(It is dark, and a few guards and Moren are sitting around a campfire)

Guard: Excellent performance, Moren.

Moren: Oh, thank-you.

Guard: Where were you hiding when you were supposed to be in Marzoss?

Moren: Spindle Street Grottle.

Guard: Well, I’m glad you enjoyed yourself…before the end.

Moren: The end of what?

(The guard stabs his back)

Guard: As the saying said, dead men tell no tale. Dispose of him. He’ll be declared a hero tomorrow. Now, I must give some thought about the Sinbad problem. He makes me nervous. He seems to be over my shoulder at every turn.

(Sinbad and Rongar are hiding behind the bushes, watching everything that’s going on)

Sinbad: Seems more as he died of his wits, after all. So much for bravery.

(The guards walk past them in the bush, as they hide out of sight)

(Maeve and Doubar are walking through the forest)

Doubar: We must tell Sinbad what we found before we tell Firouz.

(Some guards approach them)

Guard: May I ask where you have been, and where you are going?

Doubar: You may ask, but we don’t have to answer.

Maeve: Get out of our way.

Guard: Rumour has it you’ve been to Marzoss.

Maeve: You should never listen to rumours. Or don’t you know that?

Guard: You are under arrest for frontalizing with the enemy.

Doubar: There’s no enemy there, and you know it!

Guard: Seize them!

(The guards fight with Maeve and Doubar)

Maeve: The size appears to be balanced.

Doubar: Maybe not.

Guard: Drop your weapons, or die.

(They throw their weapons down)

Guard: March these fools to the dungeon!

(They are taken prisoner)

(Firouz is in the room, working on his invention, when Sinbad comes from above, and jumps down; he gets up to stand by Firouz)

Sinbad: So this is how you use your time, Firouz.

Firouz: If you’re waiting for me to invent the door, Sinbad—

Sinbad: I know. Somebody beat you to it. What is all this?

Firouz: Could you pass me that flask?

(Sinbad tosses it, carelessly; Firouz catches it)

Firouz: You could have just blown up this entire room!

Sinbad: And you may just blow up an entire kingdom.

Firouz: I serve my princess, who at least appreciates me.

Sinbad: Your princess is using you, Firouz. She’s not interested in your mind. Just your ability to create weapons.

Firouz: I never thought I’d see the day when Sinbad would be jealous of a friend.

Sinbad: They killed Moren, Firouz. This whole spy mission was a lie.

Firouz: I can understand your anger. For the first time, people are looking at me to be the hero. Not you. They turn to me for protection, not you.

Sinbad: Firouz, look at me. Have I ever lied to you?

Firouz: Stop it! You’re confusing me!

(A couple of guards enter, with Rongar)

Guard: We found the quiet man lurking outside.

Firouz: Take them safely to their chambers. Sinbad, you have no idea what’s going on here. The fate of these people is in my hands.

(The guards leave with Sinbad and Rongar)

(Sinbad and Rongar are thrown into the room that Maeve and Doubar are in)

Doubar: What kept you, little brother?

Sinbad: I was trying to skip breakfast.

Maeve: Well, Sinbad. You were right about Marzoss. They’re wealthy indeed, but they have no interest in this little kingdom.

Doubar: We checked the harbour. No battleships. No preparations for war. Their idea of mortal combat is arguing over who picks up the check.

Maeve: When I talked to them, no one has ever heard of the Marzacks. An old wives tale, for sure.

Sinbad: Why doesn’t that surprise me?

Doubar: Nobody I’ve talked to heard of Marzacks, either. The whole story’s a lie!

Sinbad: We’ve got to get to Firouz and stop this war!

Doubar: Somehow, I don’t think the guards outside will play along.

Sinbad: We need a distraction. (he looks at Maeve) Where’s Dermott?

Maeve: He’s safe…on the ship.

(Sinbad sees Rongar eating quickly, and an idea comes to him)

Sinbad: Guards! Guards! My friend! Oh, he’s choking!

(Maeve goes and begins to give Doubar the Hiemlich maneuver)

Sinbad: You must help us! Guards!

(The guards open the door, and the crew fights them; they leave)

(Firouz is on the shore, with Elila, Azul, and a number of guards; he is testing his Ruby-Beamer)

Firouz: (laughs) It works! It works! Yes!

Elila: How much longer must we put up with this waffling fool?

Azul: Oh, once Firouz helps us capture Marzoss, we’ll learn how to use his weaponry. I’ll be King of both lands. And you, you’ll be my Queen.

Elila: What about Firouz?

Azul: Oh, he’ll join his friend, Sinbad, in death.

(Sinbad and the crew are watching them)

Sinbad: It gets worse and worse. Firouz seems filled by madness.

Maeve: I’ve seen this madness before. They’ll squander the kingdom’s treasures. All of its people as well. And weapons.

Sinbad: Well, I think it’s time we borrowed Firouz for a little while. Get him away from Azul, and his poisonous princess.

(That’s when an arrow hits the tree behind them)

Elila: I don’t think you’ll have that opportunity, Sinbad. Take them!

(The guards go after them, but Maeve pulls the arrow out from the tree, and points it at the guards, sending fire through it; they fall)

Elila: More guards!

Sinbad: Go Maeve! We’ll hold them here as long as we can! Go get Firouz!

Maeve: Okay!

(They fight the guards, but the guards in the end, knock them out)

(Maeve runs off, towards Firouz, but is confronted with more guards, whom she so kindly does the same to as the last ones)

Maeve: Firouz! (she appears from behind the rocks, and runs along the shore, towards Firouz) Listen to me! Firouz! Listen to me! I’ve been to Marzoss!

(Azul throws one of Firouz’s things that have sleeping gas)

Firouz: Maeve!

Azul: Guards! Take her away! She was obviously recruited by the leaders in Marzoss.

Firouz: A traitor. Maeve? That…that doesn’t make any sense.

Azul: My friend, war can turn anyone into an enemy.

(The crew is lying on a large rock, with some guards watching them; Sinbad wakes up; a guard knocks him out with his staff)

Guard #1: Not yet, Sinbad. (He sprinkles some sand on Sinbad) I first dusted your grave, Sinbad. Now, then. Take this sailor and his cronies to the dungeon without a floor.

Guard #2: My pleasure.

(The crew is all tied up in the dungeon without a floor; Sinbad is still unconscious; Dermott flies in)

Maeve: Dermott! Get out before they catch you too!

(Dermott flies out; Sinbad then wakes up)

Doubar: Well, look who decided to join us.

Sinbad: Nice here this time of year. (he slips off the small ledge that they were all standing on)

(Maeve, who is standing beside him, tries to reach out to get Sinbad’s hand, but all she gets is the chain)

Maeve: Sinbad!

(He gets up after a few minutes; a rock falls into the bright yellow light that is a hole in the floor)

Sinbad: Did you hear that hit bottom?

Doubar: No.

Sinbad: What is that?

Doubar: Some place I don’t want to end up. Can you do anything about these chains, Maeve?

Maeve: (sighs) Frasa, Guardian of Iron, reduce the power of these chains…

(The chains suddenly pull into the wall, raising all their arms)

Sinbad: Well, I’m impressed.

Maeve: It must be…you know…the sleep gas they used on me. My head aches. I can’t concentrate. Really.

(Suddenly, the chains release their arms, and they almost fall into the hole, but they quickly regain their balance)

Doubar: did you do that, Maeve?

Maeve: I don’t think so…

(Harus enters the room with Dermott)

Harus: I did. Your feathered friend brought me. I pulled the release lever.

Sinbad: But I thought that—

Harus: I was crazy? No. That was an act so Azul wouldn’t kill me too. Well, come on, then. Come along, do! Quickly.

(They begin to walk along the ledge, trying not to fall)

Sinbad: Maeve? Remind me to give Dermott a snack, before dinner. (he nods)

(Maeve nods)

Harus: Come on, now. (they walk for a bit) I’m afraid that war is inevitable, my young friends. You have to leave here. Or die with the rest of us.

Sinbad: I won’t leave Firouz.

Harus: Even Firouz can’t put out the fuse he has lit.

(They come to some old pathways through the palace)

Sinbad: Where does this go?

Harus: Oh, you can’t. Those are collapsed tunnels that used to lead to the old pass.

(Sinbad leads them through the tunnels, until they come to where the Marzacks are stored)

Doubar: Sinbad!

Maeve: The Marzacks!

Sinbad: I thought so. These passages. Do they lead outside?

Harus: Yes indeed! Azul discovered these remnants from a time long ago in Corusar. When our leaders practiced the sciences of tragic fantasy, he couldn’t reproduce more of them. The art of this machinery is the darkness.

Maeve: Machine?

Harus: Originally designed for defense. Azul uses them to attack. The first to die were our King and our Queen. The princess is only their niece. She and Azul want to rule Corusar. Your friend happened along with the invention , just hastened Azul’s plans.

Sinbad: Do you know how to activate these things?

Harus: They respond to rays emitted from a tiny machine. Hidden in an amulet.

Sinbad: Azul’s amulet.

(Firouz is in a room with Azul and Elila)

Firouz: I can’t believe that Maeve and the others would betray me! I won’t believe it! I want to see them. Now! Immediately!

Elila: Firouz—

Firouz: I want to see my friends!

Azul: Of course. Without delay.

(Firouz turns his back to them, and begins to walk towards the window; Azul gives a ‘kill him’ gestures to Elila, then leaves)

Elila: (takes knife out of her hair, and follows him) You’re probably right, Firouz. This is probably all a misunderstanding.

Firouz: My friends would never betray me.

Elila: Exactly. You’re all tense, Firouz. Nervous over the prospect of war.

(Guards come up to Azul, in another room)

Guard: The sailor. All of them. They’re gone.

Sinbad: Gone, but not forgotten, I hope.

Azul: You!

Sinbad: Me! Now, out of our way! We’re going to get Firouz.

Azul: You’ll have to get through me first.

Sinbad: All right. You and me.

Azul: Delighted!

(They fight, as the guards, and Sinbad’s crew watch on)

(Firouz and Elila are still talking)

Elila: Oh, Firouz. I feel so all alone.

(Sinbad and Azul are still fighting)

Azul: (after a few minutes of fighting) Guards! Get them!

(The guards begin to fight as well, and Sinbad’s crew goes after them)

(Firouz and Elila are talking)

Firouz: Only Sinbad and my friends really care about me.

Elila: I care Firouz…my love.

(Sinbad and crew are fighting Azul and guards)

Azul: (after a few minutes of fighting) You’ll pay for this insolence, sailor! (he looks down to get his amulet, but it isn’t there)

Sinbad: You looking for this? (holds up the amulet) Harus and I have programmed it to follow you to hell.

(Firouz and Elila are talking)

Firouz: Man who believes he is so wise that he does not need to know himself, he knows nothing at all.

(Elila swings at him with her knife)

Firouz: Oh! You’ve gone mad!

(Sinbad and the crew vs. Azul and the guards; Azul wants his amulet back)

Sinbad: Here, I think it’s broken. (he tosses the amulet to Azul’s feet; Azul picks it up, just as the Marzacks enter the room)

Azul: (runs towards window, as the Marzacks follow him) I’m not supposed to die! I am all-powerful!

(The Marzacks push Azul out the window, and he falls to the water below; the Marzacks follow him)

Sinbad: Well, I guess power’s not all it’s cracked up to be.

(Elila is attacking Firouz)

Elila: Stand still! We have your weapons, we don’t need you anymore!

Sinbad: Firouz!

(They run through the palace, to where Firouz is)

Elila: Did I neglect to tell you that Corusarian mothers teach their daughters knife-throwing? It keeps their men in line!

(Firouz runs towards the window, and hides behind a post)

Firouz: Actually, you neglected to tell me that point, but I…ah…I do understand women’s rights!

(Sinbad and the crew enters; Sinbad throws one of Firouz’s things with the sleeping gas, down in front of Elila, which makes her collapse)

Firouz: Sinbad! (he runs to Sinbad)

Sinbad: (laughs) Oh, you know, oh, great Firouz, maybe a long sea voyage will cure all your illness.

Firouz: Point of fact?…You’re absolutely right.

(They laugh, then leave the room)

(They’re back on the ship again; Sinbad walks up to Firouz)

Sinbad: How’re you feeling?

Firouz: Troubled, by what I almost created.

Sinbad: Don’t be so hard on yourself. If you stayed, they would have made you King.

Firouz: Unfortunately, Azul would have made a much better King than I would have. I ‘m not cut out to be a politician.

Sinbad: Firouz, there’s nothing wrong with your politics. Only the war mongers in this legend.

Firouz: Let’s just say that I’m glad to be back to what I do best: being a simple man of science.

Sinbad: And an invaluable member of my crew.

THE END