"Fate: 1x01 Lucky me"
by
Roonblah
Based on characters and ideas created by Joss Whedon
ACT I
FADE IN:
EXT. TRAIN - DAY
The train's mechanical heartbeat thumps along the tracks. It
rumbles along in the shadow of a mountain as the day ends.
INT. COMPARTMENT - SAME
There are only two passengers.
DEVON PAYNE, mid-twenties, a melancholy beauty hidden from
neck to toe in black, stares out the window.
Opposite her, SAMUEL ZABUTO, African, in his fifties and
ill-suited to his stuffy tweed suit, snorts in his sleep.
Beside him on the seat is a waterproof leather SATCHEL - not
quite closed - and a BROCHURE sticking out that reads "The
Mystical portends symposium".
Samuel twitches and turns, knocking his satchel off the seat.
The angry THUMP as the heavy bag hits the floor STARTLES
Samuel awake. He blinks under the sickly lights of the
compartment.
It takes him a moment to recognise his surroundings and that
he is not alone. He self-consciously smiles and looks down
at himself, presumably for drool. He sees his bag and quickly
crouches off the seat to scoop the entrails of his possessions
back into the bag.
SAMUEL
Apologies.
Devon gives a cursory glance at the scrolls, books, and
parchments that are scattered over the floor. Many are
written in strange, impossible to read text. Samuel glances
up worriedly, as if sensing her gaze, but her attention is
back out the window.
Everything back in order, Samuel closes his bag and sits
back on the chair. He tucks the bag back under his arm and
settles back into the monotony of travel.
A SCREAM ends the silence.
Samuel is startled by the unexpected sound. He looks at Devon;
she has not reacted at all. He frowns. Did he imagine it?
2.
He is almost prepared for the next SCREAM.
This time Devon reacts and turns to the door, but doesn't
appear particularly worried or concerned. Samuel darts his
eyes at the door. He takes a deep breath as though making
some significant decision.
SAMUEL
I suppose it is neither wise
nor safe to venture into the
unknown.
Another SCREAM. That decides it for Samuel.
He reaches for an ornate walking CANE against the wall of
the compartment. He gets to his feet and straps his satchel
around his shoulder. He gives Devon a shaky smile.
SAMUEL
Please lock the door behind me,
miss. One can never be sure
what's on the other side.
He steps forward and cautiously opens the compartment door.
He pokes his head out for a moment, checks that the coast is
clear then steps out. He shuts the door behind him.
Devon watches him through the glazed glass. He is a fuzzy
outline deciding between two directions. He chooses the left
side and heads slowly away.
INT. CORRIDOR - SAME
Samuel takes a deep breath. He grips the cane in both hands,
and crab-walks down the corridor. His satchel bounces against
the other closed doors as he moves along. There are WHIMPERS
and WHISPERS in the compartments, and even the shape of
someone running forward to lock their door with a loud CLICK.
He hears a CRASH ahead. Craning his head around the end of
the passage he moves to the entrance to the next train cart.
He peers through the glass separating the two sections. He
can see tables covered with white, pressed linen and
splendidly decked with glasses and cutlery. The dining cart.
THWAP
A GIRL with long brown hair goes flying into one of the
tables, flinging glass and condiments around her wake.
Samuel blinks in surprise, perhaps even in recognition, and
rushes forward.
3.
INT. DINING COMPARTMENT - NIGHT
DAWN SUMMERS, 18, rolls off the table.
DAWN
(getting up)
Ow. Ow. Ow. Okay, little
stronger than a vampire.
She faces a SAVORTE demon. It is stout and pudgy, wrinkled,
with a puppy dog eyes and long slightly clawed fingers. A
hairless bull dog in a uniform. It GROWLS, showing off its
gnarly, uneven, but impressive teeth.
DAWN
(shudders at its
grossness)
Urgh. Bad doggy. Stay.
A WHIMPER in the corner takes her attention to--
A FAMILY huddled behind a table, cuddling each other, quite
scared. There's some other PASSENGERS similarly hidden. Dawn
is the only one doing anything about the demon in their midst.
Knowing she's the it
girl, she steels herself against the
demon as it charges. It lofts her up and shakes her roughly.
She pushes against it will all her might, sending it closer
to the door--
Samuel pushes the door open, banging it on the head. Dawn
leaps back out of the way as it looses its' grip. Samuel
swings in with his cane, clobbering it until it goes down.
DAWN
(to the passengers)
Out! That way.
She stands aside as the passengers scrabble from their places
and rush past Samuel and Dawn in a panic. Some just step
right on the demon, who makes an unconscious grunt each time.
Dawn regards Samuel.
DAWN
Thanks.
SAMUEL
You're most welcome. I'm happy
I could be useful.
(looks down the
corridor)
Is that your handiwork?
Dawn looks at another felled SAVORTE, also out cold.
4.
DAWN
(grimaces)
Yeah. I broke my large punch.
Samuel stares in confusion at a shattered piece of stationery
on the floor.
SAMUEL
Might I inquire-
DAWN
Uh... maybe later?
She points at the other end of the dining compartment.
Two more SAVORTES enter. One holds SOMETHING HIDDEN in his
hand that GLOWS on the side facing Dawn. Seeing their
comrades out cold and the two humans gawking at them, both
demons snarl and advance down the narrow passageway.
Samuel readies the cane for battle. Dawn looks helplessly
around her for a weapon. She grabs a steak knife from a
nearby table. It seems flimsy in light of the demons looming
down the passageway. It's the best she's got.
Dawn and Samuel both take deep breaths at the same time.
Here they come. Wait for it--
The demons stop. Their expressions and frustrated growls
don't seem to point toward it being a voluntary action.
Dawn and Samuel glance toward each other, completely confused.
Then startled. Dawn looks at her hair. It's moving as though
being blown forward by wind.
The demons share similar looks of bafflement before--
And UNSEEN FORCE lifts and SLAMS them into the walls of the
compartment. They hit the ground unmoving.
Devon and Samuel slowly crane their heads around to look
behind them, almost expecting something scary.
Devon stands by the open door with her palms open. She lowers
her hands and waits; watching the Savortes.
One of the Savortes starts to get up.
Devon flicks her eyes at it and makes subtle gestures with
her fingers and hand. The demon's body follows the small
movements.
It crashes against the roof - wall - roof - floor - wall -
floor -
5.
And finally lies still.
DAWN
Cool.
The other demon gets up, really pissed.
Devon raises her arms, ready to repel it--
-a large claw grabs her shoulder from behind. The biggest,
meanest Savorte (let's call him Wally) in existence stares
down; its' growl is low and right behind Devon's ear. In its
other hand, there is a distinct GLOW - an orb - identical to
the one seen in the other demon's hand earlier.
DEVON
(flatly)
Great.
WHOMP
She sails through the air, past Dawn and Samuel who duck as
she passes, and lands on a table in the centre of the cart.
She falls right off the other side into the cushioned booth.
Dawn and Samuel gawk at Wally. This is not someone you want
to tangle with without a hefty axe or rocket-launcher.
They share a look-
-and back away from Wally rushing toward the one at the other
end of the cart. They'd have better odds with it.
Wally tromps down the passageway after them. It reaches them
and they make to defend themselves. Wally ignores them and
roughly pushes them aside. They are briefly insulted and
shocked, but the other Savorte TACKLES them both out of frame.
DEVON
Barely conscious.
Wally reaches down to grab her by the neck. It lifts her
right out of the booth, making to drag her down the
passageway. Devon's eyes are unfocused, she blinks dazedly
and takes useless swipes at her captor.
PFFFITTT
PFFFITTT
PFFFITTT
Wally gargles sickly, lurches and falls.
6.
On top of Devon.
DEVON
(mumbles from beneath
the demon)
Ow.
ON WALLY
Three crossbow bolts stick out of his back.
Devon pushes vainly against the body. It is pulled off her
and dumped to the side.
A HAND reaches out to help her. She pushes it away and gets
up by herself. In fact, she even glares at the person
offering assistance.
JASON
I see you're in your usual
rosy element, Dev.
JASON MANDRAKE, mid-twenties, oozing every type of appeal,
reloads his crossbow. He motions over his toy.
JASON
Good thing I had her back with
me in the cargo hold.
Devon ignores him and looks down the passageway. Dawn and
Samuel are comically thumping the remaining demon into
unconsciousness. That taken care of, she turns her head to
the other door to check, giving Jason a dirty look as she
looks past him.
JASON
I don't know why you're evil-
eyeing me. This has gotta be
your fault.
Devon stops looking around and glares straight-faced at him.
DEVON
My fault?
He kicks around Wally without looking up.
JASON
Well yeah.
(air quote)
Demon magnet.
7.
DEVON
Really? What's in the cargo
hold? I bet it's big if you're
not using your private jet.
Jason smirks, hearing something else in her accusation.
JASON
Of course it's big Dev. It
always is.
She grits her teeth.
JASON
(cont.)
But it's nothing a bunch of
mercenary attack dogs would want.
Dawn and Samuel approach, their demon taken care of. They
seem wary to intrude on the private spat. Jason doesn't seem
to notice their approach, but-
JASON
(friendly)
I'm Jason. How ya doing?
Samuel tries to react quickly to the sudden inclusion into
the conversation.
SAMUEL
Samuel Zabuto. Pleased to meet
you.
DAWN
(flustered and
crushing a little)
Dawn. I'm Dawn. Oh and you are?
Uhm you're Jason. Right. You
told me that already. So...
you know each other?
Devon looks over Wally, finally crouching to search it.
JASON
Yeah. That's my little Devon
Payne...
Samuel reacts to the name. He looks surprised and regards
Devon seriously.
8.
JASON
(cont.)
In the ass. Don't worry, she's
always this charming. It's
endearing. Apparently
. It's
what I've been told by a group
of Trekkies who worship both
the ice-cold logic of the
vulcans and refreshingly
violent death stares of the
Klingons.
Devon stands up. She holds a brightly glowing blue sphere.
SAMUEL
Amazing.
(approaches)
Is that an orb of Sylantia?
DEVON
Looks like.
SAMUEL
May I?
Devon nods and hands him the orb. It immediately dulls with
only the faintest of glows.
SAMUEL
(eyes on the orb)
Natural telekinetic?
DEVON
So I've been told.
(shrugs)
Tweed suit. Hybrid accent. Bag
of tricks. You're a Watcher.
SAMUEL
(surprised but
pleased)
Indeed.
DAWN
Far out. My sister is a slayer.
Heard of her? Buffy Summers?
SAMUEL
Of course. Our paths have not
crossed directly, but I once
dealt with--
9.
JASON
Whoa whoa. This is lovely.
Chit-chat is always nice on a
long dull trip. But what is
that
?
(points at orb)
And why does fugly down there
have it?
SAMUEL
Aah yes.
(teacher mode)
An orb of Sylantia is used to
detect objects with great
mystical energies associated
with them.
Jason raises an eyebrow and holds a hand out for the orb.
Samuel hands it over and smiles as becomes completely dull.
JASON
Guess it doesn't like me. Still,
sounds useful. Sign me up for
one on my next trip.
SAMUEL
(chuckles)
I'm afraid these are a bit out
of the league of mortal men.
Only someone very powerful can
control and program this to
find something deeply hidden.
DAWN
Define hidden?
Jason goes to hand the orb to Dawn, she steps back quickly
and waves it away with a smile. Jason thinks nothing of it,
but Samuel notices. Dawn looks back a him, full attention on
her question.
SAMUEL
Objects of great value or power
can be concealed by spells or
have their own natural defenses.
These orbs can peel away those
barriers. It allows a powerful
spell-caster to generalise,
localise and then finally
pinpoint the location. It takes
decades to build the mental
capacity to control one.
10.
Devon searches another demon. Jason moves closer to Devon to
see what she's doing.
JASON
I've never pegged Savortes as
particularly bright. Someone
else usually tells them what
to do and how to do it.
SAMUEL
Once the orb has found what
the spell-caster wants, I
suppose anyone can get a
reading if the orb is close
enough to the hidden object.
Oh...
Samuel trails off as he sees what Devon has in her hand. She
has found another orb. It is also glows bright blue.
Shrugging, she hands this one to Samuel too. Something else
has caught her attention - she tilts her head to the side.
SAMUEL
(whispers)
More than one.
DAWN
What? What does that mean?
SAMUEL
Sylantian orbs are very rare.
More than one points to someone
incredibly--
JASON
Persistent.
SAMUEL
Determined.
DEVON
And we're probably about to
meet them.
JASON
Now how the hell do you know
that?
Devon somberly stares through the glass doors toward the
front of the train.
DEVON
I have a feeling.
11.
JASON
Oh great.
(glances at the
others)
Get ready.
Dawn shrugs at Samuel. They have no idea what Jason means.
The mother of all BANGS comes from the front of the train.
The compartment JERKS violently. Everyone falls forward;
Samuel and Dawn into some booths. Devon hits the wall next
to the door, Jason follows, dropping his crossbow and
sandwiching her in between. SCREAMS cry out from all around.
The LIGHTS FLICKER then cut out.The only light in the
compartment comes from natural sources outside.
Metal GRINDS loudly. The compartment lurches to the side.
EXT. TRAIN - NIGHT
The train is tipping off the tracks; derailing. Train
compartments are bent at odd angles to each other.
INT. DINING COMPARTMENT - SAME
The light in the room is getting brighter. Eerie, ethereal,
almost like the moon was in the train.
Dawn and Samuel hold onto their seats for dear life; in pain
and expecting the worst. They breath loudly with the effort.
Jason holds onto Devon and the side wall, keeping her in
place. She moves her palms up the wall, lightly, a caress as
though it were something she loves. There is the palpable
feeling that this is something significant.
Her EYES TURN TO WHITE.
The screeching stops. Dawn is slammed back against the back
of the booth, as the compartment jerks upright.
EXT. TRAIN - SAME
The train labours, but seems to pull itself back onto the
track.
INT. DINING COMPARTMENT - SAME
Everything has stopped moving. CREAKS and GROANs emit from
the strained joints of the train. The lights flicker back on.
12.
Devon's eyes return to their usual colour abruptly. Jason
notices this and grabs her as she collapses.
Dawn and Samuel gingerly sit upright, looking around at the
chaos.
EXT. TRAIN - NIGHT
The train has stopped, completely upright and on the rails.
There are LARGE GOUGES in the ground where the train ploughed
through it.
Smoke pours out of areas that appear damaged. Some of the
compartments seem crooked.
INT. DINING COMPARTMENT - SAME
Dawn gets to her feet. She turns and helps Samuel out of the
booth he has been awkwardly jammed into.
Jason carries Devon to a booth and props her up. He looks
her over, but she has no external wounds apart from the
scratches she gained from the earlier tussle with Wally. He
gets up and looks around.
Whatever was on the tables is now scattered around the
compartment. The unconscious demons have been battered up
some more.
DAWN
Did she do that?
JASON
You mean stop us from becoming
track pancakes?
He shrugs and scouts around to retrieve his crossbow.
JASON
This wasn't exactly a friendly
accident. I'm gonna take a
look around, see if more of
the dog-boys are around.
SAMUEL
I'd like to come with you. I
suspect the cause was
supernatural.
Jason shrugs - it's Samuel's decision - but both he and
Samuel fix their eyes on Devon. Dawn guesses what they're
thinking.
13.
DAWN
(faux drama)
Boy, I sure am beat. I'll just
sit here and protect the damsel
in no distress while you go do
manly things.
Jason seems to suspect the validity of that statement.
DAWN
Hey! Sister of slayer.
(grabs butter knife)
I've faced a few apocali in my
day you know.
JASON
Okay. But watch your back.
Stranger things happen
around
her.
He takes a SHEATHED HUNTING KNIFE out his jacket and tosses
it to Dawn. She takes it out of its cover, impressed.
DAWN
Remind me to travel with you
more often.
He smiles and heads out the door.
EXT. TRAIN - NIGHT
The two men head up to the front of the train. The passengers
stream out of the exits and mill about in a dazed panic.
They get in the way mostly, but move quickly enough out the
way when they notice Jason's weapon of choice.
As they near the front of the train, both men get ready.
Glancing at each other first, they round the corner to the
front of the train-
And find no one.
The front of the train has been flattened. It looks like the
Hulk took a whack at it. The metal is buckled, the front
window completely smashed, the underbelly warped and
protruding. This train is going nowhere.
Jason climbs up the side and looks in the compartment window.
A PORTER helps the DRIVER stumble away from the sparking
train controls.
14.
DRIVER
(spacey)
I don't know. I don't know.
Jason jumps down and reaches inside his pocket. He pulls out
a cell-phone and dials.
INT. DINING COMPARTMENT - NIGHT
Devon sits up slowly. Dawn is seated beside her.
DAWN
Hey. You okay?
DEVON
Never better.
She lifts her hand to her head, squeezes her eyes shut
against the pain, swallows it and fixes a blank expression
on her face.
DAWN
So. Thanks.
Devon looks up, raising her eyebrows in question.
DAWN
For saving our lives. You must
be an A-class witch.
DEVON
I'm not a witch. I don't borrow
power.
DAWN
(ain't gonna argue)
Uh. Okay.
(looks around)
Uhm Jason and Samuel went to
see if it was safe to leave...
Dawn watches as Devon bends over. Dawn isn't entirely sure
why until Devon sits up again, holding an orb she retrieved
from the floor. She brings it up quite near to Dawn. The
sphere glows WHITE. Dawn realises what it means for her.
Devon brings the sphere closer to herself and it changes to
the same bright blue as before.
Dawn isn't sure what to make of it or Devon. Can she trust her?
DEVON
I don't think we can wait for
Jason.
15.
DAWN
Why not?
DEVON
Because I have perpetual case
of bad timing.
Dawn follows the direction of Devon's gaze. There are a few
more Savortes standing at the door; in front of them, a DEMON
of a different species stares at the orb.
This demon is more human than the Savortes, but is built
like Conan with a fierce leather uniform to match. There is
an emblem etched into the outfit. It resembles three claw
marks.
Dawn looks down at the knife Jason gave her. It is wholly
inadequate for the size of the enemy.
DAWN
Nu-uh.
(holds out a hand for
Devon)
Can you walk?
Devon shakily pulls herself to her feet.
DEVON
I think I can run like a girl
if I need to.
They both back up the corridor, not taking their eyes off
the demons who move toward them down the narrow passage.
CONAN DEMON
Get the Key!
DAWN
Run like a girl now!
Devon tosses the orb at them, braining one of them. The girls
race away, pushing open the door to the next compartment.
The demons charge behind them.
EXT. TRAIN - NIGHT
Jason searches along the tracks. Samuel crouches down. He
has found some shiny powder on the ground. He puts a finger
to it and it comes away looking like glitter.
He regards it for a few moments. Jason snaps his phone shut
and approaches Samuel.
16.
SAMUEL
You'd think someone lecturing
on signs and portends would
have seen this coming.
(stands)
Demons do not usually attack
people this openly.
JASON
That's demons for ya. Whacky.
Help's on the way, but it might
take a while to get here.
Before it does, I wanna make
sure those Savortes are not a
problem.
SAMUEL
How did you come to know the
species?
JASON
Met a few. They're good for
hired thuggery and not much
else. Maybe the people they
work for did this.
SAMUEL
If their masters were here,
they don't seem to be now.
JASON
That's the first thing I get
answers for when we're out of
here. I don't like variables.
DAWN (OS)
(scream)
No!
Light FLASHES.
Jason takes off running toward the sound, back down to the
other end of the train. Samuel follows as fast as he is able.
He huffs and puffs but is far behind-
JASON
Slides to the ground next to a figure lying in the shadows.
He reaches out and lifts her face.
Blood drips down Dawn's forehead.
17.
DAWN
She's gone.
FADE OUT.
18.
ACT II
FADE IN:
EXT. TRAIN - NIGHT
Jason helps Dawn up. Samuel sits on the train steps, out of
breath. His bag is next to his feet.
JASON
Gone. Dead?
DAWN
No. They thought she was...
thought she was connected to
something called The Key. One
of them had something that
made a portal and they took
her through.
Jason takes out a handkerchief from within his jacket and
dabs at Dawn's wound.
JASON
Key of what?
DAWN
(elusive)
I don't know. Just The Key
.
JASON
Okay. It's okay. She'll be fine.
Dawn reaches out and stops Jason's hand; she holds it still.
DAWN
She won't be fine. She was
hurt and they think she's
something she's not.
JASON
People always think she's
something she's not.
She lets go of his hand and gets up. He holds her elbow and
helps her. He hands her his handkerchief and she dabs at her
head.
19.
DAWN
The called her the Key. It
means there's a door. An
opening. A portal. A very bad
thing.
(off his look)
Why can't you see this?
JASON
Look I know her.
(rephrases)
As well as anyone can know her.
In the two years I've known
her, she's been mistaken for a
war goddess, kidnapped by a
looney cult of vampires because
she has weird blood, and had
her arm broken by a dragon- A
dragon! And you know what I've
learned through all this?
Samuel is intrigued too and gets up to join them. He secures
his bag around his shoulder.
JASON
(cont.)
She's Murphy's law with a four-
leaf clover. One minute, she's
evil's favorite play-toy; the
next, she hits the jackpot.
It's like the universe collects
a pocketful of cosmic
coincidences designed
specifically to save her from
whatever crap it puts her
through this week.
DAWN
And by coincidence you mean
meeting the sister of a slayer
who's already encountered the
kind of trouble a portal brings?
SAMUEL
And a former Watcher who
dabbles in interpreting cosmic
coincidences?
DAWN
And a dashing hero who just
happens to have a crossbow on
hand? On the same train, at
the same time, just as these
demons are looking for
something. What are the odds?
20.
JASON
Okay. Fine. It's fate. Whatever.
Overlooking the obvious, how
are we supposed to help her?
We don't know where she is or
even how to get there. I didn't
bring along my handy pocket
portal maker, and as much as
you claim to know about portals
I doubt you can make one either.
Dawn looks away.
FEMALE VOICE
(o.s.)
I might be able to help with
that.
NADYA, early twenties, is the opposite of Devon. She does
not hide behind her clothes or dark colors. She is bright
and colourful, and has a megawatt smile.
Jason is at first surprised, but once that fades, he looks
her over more thoroughly. He gets away with it because she
is doing the same to him.
SAMUEL
Hello. You are?
NADYA
Nadya. I'm sorry. I saw the
portal open and then overheard
what you were saying. Those
monsters took someone?
Dawn immediately grabs onto the help offered; she's almost
frantically hoping 's real.
DAWN
Yes. I don't know how much
time she has. They're going to
hurt her.
JASON
We don't know that. We're not
really sure why they need her.
DAWN
It's blood. It's always
blood.
Portals, the bad ones, the
ones that tear worlds apart,
need blood. People kill for
that power. Die for it. Mostly
people you love.
21.
Her emotions and raw and heavy. Jason and Samuel can't help
but take her seriously. Samuel nods.
SAMUEL
Acathla.
Dawn blinks.
SAMUEL
(smiles sadly)
I too have lost someone to the
power and influence a portal
wields. Blood starts it. Blood
stops it. We will not lose
another to this.
(to Nadya)
You said you could help.
NADYA
It's still recent. I think I
can do it...
Nadya reaches out with hands, she feels around as though
searching through the dark. Her hands still, she squeezes
her eyes shut, and when she reopens them, they are BLACK.
DAWN
(whispers to Samuel)
Oh. I know this. Now that's
a
witch.
A portal opens in front of them. Nadya's eyes return to their
normal color. She wobbles a little and Jason grabs her elbow
to steady her. Jason is impressed and doesn't take his eyes
off her: she's hot and
useful. Bargain.
JASON
That is some power you have.
Dawn gets it: typical guy. She rolls her eyes. The couple
don't even know she and Samuel are there.
NADYA
(ego stroked)
It's not really mine. I simply
reopened theirs.
JASON
I can't do it, so still
impressed.
(remembering he has a
mission)
I'd better Clark Kent it and
rescue the damsel.
22.
NADYA
(playful smile)
You'll need me.
(off his look)
I'll have to reopen it on the
other side so you can get back.
JASON
You are handy to have around.
Off we go to Oz, Dorothy, to
rescue the tin woman.
He steps through the portal with his crossbow ready, followed
by Nadya.
Dawn throws her hands in the air.
DAWN
What are we? Untrained
civilians? I don't think so!
She starts forward and notices Samuel is beside her.
DAWN
You don't have to come with me.
I am over the age of consent,
so I'm making this stupid,
dangerous choice knowing the
full painful consequences.
Nobody needs to protect me
anymore and I know it's not
really a Watcher's place to
rush off into the unknown and
get themselves killed.
She grimaces as she knows that's exactly what she's doing.
SAMUEL
You're right. It isn't.
(smiles)
After you.
She smiles at him, a little confused, but realises it's his
choice as much as hers. They head towards the portal together.
SAMUEL
This isn't how I planned my
journey.
DAWN
It never is.
23. INT. CAVERN - NIGHT Devon lies on a stone table carved out of the ground. The cavern is huge. The roof opens out into the stars. There are a number of pillars around her. Each has an object on it. These are KEYS. Things that will become very important. They are as different to actual keys as they are old: an amulet, crystals, silver figures, gold statues, all large small enough to be lifted easily by one hand. Devon wakes and takes in her surroundings and her condition. She cranes her head and sees that her legs and hands are shackled to the table. She hears CHANTING from somewhere outside of the cavern. It echoes off the dome-like walls. She lifts her hands and stares at the manacles, concentrating. The manacles FALL OPEN. She sits up and similarly regards the shackles on her legs. They too drop open after a moment. Freed, she climbs off the table and properly at the cavern around her. There are two openings out of there. One seems to be the source of the chanting. She makes toward the other. Her hand brushes one of the keys. The air next to it makes a muted sound like a stone dropping into a lake of tar. She stops and regards the key. It's silver and looks like a lumpy mold of metal. She reaches tentatively toward it. As she makes contact- A PORTAL OPENS; it's unstable. Wobbly and warping. Deep in thought, she gives a 360 degree look-over at the other keys; thinking. INT. PASSAGE - NIGHT Jason leads with his crossbow. Nadya walks closely behind him. Dawn catches up, holding the knife. Jason jumps a little before he recognises that it's her and not a bad guy. He isn't surprised to see Samuel with his ever-present bag. Without saying a word, he leads on. They come to a gap in the passage wall and duck behind it. They peer over. Below them, is a chamber similar to the one Devon is in.
24.
Dozens of demons are chanting. A cleric of some sort stands
in front of the crowd, speaking in some garbled mystical
language.
JASON
(low)
Anyone have a demon tongue for
dummies book?
SAMUEL
(translates)
In the name of Melarna, goddess
of our worlds, we offer the
blood of innocence.
INT. CHAMBER - SAME
The leader takes an urn and pours dark red liquid into a
blue flame. The flame leaps higher.
SAMUEL (OS)
We bring you the sacred keys
to open your prison. Come forth.
Quench your hunger on this
world. Grow beyond the stars
and bless those who bow at
your deserving feet.
INT. PASSAGE - SAME
Dawn looks away.
DAWN
Great. Another hell god yadda
yadda.
(double-takes)
Did he say keys? Plural?
SAMUEL
Yes.
DAWN
Strike me down with this idea,
but... maybe we should find
these keys and put a stop to
whatever these guys are up to.
(slightly panicked)
Hell gods and portals are never
a good combination.
(MORE)
25.
DAWN (CONT'D)
One of the times my sister
died was by portal.
(staves off the
question Jason was
about to ask)
Just trust me on this.
(steel gaze; she means
it)
I won't
let someone else go
through that. Not again.
DEVON (OS)
I took care of it.
Everyone jumps a little as she ducks next to them.
JASON
Can people stop sneaking on me
today. So where are they?
DEVON
Don't know. Don't care. They're
gone.
She exchanges a look with Dawn, who nods, obviously relieved.
JASON
Great.
(rubs his hands)
Let's get out of here.
He moves back the way they came, but stops abruptly. The
others follow suit.
JASON
Or not.
They are surrounded by a wall of demons. Jason doesn't take
his eyes off them.
JASON
Nadya, another portal would be
nice.
NADYA
I can only open the existing
one at the moment. We need to
get back to where we came in.
JASON
Doesn't look like an option.
26.
DEVON
This way.
She goes toward a corridor. Dawn follows instantly.
The demons rush forward. Jason fires a volley of arrows and
runs backward. Nadya and Samuel go as quickly as they can
down the corridor after Dawn and Devon.
INT. CAVERN - NIGHT
The three ladies make it to the cavern first. The pillars
are empty.
DEVON
Will this do?
NADYA
Yes. Where does it go?
DEVON
Does it matter?
The demons give a WAR CRY.
Nadya waves randomly. The portal reopens, still unstable.
Nadya moves to enter. Devon grabs her arm.
DEVON
Wait.
Devon reaches for Dawn's arm. Samuel runs in.
DEVON
(to Samuel)
Take her hand.
Samuel takes Dawn's other hand.
Jason races into the cavern. He's out of bolts, demons are
hot on his trail.
DEVON
Grab hold.
Jason doesn't stop running, just uses his momentum to push
everyone through the portal.
EXT. DESERT - DAY
They land on a sand dune and roll down. Jason scrambles to
his feet first, looks up at where the portal was and waits
tensely.
27.
DEVON
They can't follow us.
She shakes sand from herself. The others do the same as they
get their bearings.
DEVON
(cont.)
It was an unstable portal.
Nadya nods as she realises.
SAMUEL
(of course)
Aaah. They'd be unwise to
follow.
(off Jason and Dawn's
confused looks)
We maintained contact so that
we wouldn't be separated over
different worlds or geographical
areas.
(looking around)
Now. I wonder where here is.
Jason pulls out his cell phone and stares at the face.
JASON
No signal. So much for full
worldwide coverage.
He places his cell phone back in his pocket. He lifts his
sleeve and looks at his watch.
JASON
No north? Where the hell are we?
Devon starts walking with the sun to her back.
DEVON
Somewhere else.
Jason stares at her, mumbles to himself, tosses his useless
crossbow to the ground and follows. Nadya falls into step
beside him, striking up a conversation.
DAWN
(to Samuel)
Do you have any idea what's
going on?
He adjusts the strap of his bag.
28.
SAMUEL
None at all.
DAWN
Good. I don't want to be the
only one.
EXT. DESERT - DAY, LATER
A heat wave shivers across the landscape as the five walk.
Jason has taken off his jacket, it lies across Samuel's bag
which Jason is now carrying. His shirt is tied around his
head like a turban; he wears a vest underneath.
Dawn and Samuel have done the same with their outer shirts.
Nadya uses Samuel's jacket as a shawl over her head to give
her shade. Devon is still swathed from head to toe in the
black. She walks further ahead of the others. Dawn watches,
a little saddened.
DAWN
(to Jason)
Is she always so...
JASON
Stubborn? Unsociable? Stupid?
DAWN
I was going to say alone.
He considers.
JASON
I met her doing some work for
this guy. He tried to get close
too, but she just, I don't
know. She doesn't deal well
with people.
DAWN
That's sad.
JASON
You're just going to be kicked
in the snout if you try.
DAWN
Well, then I get kicked. I
learned a long time ago that
everyone needs a second chance.
Dawn walks faster.
29.
Nadya sighs loudly so that Samuel hears her.
NADYA
I think the symposium must be
over by now.
SAMUEL
(giddy)
Oh. Were you going there too?
I was to be a speaker there,
you know.
NADYA
I knew I recognised you from
the programme.
SAMUEL
It wasn't a very flattering
picture.
NADYA
So you read the signs?
SAMUEL
I did. Once. I mainly teach
others who have the gift or
the desire to attain it.
NADYA
That must be difficult.
Something so imprecise.
SAMUEL
Yes. The signs to see what is
and what can be are often
very... deceptive.
Nadya nods in understanding.
ON DAWN
She catches up to Devon. They are well out of earshot range
of the others.
DAWN
Hey.
DEVON
Hey.
DAWN
I just... look I know this
might become a bad habit, but
I wanted to thank you. Again.
30.
DEVON
For stranding us in the Sahara?
DAWN
No. For not turning me in. You
knew. You knew they wanted me,
but you let them... why didn't
you tell them it was me? Most
people who just met me would
have.
DEVON
They wouldn't have believed me.
DAWN
I guess.
They lapse into silence.
DAWN
Do you often get mistaken for
keys?
DEVON
People often mistake me for
someone I'm not, but this is
the first time anyone has
accused me of being an
inanimate object.
DAWN
Oh yeah, inanimate.
(chuckles humorlessly)
Now there's a story to tell.
Dawn looks around the empty landscape for something to say.
DAWN
Sooo... Jason. How do you know
him? Is there some sparkage
going on there?
DEVON
You watch too much TV.
DAWN
My sister says that too. Boy,
is she going to be pissed that
I got myself lost in a desert.
DEVON
Lucky you. We won't be lost
for long.
31.
DAWN
Lucky me? Why's that?
DEVON
Them.
She points to the side. On the top of a sand dune, an army
of warrior-like demons stare down. They start to growl.
The others catch up to Dawn and Devon and notices what they
have paused for. The travellers gape at the demon army as
they surge down the dune. Nadya throws her hands up; eyes
BLACK. The demons hit an INVISIBLE WALL.
DAWN
Do we have a plan?
JASON
Stand here and die.
DAWN
I don't like that plan.
SAMUEL
I concur.
JASON
(to Nadya)
Portal, magic tricks, anything?
NADYA
(straining)
There are no portals near here
and this is the best I can do.
JASON
(next solution)
Samuel. You got anything in
this bag?
Samuel shakes his head and wide-eyes the growing number of
demons bashing and hacking into the barrier. More stream
over the dunes like a dark river of locusts. The barrier is
contracting into a tight circle surrounding them. Each time
a demon bangs against the barrier Nadya seems more and more
strained.
The circular barrier SHRINKS as she loses energy.
NADYA
(under pressure)
There's too many of them. I
can't hold it much longer.
32.
JASON
(off-hand)
Think I can negotiate?
He shakes his head at himself, dismissing the idea.
JASON
(to Devon)
Okay, can you just do that
thing you do where good things
happen right before the bad
things do?
DEVON
If I could, do you think I'd
be here with you?
JASON
Are you still bitter over that
urn incident last year?
DEVON
This
is the time to have that
conversation?
NADYA
People please. Help or shut up.
Jason and Devon shut their mouths. Devon steps back.
CRUNCH
She bends down and picks up the lumpy key she touched earlier.
DAWN
What's that?
DEVON
It's one of the keys. Last
time I touched it, it opened
the portal. But it's not
working now.
JASON
Why not?
DEVON
How am I supposed to know?
Maybe I used it all up.
JASON
Give it here.
He grabs for it, but she pulls it away.
33.
JASON
Let me try.
DEVON
No, you'll break it.
NADYA
Children!
Nadya impatiently approaches them and touches it. Nothing
happens. Growing angry, Nadya's eyes turn black again and
she grits her teeth. Dawn watches intently, waiting, hoping,
for something to happen.
An UNSTABLE PORTAL finally opens.
NADYA'S BARRIER COLLAPSES
The demons give a huge ROAR and CHARGE.
Jason grabs Devon and Nadya by the hands. Dawn and Samuel do
the same and keep contact with the others.
They jump--
EXT. RIVER - NIGHT
Nadya, Dawn and Samuel hit grass. Jason plunges into a river.
There are two sets of splashes. It is raining.
DAWN
(rolling over)
Oh god. That smarts.
Jason swims to shore and clambers up with some difficulty.
He dumps Samuel's bag from his shoulder. He takes stock of
their situation, then whips his head around sharply.
JASON
Where's Devon?
Before the others can answer, he runs down the shore and
dives back into the river.
Dawn and Samuel run back and forth along the water's edge,
with Nadya trying to see from a higher vantage point.
DAWN
Devon! Devon!
Jason surfaces and takes another deep breath. He looks around
the dark waters, sees nothing, dives down.
Dawn kneels at the edge, peering into the water.
34.
Jason comes up, this time holding Devon. He drags her to the
shore. Samuel helps him hoist Devon out of the water and up
away from the water. They lay her own the grass. The rain is
still chucking down on her. Samuel kneels down beside her
and checks over her.
SAMUEL
She isn't breathing.
Jason wastes no time. He starts CPR.
Dawn hops from heel to heel, wringing her hands and hugging
herself for lack of anything to do. Samuel keeps his full
attention on Devon as Jason pumps her chest and breaths for
her.
JASON
Come on damnit.
He breathes once more for her. She turns her head to the
side and starts coughing up water. The others sigh and their
shoulders relax. Jason breathes out deeply.
JASON
Geeze Dev. Never heard of
swimming?
She stares into the water.
DEVON
Heard of it.
Crises averted everyone takes in their surroundings. Samuel
helps Devon to her feet.
JASON
Wonder where we are this time.
SAMUEL
England.
They look up the river and in the distance they see Big Ben.
DAWN
Well that was a waste of a
plane ticket. Come on. I know
where we can crash.
INT. MANOR - NIGHT
There is a knock on the door. A hand reaches to open it. A
soaking Dawn smiles widely from the other side.
35.
Behind her, a muddy and bedraggled Jason and Devon, and less
muddy Samuel and Nadya squeeze under what little shelter the
wall provides. Dawn gives a little wave.
DAWN
Hi Giles.
RUPERT GILES peers out from behind his glasses at the motley,
drenched crew.
DAWN
(in a rush)
Okay, so I know you're thinking
that you put me on the plane
for college two days ago, but
I can explain why I'm back so
soon. Really. But...
(brightly)
Mind if we raid your kitchen
and steal all your clothes first?
Giles sighs and steps aside.
FADE OUT.
36.
ACT III
FADE IN:
INT. HALLWAY - NIGHT
Dawn and Nadya come out of a bedroom wearing a different set
of clothes.
DAWN
I'm just glad the other slayers
left some of their clothes
here. I'd never fit into my
sister's clothes.
JASON (OS)
Just get someone around to the
train. The university wanted
that artifact a couple of weeks
ago. Yes. I know I was gonna
meet the professor in person,
but I never figured on a eight-
hour joyride across dimensions.
Dawn and Nadya peer into a doorway. They smile at each other.
INT. BEDROOM - SAME
Jason cradles the phone on his shoulder. He's shirtless and
holds up two ghastly shirts, most obviously Giles'.
JASON
Yes, money would be good. No,
I don't feel like waiting for
the jet. Just get me on the
first available flight tomorrow
morning.
(grimaces)
Coach? Of course not. Get me
on the second available flight.
He tosses one shirt on the bed and puts the other on.
INT. HALLWAY - NIGHT
Dawn scrunches up her face.
DAWN
He's probably an ass, but mmmmm.
What an ass.
37.
NADYA
I'm going to have to agree
with you.
They giggle and head downstairs.
INT. BEDROOM - SAME
Jason buttons up the shirt.
JASON
So have you found me another
hunt?
(listens)
Oh come on. What about that
English guy in LA? He always
wants something interesting.
(off the call)
The world's mystical community
did not just up and vanish in
the past year. Someone wants
something. They always do.
Just makes sure I'm the one
who gets it for them.
INT. SITTING ROOM - NIGHT
Flames crackle in the old fireplace. The room is tastefully
decorated in the most boring colors known to man. The couches
are very cosy though. Bookcases line the walls beside
certificates and paintings, but just outside of the door,
weapons hang on the hallway wall.
Devon sits close to the fire, very pale. She is dressed in
what could be Giles' clothes or some other male occupant of
the house, not feminine. The shirt is buttoned up the the
neck. She huddles under a blanket.
Giles holds the lumpy key.
GILES
How many were there?
DEVON
Thirteen in total. All arranged
in a circle around me.
GILES
And you scattered them all
through an unstable portal?
DEVON
Seemed like a good idea at the
time.
38.
GILES
No doubt it was the best idea
and probably saved the rest of
the world some trouble. I'll
research this one and hope it
will lead to answers and
information on this entity
they were worshipping. Melarna.
It doesn't ring a bell.
SAMUEL
I do not recognise it either.
GILES
I want to get started as soon
as possible. Anything involving
the Key is dangerous. With
your help Mister Zabuto?
SAMUEL
Of course. Call me Samuel.
Only my students call me Mister
Zabuto now.
GILES
I always wanted to meet you
while you were on the Council.
You were considered our
foremost expert at interpreting
mystical signs. It was a great
loss when you left.
SAMUEL
It was my time to choose a
different path.
Devon stifles a yawn. Giles notices.
GILES
The guest room is properly
warmed for you now, if you
would like to-
She nods curtly and stands; taking the blanket with her. She
doesn't hang around for long.
Giles regards Samuel with a shared sadness.
GILES
I am not mistaken in who she
is, am I?
39.
SAMUEL
I do not believe you are. It
is both fascinating and
disturbing that we have met
her now.
GILES
The name change explains why
no surviving members of the
council knows she's still alive.
I suspect contingencies would
have been put in place.
SAMUEL
They only found Bastion's body
and possessions. No trace of
her. It seemed a reasonable
assumption she was lost too.
(considering)
Well, perhaps not so reasonable.
Giles frowns, remembering something.
GILES
His diaries were sent to me
when Dawn's sister began
questioning her slayer heritage.
I recall something...
(gets up and walks to
a book shelf, looking
at the spines)
I only found out he was dead
then. So many of us are now.
Each day brings a new
responsibility and not enough
of us to shepherd them.
SAMUEL
(answers the unspoken
question)
I would not be averse to
joining the council again. I
feel that despite the slayers'
efforts, the tide has not yet
turned.
GILES
(looking up sharply)
You have seen this in the signs?
40.
SAMUEL
No. I have tried not to read
signs relating to slayers in
years. But, this resurfacing
of Bastion Payne's charge has
reminded me of signs I did see
once. I fear events put in
motion years ago may not have
travelled their full course.
Giles pulls out some books and heads back to his seat.
GILES
When did he die? She seems old,
but I didn't think it was that
long ago.
SAMUEL
Let's see. It was a vampire
attack the year after your
slayer was called.
Samuel takes a long sip of his drink; something has stirred.
GILES
I'm sorry about Kendra. I feel
responsible...
SAMUEL
Don't be. It is the nature of
slayers to die. And the curse
of Watchers to mourn them.
Samuel lifts a glass from a side table and drinks.
SAMUEL
I am less afraid for for the
slayers now, and more for the
one they call the Key. It is
Dawn, isn't it?
Giles is not surprised he knows.
SAMUEL
She spoke of hell gods and
portals. No hell god I know of
would lower themselves to fight
a slayer. I suppose Dawn is
not truly the slayer's sister?
41.
GILES
She is. For all intents and
purposes. Dawn was given human
form and memories by monks of
the order of Dagon. She is
connected to her sister, in
blood at least. She was
fourteen and already had more
powerful enemies than her
sister had at that age.
(admitting)
The Key's power is terrifying
and I thought the threat to it
was over. We fought to ensure
that. Her sister and I wanted
her to remain young.
SAMUEL
The fate of the world is
invested in the young.
GILES
The world is doomed.
They each take a drink.
INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT
Dawn and Nadya sit at the kitchen table. They dip their
spoons into a variety of warm dishes and eat.
NADYA
My mother is a sorceress. I've
always wanted to be like her...
but I don't think I'll ever be
that powerful. She could have
opened her own portal.
DAWN
We wouldn't have made it
without your help today. One
of my friends was the most
powerful witch in Sunnydale
and I don't even think she
could open a portal. Sure there
was this spinning room,
headache trick, but that was
only after-
(catches herself)
Portals are really difficult.
42.
NADYA
Getting here wasn't so
difficult. The key has some
sort of dimensional reset. All
I needed to do was give it
power and it did the rest. The
problem is making sure it's
stable. I piggy backed on a
stable one to the cave, but
those last two...
(shakes her head;
annoyed with herself)
I wish I had more experience
with them.
DAWN
But what's the diff? We got
back here didn't we?
NADYA
Stable portals don't require
contact between travellers to
lead them to the same place.
They can also be directed.
DAWN
How?
NADYA
If you have control over them,
you can go anywhere you chose.
More powerful beings have told
tales of time travel and even
being able to find people or
things without knowing where
they are.
DAWN
You seem to know a lot about
them.
NADYA
Portals fascinate me. It's the
eternal idea of escape.
(Dawn nods in
understanding, perhaps
empathy)
I want to harness them, but
power like that takes centuries
to learn.
(the prospect seems
grim)
So what were you doing on the
train?
43.
DAWN
My first attempt at independence.
It ended well huh? I was on my
way to my sparkly new college.
It was gonna be great. Nowhere
near my dad. Nowhere near a
Hellmouth. And definitely
nowhere
near my sister. She's
on this uber-motivation trip.
I think she wants to be a
teacher or make self-help tapes.
JASON (OS)
Is she hot?
He reaches over, grabs a spoon and scoops some food from
Dawn's bowl.
DAWN
Hey! Go find your own pudding.
JASON
Now where's the fun in that?
He sits down.
JASON
Where are the others?
DAWN
Sitting through there, being
boring. Adult talk.
JASON
Talking and Devon. Two very
foreign concepts.
DAWN
How'd you two meet anyways?
JASON
Long, confusing story involving
an Englishman.
He dismisses the beginnings of the tale and pigs out. The
girls just stare at him.
JASON
Okay. So I hunt relics-
DAWN
(how cool)
A male Lara Croft.
44.
JASON
Doesn't anyone remember Indiana
Jones?
DAWN
Did he come out before the
Playstation?
She and Nadya laugh.
DAWN
Okay, so you're a relic hunter
and Devon is?
JASON
Trouble. Wherever she goes,
danger beats her to it. I don't
even know how we teamed up.
She was just there
. Seems to
be her talent. I was after an
urn and she was handy at
getting past all the magical
defenses. If she wasn't so
damned unlucky to be around,
that would have been the
easiest grab of my life.
NADYA
I wonder why she was on the
train.
JASON
She's a drifter. The train was
probably just another way to
go nowhere slowly. What about
you? Were you going to or
running from?
NADYA
Running toward actually.
JASON
Somewhere pleasant I hope.
(has a thought and
tones the charm down)
Or was it someone? Someone
special.
NADYA
(eyes roam over him)
I'm still deciding on that.
They smile at each other. Dawn snorts into her food. Jason
and Nadya look away from each other.
45.
NADYA
Have you ever wanted to find
your own place in the world?
To know there's a place where
you can step out of the shadows
and prove that you are great
and not simply a random
accident of birth.
(flustered)
It sounds silly, I know.
JASON
No it's not.
(speaking with his
eyes)
But um.... are you sure you're
not great already?
They lapse back into silence, but shoot small glances at
each other and pretend to be interested in their food.
DAWN
Aaaww you smoothie.
It breaks the silence. They all laugh and talk.
INT. BATHROOM - DAY
A row of black clothes hang on a wire across the bath. Devon
reaches over and takes the vest. The vest covers her modesty,
but not the silvery WELTS that travel across her back. There
are two sets of BITES on her neck. She reaches for another
layer of clothes to hide her scars.
There is a KNOCK at the bathroom door.
DEVON
In a minute.
She looks in the mirror, adjusts her clothes, making sure
none of her wounds show.
INT. CORRIDOR - SAME
Giles bobs uncomfortably on the other side of the door as
Devon exits the bathroom.
GILES
(low)
Sorry. I wanted to talk to you.
Without the others.
He motions for her to come with him. She nods.
46.
INT. SITTING ROOM - DAY
Dawn stares at the key. It sits on the mantelpiece, and
though it is nothing special and plain, Dawn seems compelled
toward it. Her fingers reach out, oh so slowly, to touch it.
Something, perhaps a trick of the light, makes the smallest
glimmer appear on the key's matte surface. Dawn's fingers
are so close she could almost touch the light-
Giles shuts the doors behind him and Devon as they enter.
Dawn jumps, and turns around quickly, almost as though she
feels guilty.
DAWN
See! Here bright and early
like you told me to be.
Giles makes a gesture, and Dawn and Devon choose their seats.
He sits in front of them both.
GILES
(to Devon)
I'm sure I don't need to tell
you that Dawn is the Key.
Devon nods.
GILES
(cont.)
But what I do need to tell you
is that I don't think it is a
coincidence you two have met,
now, when someone has gone to
a great deal of effort to find
the thirteen keys of Mammitu.
DAWN
Wait! I'm a key of say-wha-tu?
GILES
Mammitu. An ancient goddess of
destiny. It is believed-
DAWN
And we're only finding this
out now?
47.
GILES
Dawn, everything we know about
your history, we've learned
from a crazy hell goddess and
some unforthcoming Knights of
Byzantium who would rather
stick a skewer in me than
exchange history notes. Besides,
you are not one of them.
He stands up and fetches the key.
GILES
But you are a part of their
greater puzzle.
Giles places the key on the table in front of them as he
sits down. Dawn's eyes can not help but be drawn to it. On
the table beside it, are a few BOOKS. One of them is open,
it is handwritten, a journal.
DAWN
(subdued)
Do I have a name? A fancy one?
(increasingly louder)
One that means the universe
hasn't finished playing with
my life?
GILES
Mammitu's doorway or something
to do with a Master. The text
is incomplete.
(drifting off)
I wish I knew the source of
his research.
DAWN
I thought I was done. You know.
Just Dawn. I was hoping...
GILES
I'm sorry.
Dawn nods in understanding and puts on her happy face.
DAWN
Hey, it's not all bad news.
Not only am I a key, I'm a
door too. Do you think in some
other ancient cult I'm a
knocker or one of those tiny
little windows?
48.
She shakes her head, finding it all funny.
DAWN
Right. So someone is after me
again. What are we going to do
about it?
(points at Devon)
And why's her?
GILES
(to Devon)
Do you recognise this book?
DEVON
(takes a long look)
Bastion Payne's diary.
GILES
Do you know what the council
used to call you?
Devon says nothing.
GILES
I imagine he didn't tell you.
He wanted you to have a normal
life, though I don't think
you've ever had that. It didn't
matter how many mystical tests
we ran, the results were always
nothing more than ordinary.
But you sitting in front of me,
once again proves how
extraordinary we believed you
to be. Bastion believed in it
so much, he scoured the world
looking for the answers...
(gently)
... perhaps even a way to spare
you.
Devon doesn't really react, but Dawn watches her with a level
of empathy.
GILES
Here.
He turns the diary around so the girls can look at it. It
shows a sketch of the thirteen keys arranged exactly how
they were around Devon, but in the centre, there isn't a
person, but indistinct lines representing a ball of light.
Around it, worshippers bow down.
49.
DEVON
(whispers)
He knew about this.
GILES
Not specifically. His specific
interest was you. Bastion's
text contradicts a lot of what
is written about this
particular deity--
DAWN
Get to the point Giles.
GILES
Mammitu had many names. Many
gods on this plane did once
they became legend. Before
that, before the world divided
into different dimensions, she
was taken against her will to
the underworld. Her brothers,
so distraught by losing her,
found a way to travel there.
They somehow forged the means
and called it Mammitu's doorway.
But once they found her, she
had taken up a new calling.
She chose to remain in the
underworld to shepherd souls
to where they truly belonged.
She was incorruptible and fair.
Later, when gods and demons
were driven from the mortal
plane, her eldest brother gave
her the stones of destiny -
something that controlled fate.
One of her brother's names was
Dagon.
DAWN
(whispers)
The monks who made me.
GILES
Bastion has more.
(reading)
This crypt reveals to me a
forgotten promise made by a
benevolent goddess.
(MORE)
50.
GILES (CONT'D)
I believe it to be Mammita,
the Akkadian goddess of destiny
and judgment. When the time
came for the good and evil
powers of the world to divide
and become enemies, this god
alone chose no sides. The
higher powers will wield
mankind in an endless battle
to see which side will
ultimately win, but the promise
made by Mammita was thus: as
there exists evil, so shall
there be good to fight it. As
there exists good, so shall
evil claw at it. Hated by the
other powers, Mammitu can only
use a vessel, a living tool, a
finger of fate, to set in
motion this balance. I believe
this to be my beloved charge,
Margaret.
Dawn frowns. Giles stops reading.
GILES
That was his last entry. If he
had discovered more-
DEVON
It would have been ripped from
his throat.
Devon's anger is subtle but potent. Dawn unconsciously
reaches her hand out to Devon, but thinks better of it and
she straightens and looks at Giles; ready to do what she has
to.
DAWN
Okay, so we're both Fate's
bitches. What do we have to do?
GILES
Recover the keys. They were
tracked down once, and will be
again. Mister Zabuto believes
he can find a ritual to destroy
them.
(to Dawn)
I believe they were designed
to control you, or rather, the
power you possess. This seems
the safer option.
51.
DEVON
I scattered them over a dozen
dimensions. How will we find
them?
GILES
Dawn.
DAWN
Me?
GILES
You are connected to these
keys. It is a natural link
that should allow you to find
them before the enemy. I'll
call Buffy-
DAWN
No!
(off his look)
Do you think I want to spend
the rest of my life having
Buffy clean up my messes? I'm
eighteen, and apparently, a
pretty good metal detector.
I'll do this myself.
(looks at Devon;
unsure)
But with your help, if that's
okay? I can't stop trains from
derailing with my mind.
DEVON
(shrugs)
Okay.
Despite the lackluster response, Dawn still smiles at her.
She appreciates it.
GILES
You're still taking some back-
up. Perhaps Rona or Giselle?
DAWN
(working up some
steam)
Giles-
The DOORBELL rings.
GILES
That should be one of them now.
52.
He opens the study doors and goes through them.
DAWN
You sure you don't want to try
and escape this horrible fate?
I know I can be pushy. Family
trait.
DEVON
If there's one thing I've
learned about my life, it's to
just go where it leads me.
It's less painful that way.
DAWN
I'm sorry. That must be a sucky
way to live.
DEVON
It's all I know.
ROARRRRR
Giles sails past the open doors and crashes to the floor.
Dawn stands, eyes wide open. Devon remains sitting, unaffected.
DAWN
So this is your life?
Four Savortes crowd the doorway, led by Conan Demon. Devon
finally stands and nods. Dawn smiles ruefully.
DAWN
It's really a lot like mine.
FADE OUT.
53.
ACT IV
FADE IN:
INT. STAIRCASE - DAY
Jason and Samuel run down the stairs. They see Savortes
streaming in. Both are back in their original gear. Samuel
even has his bag.
JASON
How the hell did they find us?
Giles struggles to his feet. Jason leaps over the railings
in front of Giles. He grabs a sword from one of the display
racks on the wall and skillfully fences off a Savorte before
it can take a swipe at Giles.
GILES
Thank you.
JASON
(cocky and self-
assured)
It's all in the wrist.
Giles winces as something happens to Jason off-screen.
GILES
(winces)
Are you alright?
Jason doesn't answer, but gets up off the floor. He thwacks
at a demon in front of him. American street-fight style. The
demon drops when it takes a sword hilt to the head. Jason
lumbers over it, looking for his next fight.
Samuel lines up with Giles, walking stick once again at the
ready. The two veterans fight side by side as more demons
rush them.
GILES
I fear we are outnumbered.
SAMUEL
I fear you are right.
54.
INT. SITTING ROOM - SAME
The Savortes are kept back by Devon's telekinetics. Various
projectiles zoom toward each demon, knocking a couple out
without doing any real damage.
DAWN
(looking around)
Trust this to be the one room
in the house Giles has no
weapons in.
A couple more demons enter. They manage a good growl or two
before they are invisibly thrown from the room. The door
slams behind them.
DAWN
(rhetorical)
How many of these things are
there?
DEVON
Enough.
The doors crash open. Two Savortes return, this time with a
couple of vamped-up HELL BEASTS held by chain leashes.
The other Savortes in the room gain confidence and stumble
over to the newest arrivals. Some of them even manage a
pointy grin.
DAWN
(moan)
I hate it when they smile.
The leashes are unhooked. The hell creatures leap in opposite
directions. They land on either side of Dawn and Devon,
clinging to the roof.
They snarl.
INT. CORRIDOR - DAY
Jason hits the ground and slides along the floor, he twists
and brings his sword up and stabs a Savorte before it can
impale him with a blade. Back on his feet, he fends Conan's
sword, then gives him a royal kick to get him away from Jason
so that he can defend himself from another Savorte.
Conan falls over a dead Savorte and lands through the open
front door.
Staring down at it are three YOUNG WOMEN.
55.
INT. DOORWAY - SAME
The three girls stand in hero pose. They take in the scene,
then each brings out their weapons with deadly ease. Slayers.
INT. SITTING ROOM - SAME
The beasts leap. Devon's eyes turn white. Papers and objects
move increasingly. Everything stills when she gets knocked
sideways by a blurring shape.
The beasts move too quickly, they are shadows, whizzing past
with speed. She whips her head up, stares at one of the blurs
whizzing across the wall of room, brings her hand up and
jerks her fingers. A beast falls to the floor in normal time,
stumbles to its feet, blurs off again.
Dawn sidles closer to Devon, with her head darting around
the room, trying to pinpoint the speeding shapes.
She YELPS as both blurs push past her and land on Devon.
Devon pushes up with her hands. The beasts rebound up the
roof, grab hold, get their bearings, jump back down.
Dawn can't help. She sees--
A SAVORTE
Reaching for the key on the table.
Devon, twists under a hell beast, sees this too.
DEVON
Dawn!
Devon points at the key. It shoots from the Savorte's grip
and straight into Dawn's open hand.
DAWN
holds the key. Stares deeply into it.
The rest of the world fades from her view.
Her heartbeat is the only sound in her ears.
Her lips part. Her breathing speeds up.
WHOOSH
Sound and sight returns to her in a speedy fast-motion
picture slide.
56.
Dawn ducks as a couch whizzes past her, slamming into a hell
beast, and knocking it out.
Jason is PUSHED into the room by a slayer who rushes away
immediately. Devon isn't looking at the door; no one has
seen the slayer but it isn't too hard to figure out that
Jason is in the room.
JASON
Forceful. I like that in a- hey!
Devon telekinetically rips his sword from his hand and throws
it at a moving shape. The hell beast unblurs and slams
against the wall, impaled by the sword. The remaining
Savortes converge on Devon as one. They stop when a RUMBLE
shakes the room.
Dawn turns around and looks behind her. Jason scans the room
too.
A tiny circle of light forms in front of Dawn, suspended
midair. She watches it grow, enthralled. It spirals and
expands exponentially, seeming to rip and spin through the
fabric of reality. It forms a writhing, yet stable circle. A
perfect portal.
Devon uses the surprise appearance of the portal to throw
the demons from the room. She now turns to the portal too.
Giles, Nadya and Samuel are forced into the room. The doors
are PULLED shut behind them. With a CLICK of the key, the
slayers have locked everyone in.
JASON
Welcome to the party.
They stand beside him and gawk at the portal. Its light fills
the room, giving them all a blue glow.
DEVON
Time to go.
DAWN
What! Now?
GILES
(steps forward)
Yes now.
Dawn opens her mouth, but shuts it. It is
what she has to do.
57.
GILES
Buffy may murder me if you
don't make it back in one piece,
but she'll be proud of you.
What you do here today, matters.
You're making the world a safer
place, and no slayer or Watcher
could wish for more.
DAWN
I can't leave you like this.
GILES
Back-up is here, with more on
the way. I'll be fine. If
anything, this proves that
time is short and the enemy is
swift.
(looking at Devon)
You two must keep ahead of
them. We don't know what they
want with the keys.
DAWN
But how will we know-
GILES
It won't be safe for you to
come back here.
(holds her shoulders
gently)
I'll try and discover who they
are and try and slow them down.
But concerning the keys, I
think you'll both be on your own.
He eyes are pained; he wishes it wasn't the case. He shifts
his eyes to Devon. She nods; making a silent promise to him.
SAMUEL
Perhaps, if the moon can not
set on the mountain, the
mountain can give a part of
itself to the moon.
He steps forward and speaks to both Devon and Dawn equally.
JASON
(lost)
There is no part of that that
made sense.
58.
SAMUEL
I may be old...
(lifts his bag)
...and my bag is worn, but I
will give my knowledge where I
can. If you will have me?
Dawn, so relieved, rushes to hug him. He keeps his hands to
himself, unsure of the correct protocol.
GILES
I believe that means yes.
Samuel looks over her head; Giles mouths a thank you to him.
Jason stands to the side, he looks between the girls and the
sounds behind the door. He stares at his sword; almost
twitchy with it.
NADYA
Aren't you going with?
JASON
I'm thinking. I'm thinking.
NADYA
Hmm. Think faster.
Nadya steps forward to Dawn and Devon.
NADYA
I said I wanted to be a part
of something great. Whatever
you're doing, I have a feeling
that it's where I'm meant to be.
Jason opens his mouth. Nadya looks back at him quizzically.
He shuts his chomper and considers.
JASON
Question. This little quest of
yours, would there by any
chance be any, uh, treasure
along the way?
DAWN
I thought you were rich?
JASON
(shrugs)
I am.
(to Devon)
Do we have to touch for this one?
59.
Devon shakes her head and walks through the portal. Jason
holds out an arm for Nadya and they both follow. Samuel bows
his head at Giles and also leaves, leaving Dawn behind with
Giles.
Dawn hugs him.
DAWN
I will make it back in one
piece. I promise.
GILES
Trust your instincts.
He lifts up her hand, which is still holding the key,
GILES
Don't lose any of these.
Dawn steps back, nods, smiles through moist eyes; turns and
runs through the portal.
GILES
Good luck.
He watches as the portal closes; sad.
EXT. MOUNTAIN - NIGHT
Dawn stops.
The others stand ahead of her on the cusp of the hill. She
walks up to meet them; doesn't utter a word as she sees what
they are looking at.
Below them lies a vast valley. The skeletons of trees reach
up to a black and orange night. Far ahead in the distance,
dominating everything around it. Two large statues reach up
to the sky. The faces of the statues are twisted and evil.
This is a dead demon world.
The group stand together. Dawn in the front.
DAWN
Oh tell me Buffy isn't going
to be completely jealous.
FADE OUT.
END.
Sophocles Screenplay Software 2007
www.sophocles.net