INT. MAIN HALL — MORNING
The hall is tense.
King Lian sits upon the throne, his expression cold and controlled.
Shinzi stands before him with his sword still drawn.
Across the hall, Yu Yan stands with several Linjian soldiers behind him, wearing an irritating smile.
YU YANPrincess Shin attempted to take her own life?
Shinzi's eyes become murderous.
SHINZIWatch your mouth.
YU YANWhy? Did I say something untrue?
One of the Linjian soldiers laughs quietly.
YU YANPerhaps the little princess finally realized that even Crimson Lotus cannot protect her.
SHINZII said—
Suddenly...
SHINShinzi...
Everyone turns.
At the entrance of the hall stands Shin.
Her face is pale.
Her hair is slightly messy from sleep.
She looks extremely weak, one hand gripping the doorframe for support.
The entire hall goes silent.
SHINZIShin?!
He immediately lowers his sword.
SHINZIWhat are you doing here? You should be resting!
Shin doesn't answer.
Her eyes slowly move across the hall.
She sees King Lian.
She sees the soldiers.
Then...
Her eyes stop on Yu Yan.
Yu Yan smiles.
YU YANAh.
He slowly looks her over.
YU YANThe princess herself.
Shin instinctively takes a small step backward.
She looks frightened.
Her breathing becomes uneven.
SHINZIShin.
Shinzi walks toward her.
SHINZICome here.
Shin tries to walk.
One step.
Another.
Her knees suddenly weaken.
SHINZIShin!
Shinzi catches her.
Without saying anything, Shin wraps both arms around him.
She presses her face against his chest.
Shinzi freezes for a moment.
Then his expression softens.
He gently puts one arm around her shoulders.
SHINZII'm here.
Shin grips his robe tightly.
SHINBrother...
Her voice is barely audible.
SHINZII'm here.
SHINI... I don't know what's happening to me.
Shinzi looks down at her.
SHINZIYou don't need to know right now.
He gently places a hand over her head.
SHINZIJust stay with me.
Shin closes her eyes.
SHINYou're the only one...
She struggles to breathe.
SHIN...who doesn't leave me alone.
Shinzi's expression breaks.
SHINZII will never leave you.
King Lian watches them silently.
His eyes become heavy with pain.
Then Yu Yan speaks.
YU YANHow touching.
Shinzi's eyes immediately turn cold.
YU YANThe great Princess of Crimson Lotus, hiding behind her brother after trying to kill herself.
Shin's fingers tighten around Shinzi's robe.
YU YANPerhaps she should be locked away.
SHINZIEnough.
YU YANOr perhaps—
Shin slowly looks toward Yu Yan.
There is fear in her eyes.
But underneath it...
Something darker.
YU YANPerhaps she should simply come with me.
Shinzi steps forward, placing himself completely between Yu Yan and Shin.
SHINZIYou will not speak to her again.
YU YANWhy?
Yu Yan smiles.
YU YANBecause she is your weakness?
Silence.
YU YANInteresting.
Shinzi's grip tightens around his sword.
YU YANI wonder what would happen if Linjian discovered exactly how—
KING LIANEnough.
King Lian's voice shakes the entire hall.
Everyone falls silent.
KING LIANYou entered my palace uninvited.
KING LIANYou insulted my daughter.
KING LIANAnd now you are provoking my son in front of me.
King Lian rises.
KING LIANYou have forgotten where you are.
Yu Yan's smile disappears.
KING LIANXu Cheng.
XU CHENGYour Majesty.
The chief soldier steps forward.
KING LIANRemove them.
YU YANYou dare—
XU CHENGYou heard the King.
Xu Cheng grabs Yu Yan by the arm.
YU YANTake your hands off me!
Several Linjian soldiers reach for their weapons.
Instantly, Crimson Lotus soldiers surround them.
XU CHENGDo not make this uglier than it already is.
Yu Yan looks back at Shin.
Shin is still clinging to Shinzi.
Yu Yan gives her one final sinister smile.
YU YANThis isn't over, Princess.
Xu Cheng shoves him toward the entrance.
YU YANYou will regret this!
XU CHENGOut.
The Linjian soldiers are forced out after him.
The massive doors slam shut.
BOOM.
Silence.
Shin is still holding Shinzi.
Her body trembles.
SHINZIHe's gone.
Shin slowly opens her eyes.
SHINZIYou're safe.
Shin nods weakly.
SHINBrother...
SHINZIHmm?
SHINDon't let them take me.
Shinzi's expression becomes painfully serious.
SHINZINo one is taking you anywhere.
He hugs her tighter.
SHINZINot while I'm alive.*
SCENE — HEAVENLY SWORD SECT INT. MEI LIN'S PALACE — UNDERGROUND PRISON
Darkness.
Water drips somewhere in the distance.
DRIP.
DRIP.
Qiao Tian opens her eyes.
She immediately tries to move.
CLANK!
Metal chains pull against her wrists.
Qiao Tian looks down.
Thick black chains are wrapped around her arms and waist.
QIAO TIANThese chains...
She pulls.
CLANK!
Nothing.
Across the chamber, Yun Zhao struggles against his own restraints.
YUN ZHAOThey're absorbing spiritual energy.
XUAN DAOOf course they are.
Xuan Dao pulls against the chain.
CRACK!
The stone beneath his feet fractures.
But the chain doesn't break.
Xuan Dao stops.
XUAN DAOInteresting.
YUN ZHAOYou can't break them?
XUAN DAOI didn't say that.
Xuan Dao looks at the chain carefully.
XUAN DAOI said they're interesting.
Qiao Tian looks around.
Then she notices something.
The girls.
Dozens of young girls are sitting inside the prison.
Some are chained.
Some are barely conscious.
Some have bruises on their arms.
Others stare blankly at the ground.
Several have pale faces, as though they haven't seen sunlight in months.
Qiao Tian's expression changes.
QIAO TIANWhat...
She slowly looks around.
QIAO TIANWhat did she do to them?
Yun Zhao becomes silent.
Xuan Dao looks toward the girls.
His expression changes.
For perhaps the first time since they were captured...
he doesn't make a joke.
He doesn't smile.
He doesn't speak.
He simply looks.
One girl is trembling uncontrollably.
Another is curled against the wall.
A third girl has faint red marks running along her neck where magical vines had wrapped around her.
Qiao Tian's hands tighten.
QIAO TIANThey've been here for a long time.
YUN ZHAOSome of them probably don't even remember when they were brought here.
Qiao Tian looks toward Xuan Dao.
He slowly shakes his head.
XUAN DAONo.
Qiao Tian looks at him.
QIAO TIANMaster?
Xuan Dao's jaw tightens.
XUAN DAOThis isn't imprisonment.
He looks toward the dark passage behind the cages.
XUAN DAOIt's cultivation.
Yun Zhao's face changes.
YUN ZHAOWhat?
XUAN DAOLook at their spiritual veins.
Qiao Tian looks carefully.
Faint black-red energy moves beneath the girls' skin.
QIAO TIANThey're being drained.
XUAN DAOAnd whatever is being taken from them...
Xuan Dao looks toward the ceiling.
Far above them, something enormous pulses.
THUM.
THUM.
THUM.
The entire prison trembles.
The girls flinch.
Qiao Tian looks upward.
QIAO TIANThe Blood Spirit Tree.
Xuan Dao nods.
XUAN DAOExactly.
His expression becomes colder.
XUAN DAOMei Lin isn't keeping these girls here because she wants prisoners.
He looks at the terrified faces around them.
XUAN DAOShe's using them as nourishment.
Silence.
Qiao Tian's eyes harden.
QIAO TIANThen we get them out.
Xuan Dao looks at her.
For a moment, he sees the same determination he has always known.
XUAN DAOThat's what I was waiting to hear.
Qiao Tian grabs her chain again.
CLANK!
QIAO TIANEveryone...
She looks at Yun Zhao.
QIAO TIANTry breaking the chains together.
YUN ZHAOTogether?
QIAO TIANThe chains are absorbing individual spiritual energy.
She looks at Xuan Dao.
QIAO TIANBut if we combine our power—
Xuan Dao smiles faintly.
XUAN DAONow you're thinking.
The three exchange a look.
Then, slowly...
They begin gathering their spiritual energy.
BOOM!
The prison shakes.
The girls look up.
For the first time, a tiny spark of hope appears in their eyes.
QIAO TIANHold on.
She looks at them.
QIAO TIANWe're getting you out of here.
CUT TO BLACK.