### ** sinner **
** [Scene: Deep In The Forest - Nightfall] **
*(Trees are high, their branches circle like skeletal fingers against the night sky. The cold wind rustles the leaves, carry the smell of damp ground and something else - something ancient.
** Lucian: ** (Low Voice) "So, just to recapitulate - our big plan is to enter the capital, steal the cursed map and not to?"
** Elara: ** (Mumming) "You look like it sounds ridiculous."
** Lucian: ** (grinning) "Because it's*ridiculous."
** Elara: ** (sigh) "It's our only option."
** Lucian: ** "Yeah, yeah. Just don't expect I'm excited about it."
*(Elara stops suddenly, her hand shoots to catch Lucian's arm. She gets stiff.)*
** Lucian: ** (Whispering) "What?"
** Elara: ** (listens carefully) "We are monitored."
*(Lucian's expression darkens. He moves his hand to the handle of his dagger, his sharp look scans the trees.)*
** LUCIAN: ** (murmur) "How much?"
** Elara: ** "One. Maybe two. Move fast."
** Lucian: ** (grinning) "Perfect. I was bored."
*(Without warning, Lucian disappears into the shadows, its movement quickly and quiet. Elara barely has time to react before the figure bursts from the undergrowth - a stranger with hood, their blade flashes in the moonlight.)*
** Unknown character: ** (fake) "Did you think I will not find you, a little witch?"
** Elara: ** (stable voice) "Who sent you?"
** Unknown character: ** (laughs) "You already know."
*(Before Elara can answer, Lucian reappears as a stranger, his dagger pressed to his neck.)*
** Lucian: ** (ridicule) "You really should pay more attention."
*(The stranger solidifies, then grows.)*
** Unknown character: ** "Fast hands. But tell me - are they faster than mine?"
(In the blur of movement, the figure turns and knocks Lucian's dagger aside. The second blade appears in the hand, focused directly on the chest.
** Lucian: ** (grinning) "Oh, you're*fun*."
*(Elara progresses forward, her eyes shine weakly as she raised her hand. Magic cracking in the air and swirling around the fingers.) **)*) **) **)*
** Elara: ** (cold) "enough".
*(Her palm explodes an increase in energy, slams into a foreigner. They are thrown back and hit a tree. Lucian Píšťalka, impressed.)*
** Lucian: ** "Remind me to never be angry."
** Elara: ** (breathes hard) "noted".
*(The stranger is maeming, pushing up, but Elara is up to them, the dagger has pressed on their chest.)*
** Elara: ** "Who are you?"
** Unknown character: ** (grinned) "Don't you recognize me?"
*(The hood falls back and reveals a woman with gold eyes and sharp features. Her hair is black, striped with silver strands. There's something almost known on her.)*
** Elara: ** (frozen) "No -"*(stops, realize Dawning.)*"You are… Shadowborn."
** Lucian: ** (lifting the eyebrows) "A*what*now?"
** Unknown character: ** (smile) "Intelligent Girl".
*(Elarina grip on the dagger is tightening.)*
** Elara: ** (tense) "Why are you after me?"
** Unknown character: ** (shrugs) "Not after you. After what you wear*."
*(Looking at Elar's chest - where knowledge of the cursed box now lies in her soul.)*
** Lucian: ** (flat) "Amazing. More cryptic nonsense."
** Elara: ** (Ignoring him) "What do you know about the heart of the shadows?"
** Unknown character: ** (smile) "More than you. And if you don't let me go, you'll never find it."
** Lucian: ** (ridicule) "Oh no, what do we do?"
*(Elara hesitates. The words Shadowborna rings the truth - if there is the same thing, it may have answers. With a reluctant sigh, it reduces the dagger.)*
** Elara: ** (firm) "talk".
** Unknown figure: ** (grinned) "You'll have to be more specific, love."
** Lucian: ** (rolling eyes) "gods, I hate you."
** Elara: ** (ignores them) "The king is looking for a heart. We have to find it first."
** Unknown figure: ** (nod) "Then too late."
*(Silence. Words hit like a blade in the intestine.)*
** Elara: ** (shaken) "What do you mean?"
** Unknown character: ** "He has it."
** Lucian: ** (Cursing) "You have to be kidding."
** Elara: ** (Whispering) "No… No, that's impossible."
** Unknown character: ** (grinned) "Is that?"
*(Elara retreats back, her racing on her mind. If the king already has a heart, then everything they planned is unnecessary.)*
** Lucian: ** (Mumming) "So what now?"
** Unknown character: ** (grinning) "Now?
** Elara: ** (tense) "What option?"
** Unknown character: ** "You can run like always. Or ... you can go to the capital and*take*what he stole."
*(Elara exchanges a look with Lucian. His usual inflated smile is gone, replaced by something serious - something dangerous.)*
** Lucian: ** (quietly) "We have no choice, right?"
** Elara: ** (determined) "No."
** Unknown character: ** (grinning) "Okay. Because whether you like it or not, I'm going with you.
"Lucian: (Maid) "Oh, for love to -"
Elara: (cut off him) "Okay." (To a stranger) "But if you betray us ..."
Unknown character: (grinned) "I wouldn't expect anything less."
(The agreement is closed. The path is set up. And when they enter the darkness, one thing is certain - nothing will be the same again.)
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