At The Break of Dawn

The year is 1521. As the two superpowers of the Western world, Spain and Portugal, duel it out for empirical supremacy, a remote, small island in the Far East is about to set the stage for one of history’s greatest battles. Under Spain’s banner, the Portuguese conquistador, FERDINAND MAGELLAN (Male, 41) and his fleet finally arrive to safety at Mazaua after almost two years at sea, where the local ruler, RAJAH KOLAMBU (Male, early 30s), tells Magellan of an enigmatic and lush island named “Zubu,” which entices the conquistador despite the repeated protests of his Spanish officers to keep sailing on for their intended destination, the Moluccas. Meanwhile in Zubu, its ruler, RAJAH HUMABON (Male, mid 40s) contends with the neighboring chieftain, LAPULAPU (Male, mid 30s) of Mactan, after Humabon’s daughter, KAHAYAG (Female, 16), abandons her arranged marriage to BINAOBAO (Male, 20), the son of DATU ZULA (Male, late 30s), another local chieftain in Zubu. Unbeknownst to her father, Kahayag is in love with Lapulapu’s youngest brother, BAIGAD (Male, 17), whom Rajah Humabon deems as a physically weaker prospect compared to Binaobao. Lapulapu tries to appease Rajah Humabon with peace offerings but Baigad disobeys Lapulapu’s orders to stay put in Mactan, driving a wider wedge between the two brothers. On his side, Magellan defies his officers and sets sail to Zubu, where he is immensely pleased by the easy acceptance of Rajah Humabon and his people of the Spanish flag and the Catholic faith. The Spanish faction demands that Magellan continue on with the journey but the enamored captain decides to establish Zubu as a dominion for Spain instead. He agitates them even more when he meddles in the domestic rift among Humabon, Zula, and Lapulapu, which causes ANTONIO PIGAFETTA (Male, early 30s), the expedition’s Italian chronicler, to ask the Captain if all this is worth it. Magellan opens up about his degrading ordeal with the sadistic KING MANUEL (Male, late 40s) of Portugal, leading him to relentlessly pursue sailing for the other side of the world under the banner of Spain. At the first light of dawn the next day, the historic battle between Magellan and Lapulapu takes place in Mactan, where Baigad dies protecting his brother, while Magellan sacrifices himself to the Mactanon warriors so Pigafetta and his men could retreat safely. The remaining expedition’s crew withdraws from Mactan and drifts back into the serene, abysmal waters where Pigafetta ruminates about the insufferable loss of such a brave and visionary navigator as Magellan. As the sun sets that same day, the weeping village of Mactan, led by Lapulapu and Kahayag, bids its last farewell to Baigad whom they send off into the deep with a funeral fit for an honorable warrior. THE END.