1. Wide shot
Torm crosses the glowing Whistlestick musical bridge and enters the dark cave entrance.
2. Medium tracking shot
Torm walks cautiously 50 feet into the cave. The light from outside fades behind her.
3. Medium shot
Torm discovers the broken steps and old iron tram. She tests it with her foot.
4. Close-up
Torm’s hand on the rusty brake lever. She hesitates, then releases it.
5. Dynamic tracking shot
The tram car screeches forward. Rust and debris rain down on Torm as she ducks.
6. Close-up
Torm’s tense face, one hand gripping the brake tightly.
7. POV shot
Riding the tram, seeing the end of the line approaching.
8. Wide dramatic shot
The tram suddenly stops. Torm looks ahead in horror — 75 feet of open gap remains.
9. Medium shot
Torm carefully climbs out of the tram and edges across the rusty cable.
10. Extreme close-up
Rusty cable cutting into Torm’s hands as she strains forward.
11. Wide overhead shot
Just as Torm reaches safety, the entire tram rig collapses and falls violently into the abyss.
12. Medium shot
Torm catches her breath, then continues deeper into the cave.
13. High-angle wide shot
Torm faces a new high ledge crossing made of thin pipe poles.
14. Close-up
Torm tightens her shoes and tucks in loose clothing, mentally preparing.
15. Side tracking shot
Torm carefully walks across the delicate pipe poles, counting steps silently.
16. Close-up on feet
Torm’s careful steps — 26 steps total across the dangerous path.
17. Wide establishing shot
Torm arrives at the large cylindrical brick wall with a missing staircase.
18. Medium shot
Torm examines the worn-out metal disk and peeks through the notch at the gear mechanism.
19. Close-up
Torm discovers the pile of magnetic mine rocks.
20. Quick montage (3 shots)
Torm creates her improvised magnetic key: filling the bag, attaching rebar, and tying the wooden rod.
21. Dynamic shot
Torm lifts the magnetic bag to the disk. It snaps into place aggressively.
22. Medium shot
Torm turns her homemade key. Old beams swing out, forming a staircase.
23. Low-angle tracking shot
Torm climbs the newly formed staircase, testing each step carefully.
24. Wide shot
Torm reaches the top and climbs a series of tall ladders.
25. Tense tracking shot
Torm edges sideways along the rotten ledge path, hugging the wall.
26. Medium action shot
Torm jumps across missing planks, landing safely on the other side.
27. Sweeping aerial shot
Torm now 400 feet above the cave floor, arriving at the hanging star carriages.
28. Medium shot
Torm rotates and steps gracefully from one star carriage to the next.
29. Medium shot
Torm steps off the last carriage and looks back, almost disappointed they don’t fall.
30. Tracking shot
Torm walks across the long rusty hanging path into the electric machine hall.
31. Wide dramatic shot
Torm faces the broken pathway. The only route is the dangerous “carriage dog” rail.
32. Close-up
Torm wraps rags around her hands for insulation.
33. Quick montage (3 shots)
Torm tests the carriage dog with wood, rehearses her run, then sprints and jumps aboard.
34. High-energy tracking shot
Torm rides the carriage dog as electricity cracks and spheres of energy fire between transformers.
35. Action shot
Torm jumps off at the end and grabs the chain-hooked wire, riding it to safety.
36. Epic wide shot
The entire electric hall explodes in chaos behind her — sparks, whips of electricity, and collapse.
37. Medium shot
Torm enters a maze of stone hallways through rusty iron doors.
38. Tracking shot
Torm explores the empty stone rooms until she finds the room with three large iron wheels.
39. Medium shot
Torm jumps down into the wheel shaft to investigate the small square opening.
40. Fast action shot
The massive iron wheel begins turning. Torm barely escapes through the tight tunnel.
41. Wide shot
Torm enters the doorless room. Her compass activates, showing the symbol.
42. Tense shot
Torm steps on the trigger stone. The entrance seals shut behind her.
43. Creepy tracking shot
The Jewel-Skinned Man lurks outside the walls, watching Torm silently.
44. Emotional two-shot sequence (split into 5 shots across dialogue)
45.Torm pleading through the walls
46. Jewel-Skinned Man’s painful flashbacks
47.Intense confrontation when he grabs her throat
48.Torm helping him after he collapses
49.Tender moment as she treats his wounds
50. Powerful emotional finale shot
The Jewel-Skinned Man removes his glowing Heart Jewel and gives it to Torm. She thanks him through tears. He opens the south door. Torm leaves reluctantly. The man dies, turning fully to crystal. The Child of Light appears to guide his peaceful soul away as Sand Pirates later shatter his remains.
Torm crosses the glowing Whistlestick musical bridge and enters the dark cave entrance.
2. Medium tracking shot
Torm walks cautiously 50 feet into the cave. The light from outside fades behind her.
3. Medium shot
Torm discovers the broken steps and old iron tram. She tests it with her foot.
4. Close-up
Torm’s hand on the rusty brake lever. She hesitates, then releases it.
5. Dynamic tracking shot
The tram car screeches forward. Rust and debris rain down on Torm as she ducks.
6. Close-up
Torm’s tense face, one hand gripping the brake tightly.
7. POV shot
Riding the tram, seeing the end of the line approaching.
8. Wide dramatic shot
The tram suddenly stops. Torm looks ahead in horror — 75 feet of open gap remains.
9. Medium shot
Torm carefully climbs out of the tram and edges across the rusty cable.
10. Extreme close-up
Rusty cable cutting into Torm’s hands as she strains forward.
11. Wide overhead shot
Just as Torm reaches safety, the entire tram rig collapses and falls violently into the abyss.
12. Medium shot
Torm catches her breath, then continues deeper into the cave.
13. High-angle wide shot
Torm faces a new high ledge crossing made of thin pipe poles.
14. Close-up
Torm tightens her shoes and tucks in loose clothing, mentally preparing.
15. Side tracking shot
Torm carefully walks across the delicate pipe poles, counting steps silently.
16. Close-up on feet
Torm’s careful steps — 26 steps total across the dangerous path.
17. Wide establishing shot
Torm arrives at the large cylindrical brick wall with a missing staircase.
18. Medium shot
Torm examines the worn-out metal disk and peeks through the notch at the gear mechanism.
19. Close-up
Torm discovers the pile of magnetic mine rocks.
20. Quick montage (3 shots)
Torm creates her improvised magnetic key: filling the bag, attaching rebar, and tying the wooden rod.
21. Dynamic shot
Torm lifts the magnetic bag to the disk. It snaps into place aggressively.
22. Medium shot
Torm turns her homemade key. Old beams swing out, forming a staircase.
23. Low-angle tracking shot
Torm climbs the newly formed staircase, testing each step carefully.
24. Wide shot
Torm reaches the top and climbs a series of tall ladders.
25. Tense tracking shot
Torm edges sideways along the rotten ledge path, hugging the wall.
26. Medium action shot
Torm jumps across missing planks, landing safely on the other side.
27. Sweeping aerial shot
Torm now 400 feet above the cave floor, arriving at the hanging star carriages.
28. Medium shot
Torm rotates and steps gracefully from one star carriage to the next.
29. Medium shot
Torm steps off the last carriage and looks back, almost disappointed they don’t fall.
30. Tracking shot
Torm walks across the long rusty hanging path into the electric machine hall.
31. Wide dramatic shot
Torm faces the broken pathway. The only route is the dangerous “carriage dog” rail.
32. Close-up
Torm wraps rags around her hands for insulation.
33. Quick montage (3 shots)
Torm tests the carriage dog with wood, rehearses her run, then sprints and jumps aboard.
34. High-energy tracking shot
Torm rides the carriage dog as electricity cracks and spheres of energy fire between transformers.
35. Action shot
Torm jumps off at the end and grabs the chain-hooked wire, riding it to safety.
36. Epic wide shot
The entire electric hall explodes in chaos behind her — sparks, whips of electricity, and collapse.
37. Medium shot
Torm enters a maze of stone hallways through rusty iron doors.
38. Tracking shot
Torm explores the empty stone rooms until she finds the room with three large iron wheels.
39. Medium shot
Torm jumps down into the wheel shaft to investigate the small square opening.
40. Fast action shot
The massive iron wheel begins turning. Torm barely escapes through the tight tunnel.
41. Wide shot
Torm enters the doorless room. Her compass activates, showing the symbol.
42. Tense shot
Torm steps on the trigger stone. The entrance seals shut behind her.
43. Creepy tracking shot
The Jewel-Skinned Man lurks outside the walls, watching Torm silently.
44. Emotional two-shot sequence (split into 5 shots across dialogue)
45.Torm pleading through the walls
46. Jewel-Skinned Man’s painful flashbacks
47.Intense confrontation when he grabs her throat
48.Torm helping him after he collapses
49.Tender moment as she treats his wounds
50. Powerful emotional finale shot
The Jewel-Skinned Man removes his glowing Heart Jewel and gives it to Torm. She thanks him through tears. He opens the south door. Torm leaves reluctantly. The man dies, turning fully to crystal. The Child of Light appears to guide his peaceful soul away as Sand Pirates later shatter his remains.
SISTER
(1) Water... water.
Torm puts down a vial and quickly fetches her sister water and rushes to her bedside.
TORM
(2) Here it is, here.
Torm gently helps her sister sit up and drink. Her sister takes a small sip and falls back to her pillow.
SISTER
(3) Will this never end?
TORM
(4) Just rest. It will be over soon.
Torm puts down the water and adjusts her sister's vapor machine.
SISTER
(5) I'm so afraid, Torm. I don't want to die.
TORM
(6) Fear is good: it means your mind is working properly .
SISTER
(7)Please, get this out of me.
TORM
(8) I am, little sis, we just need a little more time.
Torm checks a few spots on her sister's body for black veins.
SISTER
(9) What if the mixtures stop working? What if they start having the opposite effects and I start getting worse again?
TORM
(10) Just a few weeks ago you couldn't even talk. And now I see the black veins growing smaller. You have nothing at all to worry about.
Torm takes out a small dripper and a glass plate.
TORM
(11) Okay, a few dream samples.
Torm collects a few of her sister's tears and drops them onto the glass plate.
TORM
(12) Your dreams are getting more colorful.
SISTER
(13) The dreams are the only thing good about the fever.
TORM
(14) I've read that some people give themselves Shadow Fever just to have the dreams.
SISTER
(15) I CAN ONLY REMEBER PARTS OF THEM.
Torm puts a dry white mixture into the vapor machine that is at the side of her sister's bed. Torm adjusts a few parts of the machine and soon it releases vapors.
TORM
(16) I will show them to you when you are better. Now get some more sleep so I can go back to work.
Torm tucks her sister in and returns to her work.
............................................................
SHOT LIST 1-56
22.INT. CAVE. ( CAVE )
The animals have crystals in them... indicating that the old man has helped them. He gets around on a system of pulleys, ropes, and levers.
Torm crosses the Whistlestick bridge and enters the cave. Fifty feet into the cave, Torm is met with steps that have been cut off and an old iron tram. She puts a foot on it to see if it is stable. The old rusty cables are hard to trust, but seeing no other way, she is forced to get on. She releases the brake lever and the tram car starts moving, squeaking and squealing as rust and debris fall onto her. She covers up and then brushes it off. Mindful of the speed, she keeps her hand on the brake, wanting to get off the ride as soon as possible, but any faster and she might snap the cable. Seeing the end, she feels a little relief, but to her horror the cable stops. She tries to swing it loose but it doesn't budge. About seventy-five feet away from safe ground, she gets out and nervously climbs across to the other end. The rusty cable bites into her hands but she ignores the pain. Just as she steps off to safety, the whole rig falls. She looks over the side and sees it falling violently. But her fun is not over. Further in, she comes to another high ledge but this time only small thin pipe poles form a way to walk across to the next ledge. Torm tucks in all loose items of clothing and tightens up her shoes. She keeps her mind blank as she counts her steps because her balance is so delicate, a thought could tip it.
She manages the tall path without a problem and counted twenty-six steps. Torm comes to a cylinder brick wall that once had a staircase leading to the top. High above it she can see ledges and old "star carriage" paths. She studies the walls and finds a worn-out metal disk on it where a turn handle used to be. She peeks in through a notch and sees the disk attached to a mechanism of wooden gears and iron rods. She surveys the area around her: some old bags, rebar, and a shovel with no handle. She inspects a pile of mine rocks near her and discovers they are magnetic. A flash diagram comes to her mind of a solution. She fills an old mine bag with some of the rocks and attaches a piece of rebar to it. She ties a wooden rod on the bag. She lifts the bag up to the worn-out disk and the magnetic rock is aggressively attracted to it. Torm turns the homemade key and a set of old beams open out of square holes around the wall, forming a staircase.
Torm makes her way up the staircase, careful to watch her pressure and balance. Reaching the top of the staircase, she finds and climbs a series of tall ladders up to a path of ledges that have since rotted away, leaving only the support beams and a handful of planks. Torm hugs up against the wall and walks sideways slowly across the ledges. She has to jump a few times where the planks are completely gone but manages to make it all the way to safety. Now four hundred feet above the cave floor, she comes to a set of hanging star carriages. They have small round platforms that rest on an iron beam shaped like the letter “J”. She manages them with little effort, rotating them to move from one to the next, stepping from carriage to carriage. Once she steps off the last one, she looks back at them expecting them to fall, but they don't. And in a strange way, she is disappointed they don't. She makes her way across a long rusty path that hangs high in the loft where she is led to an electric machine hall. The pathway that would have allowed her to pass safely across to a set of doors has completely fallen away. The only way across is a "carriage dog" that connects high-powered charges of electricity to a set of large transformers coming out from the walls. She thinks about throwing something into the transformers, but it could have very unpredictable results, so she resolves to borrow a ride from the carriage dog. She insulates her hands with rags so they resist a conductive connection. She then puts a scrap piece of wood onto the carriage dog’s top plate and pulls on it to see if the wheel still turns. She backs up and practices a few dry runs to the carriage. Feeling that she has rehearsed as well as she can, she runs with all her energy and jumps onto the carriage dog. It screeches down the rail, attracting a cracking buzz as each transformer fires a sphere of energy to its twin on the other side. Torm stands up, seeing that the track runs out, but notices a chain-hooked hovering wire above her. She jumps off the ride and hangs on the ripcord chains, riding it all the way where she drops and covers up on a safe solid platform. The hall explodes with a symphony of devil tails, cracking their hammer whips against anything that will conduct, pulling the hall into the hell below. Torm uncovers and looks over the edge and sees the dangerous mess below. She is glad she trusted her instinct not to try to discharge the transformers before her ride.
She makes her way through a set of rusty iron doors and finds hallways of stone walls. Mostly empty rooms, she explores the maze of halls until she finds a room with three large iron wheels with an axle through them. She can see they are meant to turn, but what for she doesn't exactly know. She examines the room for a way through, but is unsuccessful. She looks down the wheel’s shaft and sees a small square opening. She jumps down into the shaft to examine it more. Suddenly the large iron wheel starts turning downwards. Torm is in danger of being crushed. She escapes through the small opening by wiggling her way through just in time. It’s a tight, small tunnel that leads to a doorless room. Her compass cries for attention, showing a symbol. As she looks around the room for the shape in the compass picture, she unknowingly steps on a stone that triggers the opening to shut. She runs to it, but it's too late. A sad, tortured, glowing, one-handed, Jewel-Skinned Man with a walking stick lurks around the outside of the stone room, keeping quiet and hidden from Torm. She feels the edges of the brick wall for a way out and presses a stone. The room shifts arrangement, but she is still trapped.
JEWEL SKINNED MAN
Why are you here?
Torm hears a voice call out in "Inotra," a language from the east. Torm is frightened by the man’s voice and quickly moves away.
TORM
Hello, who's there? Can you help me out of here?
she asks the hidden stranger in his language.
JEWEL SKINNED MAN
Why are you here?
the man repeats. Torm follows the sounds of the man's movements, catching occasional glances through the stones.
TORM
I'm seeking something, but I really don't know what it is I'm looking for.
JEWEL SKINNED MAN
Looking for something to make you rich.... Looking to pawn my scars to fund your dreams. Like all the others!
TORM
What do you mean? I don't understand.
JEWEL SKINNED MAN
LIAR! It doesn't matter now!
A sudden rush of flashbacks hits his memory hard: 1. Stones being pulled from his skin. 2. He is shackled and tubes and pipes stuck into him, pumping out jewel blood. 3. Crystal testing... skin stretched back, painful scraping. Men talking about purity and bartering a price. 4. Jewel Breeders (“Bring in the whore!” a rough male voice says.) Trying to push back the aggressive memories, the man’s body is completely flexed, forcing blood out of his scars. Blood that turns instantly to crystal when it hits the rocks below. Torm hears that he’s in pain.
TORM
Are you okay? You sound hurt.
JEWEL SKINNED MAN
What do you care about my pain? What do you care about my life?
TORM
Please... If you are hurt and in pain, maybe I can help you.
JEWEL SKINNED MAN
You are trying to trick me to let you out.
TORM
I'm not trying to trick you, I promise you. If you are hurt let me help you. You have nothing to fear. I won't hurt you.
The man has a flashback of a “jewel scraper" preparing a stretching table.
JEWEL SCRAPER
You have nothing to fear, I won't hurt you...
the scraper says. The flashback ends.
JEWEL SKINNED MAN
Nothing to fear? You have no idea what my life has been like. A constant misery. Being cursed with skin that no shadow can hide. Having it stretched back by rusty pins and clamps while your muscles are scraped with dull plates. As you cry out in torture, they smile at you... having no family, no friends, no name... just a dead thing that pays well.
TORM
What? Is that what has happened to you? Who has done this to you? That is terrible.. you poor soul. I would never hurt anyone like that.
JEWEL SKINNED MAN
It doesn't matter why you're here. If you can find me, so can others.
The man runs away.
TORM
Wait! Please! Don't leave me here!
Torm keeps looking for a way out. She presses another stone and the room shifts again. She pleads through the bricks.
TORM
PLEASE! Can you tell me what this is?
Torm draws the symbol from the compass on the wall. Moments go by. She hears painful breaths of the man lurking.
TORM
I am sorry, I will never tell anyone where you are. Please help me out of here.
The man sees the symbol on the ground which triggers flashbacks of his slavers abusing him. He struggles through them and moments later comes out of the fit and settles down.
TORM
Please! I know you can't trust me because of the horrible treatment you have been through, but you have to believe that I am not here to hurt you or to make myself rich.
JEWEL SKINNED MAN
I will never trust any of you.
TORM
Please, I am not like the others. ...Are you okay? Please take it easy, you are hurt. You sound like you are in a lot of pain. I can help you.
JEWEL SKINNED MAN
Your words are lies... meaningless...
the man's pain cuts him off mid-sentence. Torm finds the control stone and activates it. A large stone entrance opens revealing the Jewel-Skinned Man, breathing in heavy exhausted pain.
JEWEL SKINNED MAN
Why have you come? Why did you have to come here?
the Jewel-Skinned Man starts to move slowly towards Torm.
JEWEL SKINNED MAN
You have stolen my walls from me. The only walls of peace I've ever known. Walls that keep men from painfully harvesting my skin like wheat... Shifting their crops from field to field, keeping their soil fertile. They would pull stones from my back, throat, stomach, my eyes.
He grabs Torm’s throat and chokes her in anger.
JEWEL SKINNED MAN
YOU ARE ALL THE SAME! I WILL NOT LIVE IN PAIN ANYMORE! I will make sure you never tell anyone where I am.
The man falls to the floor, too weak to complete his intention. Torm helps him.
TORM
Here, lay here.
She takes her cape off and makes a pillow for his head. The man panics as Torm reaches in for her tools, the same tools which remind him of his abuser’s tools. He grabs her arms, but grows weak quickly.
TORM
I only need to see the makeup of the crystal structure. I have something that might help with the pain.
Torm reassures the Jewel-Skinned Man. He gives in, too weak to resist. Torm takes small samples off his body and tests it. “Diatride Alkaline. Similar to the fever,” she states, then takes out some mineral powder and pours it on the man’s wounds. It helps immediately and he relaxes. She puts the vial of powder next to him.
TORM
Does it help?
Torm imagines his abusers pulling stones from his back, stomach, and eyes as she examines his body.
TORM
What did they do to you? It looks like they were careful to take just enough not to kill you.
JEWEL SKINNED MAN
Does death save me? Do cruel hearts become kind when they enter heaven, or is hell waiting for me in the clouds? Here, in these unhurtful walls, I was safe from man and heaven. Until you came and brought all the nightmares back.
Torm looks down in shame.
TORM
If I would have known I would never have come. I don't want to add to your pain. What they did to you was unforgivable.
JEWEL SKINNED MAN
Why are you looking for that?
the Jewel-Skinned Man points to the symbol she drew on the ground.
TORM
Honestly I don't know what I'm looking for. I don’t know what that symbol means, what it represents, or what I'm supposed to do with it.
JEWEL SKINNED MAN
But why are you looking for it?
TORM
For my sister. She has Shadow Fever. I need to get the rivers flowing again so I can make more of this.
Torm points to the mineral vial.
TORM
Without it, she will die. And without her, I will be all alone in this world. I don't know what to do, and I don't know why I'm here.
The man becomes silent in thought. He looks at Torm’s tears and then the symbol.
TORM
I'm sorry for what we did to you. With all the love that I have, I promise I will never tell anyone where you are.
She gets up to leave, but the man grabs her arm and stops her. A tear falls down his face turning into crystal. Torm wipes it away as the tortured man wipes her tears away.
TORM
You are beautiful.
Torm says softly. His body starts to change color. He looks at the symbol on the ground and then lifts up a cloth covering his chest revealing his Heart Jewel surrounded by the same symbol on the ground.
JEWEL SKINNED MAN
You didn't come here to steal my jewel to make yourself rich, you came here to borrow my light to save your sister....only heaven knows what to steal and when, it's a kind hearted theft by a friend, not to save us from the shadows that take us all, but to hold our light until day become night and returned it again by a dreamer in the falls.
He pulls his Heart Jewel out of his chest. The cavity is quickly grown over with new young crystals as he completes the excavation. He holds the heart out for Torm. She notices the shape on his chest is the one from her compass.
TORM
I can't take this, it doesn't belong to me.
JEWEL SKINNED MAN
It does now.
the man responds. Torm reluctantly takes the gift and caringly packages it in a cloth and puts it into her bag.
TORM
Thank you.
she says softly through gentle tears. The man presses a stone.
JEWEL SKINNED MAN
I've just opened the south door. It will be your quickest way out. Save your sister.
Torm hesitantly leaves his side, looking back with caring eyes and pausing.
TORM
I will bring this back to you, I promise.
JEWEL SKINNED MAN
Go... your sister!
TORM
Thank you.
Torm exits and the man leans over in pain quickly losing consciousness. His body solidifies into crystal; he is dead. The Child of Light appears through the wall and greets his soul as he comes out of his body. He is at peace and safe now. They walk away, vanishing through the wall. Seconds later, a group of Sand Pirates find the crystalized body of the Jewel-Skinned Man and as they try to collect him, he shatters. Although the pieces turned to common stone, they collect them anyway.
.......................
The animals have crystals in them... indicating that the old man has helped them. He gets around on a system of pulleys, ropes, and levers.
Torm crosses the Whistlestick bridge and enters the cave. Fifty feet into the cave, Torm is met with steps that have been cut off and an old iron tram. She puts a foot on it to see if it is stable. The old rusty cables are hard to trust, but seeing no other way, she is forced to get on. She releases the brake lever and the tram car starts moving, squeaking and squealing as rust and debris fall onto her. She covers up and then brushes it off. Mindful of the speed, she keeps her hand on the brake, wanting to get off the ride as soon as possible, but any faster and she might snap the cable. Seeing the end, she feels a little relief, but to her horror the cable stops. She tries to swing it loose but it doesn't budge. About seventy-five feet away from safe ground, she gets out and nervously climbs across to the other end. The rusty cable bites into her hands but she ignores the pain. Just as she steps off to safety, the whole rig falls. She looks over the side and sees it falling violently. But her fun is not over. Further in, she comes to another high ledge but this time only small thin pipe poles form a way to walk across to the next ledge. Torm tucks in all loose items of clothing and tightens up her shoes. She keeps her mind blank as she counts her steps because her balance is so delicate, a thought could tip it.
She manages the tall path without a problem and counted twenty-six steps. Torm comes to a cylinder brick wall that once had a staircase leading to the top. High above it she can see ledges and old "star carriage" paths. She studies the walls and finds a worn-out metal disk on it where a turn handle used to be. She peeks in through a notch and sees the disk attached to a mechanism of wooden gears and iron rods. She surveys the area around her: some old bags, rebar, and a shovel with no handle. She inspects a pile of mine rocks near her and discovers they are magnetic. A flash diagram comes to her mind of a solution. She fills an old mine bag with some of the rocks and attaches a piece of rebar to it. She ties a wooden rod on the bag. She lifts the bag up to the worn-out disk and the magnetic rock is aggressively attracted to it. Torm turns the homemade key and a set of old beams open out of square holes around the wall, forming a staircase.
Torm makes her way up the staircase, careful to watch her pressure and balance. Reaching the top of the staircase, she finds and climbs a series of tall ladders up to a path of ledges that have since rotted away, leaving only the support beams and a handful of planks. Torm hugs up against the wall and walks sideways slowly across the ledges. She has to jump a few times where the planks are completely gone but manages to make it all the way to safety. Now four hundred feet above the cave floor, she comes to a set of hanging star carriages. They have small round platforms that rest on an iron beam shaped like the letter “J”. She manages them with little effort, rotating them to move from one to the next, stepping from carriage to carriage. Once she steps off the last one, she looks back at them expecting them to fall, but they don't. And in a strange way, she is disappointed they don't. She makes her way across a long rusty path that hangs high in the loft where she is led to an electric machine hall. The pathway that would have allowed her to pass safely across to a set of doors has completely fallen away. The only way across is a "carriage dog" that connects high-powered charges of electricity to a set of large transformers coming out from the walls. She thinks about throwing something into the transformers, but it could have very unpredictable results, so she resolves to borrow a ride from the carriage dog. She insulates her hands with rags so they resist a conductive connection. She then puts a scrap piece of wood onto the carriage dog’s top plate and pulls on it to see if the wheel still turns. She backs up and practices a few dry runs to the carriage. Feeling that she has rehearsed as well as she can, she runs with all her energy and jumps onto the carriage dog. It screeches down the rail, attracting a cracking buzz as each transformer fires a sphere of energy to its twin on the other side. Torm stands up, seeing that the track runs out, but notices a chain-hooked hovering wire above her. She jumps off the ride and hangs on the ripcord chains, riding it all the way where she drops and covers up on a safe solid platform. The hall explodes with a symphony of devil tails, cracking their hammer whips against anything that will conduct, pulling the hall into the hell below. Torm uncovers and looks over the edge and sees the dangerous mess below. She is glad she trusted her instinct not to try to discharge the transformers before her ride.
She makes her way through a set of rusty iron doors and finds hallways of stone walls. Mostly empty rooms, she explores the maze of halls until she finds a room with three large iron wheels with an axle through them. She can see they are meant to turn, but what for she doesn't exactly know. She examines the room for a way through, but is unsuccessful. She looks down the wheel’s shaft and sees a small square opening. She jumps down into the shaft to examine it more. Suddenly the large iron wheel starts turning downwards. Torm is in danger of being crushed. She escapes through the small opening by wiggling her way through just in time. It’s a tight, small tunnel that leads to a doorless room. Her compass cries for attention, showing a symbol. As she looks around the room for the shape in the compass picture, she unknowingly steps on a stone that triggers the opening to shut. She runs to it, but it's too late. A sad, tortured, glowing, one-handed, Jewel-Skinned Man with a walking stick lurks around the outside of the stone room, keeping quiet and hidden from Torm. She feels the edges of the brick wall for a way out and presses a stone. The room shifts arrangement, but she is still trapped.
JEWEL SKINNED MAN
Why are you here?
Torm hears a voice call out in "Inotra," a language from the east. Torm is frightened by the man’s voice and quickly moves away.
TORM
Hello, who's there? Can you help me out of here?
she asks the hidden stranger in his language.
JEWEL SKINNED MAN
Why are you here?
the man repeats. Torm follows the sounds of the man's movements, catching occasional glances through the stones.
TORM
I'm seeking something, but I really don't know what it is I'm looking for.
JEWEL SKINNED MAN
Looking for something to make you rich.... Looking to pawn my scars to fund your dreams. Like all the others!
TORM
What do you mean? I don't understand.
JEWEL SKINNED MAN
LIAR! It doesn't matter now!
A sudden rush of flashbacks hits his memory hard: 1. Stones being pulled from his skin. 2. He is shackled and tubes and pipes stuck into him, pumping out jewel blood. 3. Crystal testing... skin stretched back, painful scraping. Men talking about purity and bartering a price. 4. Jewel Breeders (“Bring in the whore!” a rough male voice says.) Trying to push back the aggressive memories, the man’s body is completely flexed, forcing blood out of his scars. Blood that turns instantly to crystal when it hits the rocks below. Torm hears that he’s in pain.
TORM
Are you okay? You sound hurt.
JEWEL SKINNED MAN
What do you care about my pain? What do you care about my life?
TORM
Please... If you are hurt and in pain, maybe I can help you.
JEWEL SKINNED MAN
You are trying to trick me to let you out.
TORM
I'm not trying to trick you, I promise you. If you are hurt let me help you. You have nothing to fear. I won't hurt you.
The man has a flashback of a “jewel scraper" preparing a stretching table.
JEWEL SCRAPER
You have nothing to fear, I won't hurt you...
the scraper says. The flashback ends.
JEWEL SKINNED MAN
Nothing to fear? You have no idea what my life has been like. A constant misery. Being cursed with skin that no shadow can hide. Having it stretched back by rusty pins and clamps while your muscles are scraped with dull plates. As you cry out in torture, they smile at you... having no family, no friends, no name... just a dead thing that pays well.
TORM
What? Is that what has happened to you? Who has done this to you? That is terrible.. you poor soul. I would never hurt anyone like that.
JEWEL SKINNED MAN
It doesn't matter why you're here. If you can find me, so can others.
The man runs away.
TORM
Wait! Please! Don't leave me here!
Torm keeps looking for a way out. She presses another stone and the room shifts again. She pleads through the bricks.
TORM
PLEASE! Can you tell me what this is?
Torm draws the symbol from the compass on the wall. Moments go by. She hears painful breaths of the man lurking.
TORM
I am sorry, I will never tell anyone where you are. Please help me out of here.
The man sees the symbol on the ground which triggers flashbacks of his slavers abusing him. He struggles through them and moments later comes out of the fit and settles down.
TORM
Please! I know you can't trust me because of the horrible treatment you have been through, but you have to believe that I am not here to hurt you or to make myself rich.
JEWEL SKINNED MAN
I will never trust any of you.
TORM
Please, I am not like the others. ...Are you okay? Please take it easy, you are hurt. You sound like you are in a lot of pain. I can help you.
JEWEL SKINNED MAN
Your words are lies... meaningless...
the man's pain cuts him off mid-sentence. Torm finds the control stone and activates it. A large stone entrance opens revealing the Jewel-Skinned Man, breathing in heavy exhausted pain.
JEWEL SKINNED MAN
Why have you come? Why did you have to come here?
the Jewel-Skinned Man starts to move slowly towards Torm.
JEWEL SKINNED MAN
You have stolen my walls from me. The only walls of peace I've ever known. Walls that keep men from painfully harvesting my skin like wheat... Shifting their crops from field to field, keeping their soil fertile. They would pull stones from my back, throat, stomach, my eyes.
He grabs Torm’s throat and chokes her in anger.
JEWEL SKINNED MAN
YOU ARE ALL THE SAME! I WILL NOT LIVE IN PAIN ANYMORE! I will make sure you never tell anyone where I am.
The man falls to the floor, too weak to complete his intention. Torm helps him.
TORM
Here, lay here.
She takes her cape off and makes a pillow for his head. The man panics as Torm reaches in for her tools, the same tools which remind him of his abuser’s tools. He grabs her arms, but grows weak quickly.
TORM
I only need to see the makeup of the crystal structure. I have something that might help with the pain.
Torm reassures the Jewel-Skinned Man. He gives in, too weak to resist. Torm takes small samples off his body and tests it. “Diatride Alkaline. Similar to the fever,” she states, then takes out some mineral powder and pours it on the man’s wounds. It helps immediately and he relaxes. She puts the vial of powder next to him.
TORM
Does it help?
Torm imagines his abusers pulling stones from his back, stomach, and eyes as she examines his body.
TORM
What did they do to you? It looks like they were careful to take just enough not to kill you.
JEWEL SKINNED MAN
Does death save me? Do cruel hearts become kind when they enter heaven, or is hell waiting for me in the clouds? Here, in these unhurtful walls, I was safe from man and heaven. Until you came and brought all the nightmares back.
Torm looks down in shame.
TORM
If I would have known I would never have come. I don't want to add to your pain. What they did to you was unforgivable.
JEWEL SKINNED MAN
Why are you looking for that?
the Jewel-Skinned Man points to the symbol she drew on the ground.
TORM
Honestly I don't know what I'm looking for. I don’t know what that symbol means, what it represents, or what I'm supposed to do with it.
JEWEL SKINNED MAN
But why are you looking for it?
TORM
For my sister. She has Shadow Fever. I need to get the rivers flowing again so I can make more of this.
Torm points to the mineral vial.
TORM
Without it, she will die. And without her, I will be all alone in this world. I don't know what to do, and I don't know why I'm here.
The man becomes silent in thought. He looks at Torm’s tears and then the symbol.
TORM
I'm sorry for what we did to you. With all the love that I have, I promise I will never tell anyone where you are.
She gets up to leave, but the man grabs her arm and stops her. A tear falls down his face turning into crystal. Torm wipes it away as the tortured man wipes her tears away.
TORM
You are beautiful.
Torm says softly. His body starts to change color. He looks at the symbol on the ground and then lifts up a cloth covering his chest revealing his Heart Jewel surrounded by the same symbol on the ground.
JEWEL SKINNED MAN
You didn't come here to steal my jewel to make yourself rich, you came here to borrow my light to save your sister....only heaven knows what to steal and when, it's a kind hearted theft by a friend, not to save us from the shadows that take us all, but to hold our light until day become night and returned it again by a dreamer in the falls.
He pulls his Heart Jewel out of his chest. The cavity is quickly grown over with new young crystals as he completes the excavation. He holds the heart out for Torm. She notices the shape on his chest is the one from her compass.
TORM
I can't take this, it doesn't belong to me.
JEWEL SKINNED MAN
It does now.
the man responds. Torm reluctantly takes the gift and caringly packages it in a cloth and puts it into her bag.
TORM
Thank you.
she says softly through gentle tears. The man presses a stone.
JEWEL SKINNED MAN
I've just opened the south door. It will be your quickest way out. Save your sister.
Torm hesitantly leaves his side, looking back with caring eyes and pausing.
TORM
I will bring this back to you, I promise.
JEWEL SKINNED MAN
Go... your sister!
TORM
Thank you.
Torm exits and the man leans over in pain quickly losing consciousness. His body solidifies into crystal; he is dead. The Child of Light appears through the wall and greets his soul as he comes out of his body. He is at peace and safe now. They walk away, vanishing through the wall. Seconds later, a group of Sand Pirates find the crystalized body of the Jewel-Skinned Man and as they try to collect him, he shatters. Although the pieces turned to common stone, they collect them anyway.
.......................
SCENE SUMMARY
Torm fights her way through a treacherous cave full of collapsing infrastructure, electric hazards, and improvised puzzles before accidentally trapping herself in a shifting stone room. There she encounters the Jewel-Skinned Man, a deeply traumatized figure who has spent his life being harvested for the crystals his body produces. Through patient compassion, Torm earns his trust, treats his pain, and reveals she is searching only to save her dying sister. Moved by her sincerity, the man gives her his Heart Jewel — the very symbol she has been following — then sends her on her way and quietly dies, his body crystallizing before his soul is peacefully led away.
10. HEART WALTZ
22 CAVE
SHOT LIST 1-35 APRX: 3:33
SHOT LIST 1-50 ( 2:11 min )
