THE TOWER
LINUS
Ugh. Can someone else please take
this, just for a second?
ANN
No. We’re almost to the banker.
HAL
Right, keep It up, Linus. You’re
doing a great job. Carrying things
nobody else wants to carry is a
very important skill.
ANN
Wish someone’d taught you how to do
that.
HAL
I am trying to toughen this one up
for you. I’m not the one
responsible for him.
ANN
You’re barely responsible for
yourself.
LINUS
It’s just, I’ve been carrying It
for days now, and my shoulders
are...What’s...ughhhh. That’s
blood.
ANN
See, that right there’s the benefit
of having so many different hands
in the sack: it’s impossible to
know whose blood It is.
LINUS
Ugh. You are such an ass.
ANN
And you need to get used to blood
with out throwing up. You are lucky
no other crew saw you.
LINUS
I just mean, what kind of crew is
this that I have to...?
ANN
The kind you don’t belong to yet.
HAL
Hahaha. Oh ya Having second
thoughts on sponsorship, Ann?
LINUS
You’re an ass too, Hal.
HAL
...say that again.
ANN
Ha, hon't look at me, you’re on
your own.
HAL
Say...It...again.
LINUS
(slowly)
You’re...an ass.
HAL
Well...at least you’re learning to
follow directions. Ahahahah!
VORLAUF
Linus, you’re gonna have to keep
holding the sack of hands until
you’re cured of your aversion.
LINUS
...it’s fine. I’m okay with holding
the bag. Really.
HAL
No you’re not. You are so clearly
not.
ANN
Hey Linus, what’s that on your leg?
LINUS
Ugh....
HAL AND ANN
(laugh)
LINUS
Its fine... its just blood... no
big... deal...
ANN
You know, you’ve been so brave,
Linus. I...I really think I’ve come
to fancy you.
LINUS
Oh, that’s...really sweet. You know
I really--
ANN
Does that feel good?
LINUS
--that’s not your hand...
YEEEEHHHCCCCHHHH! BLLEECCCHHHH,
HAL AND ANN
(laugh)
LINUS
Ann! Ann. That is disgusting!
ANN
Your face. I got ya.
LINUS
Ha, I’m actually a little relieved.
I was worried when your hand was so
cold...and hairy.
VORLAUF
This is the life we’ve chosen,
Linus. Defending the realm can test
a man.
There’s another hand on your foot.
LINUS
Ugh. Look, I realize the blood and
body parts make me uneasy but--
VORLAUF
Melanie!
MEL
How’d the new guy do?
HAL
‘E’s shit.
VORLAUF
We’re all alive and the world is a
safer place. I’d say he was
adequate.
MEL
(laugh)
Whatcha’ got for me, uh...bag boy?
LINUS
Linus.
MEL
Don’t care, I’ll just forget It.
What you got in the bag for me?
LINUS
Oh shit...uh...sorry about the
blood. Let me just get the...uhm...
...is this making things worse?
This is making things worse isn't
It.
MEL
What happened to you? Did you fall
on your head as a child?
VORLAUF
He’s still learning the ropes.
Here are the town forms as well.
MEL
Ha! Your paperwork! It’s my
favorite; always so...thorough.
MEL (CONT'D)
Yep. Looks like we are all set. And
where are your completed orders?
ANN
Here, got It right here.
MEL
Here you are...
And...uh...go ahead and take back
your Sponsor ring.
VORLAUF
Well...I guess that’s...the end of
that.
MEL
Sorry, Vorlauf. But better his hand
than your own.
LINUS
Wait, that’s It?
ANN
What? Did you think we held a
burial ceremony for appendages?
HAL
Well, that’s actually not a
terrible idea. We could make
little, tiny coffins and little
wreaths next to them and have
little tiny moaners there It would
be...
LINU
Wait!
I want to be a part of this. All
the way.
HAL
What?
LINUS
I fought with you all, I defended
you and I want to be able to do
more. I’m ready.
HAL
Haha, someone thinks they’re tough
now eh?
ANN
Shut up, ya’ bobolyne.
LINUS
Vorlauf?
VORLAUF
That...is up to your sponsor.
LINUS
Ann? You saw me fight.
ANN
You saw what we did to Vorlauf’s
initiate when he didn’t follow the
code right?
LINUS
Yes.
ANN
Well that’s 1/10 of what I would do
to you.
LINUS
The code is why I want to do
this...
MEL
What? You think I'm going to help
you? I don’t even know your name!
ANN
I’ll do It.
LINUS
Ann, thank you.
VORLAUF
You’re sure you want to do this,
Ann?
ANN
He rode with us. He carried the
bag, and he knows the risk without
the reward. We’ve lost worse
prospects recently...and he is
eager.
VORLAUF
You know my rule.
ANN
I do, and you won’t have to worry.
I’d kill him myself.
LINUS
What are you talking about?
VORLAUF
Well, that means we have to decide
which way we want to initiate him.
The trench or the tower?
HAL
I say the trench. Let him earn It.
ANN
The tower.
HAL
My, you do have a lot of faith in
him, don’t you?
ANN
I want to find out if he has faith
in us.
VORLAUF
Tower It is. Mel?
MEL
VOWS TO THE TOWER!!!!
BANK VIGILES
(Cheer)
MEL
Alright then. Follow me.
VIGILES
New Blood. New Blood! New Blood!!
LINUS
Did you pick the tower because It
plays to my strengths?
ANN
No, now shut up.
Hal, give me the hand bag.
HAL
Here.
LINUS
What?!
ANN
I’d close my mouth if I were you...
LINUS
No! Don’t!
HAL
(calling from a distance)
See you on the other side,
Linus...if you make It. (Laughs)
LINUS
How far are we going?
SCENE BRAKE
ANN
Get in there.
LINUS
Hello? Where are we? Anyone?
MEL
This is the tower.
LINUS
What?... What was that????
MEL
The bag is now locked and the key
is in your pocket. Do not remove
the bag under any circumstances
until you are told.
ANN
This is where I find out if I made
a mistake or not.
MEL
Now, uhm, you? I never did get your
name.
LINUS
Linus.
ANN
Don't talk!
LINUS
I’m sorry! Is that part of my
initiation?
ANN
Initiation? This is a test. This is
for me, not you...
MEL
Becoming a Vigile means protecting
the land and its people. It means
standing for order and peace. It
means trusting that your fellow
Vigiles are here for you as much as
you are here for them. It means....
CALM...AMIDST CHAOS!
ANN
WALK FORWARD!
LINUS
BUT I CAN’T SEE!
ANN
WALK! FORWARD!
LINUS
IT’S...IS THIS A LADDER? WHAT DO I
DO NOW?
MEL
ABOVE YOU IS A WINDOW. ASCEND THE
LADDER SO YOU MAY OPEN THE GATED
WINDOW ABOVE TO FREE THE CROWS FROM
THEIR CONFINEMENT AND FREE YOUR
VIGILE BROTHERS AND SISTERS FROM
THIS DEFEANING CLAMOR.
LINUS
I...UMMM...
ANN
GO!
MEL
COME ON! FOR LAND SAKE, DON’T YOU
HAVE EARS?!
LINUS
I’M GOING TO FALL!
ANN
THEN FALL ALREADY SO I CAN GO HOME!
LINUS
PISS OFF!!
Linus reaches the top of the ladder. He paws at the wall, but
can’t find the window.
LINUS (CONT'D)
WHERE’S THE WINDOW? I CAN’T FEEL
It?
MEL
THE WINDOW IS SIX FEET ABOVE YOU.
LINUS
BUT I’M OUT OF LADDER!
ANN
LINUS, REACH!
LINUS
I CAN’T SEE! I CAN’T REACH It! I’M
SORRY!
MEL
VERY WELL, ANN, YOU HAVE WASTED THE
COUNCIL’S TIME. GIVE ME YOUR RIGHT
HAND!
ANN
WHAT? NO! THAT WASN’T PART OF THE
TEST!
MEL
YOUR HAND!
LINUS
NO! WAIT! I CAN GO...HIGHER...
MEL
IN THE NAME OF THE VIGILES, YOU
WILL REMEMBER THE TIME YOU PUT YOUR
FAITH IN TO THE WRONG HANDS.
ANN
LINUS!
LINUS
I’M TRYING! I’M...GOT It!! I’VE GOT
THE LEDGE.
AHH! THE LADDER!! It FELL!!
ANN
THE WINDOW!
ANN (CONT'D)
AAAAAAAH!
LINUS
UGH! Ann?! ANN?!
ANN
Linus....
LINUS
I can’t get down! I can’t move! If
I let go of the window, I’ll fall.
LINUS (CONT'D)
What? Who’s that?!
ANN
It’s me. We need escape out the
window.
LINUS
What? What happened?
ANN
We need to jump! GO!
LINUS
We’ll never survive! We’ll fall to
our deaths!
ANN
Linus...trust me!
LINUS
Uh...uh...Oh, hell...
AAAAAAAAAH! Hu?
LINUS (CONT'D)
I’m...I’m....
What. Who are you?! Let me go!
VORLAUF
Oh, hold still!
LINUS
Wait, I know that...
HAL
Oh, look. A dead man.
VORLAUF
Welcome to your new life.
LINUS
What...? How did...? Where’s Ann?!
ANN
I told you to trust me!
MEL
(Laughs)
LINUS
When?!? Did you... How?!?
VORLAUF
Faith in your sponsor...that’s how.
MEL
Linus! Do you vow to uphold the
Code of the Vigiles? To protect the
land from the darkness of magic and
dedicate yourself to eradicating It
in all it’s forms?
ANN
And under Penalty of having to deal
with me?
(MORE)
HAL
And me!
VORLAUF
And me!
THE CROWD
AND ME!
LINUS
You bet I do!!
MEL
Here, catch!
ANN
Put on the ring. It’s your
credential. And don’t ever make me
take It back from you.
MEL
Now stands before you: Linus, the
Vigile! For Vow and Code!
ALL OTHERS THERE
FOR VOW AND CODE!!
SCENE BRAKE
HAL
...but I must admit, you did well.
ANN
Ha, I’m just glad you didn’t try
and swan dive out the window.
LINUS
Do you think Mel likes me? I think
by the end she was starting to like
me.
HAL
Oh, absolutely!
LINUS
Really?
ANN
Don’t be stupid. Mel’s a stone-cold
bureaucrat. She doesn’t care about
anything except... I don’t know,
efficiency or documents or
something.
ANN (CONT'D)
Maybe don’t listen to Hal as much
when we’re on our next assignment.
LINUS
What is our next assignment?
VORLAUF
There isn’t one.
ANN
Oh no. Really?
HAL
Your horse is ready, sir.
LINUS
So, why? What are we doing if there
isn’t an assignment? Did I just do
all that for nothing? Vorlauf,
where are we going?
VORLAUF
Recruiting. Follow me.
LINUS
What does that mean?!
SCENE BRAKE
ORA
What the...? What?
Hey! Hey! Wake up.
ISTEN
Oh, hello. How’d you sleep?
ORA
We were supposed to take turns! Why
didn’t you wake me up?
ISTEN
I realized we were fine and figured
why not let both of us sleep.
ORA
Oh. You just...decided that?
ISTEN
Okay, so, I fell asleep.
ORA
(incensed)
You left us defenseless?!
ISTEN
Look, everything’s fine, okay? It’s
morning. We’re fine.
I mean, sure, the fire went out and
that’s less than ideal, but
really...no harm done.
ORA
Okay, but where’s Kevin?
He hasn’t come back yet.
ISTEN
No he hasn’t.
ORA
Doesn’t that concern you?
ISTEN
There’s a great many things in this
world that you know nothing about.
ORA
What are you doing?
ISTEN
You...uh...don’t know what this is,
do you?
ORA
No. But, I’m sure you’re going to
tell me.
ISTEN
It’s grau. An ancient practice of
synchronizing the physical and
spiritual. You know how sometimes
your body aches after a battle?
ORA
Sure.
ISTEN
It’s because your physical self and
spiritual self are misaligned.
ORA
Or, you know, because I got hit
with stuff while Vigiles were
trying to kill me.
ISTEN
(Chuckles)
A wise, 190-year-old monk taught me
this. Have you ever even met
anybody who’s lived that long?
ORA
No, no I have not.
ISTEN
That’s right, you haven’t.
ORA
Well... That guy Gary maybe...
ISTEN
This isn’t just some crazy belief.
This is just how our bodies work. I
used to be four inches shorter
before I started practicing this
every morning.
ORA
Really? It actually made you...
taller?
ISTEN
Look, if I’m truly chosen, don’t I
owe It to the world to take care of
myself?
Can you hand me some of that moss?
I need to massage It into my
temples.
ORA
You have got to be kidding...
ISTEN
Nope!
ORA
So, I think it’s great that you
take care of yourself--
ISTEN
Thank you.
ORA
...But, when you’re done, we really
need to go and find Kevin and
Karras.
ISTEN
No.
ORA
What? Isten, we have to. We can’t
just leave them out there. What if
they are in trouble?
ISTEN
Don’t let the slow, methodical
movements realigning my spiritual
self fool you, we are on a very
tight timeline.
ORA
Timeline? What timeline?
ISTEN
Look, they’ll meet us at the next
town. Karras’ll figure It out, he’s
a bright guy.
ORA
Really?
ISTEN
Well, I mean, he can follow
instructions.
ORA
What instructions?
ISTEN
Nothing, look...I’m confident that
we’ll catch up with them in
Dawnwallow.
ORA
Dawnwallow? Why Dawnwallow?
ISTEN
Because it’s where we’re headed.
They’ll be there.
ORA
If you’re going to be leading us,
you have to tell me why we’re doing
what we’re doing.
ISTEN
I told you we were on a quest and
you agreed to join...you knew what
you were...
ORA
Wait! Listen...
ISTEN
(ignoring her)
...signing up for, you agreed to
follow me and to let me handle
these sorts of decisions.
ORA
Isten! The trees!
ISTEN
Ora, I am the Chosen One. He who is
prophesied. And I’m telling you--
SPIRIT
(Neigh)
ORA
Spirit!
But where’s Kevin...?
END OF EPISODE 11