Ext. Mountain pass night

martial art developed on the streets of Paris.]  Dastan uses 
walls, railings, statuary-- anything he can bounce, grab or 
roll off of for an advantage.  Fighting him is like trying to 
grab hold of a bar of soap.  
Dastan runs to the edge, looks down over the parapet.
HIS POV:  The main bridge below, clogged with soldiers.
Beside him, thick rope cables rise from an open SHAFT.
ALAMUT SOLDIER (IN FOREIGN)
Stop him!
As the soldiers descend on him, Dastan jumps onto the main 
CABLE and does a fireman’s slide to the platform below.
INT. GUARD CONTROL ROOM - DAY
Dastan lands; GUARDS rush him.  He flips one, sends the next 
plummeting down the shaft -- grabs a crank lever--
ALAMUT SOLDIER (IN FOREIGN)
NO!!
Dastan THROWS the lever, releasing the crank, which TURNS--
EXT. CITADEL ENTRANCE - DAY
A CHEER erupts from the horde of Persian soldiers as the GATE 
RAISES.  Men pour into the citadel.
12.

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OUTSIDE THE GATE
TUS stares in disbelief as the bridge empties of men.
TUS
To the bridge!
FROM ALL SIDES, soldiers pour onto the narrow bridge.
INT. BEDROOM IN ROYAL PALACE - DAY
Tamina gazes out the window.  A HANDMAID bursts in.
HANDMAID
My Lady!  We must flee!  The 
invaders have breached the gate!  
TAMINA
What?  How did this happen? 
HANDMAID
There is no time-- you must save 
yourself!
TAMINA 
There is far more at stake than my 
safety. 
The Handmaid bows her head in acknowledgment.  Tamina remains 
calm and self-possessed.
TAMINA (CONT'D)
Send word to collapse the passages 
to the Hourglass.  And have the 
dagger brought to me. 
HANDMAID
Yes my lady.
EXT. CITADEL MAIN COURTYARD - DAY
A courtyard of austere and exotic Eastern beauty.  At the far 
end stands a temple with a sacred FOUNTAIN guarded by stone 
lions -- all carved out of a massive block of pure white 
marble.
A flood of Persian soldiers soon overwhelms the defenders.
13.

---

EXT. CITY STREETS - DAY
Civilians flee screaming through narrow stone streets.
EXT. INSIDE THE CITADEL - DAY
The twins fight side by side without breaking a sweat.
Nizam rides through the enemy troops wielding two swords at 
once with a deadly dexterity surprising for a man his age.
Tus, hacking his way to victory, pauses -- 
TUS
Where’s Dastan?
EXT. ANOTHER RAMPART - DAY
Dastan emerges onto a quiet rampart -- a narrow trench 
between two high walls.  The battle has not yet reached this