(Gaia is in her room with Shadbush, Firouz, and Malicut; Gaia is sleeping)

Gaia: Father! Father!

Shadbush: I’m here, dear. I’m here.

(Malicut is sprinkling something over Gaia)

Firouz: What is that, fairy dust?

Malicut: It’s called gypsum curative.

Firouz: Ground rock. That oughta work wonders. This patient needs life-supporting countermeasures!

Malicut: Oh, so you’re a neo-hypocratic.

Firouz: And you’re a retro-quack.

Malicut: Your majesty, if I am to preserve Princess Gaia’s life, I must insist again that this unskilled—

Firouz: Unskilled?!

Shadbush: Firouz, please. Our first concern must be for Gaia’s health.

Firouz: Precisely. Which is why I’d ask your permission to examine her!

Malicut: You know nothing of Vatek. I, on the other hand, have studied his methods for years.

Firouz: And I’ve studied science. How the body works. How it fights off disease!

Malicut: Your majesty. I will not allow this man’s interference. My methods are a systematic regimen of—

Firouz: Inorganic claptrap! There is no time for your stubborn unscientific remedies! (pauses) I can help her!

Gaia: Father, please, let him.

Shadbush: Firouz.

Malicut: If she takes a turn for the worst, it will be on your hands!

Firouz: So be it.

Malicut: I’ll just sit over here, should you require my assistance.

(Malicut goes to the corner of the room)

Gaia: Please. Don’t let this happen.

Firouz: I’ll try my best. Now, I will begin by just examining your eyes.

(He examines her eyes)

(The crew and villagers are surrounding the well)

Sariya: Vatek will hear of this.

Sinbad: Which is why we need to get to him, before he gets to us! Will you lead us?

Sariya: You’re inviting your doom.

Sinbad: Wouldn’t be the first time.

(The crew laughs)

Sinbad: Villagers! Your well is free! Drink!

(Firouz, Shadbush, and Malicut are still with Gaia)

Shadbush: She isn’t any better, is she?

Firouz: I’m afraid not. Her fever remains, and her heartbeat is growing fainter. Perhaps I can locate some herbal remedies. Something to revitalize her.

Malicut: (walks over to them) If I may be so bold as to make a suggestion?

Shadbush: Feel free.

Malicut: I believe that the Princess needs to be bled, to drain her of Vatek’s pestilent biles.

Firouz: No. She must not lose any of her life blood. That’ll only weaken her.

Malicut: Bleeding of the afflicted is an accepted medical practice throughout the modern world.

Firouz: It is barbaric!

Malicut: Your majesty, I have been your trusted physician for all these many years, and it is my sound advice.

Firouz: It will only hasten her death. Trust me.

Shadbush: I don’t know. So many of my actions have been mistakes.

Firouz: Then don’t make another one.

Shadbush: What would you suggest?

Firouz: Continue to administer the cold compresses, while I try to locate some medicinal herbs. I’ll return shortly.

(Firouz leaves)

Malicut: If she takes a turn for the worst, which I assure you she will, I would urge you to relinquish her to Vatek. If not, you will watch her die, just like you did the Queen.

(The crew and Sariya are walking through a field)

Sariya: We need to cross that ravine.

Sinbad: Was that once a stream?

Sariya: No. It was once a river.

Sinbad: (sighs) Dry lakebeds. Dry riverbeds. What’s happened to all the water on this land?

Sariya: What water Vatek doesn’t use, he lays to waste.

Sinbad: Why would he do that?

Sariya: It’s the nature of his business.

(Sariya walks away from the crew)

Sinbad: I wonder what the nature of his business is.

Maeve: He’s a ghoul. Which means he prays upon the living…and the dead.

(The crew follows Sariya)

(Firouz is looking for the medicinal herbs)

Firouz: (bends down) Yes! Rosesnips! Santaras! Sweet grass! (he bends down further and puts his hand on the ground, touching a liquid and bringing it up to examine) Oil!

(A Cudgelman comes up from behind him and hits Firouz on the head, knocking him unconscious)

(Vatek is talking to his raven)

Vatek: Go! Defilance are about. Stop them!

(The raven flies off)

Vatek: Dim-Dim’s little deciples. How pathetic! (laughs)

(The crew hears a raven’s cry; Dermott panics)

Sinbad: What’s that sound?

Sariya: It’s only a bird. I’m gonna scout ahead. Wait here a moment. I’ll be right back.

Maeve: I think we should stay together.

Sariya: Look. You can either follow me or not. It’s really up to you.

Sinbad: Ah, go ahead. We’ll await your return.

(Sariya leaves them)

Maeve: We must press on. And you shouldn’t have allowed her to get out of our sight.

Sinbad: We can wait a few moments.

Doubar: I gotta say being out here in the open is not a good idea. Particularly on low ground!

(The raven is heard again, and again Dermott panics)

Sinbad: Must be a big bird.

Maeve: It’s a raven’s cry. Always a bad omen.

(The raven cry is heard again)

Sinbad: Let’s not let our superstitions get the best of us.

(The raven cry is heard again; Dermott panics)

Maeve: Something’s wrong with Dermott.

Sinbad: Ask him what it is.

Maeve: Dermott?

(He chirps and communicates to Maeve for a moment; Rongar runs up to the crew and tosses a skull to Doubar)

Maeve: We’re in grave danger.

Doubar: (holds up skull) I’d say that’s exactly where we are.

Maeve: We must move from here.

Sinbad: We can’t leave Sariya.

Maeve: She left us, remember?!

(Dermott flies off)

Sinbad: Where’s he going?

Maeve: He’s gone off to find where our guide went!

Doubar: Sinbad, if something does catch us out here, it’s gonna be their killing field!

Sinbad: All right, all right. Vatek’s sanctuary lies to the West. Let’s move out of the ravine, that way. (points)

(The raven is heard again, and they look up to find a gigantic raven flying above them)

Doubar: Sure you wanna go that way?

(They go to where the raven lands on a rock)

Sinbad: Now, that’s what I call a raven!

Doubar: Bone digger is what it is!

Maeve: Sariya faded us into a trap.

Sinbad: Let’s not worry about the bait. Let’s worry about the trap. We have to get that thing airborne again!

Doubar: Not only does he look big, his appetite looks even bigger!

Maeve: Oh, I’m glad Dermott’s not here.

Doubar: He’d be the appetizer.

Sinbad: Rongar! You take the high ground!

(Rongar goes closer to the raven)

Sinbad: Keep all your dirks in hand! Keep waving your swords! Try to scare it off!

(They are all waving their swords, and Rongar is throwing his dirks at it; Rongar uses up all his dirks, and the raven finally flies off)

Sinbad: Good work, Rongar!

(Rongar looks at Sinbad)

Sinbad: And I owe you for a new set of dirks.

(Rongar shrugs)

(Dermott flies back to them)

Sinbad: What does he have to say?

Maeve: Sariya’s run off.

Doubar: Wonderful.

Maeve: She’ll be easy to track.

Doubar: How?

Maeve: Just follow the smoke.

Sinbad: What smoke?

Maeve: I would imagine that smoke. (points up in the air)

(Firouz is chained up inside Vatek’s stronghold; he is talking to the Cudgelmen)

Firouz: I’m King Shadbush’s guest, and under his protection. I insist that he be notified of my whereabouts immediately! Princess Gaia needs me! If you keep me here, she will die!

(Vatek appears)

Vatek: Go back to your cage!

(The Cudgelmen leave; Vatek walks down the stairs and to Firouz)

Firouz: You must be Vatek. Nice outfit. It says it all.

Vatek: This I like. It’ll make your torture all the more satisfying. What do you want me to play with first? My back cracker, or my matching thumb screws?

Firouz: I’ll let you decide.

Vatek: I’ll relish the decision.

Firouz: You’re not going to succeed.

Vatek: You must mean your friends. Reports are they made progress.

Firouz: They’re very resourceful.

Vatek: Well soon, they’ll be very dead. You, on the other hand, I’ll take my time with.

(The crew is walking through a field)

Doubar: Anyone care to explain what that is?

Sinbad: Whatever it is, it looks like the fuming eyesore Vatek calls home. Let’s move closer. The night is hard upon us.

Maeve: What about Sariya?

Doubar: If she’s alerted them, we’re walking into a sure ambush.

Sinbad: Not much of an ambush if we know about it. Right, big brother?

(He begins to walk again)

Doubar: Now, why did I encourage him?

(It is now dark out, and the crew reaches Vatek’s stronghold)

Doubar: Monster, right?

Sinbad: Looks manmade to me. All right, let’s go.

(They walk through the place; Sariya walks up to them)

Sariya: Vatek calls it the cleanser.

Sinbad: What does it do?

Sariya: He uses our clear water to make steam. Then he uses the steam to cleanse his black water.

Doubar: Black water?

Sariya: It bubbles up from the earth. When it’s cleansed, it makes perfect fuel for lamps. He controls the oil for the whole kingdom. Vatek sells it throughout all the seaports. For a price, I could show you thieves his stockpile.

Maeve: For a price?

Sinbad: We’re not thieves. We’re here to find Princess Gaia’s talisman. We have to find it before midnight.

Sariya: And what profit is in that?

Sinbad: The profit in saving her life. Of denying Vatek’s claim on her. Now, are you gonna help us, or did you lose the courage you said you had?

(Cudgelmen come up to them, and they fight; Sariya sneaks off)

Sinbad: All we want is the talisman that you stole.

(The Cudgelmen advance on them and swing their clubs)

Sinbad: (ducks, then draws saber) All right. Have it your way.

(They fight; Sariya sneaks into Vatek’s cave, to the stockpile; she finds the talisman; Sariya comes back out)

Sariya: Run! It’s gonna explode!

(The crew and Sariya runs away from the flames and dive for the ground, just as it explodes; they get up)

Sinbad: Everyone all right?

Maeve: Where have you been?

Sariya: Getting this! (holds up talisman)

Maeve: Vatek just gave it to you.

Sariya: No! He doesn’t even know that I’ve got it!

Maeve: Then how did you get it?

Sariya: I was in his trust. He kept me and my family alive.

Maeve: When did you decide to help us?

Sariya: I know that this holds power for him, and it’s about time his power ended!

Maeve: You’re in league with him, aren’t you?

Sariya: Up until now. Up until now I had no other choice! He was my only means of survival! Only now do I realize that sooner or later we’d be dead on his oppression.

Sinbad: Where is he?

Sariya: Up in the castle, intent on getting what he wants.

Doubar: We’ll never make it back by midnight.

Sariya: I know a quick way through the tunnel. I’ll show you.

(Sariya walks on)

Doubar: Can we afford to trust her?

Sinbad: Can we afford not to?

(The crew follows Sariya)

(Malicut, Shadbush, and two guards are with Gaia)

Shadbush: There must be something we can give her. It’s nearly midnight.

Malicut: She will die shortly. Within minutes.

Shadbush: Where is Firouz? Where is the other physician?

Guard: He disappeared, Sire. We went looking for him, but we weren’t able to track him.

Shadbush: I can’t hand her over to Vatek! I can’t!

Malicut: You must!

Shadbush: I can’t!

Malicut: You must! (changes into Vatek) And you will! (takes off mask)

Shadbush: Kill him!

(The guards go after him, but Malicut just laughs, and uses his magic to stop them)

Vatek: That’s not going to happen either. (laughs)

(The crew and Sariya make it back to the castle, to the room where Firouz is being held captive)

Firouz: Where have you been?

Doubar: Oh, just out larking about.

Firouz: Vatek is in the castle.

Sinbad: I know. We have the talisman.

(Sariya holds it up)

Firouz: Then go! Just…just leave me here! Go!

(The crew and Sariya run up the stairs and into the castle)

(Vatek and Shadbush are in Gaia’s room)

Vatek: So much you owe me! Stole from me! The mother being the worst of your thievery!

Shadbush: She never loved you! And neither will Gaia!

Vatek: This is not about love! I could have killed her many times. Instead, I let you preoccupy yourself with her safety. Meanwhile, I acquired all your land, worth acquiring. The empire building is the best form of revenge, didn’t you know that?

Shadbush: Just let me have my Gaia, and the rest of my kingdom is yours.

Vatek: Oh, no. That’s not satisfactory. My satisfaction is killing your precious Gaia right before your eyes!

Shadbush: No!

Vatek: Oh, yes!

Shadbush: I won’t allow it!

(Shadbush grabs a sword and stands behind Vatek, about to swing, when Vatek uses his magic, so that Shadbush is frozen)

Vatek: You won’t allow it. But all allowances are mine! (laughs)

(The crew and Sariya enter; Shadbush is unfrozen, and swings his sword at Vatek, missing; Vatek uses his magic so that the crewmembers can’t move their legs; the only ones he doesn’t do it on is Sariya, who is hidden out of sight, Maeve, and Sinbad)

Doubar: Sinbad! I can’t move my legs!

Sinbad: Maeve! Use your magic!

Maeve: I summon the power of—

(Vatek uses his magic, and she falls to the ground)

Vatek: Nothing! The Princess dies at midnight, and the King gets to watch!

Sinbad: Your power seems to be stretched a little thin.

Vatek: You take another step, I’ll also start killing your friends.

(Sinbad draws his sword and advances on Vatek, but Vatek uses his magic on him, and he collapses)

Sariya: (runs to Gaia and puts the talisman around her neck) Vatek, your spell is broken!

Sinbad: Go back to the hell you came form!

(Sinbad throws his sword at Vatek, killing him)

Gaia: (wakes up) Father! (hugs Shadbush)

Shadbush: Oh, Gaia!

(It is Gaia’s birthday celebration; Gaia is riding the bipeddler)

Firouz: I told you she’d like it. Rongar suggested the steering modifications. I think he’s got a touch of the inventor in him.

(Sariya and Shadbush walk up to Sinbad)

Shadbush: Will you be departing soon?

Sinbad: We will.

Shadbush: You will always be welcome here.

Maeve: (to Sariya) I’m sorry I doubted your intentions.

Sariya: No, you were both right.

Maeve: How so?

Sariya: Misery’s not a life. The miserable must revolt. I sold myself to live, and only now do I feel truly alive. Thank you. (kisses Sinbad on the cheek)

Maeve: Hey, now. Let’s not be too thankful.

(Sariya gives her a knowing smile)

Gaia: (gets off the bipeddler) Who wants to try it next?

Doubar: Well, I’m always up for an adventure. Seems simple enough.

(Doubar gets on and peddles across the room)

Doubar: Firouz! How do you stop this thing?

Firouz: The stopping mechanism! Now why didn’t I think of that?

(The crew stares in horror as Doubar crashes)

THE END