paper.

JUDGE XXX:

“Ahem. Orders received from the 5 Hands.”

“To start Phase I, relocation all F-Class citizens.”

“Daley, you’re appointed Chief of this operation.”

“To ensure destruction across all five districts.”

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PANEL 3 — Front medium on Daley

He sits still, eyes half-lidded, mind racing beneath the calm.

Daley (thinks):

“…A mass relocation?”

“Is that even possible?”

“And they want me to lead it?”

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PANEL 4 — Close-up on Judge XXX’s mouth and paper

JUDGE XXX:

“A year from today—during the Trials—the mission begins.”

“The recruits will assist unknowingly.”

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PANEL 5 — Side-wide shot

Judge XXX lowers the paper.

Center Judge X leans forward slightly, voice smooth and confident slightly ecstatic.

The officers stand behind Daley, silent.

CENTER JUDGE X:

“I’ve heard the blessed boy joins the academy next year.”

“You’ll have more than enough help.”

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PANEL 6 — Close low angle on Judge X’s face

A faint smile creeps in comforting, eyes sharp.

CENTER JUDGE X (darker tone):

“You’re one of us, Daley.”

“Power creates order.”

“You understand that, don’t you boy?”

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PANEL 7 — Front close-up on Daley

Expression unreadable; the room’s tension hums.

Off-panel, the judge’s voice cuts through.

CENTER JUDGE X (off):

“And don’t let anyone stand in your way—”

“you have clearance to kill them!”

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PAGE 4

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[Scene — Back to the present | F-Class District 3 | Rainy night]

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PANEL 1 — Full-page wide shot

Daley stands in the center of a flooded street, back turned.

Rain pounds down. His coat and hands are soaked in blood.

Around him lie four recruits — 24, 37, 64, 71 — bodies caved into the asphalt, cratered by sheer force.

CAPTION: The Man of the Sea.

SFX (rain): SHHHHHH—!

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PAGE 5

PANEL 1 — Medium close on Daley’s profile

Rain slides over his face.

He glances toward the bodies, expression unreadable.

DALEY (cold):

“This plan should’ve taken effect long ago.”

SFX (rain): SHHHHHH…

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PANEL 2 — Tight front on Daley’s mouth

He speaks softly, almost to himself.

Steam begins to rise from his skin.

DALEY (low murmur):

“…Hell’s Whistle.”

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PANEL 3 — Back wide shot

A pressure wave erupts from his body.

Debris flies outward.

The ground cracks under his feet as he sinks in slightly.

SFX (pressure blast): VROOOOM—!

SFX (ground crack): GRKRKSSHH—!

CAPTION:

Weight equal to five hundred thousand tons presses down.

[Scene – District 3 Street, continuing in rain and aftermath]

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PAGE 6

PANEL 1 — Full-page splash

A WUG propaganda poster stretches across a cracked concrete wall — the Founder’s Son looks away, expression cold and unyielding.

Rain pours down, streaking mud and blood across his printed face.

The paper warps under the storm, colors bleeding as graffiti artists have spray-painted eyes over him — making it seem as though he’s staring directly at the viewer.

POSTER TEXT: WORLD UNITED GOVERNMENT

CAPTION (graffiti scrawled across the poster):

“THEY’RE ALWAYS WATCHING.”

SFX (rain): SHHHHHH— drip…

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PAGE 7

[Scene – Above the F-Class Districts – Night Sky]

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PANEL 1 — Full-page splash

Sergeant Kert Kingsley descends through the storm, engulfed in pure flame.

His aura cuts through the clouds like a comet.

SFX: VROOOOSHHHH—!

KERT (thought):

“…Wait for me…”

“I’m almost there!”

Below, the grid of the F-Class district glows faintly through rain.

CAPTION: SORA – THE BROTHER’S KEEPER.

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PAGE 8

[Scene – Later, F-Class District 4 – Ruined Street]

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PANEL 1 — High angle wide shot

The street lies in ruin. Recruit 32 is collapsed in a shallow crater, unconscious and drenched.

Lightning silhouettes destroyed buildings in the background.

SFX (rain): SHHHHH—

SFX (thunder): KRRSHHH—!

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PANEL 2 — Corner close-up on Recruit 32’s face

Rain runs over bruises; his broken watch flickers weakly.

Far off, the fires gutter in the distance.

SFX (fire sizzle): SSSSHHH—

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PANEL 3 — Extreme low shot on approaching boots

A figure enters from the haze, slow deliberate steps; faint flame particles drift from his legs.

SFX (steps): Tap… Tap…

SFX (flame fade): Ffffhhh—

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PANEL 4 — Upper-body close on the figure walking

Rain and tears mix down his face; his jaw trembles under restraint as embers die out.

The sergeant’s hat is barely seen.

SFX (steps): Tap… Tap…

SFX (flame fading): Shhhhhh—

SFX (rain): Drip… Drip…

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PANEL 5 — Lower front wide shot

Time seems suspended. Kert stands motionless in the rain, clutching a cracked shield engraved with SORA.

Revealed: Sergeant Kert.

KERT (whisper):

“…Sora.”

Page 9

PANEL 1 — Full-page splash

A bright afternoon outside the WUG Academy gates.

Four young recruits huddle close, arms linked, laughing as someone snaps their photo.

SORA and MAKI squeeze into the middle — big smiles, radiant energy.

KERT looks half-annoyed, half-embarrassed.

MARK leans away, trying not to get crushed, but smiling despite himself.

Sunlight floods the frame — uniforms crisp, eyes full of ambition.

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Character Tags (below photo):

CHARLES SORA (21) – Recruit 100 – Joyful

MAKI Y’BARBO (19) – Recruit 11 – Playful

MARK Y’BARBO (19) – Recruit 9 – Irritated

KERT KINGSLEY (18) – Recruit 1 – Annoyed

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CAPTION (top):

“From strangers… to siblings.”

CAPTION (bottom):

The day we joined the Academy.

Page 10

[Scene — Back to the Present | F-Class District 4 | Rainy Night]

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PANEL 1 — Wide low-angle shot (ground-level perspective)

Rain crashes against the cracked street.

SORA lies motionless in the floodwater, a thin trail of blood mixing into the current from the bullet wound at his temple.

In the distance, KERT stands frozen — clutching Sora’s shield tight.

Lightning splits the sky above them, illuminating the scene in white.

SFX (rain): SHHHHHHH…

SFX (thunder): KRRSSHHHH—!

PANEL 2 — Over-the-back medium shot

Sergeant Kert walks forward towards Sora, head lowered, shoulders heavy.

Raindrops patter against his hat and uniform.

His composure is hidden behind discipline.

SFX (rain): SHHHHHH…

SFX (steps): Tap… Tap…

PANEL 3 — Side wide shot

Sergeant Kert stands over Sora’s lifeless body, rain cascading around them.

only Kert’s faint exhale breaks the stillness.

SFX (exhale): Haaah—

SFX (rain, fading): …shhhh…

KERT (low, trembling):

“How could I let this happen…”

“…you were all I had left.”

PANEL 4 — Front close-up

Sora’s lifeless body lies still.

Sergeant Kert kneels beside him, lowering his own hat to cover Sora’s face.

KERT (low, breaking):

“…if I’d just been here sooner…”

“…maybe never left…”

“…Brother.”

SFX (rain, soft): Shhhhh… drip…

Page 11

PANEL 1 — Full-page

Sergeant Kert stands tall in the rain, facing forward.

He slides Sora’s shield across his back — like a fallen brother’s mantle finding its new owner.

His pure flame ignites once more — every crevice of his body consumed in blinding white flame.

The air around him warps and ripples, uniforms disintegrate in an instant, and his skin blackens into a charcoal-like armor — a demon born of fire and grief.

KERT (PURE FORM):

“Allow me to borrow your shield!”

CAPTION:

THE FINAL TRADE.

Page 12

PANEL 1 — Ground-level wide shot

Sora’s body lies still — the Sergeant’s hat resting over his face. In that instant, Kert’s pure white flame erupts and vanishes into the storm. Leaving behind a trail of white flame on the pavement.

Far off in the distance, Recruit 32 lies unconscious. From above him a watch slips free — tumbling through the air.

SFX (flame burst): FWOOOOSH —!

SFX (rain): SHHHHHH — drip…

SFX (metal flying): WHIIING—

PANEL 2 — Corner ground shot

Recruit 32 lies motionless in the puddled street.

Beside him, his cracked watch glows faintly — and next to it, the Sergeant’s watch lands hard in the mud. It flickers, activated.

SARGENT’S WATCH (automated voice):

“⚠ WUG ALERT — DISTRICT 4 EMERGENCY.”

“All available — immediate response required.”

SFX (metal impact): Clink— splash!

SFX (alert tone): BEEP— BEEP—!

PANEL 3 — Wide aerial shot

A sweeping view of demolished District 4 under a raging downpour.

The glow of the Sergeant’s watch beacon pulses from the ground below.

SFX (alert ping): BEEP—! BEEP—! BEEP—!

PAGE 13

Panel 1 (Tight full-panel focus)

A white shock ring ripples through the air — pure silence, pure speed.

The moment before impact:

Panel 2 (wide shot-bleed panel)

F-Class neighborhood, wrecked and grimy — rooftops patched with sheet metal.

From one of the homes, two bodies crashes straight through the home, timber and dust exploding outward into the street.

SFX:

THRAAASH!!

WHMMM— (dust pressure recoil)

PAGE 14

Panel 1 (Side close two-shot):

Yota and Artemis lock eyes — inches apart.

Yota pins Artemis with his forearm to his collarbone against the shattered kitchen counter, holding him still.

Blood trickles from a cut on Artemis’s temple. Despite the pressure, he smirks — mockery dripping through the pain.

ARTEMIS:

“Who the hell are you…?”

“Actually how dare you.”

Panel 2 (Tight close-up):

Artemis’s face snaps sideways as Yota’s fist connects — the blow twisting his shoulders mid-air before he can even react.

SFX:

THWAK—!

KRRSSH—! (impact / rotation)

YOTA (shouting, mid-swing):

“I should be the one—!”

Panel 3 (Wide shot — through the kitchen into the bedroom):

From the kitchen, Yota turns and picks up Artemis throwing, hurling artemis straight through the bedroom wall behind them - plaster dust and wood erupting. Artemis’s body crashes mid-air into the bedroom, fragments flying across the air .

SFX:

THRAAASH!!

KRSHHHHH—!! (wall collapse)

YOTA (shouting):

“Asking you!!”

PAGE 15 — FULL PAGE

Panel 1 (Over-the-back wide shot — from Artemis’s POV):

Artemis slumped against a shattered drawer cabinet beside the bed. Blood trickles down his temple.

Through the hole in the wall ahead, Yota steps in calmly eyes fixed on Artemis.

YOTA (quiet, steady):

"If I hadn't come..."

"You'd have killed him."

"..Wouldn't you?"

To Yota’s left the closet door sits slightly open. Inside, a father, mother, and their two children hide, peeking through the narrow crack, faces pale and terrified.

Panel 2 – Small Bleed Panel

Front close-up shot — Inside the cracked closet.

Both parents tremble in tears and terror, their faces half-lit by the light of the room. Each parent presses a hand firmly over their child’s mouth to keep them silent.

FATHER (whisper):

“…shhh…”

CAPTION:

To be continued…