THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA (in theory)

The plan was (and perhaps I might revive it, as if!) to write a magic heavy story. So, I came up with the following outline idea based a little bit around sleeping beauty and the witches who bless or curse her. So, the story loosely borrows from the original but has its own take. But the key idea was to have magic being an integral part of the plot.

Story/Plot

Pressures:           TIME IS RUNNING OUT FOR AURORA

Antagonistic forces:        hunters after Derexam and anyone connected with him (Marlein or others?)

Complications:  Injuries / getting about / Derexam losing his magic ability and needing to rely on Alboni and Mel

 1

Aurora about 1 month from 16th birthday—realisation of curse (wards have been set up to prevent the curse) [Assumption, given what Marlein said on her kinder day is that he set the deadly curse as he was seen uttering a spell over her on the day. Challenged, he escaped after a fight involving magic.]

Derexam summoned to meet with king and is commissioned to go find and kill Marlein after spending many years failing to undo the curse set upon Aurora [This was desperation as her birthday and the curse became effective as Karlos, the king, had been reluctant to let Derexam leave the castle in case the curse manifested itself or Marlein appeared—but with time now short before Aurora’s 16th birthday, Karlos feels he has to act]; we are introduced to Alboni

Derexam meets with Ebener and Faraham

Says farewell to Aurelia

Attacked by assassins who have broken into his rooms in castle / survives with Alboni’s aid

 2

Leaves castle on quest with Alboni and flitters, Kaia and Jareth (these small sentient flyers keep themselves hidden)

Spends night in inn – attacked by magic users and assassins

Escapes into woods with Alboni

Travels woods to river – spends 2nd night in wood – sets alarms and traps an intruder, Mel, who is magically contained and linked to Derexam. She is angry at her treatment as a slave having escaped such a fate that befell her mother and sisters.

Morning build raft—but attacked by mounted soldiers with tracker dogs searching for them – Derexam seriously wounded by arrow after running out of magic

Alboni & Mel (?) raft to nearby town outside of territory with injured Derexam

 3

Derexam saved by healer but is still being pursued; Alboni & Mel take the wounded Derexam in a cart towards their destination – but are pursued

The hunters set of a magic bomb that releases a demon (name?). Derexam et al have no defence against this creature; it is the end

Kaia and Jareth try to fight it off but are sent sprawling by the beast.

Marlein appears within a farseeing orb and defeats the demon through magic.

They go to Derexam’s [and by later implication, Marlein’s] home

Alboni is sent on a mission to nearest town to find out what is happening about his pursuit and to get information on Marlein. He is captured by Ebener and imprisoned. He reveals where Derexam is hiding.

 4

Break – scene re-opens in a country house [Derexam grew up in]

Derexam starts to teach Mel (very capable at magic) some spells when they are attacked by Troogs (trolls) and their pursuers

Kaia and Jareth?

Using an old invisibility cloak that he knows is there from his childhood [there is only one] Derexam escapes with Mel. Initially pursued by a troog, Mel is attacked by a soldier intent on raping her. Derexam stabs and kills the soldier. They escape into the woods using a magical pendant taken from the soldier that shields the wearer from sight to hide from their pursuers.

Realising that Alboni has been captured, Derexam decides to go to save him. Mel (still his captive) reluctantly goes along to help him.

Taught by Derexam, Mel magically douses for Alboni’s whereabouts. It takes them to the nearby town. They discover Alboni’s location; there and plan to rescue him that night.

The rescue is more complicated than expected and Derexam is confronted by Ebener and is nearly killed. Mel uses her magical ability to hold off Ebener.

After their escape Derexam’s whereabouts nearly revealed by a seeker spell by Ebener that starts to operate the moment he falls asleep.

They just make it back to the house.

 5

They return to the now destroyed country house. Derexam doesn’t have any ideas as to how he’ll complete his mission when he and the others are taken prisoner by Audrey. She plans to lead them to Marlein.

They are attacked on the road by their pursuers – Audrey has vanished. Alboni and Derexam manage to fight them off.

They flee.

 They come to a sheep pen & spend the night there.

Derexam observes Audrey talking to a magical viewer in the night.

Ebener turns up.

Derexam still hasn’t any magic. It looks grim for him. Nevertheless, Derexam decides to fight him—somehow. Uses the pendant that neutralises Ebener’s magic.

After being brutally attacked and almost killed, Audrey and Derexam set up an ambush so as to kill the mage. It involves Derexam deliberately exposing himself to Ebener’s magic. It works and Ebener is killed.

6

TIME IS RUNNING OUT FOR AURORA!

Next morning, Olaf’s band surprises the party. Audrey escapes.

There is a fight.

Derexam, Alboni and Mel and the shepherds who have given them hospitality are taken captive.

Olaf decides to rape Mel but is interrupted by Audrey’s attack. He is killed in the melee.

Audrey comes to the rescue

Some of the gang escape – Audrey purses them.

Mel has been injured in the (2nd) rape attempt. Alboni and shepherds tend her.

Then Alboni collapses – as he’s been badly injured in the fight. He is dying. Derexam has to teach Mel a restauration spell against time as Alboni visibly worsens.

All is lost when Marlein appears.

Derexam can only sit and watch his nemesis approach.

Far from wanting Derexam’s death, Marlein greets Derexam as a long lost younger brother he is. [REVEAL]

The nature of Marlein’s spell on Aurora is revealed: it is to protecther from her stepmother, Hilde’s, killer magic. Time is running out to save her as the protection spell must expire as she turns 16.

They plan as a group to rescue Aurora.

TIME IS RUNNING OUT—THEY DON’T HAVE AS MUCH TIME AS THEY THOUGHT

Marlein is confident he can get them into the castle.

They make use of Marlein’s secret entrance into the castle that he has used over the years to gain access so as to watch over Aurora.

Once inside, they are attacked by magically animated windmills that have been turned into huge wooden giants by one of Hilde’s spells. Fareham is involved in the fray.

With surprise lost, Marlein suggests the group splits up – Audrey and Alboni will work with him to confront Hilde (and her dark magic) whilst Derexam and Mel go to rescue Aurora.

Things don’t go to plan.

They are attacked by the ensorcelled windmills that have turned these into wooden giants.

Audrey leads Alboni off leaving Marlein to deal with the animated windmills that are being (seemingly) controlled by Faraham.

Not understanding what is happening, Karlos sides with Hilde and is (ultimately) killed by her when Audrey reveals herself as a double agent helping Hilde by attacking Alboni. [Hilde will inherit the kingdom and Terre Morte will triumph over Arandiad, which has been winning and taking territory from Terre Morte] [REVEAL/TWIST]

There is a magical confrontation between Hilde (in tower) and Marlein (wounded earlier by Karlos)

Having hidden Aurelia in the throne room (magically protected) due to the danger of trying to leave the castle in middle of magical fight, Mel and Derexam try to sneak up on Hilde in her tower, only for Mel to be struck down. Derexam just manages to escape and thinks Mel dead.

Derexam finds Marlein dying. Alboni is by his side. Marleinwhispers something (helps restore Derexam’s magic?)

Final confrontation in the throne room. Derexam faces off with Hilde. But not before seeing the dead Aurelia laid out on a platform at the foot of the throne.

There is a magical fight between the two as Alboni and Mel help.

“She is so beautiful.” Alboni kisses her. She wakes up.

END