INT. YURT INSIDE MERGID TRIBE. CLOUDY MORNING

MID SHOT: GENGHIS AND AUGUR

Augur and Genghis are seated crossed-legged inside a Yurt, a traditional dwelling of the Mongolian Nomads. Augur is wearing a black Mongolian robe dotted with tiny golden flecks, murmuring incantations. She takes a yellow ceramic jar next to her, then shatters it on the ground, revealing pieces of brown parchment. Carefully, she picks one up and stares at it.

EXTREME CLOSE UP SHOT: THE CAMERA ZOOMS ONTO THE PARCHMENT.

A heart, a sword and a vial of poison are written lightly onto the parchment in red. Augur’s hands are trembling, her knuckles white. Genghis taps his leg and stares anxiously at Augur.


MID SHOT: GENGHIS AND AUGUR






AUGUR(EYES CLOSED)
You shall go west to face
the tribe that you hate.
Find your perfect companion as
predestined by fate.
A single sword shall banish him away.
Living the last of his limited days...


Genghis stares at the golden flecks on Augur’s clothing, as if staring at stars in the night sky. Anger and sadness flickers in his eyes. Pause.

GENGHIS(SOMBER)
Why can't I choose my own parchment?






AUGUR(SMILES SADLY)
Nobody chooses their own parchment. You don't control your own life.






GENGHIS(ANGRILY)
Then I defy you destiny!


Augur passes the parchment to Genghis, who puts the parchment in a pocket. Irritated, Genghis egresses from the yurt, leaving the flap of the yurt open. Lightning strikes in the distance. Thunder booms. Small drops of rain fall from the sky.






AUGUR(STARES AT THE DARK CLOUDS)
I hope I have doomed him to fortune, and not death.

2 EXT. KHAMAG TRIBE- SUNNY AFTERNOON WIDE ANGLE SHOT OF KHAMAG TRIBE.

A crowd of 100 people gather around Monkh, the Khamag tribe leader, who is standing on a podium. Genghis, with his face painted green, walks to the front of the crowd to hear what he is saying, shoving people away.

GENGHIS(WHISPERS TO HIMSELF)
Oh, that menace Monkh, I wish I could stick a sword in him.






MONKH
The Naadam horse race will begin shortly! As part of the celebrations, I will be offering my very horse, Salem, to the warrior who can ride it and win the horse race!

A servant leads a majestic white horse with a red saddle to the front of the crowd. Gasps of amazement are uttered from the crowd.


MID SHOT OF GENGHIS. THE CAMERA ZOOMS ONTO GENGHIS.


Genghis stares in awe. After a while, he fishes the parchment out of his pocket.






GENGHIS(TO HIMSELF)
So this is what you mean...


WIDE SHOT

Genghis looks up determinedly and approaches Monkh.






GENGHIS(PROUDLY)
I am the slayer of 1000 warriors, the tamer of all horses. I will take on this challenge.






MONKH(LOOKS AROUND)
Very well, prove your worth.

3 EXT. FINISHING LINE OF THE HORSE RACE- DUSK
VERY WIDE SHOT: SHOWING THE ONCOMING HORDE OF HORSES BOLTING TOWARDS THE FINISH LINE, KICKING UP DIRT AND SAND.

TRACKING SHOT:

Genghis and Salem act as one as he urges Salem forward. They leap over ground and hurtle forward. His hair is plastered against his forehead.

WIDE SHOT, SLOW MOTION:

Genghis crosses the finish line first and leads Salem for a victory trot. He takes a torch and raises it in triumph.




GENGHIS
Oh, I am poisoned by this bittersweet feeling. Genghis reminisces about his old horse Gal and a shadow of sadness flickers across his face. Then he looks he looks at Salem and the torch illuminates his face, his eyes
brimming with hope and happiness.





GENGHIS
But if Gal is a comet, then you are the sun of the steppes.

EXTREME CLOSE UP SHOT: GENGHIS’ POCKET.


A gust of wind blows the piece of parchment out of Genghis’ pocket.

TRACKING SHOT: THE CAMERA TRACKS THE PIECE OF PARCHMENT AS IT DRIFTS IN THE WIND AND MAKES ITS WAY TO AUGUR WHO IS STANDING IN THE CROWDS.

Augur snatches it out of the air.

MID SHOT:

The Augur looks at the parchment with a pained expression.

AUGUR(FROWNS)
It’s a shame that his only love springs from his only hate. If he isn’t careful, he will be exiled and hell’s angels will spill his blood across the steppes.

Augur gets ready to rip the piece of parchment apart, then decides not to tear the parchment. Instead, she puts it in a torch nearby.

EXTREME CLOSE UP SHOT:

The flames lick at the piece of parchment, turning the heart brown before devouring it. After a while, the sword and the vial of poison also becomes nonexistent, turned into a pile of black ash that then scatters away.

EXTREME WIDE ANGLE SHOT:

The firmament is littered with stars. Genghis makes his way back to his tribe, soaking in the applause of the crowd, his silhouette swaying under the silver moonlight.

FADE OUT