EPISODE 2: Spooked (part 2)
CUT TO
INT, Mayor's kitchen, Night.
Close on the fire, which has died down, but still flickers.
On PRESTO, settled down to sleep and nodding off, looking into the fire. The MAYOR sleeps in a chair in the background.
PRESTO:
(dreamily)
We were told to beware the
fire. Who are you? Where have
you come from? What are you
doing?
Beat. PRESTO begins to drop off.
PRESTO:
...who are you?
PRESTO begins to snore quietly.
CUT TO
INT, the Stables, Night.
On BOBBY, curled up against UNI in the hay with a blanket. Both sleep fitfully.
CUT TO
A confusion of shapes and colours. The dream is violent and mixed up. The colours form a large flame, in which the shape of a Unicorn rears and bucks in fear and pain, whinnying loudly.
ORC 1:
(O/S)
Get her! Tie her legs!
ORC 2:
(O/S)
Fetch the whip...
UNI:
(O/S terrified neigh)
ERIC:
(O/S)
Oh God!
The shape in the fire becomes one of a young man, writhing, aflame.
HANK:
(O/S)
Eric?
BOBBY:
(Kid, O/S)
Oh my God! That bastard!
Quick flash of ERIC's burnt back.
Quick flash of DUNGEON MASTER, burnt and dying.
DUNGEON MASTER:
My children...
Back to the flame. The shape in it grows, fills out, sprouts large wings.
VENGER:
(O/S)
I want to help.
BOBBY:
(Adult, O/S)
No... it was you!
Quick flash of the old VENGER, hurling a ball of magic towards camera. The ball of magic becomes the flame again, with VENGER's winged figure silhouetted in the centre of it.
BOBBY:
(O/S)
It was you! It was you!
CUT TO
INT The Stables, Night.
BOBBY wakes up. He pats UNI's stomach, groggily.
BOBBY:
You OK?
Beat. UNI snorts.
BOBBY:
That Son of a Bitch.
BOBBY shivers and draws the blankets closer to him.
CUT TO
INT The Mayor's bedroom, Night.
HANK and SHEILA are huddled together, sharing the Mayor's small single bed. DIANA and ERIC are both on the floor under blankets, not together, but close.
On SHEILA. Both she and HANK are troubled in their sleep.
CUT TO
A dark red. It fills the shot, but oozes. There is the sound of a knife being drawn, then a sickening squelch.
SHEILA:
(O/S panicked breathing)
CUT TO
EXT Woodland, a weird half twilight.
CLOSE UP on SHEILA's knife as she draws it and plunges it into the ORC CAPTAIN's chest with a squelch.
Close on the ORC CAPTAIN as he leers down at her, dead.
ORC CAPTAIN:
You killed me, Sheila.
Close on SHEILA, teary with horror.
SHEILA:
I did. I killed him. I'm sorry.
DUNGEON MASTER:
(O/S)
You stole a life, Thief.
SHEILA:
I'm so sorry. What can I do?
ERIC:
(O/S)
Make me a sandwich.
SHEILA:
I... what?
The dead ORC CAPTAIN is pulled off SHEILA, this time by ERIC.
ERIC:
Make me a sandwich. I missed
supper.
SHEILA:
Will that help?
ERIC:
Hmm. Will it change what
happened somehow, or bring that
Orc creep back to life? No. But
neither will anything else.
ERIC sits down beside her.
ERIC:
Huh, killer?
SHEILA:
Don't call me that.
ERIC:
But you are. So am I...
ERIC is interrupted by the severed head of the ORC he killed rolling to him and hitting his leg.
SHEILA:
(gasp)
ERIC looks down at the head, annoyed.
On the head, looking up at him.
ORC HEAD:
Murderer...
ERIC grabs the head and throws it far away.
ERIC:
I said, Piss Off!
Beat. SHEILA blinks, suprised. ERIC wipes his hand on his cape.
ERIC:
Fifth time tonight. Now where
was I? Oh yeah. The carnage...
SHEILA:
It wasn't a one off, was it?
ERIC shakes his head, resigned.
ERIC:
And I don't think we're gonna
be the only killers amongst our
merry band for long...
SHEILA:
(interrupts)
I don't get it.
ERIC:
Well, we're natural survivors,
and so if the realm decides to
turn all black on us...
SHEILA:
No. I don't get what's going on
here. What are you? A dream?
Beat. ERIC smiles at her.
ERIC:
You know, I've always wanted a
woman to ask me that.
SHEILA rolls her eyes.
SHEILA:
You're real.
ERIC:
Yeah. I think it's something
about the four of us being
asleep in the same room. I keep
seeing Diana, but, suprise, she
dreams of running a lot.
ERIC looks around.
ERIC:
I'm a little concerned that
Hank isn't here.
Mystery POV - watching ERIC and SHEILA from behind a bush.
SHEILA:
I haven't seen him.
HANK:
(O/S, hisses)
Why the Hell are you talking to
her? Who the fuck do you think
you are?
ERIC:
(Over this)
He'd want to be with you if you
were upset. I hope he's OK.
On HANK, behind the bush.
HANK:
How dare he. How dare he worry
about me!
Pan Out to reveal DUNGEON MASTER, still charred from the fire dragon's attack, standing next to HANK.
DUNGEON MASTER:
You see what I mean?
HANK:
Pathetic, lonely little
virgin. Somebody should tell
him she's not that great a lay,
maybe then he'd...
HANK trails off and squeezes his temples.
HANK:
No... stop it. Why am I so
angry? I'm not mad at them.
HANK looks across at DM.
HANK:
I'm mad at you.
DUNGEON MASTER:
I know.
DUNGEON MASTER gives HANK a filthy look.
DUNGEON MASTER:
But did you ever stop to think
that I might be angry with you?
HANK:
What?
DUNGEON MASTER:
You failed me, Ranger. When I
needed you, you ran like a
coward, knowing that the others
would follow you. If you'd have
faced up to your responsibility
in the first place, I would
still be alive.
HANK:
Don't you give me
"responsibility", you
Bastard...
DUNGEON MASTER:
Everybody has responsibilities.
Yours are not overwhelming. Yet
you ignore them at your peril.
And now, look at this mess. And
it's all your fault.
On SHEILA and ERIC, now lying down together.
ERIC:
It's not your fault. You just
have to remember that, Sheila.
You were just playing by the
new rules. I was.
SHEILA:
And you sleep sound at night,
huh?
ERIC:
Don't be stupid, Red. I just
got back from Hell.
SHEILA:
You did not go to Hell. And
don't call me that.
Beat.
SHEILA:
That's his name for me. Was.
He doesn't use it much now...
SHEILA trails off.
On HANK and DUNGEON MASTER.
HANK:
Listen, DM. I'm sorry you died
and all but you can't pin this
on me. We'd have been nuts to
have wanted to go back. But you
took us anyway. Much too
little, too late. This is
nobody's fault but your own.
And that asshole son of yours.
So why don't you just get out
of my dreams and out of my
face.
HANK and DM face each other off momentarily.
DUNGEON MASTER:
I am trying to help you.
HANK:
No thanks.
DM begins to slowly unfurl a pair of translucent, fiery wings.
DUNGEON MASTER:
Very well. But watch yourself.
And watch the others. There are
usurpers abroad.
HANK:
You're not even Dungeon Master!
DUNGEON MASTER:
True. The Dungeon Master never
warned you of your rival, did
he? How you would become...
deposed?
HANK:
Rival? I haven't been deposed.
DUNGEON MASTER:
Not yet, Hank. Not yet.
On SHEILA and ERIC. Momentary silence.
SHEILA:
(recollecting)
...Red...
The sky flashes red. ERIC & SHEILA sit up.
SHEILA & ERIC:
Woah!
A faceless, winged form shoots from the clouds and flies off into denser woodland at speed. After the briefest of pauses, DIANA flies out of the undergrowth and sprints past ERIC and SHEILA in pursuit of the figure.
DIANA:
(yells)
I got it!
ERIC:
(yells)
Good luck!
Beat.
ERIC:
(yells)
He's completely evil!
But DIANA is gone. ERIC smiles to himself.
ERIC:
Just look at her go.
ERIC and SHEILA lie down again.
SHEILA:
So when are you gonna ask her
out?
ERIC:
Ummm... I think I have a window
on the 12th of Never.
SHEILA:
Oh, come on. You two have been
flirting since the day you met,
and it's getting painful.
ERIC:
We've been fighting since the
day we met.
SHEILA:
But that's just how both you
guys say you like someone.
Besides, she's been super nice
to you recently.
ERIC:
You all have. You feel sorry
for me right now, I understand
that. Diana's no different.
SHEILA:
Eric, honey. She's my best
friend. And girlfriends can
tell this kind of thing.
Beat.
SHEILA:
She likes you. A lot.
ERIC:
Don't say that. Even if she did
like me, and she did say yes...
I just don't want her to get
tired of me after a couple of
dates and then never speak
to me again like she has all
those other poor saps.
Beat.
ERIC:
She really likes me?
SHEILA:
Sure. You've got the looks, the
sword, the cool scar... You're
brave. You're funny....
ERIC:
(insincerely)
...I'm blushing...
SHEILA:
And I'm serious.
(laughs a little)
If someone had told me seven
years ago that I'd be ticking
you off for being too modest...
Beat. SHEILA's face falls.
SHEILA:
Where did it all go wrong?
ERIC turns his head to face SHEILA.
ERIC:
Huh?
SHEILA faces ERIC, their faces close together
SHEILA:
Where did you and him switch
futures?
ERIC:
Are you saying that I shoulda
turned into the lying,
cheating, coke snorting
deadbeat?
SHEILA:
No offence. But from what you
two used to be like...
SHEILA blinks in realisation.
SHEILA:
Why did you say "cheating"?
ERIC:
Um...
SHEILA searches ERIC's eyes.
SHEILA:
Eric. You're my friend. If you
knew anything about Hank, you'd
tell me, right?
ERIC:
(sighs)
Look, Sheila...
HANK:
(O/S)
Hey, you guys!
SHEILA and ERIC spring to sitting positions, looking behind themselves, automatically creating more space between them.
On HANK, coming out of the bushes behind them, smiling a little too much.
HANK:
What's this? Were we having the
dream where we've forgotten
Sheila has a boyfriend?
HANK sits down between SHEILA and ERIC, putting an arm around SHEILA.
ERIC:
Hey Hank.
SHEILA:
Where were you?
HANK:
Having a little chat with our
spooky friend.
SHEILA:
Really?
ERIC:
Mr Tall Dark and Terrifying?
You chatted? What about, the
rising costs of Medieval
torture devices?
HANK:
He was disguised as DM. He, uh,
told me... things.
SHEILA puts her hand on HANK's knee.
SHEILA:
What sorta things?
HANK:
Things I was afraid to hear,
but that I already knew.
ERIC:
You mustn't believe him. He
lies.
On HANK, fixing ERIC with a glare.
HANK:
No he doesn't, Eric. I think he
tells you the truth. That's the
most frightening thing about
him.
On ERIC, meeting HANK's gaze.
ERIC:
He tells the truth? Then you
think my father really is
rotting in Hell?
On HANK, ERIC and SHEILA, SHEILA looking nervous.
HANK:
Don't you?
ERIC:
How dare y...
SHEILA:
(butting in)
Look, guys, whatever. He told
you stuff, Hank. Then what?
HANK:
Same old trick DM always
played. He diverted my
attention and disappeared. But
when he did there was this...
red in the sky.
SHEILA:
That was when he flew past us.
HANK:
He did?
ERIC:
Diana followed him into the
woods.
Beat. They look off into the woods.
ERIC:
She's been gone a while now.
Maybe we should...
A dark, faceless winged figure comes screaming out of the woods towards them.
HANK:
Hey!
HANK shoots to his feet, followed by SHEILA and ERIC. The figure passes between them and flies off into the sky.
SHEILA:
We know that guy!
HANK:
Shadow Demon.
ERIC:
Venger's bitch? What's he doing
here?
SHEILA:
It all makes sense. A faceless,
winged figure who sneaks
around. And The Mayor said the
hauntings had been going on for
seven years. That must've been
when Venger turned good and
turfed him out!
HANK:
So he's been hiding here?
SHEILA:
Sure. Meddling with people.
Creating fear. Sounds like him,
huh?
HANK:
Red, this is great!
HANK hugs SHEILA and kisses her hair.
HANK:
He's gotta have a physical
presence in the real world. Now
we know who we're looking for,
we just have to wake up and
find him.
Beat. The kids look at each other, thinking.
ERIC:
Uh... so how do we wake
ourselves up?
The kids think again for a moment. SHEILA takes a deep breath and then holds it, pinching her nose. ERIC attempts shaking his head, hard. HANK looks at them. ERIC gives up.
ERIC:
It's not working.
ERIC suddenly slaps HANK in the face.
HANK:
(furious)
Ow!
SHEILA drops her breath.
SHEILA:
Eric!
ERIC:
Sorry. It was worth a try.
HANK hits ERIC back.
ERIC:
Hey!
HANK:
(innocently)
Might've worked on you.
ERIC:
Maybe I just didn't hit you
hard enough.
ERIC tries to hit HANK again, but HANK blocks him and lands several punches on ERIC in retaliation.
ERIC:
Ow! Ow! Shit!
HANK:
I'm just trying to help, Eric.
SHEILA:
(O/S)
Guys? Guys!
HANK stops the onslaught and looks at SHEILA.
On SHEILA, who is beginning to fade away.
SHEILA:
It's working!
On HANK and ERIC.
ERIC:
What? How?
On SHEILA, fading back in.
SHEILA:
You must be moving your arms,
Hank. You were nudging me
awake.
SHEILA looks down at herself, solid again.
SHEILA:
It stopped.
On HANK and ERIC. HANK shoots ERIC a wicked grin.
ERIC:
Uh...
HANK begins to pummel ERIC again. ERIC, unused to fistfighting, has difficulty fending him off.
ERIC:
Quit it. Quit it.
ERIC suddenly manages to grab HANK's hands and hold them away.
ERIC:
Hank, she's gone already.
HANK looks over to where SHEILA used to be. She has indeed disappeared. HANK looks back at ERIC, who pushes him away.
HANK:
So what was all that about with
my girl?
ERIC:
She's my friend too. We were
talking. Jesus!
HANK is beginning to fade.
HANK:
I'm watching you, you know.
ERIC:
He told you to do that, did he?
Well if I were you, I'd spend
less energy worrying about
other people and think about
yourself a little more.
HANK:
Like you do?
ERIC:
Why does she talk to me about
her love life and not you?
D'ya think about that, Hank?
HANK takes an angry step towards ERIC, but then completely fades.
Long shot of ERIC alone in the woodland.
ERIC:
Like I'm the one he needs to
watch. Why are the pretty ones
always so dumb?
Beat. He looks around himself.
ERIC:
Hmm. It's my dream, I'm alone.
There's usually a bikini clad
sex goddess here by now...
DIANA:
(O/S, very distant)
Eric!
ERIC:
Huh?
The sky flashes green.
DIANA:
(distant scream)
ERIC whips around in the direction of the scream, but quickly fades away.
ERIC:
Dia...
CUT TO
Confused, fast moving images of woodland and undergrowth. DIANA's feet, running. A flash of red. The winged figure shoots out of the sky and flies off.
On DIANA, leaping out of the bushes in hot pursuit. She passes the nonplussed ERIC and SHEILA in the distance.
DIANA:
(calls)
I got it!
ERIC:
(his call fading)
Good luck!
DIANA smiles to herself and continues running, darting into more undergrowth after the figure, running on her toes. She leaps over a fallen branch as though gravity barely affects her
DIANA:
I hate to upset you, Mr
Ghost, but I do this a lot.
DIANA spies the figure darting off, the other side of a wide stream. She launches herself delicately into the air and part jumps, part floats across the stream. She lands on her toes on the other bank and instantly continues the chase.
DIANA:
Especially in my sleep.
The figure darts into a ditch. DIANA follows it, effortlessly.
DIANA:
You can run, but you can't...
The ditch is large, surrounded by bracken, and empty save DIANA. She looks around.
DIANA:
Hey. Where'd you go?
She takes out her javelin, which extends, and begins to hit the surrounding bushes with it.
DIANA:
Come out, come out, wherever
you are. I'm not afraid of you.
As DIANA is about to hit one part of the bracken, SHADOW DEMON suddenly comes screaming out.
DIANA:
(shocked yelp)
SHADOW DEMON flies past her and away, in the direction she'd come from.
DIANA:
Shadow Demon. So it was you!
DIANA turn to pursue him.
DIANA:
And there was me thinking it
was a proper ghost...
BLACK KNIGHT:
(from behind DIANA)
Diana...
DIANA:
(gasp)
DIANA spins around. Standing in the bushes from which SHADOW DEMON had fled, is the BLACK KNIGHT. He is fully armoured, including a helmet which vizors his face and gives him a taller appearance, although he is in fact no bigger than an average man. His armour is dark, and he has two red, translucent wings of fire. Unfurled, they are as wide as a man's armspan. His voice is made strange and impersonal by the vizor.
DIANA:
Holy shit. So there is a real
ghost.
The BLACK KNIGHT holds his hands out to DIANA
BLACK KNIGHT:
Diana. Lady, Lady, Lady. I
always forget how very lovely
you are. Will you come with me?
DIANA backs up.
DIANA:
Woah. Easy there, tiger.
The BLACK KNIGHT takes a step towards her.
BLACK KNIGHT:
I have found you at last,
Diana. Will you not be my lady?
DIANA:
(to herself)
Not another one.
(to BLACK KNIGHT)
Look, we've only just met.
The BLACK KNIGHT is suddenly upon her. He grabs her shoulders.
DIANA:
Augh!
BLACK KNIGHT:
How can you say that? You told
me you loved me!
DIANA:
You... must have me confused
with another girl.
BLACK KNIGHT:
(low growl)
DIANA:
I don't do the "L" word.
With a cry, the BLACK KNIGHT beats his fiery wings, lifting himself and DIANA into the air. DIANA winces. They climb swiftly over the treetops.
BLACK KNIGHT:
What do you want from me?
DIANA:
I'd say to let me go, but...
DIANA looks down.
DIANA:
(gulps)
We're a little high.
BLACK KNIGHT:
Will you not love me, Lady?
DIANA:
(searching the ground below)
Well, at least you're more
polite than the last guy...
BLACK KNIGHT:
"Last guy"?
DIANA:
(still looking down)
The last guy who tried to rape
me.
BLACK KNIGHT:
Oh, I've had you, Diana.
DIANA looks up, shocked.
BLACK KNIGHT:
Plenty of times. Who hasn't?
That's not what I want. Be my
Lady.
DIANA searches the distant ground again.
DIANA:
(with a growing panic)
One of you guys, help...
BLACK KNIGHT:
You don't want help, Diana. You
want to do everything by
yourself, no matter the cost.
DIANA:
(panicked yell)
Help! Presto! Eric!
There is a flash of green in the sky.
BLACK KNIGHT:
(Pained cry)
The BLACK KNIGHT drops DIANA and claws at his head in agony.
On DIANA as she falls from the great height, screaming.
DIANA:
(terrified scream)
DIANA's wrist is caught. The hand catching her is male, with black painted fingernails. She is swung up into skinny, green robed arms. DIANA's scream becomes a whimper, which she suddenly cuts off when she looks up into the face of her saviour.
Pan Out to show PRESTO, floating in mid air, holding her. He looks serious.
DIANA:
Great. That's the second friend
since yesterday who's had to
save my ass.
PRESTO shrugs.
PRESTO:
It's a nice ass. Not the one
for me, but worth saving
anyway...
BLACK KNIGHT:
(O/S pained cry)
PRESTO and DIANA look up.
PRESTO:
You found him, then.
DIANA:
He found me. He was asking me
to marry him, I think.
DIANA begins to fade.
DIANA:
He said he'd... had me.
DIANA holds out her fading hand.
DIANA:
Woah. What's happening to me?
PRESTO:
They're waking you up.
PRESTO looks up at the BLACK KNIGHT.
PRESTO:
Diana. Tell them I'm not to be
disturbed. I need to have a
talk with our little friend.
DIANA:
He seems pretty mad.
PRESTO:
Yeah. I wonder why.
DIANA disappears.
PRESTO looks up at the BLACK KNIGHT, who is almost recovered from the fit that had taken him. PRESTO flies up to meet him.
BLACK KNIGHT:
Wizard...
The BLACK KNIGHT squares up to PRESTO. They gaze at one another. Recognition hits PRESTO.
PRESTO:
Oh. It's you.
CUT TO
INT The Mayor's bedroom, Night.
Close on DIANA, as she is gently shaken awake by ERIC.
ERIC:
Diana? Diana, wake up.
DIANA:
Mmm?
ERIC:
You OK? You were screaming.
DIANA:
The ghost...
SHEILA and HANK join them.
SHEILA:
It's OK, Diana. We saw him. We
know it's Shadow Demon.
HANK:
We're gonna wake the others.
Presto'll be able to find him,
no trouble.
DIANA:
No. It's not him. I saw him,
it's the Black Knight. Presto's
with him now. The minute he
turned up, the ghost was in
agony. Presto can beat him. He
mustn't be woken.
ERIC:
You saw the Black Knight? He
got outta Hell?
HANK:
Are you saying we've got to
find Shadow Demon without
Presto?
(sighs)
Fine. We'll wake Bobby and the
Mayor. Presto's seemed to know
what he's doing so far.
CUT TO
EXT Dream sky, weird twilight.
PRESTO and the BLACK KNIGHT, still squaring off. They circle one another.
PRESTO:
So the whole Shadow Demon thing
is just a red herring.
BLACK KNIGHT:
Not entirely. He is a useful
servant. I drew him here. I
needed a point of contact
between worlds. Besides, he
collects information for me.
PRESTO:
Somebody else used to use him
like that.
The BLACK KNIGHT laughs.
PRESTO:
I have to admit, I didn't see
this coming. I felt you on our
shoulders, but I thought you
were a ghost.
BLACK KNIGHT:
Not all ghosts are of lives
past.
PRESTO:
But it takes someone really
powerful to haunt before their
time.
BLACK KNIGHT:
It is already my time.
PRESTO:
Don't give me that. I know who
you are, remember?
The BLACK KNIGHT draws his sword.
PRESTO:
And you know better than that.
PRESTO raises a hand which sparks with magic.
CUT TO
EXT Outside the stables, Night.
HANK and SHEILA run ahead with the MAYOR, out of the stables and towards the town square.
HANK:
Come on, Bobby.
SHEILA:
We've nearly got him!
BOBBY and UNI stumble out of the stables, still covered in hay.
BOBBY:
I'm tellin' you, it's that
bastard Venger.
HANK turns to BOBBY.
HANK:
Close but no cigar, kid. Mind,
you never know who Shadow Demon
might still be working for.
MAYOR:
The Shadow Demon? The servant
of Venger? You believe he is
behind this?
They reach the town square, where ERIC and DIANA already stand, holding lanterns.
HANK:
Anything yet?
ERIC:
No weird shadows, nothing
moving that shouldn't... who'da
thunk that an invisible spirit
would be so hard to find in the
dead of night?
DIANA:
You guys. I think we're barking
up the wrong tree here.
On BOBBY, weirdly lit by the lanterns.
BOBBY:
Diana's right. We all know
who's behind this. Venger can
pretend to be on our side as
much as he likes...
On the MAYOR, UNI and SHEILA. The MAYOR reacts at Venger's name. UNI becomes distracted by something on the floor behind the MAYOR.
UNI:
(worried whinny)
SHEILA:
Bobby...
On BOBBY, fuming.
BOBBY:
...but he can't take back what
he did or what he is. This is
all his fault. If it wasn't for
him, we wouldn't be here, Uni
wouldn't be wild, DM wouldn't
be dead...
On the MAYOR, SHEILA and UNI, still neighing.
MAYOR:
"DM"? The Dungeon Master?
SHEILA:
Bobby, no.
MAYOR:
The Dungeon Master is dead?
SHEILA:
We're not to tell people about
that. Presto said.
UNI backs up into BOBBY, spooked.
BOBBY:
Uni? What is it? What do you
see?
HANK and SHEILA follow UNI's gaze.
HANK:
Somethin' in the shadow...
SHEILA's eyes fall on the floor behind the MAYOR.
SHEILA:
Oh no...
HANK:
What?
On the MAYOR. Track down to his feet, and his shadow cast behind him by the lantern. It is winged.
MAYOR:
So that is what you have been
hiding. The Dungeon Master is
dead, and his son seeks to help
the father's students. This
information will prove valuable
indeed.
The MAYOR's shadow peels from the ground to form SHADOW DEMON. The MAYOR blinks blankly.
SHADOW DEMON:
And now that your Wizard has my
master diverted, I am at last
free to escape this cursed
town. I do believe the demon
Furnus was... looking for me.
SHADOW DEMON detaches himself from the MAYOR and flies up into the night sky, laughing. The kids try in vain to catch him.
KIDS:
No!
SHADOW DEMON'S laughter echoes away.
HANK:
Shit.
The MAYOR blinks at them.
MAYOR:
Who on the Realm are you?
On the KIDS. As one, they sigh in despair.
CUT TO
INT The Mayor's kitchen, Night.
On PRESTO, sleeping, snoring a little. SHEILA pulls a blanket over him and sits back. BOBBY is sitting with her.
SHEILA:
Well, Presto, we fucked that
one up real nice.
BOBBY:
Correction. I fucked that one
up.
On ERIC, DIANA and the MAYOR, leaning against the wall with hot drinks.
ERIC:
We all fucked up, Bob.
MAYOR:
Are you certain you are the
Seven? Your language is
appalling.
DIANA:
Yeah, Eric. Language, you
bastard.
ERIC:
Why pick on me? Shit eater.
DIANA:
Cock sucker.
ERIC smiles. Beat.
ERIC:
I like it when he snores.
HANK, the other side of the room, looks up.
HANK:
Huh?
ERIC:
Presto. It used to annoy me.
But the more powerful he got,
the more reassuring his snoring
sounded.
On SHEILA. She smiles, recollecting.
ERIC:
(O/S)
It meant he was there. Him and
his magic. And if he sensed
nothing to keep him awake,
everything was OK.
BOBBY:
(O/S)
Eric's got a boyfriend.
ERIC:
(O/S)
Up yours, stableboy.
SHEILA takes PRESTO's glasses off.
SHEILA:
Sleep well, Presto.
CUT TO
EXT Dream sky. Weird Twilight.
On PRESTO as the BLACK KNIGHT charges him with his sword. PRESTO raises an arm and a massive disc of magic protects him. The BLACK KNIGHT is thrown away from PRESTO. He tries to attack him again, but PRESTO launches a burst of magical energy at him.
Close on PRESTO, his hand still outstretched from hurling the magic. He winces a little as his burst of magic hits the BLACK KNIGHT, O/S. PRESTO scowls and raises his hands, full of magic again. On the BLACK KNIGHT, unscathed by the magic, who raises his sword at PRESTO.
BLACK KNIGHT:
It's no good, Presto. How can
you kill somebody who doesn't
exist?
On PRESTO, his hands still raised, warily.
PRESTO:
I don't need to. I can simply
ensure you are never created.
BLACK KNIGHT:
(laughs)
But you can't. There's only one
way to ensure I never exist.
And you don't have the balls
for that.
PRESTO:
I won't kill him, no. But I can
protect him.
BLACK KNIGHT:
You underestimate how weak he
is. He will let me in before
your very eyes, and there will
be nothing you can do.
PRESTO:
And you underestimate how
powerful I am.
The BLACK KNIGHT flies up close to PRESTO. Grabbing his collar, he pulls him up close. PRESTO does not react.
BLACK KNIGHT:
I know you, Presto. Don't you
forget that. I've been there
when you've cried and puked and
got nosebleeds. I know the last
time you pissed your pants and
who you whack off over, so
don't try pulling that Wizard
shit with me. You're all just
scared, screwed up kids, and I
know you all far too well. I
know all the self destruct
codes. I know all the weak
threads and I am gonna pick and
pick and pick at them til
there's nothing left but empty,
aching flesh at my disposal.
PRESTO smiles slightly.
PRESTO:
How are you gonna do that
stuck here all alone?
The BLACK KNIGHT releases PRESTO.
BLACK KNIGHT:
What? I'm not alone. There's...
The BLACK KNIGHT begins to fade.
BLACK KNIGHT:
Shadow Demon? Where are you?
Where have you gone? How dare
you leave me!
PRESTO:
Sorry, Man. He's a slippery
little devil, but then, you
knew that, didn't you? You must
have been distracted.
BLACK KNIGHT:
You are behind this, Presto!
PRESTO shrugs.
BLACK KNIGHT:
I don't need Shadow Demon! I'll
find another way. I'll get into
your world soon enough. Then
I'll make you sorry you were
born!
The BLACK KNIGHT disappears, leaving PRESTO alone.
PRESTO:
Thanks for the info, pal.
PRESTO also fades. The sky darkens to Night.
FADE TO
EXT The Realm's sky, Night.
A different landscape below shows that the action has moved. It is no longer a dream world, but the Realm. The land below is craggy, blackened mountains and foothills.
SHADOW DEMON flies swiftly through the dark sky, barely visible. He banks up a large, steep mountain, but it is more now as though he were being pulled up it by some stronger force. He spins, out of control, and is suddenly tugged towards the mountain's surface. It is only as SHADOW DEMON hurtles towards the mountain face that we see the windows, doors and turrets carved into it. The whole mountain has been carved into a castle. He is pulled through an open window and into a great light.
INT The Mountain Castle's Great Hall, Night.
He finally skids to a halt in a great hall, prostrate and all too visible in the flickering orange firelight which surrounds him. He slowly lifts his head.
SHADOW DEMON:
So you are the mighty Furnus. I
am your humble servant and
bring valuable news.
FURNUS glides into the shot, back to us, a giant tower of flame. SHADOW DEMON shrinks back a little.
SHADOW DEMON:
News of my former masters,
Venger and the Black Knight.
News of the return of the Seven
and... the death of the Dungeon
Master.
On FURNUS, face on. We see now that she is a beautiful woman, around Venger's height and made entirely of flame. It is from her that the orange firelight emanates. She smiles.
FURNUS:
So my plan was successful after
all. Please. Tell me
everything.
CUT TO BLACK.