ACT FOUR

FADE IN:

EXT. TEMPLE - PRE DAWN

Xena is outside the temple, pacing back and forth as Orcin watches from his place a few inches about the ground.

ORCIN

You are sure she’ll come

and bring Ghin with her?

XENA

I’m sure.

She turns and looks at the old man.

XENA

(cont’d)

This is what you wanted isn’t it?

ORCIN

Yes.

Xena turns away from Orcin and lifts her head as if she is looking for something. She places her hand on her sword and waits patiently.

XENA

Get ready and stay

out of the way.

As Orcin moves to the side near the temple Gabrielle comes riding through the woods at a full gallop. She barely slows her horse as she dismounts and lands before Xena, her own sword drawn and at the ready.

GABRIELLE

Give it up Xena.

You can’t win this one.

One brow goes up over Xena’s eye and she stands a little straighter.

XENA

Really? You think

you can take me?

GABRIELLE

I know I can. I know where

your weak spots are.

XENA

Let’s test that theory, shall we?

They engage, swords clashing together so fiercely that they create sparks. Both Orcin and Ghin bring their hands up to shield their eyes.

Battling back and forth, they both are exerting a tremendous amount of force on each other. They are breathing heavily and muscles are tense and rippling as they move in perfect symmetry throwing blows and having them blocked expertly by the other. They move in a circle, forcing both Ghin and Orcin to move away from them and closer to each other.

Xena throws a round house at Gabrielle, who ducks it and rolls away. When she comes up her sword is at Ghin’s throat and simultaneously Xena’s is at Orcin’s

XENA

Surprise.

CUT TO:

INT. TEMPLE - DAY

The doors burst open. Xena and Gabrielle herd their prisoners in at the point of their swords.

GHIN

How dare you!

GABRIELLE

How dare we?

She moves around and get very close to his face.

GABRIELLE

(cont’d)

Look, little man.  Don’t even

consider trying to make us

the bad guys here. How dare

you try to use me against

Xena and these people!

GHIN

We needed to get

the power source.

XENA

Yeah, I’ve been thinking

about that too.

She gestures to Gabrielle.

XENA

(cont’d)

Keep an eye on our

little friends here.

GABRIELLE

Oh don’t worry. They

aren’t going anywhere.

Xena crosses the room to a small pedestal which holds a glowing stone, much like the Ixion stone. Carefully she reaches for it with just a bit of hesitation. After having a couple bad experiences with this kind of thing, she’s understandably cautious.

XENA

If I disappear into a

time warp, kill them.

She takes the stone from the pedestal and looks at it curiously as she realizes it’s not going to zap her into another dimension.

XENA

(cont’d)

Small miracles.

She walks back over and places it on the floor between the two men.

XENA

(cont’d)

This is what you both want, and

when two groups of people want

something this bad, that’s just a

recipe for disaster. I think

we need to destroy it.

Xena steps back from the stone.  Grabbing them by their robes, she drags Ghin and Orcin with her.

XENA

(cont’d)

Go ahead, Gabrielle; I think

you deserve the honor.

Gabrielle moves over the stone and raises her sword.

GHIN

WAIT!

Gabrielle’s posture relaxes a little as she looks over, but she doesn’t lower the weapon.

GABRIELLE

What?

GHIN

You... you can’t destroy it!

GABRIELLE

Watch me.

XENA

(to Orcin)

Did you mean what you said?

ORCIN

Yes, but they must be willing.

XENA

Go ahead Gabrielle.

She raises her sword again, this time bringing it down and splitting the stone in half.

GHIN

NO!

CUT TO:

EXT. VILLAGE - NIGHT

Xena and Gabrielle are laying together in a bedroll as the people of the village mill around and begin to make room for those who will be returning.

GABRIELLE

So tell me?

XENA

What would you like to know?

GABRIELLE

How to make wine.

Gabrielle playfully pinches Xena, making her squirm.

GABRIELLE

(cont’d)

I want to know how

you figured it out.

XENA

Ah yes, one of my

better moments I think.

GABRIELLE

Well, while you’re lying there

being all proud of yourself, tell me.

Xena chuckles and holds Gabrielle tighter.

XENA

Well, it all started when Orcin started

talking about our lives together. Even

the ones in the past. He reminded

me that we have a very special

connection that I could use to

do what we needed, but....

GABRIELLE

There’s always a but.

XENA

Seems like it. But because of the

spell they had cast around you

and because we don’t have great

control over  whatever this is,

I needed a booster.

GABRIELLE

And you found a booster?

XENA

Orcin gave me one.

She pulls the stone from a pack by her head.

XENA

(cont’d)

Here you go. This did it. Let me

get to you the first time, which

was enough to jog your memory.

GABRIELLE

You knew my training would take

over and I’d work myself to

exhaustion.  That was when you

sent the flying chakramgram?

XENA

Exactly. And once you saw the

chakram, I had high hopes that

it would do the trick. You and I

have a long history with that thing.

GABRIELLE

Okay I understand all that, but

how did you determine who

was telling the truth about the stone.

XENA

Well that was a little more difficult.

But it came to me that if it was really

as powerful as we had been led to

believe then the one who wouldn’t

want it destroyed was the one we

needed to keep it away from.

GABRIELLE

Oh, that’s clever.

XENA

Thank you.

CUT TO:

EXT. VILLAGE - DAY

Xena and Gabrielle are standing in the middle of the village as the Mountain Clan is welcomed back.

There are obvious tears of joy among them as families appear to be reunited. Gabrielle smiles and takes Xena’s hand.

GABRIELLE

Nice job.

XENA

Yeah, we did all right.

GABRIELLE

We usually do.

There is a break in the commotion when Orcin comes into the village with Tril and Kal. Kal is leading Argo.

XENA

Argo! There you are.

They both move to the horse who is apparently happy to see them as well.

XENA

(cont’d)

Where have you been?

GABRIELLE

Some guy probably came

along with an apple.

ORCIN

She was waiting on the edge

of the woods. Until the two clans

were reunited, this forest was

not the most pleasant place to be.

KAL

We took the time to make her new

shoes, Warrior. A gift from us to

you for all of your help. I think you’ll

find that these shoes won’t wear

out very quickly. They are made

from a special metal only found here.

XENA

Thank you.

Ghin approaches and Orcin seems to greet him with a friendly nod.

GHIN

Thank you both. Our people had

become so obsessed with gaining

the stone we had lost the memories

of how important just being with

our own people had become.

We are forever grateful.

GABRIELLE

Think nothing of it.

It’s what we do.

ORCIN

Before you go we want

to give you something.

Tril moves forward and gives Ghin a small box and Orcin a box very similar.

GHIN

For you, Warrior.

He hands Gabrielle the box. Opening it she finds a small silver ring, she smiles and nods.

GABRIELLE

Thank you.

Orcin hands Xena her box and she finds a small golden ring.

ORCIN

Wear it in good health, Warrior.

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT FOUR

TAG

FADE IN:

EXT. ROAD - DAY

Xena and Gabrielle are both riding Argo as they slowly move down a road like so many others they have ridden before.

GABRIELLE

So where to now?

XENA

I hadn’t anything in particular

planned. Do you have

someplace you’d like to go?

GABRIELLE

Doesn’t matter to me as long

as we’re together. I don’t much

like being separated from you.

Under any circumstances.

XENA

We won’t be. Family

should be together.

GABRIELLE

(teasingly)

How profound.

XENA

I thought so. I guess that fact hit

home with those people. Their

conflict had gotten so out of hand

they couldn’t have children. They

need each other. Just like we

need each other. I don’t ever

intend to lose sight of that again.

Gabrielle squeezes Xena hard around her waist.

GABRIELLE

Oooo, I love it when you

get all mushy and romantic.

XENA

(teasingly)

Yeah, well don’t get use to it.

GABRIELLE

I won’t.

They continue together down the road into the setting sun.

FADE OUT.

DISCLAIMER

No creatures where harmed during the making of this motion picture, but

Gabrielle has vowed to stop camping in forests that are supposedly cursed.