Author's notes

Hi everyone!
This time I'm back with something unusual for me, a brief work that I and others begun planning some time ago. We wanted to create a brief live action of GATE, some sort of midquel of the original story, with the final intent do answer to a question: is just a coincidence that the Empire is so similar to Ancient Rome? Unfortunately our project is failed right before its beginning, so I've decided to put this screenplay at your disposal. If you'll find it interesting, and you think to be able to turn it into a real short movie, feel free to use it.

See you soon.!^_^

...

SCENE 1

OUTSIDE - DAY – UMBRIAN APPENNINES

Three partisans, Ludovico, Mattia and their leader, Salvo, are fleeing through the trees.

With them they have a companion, Andrea, that is hurt and must be helped for walk by Salvo. At one point, tired, they stop in a sweep, gasping for breath.

MATTIA

I no longer feel them. Maybe we lost them.

SALVO

Help me.

Salvo is helped to make Andrea sat against a tree, and Ludovico gives him some water from his canteen. Andrea drinks with difficulty, coughing off a part of it.

ANDREA

I'm just a burden. Leave me here.

LUDOVICO

Do not talk nonsense, we will not abandon you.

The sound of stirred leaves startles the three, making them point their guns in the same direction.

FRANCESCO (From bush)

Don't shoot. It's me.

The three lower their weapons, and their mate Francesco comes out from the bush.

SALVO

Mr. Lieutenant. We thought you were dead.

FRANCESCO

I was close

SALVO

What is the situation?

FRANCESCO

Bad. The Germans have occupied the village. We can't go back.

LUDOVICO

And the British?

FRANCESCO

They are stuck south of here, right Narni. Don't trust in their arrival.

The three partisans lower their heads, worried and frightened. Salvo only seems to preserve his self-control.

LUDOVICO

Now what?

SALVO

We have to move immediately. They know we're here, and soon they'll find us.

A gunshot echoes in the forest, and a bullet sticks in the tree against which Andrea lies, missing the guy.

FRANCESCO

They have already found us!

Five German soldiers appear at the foot of the ridge.

FRANCESCO (raising his rifle)

Go, I slow down them!

SALVO

Whad are you planning for!? They'll kill you!

FRANCESCO

Stop talking and bring your ass out of here!

Salvo and others are reluctant, but eventually he and Mattia recover Andrea, helping him to get up and running away with him.

Francesco shoots hidding behind a rock, managing to kill a German soldier, but suddenly his rifle jams, and he is hit in the shoulder.

While still lying, clutching his wound, the other soldiers reach him, holding him at gunpoint; one of them kicks the rifle away.

SOLDIERS (yelling)

Stop! Nicht bewegen!

After a moment a German officer approaches, and his men make him pass. He and Francesco look at each other, then the officer take his gun, pointing it at his forehead.

OFFICIAL

Gute fahrt, italienisch

The officer shoots, and Francis dies.

OFFICIAL (To the soldiers)

Folgen ihnen! Schnell!

...

SCENE 2

OUTSIDE - DAY – UMBRIAN APPENNINES

Salvo, Mattia, Andrea and Ludovico continue to run through the forest, while behind them the noise of the approaching German soldiers become stronger.

Andrea is more and more exhausted, and at a certain point Salvo and Mattia are forced to practically drag him in order to advance.

At a certain point, the four find themselves in front of a rocky wall that blocks their path.

LUDOVICO

Shit! We're trapped!

SALVO (looking right)

Maybe not, look!

Not far away, in the rock, they find a large opening, apparently the entrance of a cave. The interior is dark, and you can't see the end, giving the impression that it's very deep.

MATTIA

I didn't remember there was a cave here.

The soldiers' voices become closer, and the partisans look scared each other.

SALVO

Never mind, let's move. At worst, we'll be able to defend ourselves better here inside.

The four then cross the entrance of the cave, and immediately after you can hear a loud trumpet.

...

SCENE 3

OUTSIDE - DAY – SPECIAL REGION

A bright light fills the screen (effect "Stargate"), and the four partisans suddenly find themselves back outside. However, they find out to be in the midst of what appear to be the ruins of an old castle, while the cave has turned into some sort of old crumbling building covered with plants.

SALVO

What the hell…

They make some steps forward atonished, looking around without regognize anything familiar.

LUDOVICO

What happened !? A moment ago we were in a cave, and now ...

SALVO

I do not know, I have no idea.

Suddenly Andrea groans loudly, and his companions lean him against a wall. They try to make him drink, but this time he coughs blood mixed in water just after a sip.

SALVO

Andrea! Andrea hold on!

ANDREA (A Salvo)

Luisa ... my son ... I entrust them to you ...

Andrea raises his hand, trying to grab Salvo's, but he dies before being able to do it.

SALVO (banging his fist on the ground)

Fuck!

As he and his two companions look a dead Andrea, Mattia notes the German soldiers coming out from the gate and point their weapons against them.

MATTIA

Watch out!

He, Ludovico and Salvo hide themselves behind a wall, and a brief firefight results. One of the enemy soldiers is killed, but before long the three partisans find themselves without ammunition.

LUDOVICO

I'm out!

MATTIA

Me too! What we do, Salvo?

While a German soldier was firing, however, the other two prowled the three, suddenly reappearing behind them. Salvo fires them with his handgun, missing them, but after only two shots the weapon is unloaded.

SOLDIER

Werft eure waffen! Jetzt!

At that point, the three surrender.

...

SCENE 4

OUTSIDE - DAY – SPECIAL REGION

Salvo, Mattia and Ludovico are to the wall, while the three German soldiers keep them at gunpoint.

The officer, however, looks around atonished, touching the walls, the boulders and the ground.

OFFICIAL

Magnificent

Then, somewhere between sarcastic and disappointed, he turns back to the prisoners.

OFFICIAL

It's really true what they say. Italy's problem is that there are the Italians. If nothing else, you have the merit of making us find this place.

The three look at each other.

SALVO

This place!?

OFFICIAL

Have you not understood yet? Perhaps do you think to be still in Italy? I do not know where we are, but one thing is certain: we are not in Italy, and probably not even in Europe.

The officer smiles mockingly.

OFFICIAL

Never mind, we'll have all the time to find out. Just a shame that you'll not be here.

The officer turns to the soldiers

OFFICIAL

Schussbereit!

The soldiers load their rifles; Matthew closes his eyes, while Ludovico stars to pray.

OFFICIAL

Ready!

Long silence. Salvo seems to notice something behind the soldiers.

OFFICIAL

Feuer!

At that moment, an arrow hit one of the soldiers behind him piercing his neck and killing him. His companions look around frightened, and after a while an elf (Sadee) appears from behind a wall with a bow on her shoulder and a dagger in her hand. The two surviving soldiers tryes to shoot her, but the first shots fail, and she kills them both before they can shoot again.

The German officer, meanwhile, pulled out the gun, and as the girl looks up at him the officer he shoots her, hitting her in the abdomen; she moans, but then she throws the dagger, sticking it in the officer's chest and leaving him dead.

Salvo and his companions, astonished, watch the girl, that panting and wounded looks at them for a moment before falling unconscious.

Without hesitation Salvo tries to help her, feeling the pulse and putting a hand over her mouth.

SALVO

She's still alive, we have to help her.

LUDOVICO

Help her!? But we don't even know who ... or what she is.

SALVO

What does it matter? She just saved us. We owe her one.

Salvo takes his the heavy coat, using it to cover the elf, and at that moment you can hear, again, that loudly trumpet sound. The three turn toward the gate.

SALVO

I guess it's better get going.

Salvo takes Sadee in his arms, and the three quickly pass through the gate again. Shortly after they left, however, it is showed that the German Officer, apparently dead, is actually still breathing.

...

SCENE 5

OUTSIDE - DAY – UMBRIAN APPENNINES

After the "Stargate effect", Salvo, Mattia and Ludovico find themselves back to the entrance of the cave.

LUDOVICO

It seems that we're back

SALVO

It's incredible. I still wonder what happened

Mattia points his flashlight behind him, remaining stunned.

MATTIA

Look.

His companions turn around, realizing that now the flashlight illuminates only the bottom of the cave, and that the gate is gone.

Salvo then look again Sadee panting in his arms, wounded but alive.