Realm Of Eyes
Two brothers in arms with mystical abilities find themselves on opposing sides of a war, forced to decide what loyalty means to them.
Realm Of Eyes is an exploration of the importance of loyalty, more so, who deserves our loyalty, and asks the question, is loyalty always right? The story portrays this theme through the dynamic between the characters of Akon and Iurik. At it’s opening, Akon and Iurik are presented very similarly, being loyal knights who simply want to serve the people of their kingdom. But where Akon opens his eyes to the indoctrination they have been a part of thanks to Zandur’s order and moves against that cycle of exploitation, Iurik clings to his loyalty, obsessively, leading to his hatred for Akon. But as the story progresses, Iurik too is forced to face the twisted nature of Zandur’s actions, but more importantly, confront his deepest fears and insecurities that compel his obsessive loyalty.
Realm Of Eyes is a 58 page fantasy pilot screenplay originally written in a 30-40 minute format but later extended to be the traditional 60 minutes of shows in this genre. As a 37 page script, it achieved multiple festival selections, being awarded as a semi-finalist in the London International Screenwriting Competition.
Now, I am converting my outline for the full 10 episode season of Realm Of Eyes into a novel in hopes of accelerating the release of this story to the world and accumulating an audience which may later reinforce its value to potential producers.
Characters
Akon Zandur - Protagonist
Akon is a knight of the Zandur order who finds himself cast out due to his powers being largely useless in battle. He is taken in by the resistance, a group determined to topple the kingdom of Zandur, and quickly realises that the justification he always gave for his actions may not be good enough.
Iurik Zandur - Antagonist
Iurik is Akon’s best friend, his brother in arms, and also serves as the deuteragonist of the story. Iurik wishes to bring Akon back to Zandur following his desertion, but when Akon refuses to return Iurik’s obsessive loyalty to the order drives a rift between the brothers, hatred for Akon fuelling Iurik’s actions.
Heickelli Dawn - Tritagonist
Heickelli was once the heir to the most powerful kingdom in the realm, but their inaction in the war against Zandur lead her to become disillusioned with her people, seeking a way to actively make a difference. This led her to the resistance, which she now leads as one of its best warriors, though her desire for action drives her to extremes.
Malito Zandur - Main Cast
Malito is a young Knight of Zandur who Iurik has taken under his wing. Faced with the horrors of war at such a young age and given powers he is fundamentally not prepared to wield, Malito is at risk of collapsing under pressure.
The Elder - Main Cast
The Elder is the wise leader of Haven’s resistance against the noble families. Though outwardly he seems to have an answer for every problem, he holds his share of secrets, and a past that’s haunted him for years.
Asa Nook - Main Cast
Asa is a natural protector, a warrior gifted enough that even Akon considers him an equal. But that protective nature leads him to extremes, fuels his hatred for Akon and leads him down a path he soon regrets.
Odalian Zandur - Main Cast
On the other side of the war from the Elder, Odalian serves as the wise veteran of many battles. But with many battles comes many failures, failures which Odalian struggles to leave behind.
Porrick Zandur - Main Cast
Porrick is one of Zandur’s most powerful assets, being able to control time itself. But that amount of power can easily become a burden, and Iurik’s mentor faces the worst of consequences for his overwhelming might.
Sigardd Zandur - Side Cast
Sigardd is a commander of the Zandur army, but his true allegiance is to the resistance. He works from the shadows to feed them information about Zandur, and, when the time is right, is prepared to turn on his brothers in the order.
Kristos Harrow - Side Cast
Kristos is a young member of the resistance who shows promise as a warrior. When his father was killed, Asa promised to protect him, but Asa’s actions forge a rift between the pair, driving Kristos to seek mentorship from Akon.
Darik Izanthos - Side Cast
Darik is renowned by the realm as history’s greatest warrior, a trump card for Izanthos, and by extension Zandur, in any conflict. His past, especially with Akon and Iurik, has shaped his loathing of the eyes’ powers.