The Unnamed Saga: Sisters and Song Script, Chapter Seventeen: "Twilight's Hand"

Chapter Seventeen: Twilight’s Hand

 

Open on the Fionan airship camp burning.  Bodies lay scattered around the battlefield.

Show Fionan soldiers lying dead.

Show Silvaran resistance fighters torn in half and bleeding.

Show inky shadows gnawing on the bodies.

Show Thanatos’ helm gleaming with the rising sun.

Pull back to show balls of shadows hanging, suspend in the air.

The shadows part, releasing torn bodies from within.

Show Remi and Diando’s corpses, torn apart and mangled, but still together.

 

Cut to the airship exterior.  The sails gleams brilliantly and magic drifts from them.  The doors to the lower decks are being pulled shut and the last few soldiers are trying to escape onto the ship.  Mages still fire off spells from the platforms on the side.

Show Dawn and Niva kneeling nearby behind some debris.  Nick is on the other side of the debris, peaking around.

He returns to them.

 

Nick: “Looks like we’re clear, but they’re done loading.  They’ll be taking off soon.  We need to hurry.”

 

Dawn: “Right.  I’ll take point.”

Dawn stands while drawing an arrow.

Dawn: “You two stay behind me.”

Niva nods, and Nick sighs.

Dawn scowls.

Dawn: “What now?”

 

Nick: “I won’t be coming.”

 

Dawn: “And why not?”

 

Nick: “Because, we’ve still got a ways to go, and that thing is still coming.”

 

Niva: “But Remi and Diando…”

 

Nick: “Were appetizers.  Look around us! It’s killing anything it sees, whatever army they are from.  It’s hungry, and it will want you, too.  I’m going to distract it.  At least give you enough time to get on.”

 

Dawn: “That’s suicide.”

 

Nick: “I’d prefer to think of it as a heroic sacrifice.”

 

Dawn: “But...”

 

Nick: “Just stop the airship, alright?”

 

Show Nick and Dawn staring at each other.

Dawn nods.  Beside her, Niva is nearly in tears.

 

Dawn: “I’ll wait over here.”

 

Dawn leaves them standing there.  Show Nick staring at the ground.  He is dirty and haggard.  Niva has her fists balled and is crying.

 

Nick: “Come on, what’re you crying about now?”

 

Niva: “What do you think?”

 

Show the camp burning around them and the bodies piled high.  Shadows are approaching quickly, slicing through soldiers on the way.

Nick sighs and scratches the back of his head.

 

Nick: “Okay, yeah, this is all a bit of a mess.”

 

Niva: “I really trusted you, you know.”

 

Nick: “I know.”

 

Niva: “I really thought you had made a turn around. That you were changed.  What a fool I was.”

 

Nick: “Hey now, I’m doing the best I can.  I’m trying to be a hero for once, rather than just playing one on stage.”

 

Niva: “Going off and getting yourself killed isn’t heroic.  It’s just a stupid waste!”

 

Nick: “A stupid waste, huh?”

Nick steps in and wipes away her tears.

Nick: “Yeah, that sounds about right.  You know, the playwright Avonn had a quote I was always fond of.  ‘Heroes are just idiots with a cause.’  He, uh, he wrote tragedies.  Anyway, it always helped me get into character.”

 

Show them standing close to each other, staring at each other.

 

Niva: “Why are you telling me this?”

 

Nick: “I don’t know?  Maybe because I’ve spent my entire life acting, pretending to be someone else.  Maybe because I feel like, at the end, I should say something big and memorable, but all I’ve got it, ‘Don’t vomit.’”

 

He smiles and takes her chin.

They kiss.

They part, and she is blushing and wide-eyed.  He is still smiling.

 

Niva: “Why did you?”

 

Nick: “The hero always gets to kiss the girl, and since the princess isn’t here…”

He rubs the back of his neck again.

Nick: “Let me be a little foolish.  After all, I’m about to die.”

Nick looks off into the distance.

Nick: “I should go.  It’s coming.”

 

He turns and Niva catches his arm.

She pulls him back.

 

Niva: “Don’t!  Don’t go! You don’t have to do this!”

 

Nick: “I do.”

 

Niva: “You’ll die!”

 

Nick: “I know.”

 

Niva: “But…”

 

Nick hugs her close and she cries into his chest.

 

Nick: “You’ve got the schematic.  You’ve got Dawn.  You’ve got everything you need.”

 

Dawn, off-screen: “Niva, they’ve closed the ship.  It’ll be taking off soon.  We need to go.”

 

Nick: “That’s our cue.  I’m trusting you.”

Nick leads Niva over to Dawn.

Nick: “Break a leg, you two!”

 

They stand together, staring at each other for a moment.

Dawn runs ahead, pulling Niva with her.  Nick lingers a moment longer.

He turns and takes a deep breath.

 

Nick: “What am I doing, getting jitters like an amateur!”

 

Cut to Dawn and Niva’s approach to the airship.  Green light spills into screen around them.  Dawn is in the lead with an arrow drawn.  Niva follows shortly behind her.

Show them from a distance.  Dust is being whipped up by the airship.  They are tiny specks below it.  Dawn’s cloak is blown about by the wind.

Show Dawn approaching the underside.  She is now holding bow and arrow with one hand.  She covers her eyes with her other hand.  Niva is just behind her.

Dawn looks at Niva, who is also covering her eyes.  Their hair is tossed about by the wind.  The airship is a few inches off the ground now and gaining altitude.

 

Dawn: “Are you ready?”

 

Niva looks back.  She is squinting and bathed in the magical glow of the airship.

Show shadows writhing in the distance, snapping like fangs.  People are screaming.

 

Niva: “Do you think he survived?”

 

Dawn: “I think we have other things to worry about!”

Dawn takes Niva’s hand.

Dawn: “Come on, let’s go!”

 

The airship is now a few feet up and quickly gaining altitude.  Dawn now has her bow over her shoulder and the arrow back in its quiver. With one hand she leads Niva.  The other hand she uses to cover her eyes.

She leaps up as the airship lifts and grabs hold of a pipe.

The airship continues up, lifting them both off the ground.  Niva now dangles from Dawn’s hand.

Dawn strains and groans.  She lifts Niva up with one hand.

Niva throws her left hand up and grabs hold of the very same pipe.  The airship is now high in the air.

Hold on the airship as it drifts off up into the air.  As it grows smaller, show Dawn pulling herself up onto the pipe.  Niva hangs beside her.

Show the airship high in the air, to the point where the girls can’t be seen.  Now, Thantaos’ shoulder and helm are in the foreground of the shot.  It growls while shadows writhe around it.

Dawn is now standing on the airship.  Her cloak and hair whip around her as the airship lifts.  Green light fills the frame from above.  She stands on a platform near the base of the ship, braced against the airship hull.  Niva crawls up behind her.

Show Dawn looking back over her shoulder while opening a nearby hatch.  In the background, show Niva hanging halfway on the platform.

 

Dawn: “Come on, Niva! I think this is it!”

Dawn enters the airship.  Show her from the back, looking down a long, thin corridor of pipes and gauges.

Dawn peeks out from inside of the airship and waves to Niva.

Dawn: “Get inside before it gets too high.  We don’t want to fall off now!”

 

Niva has pulled herself up and is walking toward Dawn.  She is leaning against the rail for support. 

Shadows wrap around Niva’s ankle and pull her under the railing.

Show Niva hanging from the railing with the shadows around her legs.

 

Dawn: “Niva!”

 

Niva’s hand slips.

Dawn catches her.  Show Dawn hanging from the railing with one hand, her feet planted against the platform, while she hangs off the side holding onto Niva.

Show Niva’s leg stretching as the airship is drifting away.  The shadows are wrapped tightly around her ankle, digging into the flesh.  Blood oozes out of the wound.

 

Niva: “Dawn!  Dawn, it’s got me!”

 

Dawn: “I know it does, but we’re fine.  We’re already here.  Just don’t let go.”

 

Niva: “It hurts.  Dawn, it’s tearing my leg off.”

 

Dawn: “Don’t let go!  Whatever you do, hold on.  We’ll get you out…”

 

Show Niva’s leg stretching.  The shadows are thin as wire and dug deep into her leg.

Show a bloody spray as her foot flies off at her ankle.  Niva screams and sways in the air.

 

Niva: “Gods! Oh, gods!  My foot!”

 

Dawn: “Niva!”

 

Show their hands linked, their fingers slipping.

Show them hanging from the airship’s maintenance ramp.  Niva flails in the air with blood flying from her stub.  She pants and cries while Dawn hangs from the ship.

 

Niva: “Dawn, I don’t think I can—I think I’m done.”

 

Dawn: “No, not you! I’m not losing you!”

 

Show their fingers slipping.

 

Niva: “Dawn, it’s too late.”

 

Dawn: “No!”

 

Niva: “Here!”

Niva reaches back and pulls the schematics from her satchel.

She jams them into Dawn’s hand.

Niva: “Take these.  They’re important.  They show where to break it!”

 

Dawn: “Give them to me inside!”

 

Niva shakes her head.  She smiles and tears fall from her eyes.

Their fingers slip apart.

Show Niva falling from Dawn’s grasp, and show the schematics caught on the wind.

Hold an image of Dawn’s hand as Niva slips away.  The schematics part and fly away.

Hold on the image as Niva falls farther away, turning into a small, dark spot in the sky.

Show Dawn staring.  Tears fly from her face.  Her hair is whipped, and green light surrounds her.

Dawn pulls herself back onto the ramp.  She holds her hand to her chest and stares despondently ahead.

She pulls herself up and enters the maintenance hatch.

Show her slump into the hatch and stare at the wall.

Show her pull the hatch closed.

 

Cut to the Anthem prison interior.  Zara is alone in her cell, curled up with her back against the wall.  Through the window the sky can be seen.  It is dark in the night.

Show Zara’s head resting on her arms.  Her legs are curled up, and she is nodding off.  Footsteps echo down the hall behind her.

She sits up and peeks down the hall.

Show President Thaddeus walking down the halls.  He is escorted by two guards.

President Thaddeus stops at her cell and looks down at her.  His soldiers flank him on either side, carrying long, bladed polearms.  Zara turned toward him but is still kneeling.  She is holding the cell bars.

President Thaddeus smiles.

 

Thaddeus: “Good evening, princess Zara.  I do hope that I am not intruding.”

 

Zara stands and straightens her hair.

She takes time to smooth her dress.

 

Zara: “It is a good deal past evening, president.  What do you want with me?”

 

Thaddeus: “Such venom in your tone, and coming from such a pretty little girl.  You’re making it easy for me to keep you in there, you know.”

 

Zara: “Just get on with it already.”

 

Thaddeus: “I am here to tell you that I will soon be handing you over to Fionan delegation.”

 

Zara: “Of course you will.”

 

Thaddeus: “However you might be, I truly am sorry for how things are.  Your father and I…”

President Thaddeus sobers.

Thaddeus: “But, Anthem’s safety is my priority, and considering your disrespect for our traditions…”

 

Zara: “Traditions?  You kidnap little girls, isolate them, and sew their mouths shut while you venerate them!”

 

Thaddeus: “We do what we must.  Surely, considering circumstances, you can understand that!”

 

Zara leans into the bars and glares at him.

 

Zara: “No, I can’t.  Maybe the world is hard, but that doesn’t mean that we should be hard, too.”

 

President Thaddeus scowls.

 

Thaddeus: “Childish nonsense!”

 

Zara leans back and crosses her arms.  She stares at him through the bars.

 

Zara: “Now, if you’re done, I would like to sleep.”

 

President Thaddeus turns and huffs.

He leaves down the hall with his soldiers following him.

Zara goes to her cell window and stares out at the dark sky.

Show the stars outside, watching her and twinkling.

Zara sighs.

 

Cut to the Anthem mansion interior, in Zelos’ guest room.  Zelos is lying asleep in bed with the blankets pulled up to his neck.  Elsea is sitting beside him in a chair.  She is bent over and looks tired with bags under her eyes.  Through the window the darkened night sky can be seen.

Elsea tags a rag from the bowl and rings it out.

She folds it onto his forehead.

She sighs and relaxes in back into her seat.  Mary enters the room from the door behind her.

Mary stops beside the chair and looks at Elsea, who is reclined in the chair with her arms having over the rests.

 

Mary: “My, but don’t you look tired?  Why not get some rest?”

 

Elsea: “Zelos needs me.  I’d feel terrible if something were to happen to him.”

 

Mary: “And while your concern is both admirable and adorable in equal measure, I do find that I worry over your health as well.”

 

Elsea sits up.

 

Elsea: “Thank you, but I am well.  I just can’t figure out why he is so sick.”

 

Mary: “Because, he is suffering no simple sickness.  What ails him is something far more malevolent a malady.”

 

Elsea: “What do you mean?”

 

Mary: “Tell me, good lady, what do you remember of Zelos’ illness in Emeraldine or the cavern just outside it?”

 

Elsea: “I remember that magic caused it.  But there is no undue magic in the air here.”

 

Mary: “Yes, still, I fear that this is in some way related to that.  Whatever ancient thing is sleeping in him, it has grown stronger, dangerously so, and I fear it may be withering the little pumpkin away from within.”

Mary leans forward over the bed and tugs Zelos’ shirt down to reveal the scar on his neck.

Mary: “I do so ever wonder over this.”

She stands straight and folds her arms over her chest.

Mary: “But, whatever the situation, I fear most of all that the thing that is inside of him is trying to get out.”

 

Elsea: “And what will happen then?”

 

Mary: “A fair question, and one which I lack an appropriate answer for.  Though, I would wager what little I have that it won’t be pleasant.”

Mary smiles softly and pets Zelos’ hair.

Mary: “Damned thing.  It has picked a fine time to stir up whatever trouble it can, hasn’t it?”

 

Elsea nods.

 

Cut to the Anthem prison interior, Zara’s cell.  Zara is asleep against the far wall, below the window.  She is curled up and hugging her knees with her head down.  She snores softly.  Off screen there is a sound of metal shifting.

Hold on her sleeping and show a shadow fall over her.

Zara looks up sleepily and rubs her eyes.

 

Zara: “What are you doing here?”

 

Show Glenn standing over her.

 

Glenn: “Getting you.”

 

Zara stretches and yawns.

She stands and dusts off her rear.

Zara: “It’s about time.”

They walk out through the open cell.  Zara flips her hair.

Zara: “But thank you, Sir Glenn.”

 

Glenn: “Welcome.  Now, to escape.”

 

Show them running down the hall together.

 

Zara: “Thaddeus won’t like this.”

 

Glenn: “All the better, then.”

 

Zara: “And where will we go?”

 

Glenn: “Somewhere out of his reach.  Anthem isn’t safe.  Fiona is coming.”

 

Zara stops in the hall, surprised.  Glenn stops, looking back at her.

 

Zara: “The city will burn.”

 

Glenn: “With or without us here.”

 

Zara leans against the wall and hangs her head.  She sighs.

 

Zara: “Metis truly has gone mad, hasn’t he?”

 

Glenn hangs his head as well.

 

Glenn: “Looks like.”

 

Zara: “Do you think Zelos could ever come to accept it?”

 

Glenn: “Realize? Yes.  Accept? Either way, he’ll have to wake up first.”

 

Zara: “He’s still asleep, then?”

 

Glenn: “Let’s talk about that later.”

 

Zara: “But…”

 

Glenn: “Come on.”

 

They turn and keep running.

Show the far end of the hall.  A group of Anthem soldiers are gathered.  There are three in total, two with bows and one in the center.  The soldier in the center has a spear in hand.

 

Anthem Soldier2: “Looks like the president was right.”

 

Glenn and Zara come to a halt.  Glenn draws his sword while Zara stays behind him.

 

Anthem Soldier2: “And where do you two think you’re going?”

 

End on Glenn’s charge.