Forgotten: Xanatos Miniseries Screenplay Sneak Peek

forgotten part 1 - fall from grace by d. m. arney

based on: forgotten: xanatos I by d. m. arney

d. m. arney, 2008

BLACK SCREEN Barely audible VOICES, deep rich tones, talking simultaneously. Very ominous. VOICES (V.O.) Where am I? What have you done?! Release me! It is dark. Filthy lying traitor! 1

EXT. THE EDGE OF FLOATING HOLY CITY OF GRACE - NIGHT

1

A scared BRAEDEN(13) crouches inside duct work, hands clasped to his ears, eyes closed in feverish concentration. In his hand a tonto sword (n.b. short samurai sword used for Hari Kari) in an exquisite sheath, pressed against hospital-like, white scrubs. BRAEDEN No no no! Go away! BRAEDEN opens his red eyes and wipes the snot from his nose. He pulls the sword close to him, gathering strength from it. CITY GUARD (O.S.) Check down there, find him! BRAEDEN leans slowly out of the duct work to see his pursuers. Men in black uniforms carry batons and stalk through the various mechanical/machine items littering the wasteland before the city drops off into air. ANOTHER CITY GUARD (O.S.) There! He’s in the vent! BRAEDEN snaps around quickly to see the guards descending upon him. He looks furiously for a way out. There isn’t one. He hesitates before diving into the vent. CUT TO: 2

INT. THROUGH THE PIPES - CONTINUOUS Flashes of light interchange with darkness as BRAEDEN slides through the various ducts leading diagonally down toward a deafening ROAR of some large machine. The closer it gets, the more BRAEDEN tries to stop himself. He can’t, the sound is loud enough to block out his SCREAMS. Frantic, he pulls the sword from its sheath and turns, stabbing it into the metal.

2

2. Blue angelic writing glows across the blade and then is gone. Light grows in intensity a second before he slides out of the duct, the sword catching at the last second. CUT TO: 3

INT. PLASMA GENERATOR - CITY INTERIOR - CONTINUOUS

3

The sword’s sheath falls away from BRAEDEN, and the massive chamber lengthens as BRAEDEN gets smaller. BREADEN is a small figure against a monstrous metal backdrop bathed in blinding white light. In the centre of an enormous chamber is a miniature sun, momentarily changing colour and intensity as roving magnetic fields across its surface change its consistency. BRAEDEN Looks over his shoulder into the blinding white light, free hand blocking his eyes. BRAEDEN’s hand begins to sweat and his fingers slip. BRAEDEN looks below him, trying to find a place to drop down. VOICES (V.O.) Wait! BRAEDEN’s face goes wide at the clarity of the VOICES. BRAEDEN screams with all his might to be heard over the deafening roar of the chamber. BRAEDEN Who are you? BRAEDEN begins to slip again, his fingers coming loose. VOICES (V.O.) In a moment pull the sword out. BRAEDEN is confused, but in a moment he’ll fall anyway. VOICES (V.O.) Wait ... wait ... now! BRAEDEN surges all of his strength into his dangling hand, grips the duct and pulls on the sword until it releases. He falls... Onto a sweeping arm that generates the magnetic field, whisking him around the plasma ball and within striking distance of a workers pad.

3.

VOICES (V.O) Jump! 4

INT. WORKERS PAD - PLASMA GENERATOR - CONTINUOUS.

4

He makes the landing, but is going so fast he rolls and slams into the wall. A CRACKING sound is heard, his right arm is dislocated. He lays still breathing hard and squinting from pain There are various cuts and bruises on face and hands. White scrubs now blotched with sweat and blood. VOICES (V.O.) Get Up! BRAEDEN rights himself, staring up at nothing. BRAEDEN Where are you? Show yourself! VOICES (V.O.) Run! BRAEDEN What are you? CUT TO: 5

INT. HALLWAY - MAINTENANCE CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS

5

TRACKING: GUARDS burst out of a lift and go running by, breaking off to search the various corridors leading away from the generator. A single man in a grey uniform stands with his back turned toward the guards, but he remains perfectly still as the guards stream around him, looks of concern on their faces. THE PALADIN is older, perhaps in his fifties. A look of concern and bother on his face. His eyes are closed in concentration. He breathes sharply, the disappears right. In b/g BRAEDEN darts toward the waiting lift. THE PALADIN smiles, but with a hint of evil. CUT TO:

4.

6

INT. LIFT - CONTINUOUS

6

The doors open. BRAEDEN peeks out readying his sword, and discovers that the dropped sheath has magically found its way back. Crates SLAMMING together startle BRAEDEN and send him into a low stance that causes him to hold his shoulder in pain. BRAEDEN peers out of the lift. 7

INT. GRAVITY LIFT RECEIVING - CONTINUOUS

7

Two WORKERS are moving yellow crates off of a transport and into a growing queue that terminates at the edge of a large circular hole in the metal floor. There is nothing below but empty air. WORKER 2 is inspecting a crate that mysteriously opened, muttering something to WORKER 1. WORKER 1 They ever tell us anything about anything? WORKER 2 Spose not. Still this one’s got a filtrator, an oxygen tank. (peering into one before closing the lid) You could live inside it for days. WORKER 1 Why the hell would I want to live in a bloody box. (to himself, mumbling and chuckling) Daft ... live in a box ... no wonder they don’t say nothin. The WORKERS continue moving back and forth, entering and exiting frame. In b/g BRAEDEN cuts across the empty space and disappears into the queue of crates. BRAEDEN squeezes his eyes shut and breaths very hard. With a practised jerk, the shoulder pops back into place. Blood streams down his lip from where he bit down. His eyes open and he looks up, exhausted and injured.

5.

THE PALADIN (O.S.) Leave. BRAEDEN’s eyes go wide with terror as he recognizes that voice. THE PALADIN looks toward the crates where BRAEDEN hides. THE PALADIN Come out, Braeden. BRAEDEN breathes deep, nods to himself and then unsheathes the sword. TRACKING: BRAEDEN gets up determinedly, staring at his former master, but his legs are shaky and there is blood dripping down them. BRAEDEN (suppressing a grimace) I’m not afraid of you. THE PALADIN draws his own sword as if from thin air. THE PALADIN You’ve never beat me. Give that sword back and you won’t be executed. BRAEDEN Go to hell. He charges, the sword extends to full katana length, again with blue shimmering angelic script. The swords CLANG together and a whirlwind of master swordsmanship is under way. Both fight in a fairly straight forward manner, but THE PALADIN shifts his approach, using his hands to grapple with BRAEDEN BRAEDEN receives the first hit. THE PALADIN tears his loose fitting tunic off. A deep, bloody gash runs through an upside down pentagram newly carved into his skin. His arms covered in black sinister runes. Out of place are two wing tips touching the pentagram, coming from another tattoo on his back. BRAEDEN looks down at his own blood and his eyes grow furious with rage. He looks up at THE PALADIN’s face, his tattoos have a chilling effect upon the always confident master. The wing tips from his chest extend from a stylized phoenix, the only tattoo that doesn’t reek of evil.

6.

More furious blows ensue, but BRAEDEN’s injury has weakened him. He falters and falls to the floor, sword still held up in defence. THE PALADIN’s face breaks with anger and disgust. THE PALADIN You were always beaten, even before you were born. (more composedly) Now hand over that sword. BRAEDEN supports himself with his hand, which shakes intensely. THE PALADIN watches him struggling to remain conscious. BRAEDEN’s head rises to look up at the man in grey. BRAEDEN I’ll die first. THE PALADIN is torn, there is still love for the boy, but his duty suppresses most of it. THE PALADIN I can’t overlook what you’ve done. They won’t believe the truth. The blood, the murder. Someone must pay. BRAEDEN looks down, something like fatalistic resolve spreads across his face. BRAEDEN Five dead, what’s one more? THE PALADIN watches as BRAEDEN tries to get up. He manages to get to his feet, but is precarious at best. He raises his sword, his right arm hanging limp. BRAEDEN What are you waiting for? Do it! THE PALADIN shows the first signs of feeling. Something like vengeful paternal love crosses his face, his eyes filled with tragic understanding. THE PALADIN He has made you death. The world will wither in your hands. THE PALADIN raises his sword, intending to strike but can’t. He lowers it down.

7.

THE PALADIN I swore it. If I couldn’t save ... there would be no choice. THE PALADIN has backed BRAEDEN up against the gaping hole that fills most of the room. Sounds of WIND whipping by beneath it. THE PALADIN kicks BRAEDEN’s sword sheath into the open hole; frustration and anger redirected. THE PALADIN closes his eyes. He cannot look at what he is about to do. THE PALADIN BRAEDEN died with his family. You are just a soulless husk... (softly) ... goodbye Xanatos. (N.B.’Z’anatos) THE PALADIN raises his arm and sends a wave of invisible energy at BRAEDEN knocking him into the hole. The light of the hole disappears quickly, wind holding BRAEDEN’s arms and feet above his body. The floating Holy City of Grace fills the sky for miles, an ominous ball of light hanging above the very dark surface of the earth. Into that darkness falls a tiny flicker of blue light from BRAEDEN’s downward descent. BRAEDEN closes his eyes slowly, preparing for his death, his heart BEAT the only sound. A red toggle switch. It reads "Engage Gravity Lift". THE PALADIN’s finger flips the switch, a HUM begins to throb in time with BRAEDEN’s heart. CUT TO: BLACK SCREEN FX: Text starts as a flame and then spreads to form the word, SUPER: "forgotten" FX: As the flames go out, the smoke reveals the shadowy word, SUPER: "xanatos"