Our Disturbed Waters

OUR DISTURBED WATERS

Live Action

By

Elsha Hong

purpleeggshell@gmail.com

SCRIPT

27 July 2016

CAST LIST

MAIN CHARACTERS

XUE LI

MOON GOD

SUPPORTING CHARACTER

HUMAN A

DEMON A

“OUR DISTURBED WATERS”

ACT ONE

FADE IN:

LIVING WORLD, OLDEN CHINA – DAY (Old film effect)

The living world is represented by the colour grey. It is much like the everyday world physically, only there are two huge grandiose fish-like spirits (two kois, one orange and another grey) in the skies above, and a vast still lake that will not ripple even if you prod or jump into it. The lake is clouded by a thin, low-handing fog.

XUE LI is a 24-year-old woman with long black hair tied in a plait. She is youthful looking with a petite, almost meek-looking body. She wears a plain white cotton shirt with a monochrome dull-pink box plaited skirt. XUE LI walks with light steps, barely making a sound when she walks because of her black ballerina flats. She speaks with a slight Chinese accent. She uses simple and casual language.

Farmers toil in rice fields, bent over harvesting rice with their sickles. The farmers wear straw hats and tattered gloves, with dark coloured loose shirts and pants. The farmers are sweating profusely and some pause to wipe the sweat from their face with their sleeves. Meanwhile merchants in the village area make a buzz trying to attract passers-by to patronize their stall. Some of the merchants are loosing their voice from the shouting. Some farmers pass on their produce to the merchants. Farmers and merchants alike are exhausted from work in the village.

Just then the villagers see the kois in the sky start circling each other in a slow pace. The kois start growing in their respective colours and a grey cast falls upon the village. The villagers laugh and cry out in praise of the moon when they see the fish spirits circling, dropping their work. They merrily walk as a mass into the still lake located at the edge of the village, linking arms with one another and gesturing about drinking some booze in the inner world.

XUE LI

(Voiceover) (Singing with a clear voice, in a daunting tune)

On the full moon the fish will between themselves swirl, upon a lake summoning the gates to the inner world. Worn from living man a world of sin they seek, a life of temptation in the inner world spend a week.

One week, one week, the Goddess forgave. Man’s inner demons they feed. Upon their return to the living, their memories of the inner world, may they ever sleep.

INNER WORLD, PRESENT DAY – NIGHT

The inner world is in perpetually in nighttime. It consists of the same vast lake as in the living world, with hilly woods surrounding the lake and a city area in a clearing. The city is decorated like a Japanese festival, with strings of lanterns and an orange overcast. There are tentages lining the streets and large floats depicting fish hanging in mid-air. There is a main road that thins into smaller, convoluted streets. People celebrate, play and drink.

XUE LI runs in an exhilarated fashion, with her arms spread out, on the rooftops of the shops along the outskirts of the city area. The roofs are made of kawara tiles. There is scarce rubbish on the floor and the dirtied walls have a row of wooden window frames cutting through them.

XUE LI

(Exclaiming in excitement)

Uhwaaah!

XUE LI jumps off a roof and runs into the woods, climbing trees and sliding along the vines. The woods are dimly lit from the city lights that peek through. XUE LI stops when she sees some fireflies flying over a patch of grass in a small clearing. Enthralled she carefully approaches one and sticks out her finger towards it, watching as the firefly lands on her finger. XUE LI’s eyes widen.

XUE LI

(Giggles good naturedly)

XUE LI continues on her way, happily climbing up small hills and scouting the area from atop trees. By now the city lights have petered out and only light from the moon reaches the woods. XUE LI runs up a tall hill. She turns back and sits down, looking down at the city, now glowing a soft orange in a distance. XUE LI looks slightly lonely on the hill.

TOP OF A CLIFF OF A HILL, LOOKING OVER THE STILL LAKE – NIGHT

XUE LI gets up and moves closer to the edge of the cliff. She sits down right at the edge, bouncing her legs against the side of the hill.

XUE LI

(Singing the same tune as in scene 1)

As time in the inner world will always reset, our time in the inner world is our time. Our time to live without regret.

XUE LI looks below at the people returning to the lake, some throwing their drinks aside and others making a last grab at the hostesses from the inner world. The people sigh loudly before walking into the lake. They now look more gaunt and exhausted knowing they will have to return to their laborious life in the living world.

XUE LI’s smile fades slightly and her eyes look on a little sadly.  

XUE LI

(Sighs)

XUE LI looks up at the moon, reaching one hand out towards it.

XUE LI

I wonder why people want to forget their happiest memories. Isn’t it better to live those moments in the living world, where we can cherish them forever? Is this really the best way for us people?

XUE LI cocks her head to the side, squinting a little as she sees in the sky that clouds are gathering above, obscuring the fish spirits overhead in the sky.

XUE LI jumps at the loud sound of thunder. Suddenly a bolt of lightning strikes XUE LI’s heart, stirring a single large ripple in the still lake. XUE LI trips forward and falls fast downwards towards the lake. XUE LI’s hair undoes, her long hair spreading out. XUE LI plunges deep and fast into the lake, though the lake remains still.

Instead of returning to the Living World, XUE LI remains in the lake and looses her breath, drowning in the water. Realising her situation she pushes herself to the surface. At the surface she starts flailing, taking in large gulps of water as she frantically gasps for air. She realises she cannot return to the Living world, unlike the people around her walking into the lake almost oblivious to XUE LI. Rain starts to fall, distorting XUE LI’s reflection in the lake. XUE LI panics when she sees her reflection enter the living world, leaving her behind and walking off, disappearing deep into the lake.

WOODS OF THE INNER WORLD, CONNECTING THE LAKE TO THE CITY AREA – NIGHT

Her clothes wet from the rain, XUE LI runs into the city area, panting and in panic trying to find someone who would stop to help her. She runs past the people laughing loudly and shouting after her when she bumps into them. XUE LI, dizzy in panic, does not notice the people that now appear more haggard, and have small holes along the edge of their bodies.

INT. BAR IN OUTSKIRTS OF CITY AREA, INNER WORLD – NIGHT

XUE LI bursts into the bar.

XUE LI

(Pants quickly and heavily)

XUE LI sees the shop owner chasing after a leaving customer. The owner is a burly man with much facial hair, while the customer is a chubby fair-skinned man. The owner catches up with the customer and drags the customer towards him, taking a bite out of the customer. For a flashing moment XUE LI saw the demon that the shopkeeper was, with hollowed facial features and a translucent body. XUE LI is taken aback, but does not scream. The demon was shadow-like with hollowed eyes and mouth. The customer, now more weary-looking, is seemingly unaware of the hole in his shoulder or the demon. He casually removes himself from the owner, brushing off the owner’s hand. The customer walks out of the bar, muttering something and giving the shop owner a dirty look.

XUE LI, horrified, flees out of the bar and away from the city, seeing flashes of demons in the stall owners and other people of the inner world. XUE LI runs in an almost manic manner, her vision blurring as she starts crying, horrified and unable to comprehend or accept what she saw.

END OF ACT ONE

ACT TWO

EDGE OF THE CITY IN THE INNER WORLD, AT THE BACK OF A BUILDING – NIGHT

The rain lets up as XUE LI cries curled up in a corner, shaking. Then she curls up tighter as an uncomfortable ringing grows louder in her head. Her hands gripping her skirt tightly. A strong glowing presence appears before her, making XUE LI look up slightly, her face still scrounged up from crying and fat tears rolling down her cheeks. Her eyes widen when she properly looks at the glow. In front of her was the MOON GOD.

The MOON GOD is genderless, though characterised as more of a female figure. It is ageless. The MOON GOD is never seen in its true form. However, it appears to XUE LI as two halves of a mask that are suspended in the air. The masks have a dominant red colour. Its eyes are blacked out and its mouth does not move when it talks. Has a tail of smoke that follows behind its masks. Moves very quickly. Its voice has reverb. Female voice of middle-high register. Speaks with authority and only says what is necessary. The MOON GOD does not operate by human values or expectations. It only seeks to maintain power and balance over the Living and Inner worlds. If made upset will unleash its wrath, seeking to curse or destroy those who disobey it. However the MOON GOD is not petty and will not micromanage. Is impartial, though also apathetic towards both humans and demons/spirits alike.

XUE LI

(To herself, trembling and in awe)

Our Goddess…

A clean and beautiful set of Chinese long-flowing traditional robes materializes at XUE LI’s feet. The robes are red with gold swirl motifs. XUE LI looks at the clothes, then at the MOON GOD. XUE LI, still shaken and afraid of the MOON GOD, slowly and cautiously picks up the clothes with her shaky hands. She carefully wears the clothes over her, pulling them closer and huddling in to keep warm. All the long XUE LI keeps an eye at the MOON GOD, unsure of how to receive its presence. XUE LI’s eyes are already sore from her crying and she looks vulnerable curled up in her corner.

When the MOON GOD sees that XUE LI has worn the clothes, it turns around and starts moving off into the woods, with an unnaturally smooth motion. Entranced by the MOON GOD XUE LI gets up and follows it.

STILL LAKE OF THE INNER WORLD – NIGHT

The ringing turns into silence as XUE LI approaches the clearing. The MOON GOD guides her to the lake. The MOON GOD stops in the middle of the lake and turns around to face XUE LI. XUE LI, unsure of what to do, tests the lake’s waters before starting to walk into the lake, approaching the MOON GOD. XUE LI gasps a bit when in the reflection of the lake she sees her image working in the living world. The reflection is busily discussing something with her colleagues
(unseen), though XUE LI cannot make out the words she’s saying. The reflection is seemingly unaware of XUE LI or of what happened when XUE LI was struck by the lightning.

A glowing ball of light detaches from the glow of the MOON GOD and, wavering, descends into the lake, bringing up a glob of water with it when it resurfaces. The water (with the glowing light) waveringly moves towards the upper tip of XUE LI’s lips. It pauses. XUE LI’s lips slightly parts and the water enters her mouth. She drinks the water.

THE MOON GOD

Drink from the water of the lake – it will help you in your journey to restore the falling balance between the inner and living worlds. However beware. When the second lightning comes upon you, you will shatter into a million pieces, losing yourself and forever be no more.

The MOON GOD immediately surges towards XUE LI, passing through her. In that moment XUE LI felt herself burning and saw herself shattering. She doubles over at the pain. When she finally calms down a bit she looks around for the MOON GOD, but the MOON GOD is gone. XUE LI stumbles around for a bit as she searches for the MOON GOD, her one hand wrapped across her torso still stinging from the bodily pain.

XUE LI

(Stuttering)

W-what was t-that? I’ll shatter into a million p-p-pieces? (Her breath catches) No way! That’s not even a sick joke. I don’t know about the worlds. I can’t even do anything…

XUE LI’s eyes are wide in disbelief. She has trouble accepting her situation.

EDGE OF CITY, INNER WORLD – NIGHT

XUE LI re-enters the city. She is a small street. XUE LI walks in a defeated manner, head held down and taking heavy steps.

XUE LI

(In a low voice)

“Shatter into a million pieces.” So when I saw myself in the lake - that was a part of me that shattered? How, do I even restore balance…?

XUE LI looks at her right hand that is held up in front of her. Her fingers close across her palm.

XUE LI

What can I even do.

XUE LI sees two demons in the form of hostesses trying to consume HUMAN A. They are situated in a relatively small street junction. The demons have human appearance but it was as if their forms were in limbo – XUE LI now could clearly tell the demons from other humans. HUMAN A is a skinny man with rotten teeth wearing a white singlet and black pants. XUE LI runs further towards the side of the street, hiding behind the building corner. She cautiously monitors the demons through one eye, scared of directly confronting the demons. XUE LI sees the demons moving in closer on HUMAN A, their hands wrapped around him and restricting his movement. HUMAN A is happy the hostesses are paying attention to him, laughing in an exaggerated manner. One demon reaches up to HUMAN A and sticks her tongue out, giving him a small lick. XUE LI’s eyes widen. She flinches. XUE LI takes a few hurried steps towards them.

XUE LI

(Exasperated)

You there, get away from them! They’re demons trying to eat you. Run!

HUMAN A

(Laughs condescendingly)

Little girl you are too young to know the pleasure of these ‘demons’ you speak of. Run along and play with your little ponies in a corner, this is no place for you!

XUE LI wears a pained expression, growing more desperate to prevent the demons from eating the human. She still cannot summon the courage to confront the demons.

XUE LI

Please! Do not fall into temptation. This world is not without regret. You’ve got it all wrong!

HUMAN A waves XUE LI off. XUE LI knows she cannot persuade him. She looks at the hostesses ready to devour him at any moment, swiftly and suddenly like the demon bar owner had. She steels herself, takes a deep breath and, shutting her eyes tight, she lunges at the demons.

XUE LI

(Yelling in a rather high-pitched voice)

Ahhhhh!

The moment XUE LI’s shoulder contacts the demons a thin silver barrier appears between them. The demons are unaffected and quickly sink their teeth into her. A numbing pain swept through her body as they ripped out flesh from her shoulders and back. XUE LI’s eyes roll back from the pain. Weirded out by XUE LI HUMAN A walks away. XUE LI having saved the human vigorously tries to shake off the demons. She kicks and pushes at the demon, causing small silver barriers to appear wherever she touches the demons. The silver barriers disappear when the contact is broken. The larger demon turns to the smaller demon. That smaller demon backs some distance away. The larger demon opens its mouth wide, saliva dripping from its mouth. XUE LI sees her opening with only one demon grabbing her. She vigorously fights back the remaining demon, but the demon manages to gouge out another hole from her. XUE LI looks at the demon in its eyes. She thrusts her fingers into its eyes. As the demon recoils and squirms around XUE LI quickly turns around, running away as fast as she could. She breathes heavily. Blood freely flows from her wounds.

LAKE, INNER WORLD – NIGHT

Being seriously injured XUE LI is slouched sitting over the lake. XUE LI is heavily wounded, but is still able to walk and remains sane. She tries drinking some water from the lake. She heals up. Her muscles growing over the holes and stitching together. A layer of skin slowly creeps over the muscles. But the skin is now paler and slightly translucent. XUE LI runs her fingers over the new skin that seamlessly blend in with the rest of her body. She looks downward and stares at the reflection of her other half in the lake, said reflection slowly appearing before her. The reflection is going about a busy life in the living world, working alone in her cubicle and tired out from a days work. XUE LI reaches for her reflection. Her hands gently caressing the surface of the lake, A tear rolls down.

XUE LI

Looks like we’re both alone huh. I’m your other half.

XUE LI lets out a small laugh, though she starts crying a little more.

XUE LI

It’s crazy!

XUE LI’s crying intensifies. She looks up into the sky, her legs kneeled over.

XUE LI

(Cries loudly).

XUE LI spends a moment crying to herself. She looks back down and slumps over, her two hands supporting her weight. Her hair falls over her head. XUE LI’s expression turns into a resigned look.

XUE LI

(Voice trembling)

I won’t, turn my back from the humans here. I will stand up for them, and protect them any way I can… I promise you.

XUE LI looks straight at her reflection. She looks a little defeated but forces a smile. Her reflection has one hand propping up her head. Her reflection is nodding off to sleep.

XUE LI

-And then I’ll come for you

XUE LI gives a genuine smile. She lowers her head very close to her reflection. XUE LI closes her eyes. Her last tear drips off her chin.

WOODS, INNER WORLD – NIGHT

XUE LI is tired out from everything that happened. She finds herself deep in the woods, away from the city, and the disturbing fog from the lake. She is in a more dense area of the woods, where the moon is obscured by the numerous tree branches. XUE LI climbs halfway up a tall sturdy tree. There she retires. She wraps herself tight in her robes to keep warm. She turns her head to the side and nudges up against the tree, her eyes closer. On her cheeks are still the tracks left from her tears. XUE LI’s face softens and looks peaceful. She drifts off to sleep.

CITY AREA, INNER WORLD – NIGHT

XUE LI now sees demons in their true form, no longer as humans at all. XUE LI is very much awake. XUE LI sees demons lurking around the humans. She takes a deep breath and bodly walks forward into the thoroughfare. The demons seem to be aware of her. Some turn around to face her, breaking off from the masses to approach her. XUE LI purses her lips and clenches her fists. She does not notice her fists glowing pale silver. XUE LI’s body is clenched together and tense. She looks up at the demons from her hunched shoulders.

The demons seem to surround her, coming in from all sides as XUE LI walks further into the crowd. One demon in particular comes very close to her. XUE LI readies herself in a fighting stance – one leg in front of the other, properly apart to give her solid balance. Her fists kept close to her body to protect her from any incoming blows. XUE LI’s eyes are still wild with fear, but her body has calmed down somewhat. XUE LI lets out a deep breath. XUE LI makes the first move and punches the demon, aiming straight for its face. The demon’s face jerks back violently from the force of the punch – a good reaction. XUE LI looks a little more confident now. XUE LI moves on to kick it, causing the demon to fall backwards some distance away. The other demons are now moving in closer, reaching out for her. Some demons open their mouths unnaturally wide, ready to devour her. XUE LI looks at their razor sharp teeth and instinctively points all her fingers out like a blade. A clean silver cut can be seen glowing from her right hand.

A demon grabs XUE LI’s shoulder from the right. XUE LI quickly lashes out at it. She is visibly surprised when the lash creates a clean, deep cut in the demon. A heavy smoke-like substance comes rushing out from the demon – it’s dark grey blood. XUE LI cuts the other demons in the same way, but one demon comes from her behind and sinks its teeth into her. Silver blood comes flowing out and the demon recoils, tearing out a chunk of her flesh in the process. XUE LI aims for the demon’s neck and slashes it off. To her horror the demon stumbles off, carrying its head along with it in its hands. XUE LI reverts her concentration on the other demons and this times kicks and punches them away from her. XUE LI has grown tired from the combat and her breathing has gotten more laboured. XUE LI looks around and sees the injured demons, stumbling to get up from their fall. As injured as they were, weakened as they were, they still tried to approach XUE LI.

By this time XUE LI has grown out of her fear for demons and her expression has grown serious and more calm. XUE LI has now warded off all the demons in her immediate area but for the last demon, DEMON A. DEMON A approaches her, and without hesitation she quickly cuts him down. DEMON A has an unnaturally low voice. It is slightly taller and bigger than the other demons.

DEMON A

(Voice fading)

Human or spirit you are, do not forget that we too can cut you.

DEMON A falls back. XUE LI still looks on with her vicious eyes, unaffected by DEMON A’s words. She cleans off the demons’ blood from her robes. The blood wipes off cleanly, almost repelled by her silver hands. XUE LI starts running deeper into the city, looking for demons attached to humans. She heavily wounds them and successfully wards the demons away from the humans. XUE LI however does not try to make contact with the humans, knowing they will not believe her.  

NARROW ALLEY, CITY AREA, INNER WORLD - NIGHT

XUE LI wanders around the city and walks into said alleyway, her expression calm but has become rather vicious, like that of a hunter looking for prey. XUE LI sees a single large demon at the other end of an alley, feasting on a human. The human is a woman in her thirties, wearing a short skirt without makeup.

XUE LI

(Growls slightly)

XUE LI swiftly closes in on the demon, preparing her right arm to stab it. However when she is about three quarters into the alley a shower of spears come flying in her direction. XUE LI sees the spears and faces upwards, waving her right hand to ward off the spears. She manages to ward off a bunch of spears, however they are too numerous in number and XUE LI realises she was out of options. She uses her hands to cover her face and crouches down, trying to minimize damage from the incoming spears. The spears come down heavy on her, piercing through her body and causing her to lie flat on the floor. XUE LI starts to cough red blood. Her vision is blurring as she vaguely but surely sees the demon moving on to the last remnants of the human – her head. The demon rips off the human’s face, eating the rest of her head. It proceeds to wear it as a mask. Where its hollowed eyes and mouth would be, now was the face of the human. The demon warped the face with its hands, and the face became more beautiful.

XUE LI is taken aback by the gory scene, reaching out for the demon. However many demons emerge from the rooftops of both sides of the alleyway and move towards XUE LI, opening their mouths and trying to eat her. XUE LI continues trying to reach out for the demon with the human’s face. However with the other demons closing in on her she has no choice but to give up on that demon. XUE LI runs to the end of the alleyway she came off, crudely removing spears from her body and impaling the incoming demons. Some of those demons manage to sink their teeth into her. She easily jumps up to a building top; Running along the roofs is her silhouette against the night sky. The moon looks very close and hangs over the sky. XUE LI heads out of the city area for the lake.

LAKE, INNER WORLD – NIGHT

Heavily wounded with holes from the spears and bite marks from the demons XUE LI is barely able to control herself, she drinks copiously from the lake. She is slowly losing her human properties, her skin glowing a pale silver and her eyes hollowing out.

XUE LI

(In a deranged voice)

They are growing too powerful. The mortals cannot live alongside demons - their mortal souls will be stolen, and they will perish. 

XUE LI closes her eyes and walks onto the lake. She lies down and falls asleep afloat the waters. Her eyes open, subconsciously awatch for any demons. Humans enter the lake, returning to the living world.

                

END OF ACT TWO

ACT THREE

LAKE, INNER WORLD – NIGHT

XUE LI wakes up facing the sky. She sees the clouds gathering overhead, and is reminded of the MOON GOD’s warning that she will perish with the second bolt of lightning. She looks up at the sky sentimentally, thinking of her other half in the living world. XUE LI becomes aware of the people emerge from the lake. She looks at them with distant eyes.

XUE LI

(Mummers to herself)

There is little time.

XUE LI gets up from her slumbering position and walks in front of the people.

XUE LI

(Raising her voice)

Stop! Man does not belong here. You must return to the lake at once. The demons cannot touch you here.

The humans walk past XUE LI, unable to see or otherwise perceive her. XUE LI is confused at first, walking in front of people to stop them, but they just avoid her. XUE LI bumps her shoulder against a human who also cannot see her. XUE LI instinctively holds that shoulder and looks at it. To her horror she realises for the first time that she has become translucent and her body resembles that of a demon. She looks at the people heading in the masses for the city.

XUE LI

(To herself)

No! They’ll be devoured.

XUE LI runs after the people for the city to ward off the demons.

CITY AREA, INNER WORLD – NIGHT

XUE LI hunts down the demons. She can now heavily injure a demon with the flick of a wrist, sending them flying meters away with a silver bold. She sees a crowd of demons feeding on a single human and easily casts the demons away. However she is too late and only the human’s head remains. The human’s head is that of a 20-something year old girl with short black hair and tanned skin. XUE LI calmly walks up to the human (head).

XUE LI

It is unfortunate you could not be saved. Give me your face.

XUE LI bends down to pick up the head with a firm grip. 

XUE LI

I swear to you to save your comrades from the spirits of this world.

XUE LI rips off the human’s face and takes it as her mask. The face does not warp. XUE LI’s eyes and lips can still be seen through the mask. For a brief moment she experiences the human’s memories, of being surrounded by a group of fans after his speech in an auditorium. Being arrogant the human ordered her fans to celebrate her, singing praises about her to everyone that passed by. XUE LI is disappointed by her pride, but is mostly unaffected by the memories she experienced.

LAKE, INNER WORLD – NIGHT

XUE LI returns to the lake. XUE LI looks at her reflection of her other half in the living world as she drinks directly from the lake. XUE LI sees her co-workers in the living world acting colder to her other half because most of their souls had been devoured in the inner world. Her other half seems to be trying to pitch an idea to her co-workers but they give her weak responses. Seeing her other half’s miserable lonely life XUE LI is visibly ticked off. Her desire to banish the mortals from coming to the inner world and reunite with her other half grows.

XUE LI

Oh sister I will not let them do this to you! I won’t let the humans enter this realm any more. And I will return. (Voice softening) I will come for you.

Urgently XUE LI turns around swiftly ascends the cliff next to the lake, to the high point where the lightning first struck her.

TOP OF CLIFF OVERLOOKING THE LAKE, INNER WORLD – NIGHT

XUE LI is standing up at the edge of the cliff and looks up at the moon makes a request to the MOON GOD.

XUE LI

MOON GOD, the clouds are growing thicker each day, and I fear I will not have time to meet my sister in the living world. Please, send a part of me to the living world so I can bid her my last words.

XUE LI waits and after a pause the wind picks up around XUE LI and the MOON GOD appears.

MOON GOD

Indeed you have done well preventing the imbalance of the worlds. However I cannot answer to your request. You no longer suit the living world. Your spiritual presence will only upset the balance you have worked so hard to keep.

XUE LI

(Voice going desperate)

Then why do you let the mortals to this world? There is no balance. The spirits have no right to devour those of another world. I must see my other half, and have her see to it that humans will not return to the inner world after my death!

XUE LI, enraged, uses her powers and attacks the MOON GOD. She quickly jumps up to the MOON GOD and grabs at it, tearing off the MOON GOD’s faces. The rest of the MOON GOD (its smoke-like body) squirms around and heads towards XUE LI, trying to attack her. But the smoke disappears before touching XUE LI. XUE LI looks towards where the MOON GOD disappeared.

XUE LI

(Growls loudly)

XUE LI decidedly wears the moons faces. At that moment she experiences the memories of the former owner of the faces. The faces belonged not to the MOON GOD, but to the fish spirits. A millennia ago the MOOD GOD tore off the faces of a pair of brothers – a merchant and a farmer. By doing so the MOON GOD turned the men into spirits: the fish spirits. The MOON GOD enslaved the spirits to become the gatekeepers between the inner and living worlds. XUE LI calls out and rides a cloud to visit the fish spirits in the sky.

XUE LI

Beastly spirits of the gate, I have come to you with your faces. With this you can break free from your eternal imprisonment to the MOON GOD. In return for your faces, will you grant my wish?

The fish spirits remain unmoving for a moment. Then their eyes move suddenly, focusing on XUE LI. The fish spirits start circling the air, picking up speed and circling than they ever have. The grey fish swoops towards XUE LI and takes out a part of her soul. The sliver of XUE LI’s soul looks like a piece of XUE LI’s flesh, though is silver in colour. The sliver gently glides down, falling into the lake and going into the living world.

LAKE, INNER WORLD – NIGHT

XUE LI descends to the lake; looking into her reflection she sees the sliver reuniting with her other half. The other half seems to stare right back at XUE LI for a moment. The other half walks, almost as if controlled like a puppet, towards the still lake. The clouds have completely obscured the moon in the inner world. A distant sound of thunder can be heard. XUE LI’s other half starts running towards her, getting closer to XUE LI in the reflection. XUE LI also reaches out to her other half, submerging half her body in the lake and grabbing at her reflection. At the moment when the both of XUE LI meet in the lake – when XUE LI merges with her reflection – a bolt of lightning comes down from the sky and strikes XUE LI. A single large ripple appears in the lake, obscuring XUE LI’s image in the lake. XUE LI’s image disappears.

XUE LI

(Voiceover) (Voice in an echoe, singing)

Wherever you go the demons will follow. The only way to rid the shadows, is to seal off the gates. The demons will no longer dance with someone else’s mask. Only can the ones departed enter when they’ve ended their fates.

The lake in the living world dries up and can no longer be seen. A ghost wanders into it and disappears into the area where the lake once was.

FADE TO BLACK

END