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Finally, let me say, I wrote these scripts out of love for the characters and the stars of XWP. I am posting them here as a tribute to those wonderful and talented people who mean more to me than I can fully express here.

TEASER

FADE IN:

EXT. A MEDIUM-SIZE VILLAGE - DAY

Only a few inhabitants can be seen milling about in various locations. Leading Argo, XENA slowly comes down a gentle slope and heads toward the center of the village. As she calmly strolls along, she is looking around, as if expecting something to happen, yet she doesn't appear apprehensive.

Xena reacts and stops walking when she sees GABRIELLE come walking around a corner, perhaps a hundred yards away. Her friend doesn't look up, as she hurries toward a line of buildings.

The girl merely continues on her way, obviously heading for the larger central building. She clearly has a definite purpose in getting to her destination quickly.

Xena watches her friend disappear into the building. She shakes her head and smiles, then moves toward the building. As she approaches the entrance, GUSHING TONGUES OF FIRE erupt from all the doors and windows. A LOUD SWOOSHING SOUND and a forceful BLAST OF AIR violently jolts The Warrior Princess. Xena recoils from the intense flames, but she quickly recovers to rush back toward the main entrance.

The building is now totally engulfed in a violent, roaring fire. Several villagers rush up and try to drag Xena to safety. Her arms lash out to either side and sends the men flying in all directions. With emotional pain and terror distorting her face, Xena stares into the inferno to see Gabrielle WALKING IN THE FIRE. Her friend's blond hair waves in the heat currents and bursts into flames, and her clothing burns and drops from her body. Finally, the victim falls to the floor and doesn't move, as the fire sweeps over her like a torrential flood.

A stronger blast of flames throws Xena back into the street. When she hits the ground, a group of villagers are immediately all over her, attempting to help her.

Xena springs to her feet in an insane, tearful rage. She savagely backhands half a dozen men and kicks a couple more before they can get away from her. A crowd has gathered around her, silently staring, and they start to move in on her.

Xena breaks into a run, and the people scurry aside to give her plenty of room. She hurriedly mounts Argo and rides fast out of the village. As the building continues to burn and collapse behind them, the confused villagers watch Xena slowly diminish with a cloud of dust toward the distant horizon.

CUT TO:

EXT. OPEN TERRAIN - DAY

Xena continues to ride her horse hard and fast. She rapidly approaches, coming into clear view, then she streaks on her way. She grows smaller and smaller until she vanishes in the distance.

CUT TO:

EXT. THICKLY-WOODED VALLEY - DAY

Xena rides along the rather vague trail, still at breakneck speed. In her distraught state of mind she miscalculates and rides directly into a tree branch. The limb jerks her from the horse and flings her violently to the ground. She is painfully stunned and almost loses consciousness. She slowly rolls over, gets to her feet, and unsteadily walks over to a nearby spring. Weak and trembling, she kneels and splashes water on her face, then she silently watches as the water grows calm again. At last her tortured reflection is staring back at her.

She stares and waits, as if expecting a reply from her equally distraught reflection. The lengthy silence seems to infuriate her, and she snarls like a savage animal.

She begins to cry, and then she repeatedly smashes her fist into the water. As she speaks, her words are a hateful accusation, bitter self-condemnation.

Still flailing wildly and screaming, she pitches forward into the spring. As the water splashes tumultuously, we:

FADE OUT:

END OF TEASER

ACT ONE

FADE IN:

INT. A DIMLY-LIT BARN - NIGHT

Silver light from a bright full moon filters into the place through open doors, windows, and many cracks between wall boards.

Xena shuts a stable gate, locking Argo inside. She gently caresses the horse's nose and face.

Argo blinks her eyes, and seems concerned.

Her words say one thing, but her expression tells another story. She clearly is not all right. She chokes back her emotions, gives the patient horse a final pat, then walks out the wide barn door.

EXT. A HOUSE AT THE EDGE OF A VILLAGE - SAME

Xena crosses a wide open area, drenched in moonlight, then slowly walks into the shadows at the rear of a house. She moves along the wall, passing a couple of shuttered windows, then she stops at the last window and pushes on the shutter. It is securely locked. She draws her sword and slips it smoothly into a crack at the edge of the window. With a SLIGHT CLICK the lock releases and the shutter swings open.

Xena almost smiles at her success, but not quite. She quickly looks around, spots nothing, then she climbs inside.

INT. A DARK BEDROOM - SAME

Xena closes the window shutter, walks quietly across the dark room and crawls into the bed. She pulls covers over her and stares up at the dark ceiling. Her haunted expression intensifies and suddenly bright roiling flames sweep across the ceiling.

She closes her eyes and sighs with anguish. When she opens her eyes, the darkness has returned. She quickly pulls the covers over her head.

CUT TO:

INT. A KITCHEN - DAY

A woman crosses the kitchen with a stack of pans. The large objects slip from her hands and fall to the floor with a LOUD CRASH, as we:

CUT TO:

INT. XENA'S BEDROOM - SAME

The loud crash from the kitchen jolts Xena awake. She jumps and sits up with a start and frantically looks around. Memory returning, she falls back on the bed. Her expression shows that she would have been happier if she had never woke up again.

CUT TO:

INT. THE KITCHEN - SAME

Xena emerges into the kitchen dressed in a rather simple blue dress. She appears to be uncertain about revealing herself.

Xena's mother whirls to face her daughter, looking shocked.

With that, Xena steps forward and quickly embraces her mother. The act is so sudden and forceful that Serene is startled again, and very puzzled, especially when Xena starts crying.

Xena tightly clings to her mother, crying harder, unable to speak. Serene caresses Xena's hair, staring off at nothing, and deeply dreading to hear the answer to her question.

CUT TO:

INT. SERENE'S LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Mother and daughter sit quietly across from each other. Serene stares at her daughter with deep concern, as Xena stares at the BRIGHT FLAMES IN THE FIREPLACE. The women continue to sit unmoving in the deeply shadowed room, and the silence grows long. At last, with her eyes still locked on the fire, Xena finds her voice.

As she softly speaks, Xena never takes her eyes from the flames. The intensity of her emotions is played out in her facial expressions, a tortured mask etched in light and shadows.

Inter-cut appropriate scenes to illustrate Xena's narrative: burned villages, burning villages, bodies scattered about.

As Xena has talked, we have seen her gathering her army, the determined band riding furiously across large open fields, then through the burned villages. Finally, the mighty armies clash in an overwhelming decisive battle.

Then, as Xena's mostly-ragtag army looks on, Xena meanders among the many dead bodies. With sword in hand, she occasionally stoops to turn over one of the dead, sometimes she merely kicks them over to reveal their lifeless faces. When the last body is examined, Gabrielle looks on in horror as Xena becomes enraged and begins violently kicking several of the dead bodies. Gabrielle raises her hands toward her friend, saying something, obviously pleading for Xena to stop what she is doing. Xena ignores her young friend and walks passed her without comment. Still angry, Xena lifts her sword as high as she can and waves to her waiting, confused army, as:

INT. SERENE'S LIVING ROOM - SAME

Back on Xena, as the bright firelight flickers on her troubled face. All seems lost and hopeless.

Xena looks back at the flames and slowly nods.

FADE OUT:

END OF ACT ONE

ACT TWO

FADE IN:

INT. SERENE'S ESTABLISMENT - DAY

It is a bright and beautiful day and business is brisk. A large noon crowd has packed the place to capacity. Serene is busy in the kitchen area, rushing to keep up with the demand. Xena is out front, greeting customers and taking orders.

Serene places a large filled tray on a counter, and Xena is immediately there to take it. She walks to the center of the crowded room and looks around, as if she has forgotten where the order goes.

She looks in one direction and sees Gabrielle sitting there. She turns and sees Gabrielle sitting at another table. She spins around, only to see another Gabrielle. The large room is suddenly filled with Gabrielle's. Xena's wild spinning continues until the loaded tray crashes to the floor and jolts her back to reality. She glances around at the silent, staring crowd, then hurries off toward the kitchen, as:

Serene is suddenly there to block her daughter's path. She takes Xena by the arm, concerned.

Serene releases her, and Xena disappears through a rear door. An elderly woman steps up to Serene and laughs slightly.

INT. THE BARN - SAME

Xena enters, an apple in hand, and crosses to Argo's stable. She caresses the horse's face, then feeds her the apple.

The CREAKING SOUND of a door hinge, draws Xena's attention. She turns to see Serene entering the barn.

Argo neighs objectionably, and stares at them. Xena glances at the animal.

Xena looks back at her mother, who suddenly looks embarrassed. Serene smiles lamely and shrugs, gesturing aimlessly.

Off Xena's deeply puzzled expression, we:

CUT TO:

INT. SERENE'S KITCHEN - MORNING

Xena enters from the bedroom looking bright and well rested. She even hums a bit as she crosses to the tea pot. She pours half a cup of tea, then lifts it to smell the aroma. Smiling, she turns to encounter her mother, just standing there quietly regarding her.

Xena sits the cup on a table.

Serene smiles again, as Xena turns away and walks back through the house, heading for the front door.

EXT. A NARROW LANE IN AMPHIPOLIS - SAME

Xena strolls around a corner, occasionally exchanging a nod and a smile with passersby. She turns into an even narrower walkway that runs along the edge of an open-air market. Buyers and sellers are scattered throughout the place, but not really nearby, so Xena is pretty much alone in this spot.

After a few carefree paces, Xena suddenly freezes in her tracks. Her happy face is again clouded with pain and uncertainty. She sees Gabrielle walking down the narrow walkway toward her. Xena just stares as the girl comes closer and closer.

Xena looks away, shakes her head, then looks back at the girl again. Gabrielle is still coming toward her. The girl walks right up to Xena and stops directly in front of her.

Xena suddenly realizes it isn't Gabrielle, and she quickly releases her and steps aside.

Xena can't take her eyes off the blonde girl as she walks away. Near the end of the lane, a brut of a man rushes from an alley to confront the girl. Even from her distant position, Xena can tell the girl is frightened.

The brut grabs the girl and shoves her against a table loaded with a variety of fruits and vegetables.

The brut turns to see Xena standing at his side. He is thoroughly confused by her presence and her words. He clearly doesn't have time for this meddlesome woman.

Xena picks up a squishy piece of fruit and smashes it on his chest, then she smears it all down the front of his shirt.

The brut becomes more sullen and puffs up, turning red with rage, but he struggles to hold it in. The young blonde girl quickly looks back and forth between Xena and her husband.

Xena smiles mischievously and lightly pokes the brut in his heavy gut. The angry man snarls at Xena like a threatened animal.

The brut lunges for Xena. She steps aside, trips the man, then bends down to guide his trajectory right through a stack of wooden crates. He comes to rest on the ground, under the end of a table.

Xena reaches down and grabs the brut by his shoulders, then she quickly jerks him upward. His head smashes through the heavy table, splintering half the boards. As the flying debris subsides, Xena holds the brut by his neck, and stares into the dazed man's distorted face.

He doesn't reply, so Xena punches him hard in the nose.

There was already a bloody cut on his forehead, and now blood streams from his nose.

Xena drags the brut forward, trips him again, and guides him headfirst into a water trough. He madly splashes around, then gets to his feet.

The blonde girl comes running up behind Xena, rushing to comfort her husband.

Xena whirls around, grabs the girl by the arm, and she's right in her face.

Xena watches the girl run down the narrow lane and disappear around the distant corner. Xena turns away and walks off. The drenched brut has gotten out of the water, but he is so anxious to get out of Xena's way, he falls back into the trough. Xena shrugs at the gaping witnesses, and walks on.

FADE OUT:

THE END OF ACT TWO

ACT THREE

FADE IN:

EXT. A STREET IN AMPHIPOLIS - SAME

Xena slowly walks through a somewhat cleaner part of town. A small street lined with various shops and houses. Very few other people can be seen, as Xena unhurriedly walks along, looking all around. She stops now and then, contemplating one of the small shops, then she moves on. Finally, she decides to enter one of the places.

INT. CURIO SHOP - SAME

Xena e nters and hesitates just inside the door to look around. It is somewhat difficult to tell if the place is a souvenir shop or a jewelry store, but there are clearly some expensive items displayed around the room.

The elderly proprietor is standing behind his counter, but no one else is in the shop.

Xena spots an object on a nearby shelf, and she walks over to examine it more closely. It looks like a sculpture or perhaps some kind of instrument. It has three concentric rings, and vaguely resembles a gyroscope. Xena carries it to the counter and sits it before the proprietor.

Xena turns, as two men rush into the shop. A big man and a bigger man, obviously real scumbags. The big man has a big sword, and the bigger man has a bigger sword.

Xena slowly reaches out to delicately touch the bigger man's sword with the tip of one finger. The two men watch her with intense interest.

The two men eye her more quizzically. Xena suddenly grabs both men by their sword hands.

Xena violently smashes their fists together. They cry out in pain, as the swords crash to the floor. Xena grimaces and looks terribly sorry for what she has done.

She springs forward, tightly hugs their necks, and smashes their heads together. They crumple to a heap on the floor, unconscious. Xena turns back to the proprietor.

Xena smiles, picks up the object and heads for the door.

Xena disappears through the door, with her unusual sculpture.

EXT. STREET RUNNING THROUGH THE MARKET - SAME

Xena is walking along the street, making faces at the object in her hands, as if wondering why she wanted the thing. Suddenly a woman screams shrilly in the distance, and Xena looks up to see the woman running as fast as she can down the street.

Xena looks beyond the running woman to see a small child running away from the frightened mother. Then, Xena spots something else even more frightening, a runaway wagon is rapidly bearing down on the child.

Xena immediately reacts and her right hand goes to her hip. She regretfully remembers that her chakrum isn't there. She looks at the object in her hands, then smashes it against a stone wall, breaking it into pieces. She quickly grabs the larger ring and springs up to the top of a building.

Xena dashes to the distant corner of the roof and forcefully flings the metal ring. The make-shift chakrum flies over market stalls and villagers' heads, ricochets off the wall of a distant building, then cuts and ricochets its way through the large pieces of netting used for shading in the market.

The netting and some support poles collapse, turning the wagon away from the wayward child. As the wagon maneuvers in her direction, Xena runs and somersaults into the wagon. As she climbs into the seat, the driver turns to her.

Xena shoves the drunken driver away, takes the reins, and stops the wagon. She jumps to the ground and, as several men come running up, she tosses them the reins and walks away. With very perplexed expressions, the men watch her go.

INT. SERENE'S HOUSE - SAME

As Xena enters, Serene looks up and smiles.

CUT TO:

INT. SERENE'S PLACE - DAY

Half a dozen rough-looking soldiers are seated around a table eating and talking, as they all keep a lustful eye on Xena. She passes the soldiers' table on the way back to the kitchen, and they playfully nudge one another and laugh.

An elderly couple enters and takes a table at the far end of the room. Xena returns from the kitchen area and heads for the new arrivals, but she is interrupted by the groping hand of one of the soldiers. Like the snap of a whip, Xena grabs the soldier's hand and bends it back toward him. He grimaces with pain and cries out, and we hear the BONES CRACKING.

Xena releases the soldier and walks away. The other soldiers laugh loudly at their rebuked friend. The rejected soldier's physical pain gives way to hurt pride, and then anger.

Xena goes directly across to the elderly couple.

The angry soldier comes up behind Xena. Xena, as if she has eyes in the back of her head, reaches back and painfully grabs the soldier's nose. She then smiles again at the elderly couple.

Xena whirls around and furiously backhands the soldier across his face. She then gives him a quick kick in the gut. The soldier flies across the room and lands in the center of the soldiers' table, which collapses into pieces.

All six soldiers jump up and rush toward her. She slaps a couple to the left, kicks a couple to the right.

Serene comes from the kitchen and stands at the edge of the room watching, more uncertain than frightened. A woman comes up beside Serene, obviously a busybody.

The busybody gives Serene a strange look and slowly moves off.

Xena quickly moves to finish off the last two soldiers still standing. She kicks one through a wooden room divider and, with a mighty kick, hangs the last one over a high rafter. Then, she immediately turns back to the still-waiting elderly couple. She looks at them and blows a strand of hair from her face.

She takes a deep breath and exhales, waiting for a reply. The elderly couple just looks at one another.

CUT TO:

INT. SERENE'S HOME - NIGHT

Xena is again sitting in front of the fireplace, silently staring at the flames. A persistent knocking at the front door finally gets her attention. She gets up and walks across the room to open the door.

She is surprised to see who the visitors are, but she can't quite bring herself to smile. She steps back and AUTOLYCUS and JOXER enter.

Xena closes the door and leads the way back to the fireplace.

Joxer, reacting to Xena's rage, looks uncertainly from Xena to Autolycus. Autolycus frowns and shakes his head.

With that, Xena walks out of the room. Joxer opens his mouth wide, but no sound comes out. Autolycus quickly raises his index finger.

Joxer closes his mouth and sheepishly looks around.

INT. SERENE'S HOME - SAME

Wearing her leather outfit and armed with her weapons, Xena comes out of her bedroom. She suddenly stops and stands staring across the room.

Xena's mother is standing nearby, silently looking away. Spotting her, Xena looks regretful and just stands there for a moment, then:

FADE OUT:

END OF ACT THREE

ACT FOUR

FADE IN:

EXT. COURTYARD OF ZINDAR'S PALACE - NIGHT

Musicians stop playing and a group of dancers end their dance, and all file out of the performance area.

The spacious area is elegantly landscaped, partially paved, and rimmed with fancy architecture and statues. Strategically placed large torches effectively light the whole area.

A large crowd fills the place, sitting on piles of colorful cushions and puffy pillows. Most of the quests are males wearing traditional Arab robes and head garments, mostly bright white. Many are wearing dark-colored head bands.

Sitting on a level slightly higher and to the rear of the main crowd, Zindar looks on. Artemis and his men are seated nearby.

A wave of surprised whispers sweeps through the audience, and some are pointing. Gabrielle, Zindar and Artemis look to the left end of the garden. Something vaguely resembling a curtain shimmers faintly into view now and then. Everyone is totally dumbfounded by the strange sight.

The CLOAK OF INVISIBILITY drops to the ground, revealing Autolycus and Joxer. The enthusiastic crowd laughs and applauds. Autolycus and Joxer bow, smile and wave.

Gabrielle can't believe her eyes, at first she just stares at them with astonishment, then a smile blooms.

Artemis looks at Zindar, who simply shrugs, then the puzzled sheik also applauds and smiles.

LOUD POPPING SOUNDS draw all eyes to the other end of the plaza, in time to see large CLOUDS OF COLORFUL SMOKE billowing up to obscure a large area, then the smoke quickly fades away to reveal HERCULES and EOLAUS standing there. The pleased crowd applauds even louder.

Gabrielle is now totally amazed. She smiles with joy and quickly brings her hand to her mouth.

Back on Artemis and Zindar, as the crowd roars with joy.

By this point, Gabrielle is almost beside herself. She looks expectantly all around, knowing in her heart what is coming next. One hopeful word escapes her lips:

Gabrielle looks up with everyone else, to see a flying carpet streaking high overhead, leaving a sparkling spray of "star dust" behind it. Taking the ride of her life, the Warrior Princess smiles and waves.

Tears fill Gabrielle's eyes and she starts to cry, but her emotions abruptly give way to laughter, then she looks at Artemis and Zindar and forces herself to be very calm.

Artemis is already on his feet, running back inside the palace, as his men hurry to catch up with him.

Finally realizing they are under attack, everyone is either fighting or running to escape the danger. Autolycus and Joxer are being swarmed, but they are holding their own.

Hercules and Eolaus seem to be drawing a larger crowd, but they are rising to the occasion, punching surprised faces, kicking out teeth and violently flipping opponents.

As the flying carpet swoops lower, Xena GIVES HER BATTLECRY and tumbles down to the surface near Gabrielle. Zindar comes running and smiling, as if to greet her.

With that, Xena knocks Zindar for a loop, then she turns and gently takes hold of Gabrielle's shoulders and gazes into her friend's face.

Xena briskly walks away, toward the palace entrance. Gabrielle starts to follow.

Hercules, Eolaus, Autolycus and Joxer are still furiously at it, but they have just about cut the mob down to size. The battle is already winding down.

INT. A ROOM IN A PALACE TOWER - SAME

Xena cautiously enters and stops, sensing something.

Instantly, attackers rush at her from either side. She springs upward and flips in the air, then lands a safe distance away. The charging horde violently crashes together, rendering most unconscious.

Xena then kicks the remaining few against the wall, and they slump to the floor and don't move. Xena smugly looks around at her work, then approaches the open balcony doors.

EXT. PALACE TOWER BALCONY - SAME

Xena, holding her sword in front of her, walks onto the balcony. She quickly glances left, then chooses to go right. She moves slowly, because there are corners everywhere.

Artemis suddenly bolts from one of the nooks and savagely swings his sword downward at Xena, knocking her sword from her hand. She jumps back as he swings his sword back and forth, moving toward her.

Xena keeps easing away, until her back encounters the low balcony wall. She is at the end, with no escape route open to her. She stands unmoving, staring at Artemis with contempt.

Artemis screams and charges toward his prey, ready to thrust his sword for the kill. Xena spins around and VANISHES! Artemis plunges over the low balcony wall, and again screams, as he falls to his death.

In another spot, only a few feet away, Xena lowers the cloak of invisibility and reappears. She looks at the shimmering fabric in her hands.

She drops the cloak, snaps up her sword, and departs.

EXT. THE PALACE COURTYARD - SAME

The fighting has ended, with the losers lying down and the winners standing up. Xena returns and glances around to see that her friends have things well in hand, then she turns to Zindar, who is kneeling near Gabrielle.

Xena quickly pulls her sword and swings it down fast toward Zindar.

Xena stops the point of her sword at Zindar's heart. Firmly holding the weapon with both hands, she looks gravely around at her friend. Gabrielle comes over and places her hand on Xena's.

Xena looks at her friend's face, and she sees flashes of the memory of Gabrielle dying in the fire.

Xena struggles with the hard choice for an uncertain moment, then she abruptly jerks the sword away from Zindar.

Xena walks away, taking the lead, and the six mighty heroes victoriously march out of the palace.

CUT TO:

EXT. ON THE ROAD HOME - DAY

The triumphant group of friends are strolling close together, talking as they go. We hear some indistinguishable words being exchanged, followed by laughter, then:

There is another round of laughter. They all stop walking, as Xena gives Gabrielle a hug. Watching, Autolycus and Joxer absently interlock arms, then catch themselves and jerk apart. Seeing this, Hercules and Eolaus look at each other and laugh. They continue on their way, more purposefully.

CUT TO:

EXT. A HILL CREST AGAINST A SUNSET - LATE EVENING

The homeward-bound group, led by Xena and Gabrielle, emerge from blackness as they ascend the low hill. Walking away from us, they are mostly silhouettes against the beautiful and colorful sunset. As they continue walking away, we hear:

FADE OUT:

THE END

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