Krull Page #4

Modred's riderless horse emerges from the other side of the

gate. A new angle shows Modred lying on the stone floor

beneath the gate tower, his chest raked by deep gouges.

EXT. WOODS NEAR WHITE CASTLE - NIGHT

Colwyn stands beside the exit of the underground passage,

tears running down his cheeks as he stares at the burning

castle in the distance.

EXT. FOREST NEAR GRANITE NEEDLE - DAY

The forest ends abruptly, some distance from the edge of a

steep cliff. A natural stone bridge arches from the cliff to

the Granite Needle, a cylindrical formation that rises from

the floor of the valley below.

Colwyn stands at the edge of the forest, looking out at a

group of Slayers posted near the stone bridge. Nearby are a

pair of black tents housing more Slayers.

He hears a noise and turns to see a Slayer behind him,

drawing his sword. As the Slayer rushes, Colwyn hurls his

knife at the T-slot in the Slayer's cylindrical helmet,

striking him between the eyes.

EXT. GRANITE NEEDLE - DAY

Colwyn, wearing the dead Slayer's helmet and armor,

approaches the group near the stone bridge. The bridge leads

to an opening in the side of the Needle, which gives access

to a passage which extends some ten feet into the Needle

before it takes a right-angle turn.

On the floor of the passage are heaped the bodies of half a

dozen Slayers; though Ynyr may not be able to get out, he is

clearly capable of preventing anyone from getting in.

COLWYN:

The old man must sleep sometime.

SLAYER:

Yes, sometime. But when?

COLWYN:

Perhaps now.

SLAYER:

Perhaps you'd like to stroll across

the bridge and find out.

COLWYN:

Perhaps I will.

2ND SLAYER

Go right ahead, brother, and let the

old man put you to sleep forever ...

(nods toward bodies)

... along with them.

The Slayers laugh, but fall silent as Colwyn draws his sword

and starts across the bridge.

He moves across the bridge into the passageway, stepping

over bodies as he nears the right-angle turn.

INT. CAVE IN GRANITE NEEDLE - INTERCUT - DAY

Ynyr stares down the passage toward the right-angle turn. In

his hand, held out before him, is a silver glaive, a cross-

shaped weapon with four equal blades.

When Colwyn rounds the corner into view, the glaive leaps

from the old man's hand and spins down the passageway.

COLWYN:

(pulling off his helmet)

I am Colwyn, son of Turold!

The glaive stops in midair, inches from Colwyn's throat.

Realizing they've been tricked, two Slayers start across the

bridge to attack Colwyn. But the old man projects his glaive

past the boy, where it hangs in midair, spinning and

glowing. The Slayers retreat.

SLAYER:

There is no way out. He will die

there with the old man.

In the cave, Colwyn stands in front of Ynyr.

COLWYN:

The White Castle has fallen.

YNYR:

Does the Queen live?

COLWYN:

The new Queen lives.

YNYR:

Turold's son was to marry her.

COLWYN:

We were married. Then she was taken

by the Slayers. You must help me.

YNYR:

I have lived in this place, like my

fathers before me, guarding the old

knowledge. I knew, when I had no

son, that the Great War would come

in my time, and that I would be the

one to pass on the old knowledge to

a new king. Come.

Colwyn glances toward the entrance.

YNYR:

It is night. The Slayers have gone

to their tents and the bridge is

guarded by Dark Ones. They will not

cross, for they have no power in

this place.

Colwyn follows Ynyr through a passageway to ...

INT. TRIANGULAR ROOM IN GRANITE NEEDLE - NIGHT

Colwyn and Ynyr sit beside a fire in a triangular pit in the

floor. Colwyn has shed the Slayer's armor, and Ynyr holds a

black onyx box in his lap.

YNYR:

This is not the first time the Dark

Ones have attacked our world. They

came once before, a thousand years

ago. A young king and queen, with

extraordinary powers, were given to

us then, to lead the struggle. My

fore-father was their Councilor, as

I will be yours.

COLWYN:

I have no extraordinary powers.

YNYR:

Your powers are greater than you

know.

(indicates his glaive)

Have you ever seen one of these?

COLWYN:

In the old books. It's called a

glaive.

Ynyr opens the onyx box to reveal a golden glaive.

YNYR:

This belonged to the young king who

fought the Dark Ones a thousand

years ago. Now it is yours.

Colwyn picks up the glaive, turns it in his hands, the

blades flashing in the firelight.

YNYR:

With two or three days' practice,

you'll be able to use it as well as

I can. Then we'll have a chance of

fighting our way out of here.

COLWYN:

Two or three days! While Lyssa is in

their hands?

YNYR:

There is no other way.

COLWYN:

(looks at the fire)

But there is another entrance to

this place.

Ynyr follows Colwyn's gaze and sees that he's judging from

the movement of the flames.

YNYR:

Yes.

INT. TUNNEL IN GRANITE NEEDLE - NIGHT

YNYR:

But it opens onto the sheer wall of

the Needle. There's no way down.

COLWYN:

You have rope?

YNYR:

I am too old to climb down a rope.

COLWYN:

You won't have to.

EXT. OPENING IN WALL OF GRANITE NEEDLE - NIGHT

Colwyn inserts his glaive in a crack beside the opening,

then ties a rope to the glaive and climbs down the wall.

EXT. BOTTOM OF GRANITE NEEDLE - INTERCUT - NIGHT

Colwyn reaches the ground and signals Ynyr, who unties the

rope from the glaive and secures it around his waist. Then

he lowers the rope over the glaive, which allows Colwyn to

lower him down the side of the Needle.

EXT. NEARBY CLIFF - INTERCUT - NIGHT

A Dark One watches them from the top of the cliff, its red

eyes peering over the edge. The thing moves quickly down the

rock face, with only an occasional scrape or flash of claw

to mark its descent.

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