### ** sinner **
** [Scene: The ruins of the fallen kingdom - midnight] **
*(Cold wind howling through broken towers and crumbling stone walls. The ruin stretches on miles away, shrouded in a strong fog. Elara, Lucian and Serraphine stand on the edge of an ancient courtyard where faded symbols of the lost kingdom lie under their feet.
** serraphine: ** (shiver) "I*really*don't like this place."
** Lucian: ** (Grim) "Neither do."
** Elara: ** (quietly) "I feel ... familiar."
*(She is kneeling, she drags her fingers over cracked stones. The signs seem to be weakly pulsate under her touch. The deep feeling of restlessness settles in her chest.)*
** seraphine: ** (crossed weapons) "Correctly. So what are we looking for? The great sign saying," The dark king was here? "
** Lucian: ** (Ignoring her) "Oracle said the answers were here. We need to find the throne room."
** Elara: ** (standing) "then we go."
*(They move carefully with ruins, torching the flashing light against a cold stone. Shadows dancing along the walls and pushing around them scary silence.)*)*)*)**)*)*)*)*)*)*)*
** serraphine: ** (whispering) "This place is*too*quiet."
** Lucian: ** (tense) "Stay in alert."
*(When they approach a large, half-rolled hall, Erara suddenly stops. Her breath catches. In her mind, the vision-bricked shouts, the dark fire consumes the kingdom, her father standing at the top of the throne.
** Elara: ** (Stunning) "I - I saw it."
** Lucian: ** (Her Her) "saw what?"
** Elara: ** (breathes hard) "At night when this kingdom fell."
** serraphine: ** (eyebrow lifting) "A?"
** Elara: ** (Whispering) "Was here*."
*(Sudden gust of wind throws over the hallway and through the ruins there is a scary whispering.
** serraphine: ** (draws your daggers) "Tell me it was the wind."
** Lucian: ** (draws the sword) "No. We are not alone."
*(The fog thickens, swirling unnaturally.
** Elara: ** (Whispering) "They were my father's warriors ..."
** Lucian: ** (grim) "and have not forgotten their loyalty."
*(One of the shadows, higher and more terrible than the rest, enters forward. His voice is a hollow echo.)*
** Shadeborn Leader: ** "The blood of the sinner has returned."
** serraphine: ** (mumble) "Well, it's not*ominous."
** Shadeborn Leader: ** (tilts your head) "Are you here to say what is right, the child of the king?"
** Elara: ** (award itself) "I came to the answers."
** Shadeborn Leader: ** (smile) "Then ask."
** Elara: ** (hesitant) "Is my father alive?"
*(Shadeborn moves slightly, their forms flash like smoke.)*
** Shadeborn Leader: ** "Alive? No. But away? Never."
** Lucian: ** (clenched the jaw) "plenty of puzzles".
** Shadeborn Leader: ** (ignores him) "Awaits, the princess. Awaiting you*."
** Elara: ** (tense) "Where?"
*(Shadeborn leader raises his hand and suddenly the walls of the ruins glitter.
** Shadeborn Leader: ** "Behind the veil.*Sanctare of the Damned*."
** serraphine: ** (area) "Oh,*to*sounds beautiful."
** Elara: ** (staring at the portal) "What is it?"
** Shadeborn Leader: ** "Prison. Throne. Home." (stops) "Cage for God."
*(Lucian progresses forward and stands slightly in front of Elara.)*
** Lucian: ** (firm) "Why should we believe something you say?"
** Shadeborn Leader: ** (Darkly laughed) "Because you have no choice."
*(The ruins are shaking again. Shadeborn starts disappearing, whispering into the air.)*
** Shadeborn Leader: ** (Fad) "The fate of your father is intertwined with your, princess. Choose wisely… before it is too late."
*(With that Shadeborn disappeared so the group stood in silence.)*
** serraphine: ** (slow) "SO. That wasn't scary*at all*."
** Lucian: ** (turning to Elar) "What now?"
*(Elara stares at the dark portal. Her heart pounds. That was that - the way to the truth. To her father. To her fate.)*
** Elara: ** (Whispering) "We're going through."
** serraphine: ** (sigh) "Really*I have to start making better life choices."
*(Lucian puts his hand on Elar's shoulder, his expression serious.)*
** Lucian: ** (quietly) "Whatever happens, you're not alone."
*(Elara meets his gaze and nods. Then, without another word, enters forward - into the darkness.)*
** [Continue…] **