THE PINNACLE

Written by S. Michael Frost

Smichaelfrost@gmail.com

EXT. FORREST - DAY THE SOUNDS OF NATURE. A forrest comes into view. A TWIG SNAPS, everything goes silent. A female BREATHING. EXT. OCEAN - DAY - MOVING The BREATHING continues. Waves crash as the ocean passes far below. INT. AIRSHIP ROYAL CABIN - DAY The BREATHING continues. The ocean is moving below a large bay window. SOLEDAD SKYLARK, 23, military uniform, takes a deep breath. OEYE (O.S.) Where are you? SOLEDAD Here. OEYE (O.S.) I said, where are you? Soledad turns. SOLEDAD Im here. OEYE SKYLARK, 50, military uniform, sits in a thrown-like chair. He grabs a fruit from a tray, cuts it with a knife. OEYE No, youre back there, again. You never left. Its written all over you. Soledad turns back and looks out the window and begins nervously snapping her fingers, then she grabs her hand and steadies it. Oeye takes a bite of the fruit. SOLEDAD What do you want me to say, father?

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Oeye tosses the peel down at his side. OEYE Its not what you say, Soledad. Its what you mean when you say it. Now, where are you? SOLEDAD (Determined) I am here. OEYE Very well. RING. A red light blinks on the armrest of the chair. Oeye presses a button next to it. OEYE (CONTD) Speak. A VOICE sounds from a radio built into the armrest. CAPTAIN TAWN (V.O.) Emperor Skylark, Sir, the island of Razia will be visible on the horizon momentarily. Bridge out. Oeye stands and joins Soledad in front of the window. A thick grey haze forms along the horizon far off in the distance. SOLEDAD Is that fog? No, it cant be. Its much to dark for that. Oeye smirks. OEYE It seems the spirit of Razia has awoken. Oeye stands and joins Soledad at the window. SOLEDAD Wait, does that mean... its erupting? OEYE How fitting. 200 its only awoken times. Ive only ablaze one other (MORE) years of games and a handful of ever seen it time.

3. OEYE (CONT'D) It seem the gods have chosen to bless your coronation, just as they did mine.

SOLEDAD So the stories are true? OEYE True? Do you take me for someone who would spin falsehoods? SOLEDAD Of course not, father. I just... I just thought they were bedtime stories you and... mother would tell me. Oeye clenches his fist. SOLEDAD (CONTD) Was The Pinnacle really like that? EXT. OCEAN - DAY An mountainous island spews ash. OEYE (V.O.) Worse. EXT. AIRSHIP OVER CITY - DAY The airship flies over a crowded city. CITIZENS look up in awe. CHEERS can be heard from throughout the city. INT. AIRSHIP HULL - DAY The sounds of BOLTS echo down a dark corridor. A hatch at the opens and light floods in. The silhouette of Oeye, followed by that of Soledad walk down the corridor. EXT. MILITARY BASE - DAY Oeye steps out moves forward. stares, with a down the stare of the ship. He stops, looks out and up, then Soledad steps out, looks out and up and look of despair. She moves forward, hurries and joins Oeye.

SOLDIERS line either side of the walkway and each salutes as Oeye and Soledad pass.

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As Oeye and Soledad enter into a limosine, a mountain spewing ash comes into view in the background. EXT. LIMOSINE IN CITY - DAY - MOVING A motorcade of police motorcycles surrounds the limosine as it makes its way down a crowded road. PEDESTRIANS crowd the street all. CHEERING can be head from far off. INT. LIMOSINE - DAY Oeye and Soledad sit side by side looking out either window. SOLEDAD This is no way to experience The Games, father. I have no idea if were winning. OEYE Soledad, The Games should be far from you mind right now. SOLEDAD Really? Weve travelled a thousand miles and were here. How can we not participate? Look around, those are our people out there. We owe them. OEYE Perhaps, but none of them are an Empress. Its an unnecessary risk. The vehicle comes to a stop. SOLEDAD A risk? I dont think Ill find anything worse out there than what Ill be facing in the morning. I need to enjoy one last night of freedom. Oeye moves to say something, then stops and nods. SOLEDAD (CONTD) Thank you, father. Ill be back before tonights banquet. She opens the car door.

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EXT. CITY - DAY A city street is closed off and filled with concession stands, kiosks and game booths. Soledad walks through the CROWD admiring the shops. A VENDER offers her a small flag. VENDER Here ya go, pretty lady. White hair like yours, can mean only one thing, youre a Vyrkzian. (To Crowd) Come one, come all, get your Vyrkzian flags, your Aalachan dress wear, your Zortzan staves. Souvenirs for all countries, from all around the world. Soledad walks further down the road, admiring the crowd. A FIRE JUGGLER sends magical fireballs zooming over the crowd. STREET PERFORMERS dance through the crowd. CHEERS can be heard emanating from a colosseum ahead and Soledad rushes off in its direction. EXT. DUELING ARENA - DAY Soledad exits a corridor into an open colosseum. The CROWD is CHEERING. Soledad stands on her tippy-toes to see whats going on. She rushes forward, pushing her way through the crowd. She reaches a fence surrounding a dirt arena. Two MEN and a astral GRIZZLY BEAR stand in the center of the arena. Soledad recognizes one of the men and smile. SOLEDAD Damien. DAMIAN FIERO, 23, Aalachin, wears a tattered sporty uniform. Damian charges the grizzly bear, which rears. When they contact, the astral grizzly form engulfs Damian.

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Using the grizzly form like battle armor, Damien fights the other man who counters with his magical staff. Damien bests the other man with one final blow from the grizzlys arm. The astral form falls away as Damien cheers along with the crowd. ANNOUNCER (O.S.) This is getting ridiculous! Can anyone, and I mean anyone take on this champion? DAMIEN Is there anyone? Come on! Damien spins and points at the crowd. DAMIEN (CONTD) Which one of you can take me? Damiens eyes fall upon Soledad and he smiles and points at her. DAMIEN (CONTD) There she is ladies and gentlemen. My next opponent. The future Empress of Vyrkzia! The crowd turns and looks at Soledad and cheers. They grab her and lead her to an opening in the arenas gate. ANNOUNCER Well now, it seems we have a special event for all of you. The former champion of The Pinnacle vs. The Royalty herself, newcomer to The Pinnacle, Soledad Skylark! Soledad enters the arena and charges Damien who readies himself. Damien is caught off guard when Soledad hugs him. Soledad pulls away from their embrace and looks at him with a smile. SOLEDAD Well, if it isnt Damien Fiero, the Hero of Aalacho. DAMIEN Well, its nice to see the title has stuck. Lets hope it stays that way.

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SOLEDAD Oh it wont, trust me. DAMIEN With my life. Now, watch this. Damien take a hold of Soledads hand and raises it. DAMIEN (CONTD) (To Crowd) Are you ready to see a sneak peak of this years Pinnacle? The crowd CHEERS. DAMIEN (CONTD) Then lets get this show on the road. (to Soledad) You ready? SOLEDAD Hold on. Soledad unbuttons her shirts, takes it off and throws it to the side of the arena. She snaps her fingers and her hair forms into a braid. SOLEDAD (CONTD) (To Crowd) Lets do this! Soledad conjures balls of electricity and fires them at Damian dodges the attack. DAMIEN I guess were starting. Damian conjures and astral orb, which morphs into the grizzly bear. SOLEDAD Oh you Aalachins and your spirit pets. When will you learn that true power doesnt come from manifestation, but from within. Soledad wraps her arms around herself and crouches down. She then explodes with a white light. Her hair, and body glow. She charges, impacts the grizzly and sends it flying against the fence.

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Damian attacks her with some swift kicks and punches and knocks her back. DAMIAN And when will you learn, its not all about the magic. The grizzly reforms next to Damian and it attacks Soledad. It knocks her back to the ground and rears up. EXT. FORREST - DAY Soledad is lying on her back in a forrest. She stares up into the face of a WOMAN, whose body is covered in protective armor made of stone and vine. Soledad SCREAMS as the woman rears up and stomps downward. EXT. ARENA - DAY Soledad rolls to the side in the dirt, just as the grizzly bears paws stomp down. EXT. FORREST - DAY Soledad stands, and looks around. The forrest surrounds her and EXPLOSIONS are going off all around. SOLDIERS are fighting against WOODLAND CREATURES. Soledad watches as her the soldiers get slaughtered. She breaks down and crouches. EXT. ARENA - DAY Damien watches as Soledad crouches and tears begin to fall down here cheeks. He waves his hand and the spirit grizzly dissipates. Damien walks over to Soledad and puts a hand on her shoulder. DAMIEN (To Crowd) Well now, I said it would be a sneak peak. Youll all just have to wait till tomorrow for the real deal. Damien picks Soledad up and leads her to the exit.

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INT. ROYAL DINING HALL - NIGHT A table runs the length of the hall. Vyrkzian flags hang from the ceiling. Fifty DIGNITARIES of Vyrkzia are seated, murmuring and CLINKING utensils. Waiters bring more food. Oeye sits at the tables head. On his right sits Soledad. She is staring down, poking her full plate with her fork. TRABIAN SORDID, 25, platinum hair, sits to her right, watches Soledad as she plays with her food. SIMIAN SORDID, 55, sits on Oeyes left, wears a black uniform covered in medals and five platinum stars on each shoulder and a nameplate that reads Sordid. SIMIAN Well now, Oeye, I dare say we couldnt have found any better representatives of Vyrkzia for The Pinnacle. Young Soledad here, every bit of warrior her mother was... Oeye looks disdained as he stops cutting his steak. Soledad looks up from playing with her food, shocked. Simian sits up in his seat and becomes rigid. SIMIAN (CONTD) And, of course every bit, elegant and regal as you have raised her to be. No better choice for Empress. Then, Trabian here, a more equal match for Soledad there could not be. Victory here at the games for Vyrkzia, then their wedding when we get back to the capitol. Things could not be better. They all remain silent. SIMIAN (CONTD) So then, you two, I trust youve come up with a strategy for victory. Word around town is that Aalacho will once again be putting up a fight. TRABIAN Yes, father, but its nothing we cant handle. Look at the scores of todays Games. (MORE)

10. TRABIAN (CONT'D) Vyrkzia was triumphant in nearly all tournaments. With Soledads victory in The Pinnacle, we will gain a new Empress and Vyrkzia will forever prosper.

Soledad grabs a glass of wine. Simian eyes her, then stands and clings his glass. The crowd falls silent. SIMIAN The time has come once more for the sons and daughters Vyrkzia to take on the world. May our great nation and its people forever bathe in the glory of true victory. Everyone drinks, CHEERS and CLAPPING follows. INT. CASTLE HALLWAY - NIGHT Soledad walks stopping, at a bench in front of a window then sits with legs half up on the bench and looks out. Trabian walks into the hallway. TRABIAN Hey there, Empress. There is a wide smirk on his face. SOLEDAD Trabian, please. Im not Empress yet, you mustnt call me that. Trabian walks up and sits, straddling the bench and faces her. TRABIAN Just technicalities, Soledad. Anyway, youve always been my Empress. Ever since we played as kids. Empress Skylark. She smiled slightly. TRABIAN (CONTD) Ah, then you remember the fun we had playing at the lake all those summers ago. Soledad looks at him.

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SOLEDAD All I remember is you wanting to duel, which turned into wrestling. He smirks. TRABIAN What can I say? Youve always been my perfect sparring partner. As I recall, the duels went on forever, neither of us ever yielding. Just as we will have to do tomorrow. Tomorrow, when you earn your glory. He reaches out and takes her hand. He hands her something small, then he closes her palm around it. TRABIAN (CONTD) I know Im supposed to wait until The Pinnacle is over, but I am not strong enough for that. He lets go of her hand and she opens her palm to reveal a platinum ring. TRABIAN (CONTD) Together we will see you victorious. And, with this, I will forever cherish your hand in marriage, my Empress. INT. ROYAL STUDY - NIGHT Oeye stands behind his desk looking out the bay window. city is awash of color from the days festival. The dark mountain looms in the background. The

Soledad enters and makes her way to the center of the room. OEYE War wasnt the first time I killed. Every time I look upon this mountain, I see it. He scoffs. OEYE (CONTD) I was afraid, not of the mountain, but of what it represented. And, what it would mean for my future. (MORE)

12. OEYE (CONTD) My victory marked the beginning of a new era, there would be only prosperity for myself and all of Vyrkzia. Though by birth right and the passing of your dear mother, you are Empress of Vyrkzia. This is the beginning of your era now.

He turns and looks at Soledad. OEYE (CONTD) Take the opportunity offered to you and become more than I am, do more than I have done, bring honor to yourself and glory to Vyrkzia. And, together we will rule as Emperor and Empress. Your reign starts here, with this single obstacle. INT. DRESSING ROOM - MORNING Soledad stands in front of a full sized mirror and gets dressed in sporty attire. She admires herself in the mirror, then starts to nervously snap her fingers before she grab her hand and steadies it. EXT. STARTING PLATFORM EDGE OF RAINFOREST - MORNING Soledad stands among a eleven fellow COMPETITORS. Trabian stands next to her watching her. She is holding her hand trying to stop it from twitching. Trabian grabs her hand and steadies it. She smiles at him, then pulls her hand away. The other competitors line up in circles at the edge of the platform. Soledad takes a deep breath and moves forward to her circle. She glances over to Trabian and they share one last smile. She looks at the rest of her opponents. Her eyes fall on Damien, who is stares back, he smile. ANNOUNCER (O.S.) Welcome competitors to The Pinnacle!