THE FIRST BATTLE (A SON OF WAR)
EXT. AJILOMI VILLAGE – NIGHT
The air is thick with tension.
Torches flicker. Shadows stretch.
Atop the village walls, warriors stand ready, their spears aimed forward.
At the frontline, Oba Ogunlaja stands firm, his massive frame like a wall between Ajilomi and its doom.
Across the field, General Arogun's army stands in perfect formation.
The torches they hold burn like fireflies in the night, stretching far beyond what the eye can see.
Arogun, a mountain of a man, steps forward. His armor gleams in the moonlight, a cruel smirk on his lips.
GENERAL AROGUN
(loud, mocking)
"Last chance, Oba Ogunlaja. Kneel before me, and I may let your people serve me instead of slaughtering them!"
Ogunlaja's grip on his war axe tightens.
OBA OGUNLAJA
"You have made one mistake, Arogun."
Arogun raises a brow.
OBA OGUNLAJA (CONT'D)
"You think I fear you."
BOOM!
Ogunlaja slams his axe into the ground.
The warriors of Ajilomi roar.
The drums of war begin to beat.
Arogun laughs—deep, guttural, amused.
Then—
He raises his hand.
And the attack begins.
EXT. AJILOMI OUTSKIRTS – NIGHT
Akin, Iwa, and Oladele sprint through the forest.
The war bell still rings in the distance.
AKIN
(breathless)
"We're too far! The battle is starting!"
Iwa glances at the darkened trees.
IWA
"Maybe we should—"
A whistling sound cuts through the air.
Akin ducks—just in time to dodge a flying spear.
His heart pounds.
More figures emerge from the trees.
Enemy scouts.
They are already inside Ajilomi's borders.
Oladele curses under his breath.
OLADELE
"They're trying to strike from behind!"
Akin's fists tighten.
The enemy warriors charge.
Akin and his friends have no choice but to fight.
EXT. AJILOMI BATTLEFIELD – NIGHT
Chaos erupts.
The first wave of Arogun's warriors crashes against Ajilomi's defenses.
Spears clash against shields.
Swords bite into flesh.
Screams fill the night.
Ajilomi's archers release a deadly rain of arrows.
Thwip! Thwip! Thwip!
Dozens of enemy warriors fall.
But more replace them instantly.
At the gates, Ogunlaja swings his massive war axe, cutting through enemies like a lion among goats.
Arogun, watching from afar, smiles.
He had expected this.
But he is prepared.
With a single gesture, he signals his second wave.
And from the shadows, giant armored warriors step forward.
The Iron Men of Ogundele.
They are eight feet tall, their bodies encased in black metal.
Their massive hammers gleam under the moon.
And with a single step, they shake the ground.
The real battle has begun.
EXT. AJILOMI OUTSKIRTS – NIGHT
Akin ducks under a sword swing and rams his fist into an enemy's gut.
The warrior stumbles back, gasping.
Iwa flips over another attacker, landing a solid kick to his head.
Oladele, breathing heavily, grips his short blade.
OLADELE
"We can't waste time! We need to reach the village!"
Akin's eyes burn.
He knows.
But the enemy won't let them.
A massive warrior, twice Akin's size, steps forward.
His voice is like thunder.
ENEMY WARRIOR
"Stay down, boy. You are not meant for war."
Akin's fists clench.
His mind flashes back to the Blessing Ceremony.
The whispers. The mockery.
"You have no blessing."
"You are not a warrior."
Something snaps inside him.
Akin rushes forward.
The warrior swings—
Akin slides under the blade, his instincts sharp.
He grabs a fallen spear—
And thrusts it forward.
The blade pierces the warrior's chest.
His eyes widen in shock.
And then—he falls.
Oladele and Iwa stare.
Even the enemy warriors pause.
Akin, panting, pulls the spear free.
He doesn't feel weak anymore.
Iwa grins.
IWA
(smiling)
"Now that… was impressive."
But there's no time to celebrate.
Akin grips his weapon.
AKIN
"Let's go. The village needs us."
And they run.
EXT. AJILOMI VILLAGE – NIGHT
The Iron Men of Ogundele march forward.
One of them swings his massive hammer.
BOOM!
The village gates shatter.
Arogun laughs.
GENERAL AROGUN
"Ajilomi falls tonight!"
Ogunlaja, breathing heavily, steps forward.
He faces the Iron Men—alone.
His warriors are injured. Tired.
But he will not kneel.
He grips his axe.
And with a battle cry, he charges.
The Iron Men swing their hammers.
Ogunlaja dodges one—
But the second slams into his side.
CRACK.
Ogunlaja flies backward.
He crashes against the ground, blood dripping from his mouth.
The warriors of Ajilomi gasp.
Their leader—has fallen.
Arogun steps forward.
His eyes are filled with triumph.
GENERAL AROGUN
"Kill him."
The Iron Men lift their hammers.
Ajilomi's warriors cry out in despair.
And then—
A scream cuts through the battlefield.
Not of fear.
But of rage.
Arogun turns.
And his eyes widen.
A boy is racing across the battlefield.
His spear glows under the moonlight.
His eyes burn like fire.
It is Akin.
And he is ready to fight.
EXT. AJILOMI BATTLEFIELD – NIGHT
Akin bursts onto the battlefield.
His spear gleams under the moonlight, his eyes burning with rage and determination.
Ogunlaja lies on the ground, bloodied but still breathing.
The Iron Men raise their hammers for the final blow.
Akin tightens his grip.
And then—
He moves.
Fast.
Too fast.
A warrior who had never been blessed… is moving like a god.
EXT. AJILOMI GATES – NIGHT
The villagers watch in shock.
Akin dashes forward, weaving between warriors.
An Iron Man swings—
Akin slides beneath the attack.
The earth shatters where he stood moments ago.
OBA OGUNLAJA
(weak, but in awe)
"Who… is that?"
The villagers, his warriors—no one knows how to answer.
Akin leaps onto an Iron Man's back.
He plunges his spear into a weak spot.
The giant roars in pain as Akin flips off, landing gracefully.
The other Iron Men turn.
Their eyes lock onto Akin.
He is no longer a nobody.
He is a threat.
GENERAL AROGUN
(stunned, then furious)
"Kill him."
EXT. AJILOMI OUTSKIRTS – NIGHT
Iwa and Oladele charge through the trees.
The sounds of battle grow louder.
Iwa grins as they finally see the battlefield.
IWA
"Looks like Akin didn't wait for us!"
Oladele, still panting, grumbles.
OLADELE
"Of course not. He's a lunatic."
But then—they see him.
Akin.
Fighting like a demon reborn.
Iwa and Oladele freeze.
This was not the same Akin they grew up with.
Something has changed.
And they're about to find out what.
EXT. AJILOMI BATTLEFIELD – NIGHT
Akin dodges a hammer swing.
He jumps onto a fallen shield, using it to propel himself high into the air.
The crowd gasps.
Akin twists midair—
And hurls his spear.
WHOOSH!
It pierces an Iron Man's throat.
The giant warrior collapses.
The battlefield falls silent.
Then—
Arogun's face twists in fury.
GENERAL AROGUN
"DESTROY HIM!"
The remaining Iron Men charge.
Akin grabs a fallen sword.
His muscles scream. His body aches.
But he won't stop.
He can't.
EXT. AJILOMI GATES – NIGHT
The villagers watch.
Their warriors, injured and exhausted, can't believe their eyes.
A boy who was never blessed is fighting against monsters.
A woman clutches her heart.
WOMAN
(in awe)
"Who is that boy?"
Ogunlaja, still on the ground, smiles weakly.
OBA OGUNLAJA
"That… is a son of war."
And for the first time that night—
Hope returns to Ajilomi.