ACT THREE

FADE IN:

15 INT. HALLWAY - NIGHT

Gabrielle is being led to Manus by two Warriors. Manus stands next ot a large door.

MANUS
Your first challenge awaits you.

GABRIELLE
*First* challenge? How many of these
challenges are there?

MANUS
Enough for Morpheus to make a
determination of your worthiness.

GABRIELLE
So, if I get through this, you'll let
me go?

MANUS
By the grace of our lord Morpheus, of
course.

GABRIELLE
Of course.

Manus gestures to a Warrior and he hands Gabrielle a sword. Light and almost feminine, it would have been the perfect match for her at one time.

GABRIELLE
Whats this for?

MANUS
You want to win, don't you? Do what
you have to do...

He turns toward the door as it opens.

16 INT. MAZE - NIGHT

Gabrielle is pushed into a small hallway. The tops of the walls are just out of her reach, but it is apparent that this is a hallway of a large maze. The thin fabric walls are framed with wood. A bare light shines on Gabrielle from above and behind. As the door starts to close behind her:

MANUS
Find your way to the end, Innocent.
There are two men who will try to stop
you. Stop them first.

The door closes. The only source of light is the glow coming from the other side of the fabric walls.

GABRIELLE
I don't like this...

She starts to move forward, holding her sword in front of her as she moves down the hallway.

VARIOUS SHOTS - THE MAZE HALLWAYS

Play the suspense as Gabrielle move cautiously. She can hear the faint sound of breathing. From the other end of the hall, we can see a shadow moving along the left wall. Someone on the other side... some one bit carrying a large sword. Gabrielle freezes and tries not to breathe as the shadow approaches. She rotates her body with it, keeping the shadow in front of her, her sword pointed at it, until it passes down the adjoining path. She sighs in releif.

A sword slices through the *other* wall. Gabrielle reacts, swinging her sword up in a wild defensive move. Her attacker crashes down onto her sword, chopping off the blade an leaving a bare stub on the hilt. A Warrior wearing a leather mask is seen on the other side of the gash in the fabric. Gabrielle screams in shock and runs down the hallway as the Warrior crawls through the opening.

Still carrying the sword hilt, Gabrielle runs as fast as she can, knowing the Warrior is behind her. She comes to another slash in the fabric; these guys are moving through the walls with ease. She looks back down the way she came, then move through the gash into another hallway. Gabrielle stops and listens, trying to control her panting. Silence... for the moment. Gabrielle looks at her broken sword.

GABRIELLE
This is why I should've learned what I
*wanted* to learn about swords.
(calming)
Okay, think... think! What did Xena
say? Run. That's not gonna work
here. Okay... two opponents... make
them fight each other.

With a roar, a sword slices through the wall again.

GABRIELLE
And stop thinking out loud!

Gabrielle takes off down the maze, around the corner... Breathing heavily, Gabrielle slows down and mvoes quietly. This time, it seems she has a plan. She puts her ear to one of the fabric walls and listens. Satisified, she coughs loudly, then holds still.

The shuffling of feet moving in her direction is heard. Gabrielle keeps moving, not making any effort to be quiet. She heads around the corner...

...and sees a shadow on the left wall near the middle of this part of the hallway. One of the men is waiting, his sword raised and ready to strike through the fabric. Gabrielle looks back behind her and coughs again. Then, she creeps silently until she is right next to the waiting shadow. She looks back the way she came and, sure enough, here comes the other shadow on the opposite wall. She waits. The shadow moves carefully until it, too, is next to Gabrielle but on the other side of the opposite wall. At that moment, Gabrielle fakes a sneeze and rolls away. Almost immediately, both Warriors slash through the walls... and into each other! They fall to the ground. Gabrielle stands as Manus appears in a light at the end of the maze.

MANUS
Very good, Innocent. I had thought you
would have killed, but you didn't.
Rest, for now. Morpheus requires a
Second Challenge soon.

Off this, we:

CUT TO:

17 INT. GABRIELLE'S CELL - NIGHT

Gabrielle drops onto the bunk, exhausted. She leans back against the wall and closes her eyes...

18 INT. TUNNEL - DREAMSCAPE PASSAGE

Xena moves along this fairly narrow part of the Passage. Suddenly, a door appears in the wall beside her. A light can be seen through it. She cautiously enters the door.

CUT TO:

19 EXT. MEADOW - GABRIELLE'S DREAM

A beautiful meadow with a small pond. (NOTE: We are in a dream, so the same dreamworld effect should be used.) Gabrielle, in a beautiful, virginal, white sundress, sits on the waterside. She holds a flower in her hand and is picking the petals one by one and tossing them into the water.

GABRIELLE
They're going to sacrifice me...
They're going to sacrifice me not...
They're going to sacrifice me...

XENA
They're *not* going to sacrifice you.

Gabrielle turns and jumps up. She runs to embrace Xena. Xena backs away. She looks tired.

XENA
Wait... I don't know if you're real or
not.

GABRIELLE
You don't know if *I'm* real? This
is *my* dream. I'm the only one who
*is* real.

XENA
Morpheus can guess anything I know.
Tell me something about you I *don't*
know.

GABRIELLE
(thinking; then)
Very well... nobody but my mother knows
this... Alright... I had six toes on
my right foot when I was born. Don't
look! It's gone now!

XENA
(smiling)
It must be you. Morpheus would have
used something vaguely familiar to me.
(looks around)
My Dreamscape Passage and your dream
must be overlapping.

GABRIELLE
(noticing)
Nice outfit.

XENA
I didn't pick it.

Xena sits, obviously weary.

GABRIELLE
Are you all right? You don't look so
good.

XENA
I'll be fine. Listen to me, Gabrielle.
They want you to kill. And, no matter
what, you can't do it.

GABRIELLE
I though they wanted me to marry
Morpheus.

XENA
Morpheus wants you to lose your blood
innocence. And once you do, you'll be
sacrificed as his bride.

GABRIELLE
I've already been through one of their
tests. There were two of them and I
did what you said. They killed each
other. Does that count?

XENA
If it did, you'd be on your honeymoon
by now.

GABRIELLE
Okay. Option "A" is out. No killing.
So, lets talk about option "B". What
is it?

XENA
I need time. Use what you know to
defend yourself until I can break
through the Passage into the fortress.

GABRIELLE
What do I know that's going to keep me
alive until you show up?

Suddenly, Gabrielle sits upright, as if she hears something in the distance.

XENA
Whats the matter?

GABRIELLE
I don't know. I feel strange...

And Gabrielle DISSOLVES. She is gone. Xena stands.

XENA
(calling out)
Talking! That's what you're good at!
Use your mind, Gabrielle!

20 INT. GABRIELLE'S CELL - NIGHT

A mystic Warrior is shaking Gabrielle awake.

GABRIELLE
Xena...?

She opens her eyes and sees Manus standing before her.

GABRIELLE
I don't suppose you want my breakfast
order.

Manus smiles and gestrues to the Warrior. He exits and leaves them alone. Manus sits and regards Gabrielle.

MANUS
Prepare yourself for the next
challenge. It won't be quite
as easy as the first. You shouldn't
fear using the blade to protect
yourself. Morpheus would understand.

GABRIELLE
I'll bet he would. He seems like an
understanding kinda god. So, what if I
just kill *you* right now?

She reaches forward suddenly and grabs his dagger from his belt. Manus is unmoved. In fact, he almost smiles.

MANUS
Is that what you wish to do?

The guy is certainly dedicated to his god. A long beat, then:

GABRIELLE
(shrugging)
It was a hypothetical question.

Manus calmly takes the dagger from her, then stands and knocks on the cell door. To Gabrielle:

GABRIELLE
I don't supposed you'd want to give me
some more rest time, would you? I
mean, I'd hate to show up the blushing
bride with circles under my eyes.
Maybe just, oh, seven or eight hours?

MANUS
Time is not on yours side, Innocent. I
know about your friend in the
Dreamscape Passage. I have Warriors
looking for her body. She'll be dead
long before she could help you.

The door opens and he is gone, leaving Gabrielle distressed.

21 INT. ELKTON'S HUT - NIGHT

The lit candles flicker on the walls. Shadows can be seen through the windows. Men, with swords drawn, are moving toward the hut... Suddenly, three mystic Warriors burst through the door, weapons drawn. With a scream... they stop solid. The place is empty. A quick and vandalous search confirms it.

MYSTIC WARRIOR
Look for wagon tracks. Manus wants
them *dead*.

Thunder is heard. They exit as we:

CUT TO:

22 EXT. ROAD - NIGHT

Elkton's cart, pulled by Elkon's horse, is being led by Elkton. The thunder is louder and the wind is picking up. He stops and goes to the end of the cart and lifts a blanket. Xena sleeps in the back. He feels her arms, then her face. She looks even worse now. Her life fluids are pouring from her. Elkton shakes his head and moves to a large bucket in the cart. He takes the blanket and soaks it in the N'Kama oil, then puts it over Xena.

ELKTON
This is all the N'Kama oil I have,
Xena.

Thunder. MUCH louder. Elkton lifts his face to the sky.

ELKTON
Damn you... you're going to win, aren't
you?

He shakes his head and goes back to leading his horse.

CUT TO:

22A INT. NARROW PASSAGE - DREAMSCAPE PASSAGE

This is a narrow passageway that is barely shoulder-wide. Xena enters it and moves along, leaning against the walls when necessary. She is incredibly weak. Sweat pours from her as she tries to focus. Finally she stumbles and drops to her feet.

GOTHOS' VOICE
And so, it comes to this...

Xena looks up . Standing before her is Gothos, the bandit from the teaser. The wound in his abdomen is still evident. He carries a club.

GOTHOS
Surprised to see me again?

XENA
Nothing surprises me anymore

TERMIN'S VOICE
How about me?

She turns. Standing behind her, and blocking her escape, is TERMIN. An evil-looking character, also armed with a club.

XENA
Termin?

TERMIN
Even in your weakined state, you can't
forget your first. And I was only the
first of many, wasn't I? The first
notch in your hilt? Here... I still
have the scar where you slit my throat.

He points to a nasty gash in his throat. Then they both move in close, putting their faces close to hers, practically hissing their words.

XENA
You attacked my village... Friends of
mine and people I grew up with died
under your sword.

TERMIN
You were still innocent then. Like
Gabrielle. Soon, she'll be just like
you.

GOTHOS
She's going to taste blood. She'll be
haunted by all the familliar demons.
There will be a first kill to
remember...

TERMIN
Like me. And a last kill to try and
forget.

GOTHOS
Like me. Everything you've ever felt,
she will know. The screams of her
murdered will deafen her.

XENA
No...

TERMIN
And there is nothing you can do to save
her. Your body in the outside world
dies... and you die along with it.

XENA
(weak)
I'll... stop you...

GOTHOS
With what?

XENA
(a beat)
This is my dream... my passage... *I*
control it...

And with that she closes her eyes and concentrates.

The scar on Termin's throat begins to glow with a strange blue light... Gothos looks to his abdomen wound... a blue light glows from within. They both stand clutching at their wounds as the blue glows become flames that slowly flicker and creep around their bodies. In their agony, they scream and twist, as if trying to shake off the all-engulfing fire.

Xena's eyes are tightly shut as she concentrates.

Then, as quickly as it started, an "emptiness" appears at the point of their wounds and quickly expands as if they are disappearing from the inside out.

The two clubs hit the ground. Xena opens her eyes. They are gone, but she has been weakened even more by the experience. She can only rise to her hands and knees.

XENA
Gabrielle...

A grim determination appears in her eyes and she stumbles to her feet moves on.

CUT TO:

23 INT MYSTIC HALLWAY - NIGHT

The door opens and there stands Gabrielle and Manus with a Warrior behind them. As she is once again handed a sword, Manus turns to her.

MANUS
Save yourself Innocent. Morpheus
wants you to succeed.

GABRIELLE
(to herself)
I'll bet he does.

She's pushed into:

24 INT. FIRE PIT - NIGHT

Gabrielle hits the ground and steadies herself, examining the room. With the wass removed, the room is large and spacious. Several columns are scattered about the room and in the center, a large bubbling cauldron of lava. Gabrielle backs up a bit until she makes contact with the wall behind her. She recoils... it is *hot*. She then moves over the cauldron and tosses the sword in it. From behind one of the column steps a man. Big and muscular, his face hidden by a leather mask. He carries a large sword (for clarity, we will refer to him as SWORD). Gabrielle crouches defensively.

Sword makes a feint and Gabrielle overreacts, jumping to the side. Then, from another hidden location comes a man carrying two large spears, on in each hand (refer to him as SPEAR). Gabrielle tries switching her attention between the two of the men. They keep their distance for the moment. Then, NET appears carrying (guess it) a net in one hand and a short dagger in the other. Gabrielle is caught. Suddenly, spear throws one of his spears at her. She ducks as it sails over her head and sticks in the wall behind her. She rushes over to it and grabs it, using her weight to dislodge it from the wall. As the blade pops loose, we see a JET OF FLAME erupt from the hole. Gabrielle dodges the flame, still holding onto the spear.

At that moment, Sword rushes her. Surprised, Gabrielle jabs at him and rolls to her right. Her jab strikes home; Sword is bleeding from a cut on his torso. Applause is heard.

ANGLE - ON MANUS

Watching... he is pleased with her action.

MANUS
Yes, Innocent. Draw blood!

BACK TO SCENE

GABRIELLE
No! No, I didn't mean to do that!

Swinging the spear high over her head, she brings it down on the floor, breakin the blade off. Now she has a staff, what she intended all along.

The men close in again, backing her to the cauldron. She gets an idea and pole vaults over the cauldron. The men try to adjust, so Gabrielle vaults to another area. Net comes close. Gabrielle once again, vaults to another area, evading the men and using the columns to block her movements. Again, though she swings the staff, it hits the wall and another jet of flame shoots out, this time burning her clothes. Gabrielle vaults again. this time, she lands in a "safe" area.

The three men move slowly toward her.

GABRIELLE
Use what I know... Use what I'm good
at... I'm not really good at anything
except...
(realizing)
...talking!

Quickly she appraises her situation.

GABRIELLE
Slow down, not all at once. Everyone
will get a shot at me. I just don't
want to waste any time on the easy
pickings.

The three men stop, a little taken back by this demeanor.

GABRIELLE
Lets face it, I'm going to get a bit
tired. So why don't we be fair about
this? Which ever one of you is the
best fighter, I'll take you on first.
Then the second best and then... well, the
easy pickings. Come on. Which one is
it? Who's the best?

A beat, then Sword steps forward. He thinks he is the best...

GABRIELLE
You? Really? I would have thought it was...

Spear steps forward, pulling Sword back.

GABRIELLE
Yeah, that would have been my guess.

Spear sets himself to charge Gabrielle. Before he gets up a good steam, Sword pushes to the ground. There seems to be a disagreement over who is the better fighter...

GABRIELLE
Come on, I'm waiting! One of you has
to be a better warrior than the other.

It looks as if we are going to find out as Spear jabs at
Sword. Sword deflects the spear and moves in. Net stands
back for the moment. Gabrielle watches, her plan working.

ANGLE - ON MANUS

His face grim.

MANUS
(To himself)
Clever girl...

BACK TO SCENE

Sword and spear are still at it. Gabrielle looks to Net.

GABRIELLE
At least we know where they place you.

Spear has maneuvered Sword over to the lava cauldron. With a twist of his body, Spear forces sword to drop his blade and flips him into the cauldron. Sword disappears with a scream. Triumphant, Spear turns to Gabrielle.

GABRIELLE
So it's going to be you. And you're
better than him, right?
(to Net)
Is that right? He's better than you?

Spear looks to Net. Net merely bows and gestures for Spear to go ahead. Spear turns toward Gabrielle and raises his weapon high in the air. Gabrielle tenses. Suddenly, the net comes down around Spear's shoulders, pulling him backward. Net buries his dagger deep into Spear's back.

Gabrielle's joy is momentary as Net pulls his dagger from Spear's back and turns his attention to Gabrielle. She uses her staff to hold him at bay. He swings the net and catches Gabrielle's staff. As she struggles to release it, he throws his dagger at her. She barely sees it in time and moves her head. It buries itself in the wall behind her. The concrete around the blade starts to glow red. Net pulls on the net and Gabrielle falls to the ground. He is on her.

GABRIELLE
Let me go! Stop it!

Victorious, Net picks her up over his head and walks toward the lava cauldron. It is pretty obvious what he is going to do. Meanwhile, the dagger, still embedded in the wall, is starting to smoke. The handle moves slightly.

Net raises Gabrielle highter. She closes her eyes.

The dagger is blown free of the wall, followed by a jet of flame. It sails across the room and into Net's back. He freezes, then drops Gabrielle to the side. He turns slowly toward the wall as another jet of flame explodes form the wall and envelopes him. His burning body falls to the side. Gabrielle sits up out of breath. Manus walks into the light and picks up the discarded sword.

He puts it under her chin and lifts her head toward him. He looks pissed.

MANUS
You're smarter than I gave you credit
for, Innocent. You have figured out
that Morpheus demands you spill blood.
You've had two opportunities. The next
challenge will not have options. You
will take the life offered to you, or
you will die.

Manus turns and leaves. We stay on Gabrielle was we:

CUT TO:

26 INT. MISTY CAVE - DREAMSCAPE PASSAGE

Xena enters. At the other end of this large cavern is a door marked with a stone etching of Morpheus. The way out. But it seems to be closed. She stumbles over to it and tries to open it. It won't.

XENA
Hold on, Gabrielle. I'm almost there.

She tries again. then, laughter is heard. Unearthly, evil laughing.

DOPPEL'S VOICE
No, no, Xena, you can't leave. You
still have your final test.

XENA
Who are you?

DOPPEL'S VOICE
Oh, you know me. You know me better
than any opponent you've ever faced.

A figure moves through the shadows into the light. It is Xena. Or, rather it is her DOPPEL.

DOPPEL
This may be *your* Dreamscape Passage,
but you can't control *me*. I *am* you.

Xena can only stand there, staring as we:

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT THREE