The Unnamed Saga: Sisters and Song Script, Chapter Sixteen: "Shining Requiem"

Chapter Sixteen: Shining Requiem

 

Open on a black screen.  There are sounds of battle.  Steel on steel, breaths of flame, and people screaming.

Open on a man lying on his back.  He has a blade through his leather vest and blood pools underneath him.  His eyes are wide and his face bloodied.   He was one of the Silvaran soldiers.

A man grabs the sword from his chest.

The man turns and drives it up into a Fionan soldier’s throat.

He turns and stabs the blade into another Fionan soldier’s gut.

Before he can react, a blade erupts out of his chest.

Cut to an overhead view of the Airship.  Green light fills it sails.  Around its perimeter are blasts of magical color.  Soldiers look like ants swarm the ship.

Show a Silvaran soldier on the ground.  He is carrying a sword and shield and leading the charge.

He meets a Fionan soldier and runs him through with the blade.

He withdraws his blade.

 

Silvaran Soldier7: “Come on, everyone!  We’re almost there.  If we push, we can take it before they leave the port!”

 

Cut to a side view of the airship exterior.  Show the exterior platforms stretching out around the airship and mages coming out of the interior.  They are all carrying wands or staves and they stop at the edge of the platforms.

Show runes being written into the air.  Color fills the screen.  Magic hisses.

Show a streak of yellow lightning touch the battlefield where Silvaran Soldier7 was.

Show the Silvarans dispersing around the airship as magical bursts fire into them.

Show a Silvaran soldier being run through by a gleaming spear of light.

Show a Silvaran soldier being incinerated in a blanket of green fire.

Show a Silvaran soldier flying through the air, surrounded in a pinkish hue.

Show an arc of pale lightning crawl across the battlefield from the distance.

The pale lightning meets a brilliant white light and slides over it harmlessly.

 

Cut to Remi with his hands up and white magic pouring from his palms.  Diando is beside him.  Dark blue magic pulses in his hands.

Remi steps back, allowing Diando to take the lead.  Diando throws a bolt of dark blue energy at the airship.

The dark blue light meets a shield composed of a myriad of different colors.  The ground shakes from the force of impact.

Show the battlefield from a distance.  The magic assault ceases for a moment.

Diando hunches over to catch his breath while Remi turns to face the Silvaran soldiers behind them.

 

Remi: “Now’s our chance, everyone!  Resume the attack, take them before they recover.”

 

Soldiers rush past them.

Diando leans on Remi.

They smile at each other.

 

Diando: “I thought she was crazy, but we might just pull it off.”

 

Remi: “We’ll give them pause at the very least.”

 

Diando nods and laughs.

They kiss.

 

Diando: “Let’s go.

 

Remi: “Yes.”

 

Diando stands and takes an arrow to his left shoulder.  Remi is wide-eyed with shock as blood pours from the wound.

Remi conjures a bolt of white magic and hurls it into a group of archers. 

The magic explodes on contact. The archers go flying behind Remi as he turns to catch Diando.

Diando bleeds in Remi’s arms.

 

Remi: “Diando!”

 

Diando: “I’m fine.”

 

Remi: “Let’s get it out, and I’ll heal the wound.”

 

Diando grits his teeth and yanks the arrow out.  Blood runs down his arm.

Remi conjures a white light in his right palm and holds it on Diando’s arm.

An arrow hits Remi into the back, and he falls into Diando.

 

Diando: “Remi!”

 

Cut to the Anthem Mansion guest room interior.  Glenn, Mary, and Elsea stand around Zelos’ bed while Zelos sleeps.  He has a light flush to his face and the blankets pulled up around him.

Elsea reaches down to feel his head.

 

Elsea: “He is still warm.”

 

Mary: “Why, of course he is.  He is sick.”

Mary stares fondly at Zelos.

She looks at Glenn.

Mary: “Sir Knight, you called on us with promises of news.”

 

Glenn: “Bad news.”

 

Mary: “I fear that is the kind I am most accustomed to.  At least in these last few years.  They’ve been quite rough, haven’t they?”

Glenn stares at her.

Mary: “Oh, fine, go on then.  You shouldn’t leave us in suspense and all that.”

 

Glenn: “Thaddeus wants me to hand you two and Zara over to him in return for Zelos’ safety.”

 

Mary: “Well, that is quite the deal all things considered.”

 

Elsea: “What will you do?”

 

Glenn: “What do you think?”

 

Mary: “Worry not, good lady, our Sir Glenn is a knight of honorable stock.  I imagine you struck him full on the mouth before refusing.”

 

Glenn: “I would have, but he had guards.”

 

Mary: “Of course he did.  That man, strutting about so long as someone else is there carrying a stick.  Anyhow, we have more important things to ponder, such as our imminent flight from this increasingly confined cage.”

 

Glenn: “Right.  Rumor is Fiona is preparing to assault Anthem.”

 

Mary: “Ah, see, that is what has our old friend so nervous.  Ever the merchant, Thaddeus, trying to barter a trade with us as the currency.  Quite clever of him, all things considered.”

 

Glenn: “And problematic.  If we don’t get out of here, then he’ll have the prince, too.”

 

Mary looks down at Zelos, who sleeps soundly.

 

Mary: “I imagine that Metis would be quite pleased with his state.”

 

Glenn: “What do you mean?”

 

Mary: “A conversation for later, dear, though how much later is a question of debate.  However, we must first tend to the princess.”

 

Elsea: “We need to rescue her.”

 

Glenn: “And we will.”

Glenn looks at Zelos.

Glenn: “This time, no one gets left behind.”

 

Cut to the battle for the airship.  Show it from a distance.  Fire fills the night.  Magical blasts illuminate the sky.

Show a dark figure standing over the hill.  Sharp shadows cover its metallic body.  Its skin is black.

Show Thanatos’ face.  It growls.

Cut to the battlefield proper.  Two Silvaran rebels run a Fionan soldier through.

The Fionan falls and the Silvarans smile at each other.

 

Silvaran Soldier8: “Looks like we might win this.”

 

Silvaran Soldier9: “At the very least, I think we’ll stop the airship.  We’re almost there.”

 

Silvaran Soldier8 nods.

He points past Silvaran Soldier9.

 

Silvaran Soldier8: “What in the world is that?”

 

Silvaran Soldier9 turns.

 

Silvaran Soldier9: “What is what?”

 

The screen goes black.  They both scream.

 

Cut to Niva standing with a knife in her bloody hands.  Blood runs down the knife’s blade and down her arms.  She is holding it before her.

Show a Fionan soldier approaching.  A wounded Fionan lies beside him, holding his side.  The standing soldier has a blade drawn and is approaching slowly.

 

Niva: “Go away! I don’t want to fight!”

 

Fionan Soldier10: “Should have thought of that before you stabbed my friend, girly.”

 

Niva: “I was defending myself!”

 

Fionan Soldier10: “Drop the knife, and I’ll make it quick.”

 

Niva: “No!”

 

The Fionan soldier stops suddenly, his body rigid.

He falls forward, revealing Nick behind him.  Nick is holding a bloody short sword.

Nick kneels down to finish the wounded soldier on the ground.

He grins at Niva while wiping the blood on his pant leg.

 

Nick: “Niva, wow, imagine running into you here.  How long has it been?  You soldiering now?  I’ll be honest, I never saw you in that field.  A bit bloody for you, isn’t it?”

 

Niva glares.

 

Niva: “What in the hells are you doing here?”

 

Nick: “Righting my wrongs.”

Nick looks back.

Show Nick and Niva standing together while the battle continues around them.  In the distance the airship glows.

Nick: “A lot of people have died because of me.”

 

Niva: “They’re still dying.”

 

Nick: “I know.”

Nick looks at her.  Show him standing with his bloody blade.  He looks tired and dirty.

Nick: “I can’t do much, but I can stop that thing.”

 

Niva: “Can you really?”

 

Nick: “Before I saw you, I went searching around camp.  I found the schematics.  I know a way on.  It’s hidden, but…

Nick looks around the camp

Nick: “Where’s Dawn?”

 

Niva looks around at the carnage.

 

Niva: “Somewhere.”

 

Nick laughs quietly.

Nick: “Probably off looking for the information I already have.”

He hangs his head.

Nick: “I just keep messing things up.”

 

Niva: “Maybe, but you’re at least trying.”

 

Nick: “I am.”

Nick holds out a rolled parchment.

Nick: “I know you still don’t trust me, and you probably shouldn’t, but I want you to hold onto this.”

 

Niva: “Why?”

 

Nick: “Just a hunch.  If anything happens to me, I want you and Dawn on that airship.  I know I can trust you two to shut it down.  For good.  And you’ll need this to do it.”

 

Show Nick offering the parchment.

Show a side view of Niva taking it.

 

Nick: “Now, come on.  Let’s go find her.”

 

Cut to a battered, burnt tent.  Magical explosions light the surrounding area.  Diando is kneeling behind the tent with Remi leaning against it.  Blood soils the fabric supporting Remi.

Dawn approaches them  from behind.  She has blood splattered across her body and light burns on her arms and face.

 

Dawn: “What’s going on?”

 

Diando: “Remi is hurt!”

 

Dawn: “What?”

Dawn kneels down to check on Remi.

Show the blood on the tent.

Dawn: “Damn!”

 

Remi: “I’m fine.”

 

Dawn: “Why don’t you heal him?”

 

Diando: “I did what I could, but I’m no healer.”

 

Remi: “You did fine.”

 

Dawn: “Remi, can you fight?”

 

Remi: “Not well.”

 

Diando: “We need to retreat, Dawn.”

 

Dawn: “N—No, we’re in too deep.  The airship is right there.”

 

Diando: “People are dying here!”

 

Dawn: “We all knew this was a suicide mission.”

 

Diando: “Dawn!”

 

Remi: “Diando, dear, please, no yelling.”

 

Diando: “But…”

 

Remi: “It’s fine.  I’m fine.  We’ll all be fine.”

 

Remi touches Diando’s face.

Diando nods.

 

Diando: “The airship is priority, then.”

 

Dawn: “We won’t do damage from the outside, though.  We need a way in.”

 

Nick, off-screen: “Then I think I can save the day.”

 

Nick approaches with Niva at his side.

Diando stands.  Magic flares in his palms.  Dawn turns and draws an arrow.

 

Diando: “You!”

 

Niva steps in front of Nick.

Show Dawn with her arrow strung.

 

Dawn: “Move.”

 

Niva: “No.  He’s here to help.”

 

Dawn: “That’s what he said last time.”

 

Niva: “He has a way into the ship.  He has a way to stop it.”

 

Dawn: “You expect us to believe him again!”

 

Niva: “No , but—Believe me, Dawn.”

 

Show Dawn’s scowl.

Show Niva standing firm.

Show them from a side-view.  Niva is standing in front of Nick.  Across from her are Dawn and Diando.  Remi lies bleeding to the side.

Dawn lowers her bow.

She pushes Diando’s hands down.

 

Dawn: “Talk.  Fast.”

 

Nick: “There’s a hatch on the side, used mostly for maintenance.  They won’t think to check it during a battle though.  We sneak in there, and it’ll lead us through the underbelly of the ship to the magical engine.  Take that apart, and the ship can’t glow, let alone fly.”

 

Dawn: “And then Anthem is safe.”

 

Nick: “Hells, the whole damn world is safe.”

 

There are screams in the distance.  The party looks off screen.

Cut to shadows cutting through the battlefield.

Zoom in to show Thanatos standing in the center of them.

 

Diando: “It’s that thing again.”

 

Dawn: “No! Damn it, no! Not now!

 

Nick: “We need to go!”

 

Dawn: “But, Remi…”

 

Remi: “Go.  I’ll be fine.”

 

Dawn: “What? Remi, no.”

 

Remi: “Yes.  Leave me.  The airship is priority.”

 

Dawn kneels beside Remi.  She holds his hand.

 

Dawn: “But Remi…”

 

Diando kneels beside her.

 

Diando: “Shut up.  We’re not leaving.”

 

Remi: “But you are.  The airship takes priority.  As long as it can fly no one is safe.  If I stay, I can at least slow that thing down.”

Remi looks off screen.

Remi: “I hope.”

 

Dawn hugs Remi’s hand. She is trying not to cry, but tears escape.

 

Dawn: “Remi, I am so sorry.  About all of this.”

 

Remi: “I’m not.”

Remi pats her cheek and leaves a bloody smear.

He smiles weakly.

Remi: “I’ve never been one for war, you know.”

 

Dawn nods.

 

Dawn: “Thank you for—for so much.  I couldn’t have made it without you.”

 

Remi: “Please.  You would have been fine.”

 

Show Niva standing beside Nick. She is openly weeping.  Nick looks away.

Return to Dawn holding Remi’s hand.

 

Dawn: “I will always remember you.”

 

Remi: “That sounds nice.”

 

Dawn wipes her eyes.

She stands.

 

Dawn: “Come on.  We need to go.”

 

Show Diando.  His face is heavily shadowed.  His cheeks are tear stained.

 

Diando: “I can’t go.”

 

Remi: “Nonsense.  You can and will.  You need to protect her.”

 

Dawn: “No.”

Dawn kneels and hugs Diando.

Dawn: “I know how hard it is to say goodbye to loved ones.  Do whatever you can, and if you survive…”

 

Diando: “We’ll have you over for dinner.”

Diando pats her head.

Diando: “Now go before it’s too late.”

 

Dawn stands and looks back at Nick and Niva.

 

Dawn: “Come on.”

 

Niva and Dawn leave.  On the way, Diando stops Nick.  His eyes glow furiously.

 

Diando: “You betray them and…”

 

Nick: “Save it.”

 

Diando: “Keep them alive.  They’re worth ten of you.”

 

Nick: “I’ll die if I have to.”

 

Diando: “You just might.”

 

Hold on an image of them staring at each other.

Show Nick running off from the front and Diando from the back.  Remi is lying bleeding on the ground.  In the distance, Thanatos is approaching.

Diando kneels down and helps Remi up.  Show them from the front, standing together.

 

Remi: “So, this is our last date?”

 

Diando: “I always take you to the nicest places.”

 

Remi: “Diando, if this is the end, I want you to know…”

Diando kisses Remi.

Hold on this for a panel.

They part, and Remi is smiling. 

They lean into each other, touching foreheads.  Remi laughs.

Remi: “Well put.”

 

The shadows approach and surround them.  They rip apart the nearby tent.  Hold on them standing as the shadows approach.

 

Diando: “Here we go.”

 

They raise their hands together, and their magic spreads.