TEASER FADE IN Night. A large army camp in front of a walled city. Torches are lit in the camp and up on the city walls, but everything is silent; the atmosphere is extremely tense. Two night watchmen are warming their hands by a fire. In the background, the city walls loom large and dark. There is a sound off-camera. The watchmen grab their spears, trying to look awake. WATCHMAN #1: A tall, elaborately armed man walks up to the watch post. The watchmen hurriedly lower their weapons. WATCHMAN #2: POLYNEICES: WATCHMAN #2: Polyneices ignores the watchmen and continues to walk past the fire. The camera focuses on his face as he looks towards the city walls. He takes a deep breath, savoring the feel of the air. POLYNEICES: CUT TO The outside of the city wall. The camera focuses on two shadows, which seem to peel off from it; they turn out to be two cloaked figures. A gap in the wall opens up and they disappear inside. CUT TO The other side of the gap, inside the city. The wall is well-lit by torches. The two cloaked people climb through; behind them, someone swings a heavy metal plate back to close the gap. The first person lowers the hood of their cloak: it's Xena. Next to her, Gabrielle does the same and shakes out her hair. GABRIELLE: XENA: A richly dressed, middle-aged man with a retinue of servants hurries towards them. XENA: CREON: The camera follows them as they walk briskly along the wall. GABRIELLE: CREON: GABRIELLE (aghast): CREON: GABRIELLE (shaking her head): XENA: CREON: XENA: GABRIELLE: XENA: CREON: He is interrupted by the sound of trumpets and battle cries. A gong sounds. VOICES OFF-CAMERA: There's a hissing sound and a series of loud crashes, as missiles from catapults hit the walls above. More screams from outside the city, presumably the Theban archers have responded. CREON: They reach the base of a tower; a spiral staircase inside leads up to the wall. XENA: CUT TO The top of the Thebes city wall. Archers are posted at every other crenulations; some have been wounded or killed by the most recent attack. Others hurry to take their position to hold off the attacking Argive army. Creon appears, followed by Xena and Gabrielle. CREON: XENA: She forces Gabrielle and Creon back as burning projectiles pelt the wall. There is a muffled scream off-camera; an archer slumps over. Another man grabs the bow from his hands and pushes him aside, aiming down. XENA (yells): VOICE OFF-CAMERA: Xena turns around to find Eteocles--a tall young man in bright, gaudy armor. The resemblance to Polyneices is striking. ETEOCLES: XENA: ETEOCLES: XENA (trying to contain her impatience): ETEOCLES: CREON: Something slams into the wall below; the sound is repeated all along the battlements. GABRIELLE: XENA: GABRIELLE: CUT TO The outside of the city walls, soldiers are climbing the ladders. CREON'S VOICE: CUT TO Back on the wall, a soldier points down. A SOLDIER (calls out): Eteocles hefts his spear. CREON: ETEOCLES (to Xena): Eteocles runs towards the soldier who pointed out his brother. XENA: GABRIELLE: Gabrielle runs along the far side of the wall, in the direction of the top of a gate, where the majority of the troops are stationed. XENA (to the troops): CUT TO The Argive soldiers scaling the wall are close to the top; Xena and the Thebans are pushing the ladders back. A ladder teeters, then topples backwards slowly; archers from the city wall shoot at the men clinging to it. They scream, breaking the ranks of the troops behind them as the ladder falls. More arrows follow them. CUT TO On the wall, Theban soldiers cheer, heartened. Another ladder is pushed backwards. The cheer grows louder as reinforcements arrive. GABRIELLE: Xena nods, as Gabrielle and the others join the fray. A few men make it to the top of the wall before the ladders are pushed back; skirmishes break out. A man comes up behind Xena, sword raised. GABRIELLE: Xena swivels back, grabs the man's arm and twists it, forcing him to drop the weapon. MAN: Other Argive soldiers hear him; there are isolated exclamations among the soldiers in the vicinity. XENA: She knocks him out and continues fighting the others, as more reinforcements arrive. The battle has clearly turned to Thebes' favor. CUT TO Some of the soldiers scaling the wall panic, trying to climb back down; those below them on the ladders try to hold on. SOLDIERS' VOICES: COMMANDER'S VOICE BELOW: CUT TO The last few skirmishes are ending, the Argive army below is fleeing. GABRIELLE: XENA: The camera follows Xena's indication: Eteocles and Polyneices are fighting. The sound of their swords clashing continues after all other skirmishes have ceased. Two other men from the Argive army lie dead at their feet. ETEOCLES: He throws Polyneices against a crenulations in the wall, then twists his head so he can see the Argive army retreating. ETEOCLES: POLYNEICES (struggling): He wrests his arm from his brother's grip and stabs Eteocles in the side with his dagger. Eteocles screams and releases him momentarily; in the next instant, he lifts Polyneices against the wall and hurls his body down. There is a distant sound as Polyneices' body hits the ground. Eteocles clutches his side, then collapses. The camera focuses on his still form for a moment, then moves back. Behind a line of soldiers, Creon looks pale-faced and stunned. Soldiers stand aside as he makes his way to the body, followed by Xena and Gabrielle. He shakes his head in disbelief. CREON (softly): There is a noise as soldiers try to hold someone back; Xena and Gabrielle turn around. A slender girl in a richly embroidered tunic, with a diadem around her head, is trying to force her way past the soldiers. CREON: ANTIGONE (cries): She finally breaks through and falls to her knees near Eteocles' body, sobbing. She puts her arms around him, shaking him, trying to push his hair from his face. ANTIGONE: Gabrielle moves away from Xena and kneels beside the girl, trying to comfort her. Soldiers try to remove Antigone from near the body, but Creon stops them with a gesture. CREON: Antigone sobs dejectedly, crumpled over her brother's body. CREON (continues): Guards appear. CREON: Gabrielle looks up at Xena, they exchange a troubled look as we: FADE OUT END OF TEASER |