ARIANNA: An Original Screenplay (11 page)

Elliott slowly approaches.

ELLIOTT: Isotta's quite upset.

Kylan nods, quiet.

Elliott stops beside him.

ELLIOTT (CONT'D): One of Cantor's hands

has also disappeared. Left behind his pay.

Kylan feels his father staring down at him.

ELLIOTT (CONT'D): Did you speak with

her?

Kylan climbs to his feet and checks the hinges.

KYLAN: No.

Elliott watches him clean his hands.

ELLIOTT: (beat) It's a good day for a ride.

KYLAN: I have a lot still to do.

Elliott hands him a saddle.

ELLIOTT: Take it. He needs to stretch his

legs.

Kylan looks at his father and nods, moving to Kanthaka.

ELLIOTT (CONT'D): Kylan.

He takes out Alana's ring.

ELLIOTT (CONT'D): Don't leave this lying

around your room.

Kylan looks at the ring, then slowly takes it.

Elliott watches him fasten on the saddle.

He draws back - wanting to say more - but then turns away.

CUT TO.

EXT. MEADOW - DAY

Kanthaka gallops. Kylan riding.

He looks ahead and sees a figure walking towards the woods.

He pulls on the reins and turns in its direction.

The figure, cloaked and hooded, carries a sack over the shoulder.

Kylan slows Kanthaka down and climbs down.

KYLAN: Hello there!

The figure sees a shadow on the ground and stops. Face hidden under the hood.

KYLAN (CONT'D): Are you lost?

A kitchen knife is slowly drawn.

KYLAN (CONT'D): Are you all right?

The figure spins around, lashing out with the knife.

Kylan jumps back, falling to the ground.

Arianna stops.

Kylan looks up.

KYLAN (CONT'D): Rianna??

Arianna looks down at him, the knife trembling in her hand.

KYLAN (CONT'D): What in the blue moons

are you doing??

She looks up at the sky, still shaking.

Kylan gets to his feet and sees the sack on the floor, food and clothing inside.

KYLAN (CONT'D): What's going on?

Arianna lowers the knife.

Kylan sees the cold fear in her eyes.

KYLAN (CONT'D): Where are you going?

He forces eye contact.

KYLAN (CONT'D): What's wrong with you?

Arianna grabs the sack off of the floor and backs away, eyes still searching the sky.

KYLAN (CONT'D): Why are you running?

She stops and looks at him.

She quickly points to him, the direction of the farm, then waves away from the land.

KYLAN (CONT'D): “Leave”? Why should

we leave?

She turns him around and points to the horizon.

Kylan steps forward and pauses, shielding his eyes from the sun.

A tiny object is glimpsed Slowly moving through he clouds in a clean steady line.

KYLAN (CONT'D): What the...

Arianna pulls at his arm.

Kylan looks back at her.

She again points to him, the farm, then waves away.

KYLAN (CONT'D): Hold on hold on, just

hold on.

He glances back at the object, confused.

KYLAN (CONT'D): Wait here, just wait here

and don't go anywhere.

Arianna shakes her head, retreating to the woods.

KYLAN (CONT'D): All right all right fine,

go into the forest, just wait by the stream.

We'll come get you in a short while OK?

Arianna's eyes are back on the sky.

Kylan forces eye contact again.

KYLAN (CONT'D): Do you understand?

Arianna looks at him and slowly nods, pulling herself together.

Kylan climbs back onto his horse as she scrambles into the woods.

He turns Kanthaka around and looks out at the object again.

He glances left, back towards the farm, but then pushes on in the direction of the object.

Arianna stops and looks back at him.

Her fear returning.

CUT TO.

EXT. HILL - DAY

Kanthaka stops, Kylan lightly pulling on the reins.

Screams are heard in the distance.

Kylan looks ahead and sees the town below, three of the "Eyes" circling high above.

Kanthaka backs away.

Kylan hesitates then pushes on.

CUT TO.

EXT. MARKET - ELLORAN TOWN CENTRE

The townspeople run, knocking over stalls.

A large black horse blocks a family. The black hooded rider, XYLOCK, raises his hand, directing other hooded figures as they spread throughout the town.

Across the square arrows are fired. A sword beheading an old man.

INT. ELLORAN HOME

The door is kicked open. A father leaps forward, his stomach swiftly slashed before a black boot kicks him away.

EXT. ALLEY

A young woman runs, terrified. Black gloved hands grab her from behind and spin her around.

HOODED WOMAN: No no!

Another pair of gloved hands pull back her hood and check the left side of her face.

EXT. SIDE STREET

Elloran men charge forward with axes, brooms, and anything else they can find.

Four hooded figures march toward them.

All wearing familiar grey steel masks and bladed armor.

The masked soldiers raise their curved swords and effortlessly block every blow from the Ellorans, cutting the men down within seconds.

INT. BEDROOM - ELLORAN HOME

Another door bursts open, a mother and her teenage daughter cower in the corner.

A masked soldier draws his sword and approaches, swiftly disposing of the mother before grabbing the girl.

EXT. SIDE STREET

A barrel is pulled aside, Sebille hiding. The masked soldier grabs her by the hair and pulls her to her feet.

SEBILLE: No no!

TUCK (O.S): Let her go you bastard!

Tuck leaps onto the soldier's back, freeing Sebille.

TUCK (CONT'D): (to Sebille) Run! Get out

of here!

Tuck pins soldier the ground, holding him down.

Sebille turns to run but is grabbed by another soldier.

Tuck is quickly overpowered, the soldier rolls on top of him and slits his throat with his bladed forearm.

EXT. OUTSKIRTS OF ELLORA

Kylan nears the town, the cries and screams now louder.

KYLAN: Great Spirit.

Several men run in his direction, two with arrows in them.

EXT. MAIN SQUARE

XYLOCK, also masked, turns to another rider as he approaches, both speaking Southern.

SECOND RIDER: (subtitled) A small number

are escaping.

XYLOCK: Widen the perimeter.

Sebille is thrown into a group of girls rounded up in the centre of the main square, masked soldiers surrounding them.

EXT. OUTSKIRTS OF ELLORA

Kylan turns his head.

KYLAN: Ren!

He jumps down off his horse and runs forward.

Rence struggles, an arrow in his leg and shoulder.

Kylan catches him just as he falls.

RENCE: Kai!

Kanthaka neighs and backs away, panicking. The massacre still raging in the distance.

Kylan tries to remove the arrow from Rence's shoulder.

Rence cries out, shaking his head.

Kylan looks up, unable to see what's happening in the town.

RENCE (CONT'D): They're killing everyone

Kai! They're killing EVERYONE!

KYLAN: Put your arm around me.

He helps him up and pulls him over to Kanthaka.

He looks aside and sees black horses approaching from around the sides of the town.

He quickly tries to get Rence onto the horse just as the masked riders begin firing arrows.

Two of the fleeing men are instantly cut down.

Rence falls back, unable to get onto the horse.

RENCE: Go! Get out of here!

Kylan tries to help him again.

Rence shoves him back.

RENCE (CONT'D): Ride you fool!

Kylan sees the masked riders getting closer, many spreading out to encircle the wider area.

Kylan looks down at Rence as he crawls away, pulling the arrow from his leg.

RENCE (CONT'D): GO!

Kylan backs away and gets back onto the Kanthaka, racing into the nearby fields.

A masked rider sees him and slows down.

He raises a small arrow gun and aims at Kylan.

He fires just as his horse buckles. Rence stabbing his arrow into the horse's foot.

The rider falls and hits the ground, rolling aside.

Rence grabs a rock and pounds at his steel mask, blood spilling out from the sides.

He stops when a sword enters his back.