### ** sinner **
** [Scene: Inside The Dark Portal - Empire between Worlds] **
*(Elara, Lucian and Seraphine pass through a swirling portal. The air is thick and heavy, pushing their chests. Around them, huge, endless sections, illuminated floating balls with matt blue light. Special whisper in the distance.) **)*)*)*)
** seraphine: ** (mumble) "That's worse than I imagined."
** Lucian: ** (sword grasping) "Stay close".
** Elara: ** (looks around) "This place ... it's alive."
*(The country underneath is not solid, but changes like walking in the fog. A massive black fortress accumulates in the distance, its towers circulate unnaturally. At its gates stands a towering figure overcast.)**
** serraphine: ** (grinning) "Tell me it's not another shadow."
** Elara: ** (stared) "No ... it's something else."
*(The character progresses forward and reveals piercing silver eyes under the hood. His voice is deep, commanding and worried.)*
** Unknown character: ** "You finally came."
** Lucian: ** (stepping in front of Elara) "Who are you?"
** Unknown character: ** "I am*varannel*, supervisor of this prison." (Pauses) "And you, Elara Ravenshade, are the key to his return."
** serraphine: ** (Crossing Arms) "Of course."
** Elara: ** (narrowing of her eyes) "cancellation? What do you mean?"
** Varan: ** (Skewer) "Your father is imprisoned in the heart of this fortress. His soul persists, tied up by ancient magic."
** Lucian: ** (cold) "Then we should leave it here."
** Varan: ** (laughs) "You don't understand, knight. The seal weakens with every breath it takes." (to Ela) "You are * his blood.
*(Falling tense silence. Elara clenched his fists, fighting against the growth of fear and anger rising in the chest.)*
** Elara: ** (firm) "Then tell me how to stop it."
** Varan: ** (lifting your eyebrows) "Stop it?" (Darkly laughed) "You can't * stop fate, baby."
** serraphine: ** (dry) "Great. Another cryptic, omniscient, mysterious entity. Exactly what we needed."
** Varan: ** (ignores it) "The only way forward is through the gates. Inside you will find the truth you are looking for."
** Lucian: ** (narrowing his eyes) "And why should we trust you?"
** Varan: ** (smiling) "Because if you hesitate ... free yourself."
*(Elara breathes sharply. He knows he's not now. He meets Lucian's view and is looking for assurances.) **) **)*
** Elara: ** (quietly) "We have to do it."
** Lucian: ** (after pause) "Then I'm with you."
** seraphine: ** (rolling her eyes) "I hate this plan." (grabs their daggers) "But okay. Let's go straight to the scary death."
*(With the nod of Ela, they enter. The massive gates creaks open themselves and reveal a dark corridor lined with flashing torches. When they enter, the air cools down.)*
---
** [Scene: Inside Fortress - Hall of Echoes] **
*(Corridor is infinitely stretching, its walls lined with massive statues of warriors. Their faces are shrouded in the shade, their weapons were heading down as if in sadness.)*
** Serraphine: ** (Whispering) "I don't like it."
** Lucian: ** (tense) "Stay sharp."
*(Suddenly there is a voice in the hall - deep, known and attached by the power.)*
** sinner: ** (no matter that you came, my daughter. "
*(Elara freezes. Her pulse is accelerating. The air grows incredibly hard.)*
** Elara: ** (Whispering) "Father…"
** Sinner: ** (laughs) "Finally you stand where you belong."
** Lucian: ** (grinning teeth) "We are not here to join you."
** Sinner: ** (ridicule) "Ah, still a loyal knight. How noble. How… predictable."
*(A shady figure begins to materialize in front of them and shaped into a tall, royal man with piercing crimson eyes.
** Sinner: ** (quietly) "My baby ... You have no idea how long I have been waiting for this moment."
*(Elara takes a shaky breath. Every instinct tells her to run but she stands on the ground.)*
** Elara: ** (firm) "I came to the truth."
** Sinner: ** (eyebrow lifting) "True?" (laughs) "You already know it. You're mine *, Ela. You always had to finish what I started."
** serraphine: ** (mumble) "Yeah, it will be from us*no*."
** Elara: ** (sharply) "I'm not you."
** Sinner: ** (grinned) "Not yet."
*(Suddenly shadows and sculptures along the walls begin to move around. Their stone eyes shine red and they enter, raised weapons.)*
** Lucian: ** (screams) "It's a trap - Elara, Move!"
*(Sculptures attack, their strokes strong and persistent.
** serraphine: ** (smile despite chaos) "Oh, finally - something to stab!"
** Elara: ** (evokes her magic) "Enough!"
*(It explodes the explosion of dark energy and sends the sculptures flying back. Room trembles. The sinner smiles apparently.)*
** Sinner: ** "Yes… the power belongs to you."
** Elara: ** (breathes hard) "I will never be your heir."
** Sinner: ** (quietly) "Then let me show you what you really are."
*(Raises the hand. The shadows circle and coil, reach for Elar.
** Lucian: ** (desperate) "Elara! Don't listen to him!"
*(Shadows are bothering around her and in a moment - everything darkens.)*
---
** [Scene: Vision - Burning Throne Room] **
*(Elara finds out in a large hall, flames that consume everything around her. She sees herself - older, darker versions - affected by obsidian throne, crown of shadow on her head. Her eyes shine by force.)
*Dark Elara: (Rising) "It will be. The world will betray you. And if it does ... you burn it all."
(Flames yelling higher. Elara shouts - then everything breaks.)
[Scene: Back in Fortress - Reality]
(Elara collapses to her knees and breath. Lucian is immediately on her side and attracts her shoulders.)
Lucian: (afraid) "Elara! Talk to me!"
(She looks up, tears in her eyes, are afraid of her heart.)
Elara: (Washing) "I saw it. I saw what I could happen."
Sinner: (He grinned) "And now you understand it."
Lucian: (furious) "You'll never have her."
Sinner: (Laughs) "We'll see."
(Shadows grows again and pulls them deeper into the fort. The last confrontation began.)
[Continue…]