Erik the Viking Page #12

ERIK:

I am the air! I am the wind!

Keitel and Thorfinn are now fighting side by side.

THORFINN:

This is life, eh?

Keitel grins and strikes out. Ivar turns on Eilif who has reluctantly joined the fray. Maybe he's singled Ivar out as the most harmless. Ivar suddenly realizes he's only armed with drumsticks. Eilif smiles evilly.

IVAR:

Ooh... er...

Eilif's sword slices through Ivar's drumsticks. Ivar turns to run, but is stopped by a dog-soldier. Eilif takes the opportunity to run him through from behind.

IVAR:

(as he dies)

Ouch.

Erik sees Ivar's demise.

ERIK:

Ivar!

Erik leaps to take revenge. He jumps into the galley-pit and out again a la Douglas Fairbanks in THE THIEF OF BAGHDAD and dispatches Eilif with a single thrust. Sven and his dad are fighting surrounded by dog- soldiers.

SVEN'S DAD

Well, go on! Go berserk!

SVEN:

GIVE US A CHANCE, Dad!

Snorri appears from behind.

SNORRI:

(to Sven's dad)

What about you? Why don't YOU go berserk?

SVEN'S DAD

I got to keep my eye on HIM...

Sven's dad looks uneasy. He is surrounded and, as a seasoned campaigner, knows they haven't much chance. Halfdan smiles to himself. The battle is going his way. Thorfinn meanwhile is fighting two dog- soldiers but is attacked from behind by a third.

SVEN:

Look out! Thorfinn!

But it's too late. Thorfinn is run through the back. Sven goes berserk and kills all three dog-soldiers. Sven's dad looks on, proud of his son for the first time. Maybe their relationship will never be the same again. Now Snorri sees something that cheers him up. SLaves are coming up from below to join the battle. They are armed with oars and swords. They join the fray, knocking dog-soldiers overboard with their oars. The dog-soldier are suddenly outnumbered. Halfdan's smile fades, and he looks around for an escape route. The tide of battle has now turned dramatically as dog-soldier after dog-soldier is tossed over the side or laid low by the combination of Vikings and slaves. Halfdan and Gisli slip into a lifeboat and sneak off. The rats are leaving the sinking ship. Back on the deck, all the dog-soldiers are dead or overboard. The slaves and Vikings are cheering and embracing each other. At the other end of the boat, Sven is cradling the dying Thorfinn in his arms. All around are jubilant slaves celebrating their freedom.

SVEN:

Thorfinn! You can't die!

THORFINN:

I'm not frightened... of anything...

SVEN:

You'll see my grandfather in Valhalla!

THORFINN:

(dying)

No... he's not... not... there...

SVEN:

Tell him I'm coming!

Thorfinn dies. Sven holds him and a tear comes down his face. The danger has made comrades of the two rivals. Erik, however, is still fighting a last lone dog-soldier; but just as he is about to run him through the dog-soldier is stabbed in the back. He sinks to the floor, revealing another dog-soldier. Erik is outraged by this act of treachery and turns on the assassin.

DOG-SOLDIER

No! No" Wait! Please wait, Erik!

The dog-soldier pulls his mask off to reveal he is, in fact, Loki. Erik is totally non-plussed.

ERIK:

LOKI! Where did YOU come from?

LOKI:

Halfdan wanted to stop you waking the Gods... so... I disguised

myself to sabotage their plans.

Erik has meanwhile been joined by the remaining comrades.

LOKI:

To save YOU, Erik.

Erik is about to say "But how can you see me? I'm wearing the Cloak Invisible."

ERIK:

But -

LOKI:

It was my master Keitel's idea.

All eyes turn on Keitel who looks very uncomfortable.

LOKI:

Wasn't it, Keitel?

KEITEL:

Well... I... I thought...

Keitel is overcome b the power of Loki's will, but he is deeply ashamed of his complicity in Loki's deeds. Snorri gazes at Keitel with growing suspicion.

ERIK:

But... How is it you can see me?

(he looks round)

You can all

see me?

LOKI:

What d'you mean?

SNORRI AND OTHERS

Why shouldn't we see you?

HARALD:

I can't see him.

ERIK:

I'm wearing the Cloak Invisible....

Erik takes it off to demonstrate.

HARALD:

Oh! There you are!

ERIK:

(to the others)

You mean... you could see me all the time?

The Vikings look at each other, mystified.

SNORRI:

Weren't we supposed to?

ERIK:

Oh... I feel a little... oh...

Erik's knees give way and he faints onto the deck. Cut to King's Hall some time later. A victory celebration is in progress. It is a little bit like a Hampstead cocktail party, and the rough, battle-stained Vikings look rather out of place holding their little canapes. Suddenly the King claps for silence.

KING ARNULF:

We are grateful to you, Erik, and to your men...

COURT:

Yes, we are...

KING ARNULF:

And there is only ONE way we can repay you... Musicians!

King arnulf claps his hands. Erik rushes over to him, anxious to avoid another Hy-Brasilian concert.

ERIK:

(hurriedly)

Well, we'd love to hear you sing again, but what we'd really

appreciate would be if you could see your way to lending... not

giving of course...

(continuing)... but just lending us the....

um... the, well, to be quite blunt... the Horn Resounding.

All the time Erik is talking the doors of the hall behind are opening and a vast lur or horn is carried in by six bearers. One or two of the Vikings have turned to look and are now standing speechless. King Arnulf beams at Erik.

KING ARNULF:

It's yours.

Now Erik finally turns and looks at what everyone else is looking at. Erik's jaw drops. Everyone in the court beams at Erik,except Aud who is looking sad and disappointed.

ERIK:

(when he can find his voice)

Is THAT it?

A cloud passes over King Arnulf's happy face.

KING ARNULF:

Is there something the matter with it?

ERIK:

Oh! No! No... of course not... it's just I hadn't expected it to be quite so big.

KING ARNULF:

Well, it's not called the Horn Resounding for nothing.

(aside)

You DO know how to play the horn, don't you?

ERIK:

Yes... oh, yes...

KING ARNULF:

Then I expect you'll be leaving first thing in the morning.

The King manhandles Erik away from his daughter. Perhaps we have the feeling that she's isn't going to let Erik go as easily as that...Mix through to later that night. The Vikings are lying asleep on the Great Hall, beside the Horn Resounding. The camera closes in on Keitel. Suddenly a voice comes from the shadows:

VOICE:

(whispering)

Keitel! Keitel Blacksmith!

Keitel opens his eyes and finds Loki close beside him.

LOKI:

What's the matter, Keitel Blacksmith? Have you forgotten why you came on this voyage?

Keitel is silent.

LOKI:

Are you going to let Erik wake the Gods?

KEITEL:

How can we stops him now?

Loki looks around and then opens his hand in front of Keitel. In it is the mouthpiece from the Horn Resounding.

LOKI:

Take this and throw it from the cliff heights. They'll never make the Horn Resounding sound without it.

Keitel frowns. Then an obvious thought limps across his muscular mind.

KEITEL:

But why me? Why don't you do it?

Somebody stirs.

LOKI:

Sh! Hurry!

KEITEL:

YOU do it!

LOKI:

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