The Bell Wishers (6) CUT TO: CLOSE UP of Jason immediately stamping the hammer's handle to the ground. VIZ EFX as a wall of flame appears amid a harsh stench. It completely surrounds the Karmen, blocking any more duplicates from rejoining the monster. CUT TO: DIFF ANGLE as the Karmen begins circling inside the column of fire, shaking trees to their roots. Pipercall continues playing, sending duplicate Karmens reeling off into the underbrush. CUT TO: CLOSE UP as Jason switches the hammer's grip in his hand, pointing the head earthward. PULL BACK as he slams it down full force with every ounce of strength. Instantly, a deafening rumble drowns out all sound. A cracking, groundswell opens, separating the wall of flame in two. CUT TO: DIFF ANGLE as Pipercall is knocked to one side by the force. He is smiling, confident that Jason has followed his instructions to the letter. Jason clings tightly to a huge grey boulder as the land tilts upward. CUT TO: ANOTHER ANGLE as the Karmen clings desperately to the side of an immense chasm opening beneath its feet. Weakened, it roars once more then slides into the depths of the earth as the canyon-like edges slam back together. EFX as the wall of flame burns itself out quickly, leaving only faint wisps of smoke where the Karmen last stood. JASON (shouts exultantly) We did it! Destroyed for good. PIPERCALL It would appear so. But there are many things about this island that you need to learn. JASON Like what? FARINA (sounds behind them) For one�how about tending to injured old buddies? Jason whirls to find Farina trying to straighten her hair. Her wings are beating furiously to keep herself aloft. Offering his hand, she gratefully accepts and lands. JASON I thought you were a goner. PIPERCALL (to Farina) It's been a long time. Farina, you're still as beautiful as ever. FARINA How gallant of you to notice, Pipercall. Of course, you must forgive me for not joining your battle. PIPERCALL Nonsense. We managed on our own, didn't we, Champion? FARINA Pipercall, this is Jason. PIPERCALL I know. He got in a spot with the Karmen. That's when I was notified. JASON By who? FARINA (matter-of-factly) I'm not the only flyscout. And I think it's high time Jason knew a major secret about the Land of Remote. PIPERCALL (surveying Jason carefully) Everyone here could be at risk if he can't handle it. JASON Stop the suspense and just tell me. I've had enough excitement for one day. PIPERCALL This is only the beginning. Even as we consider options, news of your victory travels far. JASON (glares at Farina) More flyscout handiwork? FARINA We have nothing to do with that. Devonika would never hear of such defeat from our lips. JASON Who then? Are there even stranger enemies we haven't encountered yet? Pipercall draws a finger to his lips as Farina muffles a faint giggle at Jason's ignorance. PIPERCALL This island is way too big for you to have met every type of creature in so short a time. Let's find a safe haven to discuss the path that lies ahead. FARINA Definitely. She flies directly upward, pausing just short of the treetops. FARINA Hurry before the nightwings arrive. JASON (eyes widening) Nightwings? PIPERCALL Head out. Pipercall points through the trees to a large lake, just visible in the evening mist settling in. PIPERCALL We can camp on the bank of that lake. FARINA Hurry! I see movement from the far side. CUT TO: CAMERA FOLLOWS as they move stealthily through the underbrush, intent on keeping their trail well hidden from prying eyes. CUT TO: CLOSE UP of a small dark puddle of liquid oozing from a crack in the ground behind them. It begins to move and glide, following the direction of their footsteps into the woods. WIPE TO: INT. COTTAGE HAVEN. Sageus is seen thanking tribe members for their hospitality. The Landmovers are taller than Sageus, even in their younger ages. Tugg-Ugglies would never be higher than the rib cages of full-grown Landmovers. Both tribes are remarkably similar in height during childhood, but differences in complexion and stature surface during teen years. Depending on exposure to elements of light, earth and wind, Landmovers bear the same chiselled features of well-worn travel with high peaked foreheads framed in golden hair. Tight, honed muscles from months, sometimes years of struggle to reach maturity. Theirs was a fighter tribe. Yet peaceful enough, if left unprovoked. SAGEUS (whispers to the group) Thanks very much for the peace and quiet of your village. Jewel will meet with you all a little later. Sageus closes the door and turns to see Jewel sleeping in a comfortable feather bed at one end of the room. A cheery fire is burning with a steaming pot of vegetable soup hung over the coals. JEWEL (awakens slightly) Are they friends? SAGEUS Yes, my dear. In the dim mists of early island years, I traveled with them. Several times I was ordered by Murranzo to defend and protect the tribe, and I still know many tribal elders. CUT TO: DIFF ANGLE and SOUND EFX as a sudden cry of fear sounds outside the cottage. Sageus places a finger to her lips for silence. She motions for Jewel to join her at an opening in the wall, suitable to be called a window had it been glassed in. Screams of fright continue as neighboring doors clang shut. A shuffling mass of Landmovers can be seen trying to keep a solid front against something, positioning themselves between loved ones and the menace confronting them. CUT TO: CLOSE UP of Sageus as she "sights", forming a mental image of the danger in her mind. CAMERA PULLS BACK as she pushes Jewel back and draws a grey elastic headband from a pocket deep in her robe, placing it in the young girl's hands. CUT TO: ANOTHER ANGLE as Sageus holds Jewel at arm's length. SAGEUS There is no need to take this with me. If Devonika is here, this alone will prove no help. It's merely a means to an end. JEWEL I don't understand. What does this do? SAGEUS Place it upon your head with a sample of what you need to become. The element must touch the band's edge. You then become the chosen element. JEWEL What? Nothing can change someone like that. Sageus bends to kiss Jewel's forehead and gives her a quick hug before releasing her. SAGEUS You've already seen me do it twice. Don't always rely on what you see � to believe. JEWEL (clutches the headband tightly) I'll remember. SAGEUS (cautions) But one warning! Assuming the form of another element means embracing its limits as well. JEWEL What do you mean? SAGEUS I used a leaf from the forest to appear invisible in its depths. But I couldn't hear your cry for help. Merely sense it with the leaf's basic nervous system. JEWEL And the goose? You used a feather to transform yourself. SAGEUS Exactly. You can change form to any bird, animal or element. JEWEL But their abilities with their limits become mine as well? SAGEUS Yes, with one plea. (intones) Power of form, stranger to me, Lend thy shape, in time of need. JEWEL Got it! SAGEUS (opens the cottage door) Good! JEWEL Let me go with you. SAGEUS Your time will come. This may be nothing more than another of Devonika's schemes to locate you. Remain hidden no matter what happens. Listen to your heart. It's the compass for your destiny. CUT TO: CAMERA FOLLOWS as Sageus strides into the midst of the nearing crowd. The wise woman is keenly aware of the eyes focused from every angle. The elder Landmovers allow her passage through their midst. CUT TO: WIDE SHOT and EFX of thick dark clouds of ice and fog encompassing a gaunt figure of a woman. Devonika stares balefully at the assembled mob, fiery red eyes blazing at each face, searching to find the weakest link among them. Locating a middle-aged Landmover named Eric, Devonika's demeanor softens. Eric is a slightly grey-haired tribesman who had obviously been a fine specimen in his youth. The ravages of time and survival has done little to wear on the man's strength of will. EFX as the dark clouds suddenly part. Thin, angry features melt away into a glistening, youthful form. Shining inwardly with the worst of intentions, Devonika's callused heart warms ever so slightly to appear as a perfect mirror of deceit. She is the image of Eric's long-lost daughter with golden hair falling in soft curves down to shoulders of milky white skin. DEVONIKA (in child's form) Papa, it's me! Don't you remember your own daughter? ERIC (rubs eyes in disbelief) Danielle! The other Landmovers begin drawing apart, reforming into a half-circle and surrounding the pale vision of beauty. ERIC You vanished. Leaving me only a letter. DEVONIKA (as Danielle) I wanted your blessing to explore the island, Father. But you wouldn't give it. I had to go out on my own. ERIC I knew you wouldn't survive. I couldn't bless that! We looked for you, long � and hard, but you left no trace. It's been years. CUT TO: DIFF ANGLE as Sageus steps between them. DEVNONIKA (as Danielle) You have no place here. These are not your tribesmen. SAGEUS No. And you're not this father's daughter either. EFX as Sageus raises her arms, grasping an almost invisible curtain of fog surrounding Devonika. The wise woman tears, rips and rends the illusion helpless in the light of reality. SAGEUS Behold the dark queen of the North! SOUND EFX as Danielle's voice gives way to the shrillest, grating sound any Landmover has ever heard. It is vicious, slicing the air with pure venom. DEVONIKA You're out of your league, old woman! You have no part with these people. Or my purpose for being here. SAGEUS (snaps back) Oh, I know why you're here. And it won't work. The Landmovers are way beyond your feeble attempts at deception. DEVONIKA (grimaces at Eric) This one wasn't. This Landmover misses his daughter. I could return her to him. SAGEUS Of that, I'm certain. But to what end? He's learned to cope. Get on with his life. Why open old wounds? Just to torture a parent with memories? I never thought such evil existed on this island, before I heard about you. DEVONIKA (hisses) My reputation precedes me then. I'm flattered. SAGEUS Hold that thought! EFX as Sageus raises her arms, creating a giant stone column from thin air. She turns it sideways, motioning forward with her hands, the beam obeys, completely smashing into the dirt, then rolling over the sorceress. As it dissolves back into air, Devonika's flattened figure rises from the ground. DEVONIKA Did you think such trickery could destroy me? You don't stand a chance against my power. EFX as Devonika's thin lips open flatly. A snake's tongue slithers out of the two dimensional image, tasting the air in all directions. Then EFX as a snapping, cracking sound pops the sorceress back into full three-dimensional reality. CUT TO: DIFF ANGLE as Sageus ponders the pending all out battle about to ensue. Devonika draws forth a twig covered staff with EFX of ultimate evil beginning to glow from one end. WIPE TO: EXT. JASON'S CAMPSITE. Jason is seen tapping Teathergund lightly in gathered brush to spark a warm fire. Gentle waves play against the soft sand by water's edge, following Pipercall's entrancing song. Faint calls from night nested birds answer at intermittent intervals. Farina is nestled at the piper's feet, wearing a somber but hopeful expression. JASON We break camp at dawn. FARINA I'm sorry I can't get us across the lake, but the battle with Karmen was very draining. JASON That's okay. We should be safe here by the fire. PIPERCALL Why don't you two rest? I'll take the first watch. (indicates his flute) Windwood will keep me company. JASON Windwood? PIPERCALL That's my flute. Named by an old friend, a very long time ago. JASON First watch it is then. Just don't let the fire go out. Keep adding leaves and small branches to it. FARINA He doesn't need that as long as he has Windwood. If you noticed, none of the original twigs have burned up. The flute's song reinforced their structure and burning capability. PIPERCALL (nods back) It's true enough. JASON Interesting. Well, you can keep playing as far as I'm concerned. The music will help me sleep. Farina flies off to a safe resting spot in a nearby tree. Flyscouts never feel comforted by open spaces, even in the midst of friends. FADE TO: EARLY MORNING as Jason rises first, heading to the edge of the lake. The sun dances along the surface of the water. EFX as his parent's reflection becomes visible in the depths of the lake. JASON Mom! Dad! Jason waves at the reflections and they wave back. Bending closer to the surface, he sinks his lips into the water, drinking greedily for a moment. CAMERA PULLS BACK with Jason as a pair of fish lips reflect back at him. As he opens his mouth to call out, four elongated tentacles erupt from the depths. CUT TO: ANOTHER ANGLE as Jason struggles to free himself. He manages to grasp one last breath of air before vanishing beneath the gentle lapping waves. EFX as he feels his body changing, melting into a more compact form, sleek and swift. He finds no trouble breathing from newly formed gills, but he cannot see anything without turning his head from side to side. He is a fish. Glancing back at the surface, he sees his own reflection. CUT TO: WIDER SHOT as he is drawn deeper into the depths and gloom until everything begins to brighten. Water plants brush lightly against his sides. Once at the bottom, the tentacles relax and free him to explore on his own. Frantically, he tries to signal his abductor for guidance with two small fins. This sends him swimming in circles in shock and dismay. Finally, he manages a controlling bump against the soft underbelly of the giant eel abductor. MURRANZO Hey! One more like that and I'll send you back to the Karmen. JASON What? MURRANZO The Karmen almost reached you JASON I never saw it. MURRANZO Exactly what it had planned all along. The Karmen cannot be defeated by any known method. It strikes in a warrior's mind and heart. Compromising those two defenses gives it access to wrench victory from any opponent. Jason treads water, amazed by the whole situation. JASON You're telling me the Karmen survived? MURRANZO Yes. JASON And it keeps coming back, again and again? MURRANZO Yes. JASON Then that means there's no death on the island. Just eternal life, struggling between good and evil. Your life forms change, but the essence of creatures remains the same. MURRANZO Very good. Your train of thought in assessing things is very logical. Well considered. Perhaps it will yield better results than my own many years ago. JASON How did you lose your battle? MURRANZO I haven't yet. Unless you fail. JASON What am I to learn here? Murranzo points downward with a tentacle. Jason sees a small, hidden cave at the edge of the lake bed shelf. JASON There's the answer? Murranzo swims quickly away. Leaving Jason to ponder his predicament. Giving one last look upward toward the surface, Jason swims toward the cave. As he nears the entrance, a light begins glowing inside. Jason turns one way then another, trying to get a better view. He finds the optical visibility almost like looking through a giant kaleidoscope with colors constantly changing and shifting until finally focusing on a single image. CUT TO: CLOSE UP of the cavern. Jason's mother is seen crying, desperately searching for any sign of his reappearance at the mobile home campsite. CAMERA PULLS BACK to reveal Jason moving forward slightly as his father becomes visible as well at the campsite image. CAMERA CONTINUES PULLING BACK to reveal a horrible vision of the Karmen shoving Jason forward while surging water inside the cave spins into the largest dark whirlpool Jason has ever seen before. FADE TO: EXT. LANDMOVERS CAMPSITE. Devonika is snarling at Sageus and the Landmovers. The dark queen points the thin, reed-like branch at Sageus. DEVONIKA Who did you think would stand with you, old woman? SAGEUS No one here could defend against such evil in your grasp. But another will come to destroy your plans. DEVONIKA Pity you won't be here to see that prediction fail as well. Many have tried over the years. SAGEUS (shrugs) Enough of your vile threats. DEVONIKA You've given me enough trouble yourself. I'll have your heart for this. SAGEUS You wouldn't know what to do with one. Let's see what's really inside that vindictive head of yours. Sageus mutters an incantation under her breath and EFX as Devonika's head begins swelling, distorting her features. Almost bursting at the seams, the sorceress' entire skull grows to ten times its original size. Devonika appears as some giant, demented jack-in-the-box, completely oversized for the body supporting it. CUT TO: ANOTHER ANGLE and EFX as Devonika's image blurs, compresses, then expands back to its original form. DEVONIKA How dare you think your power exceeds mine? You're nothing more than amateur! SAGEUS From the time this island appeared, you wanted control of it. And you've done your level best to strike fear in the hearts of all who live here. But what accomplishment is that? You live alone. Abhorred by every tenant that walks the same earth. Infuriated by every act of kindness between them. Did you ever stop to consider the complete emptiness you've created for yourself? A vacuum that sucks all charity, peace and love from others. Then grinds it all into nothing. The same nothing that's replaced your own heart. DEVONIKA Enough! You will be the form I see, feathered, wide-eyed in a tree. EFX as a huge black cloud envelops both women. A mighty clap of thunder echoes in all directions as lightning flashes upward. The Landmovers stand stunned in disbelief at the sight. CUT TO: DIFF ANGLE as Jewel peers out at the spectacle. The force of the transformation rocks all the cottages. Then, a bright blue glow emanates from within the cloud, dimming to a deep purple. As the smoke dissipates, Devonika reaches for Eric with a long, slithering octopus arm. Trying to fight against the suction cups, he is lifted into the air. DEVONIKA No more nice queen! You'll tell me where the girl's hiding. Now! Or you won't touch ground again� alive. CUT TO: ANOTHER ANGLE as Jewel steps out into the dim light, raising the shell of truth to her lips. Swiftly she begins blowing, approaching Devonika. DEVONIKA What is this? The girl who would be queen? Jewel continues blowing, the tone increasing with each step. DEVONIKA Why don't you answer? Don't you know my power? Jewel approaches closer, ignoring the request. EFX as Devonika's wand splits in two. SOUND EFX as Sageus' voice begins echoing inside Devonika's skull. SAGEUS (voice only) The same nothing that replaced your own heart. The volume increases with each step of Jewel's approach. DEVONIKA Stop this! I can't concentrate on anything. I must have quiet to think! Put the shell down, girl, or you'll be sorry you were ever born. CUT TO: ANOTHER ANGLE and EFX as Devonika sweeps a vast dark cloak around herself and vanishes into the fading gloom. DEVONIKA We will meet again! CUT TO: DIFF ANGLE as the Landmovers check on Eric who has been dropped into a nearby haystack. They rush to congratulate Jewel on her victory, but she shrugs them away. She searches despairingly for some sign of Sageus, then a flash of feathers overhead catches her attention. A large grey and white horned owl swoops into view, then lands at her feet. JEWEL Sageus? SAGEUS Yes. She's not quite as powerful as she thinks either. You can't exactly ignore the rules around here. JEWEL What do you mean? SAGEUS In whatever form we assume on the island, there is a prime consideration that must be fulfilled. You must do everything in your power to help others. No matter the cost. JEWEL If everyone works together for the same goal, then Devonika's dream of destruction will be obliterated. SAGEUS Exactly so. JEWEL She's gone back to her palace. SAGEUS Yes. And we need rest for ourselves. Then, a fresh start in the morning. CAMERA FOLLOWS as the great owl flies back to the cottage. Two Landmovers take up a guard watch at the entrance. One of the younger men is smitten with Jewel's courage. He is barely fourteen years of age, but he is born of hard work and a familial determination to survive. His name is Gabe, short for Gabriel, and stands nearly a foot taller than Jewel. He has sandy blonde hair, almost matching Jewel's color, but shorter cut. He is muscular, sincere, patient and willing to do anything to ensure her safety. She brushes by him, smiling. GABE Don't worry. Nothing will get past me to hurt you. JEWEL I'm sure. GABE My name's Gabriel, but my friends call me Gabe. JEWEL (hesitatingly) Then I shall call you� GABE Anytime you need me. JEWEL And this� (points to her distorted features) is worth fighting for? GABE Your name matches the jewel of a person inside. JEWEL (momentarily taken aback) You're too kind. GABE Rest easy, I'll be right outside. JEWEL I will. CUT TO: INT. COTTAGE. Jewel closes the door behind her, a faint smile still apparent on her lips. Joining Sageus in front of the fireplace, both stare into the firelight. FADE TO: EXT. VILLAGE. The group of Landmovers has prepared a light breakfast for Sageus and Jewel before their departure. Plates of small cooked eggs with sausages and toast are visible as Jewel eats with a controlled voracious appetite. It is the first familiar meal she's eaten in her travels. Sageus is seen picking absently at her food. JEWEL Aren't you going to eat? SAGEUS I'll be fine. Remember, we must adapt to what life changes we embrace. JEWEL Right. I'll never understand why my friends back home� Jewel stops, brushing away a tear. SAGEUS Your friends back home, what? (pauses) Come, warrior. Don't let the past overwhelm you. There's a lot to be said for the future. JEWEL Teach me! Show me how to keep the past in place. SAGEUS (hoots, then ruffles her feathers) My dear girl, if I knew that, I'd be truly wise. CUT TO: CLOSE UP of a small hand-carved wooden goblet that Jewel sets down. Its steaming liquid, similar to tea splashes gently from side to side around the rim. Sageus nods toward the visual phenomenon, indicating she wants
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