(Hytria's Palace. Kasha bring in Karacoal who is gagged.)

Kasha: I was able to capture him. He was trying to get off the island.

Hytria: You though you could escape?!

(Karacoal shakes his head vehemently)

Hytria: I have waited lifetimes for this man. And you thought that you could deny me?! Defy me?! Then you will die for me.

(Guards drag him over to a fire pit and throw him in. Hytria walks over to it.)

Kasha: Empress. I will make amends. you have only to command me.

Hytria: Yes, you will. Soon they will enter the fortress. I want you to lead Sinbad the rest of the way.

Kasha: He must succeed on his own. Prove himself without assistance. If not, a curse will fall upon us. It has been written.

Hytria: The next test is the tunnel of fire. Lead him. Or die with him.

(Kasha salutes her and runs off)

(Crew arrives at a smiling skull with smoke pouring out)

Sinbad: Screaming face. One only a mother could love.

Firouz: Appears to be venting some sort of volcanic activity.

doubar: It just keeps getting better and better. I say we cut our losses and get out of here.

Sinbad: Where to? Our sails are still spellbound. until the spell's broken, we're stuck here.

Tanna: That must be the tunnel entrance.

Sinbad: Then let's get started.

Doubar: Like I said, things get better and better...

(The enter the cavern)

Sinbad: Someone's coming.

(Kasha rushes up to them)

Sinbad: Stop!

Kasha: Follow me. We have no time to lose.

Sinbad: Whoare you?

Kasha: I've no time to explain. If you don't follow me, we'll all lose our lives. Come! Now! Now! (He runs away)

Tanna: He was wearing a Roman uniform!

Sinbad: I don't care what he was wearing. Can we trust him?

Bryn: I feel we have no choice. The danger he spoke of is real.

Sinbad: Let's go. (They all run after Kasha)

(Hytria is standing before the fire pit)

Hytria: I am the Goddess of Eternal Fire. I command you to rise. Rise!

(Kasha stops running and Sinbad catches up to him.)

Sinbad: What is it?

Kasha: It's our death if we don't reach the optional tunnel.

(Hytria, still before the fire pit)

Oh great fire of death, protector of the colony. Another attempts the challenge. Is he worthy?

(Fireball forms and takes off down a tunnel. Sinbad and crew are running then stop when they see the fireball.)

Doubar: It's heading right for us! Sinbad! We've got nowhere to go!

Kasha: This way! (runs into a side crevice)

Sinbad: Follow me, quickly!

(They all run into the crevice. The fireball passes by.)

Doubar: Nearly got roasted back there.

Firouz: We appear to have lost our guide.

Doubar: But we found our pyramid.

(There is a pyramid of skulls)

Tanna: Oh... something went wrong here...

Doubar: Losing your love of treasure are you.

Tanna: I am not here for treasure! I am here to unearth the past. To unravel the mystery of antiquity. To find Hytria, the banished empress who devoted herself to evaternity.

Sinbad: Eva- what?

Firouz: Evaternity - immortality.

Tanna: Hytria longed to make herself immortal.

Bryn: What are these? Her failed experiments?

Sinbad: Whatever they are, we need to press on.

(Huge "cave man" enters the room)

Doubar: Guess he's the one who's been collecting skulls.

Sinbad: At least he's on a chain.

Doubar: It's a long chain...

Sinbad: Firouz, guard Tanna. The rest of us spread out. There's a lot of us and only one of him.

(They fight the caveman)

Doubar: He seems to have the edge with that weapon!

Sinbad: Yeah... But he's a little slow on the backswing. Everybody take a bite out of him. If he slices, we charge him.

(They fight for a bit longer. Sinbad beheads him.)

Sinbad: Are you alright?

Doubar: Us? How about you?

Sinbad: I haven't had time to find out.

(Rongar points to the cave entrance)

Kasha: Congratulations. That was the last of your challenges.

Tanna: Who are you?

Sinbad: Yeah. Let's start there.

Kasha: My name is Kasha. I'm a centurion of the Empress's guard.

Tanna: An Empress still rules here?

Kasha: The only one who ever ruled here, Hytria.

Tanna: Marvelous! Truly marvelous! I knew she succeeded. Succeeded!

Sinbad: And she's the one who controls my boat.

Kasha: She does. She controls everything on this island.

Sinbad: Then I want to see her.

Tanna: yes. Might we see her?

Kasha: I am to lead you there.

Tanna: Firouz, she lives... lives!

(The others follow Kasha. Sinbad looks over to Bryn)

Sinbad: I know that look!

Bryn: Then you know we're still in danger.

Sinbad: Maybe age has mellowed her.

Bryn: Maybe not.

(Throne room)

Kasha: the Empress Hytria

Sinbad: My name is Sinbad.

Hytria: I know your name. Know everything about you. Kasha, prepare a feast for Sinbad and his friends.

Tanna: Empress. Might I say that, all honour is ours to be in your presence. I have so much to ask you.

Hytria: In due time. But first, I would like to speak with your brave Captain privately.

Sinbad: Yes. We do need to talk.

Hytria: Lead them to their quarters. You will be made most comfortable.

Kasha: Come. This way.

(Bryn hangs back)

Bryn: Be cautious.

Sinbad: Have you ever known me to be otherwise?

Bryn: Always.

(They share a laugh and she leaves to join the others. Hytria watches as Sinbad watches Bryn leave.)

Hytria: You seem close with her.

Sinbad: My crew and my ship are my life. Something has a grip on them. And I think you know what I'm talking about.

Hytria: I know all that needs to be known. (She stands and walks towards him.) About life. And longing. (She removes her veil)

Sinbad (gasps): It's you...

Hytria: Yes. And I have something else to show you.

(They walk into a room. On a table is a body of someone who resembles Sinbad.)

Sinbad: I don't understand. Who is this?

Hytria: This is Lucius. The light of my life all these long years. I kept him here this way as a means of remembrance. But now... (she looks at Sinbad) I no longer need him.

Sinbad: About my ship...

(Hytria enchants him. Then kisses him as Lucius disappears)

(Kasha leads the others into a room)

Kasha: Enjoy yourselves!

Tanna: Regal splendour, hm?

Doubar: Not bad if I say so myself. (He lays back on a couch.)

Kasha (to Bryn): This way. I have a separate lounge for you.

(As they disappear behind a column, he holds a knife to Bryn's throat)

Kasha: I may be the only friend you have here. Trust me. Or you all will die.

(Back in the throne room, Sinbad is still under Hytria's spell)

Hytria: Are you happy now?

Sinbad: Yes...

Hytria: Are you... content?

Sinbad:... yes...

Hytria: Soon we will enter the column of flames and bathe in it's nurturing light. The blue blaze of enternal life. You have come back to me.

(She kisses him. Kasha and Bryn are watching from behind a curtain)

Kasha: She'll kill you all. She wants only Sinbad. And I want to be him (whispers to himself).

(Doubar and the others are relaxing and enjoying themselves)

Doubar: Yup. I could get used to this.

Servant girl: The Empress sent this herself. (hands him a goblet)

(Tanna is walking around.)

Doubar: Try some of this wine, Tanna.

Tanna: No... I'm just going to savour all this. Roman culture at its finest.

Doubar: Taste a little bitter...

(Bryn walks in)

Firouz: What is that scent?

Doubar: Bryn! Come join us.

Bryn: We need to keep our wits about us - all of us.

Doubar: Come on Bryn, when in Rome...

Bryn: Doubar! This isn't what it seems. Hytria intends to keep Sinbad here.

Doubar: No one keeps Sinbad against his will.

Bryn: And what if his will is taken away from him?

Tanna: What are you suggesting?

Firouz: Now I recognize what the scent is! It's snakeroot. Snakeroot is a powerful opiut. One that induces sleep! (he dumps the goblet)

Bryn: Hytria intends to kill us. I'll try and alert Sinbad to what's going on. You 3 try and stay awake.

Doubar: Firouz! Isn't there something you can do?

Firouz: We didn't drink much. If we eat, we may be able to offset the snakeroots' effect.

Doubar: Not a bad idea.

(Hytria is still kissing Sinbad when Kasha comes into the throne room.)

Hytria: Kasha!

Kasha: Yes, my Empress.

Hytria: Take care of the others!

Kasha: So soon?

Hytria: They will present no problem.

Kasha (to himself): Only I deserve eternal life.

(Bryn watches from behind the curtain.

Hytria: It is time, my love... (Hytria leads Sinbad into the back room)

Hytria (to a guard): Let no one enter.

(Doubar, Firouz, and Rongar are eating bread, trying to offset the sleep potion)

Tanna: They're coming!

Kasha: Seize them all!

Tanna: You can't do this! These men completed the challenge. Roman justice must be served!

Kasha: Exactly! Like Christians being thrown to the lions. Roman justice at its finest!

Doubar: Maybe we'll have to serve up some new justice.

Kasha: What might that be?

(Doubar grabs Kasha.)

Firouz: Tanna, go get Sinbad and Bryn now!

(Tanna runs out of the room)

(Hytria and Sinbad are in a room with a blue fire)

Hytria: Here is the rest of our life, my love. The eternity that only the blue flame can give us. Join in that life with me. (She walks into the flame)

(Bryn approaches the guards)

Bryn: I need to see my Captain.

Guard: No one enters.

(They fight)

(Hytria tries to get Sinbad to enter the flames)

Hytria: Come with me. Be with me. Together. Forever.

(Sinbad turns his head when he hears Bryn's voice)

Bryn: Sinbad!

Hytria: Sinbad! Sinbad... (gets his attention back)

Hytria: Sinbad...

(Bryn runs into the room with Tanna)

Bryn: Sinbad!

(Sinbad turns to her)

Hytria: Lucius.. Come with me. Be with me.

Bryn: Sinbad, no.

(Hytria leaves the flame and uses her powers. Bryn falls to the floor in pain.)

Hytria: Don't... listen to her. Lucius.. come with me. Be with me. (She steps back into the flame)

(Kasha and his men are fighting the crew)

Kasha: Back to the throne room!

Doubar: Wherever he's going, we're going!

(Blue flame room)

Tanna: You can't do this!

(Hytria turns to him and walks out of the flame again.)

Tanna: His life is elsewhere.

Hytria: His life is MINE!

Tanna: No! (he stabs her. Sinbad and Bryn are free of her)

Hytria: The knife of Lucius! Only he could end my life. For this... you will ALL feed the fire!

Bryn: The crew have been drugged. They're in danger.

Sinbad: Then we'll find them and get out of here. Come on.

Hytria: You will die first! (points to Tanna)

(throne room - Kasha enters)

Kasha: Where is the Empress?

Sinbad: About to meet her maker.

Kasha: Guards!

(Doubar bellows and pushes his way past)

Firouz (to Tanna): Get back!

(They fight)

Sinbad: We need to go now! Come on! Tanna!

Tanna: Go without me! It's my destiny to die here!

(Sinbad nods and the crew run)

Tanna: But you must escape!

Kasha: It's not over yet.

Tanna: Oh yes, it is.

(Hytria walks out, bleeding. Looks around the room)

Hytria: Where is Sinbad?

Tanna: Gone.

Hytria: His false love has destroyed me. Again the betrayal. Again, the need for punishment.

Tanna: Let them go. Redeem yourself with a final act of nobility.

Hytria: Kill him!

(Kasha kills Tanna)

Kasha: Empress, I tried to prevent this. But you know their powers! There's still us. take me into the blue flame. Let us live eternally. I am loyal!

Hytria: You speak of loyalty? Of the eternal? Now, I must destroy my enemies. And my empire. Becuase... YOU let them escape.

(She pushes him into the fire pit.)

Hytria: I am the Goddess of Eternal Fire. I command you to rise. Rise!

(The crew is running through the tunnels)

Doubar: Sinbad, she's gonna...!

Sinbad: Just keep moving. Go!

(Hytria raises her hands)

Hytria: Oh great protector of the colony. If I die, everythings dies with me.

(She jumps into the firepit. Fire consumes everything.)

Firouz: Looks like the lost Hytria colony is lost for good.

Sinbad: Done well and good.

(On the Nomad, the crew is getting ready to sail. Bryn is sitting on the railing near Sinbad)

Bryn: She finally let go.

Sinbad: Tanna was right. His destiny was somehow tied to hers.

Bryn: She was waiting for the wrong man.

Sinbad: Yes, she was.

Bryn (smiles at him): I'm glad.

(Sinbad smiles back)

Sinbad: That makes two of us.

Doubar: We have full sail again, Captain. Not much of a treasure hunt, was it.

Firouz: I'm not so sure.

Sinbad: Being an optimist, Firouz?

Firouz: No. Realist. (He takes out a goblet) Priceless. But, we can set a price.

(Crew laughs)

The End