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ACT FOUR FADE IN: EXT. EGYPTIAN CAPITAL. EARLY EVENING As the sun begins to set, the final preparations for the defense of the city are taking place. Soldiers and civilians alike work hard, and are covered with the dirt and sweat of their exertions. Xena is standing just behind a deep pit trap that's been dug just inside the city gates, shovel in hand.
XENA The MAN in question looks over to Gabrielle, who gives him a smile and a nod. Sticks in hand, he then walks over to Xena, a touch fearfully. Xena, too, looks to Gabrielle, rolls her eyes, and accepts the stakes from the man. XENA The man nods, and scurries back to his post. Gabrielle stands near the wall, covering her mouth to smother a grin, and shakes her head as she watches her partner implant the stakes in the pit. It's taken most of the day, and a great deal of patience, but the villagers are finally beginning to treat Xena as something other than an impossibility to be avoided at all costs.
Gabrielle looks around, satisfied at the work they've managed to accomplish in so short a time. The final battle looms ahead; she can feel it in her bones. But for the first time, she has a measure of that which she's managed to give others... hope. The last stake set and properly positioned, Xena jumps up from the pit. Gabrielle watches as a group of impossibly young, thin, fleet-footed men and women crowd around her. Ttheir faces filled with more awe than trepidation. Gabrielle smiles with fond pride as the group nods and scurries away, to be replaced almost immediately by an even larger group armed with longbows and quivers of deadly arrows. She watches as her partner gestures to several spots along the wall and pantomimes her battle plan. The interchange lasts only moments, and when this group leaves, heading for their posts, Xena turns. She spots her partner, and waves her down from the wall. GABRIELLE XENA The pair turns to face Yavin, who's joined them, his face grimy and running with sweat. XENA YAVIN XENA YAVIN GABRIELLE
XENA YAVIN From the shadows Xena sees Zenobia standing, looking out at them, an unreadable expression on her face. XENA Gabrielle notices Zenobia, and nods. GABRIELLE Xena returns the nod, then walks away, in the direction of the tunnels out of the city. Once Xena is gone, Zenobia steps from the shadows and meets Gabrielle halfway. Both stop and assess one another. To Gabrielle, the Queen looks weary and somehow smaller than she's ever looked before. ZENOBIA GABRIELLE ZENOBIA GABRIELLE ZENOBIA GABRIELLE ZENOBIA GABRIELLE ZENOBIA GABRIELLE
Zenobia sighs, still not convinced. She watches as Gabrielle turns her head toward the tunnels, then back. GABRIELLE Zenobia watches as Gabrielle trots away. ZENOBIA CUT TO: INT. TUNNEL - NIGHT Xena and Gabrielle are watching as their troops prepare for the fight. Xena adjusts her bracer, staring out into the darkness, as Gabrielle looks on. There's a sense of anticipation running through her soulmate, and Gabrielle can feel it. It is almost like being in the middle of a storm when lightning is about to strike. Memories of the last battle they fought assails Gabrielle, and her own feeling is akin to dread. Images of Xena's corpse run through her mind, and she grits her teeth against the nausea those images invoke. Finally, she reaches out and touches Xena on the arm. The warmth of her partner's living flesh calms her inner storm somewhat, but doesn't dampen it fully. Xena turns with the touch, and her eyes go from intense to concerned quickly. XENA GABRIELLE XENA GABRIELLE Xena grasps Gabrielle's trembling hands and clasps them tightly in her own. XENA GABRIELLE XENA After a moment, Gabrielle nods, reluctantly. Xena gives her partner a little tug and pulls her into a hug. Leaning in, she presses a warm kiss to her partner's lips. They hold that way for a beat, then pull slowly away. XENA GABRIELLE XENA CUT TO: EXT. DESERT - NIGHT Xena lead her contingent of men to the left of Brakus' camp. Gabrielle splits off and takes her troops to the right. Xena lays at the top of a dune, watching the enemy camp and watching Gabrielle disappear on the other flank. Closing her eyes she waits for a moment, giving Gabrielle time to get into place. When she opens her eyes, she sees Brakus and his men are preparing to move out. Pulling her sword, she gestures to her men to be ready. Watching until the troops are formed and moving out, Xena gives the signal to charge. As the move over the hill toward the back of the troops, Gabrielle and her group come down from the other side. The fight starts at the rear, taking the men at the front a moment to realize what has happened. By the time they turn around the fight has become so fierce that they are being forced toward the city walls.
Xena smiles and gives her sword a twirl. Iit's clear that she's enjoying being in action again. She engages two men, dropping them both before either one can get in even a remotely reasonable blow. She takes a moment to second to enjoy the fight. XENA
Gabrielle throws a punch, dropping one men in front of her. Turning, she kicks another, sending him crashing to the ground. Regaining her footing, she looks for more attackers, but sees that the troops she and Xena command are doing a fine job of pushing them closer to the city. Running toward the moving battle she hears Xena's battle cry and takes the briefest of moments to enjoy the sound. A half dozen men surround Xena. Turning in small circles she manages to keep an eye on all of them. She pauses briefly then ducks, sending one of the men behind her flying over her head when he attacks. As he rises, a knee to his chin puts him back on the ground. A kick drops another man, then a back handed left fist square in the face takes down a second man attempting a further assault from the rear. A sword thrust to the right, cuts down the fourth man and the last two opt to retreat. Glancing over, Xena sees Gabrielle using her sais to disarm then take down two opponents. Then her focus returns to the city walls where the forces inside are starting to put on a defense as Brakus' men try to breech the walls. Enemy troops that have managed to climb the wall are knocked from there positions by well placed defenses of large beams rolled over the edge to knock them off and crush them when they hit the ground. Large rocks, covered with Greek Fire and set ablaze are also dropped from higher positions. Xena is obviously pleased as the gates are opened and the bulk of the forces storm through. She watches as a few stragglers cut away heading for Gabrielle's position. Confident in her partner's abilities, Xena continues, with her troops to force the enemy through the gate. Gabrielle listens as the sounds of battle intensify, she can see Xena moving closer to the gate, herding Brakus and his men as they had planned. She pauses for a moment to wipe sweat and dirt from her eyes before cutting right to engage the few men that are trying to find another way into the city. A few of her men follow her and the rest join Xena at the city gates.
Xena watches as her plan comes together and the lead forces of the enemy fall victim to the pit trap set just inside the gate. Archers fire into the group dropping several more soldiers. Xena and her troops close in from the rear, as Yavin and his ground troops attack from the front, trapping the remaining men. Gabrielle and her few soldiers engage the men who had cut away. It's not long before they are stopped and Gabrielle takes her men to go and join her partner. She stops and listens, slowly turning around she sees a half dozen demons landing just behind her. She turns to her men and gives one last command. GABRIELLE The men look and see the demons advancing, three of them run for the gates, while two charge next to her. GABRIELLE The men look to her but see the truth in her words as large swords magically appear in the demons' hands. Gabrielle takes several deep breaths, grips her sias in each hand and prepares to fight. GABRIELLE The men run toward the gate, but one of the demons takes flight and picks one of the men up in his talons. Gabrielle turns and throws her sias, cutting through the demon's wings, which causes him to fall to the ground. She watches while the soldier picks himself up and continues his run. She picks up a sword from near the body of a downed man and returns her attention to the remaining demons. Xena is taking down man after man with strokes of the blade, hard, bone crushing punches and kicks. See notices with some pleasure that Yavin and his troops are doing a tremendous job of not letting anyone get dangerously further into the city or near the tunnels. She stops in her fight and takes notice of a feeling coursing through her soul. She looks for her partner and not seeing her, charges back toward the gate and the grounds outside the city. XENA Gabrielle stumbles, then regains her footing and runs as quickly as she can for one of the outside entrances of the tunnels. Her back is on fire, her tattoo having destroyed one of the attacking demons. Panting and gasping, she slides in the sand, leading the demons away from the city, into the desert. Outside the gates, Xena charges as she sees a dark wing disappear around the corner of the walls. Running as fast as she can, Xena follows, seeing that Gabrielle has led them to a mined tunnel. She runs and drops down into the opening, landing solidly on her feet. She looks both ways for attack, but hears the sound of the demons laughing as they pursue Gabrielle. She follows and finds one of the demons impaled in the beam trap. He is struggling and fighting, trying to get free. Xena stops and raises her sword. XENA
Without hesitation she runs the demon through, releasing her sword immediately as his energy dissipates through the blade and disappears into the ceiling of the tunnel. Reclaiming her blade she continues down the tunnel in time to see Gabrielle dodge the fire trap and lead the demons directly into it. The torches drop and both are immediately engulfed in flames. Howling, both of them turn and run wildly trying to fight the flames, serving only to fan them and make the fire burn wilder and hotter. Xena protects her eyes with her hand as she watches and tries to get past them. As she does she hears a rumbling and can feel the ground shaking. Collapse of the tunnel is imminent. Xena knows she can't get through the fire. XENA As the tunnel collapse starts moving toward her, she turns and runs for the exit. Seeing it just ahead of her, and hearing the cave in behind her, she leaps and pulls herself out of the hole and rolls away as the ground under the tunnel starts to sink in on itself. Coughing out sand, she picks up her blade and runs back for the city, not taking the time to go through the gate, but jumping for the top of the wall. Grabbing it she pulls herself up and over the top. Drawing her sword she jumps down into the courtyard, fighting her way through the men, to get to the tunnel entrances. Focused on getting to the tunnel, she is still aware that the battle is slowly coming to an end, but her course never waivers. While Yavin and his troops finish off Brakus and his men, she enters the tunnels. Following the dust and the smoke she finds the tunnel that Gabrielle had entered from the other end. This end is still intact and seems to be holding solid. Moving into the tunnel, she blocks her mouth and nose with her hand as she looks for her partner. XENA From further down the tunnel, she can hear her partner calling to her. Moving deeper into the darkened passage she finds it partially collapsed. There is a small opening at the side of the tunnel being held in place by a beam laying at a diagonal slant across the maw. Xena drops to her knees and looks through the opening, and finds a gasping, panting Gabrielle looking back, coughing and laughing through the dust and smoke. XENA GABRIELLE XENA GABRIELLE Xena carefully clears away the rock, making the opening large enough to pull her partner through. XENA Gabrielle takes Xena's hand and is pulled through the opening, coming to rest right in Xena's arms. The relief for both of them is obvious as they catch their breath while holding onto each other.
XENA GABRIELLE XENA GABRIELLE CUT TO: EXT. EGYPTIAN CAPITOL - NIGHT As Xena and Gabrielle walk back into the fresh night air, Xena's senses immediately begin to prickle, and she straightens unconsciously. GABRIELLE XENA
Both women break into a run. The central square soon comes into view, and Gabrielle notices immediately what had set off Xena's protective instincts. Lucifer is standing just inside of the wall, flanked by two hulking demons. In the arms of one of the demons is Zenobia, who is fruitlessly struggling to break his grip. Yavin lies on the ground some feet away, bleeding and unconscious, but alive. The rest of the Egyptians, citizens and soldiers alike, cower in fear of this new, dark menace. Lucifer notices Xena's approach, and he turns to face her, his eyes red and glowing with the power of his rage. LUCIFER XENA LUCIFER He looks to Gabrielle and bares his teeth, then looks back to Xena.
LUCIFER XENA LUCIFER XENA LUCIFER XENA Lucifer looks to Gabrielle again, who returns his look with a smirk.
LUCIFER The two demons toss Zenobia away and start for Gabrielle. She straightens and looks them directly in the eye. They stop when a glow starts emanating from her back. They look to each other then take a step backward, shaking their heads. LUCIFER Xena stands relaxed, and smiles at the demons. XENA LUCIFER Xena's smile broadens. XENA
Before Lucifer or the demons can react, several archers appear on the wall with flaming arrows doused in greek fire. At a brief nod from Xena, they all fire at once into the bodies of the two hulking demons. Howling in agony, the demons burn to ash in seconds. Lucifer raises his head and roars in anger. Then he levels is malevolent gaze on Xena. He takes a step forward, and Gabrielle's tattoo begins to glow in earnest. Growling, he steps back. LUCIFER XENA Gabrielle grins, surprised, but doesn't turn around to see her partner's expression. XENA LUCIFER XENA Gabrielle turns then, and grasps Xena's outstretched hand. The smile on her face is enormous, and breathtaking. XENA
Lucifer looks around as the people are now getting to their feet finding new courage and power from Xena and Gabrielle standing together against him. They start moving forward slowly, but steadily. Zenobia steps forward and holds up a large golden ankh in front of her. ZENOBIA Lucifer snarls and stares at her before glaring at Xena. LUCIFER
Everyone puts up their hands to protect their eyes from the brilliant flash of light that makes night into day when Lucifer disappears. Gabrielle moves forward and hugs Zenobia then pulls back and puts her hand on the ankh. GABRIELLE
ZENOBIA Xena chuckles and puts her arm around Gabrielle's shoulder as she watches everyone gather themselves. Yavin has been roused back to consciousness by several of his fellows, and now stands more or less steadily on his feet, holding a bloody bandage to his head. XENA Zenobia smiles at Xena and wraps Gabrielle's fingers around the Ankh. ZENOBIA GABRIELLE ZENOBIA GABRIELLE CUT TO: EXT. CAPITAL CITY - DAY Xena sits atop Argo, waiting as Gabrielle says good-bye to Zenobia and Yavin. Reaching over, she gives the horse a fond pat on the neck. XENA
Argo snorts and nods her head, causing Gabrielle to smile as she pulls out of a good-bye hug with Zenobia. GABRIELLE ZENOBIA GABRIELLE Gabrielle turns and joins Xena, who offers her a hand. When Gabrielle accepts it, she is pulled up on Argo, but not behind as normal. Xena settles her partner in front of her, wrapping her arms around her.
XENA GABRIELLE Xena turns Argo and heads her toward the gate, which is pulled open by a group of grateful, smiling Egyptians. XENA GABRIELLE XENA She sinks back into Xena and closes her eyes in pure pleasure. GABRIELLE Xena wraps her arms tighter around Gabrielle as they ride out of the city and onto a new adventure. FADE OUT.
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