xena: a warrior’s death

ext. glen - day

A green and quiet place with some spots of bare earth. Xena is staring down at one of them as if reading the entrails of the Earth. There is a forest nearby and a village not too far away. It doesn’t seem like a special place. But it is.

Xena kneels down and starts digging with her bare hands, feeling the wet soil.

At a certain point she stops and looks at the hole in the ground. Then at her dirty hands. Her face is tired and melancholic. Weary.

As if summoned two young wannabe warriors arrive. Anytime soon they are going to boast with their names: LARIPIDES and PERICLES.

It is neither a greeting nor a statement. It’s supposed to be threatening.

She doesn’t even try to hide how much she isn’t interested in learning that.

They both draw their weapons as Xena stands up and dusts off her hands.

1. off their nods)

There was something impressive about this speech.

1. sighs)

Laripides makes a rude attempt of an attack. And is kicked into the head for it. Pericles, who idly waited for the attack signal, comes in after him and is grabbed by steel hands. One quick move and he’s flat on the ground.

With sword held high Laripides makes a second attempt and gets caught in a powerful hold. A scream escapes his mouth and his sword falls. A hearty knee kick sends him face forward into the dirt as something cuts into Xena’s arm.

Incredulous Xena looks at the small cut. Then at Pericles and his sword. The man stares at his sword, then at her. He realizes that he just signed his death warrant.

Before he can think about moving, her foot is in his chest and he’s already flying through the air.

From the direction of the village Gabrielle comes a running, weapons ready.

The remains of the two warriors take their swords and stumble away. Of course they turn for one last villain vow.

They’re gone. Gabrielle can’t help being amused.

Then she notices the wound.

1. why lie?)

Gabrielle wants to be convinced.

Now Gabrielle’s eyes fall on the hole in the ground.

How subtle.

Gabrielle lays an arm around her friend. They share an intimate look.

int. olethros’ tent - day

A warrior’s tent, however unusual. There are heaps of scripts and scrolls everywhere. OLETHROS himself is sitting at his desk, studying a scroll. He’s young, ambitious and apparently quite clever.

JONOS, assistant warrior, enters.

The master doesn’t look up.

1. genuinely surprised)

Jonos tries to lighten up the tension. Tell something funny.

Olethros looks up from his scroll for the first time.

ext. camp - night

Little more than a small fireplace and two blankets. The fire is out. Like so often before Xena and Gabrielle are lying on their backs, looking at the stars. There is a small bandage on Xena’s arm.

A moment passes as Xena evaluates her reply.

Gabrielle laughs. Xena doesn’t.

1. off Xena’s expectant look)

Now Gabrielle is a little hurt.

New tactic. This won’t lead anywhere.

Her eyes dart to the left for a moment. Wink.

Xena turns around, her back to Gabrielle.

She gets up, walks over to some bushes to the left.

There is the sound of rustling. Followed by two damp thuds.

Gabrielle comes back, dragging Laripides and Pericles with her. Xena turns around, eyes them wearily. Then she positions herself before them.

They trot away. But again...

Off they go. Gabrielle waves after them.

They both look at the wound. Gabrielle wishes she didn’t. She tries to be soothing.

int. olethros’ tent - night

Olethros is welcoming his guest. Six warlords: Tarkon, Metrondir, Calaios, Xercarh, Kurio and Dala, the only female. Tarkon is the mightiest of them, a man known for his brutality, while Dala is the most beautiful. And the most dangerous.

The perfect host, Olethros hands out chalices with wine. Everyone sips.

Tarkon’s fist shakes the conference table.

Olethros unrolls a drawing on the table.

Everyone looks down at it.

There’s a moment of silence.

1. understands)

Olethros is almost shocked.

ext. battlefield - day

Xena and Gabrielle meet the warlords on open territory. The latter are accompanied by an army of extraordinarily grim and well-equipped warriors.

The warrior princess can’t help being impressed as her gaze wanders over them.

Olethros steps forward.

She starts to take out her sword...

At this point Tarkon loses patience.

Olethros gestures him to stop. Tarkon stares at him with undisguised hatred.

That hit home.

She turns and leaves.

1. gestures north)

Gabrielle and Xena exchange glances. Olethros registers that.

The two women go.

ext. path - day

Xena and Gabrielle trod along. Xena is deep in thoughts.

Gabrielle is a little disappointed but hides it well.

Xena stops to face her, unnerved.

1. beat)

Gabrielle can’t help but laugh dryly.

Xena loves her with one intense glance.

int. temple of the war god - day

Xena steps into the halls. Alone. She notices the swords and shields that adorn the walls. In front of the iron throne she stops.

Nothing happens.

And there he appears: ARES. The usual show-off.

1. with a grin)

1. disappointed)

1. thinks)

Ares can see that Xena is close to desperation now.

The god vanishes. Xena is alone.

int. olethros’ tent - day

The warlords are quite agitated. Olethros is a calm island in this ocean of storm. He has to be.

Olethros fills another cup with wine and hands it to Metrondir.

The warlords exchange gazes.

With one swift movement Tarkon’s blade is at Olethros’ throat. The host doesn’t seem to mind and continues to pour wine into cups.

Everything falls silent in the tent.

Everyone takes this in.

Deliberately Olethros fills another cup of wine and offers it to Tarkon. He stares at it nervously. Then takes the cup and drinks, withdrawing the blade.

When he has emptied the cup his attention is back on Olethros as everyone else’s.

Everyone nods.

Jonos enters.

Laripides and Perikles come into the tent, smiling nervously. All the heads turn to them.

Olethros fills another cup.

int. family crypt - day

Xena looks down at the graves of his mother and her two brothers. Her hand rests on the stone of her younger brother Lyceus. There are traces of dirt on it which she wipes away.

flashback - past glory

Xena in her old garments, on her horse, watching houses burn, people running around. In her memory the picture is completely silent. Only her voice can her heard.

A woman runs to her, pleading, crying, pulling at her leg. Xena just looks at her. Then without haste, draws her sword and cuts the woman’s head off.

flashback - the others

A shot of Draco in his greatest moment, raising his sword to the sky while his men run before him, attacking.

Callisto with her evil grin.

And last not least Livia/Eve in all her dark glory, peasants kneeling before her, awaiting their death.

END FLASHBACK

Back to Xena. Her expression unchanged, as if the hardness of the stone reflected on her face.

1. whispered)

The WOMAN entered behind her. Xena didn’t hear her come in.

The woman notices the weapons and the shining armor. She makes a careful step backward.

The woman eyes her doubtfully.

That’s too much. Xena leaves the crypt in a hurry.

ext. amphipolis - day

Xena’s hometown has changed considerably. Gabrielle was waiting for her.

Gabrielle sees her friend’s agony but feels unable to do anything about it.

1. with a look to the crypt)

Although Gabrielle stops just in time, Xena understands what she wanted to say.

No way out for Gabby.

ext. battlefield - day

Everyone is here again: Xena, Gabrielle, the warlords and their armies. With melancholy Xena notices Laripides and Pericles among her opponents. A chilly wind blows against her.

Xena looks down. Gabrielle becomes aware of the soldiers behind them. They are surrounded.

She looks Olethros in the eye. Then steps forward. But before she can reach the great leader she is met by Jonos. He holds out his hands to receive the weapons. Xena understands that Olethros will not take them from her in person.

Xena takes her sword out of the sheath. Her eyes are reflected in the steel. Sad eyes.

Then she hits Jonos in the face and runs away.

Before Gabrielle can follow her friend she is surrounded by archers.

It is not quite clear whether he addressed Gabrielle or his army. But now he definitely turns to her.

The situation is hopeless.

ext. plains - day

Xena is running. Fear in her eyes.

ext. village caedros - day

Xena is out of breath. The wound on her arm is bleeding heavily. The dirty bandage sticks to the open flesh. Xena rips it off. She needs a new one.

But the villagers who walk past ignore her.

Actually everyone is avoiding her. Except for an old man who comes closer. His name is AENEAS.

At last she sees the drawing of her hanging on a wall behind the man. Looking around she sees many copies. Drawings of her adorn the walls of the whole village.

Trained by years of instinct Xena looks back the way she came. There on a far hill are the warlords. Olethros sword glistens in the sunlight.

The villagers have arranged themselves in a circle around the warrior princess, none of them closer to her than ten feet. No one dares to come any closer.

Xena starts for the stables. The people make way for her.

With a simple brown horse under her she gallops away. Fleeing southward.

ext. the far hill - day

The warlords gathered. Behind them their army. Gabrielle is next to them. Nobody holds her. It’s not necessary.

ext. glen - day

Xena rides at full speed. Her gaze is unfocused, deep in thought.

She blinks. Stops the horse. She gets off and looks down at the ground. Kneels. Her hand digs into the earth. This is the spot. She has came back.

With a slight clap she sends the horse away. It ends here. Not far from the spot is the village.

ext. village - day

All the houses were burned down systematically down to one hut. The ground is covered with corpses, burnt and slaughtered. No one was spared. Xena is the only one alive. On one house hangs the rest of a Xena drawing.

She walks through the sea of death, looking at the bodies that seem to accuse her.

There: one is still moving. She walks over to the badly wounded man. Touches him. He opens his eyes. She is not sure what he sees.

Oh god. He knows her.

He takes her hand and smiles.

The man coughs. Blood runs out of his mouth.

Xena looks around. A few feet away lies the body of a young woman, face down. Three arrows stick in her back.

The man smiles gratefully.

Then he just stops. Gone. Xena walks over to the other body. Turns it around. It was a beautiful woman, her figure not unlike Xena’s. The same hair.

Xena raises her hand to wipe away the tears. But her dirty hands burn in her eyes.

ext. village - later

A pile of bodies is burning in the waning daylight. She stands before it, singing the requiem. Her arms are covered with dirt.

The sun is setting. In the distance seven figures on horseback appear, followed by an army. Xena sees them.

ext. glen - night

The warlords are waiting. There are soldiers all around them. Everyone is getting nervous. Only Olethros is relaxed.

As if triggered by this catchword two bombs come sailing, bursting into clouds of black smoke. In less than a second all sight is blocked. Olethros stays calm.

Little can be seen but men charge forward. As two more projectiles come flying and burst into flames. Greek fire. Men start to burn, screaming.

Xena arrives on the scene like a hurricane. Although she is surrounded by foot soldiers she takes down one after the other. Surprise is on her side.

She kicks one, slashes another, sends three of them flying with a roundhouse kick.

A yell and the chakram sails through the air, knocking down seven of them.

And there are Laripides and Pericles standing beside the warlords’ horses, too afraid to attack. However, Tarkon notices them.

The two share a glance and move forward.

Xena’s blade cuts through two throats, sending her attackers reeling backwards. Instinctively she kicks to her left and brings down her sword, only to stop it an inch before Laripides’ nose.

Pericles throws himself on his friend’s body to protect him. They look at her. She can’t kill them.

Xena is brought back to reality by a blade that cuts deep into her leg. She reacts, strikes back. But she lost the edge.

She parries three swords at once as a fourth hits her from behind, cutting into her shoulder. She screams.

It is obvious that she is losing ground. When suddenly two of the men are hit by arrows. Xena looks up to see a dozen archers aiming in her direction.

Xena ducks away. Another three men get hit. The last arrow penetrates her side. Xena collapses. She glares at Olethros who grins back at her.

A quick slide of her hand and the air is again cloaked in smoke. Seconds later Xena is gone.

Olethros turns his horse around and slowly rides to the back of the army.

ext. village - night

Gabrielle walks through the empty village, towards the last hut. It still stands. Untouched.

int. hut - night

Gabrielle enters to see Xena lying in the corner, digging with her hands. Her wounds are pretty bad and only barely tended.

She forces a smile. Not very convincing.

Xena starts cutting a reed mace.

Gabrielle looks at her for an intense moment. Then nods.

It is done. In the darkness of the hut Xena starts to sob uncontrollably. Gabrielle is almost too stunned to react. She takes Xena into her arms, caresses her head.

ext. glen - night

Gabrielle returns to the army.

Gabrielle doesn’t answer.

Gabrielle is shocked.

1. smiles)

The archers gather. It must be at least a hundred. Arrows are dipped into burning gel. Bend.

A second later burning death flies through the sky, raining down on the hut. It immediately catches fire.

Gabrielle can’t hold back anymore. She just cries.

Metrondir holds her back. Gently. His face is almost as sad as hers.

Another rain of fire comes down. Nobody comes out of the hut.

ext. village - day

Gabrielle runs down to the hut. It is almost completely burnt down. She goes in.

Outside the warlords wait.

After a while Gabrielle comes out, carrying a charcoal body that wears leather armor. Xena. Her skin burned black. Five arrows stick in her. Gabrielle suppresses her tears.

Olethros steps forward.

Olethros is almost repelled by the force in her voice.

At this very moment Ares materializes at her side.

Aphrodite appears. Ares takes the body from Gabrielle as the bard collapses in Aphrodite’s arms. The goddess strokes her hair.

Olethros understands that this is not the moment.

He leaves. The other warlords still stare at the body for a moment before they follow him.

int. dark tavern - day

An old wooden pub, almost deserted. A man enters, looking like the personification of normality. His eyes search the room. There is a scroll in his hand. He’s a MESSENGER.

Finally he finds what he is looking for: an old but once handsome man, sitting in a corner, staring at his drink.

The old man doesn’t react.

With astounding reflexes the man is up, a dagger in his hand.

The messenger hands him the scroll. Reluctantly the old man takes it. His eyes fly over the symbols. After a few moments he has to sit down.

int. temple of eli - day

The hall is filled with light. In its center sits Eve. Alone. Meditating. A beam of sunlight falls down on her from a hole in the ceiling.

A young acolyte enters. Patiently she waits a few steps behind her mistress. But then she decides to go to her anyway. Eve does not interrupt the meditation as the acolyte bows down to her and whispers something in her ear.

Since there is no visible reaction to the message, the acolyte bows again and leaves.

Seconds tick away. Tears run from Eve’s closed eyes.

ext. forest - day

Four amazons in a tree, waiting. They are led by VARIA, their Queen. In their crouching position they resemble true predators.

With a series of yells they jump down the tree, surrounding their prey. It is the Messenger. Apparently he is not the least bit surprised. Actually he seems to have awaited them.

He produces a scroll from his bag.

Varia takes the scroll from him, reads it. Her expression turns from anger to sadness.

But when she looks up, he’s already gone.

int. heaven - day

A brightly lid hall, made of gold and white. In the midst of it is a large pool that is apparently filled with clouds. In truth it is a window to Earth.

At the margin of the pool lies a blonde woman... no, an angel. Another ANGEL enters the hall.

CALLISTO, whose fingers are gently moving through the clouds, looks up to her..

ext. hades - elysian fields - day

CYRENE is sitting on a rock next to a sparkling waterfall. Mist plays around her ankles. The waterfall is dreadfully silent. The dead woman is staring at her hands.

Two persons appear behind her: JOXER and EPHINY.

Cyrene nods. When she raises her head SOLAN is standing before her. He takes her hand.

Together they walk away.

ext. glen - dusk

A flaming red sun illuminates Xena’s funeral pyre. There is Gabrielle, alone, waiting for the sun to go down. She is unable to cry. In her hand she holds a burning torch. When the sun vanishes behind the horizon she throws the torch into the piled up wood. Very slowly the fire begins to eat into the pyre.

When suddenly it bursts into a ball of blue flame that touches the sky. Behind Gabrielle Ares lowers his head in respect. He’s wearing a black cloak with a hood. Aphrodite’s hand rests on Gabrielle’s shoulder. The goddess is also dressed in black. A veil covers her face.

Together they are watching the flame rising to the night sky.

A lone figure in a green coat arrives on the scene. The old man positions himself next to the mourning ones. Gabrielle acknowledges Autolycos’ presence with a smile.

Not long after that Varia joins them, followed by at least a dozen amazons. They all bow their heads before the pyre. Varia and Gabrielle exchange glances. Lament. Respect. In the shadows of a blue flame the amazon queen begins to sing the requiem for a warrior. An amazon.

int. heaven - night

The echoes of Varia’s voice are heard in the hall. Peaks of the blue fire lick through the clouds of the pool. With her delicate index finger Callisto touches the flame. It cannot harm her. But it hurts nevertheless. The angel’s eyes fill with tears.

ext. green hill - night

The dead, Cyrene, Solan, Joxer and Ephiny, have gathered on a far away hill. They can see the fire from here but it is very unlikely that someone will see them. Following the rules of life and death they may not touch any living being or one another.

They are listening to the requiem.

ext. glen - night

Eve has come alone, in time to hear the last notes of her mother’s requiem. Hesitantly she approaches the pyre, then Gabrielle, not sure what to expect. But she knows when Gabrielle takes her into her arms. They hold each other tight for a long moment. They both have lost so much.

Finally seven unwanted guests arrive. The warlords. Olethros goes straight to Gabrielle who doesn’t even look at him.

He gets no reaction from her. A little shaken in his determination he turns to the god of war.

Turning to the other warlords for support he sees that they all bowed their heads before the pyre. The amazons tense as the six warlords draw their swords. And lay them down before the fire. Tarkon gives a grim nod to the amazons, then to Gabrielle. Then the six leave.

Olethros is too stunned to say anything. The only thing he can do is run after them.

on the way

1. faces Olethros)

Olethros’ second in command emanates from the darkness.

1. to the warlords)

1. to Olethros)

Thus they walk away, leaving Olethros alone. Cast down. Defeated.

at the pyre

The circle of mourners is complete.

Gabrielle now notices the people standing in a distance around the pyre. It must be hundreds, from all classes of mankind: peasants, villagers, merchants and warriors. Among them are Laripides, Pericles and Aeneas from the village Caedros.

the distant congregation

Laripides and Pericles draw their swords and ram them into the ground. Everything around is silent. Then Pericles starts to whisper.

And it feels like magic to him.

His voice grows stronger, becoming a series of shouts, as powerful as battle cries. Laripides understands and joins him. The call is spread and soon every voice in the congregation joins in the powerful chorus.

The hundreds of voices thunder across the plain. It is their reference to a great warrior. Their tribute to her life and her legend. Their promise that they will never forget her.

ext. glen - dawn

Lasts rings of smoke arise from the burnt down pyre. A new day has come. The funeral is over.

Gabrielle receives Xena’s urn from Ares. They exchange respectful smiles. Aeneas carefully approaches them.

Gabrielle is visibly unprepared for this question. But she makes a quick decision.

1. to Aeneas)

1. to Ares)

Aphrodite presents Xena’s sword and chakram.

Everywhere people begin to roam into the direction of Caedros. Gabrielle watches them. Then she spots four figures on a far away hill.

ext. green hill - dawn

The four dead look back at her.

They descend the hill on the opposite side.

ext. the village caedros - day

There are camps and tents everywhere around the village. Many people are still arriving. They drink, eat and talk.

int. caedros tavern - day

The room is filled with people. Everyone who stood close to the pyre is here. The tables have been put together for the big banquet. There on the wall are Xena’s weapons. All are busy talking.

Varia and Autolycos...

Gabrielle and Ares...

1. finally)

Aeneas puts two more amphorae of wine on the table.

He leaves...

ext. caedros tavern - continuous

... And is intercepted by Laripides and Pericles.

1. aside to his friend)

1. to Laripides)

1. to Aeneas)

Pericles lays an arm around Aeneas’ shoulder.

1. with a side glance to Laripides)

int. caedros tavern - day

As the wine invigorates soul and heart, the talk becomes more vivid.

A little BOY shyly steps into the tavern. As everyone becomes aware of him...

1. sees the amazons)

The boy is appropriately impressed.

Everyone in the room is a little perplexed. Then they all start laughing.

Some boos head his way but Ares remains unimpressed.

Like this they take off. Autolycos takes the wine with him. And no one notices Gabrielle staying back. Except for Aphrodite stops at the door. The bard gives her a sad smile. The goddess understands and leaves.

ext. a path - day

With the urn under her arm Gabrielle walks down the open street when she hears a cart approach from behind. It is an open wagon, drawn by two horses. The driver is most likely a middle-class MERCHANT.

1. lovely smile)

Gabrielle hops onto the wagon.

insert: Scroll

A female hand paints delicate symbols on the parchment with a quill.

back to Gabrielle on the cart

She looks at the last lines she wrote. Then she adds another. It is the kind of line that eventually stands at the end of every story.

Then she rolls the scroll, binds it with a leather string and puts it in her bag. It is over.

int. athens - the great library - day

Closing hour. TOPOCLES, the director of the library takes his last notes for the day. Then he registers the woman standing in front of his desk.

She puts the bag with the scrolls on the desk. Topocles picks one, looks at it.

Topocles writes it down.

But when he looks up Gabrielle is already gone. He opens the scroll and starts to read. With every new line his face fills more with wonder. His WIFE steps into the room.

But instead he continues to read, captured by the story.

ext. ship - day

Sailing the sea. Gabrielle holds to the urn, watching the waves. The ship is sailing towards the sun. East. Eventually she takes her weapons, glistening in the sun, and throws them into the sea. It symbolizes the end of a chapter.

ext. chin - harbor - day

Gabrielle gets off the ship. And start her long journey.

ext. a rice field - dusk

There is a giant tree in the midst, like an island in a golden ocean. Standing under the tree is a STRANGER, clad in a cloak and a big hat that throws a shadow on the face below.

Gabrielle moves into the shades of the leafs and sets the urn at the Stranger’s feet.

A beat.

The Stranger raises her head. Eyes, blue as the sky look into green ones. A very familiar smile.

A Chinese WARRIOR appears, leading a brown horse.

Gabrielle strokes the horse’s nose.

The Stranger walks over to the horse. She limps. The warrior helps her onto the horse.

The Stranger rides a few feet. Then stops.

Gabrielle shrugs.

Then she jumps onto the horse, landing behind the Stranger. She holds the Stranger with both arms like an old friend and smiles. Min Chen smiles back.

They leave the tree behind. Before them the land falls down. And there in the plains waits an army of at least a hundred warriors, waving spears and banners.

As soon as the women are in view the army hails them. Off they ride. To another battle, another war. Another life.