(Sinbad, Maeve, and Milasco are walking through a forest)

Sinbad: Milasco, is this the path to the other village?

Milasco: Yes, this is it.

Sinbad: Good. It might still be open.

Milasco: Look, if I’m slowing you down, it’s okay if you leave me behind.

Sinbad: Milasco, do you always put other people’s needs ahead of your own?

Milasco: I’m sorry. I mean, if it bothers you, I can stop.

(Sinbad smiles, and shakes his head, then continues)

Maeve: Milasco, when you came through the other village, what exactly did you see?

Milasco: It was horrible. The people withered away, just like here, with no rhyme or reason to it.

(Suddenly, some branches began to fall on them)

Sinbad: What kind of magic is this?

Maeve: The devilish kind!

(They dodge all the falling branches)

Sinbad: Run Maeve!

(They dodge more; then they suddenly stop)

Maeve: This is a very unusual curse.

Sinbad: I agree. Those branches seemed somehow aimed at you. (he looks at Maeve)

(Back in the village, Rongar, Doubar, and Firouz are drawing straws; Rongar gets the shortest one; Sinbad and Maeve join them)

Doubar: Where have you been?

Sinbad: We had a little termite trouble. Is everything ready?

Firouz: Yes. I designed a catapult that launches over the wall. And Rongar has even agreed to be the first volunteer, after the first initial test.

Sinbad: (looks at Rongar) Short straw? (Rongar nods)

Firouz: You’ll be fine. I’ve sewn together bed sheets, and attached them to a harness that you’ll wear. You’ll float down like a leaf. Bring a bow and arrow with you. When you land, tie the sheets to the arrow, and shoot it back to us, for the next person.

Sinbad: All right, then! Let’s crank ‘er up.

Firouz: Ah, yes, ah. Let’s, ah, load the test barrel, Rongar.

(The load the test barrel onto the catapult)

Firouz: Stand back, everybody! Here goes!

(He shoots it, but it hits the wall, and falls back to the ground, making everyone fall to the ground as well)

Sinbad: How can that be? My arrow past over the wall at that very spot!

Maeve: Unless, it somehow sensed what we were doing, and made itself taller?

Firouz: That would imply a curse that could think.

Doubar: Dusk is falling. We haven’t time to load more barrels of rocks, to test the wall’s new height.

Casendra: We can’t wait until tomorrow. Three more of our people have vanished in the last hour.

Sinbad: Prepare the crossbow. I’ll go next. (turns to Maeve) It’d help to know what we’re up against. Now?

Maeve: (to Dermott) Check how high the new wall reaches. (Dermott chirps) Be careful. (He files up to the wall)

Sinbad: How high is this thing? Firouz!

(Firouz takes out his magniscope, and watches Dermott)

Maeve: Well?

Firouz: I can’t find him in this dim light. Got him! He’s up now, where the light still remains. He’s gaining altitude. He’s turning towards the wall.

(Dermott disappears into the wall; Firouz slowly puts down his magniscope)

Maeve: (looks at Firouz) Why are you stopping? What’s happened?

Firouz: Dermott. He disappeared.

(Maeve is totally upset)

(Maeve is talking to a squirrel; Sinbad enters the room and joins her)

Maeve: (to the squirrel) Is there anything else?

Sinbad: Oh. I didn’t know I was interrupting. I know Dermott was very special to you, but—

Maeve: (to squirrel) Yes, I understand. I’ll have to be very careful.

(Sinbad walks over to her)

Sinbad: Maeve? I know we’re all under a lot of pressure here, but when you’re done chatting, we have to figure out this curse.

Maeve: It’s not a curse.

Sinbad: Not a curse?

Maeve: (to squirrel) Oh, exactly. It’s a creature. (to Sinbad) Did Dim-Dim ever tell you about the Vorgon?

Sinbad: Vorgon? No, I…wait a minute…yes…yes…when Doubar and I were small. It was one of his many stories of magic. A creature that lived, by draining the life essence from others. But that was just an old fairytale.

Maeve: And for me a teaching lesson. Unfortunately, one I paid very little attention to. How can such an outdated story have to do with today?

Sinbad: But Maeve, there’s no creature here.

Maeve: Yes, there is. This little fellow scampered through the east village five nights ago. The people weren’t there, but a strange beast was, walking through the ruins.

Sinbad: Now I remember. Once drained by the Vorgon, the person evaporates.

Maeve: Yes, they vanish.

Sinbad: Maeve! Those stories about the villages vanishing, five centuries ago—no, twenty years ago, what if—

Maeve: It wasn’t a curse there, either?

Sinbad: Yes.

Maeve: But for a creature to live that long, that many centuries, would be impossible, unless—

Sinbad: Unless the creature were immortal. Dim-Dim used to say that the Vorgon lived forever.

Maeve: As long as it had people to feed from.

Sinbad: Yes! The pieces all fit, Maeve! We’ve done it! It must be the Vorgon!

(Maeve hands Sinbad the squirrel, and he drops it on the bed)

Sinbad: Thanks for your help.

(Maeve walks over to the window, and Sinbad follows her; Maeve watches a couple of kids of the village, playing with a pet dog)

Sinbad: Maeve? Dim-Dim used to always say it helps to talk about things.

Maeve: Does that bring Dermott back? I sent him up there. It’s my fault.

Sinbad: I asked you to. Besides, Dermott’s a member of our crew. He knew what he was getting into. Don’t take this so hard. We all make mistakes.

Maeve: You never seem to.

Sinbad: How wrong you are, Maeve. Do you think that I don’t regret losing Dim-Dim? That I don’t think about all the friends I lost because of decisions that I had to make as Captain? Sometimes things don’t turn out the way you want them to. That’s when you have to trust in yourself, your friends, to get you through the problem.

Maeve: (after a long pause) We have to get this monster.

Sinbad: Okay. (they turn around and walk back into the room) What kind of a description did your furry friend give you?

Maeve: It was afraid to get too close…and it was dark…the dark! (she quickly runs outside for her books; Sinbad follows)

(They go outside; Sinbad picks up his bow and arrow; Maeve picks up her book and opens it)

Maeve: Here. Of all the creatures born of darkness, only the dreaded Vorgon always remains there. He only walks in darkness.

Sinbad: That’s not all that helpful.

Maeve: Okay, try this, then. In light, he masked himself in a human host, in order to travel from place to place.

Sinbad and Maeve: Milasco!

Sinbad: He must have been taken over by the Vorgon in the last village.

(Firouz and Rongar are trying to dig a hole deep enough, to pass under the wall; Rongar turns grey, then reaches his hand out to Firouz, who tries to reach him; Rongar disappears)

Firouz: No!

(Sinbad and Maeve run to him)

Firouz: R-Rongar and I…we were…ah…attempting to tunnel the wall…it…it extends too far…Rongar…he…he…tried…he wouldn’t stop…

Sinbad: Firouz!

Firouz: He’s gone.

(Sinbad and what’s left of his crew ran through a meadow, on the way to Milasco’s house)

Firouz: That troll in Milasco’s responsible for everything that occurred here!

Sinbad: That troll is the beast.

(Maeve gasps)

Sinbad: What is it?

Maeve: It’s Dermott! He’s alive.

Sinbad: Maeve, we’d all like to believe that Dermott is still with us—

Maeve: Ssh! (she runs a few steps) Here! Spirit of Oculous, lift the veil of obscurity, so that we might behold…

(Appearing before them, is a window that sees to where all the villagers have disappeared to; it shows Dermott, Rongar, and a number of other people)

Maeve: Dermott!

Firouz: Rongar!

Maeve: Dim-Dim said that those who vanished were not lost, until the Vorgon drained the last life out of the village and moved on. I always thought that he meant their memories were not forgotten, but look! They’re still here. They’re still alive. We can save them.

Sinbad: Can you open it?

Maeve: (the window disappears, and she turns around) I haven’t the knowledge.

Firouz: How do we get them back?

Maeve: How do you break most spells? The old standby. Kill the one who cast it.

Sinbad: And that person is Milasco. Go get Doubar.

(The crew is back in the main part of the village; Sinbad sees Casendra)

Sinbad: Casendra! Good news! We can still save your father—

(They hear a scream)

Casendra: Milasco’s house! There’s screams from inside.

Sinbad: There’s no time to wait for the others.

(They run into Milasco’s house; Milasco is lying on the bed, stabbed in the stomach; Casendra gasps)

Maeve: Someone had the same idea as us.

Sinbad: This may not be Milasco. The curse may now be lifted.

(Casendra turns grey)

Sinbad: Then again…

Casendra: I guess even you can’t always keep your promises.

Sinbad: Casendra!

(She disappears)

(Sinbad walks over to the fire, and kneels; Maeve walks up beside him)

Maeve: If Milasco’s not the Vorgon, then who is?

Sinbad: I bet whichever person sent me that stone knows the Vorgon’s identity.

Maeve: Sinbad! Haven’t you figured it out by now? No person here sent that stone. No one here knows magic. I’ll bet the Vorgon himself sent it.

Sinbad: What? Why?

Maeve: I don’t know!

Belkor: I heard Milasco’s dead. Now, maybe this curse has freed our village.

Sinbad: I wouldn’t be too sure of that, Belkor.

(The crew and the remaining villagers are watching Maeve use her magic to burn a hole in the wall; Sinbad joins them)

Sinbad: What’s going on here?

Firouz: She’s trying to burn a hole in the portal.

Sinbad: Can she do that?

Doubar: Gone so far.

(Another villager disappears)

Sinbad: Oh no! Maeve! Maeve! You’re only wasting your energy!

Maeve: No! I was wasting energy, trying to think of a way to defeat the Vorgon! (she stops) He’s not the only one with powers! (she starts again)

Sinbad: Maeve! Stop using your magic!

Maeve: Not until everyone’s free!

Sinbad: Maeve! The Vorgon’s not freeing them! He’s taking more of them! Maeve! The Vorgon’s taking everyone’s life essence, to strengthen itself against your attack!

(Maeve doesn’t stop; Firouz disappears)

Doubar: Firouz!

Maeve: (stops, collapses to the ground, and looks behind her) Oh, no! What have I done? (there are no more villagers left)

(She turns grey and vanishes)

Sinbad: Maeve!

(Sinbad and Doubar are walking through the empty village)

Doubar: Maeve was our last hope. Only she among us knew magic. Maybe this Vorgon doesn’t exist. We’re the last two, my brother.

(They stop walking)

Sinbad: I promised to help. I stopped nothing.

Doubar: I now fear we shall never find Dim-Dim.

Sinbad: Another vow I cannot keep.

Doubar: Sinbad, I don’t feel very good. (he turns grey) How do I look?

Sinbad: You look fine.

Doubar: The world. It’s growing dark.

Sinbad: Then behold only me! You cannot leave, Doubar. Who will watch my back?

Doubar: You’ll be fine, little brother. We both knew this time would one day come.

(They hug)

Sinbad: (pulls away and looks straight at Doubar) Why must I be the last cursed?

Doubar: My guess is, that whoever’s doing this, has special plans for you.

(Doubar disappears; tears come out of Sinbad’s eyes)

Sinbad: The world…it’s growing dark. Even now, Doubar, you’re watching my back.

(Sinbad is sitting on top of a pile of hay, when Milasco comes up behind him)

Sinbad: (without turning his head towards Milasco) Hello, Milasco. Or should I address you as Vorgon? (he turns to look at Milasco)

Milasco: Whatever. Oh. (looks at knife in chest) Almost forgot. (he pulls it out)

Sinbad: I built a funeral fire for you.

Milasco: (laughs) Fire cannot harm me. Nothing can. I have existed for centuries.

Sinbad: Off the lives of others. You take what does not belong to you.

Milasco: Doesn’t everybody? After absorbing so many lives, I’m looking forward to acquiring a new body.

Sinbad: That’s why you lured me here. You plan to take mine next.

Milasco: Really. And why should I want someone as scrawny as you?

Sinbad: Because my ship can take you to any place in the world. No port would ever question the arrival of Sinbad the Sailor.

Milasco: I must admit I’m looking forward to visiting Greece. They say it’s the birthplace of civilization. It seems fitting to start there.

Sinbad: Seems more fitting, to kill you here! (he jumps down and begins to fight Milasco)

(Sinbad fights him for a few minutes)

Milasco: Not bad, Sinbad. I should take great pleasure inhabiting your body…which is why I don’t want to hurt it…too much.

Sinbad: Unfortunately, I don’t have the same consideration for you!

(He tries to slice at Milasco)

Milasco: Oh, that hurts. It’s warm! Nice swing! (Sinbad swings a few more times) I’m afraid our fun must come to an end.

Sinbad: (stops) I can’t! You win.

(Milasco falls back, onto the ground, and out comes the Vorgon; Sinbad stares at him)

Sinbad: By the seas! You’re ugly. He only walks at night! You can appear in your true form only at night.

Vorgon: We can all be careful of too much sunlight. Just hold still! It won’t hurt…much. (Sinbad is holding a torch) I already told you. Fire can’t kill me.

Sinbad: But it can kill me! At least you won’t get my body. (he throws the torch aside)

Vorgon: So much for that great plan.

Sinbad: Actually, that was plan B. This is plan A!

(Sinbad pulls down the walls of hay, revealing the catapult; he covers the Vorgon with the sheets that are attached to a large arrow)

Vorgon: Damn you, Sinbad! You’ll pay dearly for this! This bag cannot hold me! You’ll soon be mine! (he begins to tear the sheets, but not before Sinbad hooks it all to the catapult, and sends it up into the air; the Vorgon comes back down, and makes a mess of himself in front of Sinbad)

Sinbad: Looks like someone forgot to clean up after themselves.

(The villagers and Sinbad’s crew suddenly appear; Maeve lets Dermott fly away, and runs up to Sinbad; they hug, but then they kiss, without realizing it; they pulled away from each other, surprised at what they did; the crew laughs at them, and they all walk away)

(Sinbad is talking to Belkor)

Belkor: Well, I guess I was wrong about you.

Sinbad: Near death experiences can often be very educational.

(Belkor leaves Sinbad, as Casendra walks up to him)

Casendra: I wanna wish you luck, on finding your family. And thank-you, for returning mine.

(Sinbad nods, and Casendra kisses him, surprising both him and his crew, who was watching; Maeve glares at them; Casendra pulls away, then leaves; Maeve walks up to Sinbad)

Maeve: She seemed…appreciative.

Sinbad: I’ve had better kisses…and recently, I might add.

(Sinbad’s crew are watching them and listening to their conversation; they laugh at them)

Sinbad: It’s nice to see things back to normal, isn’t it? What’s wrong?

Maeve: I was just thinking how nice it felt…when we thought we found Dim-Dim.

Sinbad: We will have that feeling again, Maeve…and that’s a promise.

(Maeve walks off, and Sinbad smiles after her)

THE END