1. IN THE DARK
In absolute darkness, we hear a voice. It's the voice of a boy about twelve years old.
BOY
Our faith is in danger. Our enemy is cunning and insidious. He can hide under any stone by the road, behind every branch in the forest. He seeks out a soul that is not covered by the shield of faith. And when he finds it, he turns it into a tool for his machinations.
The Earth appears out of the blackout. We see it from an unimaginable height. It's night on Earth. We're getting lower and lower. We begin to distinguish the bright spots of lakes and rivers.
BOY
Heresy of all kinds and shades, witches and sorcerers, warlocks and possessed, necromancers and madmen, plague and cholera, perverts and libertines, all this is his machinations.
We're going lower. And now we see a tiny glowing dot - this is the window of a large stone medieval mansion. We slowly approach the window.
BOY
Therefore, I urge you, my brother, to look carefully at those who are next to you, and at the slightest sign of his presence, begin a merciless struggle against him.
We get closer and closer to the house until we are right next to the glass. This is an old glass, it is uneven and therefore distorts everything that is behind it. We look inside. Inside the room we see a blurred figure of a man sitting with his back to us at the table, there is a burning candle on the table and there is a book.
BOY
Only ruthlessness towards ourselves and others, only unity and unyielding faith in our God Jesus Christ will help us to win over the common enemy.
(fade out)
Major title: DIABOLUS
Small caption: Devil
2. INT. IN THE CASTLE - EARLY MORNING
A woman screams against the background of a black screen. She screams desperately and hopelessly.
Close-up we see the eyes of an Old Man (Dolph and Laura's servant). An old man wakes up in a small room from a scream in his dream.
The old man leaves the bed. He goes to the curtain, pulls it back and we see a man and a plump woman sleeping. This is Martha, the cook in the castle of the main character of the story – Dolph.
OLD MAN
Martha, get up!
The woman opens her eyes.
3. NAT. NEAR THE CASTLE GATE - EARLY MORNING
The castle gates open, Marta comes out of the gate and walks away from the castle. The old man looks after her for a while, but now he closes the gate.
4. NAT. IN THE STEPPE - DAY
Martha is walking on the withered steppe. She's a little overweight. Not too pretty. Dressed poorly, but neatly. In her hands is a basket containing something covered with a white towel.
Behind the scenes we hear the boy's voice.
BOY
The witch is the main devil's spawn. There are no such abominations and crimes in which sorcerers and witches are not involved. Drought, flood, hail that breaks crops, livestock deaths, storms, epidemics of plague and other diseases, accidents, fires, "spoilage", infertility, premature birth - this is a short list of atrocities that sorcerers arrange against the human race.
5. NAT. SEASHORE - DAY
Marta goes to the seashore. Here we see a hut built of stone. Not far from the hut, about twenty paces away, we see a dry tree sticking out of the ground, like the hand of a dead man.
On one of the branches, a small clay bell swings and rings softly in the gusts of wind. Martha approaches the hut and knocks on the door. Very soon the door opens.
6. STEPPE - DAY
We see withered steppe grass, the hem of a woman's dress and boots shod in expensive, sewn from leather. Someone is coming. This is Laura, Dolph's young wife. We hear her young voice. Laura sings.
LAURA
O darkness is this midnight hour,
And loud the tempest's roar;
A virgin wanderer seeks thy tower,
Lord Gregory, ope the door.
An exile from her father's house,
All these for loving thee;
At least some pity on me shaw,
If love it may not be.
We see a young beautiful girl. She is dressed in rich lordly clothes. She has red hair like fire and a cute, freckled face.
LAURA
Lord Gregory, mind'st thou not the grove
By bonie Irwine side,
Where first I own'd that virgin love
I lang , lang had denied.
How aften didst thou pledge and vow
Thou wad for aye be mine!
And my fond heart, itsel' sae true,
It ne'er mistrusted thine.
Hard is thy heart, Lord Gregory,
And flinty is thy breast:
Thou bolt of Heaven that flashest by,
O, wilt thou bring me rest!
Ye mustering thunders from above,
Your willing victim see;
But spare and pardon my fause Love,
His wrangs to Heaven and me.
7. AT THE CASTLE GATE – DAY
At the gate of a small castle, rather even a large stone house with a turret and fenced with a stone wall, there is an old man. This is Dolph and Laura's servant. The old man looks at Laura walking slowly towards the castle. He sees something bright in her hands.
Laura comes to the gate, hands the dead bird to the old man. The old man takes the motionless bird in his sinewy hands.
LAURA
(to the old man)
I beg you: bury her.
8. IN THE STEPPE NEAR THE CASTLE - DAY
With a dead bird in one hand, with a shovel in the other, the old man moves further and further away from the castle. But here he finds a place that seems quite suitable to him. Looking around. The old man carefully puts the bird in the grass and drives the bayonet of the shovel into the ground.
9. AT THE CEMETERY - DAY
Close-up we see loose black earth. From somewhere behind the frame, some more earth falls on her. A man's voice is heard.
MALE 1
And here's another one. Catch it!
Immediately, an ancient bone, yellowed from lying in the ground for a long time, falls on the loose ground. A man's hand appears in the frame, which takes this bone and puts it in a bag with other similar bones.
The camera pulls away and we see a grave opened in the city cemetery. There is a man with a shovel in the grave. He throws the shovel out of the grave and extends his hand to the one above. The upper man stretches out his hand to the one who is in the grave and helps him out of the pit. The man gets out, dusts his pants off the ground, puts on a jacket. The second ties a bag with bones.
MALE 1
She should be put to sleep. Come on, it's your turn.
The second man takes a shovel and fills the grave.
10. HOLY OFFICE - DAY
Men who dug a grave in the cemetery put bones out of a bag on the table.
INQUISITOR
Are you sure it's Gustav Grunberg?
MALE 1
Yes, Your Grace. There is no doubt that this is him, because a distinct inscription has been preserved on the tombstone.
INQUISITOR
Good. You can go now.
(to the clerk)
Mr. Clerk, are you ready?
CLERK
Yes, Your Grace.
INQUISITOR
Well, in that case, let's get started. Gustav Erich Grunberg, you are accused of having intercourse with the devil. The basis for the accusation is a letter that has fallen into the hands of the holy tribunal. In addition to the facts that do not have to be investigated , there are such lines in this letter: ... when I stole a peek into my father's room, I saw my father lying naked on the bed while an unknown beauty was sitting on top of him and making obscene movements. Her eyes sparkled like sparks in the night, for it was none other than a succubus.
Throughout the following year, the demon appeared to our father once a week with the vile intention of finally destroying his soul... Signed: Johan Gustav Grunberg. Date 1358 A.D., August the sixth day. So, the accused, do you confess to your connection with the demon?
(In the frame – bones)
INQUISITOR
Can you give any arguments in your defense?
(In the frame - bones)
INQUISITOR
Can you bring to the holy tribunal any circumstances mitigating your guilt?
(In the frame – bones)
INQUISITOR
Well, the holy tribunal is ready to pass sentence. Mr. Clerk...
CLERK
Yes, Your Grace.
INQUISITOR
Gustav Erich Grunberg, born in the year 1301 of the birth of Christ, December of the eleventh day, you are found guilty of having intercourse with the devil. You are sentenced to be burned, followed by the seizure and confiscation of property from all your relatives currently residing in the city of Bremen. By the great grace of the holy tribunal, life and freedom are preserved for all your relatives, but all of them are excommunicated from the Church of Christ for a period of three years. The sentence should be carried out immediately.
11. NEAR THE FORTRESS WALL - DAY
We see a burning bonfire, into which someone throws a bag of bones.
(Behind the scenes we hear the voice of the Inquisitor)
INQUISITOR
Mr. Clerk, remind me what is the confiscated fortune of this one's relatives... What's his name?
CLERK
Gustav Erich Grunberg, Your Grace.
INQUISITOR
Yes, yes, the relatives of this Grunberg.
CLERK
The most superficial and approximate calculation, Your Grace, speaks of seventy thousand gold...
INQUISITOR
Well, I think we can end today's work on this bright note...
CLERK
I fully support you, Your Grace!
12. NAT. IN THE STEPPE - DAY
In the middle of the withered steppe we see a horseman. This is Dolph, the main character of our story. He is dressed richly, but in a marching way. He has a sword on his belt. A large square and flat bundle covered with burlap is tied to the saddle of his horse.
Dolph stops the horse, slowly examines the steppe, closes his eyes and inhales deeply the smell of autumn. Then he kicks the horse's sides with his heels: But! Dolph drives for a while, but his ancestral castle appears in the distance.
13. INT. IN THE CASTLE - LATER
Dolph and the old servant go to the corridors. The old man carries the same bundle that was strapped to the saddle. Here they enter the chambers.
DOLPH
Put it here. You can go now.
14. INT. IN THE SECRET ROOM - LATER
Dolph enters the room and unwraps the package. There is a picture in it. He hangs the painting on the wall and looks at it for a long time. We don't see the painting itself, but we do see Dolph's face. There is an expression of concentration on it.
(fade out)
15. INT. IN THE HUT - NIGHT
Night. Bluish moonlight falls through a tiny window, illuminating the dwelling with a dim bluish light. We see an earthen, straw-strewn floor. A broom by the door. A pair of rough-hewn stools. A hearth with a suspended pot. An iron-bound chest. Bunches of herbs under the ceiling. Order reigns everywhere.
BOY
(behind the scenes)
The true appearance of the old witch is as follows: A pale wrinkled face, a hooked nose that catches all sorts of smells, large greedy lips, each eye for a nickel, immovable eyelids that even a sunbeam directed into the eyes cannot move.
A woman sleeps on a wooden cot with a straw pillow under a blanket sewn from sheep skins. She looks about 35 years old. She is slender and beautiful. This is Chloe - herbalist and fortune-teller. Chloe is sleeping an anxious sleep. Spinning. Moaning.
CHLOE
(in a dream)
No! No! Don't go there, Henrik!
Then Chloe wakes up and sits up abruptly in bed from a nightmare. There is horror in her eyes. After a moment, when she realizes that this is just a dream, a mournful expression appears on her face, and her eyes become wet with tears. Chloe covers her face with her hands and sobs silently.
16. NAT. SEASHORE - NIGHT
Chloe walks slowly along the edge of the surf. But then he stops and looks straight into the blackness of the sea. She puts her palms (with a bell) to her lips and screams.
CHLOE
X-e-e-e-e-n-r-i-i-i-i-i-k!
(fade out)
17. INT. A ROOM WITH A MURAL - DAY
We see a spacious room with a fresco on one of the walls. In the fresco, the archangel Michael raises his sword to strike in order to slay the dragon-devil trampled by him. (We see this mural in color, it has a special meaning, because it is a visual metaphor for this story.)
In the room, on a high carved chair, at a large oak table, sits a monk of about forty, dressed in a woolen cape with a hood. This is the Reverend Institoris Angelicus, a Jesuit, author of the fanatical treatise "The Devil", dedicated to the phenomenon of the devil, as well as the witch hunt and heretics. Angelicus is completely bald, but not at all because his head is shaved, but because hair in principle does not grow on his skinny body.
In the middle of the room is a boy about ten years old. The boy looks away - at the mural. Sometimes he turns his gaze to the monk, but the fresco attracts his attention like a magnet. Angelicus notices the boy's interest.
ANGELICUS
What do you see on this mural?
BOY
I see Archangel Michael defeating the devil.
ANGELICUS
What makes you think he's beating him?
BOY
He put his foot on the chest of the defeated enemy and raised his sword arm to strike.
ANGELICUS
But tell me, do you have absolute confidence that at the very last moment the devil, this greatest and most insidious of magicians, will not turn out and slip away?
The boy shakes his head uncertainly: no.
ANGELICUS
Oh well. What else do you see?
BOY
I see mountains... the clouds... grass...
ANGELICUS
Look deeper!
The boy looks at the picture with all his might, but he shrugs his shoulders, saying, I don't know. The Reverend sighs in disappointment.
ANGELICUS
Well, let's leave it. Your father asked me to take care of your religious education. Take this book and study the first chapter carefully. Tomorrow we'll talk about what we've read.
18. INT. IN THE CASTLE - DAY
Dolph enters the room. Laura is sitting at the mirror and combing her hair. Dolph comes up to her from behind, takes the girl by the shoulders. Bringing his face close to her hair, he inhales deeply. Touches the hair with the face. He begins to cover the girl's neck with kisses. Laura closes her eyes, she likes it. She gets excited.
DOLPH
(he whispers)
Laura… my laura…
Dolph stretches his hand to the girl's thigh and lifts the hem of her dress.
19. NAT. IN THE STEPPE - DAY
Laura and Dolph are riding slowly through the withered grass on horseback.
We see Laura's saddle, it is decorated with silver figures of doves.
DOLPH
I've been wanting to ask you for a long time.
LAURA
M?
DOLPH
What do you think of him?
LAURA
About him? About whom, about him?
DOLPH
About our common enemy?
LAURA
Do we have a common enemy?
DOLPH
Certainly. The whole human race has one common enemy.
LAURA
A common enemy?
(thinking)
Aaaaaah! Are you talking about the evil one?
Dolph nods: Yes.
LAURA
I'm afraid I'll disappoint you, because I never think about him. There are so many beautiful things in the world... why waste your thoughts on him? My mother told my father when he was angry that the devil was born from the foam on the lips of an angel.
20. NAT. COUNTRY ROAD - DAY
A cart loaded with firewood, harnessed to two horses, is driving along a country country road. Two men are riding on a cart. One is 30 years old. The second is 40.
MAN #1
Well? And then what happened?
MAN #2
Well, in conclusion of his fiery sermon, the inquisitor said that if any of us knows at least something about sorcerers and witches, about witches and heretics, because every heresy is from the devil, then he must inform him personally about this fact within ten days. For which he will receive from him personally an indulgence for a period of three years. Moreover, he will also receive a percentage of the confiscated property of the arrested heretic, witch or sorcerer.
MAN #1
Ten days?
MAN #2
Yes, we only have ten days. And whoever does not repent of his sins during this period, who does not inform him of the information known to him about the above-mentioned persons, will be excommunicated from the church and cursed forever and ever!
21. INT. HOLY OFFICE - DAY
In front of the Inquisitor is a man whom we just saw on a cart with firewood. This is informer No. 1.
INFORMER #1
Your Holiness, I want to report that the day before yesterday I saw a local resident Alphonse Klein, when the name of the immaculate Virgin Mary was mentioned in her presence, mysteriously smiled.
INQUISITOR
So what is it?
INFORMER
And the fact, Your Holiness, that this mysterious smile of hers testifies to a blasphemous attitude towards the Mother of God.
(fade out)
INFORMER #2
I want to inform you that my neighbor Victor Grass, acting at the instigation of the devil, harmed my family.
INQUISITOR
How exactly did he hurt your family?
INFORMER #2
He jinxed me and sent a "spell" on my cock and cow ...
(fade out)
SHE INFORMER #1
..On the evening of the third day, my husband, Heinz Schaefer, came to my bedroom and persuaded me to copulate. When I told him that it was a sin, he replied that copulation was not a sin.
(fade out)
INFORMER #3
I saw with my own eyes how a friend of mine named Ludwig Wolf ate "ham with onions".
INQUISITOR
So what of that?
INFORMER
And the fact, Your Holiness, that he performed this action in the post ...
(fade out)
INFORMER #4
I saw with my own eyes that Johan Junius, our city councilor, was present at the witches' Sabbath.
INQUISITOR
How could you see that?
INFORMER #4
I went to the forest for firewood. And suddenly I heard some noise nearby. When I got closer, I found a real sabbath in a clearing hidden in the forest! I decided that it was better for me to get out before I was noticed, but I managed to see our adviser in the crowd of witches and sorcerers who were there.
(ДАЛЬШЕ)
INFORMER #4 (ПРОД.)
(fade out)
SHE INFORMER #2
I would like to inform you that Clara Geisler, my neighbor, cohabits with three devils.
(fade out)
SHE INFORMER #3
I heard with my own ears how at night she talked to the incubus who visited her.
(fade out)
INFORMER #5
He said that Jews are also people, and we should respect their faith, just as they should respect ours.
(fade out)
SHE INFORMER #4
She took the milk from my cow!
(fade out)
SHE INFORMER #5
She jinxed my husband, and now he is powerless in bed!
(fade out)
INFORMER #6
He said that the church is of no use and it only fleeces us, ordinary people.
(fade out)
SHE INFORMER #6
The unclean himself regularly visits her in the guise of a black cat!
(fade out)
SHE INFORMER #7
I saw her fly out of the chimney on a broomstick with my own eyes.
(fade out)
22. NAT. IN THE SEA. CALM. - THICK FOG
In the thick fog in the general plan we see a boat. She is barely noticeably swaying on the waves of an absolutely calm sea. There's no one in the boat. We are getting closer to her, closer, but now the camera stops and before our eyes in the boat gradually, the air seems to thicken and a boy of about seven appears on the seat. His hands are on his knees, and his eyes are closed.
Soon, in the same way, a girl of about twelve appears on another bench. She's sitting in the same position. But both the boy and the girl gradually open their eyes.
(These are the souls of children who rush to earth in order to find their parents and incarnate, but the viewer will understand this later)
Everything happens in absolute silence and silence.
23. NAT. ON THE CASTLE TOWER - DAY
Dolph stands on the castle tower and whittles a piece of wood. Laura walks beside him. From the tower, Laura sees a cook in the courtyard, who pours dirty water from a bucket into a groove near the wall.
LAURA
And do you know, my dear husband, that Marta is expecting a baby?!
DOLPH
Well... the usual thing.
LAURA
That's the thing, that's unusual! Judge for yourself: she has been living with her husband for ten years. And they have been childless for ten years. But a couple of months ago, Martha went to a woman who lives on the shore, like a hermit. She bewitched-conjured... and here is the result – if the Lord is merciful, Martha will become a mother.
At this point, Dolph stops whittling a piece of wood.
DOLPH
(thoughtfully)
What did you say?
LAURA
.. If the Lord is merciful, Martha will become a mother.
DOLPH
(thoughtfully)
You said: "Bewitched-conjured..."
24. INT. - IN THE SECRET ROOM - DAY
We see Dolph's eyes in close-up. He's looking at something that clearly excites him.
Dolph looks at the painting for a long time. This is the image of the devil.
Then Dolph goes to the black tree casket, which stands on a low column in the center of the secret room. He puts his palms on it, closes his eyes and stands motionless.
DOLPH
Thirty-nine…
25. INT. IN THE CHAMBERS - DAY
Laura is sitting at the mirror, pretending to comb her hair, while she secretly watches Dolph lock the room with a key. When Dolph leaves the room, and his footsteps fade away, Laura runs eagerly to the door to the secret room and looks through the keyhole.
26. NAT. IN THE STEPPE - DAY
Summer. The sun. Birds are singing. The boy is sitting on a rope swing under a large spreading tree and swaying slightly. In his hands is a book.
BOY
The devil, he is Satan, he is the king of darkness, the prince of hell and the great tempter is the main enemy of God, his rival and detractor. The devil is a fallen angel, cast down from heaven by God for his base vices - envy and pride. Since then, together with the outcast angels like him, who make up his numerous satanic host, tirelessly and everywhere seeks to lure believers to his side, to take possession of their souls. The devil is insidious, cruel, merciless, lustful, ugly. He is a rival of God, the greatest magician, wizard and sorcerer, can reincarnate, take human form, evaporate, overcome huge spaces instantly, provide sinners who "sold him a soul" with all kinds of earthly goods and endow them with "harmful" abilities.
Here the boy is interrupted, because a gust of wind shook the foliage and it rustled violently. The boy looks at the leaves, at the sun, which shines through the foliage, squints, smiles... but now he returns to reading.
BOY
He reads people's thoughts, moves their bodies from place to place, produces monsters and does other disgusting things. The devil has many faces, his criminal hypostases are innumerable. A person who has made a pact with the devil, who has sold his soul to him, becomes a devil's spawn, capable of harming others, sending all kinds of damage to them. Such a man is called a sorcerer, and a woman is a sorceress or a witch.
27. INT. IN THE CASTLE - DAY
Dolph enters the room, goes to the table where Laura usually makes her crafts. We see a lot of various scraps and ribbons on the table. Dolph picks up a blue ribbon. He brings it to his face, sniffs it. Neatly folds it and puts it in his pocket.
28. INT. IN THE CASTLE – NIGHT
Dolph wakes up. Immediately rushes to a jug of water for washing, pours water into a basin and splashes water on a flaming crucifix. There is a hiss. There is smoke. Laura wakes up, sits and presses the blanket to her face. He looks at the smoking crucifix with a burnt brand instead of a head.
29. NAT. SEASHORE - NIGHT
Chloe walks along the shore with a burning stick. But now the woman stops and puts a stick on the stones. She stares into the blackness of the sea for a long time, but now she brings her palms to her lips and screams with all her might.
CHLOE
H-e-e-e-e-n-r-i-i-i-i-k!
30. INT. HOLY OFFICE - DAY
We see woman #16.
INQUISITOR
Clara Geisler, you are accused of cohabiting with three devils.
WOMAN
Shameless lies! Nothing like this has ever happened!
THE INQUISITOR
Mr. Clerk, write it down: the devil brought perseverance to the suspect Clara Geisler, in view of which she firmly stands on her innocence.
(fade out)
We see a woman #18. She is about 20 years old. She is very richly dressed.
INQUISITOR
Is your name Tilda Burkel?
WOMAN
Yes, it's me.
INQUISITOR
You are accused of blasphemous attitude towards the Mother of God, the immaculate Virgin Mary. Which leads to the conclusion about your connection with the devil.
The woman's face changes: her eyes widen in surprise, her mouth opens slightly.
(fade out)
We see a male about 40 years old. He is dressed like a wealthy bourgeois. He is standing in front of the Inquisitor's desk.
INQUISITOR
Is your name Otto Bremer?
MALE
Yes, Your Grace, it's me.
INQUISITOR
You are accused of heresy.
MALE
In heresy? God forbid I should be a heretic! This is a blatant lie!
INQUISITOR
Your spouse has reported you.
MALE
Spouse?
INQUISITOR
She said... I quote: when he came to my bedroom, he persuaded me to copulate. When I told him that it was a sin, my husband, Otto Bremer, replied that copulation is not a sin."
MALE
There was a case, I said.
THE INQUISITOR
Thus, you are accused of heresy, because everyone knows that copulation is a mortal sin, through which we, the human race, were expelled from the Garden of Eden in which we lived before our sin... I emphasize: sin-falls.
(fade out)
We see a male about 35 years old. He is standing in front of the Inquisitor's desk.
INQUISITOR
Peter Weiss, you are accused of heresy.
MALE
God, how is that?!
INQUISITOR
You are accused on the basis of a denunciation in which it is reported that you ate "ham with onions" in the post.
(fade out)
We see a male about 40 years old. He is dressed like a wealthy bourgeois. He is standing in front of the Inquisitor's desk.
INQUISITOR
Johan Junius (city councilor), you are accused of criminal association with the devil.
(ДАЛЬШЕ)
INQUISITOR (ПРОД.)
Three witnesses, including your son, claim to have seen you at the witches' Sabbath.
(fast fade out)
INQUISITOR
Lydia Abel, you are accused of witchcraft.
(fast fade out)
INQUISITOR
..in cohabitation with three devils.
(fast fade out)
INQUISITOR
...In relations with the devil.
(fast fade out)
INQUISITOR
...In heresy.
(fast fade out)
INQUISITOR
...In sending caterpillars and worms to the harvest of neighbors.
(fast fade out)
INQUISITOR
...In casting a spell on the son of your neighbors.
(slow fade out)
31. INT. IN THE CHAMBERS – NIGHT
(Laura's Dream)
We are moving along a dark corridor. But now we are approaching the door, from under which a powerful light is shining. The door opens by itself and we find ourselves in a room. In the room we see an idyll shot in a "high key": elegant Dolph and Laura are standing in the middle of the room, Dolph has a swaddled baby in his arms. The whole room is flooded with golden light-spirit-love. Laura and Dolph are admiring the baby.
But here Dolph goes out of the frame and the light gradually fades, until the night twilight reigns in the room, diluted only by the bluish light of the moon penetrating here through the window.
The camera slowly moves to the side and we see the marital bed on which Laura and Dolph are sleeping. Very slowly we are getting closer and closer to them. And suddenly a tiny white feather falls on the girl's stomach from somewhere above.
32. INT. IN THE CHAMBERS - MORNING
(we see this scene through Laura's eyes)
Laura is standing by the window, her back to him. She watches Dolph, who is looking for something in the room.
LAURA
Listen, Dolph, I have to tell you something.
DOLPH
Where is he?
LAURA
Something important.
DOLPH
I put it here yesterday...
LAURA
Something that concerns you and me...
DOLPH
Have you seen the dagger?
LAURA
No...
DOLPH
I brought it here myself yesterday...
LAURA
In a word, soon you will be...
Dolph notices a veiled dagger on a carved oak bench.
DOLPH
There he is!
At this moment there is a knock on the door.
DOLPH
Come in.
An old servant enters.
OLD MAN
Everything is ready, sir.
Dolph kisses Laura on the forehead.
DOLPH
Don't miss...
Dolph goes out. Laura looks after him and puts her palm on her stomach.
33. INT. HOLY OFFICE - DAY
A charming girl of 17 years old is introduced into the interrogation room. She is very well and expensively dressed. She stands in front of the Inquisitor with her eyes downcast. The Inquisitor stares at her and swallows saliva. His face seems to be illuminated from within by color. He admires the girl. Here the Inquisitor's voice becomes soft and as if affectionate.
INQUISITOR
What is your name, child?
LILY
Lily. Lily Weisman.
THE INQUISITOR
How old are you?
LILY
I am sixteen.
INQUISITOR
What does your father do?
LILY
He has several bakeries in the city.
INQUISITOR
Bread is a sacred thing. Your father must be a good Christian.
LILY
Yes, Your Holiness, he is a very pious man, and I was brought up by the same.
The assistant secretary pushes a paper with a denunciation on the inquisitor's desk. The Inquisitor is reading.
INQUISITOR
Tell me, Lily, how can you explain this recording?
(reads)
"I saw with my own eyes how, on the feast of the great Easter, Lilia Weissman threw a crucifix into the mud in a remote alley and trampled on it..."
The girl's mouth opens in amazement.
LILY
I am really at a loss, Your Holiness. I can't imagine what made someone write such a thing.
INQUISITOR
Do you have any enemies or detractors?
LILY
I have not.
INQUISITOR
What makes you so sure of that, child?
LILY
My father always taught me that you should never swear and quarrel with anyone. And I strictly follow this rule.
INQUISITOR
Well, a very wise rule. But maybe there is someone to whom you have refused some request or offer?
LILY
(thinks))
To my great regret, many young people, how should I put it...
INQUISITOR
Harassing you?
LILY
You could say that.
INQUISITOR
What way?
The girl blushes.
LILY
I'm really embarrassed...
INQUISITOR
Tell me everything without concealment. It's in your best interest. You do realize that the accusation is very serious, don't you?
LILY
I do, Your Grace. Sometimes it happens that some young men ask me for a kiss.
INQUISITOR
About a kiss? How innocent!
LILY
And some...
The Inquisitor raises an eyebrow.
INQUISITOR
M?
LILY
... some offer to meet at night in a secluded place...
INQUISITOR
And what about you?
LILY
I find such proposals highly indecent.
INQUISITOR
A-a-a-n-d?
LILY
I am an honest girl, Your Grace. And I will remain so until the wedding, if the Lord will be merciful to send me this happiness.
The Inquisitor thinks, taps his finger on the table.
INQUISITOR
(to the girl)
Well, I'll think about everything you said.
(to the assistants)
Take her away.
Two assistants take the girl away. When the door closes, he gives an order to the secretary.
INQUISITOR
Make sure that she is not allowed to eat or drink for three days and three nights. And more... put a "libra" on her.
SECRETARY
Yes, Your Grace. It will be done. I will personally see to everything.
INQUISITOR
Oh well. Who's next?
34. NAT. IN THE STEPPE - DAY
Dolph rides a horse. Sparse trees, the ruins of a stone house standing alone, an abandoned well slowly float past him. But now he drives past a tree standing alone. Dolph stops, looks at the tree and goes on. Behind the scenes we hear the boy's voice.
BOY
In the midst of dogmatic discussions, they fell silent and stopped dead in front of a blooming lime tree - a nightingale was sitting on it, exulting, overflowing in the sweetest melodies. The soul of the learned men was seized with unprecedented bliss at the same time. The warm sounds of spring burst into their hearts, stiffened by scholasticism. Their senses were awakened from a heavy winter sleep. They looked at each other in bewildered delight, until finally one of them broke the silence with a shrewd remark. There's something wrong, he said, this nightingale may be the devil himself… And he began to pronounce incantations: "I conjure you to those who are coming to judge the living and the dead."
At the same moment, the nightingale fell silent and flew away, for he was none other than the lord of the unclean himself.
35. NAT. SEASHORE - DAY
On the rocky shore of the sea we see Chloe. In her hands she has a basket covered with burlap. The woman walks along the shore for a long time, but now she comes to the cliff, puts the basket on the ground and climbs the cliff.
36. NAT. ON THE CLIFF - DAY
At the top of the cliff, Chloe approaches a small mound made of stones. She stands looking at him. But now she falls right on top of him and rakes the stones with her hands.
37. NAT. SEASHORE - DAY
Dolph drives out to the sea. Arriving at Chloe's house, he looks around. But he doesn't see anyone. He dismounts, ties the horse to a dry tree. He approaches the house, knocks on the door, but there is no answer. He pushes the door open and the door swings open.
DOLPH
Is anyone alive?
He stares intently into the semi-darkness of the hut.
DOLPH
Hey! Is there anyone here?
Without waiting for an answer, he enters.
38. INT. IN THE HUT - DAY
Dolph stands motionless for a long time, getting used to the prevailing twilight. But now he begins to look around and squint. He sees shelves with utensils, bunches of herbs on the walls and under the ceiling, an empty crate, trestle bed.
39. NAT. NEAR THE HUT - DAY
Dolph walks around the house, carefully examining the structure and everything around it. He returns to the horse and unties the luggage, spreads the skin, covers the horse with a blanket. Dolph collects driftwood and dry grass thrown on the shore. Having collected several armfuls, he builds a fire, carves a fire with a flint.
40. NAT. SEASHORE - EVENING
Chloe is standing by the fire. The wind ruffles the woman's clothes and hair. The sea is beating against the rocks. There is a figure of Freya nearby. The woman picks up the motley, presses her face to it. Then he puts the chicken on a log, pulls out a knife from a small sheath hanging on his belt and deftly cuts off the bird's head. Then she pours blood from the neck of the bird on the wooden figure of the goddess.
CHLOE
This is for you, Freya the giver!
Chloe puts the bird on the ground, plucks the feathers and throws them up. The wind blows the feathers away.
CHLOE
And this is for you!
Chloe, cuts off the chicken's paws. He goes to the hole, puts them in the ground and sprinkles them.
CHLOE
And this is for you, Freya magnanimous!
She puts the bird itself into the fire.
CHLOE
And this is for you, Freya the intercessor!
The woman turns her face to the figure of the goddess.
CHLOE
O Freya, Great mother of the gods! I gave you the most precious thing I had, I implore you, help him!
41. INT. A ROOM WITH A MURAL - DAY
Angelicus is sitting at the table and writing something. But now he raises his eyes and looks at the boy appraisingly.
ANGELICUS
Have you learned your lesson?
BOY
Yes, Reverend.
ANGELICUS
Is everything clear to you, child, in this section?
BOY
(after thinking)
Why don't witches use their connection with the devil for their own personal interests and get rich?
ANGELICUS
Good question. I see that you are not just reading, but also thinking about what you have read. Witches do not get rich, so as not to draw attention to themselves with their wealth.
BOY
Why can't they harm the executioner or the inquisitor? After all, for them to cause damage or illness is a trifling matter...
ANGELICUS
Witches are not able to destroy all their enemies, because a good angel prevents them from doing so. They cannot harm inquisitors and executioners, because the latter send opus Dei - the work of God.
BOY
Why does almighty God allow innocent people to be bewitched by a witch?
ANGELICUS
God allows the bewitching of the innocent in order that mutual help may be aroused in human society through it, and that its members take more care of reducing sin in their environment.
Angelicus takes a drawing from a nearby casket and puts it on the table.
ANGELICUS
Come and take a look at this.
The boy comes to the table and look at the drawing. This is a creepy image of a "witch" with fangs in her mouth.
ANGELICUS
This drawing was made the day before this creature was burned...
42. NAT. BY THE HUT - NIGHT
Sitting by the fire, Dolph watches as the flames devour the driftwood, hurling bloody sparks up into the blackness of the air. Dolph takes out a piece of wood from his bag, the same one that he was whittling on the castle wall, takes out a knife and starts whittling.
DOLPH
(his thoughts)
If the devil exists, then God created him. Otherwise, where would he come from? And if the devil exists, then God allows him to exist. Otherwise, how can it exist?
After setting up the shavings, Dolph throws them into the fire. He watches them flare up, turn black, turn red and crumble into gray dust.
DOLPH
(his thoughts)
If God cannot destroy the devil, then such a God is powerless, and he cannot be called omnipotent. If God created the devil without knowing that he would become the devil, then such a God is not omniscient.
He takes a flask out of his bag, takes a sip. He throws twigs into the fire, lies on the skin.
DOLPH
(his thoughts)
If there is a devil, then at least there is no God in the devil's heart. This means that God is not omnipresent. If God is present even in the devil's heart, then can we condemn the devil himself? Thus, we come to the most important question: does the devil exist at all? And if so, what is he really like?
Finally, Dolph falls asleep, clutching a sword in his palm.
(A sword that he makes for a son that he doesn't have, but that he will definitely have someday)
43. NAT. SEASHORE - NIGHT
Chloe stares into the blackness of the sea for a long time, but now she brings her palms to her lips and screams with all her might.
CHLOE
H-e-e-e-e-n-r-i-i-i-i-k!
(At this moment, the camera moves very quickly away from Chloe's face, as if we are flying into the darkness with her scream)
44. NAT. IN THE SEA – THICK FOG
The boat is in the fog. A boy and a girl are already familiar to us on the boat.
BOY
Hush! Do you hear?
GIRL
What?
BOY
Someone is shouting.
GIRL
What's screaming?
BOY
I think someone was shouting my name... There! There was shouting!
The boy stretches out his hand and points somewhere. The children clumsily turn the boat around and row to the cry.
45. NAT. BY THE HUT - NIGHT
Chloe is coming home. She sees a bonfire and a man by the fire. The woman goes straight to the fire.
CHLOE
(To Dolph)
If the gentleman is here on business, then we will talk about business in the morning. Good night to you.
46. INT. IN THE HUT – NIGHT
Locking the door with a bolt, Chloe goes to the table and lights the lamp. She blows up the embers smoldering in the hearth, throws dry moss, twigs, and a little later thicker branches into the still weak fire. Then the woman takes a knife, without undressing, lies down on the cot, puts her hand with the knife on her stomach and closes her eyes.
47. NAT. NEAR THE SHORE – FOG
A boat with children approaches the shore. Children jump into the water up to their waists. They come out on dry land.
48. NAT. COAST - FOG
A boy and a girl wander in the fog along a rocky shore.
GIRL
Look!
They see Chloe's cabin. The boy hurries to the hut. Turning around, he sees that the girl is standing still.
BOY
Hey, what are you doing?
GIRL
Then you will go alone.
BOY
Why?
GIRL
Because they're waiting for me in other place. Let's hug.
The boy approaches the girl and they embrace. The girl smiles through her tears.
GIRL
And now - go. They're waiting for you...
49. INT. IN THE HUT – MORNING
(We see this scene from its culmination)
Dolph presses Chloe against the wall inside her apartment.
DOLPH
Listen... listen to me! I've been chasing this thing all my life. I kept stepping on his heels. I could smell the faint smell of sulfur. But every time I reached out to grab his black tail, he slipped away from me. And now I do not know what to do: common sense tells me that you can spend your whole life looking for a black cat in a black room. At the same time, something in me, some imperious voice, orders me not to give up. He tells me that to give up now is to throw my whole life down the drain. It means admitting to yourself that my life, my whole damn damn life, is not worth a penny. And if you know how to see IT with your own eyes! Not some pathetic signs like the smell of sulfur or someone's writhing, or a plague, because all this, if you think about it, can happen by itself. If I see HIM... If I can make sure that HE exists, that HE is not a figment of human imagination, that he is as real as you or me, I will know that I did not fight in vain. That it was not for nothing that I wandered and slept in the open air all my life... I have to know!
Dolph hits the wall with his fist.
DOLPH
I have to! I have to! I have to! Must! Must!
Until that moment, Chloe had turned her face away from Dolph, who was pushing at her. But here she puts her palm on his mouth, as if to say: shut up, I understand everything! And Dolph, indeed, falls silent.
And in this place something inexplicable happens: literally in one second his anger and her fear turn into attraction of the flesh. Dolph slides his face into Chloe's palm. And Chloe strokes Dolph's face, as if she has known him for a long time. Both of them breathe as if this is a prelude to a love scene. Finally, Chloe turns her face to him. He looks closely at Dolph's face.
CHLOE
(whispering)
All right. I'll help you... If you... help me...
50. NAT. NEAR THE HUT - DAY
Chloe brings a bucket of water to a horse standing by a dry tree. Gently ruffles the horse's mane.
CHLOE
Drink.
The horse drinks water with greedy gulps. And Chloe ties a rag over the horse's eyes.
CHLOE
Do not be afraid, the heavens will not disappear – you will see them with my eyes. And the winds will not disappear - you will hear them with my ears. And with my lips - to drink water. And with my feet - to beat the ground. Become my blood. Become my bone.
Having struck the horse's neck with a knife, Chloe opens a vein. And the black venous blood gushed out.
51. NAT. SEASHORE - DAY
The horse's head is lying on the ground. The eyes are wide open. They look at the sky with surprise. Clouds and a random bird are reflected in the huge pupils. A snowflake falls on an eyelash, but immediately, pulled by the wind, breaks away. But the figure of a man in a cape is reflected in the pupil. This is Chloe.
She goes to the head and bends over it. He runs his palm over the muzzle. Touches soft, covered with a delicate short fur nostrils. He covers the horse's eyes with his palm. Then with difficulty, because the head is too heavy for a woman, he throws it on his chest and carries it under the awning behind the house. Here he carefully puts it on a kind of workbench. He puts his hand on the horse's forehead and covers his eyes…
52. NAT. IN THE STEPPE - DAY
(Chloe's vision)
Hooves beat the ground. We hear horse trampling. Horses run for a long time. But now they stop. They bend their mighty necks to the juicy grass, to the ringing streams. They move their ears. Fleeing from flies and horseflies, they whip their sides with their tails. Here, next to the piebald mare is a clumsy foal, just a baby. It crawls under the belly, pokes his muzzle. It pulls his lips to the mother's nipple. And all around, as far as the eye can see, there are hills. The wind stirs the grasses. The sun is heavy, red, and setting.
(End of vision)
53. INT. IN THE HUT - EVENING
Dolph is sitting at the table. On the table is a dish with pieces of boiled horse meat. Chloe pours a decoction into a clay mug and puts the mug in front of Dolph.
CHLOE
Drink.
Dolph takes the glass, but looks at the woman suspiciously: is it worth drinking? Without taking her eyes off, Chloe watches as Dolph drains the brimming glass sip by sip. Dolph and Chloe are eating boiled meat. We hear Dolph's heart pounding, and it quickens. His breathing also quickens. There is perspiration on his forehead. Dolph's penis sticks out under the fabric of his pants. He looks at the woman with a greedy, desire-filled gaze. Chloe notices this look. A woman approaches a man, puts her palm on his swollen tool and gently massages it.
CHLOE
(closing her eyes)
Now you're ready...
54. INT. IN THE CASTLE - EVENING
Laura moves like in a dream. Then he comes to the table, then to the window, then to the closet, then to the chest. She's obviously looking for something.
LAURA
Where are you hiding it?
55. INT. IN THE HUT – NIGHT
Chloe and Dolph are making love. They do it sitting, lying, standing, on the bed and at the table, by the window and on a bearskin by the blazing hearth.
(fade out)
56. INT. IN THE CASTLE – DAY
In close-up we see a part of the crucifixion - the feet of Christ pierced with nails. The camera slowly moves up... at this time, we hear the voice of a boy behind the scenes.
BOY
The witch's trial. Part One: The water test. It is known that water, as a pure element, refuses to accept people who serve evil spirits. The witch's trial by water, the so-called "Judgment of God". To do this, you need to strip the witch naked, tie her arms crosswise, namely, tie the thumb of the right hand to the thumb of the left foot, and the finger of the left hand to the toe of the right foot. After that, the suspect is lowered into the water. A true witch will never drown, because the water will not take her in. If the subject drowns, she should be found innocent.
At this point, the boy interrupts reading. We see the boy in the general plan, he stands with a book in his hands and looks at the crucifixion, at the sorrowful eyes of Christ directed to heaven. He looks long and intently. But here he continues reading.
BOY
Part two. A test with a red-hot iron...
57. INT. IN THE HUT – NIGHT
Dolph and Chloe are in bed. Chloe looks at the cross on Dolph's neck.
CHLOE
This is a very, very ancient sign. He is much older than your god. However, in the religion of my ancestors, it has a different meaning.
DOLPH
Which one?
CHLOE
The horizontal line is a woman. A woman has a horizontal essence. She's lying down. How the earth lies. The vertical line is a male. A male is a warrior, he stands guard over his tribe. A man's reproductive organ has power only when he is standing. In the cross, a man and a woman unite in coitus. Only when a husband and wife try together, they find love, harmony and immortality.
DOLPH
Immortality?
CHLOE
Yes, immortality is in your children. After all, if you continued yourself in children, you will not die as long as at least one of your descendants is alive.
58. NAT. BY THE HUT - IN THE FOG
Barely dragging his feet, the soul boy approaches Chloe's hut. He climbs a stone lying under the window and looks into the hut. He sees Chloe sleeping, and Dolph by her.
The boy enters the hut without a sound. He is slowly approaching the sleeping Chloe. He climbs under her blanket with his head and lies down right on the woman's stomach. At this moment, the blanket seems to "deflate", as if the boy disappears. At this moment, Chloe opens her eyes with a noisy intake of breath.
59. NAT. IN THE STEPPE - DAY
Chloe walks across the steppe. Sometimes she sits down and carefully examines the toadstools that come across in the withered grass. She rips these off, sniffs, tastes.
CHLOE
Not that, not that.
But here he finds more. She tastes the mushrooms.
CHLOE
And here you are!
Chloe plucks these tiny mushrooms and carefully puts them in the basket.
60. NAT. SEASHORE - DAY
Dolph is standing on the shore and planning a piece of wood.
DOLPH
(his thoughts)
She's talking about love. About the love of birds, the sun, the stars, the sea wind. Is she a heretic? Isn't such love closer to the sermon of Francis, who loved the Lord in all his creatures - in flowers, in herbs, in water, in the air. I don't think that such a feeling could lead to dangerous consequences.
61. INT. IN THE CASTLE – DAY
Like a bird in a cage, Laura rushes around the room. She looks into the nooks and crannies. She feels the pockets in her husband's clothes, rummages through the laundry. Taking a knife, she approaches the door to the secret room. She tries to push the blade into the gap between the door and the doorway. However she does without result. She takes a hairpin, picks at the lock. In vain. In her heart, she throws a hairpin against the wall, against a stone.
62. INT. IN THE HUT – EVENING
It's getting dark. Dolph builds a bonfire on the shore. There is a huge pile of firewood next to the fire. Dolph brings more wood and pours it on the pile. Chloe approaches Dolph. Looking at the pile of firewood, she says.
CHLOE
It is enough. Now listen. Listen to me carefully. I know you've been through a lot. But what you're going to face today... it is impossible to prepare for this.
Chloe hands Dolph a small pouch.
CHLOE
Eat it all. Whatever happens to you, don't be afraid, that's how it should be. Breathe deeply. They will show you what you really need. And if you really need to meet the devil, you will meet him...
63. NAT. SEASHORE - EVENING
Sitting by the burning fire, Dolph pours the contents of the bag into his palm. He sees some dried mushrooms with thin curved legs, with tiny hats. Looking into the fire, eating... sitting down by the fire, covered with the edge of the skin, Dolph breathes deeply… Dolph looks at the setting sun.
(This is a very long frame in which color gradually appears. Here, the appearance of color indicates the appearance of Dolph's brightness of perception of life, which he has long lost. Life for him is gray, devoid of colors, nothing worries him.)
Gradually, the "acidic" patterns characteristic of the psychedelic state of consciousness appear in the frame. The whole sky and the sun are broken into fragments. The sun "breathes" as if it is alive. His fiery rays go all over the sky like a spider's web. The sun has a "face" - as if it is a fiery deity looking directly at Dolph.
64. NAT. SEASHORE - TWILIGHT
(Film adaptation of Laura's dream)
In the general plan we see a hut on the shore. Dolph comes out of it. For a while he stands and looks out to sea, but again hides in the hut. Here death suddenly enters the frame. Close-up we see the iron face of Death and it is covered with magical patterns.
(the end of the dream)
65. INT. IN THE CHAMBERS – NIGHT
Laura wakes up. Her heart is pounding. Laura leaves the bed and sits down in front of the mirror, lost in thought. She takes a comb and combs her hair. Her gaze falls on the ring lying on the dressing table. The girl takes the ring and starts twirling it in her hands.
Suddenly the ring slips out of her hands and rolls under the bed. Laura takes a candle, kneels down and crawls after him with a candle. Laura finds the ring, but when she gets out, she sees a nail on the bottom of the bed, and a key on the nail.
66. INT. IN THE SECRET ROOM – NIGHT
With a candelabra in her hand, Laura enters the room. She looks at the paintings hanging on the walls. First: the devil. Second: the devil again. The third is the coven of witches. The fourth is the torture of a witch in the prison of the Inquisition. The fifth is demons in hell. The pictures both terrify and hypnotize her. After examining the paintings, Laura approaches the ebony casket that stands in the very center of this creepy "temple". She lifts the lid and looks inside.
LAURA
(perplexed)
What is it?
She reaches inside and pulls out something black. It's a crooked human finger. Laura screams and drops the candelabra. It is roar. The light goes out. Everything is plunged into darkness.
67. NAT. IN THE STEPPE - NIGHT
Laura rides in the dark.
(This is a very long shot in rapid under the disturbing sounds of the cello. Behind the scenes we hear the boy's voice)
BOY
There is a case when a witch hunter independently designed a special furnace in which he burned more than a hundred women and several young girls suspected of having intercourse with the devil. During the ten years of operation of this invention, the number of victims burned alive by him reached 1,000 people. May he be blessed for his labors and all the dangers to which he subjected himself for the sake of such a God-pleasing cause as the fight against witchcraft.
68. INT. IN THE HUT – NIGHT
A fire crackles in the hearth. Chloe looks into the fire. Her trembling shadow falls on the stone wall.
CHLOE
When the souls who found themselves in the Lower World went to bed, thunder rang out at midnight and everything shook. And some unknown force carried the souls from there up in different directions, to the places where they were destined to be born, and they scattered around the world like stars...
At this moment, there is a knock on the door and Chloe starts in surprise. Chloe goes to the door and opens it. Laura is standing outside the door.
LAURA
Where is he? I know he went here.
CHLOE
Who is "he"? Who are you, mistress?
LAURA
Where is Dolph, my husband? Is he here? Did he come here?
Chloe takes a step to the side, freeing up a passage for Laura, as if to say: Come into the house.
69. INT. A ROOM WITH A MURAL - DAY
Angelicus is sitting at a table on which there is a small silver box measuring 15 x 10 cm. The boy is standing in the middle of the room. After a rather long pause, Angelicus says.
ANGELICUS
Do you know how to keep secrets?
BOY
I think so.
ANGELICUS
Swear that you won't tell anyone about what you're about to see.
BOY
I swear.
ANGELICUS
Good. Come closer. Sit in my seat. Now open the box. Just be careful.
The boy very carefully opens the box and looks inside. His eyes widen in surprise and horror. In the casket lies a blackened, almost black, withered, twisted human finger with a claw instead of a nail.
70. INT. HOLY OFFICE - DAY
We see girl #1. She is standing in front of the Inquisitor's desk. The girl is well dressed.
INQUISITOR
(after a long pause)
The girl Clara Grunstein?
GIRL #1
Yes, Your Grace, it's me.
INQUISITOR
You are accused of having intercourse with the devil. For this reason, we intend to turn you from an instrument of the devil into a servant of the Lord. (to the executioner) Mr. Oh-oh...
EXECUTIONER
Yes, your Grace.
INQUISITOR
Kindly demonstrate the tools of influence to the accused.
The executioner leads the woman to a wooden table on wheels with two handles like a construction cart. The table is covered with a blood-soaked cloth. The executioner removes the cloth, and we see the instruments of torture in close-up. The Inquisitor leaves his seat, approaches this table and points with his wand at the awl.
INQUISITOR
This is the awl Mr. Oh-oh will stick in your heels. This clamp is designed to squeeze your legs until the bones crunch. These, if I may say so, "whips" will walk on your back and buttocks. This tiny clamp is designed to squeeze small parts of the body, such as fingers and nipples. This roller is designed for rolling over the bony parts of the lower leg. This is an eye squeezer. This is a tourniquet for tightening the head. Here is a rope for tying around the neck in order to pull it one way, then the other, until the skin of the neck is rubbed to the meat.
71. INT. PRISON OF THE INQUISITION - DAY
The scene begins with a long drive down the corridor. The doors to the cells are open and we see everything that happens inside the cells. Here we see a woman chained to the wall. The woman stands and cannot get down, because one of her hands is raised and chained to the wall.
The other woman is also chained standing up, but already by the neck. The third woman is chained by her leg, raised to waist level. We see a male. His hands are chained behind his back and raised up so that he can't get down on the floor either.
Other woman is wearing an undershirt and is chained to a special chair, whose entire back, seat and armrests are studded with spikes. Another woman has her hands and feet shackled in a wooden block. A woman is sitting naked on the stone floor.
And at the end of the passage we see a Lily. She's lying on the floor, on the straw. She is wearing an undershirt, she is chained to an iron device that does not allow her to straighten her arms and legs. This torture is not so much painful as excruciating. The girl is pale. Her lips were cracked from thirst. Barely audible, she whispers the words of prayer.
LILY
(barely audible)
Pater noster qui in caelis es, sanctificetur nomen tuum, veniat regnum tuum sicut in caelo et in Terra.
Panem nostrum supersubstantialem da nobis hodie, et demitte debita nostra sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris, et ne nos incucas in temptationem, sed libera nos a malo.
But now the door opens with a screech. We hear people entering the cell. Lily opens her eyes.
LILY
Drink... Please... Drink...
We hear the voice of the Inquisitor.
INQUISITOR
Bring her some water.
JAILER
Yes, your Grace.
The jailer goes out, but very soon brings a mug of water and gives the girl a drink. The girl greedily drinks water.
INQUISITOR
(to the jailer)
Leave us.
The jailer closes the door.
LILY
Your Grace! I swear by our God Jesus Christ that I have never done anything that is not proper for a Christian to do. This denunciation is a lie! I swear to you!
INQUISITOR
Calm down, child.
The Inquisitor pats Lily on the head.
INQUISITOR
Tell me, Lily, do you want to get out of here?
LILY
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes! I want this more than anything in the world!
INQUISITOR
Good, good. One word from you and you'll be home today, with your father. You will eat bread from his bakery and drink expensive wine in honor of your return...
LILY
What should I do?
The Inquisitor bends down and whispers something in the girl's ear. When the girl hears this, her gaze becomes fixed and absent. The Inquisitor straightens up.
INQUISITOR
I'm not rushing you. You'll have plenty of time to think about my offer.
The Inquisitor goes to the door and opens it. Already on the threshold, he turns around, looks at Lily and says.
INQUISITOR
I'll be back... in a month.
72. INT. HOLY OFFICE - DAY
We see woman #15. She is 35 years old. Two other women (assistants) take off her robes. To the side, an inquisitor and an inspector are sitting at a table covered with an expensive velvet tablecloth.
INQUISITOR
(to the inspector)
At the moment, we are observing how our assistants are helping the accused, presumably witches, to take off her clothes in order to investigate whether any witches' tools are sewn into her robe, as they often do at the instigation of a demon when they use the members of the body of an unbaptized boy. Women carefully feel every seam and every fold of the removed clothes. But they shake their heads negatively: there is nothing.
INQUISITOR
(to female assistants)
Take off her undershirt.
The assistants take off the woman's shirt and the executioner carefully examines her back, buttocks and the back of her thighs and calves. He then leads the woman to the X-shaped cross and ties her arms and legs to it and begins a thorough examination of the head and front of the body.
INQUISITOR
(to the inspector)
Now our assistant is examining the body of the accused in search of the "witch seal". The examination should be extremely thorough, especially it is necessary to examine the places covered with hair, so that she "could not hide satanic literacy in them", which made her insensitive to suffering.
EXECUTIONER
It seems that there is something.
INQUISITOR
Describe what you see.
EXECUTIONER
There is a birthmark on the shameful place.
INQUISITOR
What shape is it?
EXECUTIONER
It looks like an oak leaf.
The Inquisitor rises from his carved chair and approaches the woman. Attentively looks at the birthmark on the pubic hair of a woman.
INQUISITOR
(to the clerk)
Mr. Clerk, write it down: On the causal place of the accused, we see a witch's seal in the form of an oak leaf, which is an iron proof of the suspect's guilt.
The Inquisitor returns to his seat.
INQUISITOR
(to the inspector)
Now it's a small matter - to loosen her tongue.
73. INT. HOLY OFFICE - DAY
In absolute darkness, we hear someone pronouncing words in Latin.
VOICE
In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti...
From the blackout we see a table with instruments of torture. Here are wedges, hammers, clamps, steel masks, awls and so on. A priest walks around the table. He dips the corolla into a silver dish and sprinkles holy water on the instruments.
PRIEST
In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti... In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti...
(fade out)
We see woman #16. It's an old woman. Her fingers are clamped in a small vice. And the executioner squeezes them harder and harder... The old woman screams.
(fade out)
We see a barrel of water with someone's feet sticking out of it. The legs are twitching violently.
(fade out)
We see woman #16. She is sitting on a torture chair, the surface of which is studded with thorns. Her arms and legs are strapped to the chair. Sweat is streaming down her face. The woman is breathing heavily.
(fade out)
The executioner takes a hammer and a huge nail from a table with a torture instrument, approaches a woman with a bag of black cloth on her head, puts a nail to her shoulder joint and brings the hammer.
(fade out)
In close-up, we see how ticks are placed on hot coals. The ticks heat up, get hot, turn red. Only now the executioner puts on leather mittens and takes the pincers in his hands.
(slow fade out)
74. NAT. SHORE, BY THE CAMPFIRE - NIGHT
Dolph is in the grip of visions. He sees dragons: a fiery dragon looks at him from the flames of a campfire, stone dragons breathe slowly among rocks and cliffs, sparkling with colored lights, star dragons soar in the night sky. From the contemplation of this beauty, tears roll down Dolph's cheeks.
(It seems that a little more and something will finally move in his soul, in his mind, and he will understand something important that will change him forever ...)
DOLPH
(he whispers)
Divine!
Suddenly, from behind Dolph's shoulder, the voice of the Reverend Angelic is heard. The monk himself appears in the frame.
ANGELICUS
Divine? Did you say "divine"?
(monk chuckles)
I see you've lost your memory. So I will remind you: ... and it was decorated with sparkling stones, like a star-studded sky, so that an innumerable host of sparks, shining, filled the world with light. Such was Lucifer before the fall..." And here is another: "... The dragon is an ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan; he is the one who deceives the whole world."
At the same moment, the Star Dragons shining with all the colors of the rainbow begin to fade, darken, blacken. And now the vile black creatures are swarming in the sky, in the sea and among the stones.
ANGELICUS
Quod erat probandum!
(caption: What was required to prove!)
75. INT. IN THE HUT – NIGHT
Laura is sitting on a goat skin by the fire. He holds a clay mug with hot drink in his hands. Chloe is sitting at the table.
LAURA
(nodding at the figure of Freya)
Who is it?
Chloe gets up, goes to the shelf, takes the figure in her hand and gives it to Laura.
CHLOE
This is Freya.
LAURA
Freya?
CHLOE
Great Mother. Mother of the gods.
LAURA
She looks like the Virgin Mary, who carries the baby Jesus in her womb.
CHLOE
She looks. Only unlike your Maria, she carries the whole world in her womb.
LAURA
How is that?
CHLOE
Every blade of grass that is born into the world, every bug, every bird, every tree, every living creature, every little man - everything comes into our world from the womb of the Mother.
Suddenly Chloe hears a sharp child's whisper from somewhere in a dark corner.
A WHISPER
Mother!
The woman turns her head into a dark corner.
CHLOE
(To Laura)
Hush!
Chloe gets up and slowly walks over to the curtain, from behind which she thinks she heard this voice. Abruptly pulls the curtain aside, but there is nothing there.
Here in the semi-darkness, behind the curtain, Chloe stands motionless and tries to figure out what it was. But suddenly he hears the door banging open. Chloe looks through the hole in the fabric and sees Dolph on the threshold. The man's eyes are absolutely black. Laura turns at the sound.
LAURA
You've finally come!
76. INT. INQUISITOR'S HOUSE - EVENING
Lily is lying on the bed, face down. At this time, the inquisitor lying on top of her makes several movements and emits a moan of passion. After that, exhausted, he falls on the bed next to the girl.
(fade out)
77. INT. INQUISITOR'S HOUSE - LATER
Lily gives the Inquisitor a cup of hot tea lying in bed.
INQUISITOR
Thank you, child.
The Inquisitor takes a sip, looks at the Lily.
INQUISITOR
I can see that you're not too happy.
Lily is silent, goes to the window.
INQUISITOR
It's because you're a lovely silly girl, and you don't understand your own happiness.
LILY
And what is my happiness, in your opinion?
INQUISITOR
You see, child, I have full power over rich and poor, over young and old, over man and woman, boy and girl, servant and maid, citizen and peasant, knight and nobleman, doctor, master and bachelor. As long as you are with me, nothing, I repeat, nothing threatens you. You're absolutely safe. And you should thank the Lord that you belong to me, because it is impossible to climb higher than I have climbed.
78. INT. BOY'S ROOM - NIGHT
The boy is sleeping on his bed. The shadow of a branch of a tree growing under the window falls on the wall. The wind shakes this branch. But now the shadow of the branch turns into the shadow of a clawed hand, which begins to crawl along the wall towards the boy. Here she is already crawling on his legs... on the stomach... It creeps up to his throat... At this point, the boy wakes up with a loud sigh, looks at the wall and sees the shadow of an ordinary branch. The boy rises, lights a candle, opens a book lying on the table, flips through it. He finds the right chapter and reads aloud its name.
BOY
Chapter thirty-five: The Witch's Night Attack...
79. INT. IN THE HUT – NIGHT
(through Dolph's eyes)
Dolph sees a "skeleton" sitting on the floor near the hearth. At the same time, we understand that this is Laura, but Dolph does not recognize his wife, he is in a powerful mushroom trip. He sees everything distorted, deformed. Now Laura is a monster for him, a skeleton covered with transparent skin with bones shimmering with all the colors of the rainbow, on whose head instead of hair there are glowing threads. Dolph hears a distorted voice. It's like it's not a woman talking to him, but some kind of freak.
LAURA
(in a distorted, terrible voice)
You've finally come!
Dolph enters. He picks up a thick branch lying by the fire and hits the "skeleton" on the head with force. The "skeleton" falls on its side, and remains lying, motionless. Dolph drops the log, looks at his hands, and sees the bones glimmering under his flesh. Meanwhile, Chloe is standing behind the curtain, scared to death. She huddles in a corner and hides in the darkness.
80. INT. IN THE HUT – NIGHT
Dolph, looking around the dwelling with a deranged gaze, is looking for his sword. But here he finds it, picks it up, pulls it out of the scabbard by the width of his palm and hides it again. He takes a knife from the table and cuts off the motionless Laura's hair. Throws them into the fire. The hair flares up. Dolph kneels down next to Laura and looks at her bones through her clothes and flesh.
BOY
(behind the scenes)
A characteristic ability of a witch is the ability to be "always young" and to reincarnate, that is, to take different guises. And therefore, if you have to meet a witch in the guise of a decent or, on the contrary, terrible, know: this is the disguise of a witch, which disappears only after her death, and even then not always.
At this time, the unbearable sound of the rubbing bristles of invisible giant centipedes, disgusting squeaking and hissing continue in Dolph's head. And everything he sees around him - the stone walls and his hands, and the motionless body on the floor, and the bones of the "skeleton" - seems to be composed of countless polyhedrons, segments and joints. And everything seems to be "breathing, flickering and pulsating."
81. NAT. SEASHORE - NIGHT
Seizing Laura by the collar of her dress, Dolph drags her along the rocky shore. After dragging him thirty paces, he stops and shakes Laura so that she remains sitting on her knees. In Dolph's head, the unbearable sound of the rubbing bristles of invisible giant centipedes, disgusting squeak, hissing continue...
Meanwhile, Laura, barely coming to her senses, not understanding what is happening, barely mutters:
LAURA
Dolph, what are you doing? Dolph... cute... come to your senses...
At that moment, Dolph raises his sword over Laura and strikes first time, and second one, and third one.
Dolph raises the severed head up to the heavens and lets out a triumphant roar. And his roar turns into the roar of a terrible titan, into the roar of a Minotaur, into the roar of the devil himself that shudders us the audience...
82. INT. A ROOM WITH A MURAL - DAY
A boy who has matured a lot, this is already a young man, puts a book on the table. And we see that on the black leather cover there are silver letters with the name of the book: “DIABOLVS”.
ANGELICUS
Have you read it all?
BOY
Yes, Reverend.
ANGELICUS
What do you think of her? Only honestly tell.
BOY
She's scary... and at the same time she is... terribly exciting.
ANGELICUS
Mark my words, young man: time will pass and people will call this book great.
Angelicus puts the book away in a casket that stands nearby.
ANGELICUS
Tell me, why is the devil's name is Legion?
BOY
There are at least two reasons for this. The first one. This phrase occurs in the New Testament, in the episode of Jesus' expulsion of an unclean spirit from a possessed person. For Jesus said to him, "Come out, you unclean spirit, from this man." And I asked him: What is your name? And he answered and said: Legion is my name, because there are many of us. The Gospel of Mark, chapter five, verse 8-9. The second reason is that wherever you look, the devil is always between us.
ANGELICUS
How do you understand that?
BOY
Half of humanity, to one degree or another, is obsessed with the sin of fornication. Sodomites and lesbians are the first servants of the devil, however, it is from them that the best spies for the cause of the Holy Order are obtained.
ANGELICUS
What do you see on this mural?
BOY
I see fire.
ANGELICUS
Fire? Explain.
BOY
This fire is invisible, it has embraced the entire space of the painting. This fire comes from the very heart of the archangel. And this fire is his greatest desire to devote himself, to the very tips of his wings, to the irreconcilable struggle against evil...
We see the face of the monk – his lips are barely noticeably stretched in a smile, which he carefully hides. Angelicus is pleased: the boy justifies his secret hopes.
83. NAT. SEASHORE - NIGHT
Dolph gets down on one knee, removes a dagger from its sheath, cuts off the murdered Laura's finger and puts it in his pocket.
BOY
(out of the scene)
After death, witches can rise from their graves, especially if they have experienced some kind of injustice in their lives, for which they want to avenge. Therefore, the witch should be burned, or, having dismembered her body, bury the scattered parts in places that are separated from each other by a very decent distance, because otherwise the murdered witch will rise from the grave at night and will destroy innocent souls, and thus avenge her death...
Dolph takes a short and razor-sharp battle axe in his hand, swings and strikes…
84. INT. HOLY OFFICE - DAY
From fade out, in the general plan in the interrogation room, we see the "iron maiden", a huge iron cabinet in the shape of a matryoshka doll, studded with nails from the inside, inside which a person is placed for torture. We are getting closer and closer to the "maiden". We approach the eye slots and in them, in the darkness, we see someone's eyes. We hear the door to the room opens, and three men enter. The Inquisitor, slowly, sits at a huge, blue velvet-covered table. The clerk sits down at a small table with an inclined plane. The executioner takes a place near the table with the torture instrument.
INQUISITOR
(to the executioner)
Open it. Let's hear what she has to say now.
The executioner opens the "virgin" and we see woman #1. She is about 30 years old. She's completely naked. Her whole skin is scarred with nails that are inside the "virgin". The woman looks haggard.
INQUISITOR
(to the executioner)
Cover her up.
The executioner takes the woman out of the "virgin", helps her put on a nightgown and brings her to the inquisitor's table.
INQUISITOR
(to the woman)
So how did you prepare the parent you dug up?
WOMAN
We cooked it in a huge copper vat for several hours. Until the meat itself began to peel off from the bones.
INQUISITOR
Have you ever dig up miscarriages?
WOMAN
Yes. I have it several times.
INQUISITOR
What did you do with them?
WOMAN
I dried them and used these...
INQUISITOR
Mummies.
WOMAN
... These mummies are for causing damage to their neighbors.
(fade out)
From fade out we see the woman #2 in close-up.
WOMAN
We brewed a special decoction in the skull of a decapitated criminal. The composition of the decoction included: the brain of an unbaptized baby and some herbs. The seed of a suicide, the contents of the intestines of a dead goat, the menstrual blood of a forty-year-old witch...
(fade out)
WOMAN #3
I flew to the Sabbath, where I worshipped the lord of the underworld. Who appeared in the form of a huge black goat like a bull, with whom we indulged in fornication. There I signed a contract with him. In addition, at the Sabbath we ate the meat of babies.
(fade out)
WOMAN #4
The neophyte stood before Satan in the guise of a hairy monster with goat legs, bat wings and a long tail. Thus he denied our God Jesus Christ and all the saints. He also swore from that moment to go to church and perform Christian sacraments only for show, and in secret to desecrate them. There he trampled the cross and the host with his feet. He swore eternal fidelity to Satan. And he backed up the oath by kissing Satan right under the tail!
(fade out)
WOMAN #5
I have deprived four cows of milk. And I also let caterpillars into the farmers' gardens.
INQUISITOR
From whom and under what circumstances did you manage to learn this?
WOMAN
I didn't learn it from anyone, I swear to you!
INQUISITOR
Think carefully.
WOMAN
There's nothing to think about, I didn't study with anyone.
INQUISITOR
(to the executioner )
Mr. Oh-oh!
(fade out)
WOMAN #6
The demon taught me the art of sending caterpillars to vegetable gardens. One night he came to me in the form of a handsome young man and seduced me. And while we were indulging in debauchery with him, he whispered something in my ear that I could not make out. It was the language of demons, it's not like the language of humans at all... and one day I realized that I knew how to send caterpillars to the neighbor's vegetable gardens.
THE INQUISITOR
(behind the scenes)
And what means do you resort to in order to cause the indicated phenomenon?
WOMAN
I use for this a special decoction of dried toads, toadstools and my menstrual blood.
(fade out)
WOMAN #7
The first time the devil flew into my window one stuffy night.
INQUISITOR
Were his feet the feet of a goat?
WOMAN
Yes, it was.
INQUISITOR
Did it want to marry you? Or did it confine himself to simple debauchery?
WOMAN
Only to debauchery it did.
Close-up we see the Inquisitor's fingers decorated with expensive rings. Fingers tap on the table: knock-knock, knock-knock...
INQUISITOR
What was the devil doing on the "marriage bed"?
WOMAN
(thinking)
It ordered me to get on all fours and entered me from behind.
INQUISITOR
It entered the natural part of your body or the unnatural.
WOMAN
In the natural.
INQUISITOR
Go on.
WOMAN
It had such a huge curved penis that I thought he would tear me from the inside...But fortunately, or to my misfortune, everything worked out. Then it ordered me to turn my head to him and...
INQUISITOR
Enough. Have you harmed any Christians by virtue of the oath you swore to Satan? And to whom exactly?
WOMAN
Absolutely not, I did not harm.
INQUISITOR
(to the executioner)
Mr. Oh-oh...
(fade out)
We see woman No. 8. Behind the scenes we hear the voice of the Inquisitor.
INQUISITOR
(behind the scenes)
How long have you been celebrating a wedding with your devil lover?
WOMAN
We celebrated our wedding a year ago.
INQUISITOR
How was this wedding arranged? Who was on it?
WOMAN
There were one hundred and thirteen demons and the same number of witches and sorcerers.
INQUISITOR
What dishes were served there?
WOMAN
We ate rotten peas and wormy bread.
INQUISITOR
Were there meat dishes on it?
WOMAN
I remember that it was hot.
INQUISITOR
Was it sour or sweet?
WOMAN
Is meat sweet?
INQUISITOR
Of course, if it's the meat of innocent babies?
WOMAN
(she nods understandingly)
Yes, I remember that the meat was sweet. I was still surprised then and thought what a strange and tender meat ...
(fade out)
From fade out, we see woman #9. She is about 40 years old. She is tied to an X-shaped cross upside down. The woman has a face darkened by a rush of blood.
INQUISITOR
(behind the scenes)
How many small children were eaten with your participation?
WOMAN
(she closes his eyes and barely whispers)
Two.
INQUISITOR
I can't hear it. Repeat it louder.
WOMAN
Two.
INQUISITOR
Louder!
WOMAN
Two.
INQUISITOR
From whom were they taken? Or were they dug in a cemetery?
WOMAN
Yes, they were dug out of the grave. In a cemetery in a place called Waldberg.
INQUISITOR
How did you prepare them? Fried or boiled?
WOMAN
Baked over coals... with onions...
INQUISITOR
What did their heads go to?
WOMAN
The heads were dried in order to make a potion from them.
INQUISITOR
What did their arms and legs go to?
WOMAN
They were eaten.
INQUISITOR
What did their hearts go to?
WOMAN
Were eaten.
INQUISITOR
And have you not extracted fat from these babies to use for the preparation of ointment, which witches rub, and which gives them the ability to fly?
WOMAN
Yes. And so it was.
INQUISITOR
Have you ever taken part in digging up the parents in the cemetery?
WOMAN
Well, yes, I did it once.
INQUISITOR
And what did you need it for?
WOMAN
We ate them...
(fade out)
From fade out, we see woman #10. She is 35 years old. She is standing in front of the Inquisitor's desk in her undershirt. Her thumbs are shackled in a special squeezing device.
WOMAN
We trampled the consecrated guests into the mud.
INQUISITOR
How did you take milk from cows and turn it into blood?
WOMAN
I turned into a dog and licked the cow's udder.
(fade out)
WOMAN #11
We gathered at night with lighted torches, and summoned the devil. When the devil appeared, we extinguished the torches and, discarding shame and the holy laws of nature, gave the most unbridled debauchery.
INQUISITOR
What happened after many months with the fruits of these terrible scenes, that is, with the children?
WOMAN
At the age of eight days, they were killed and burned.
INQUISITOR
What did you do with the ashes of burned babies?
WOMAN
I don't know.
INQUISITOR
Did the ashes thus obtained constitute your miraculous food?
WOMAN
Yes, it was. We added it to food. This ash gave us the ability to fly.
(fade out)
WOMAN #15
(55 years old)
I've been a witch since time immemorial. I have exhausted four hundred children, including three of my own.
(ДАЛЬШЕ)
WOMAN #15
All of them were dug out of the graves by me, boiled and partly eaten, and partly put into ointments and other magic potions. The bones of the legs went to the pipes. I ruined wife and two children from my son. I tormented both of my husbands for many years and finally killed them to death. With the devil I debauched endlessly. For forty years I have brought many storms for many miles along the Geichelberg Mountains. There was a Sabbath on these very mountains five times a year. Up to two thousand people gather there: poor, rich, young, old...
(fade out)
MALE #1
(age 35)
This succubus's name was Abrael.
INQUISITOR
(behind the scene)
What did you feel during intercourse with him?
MALE
There is nothing more cold and unpleasant. As soon as I took Abrael in my arms and entered her, all my limbs began to stiffen. When I inserted my organ into it, it felt like I had placed it in an ice cave...
(fade out)
WOMAN #13
(25 years old)
The devil came to me for copulation in the form of a dog, a cat and a bird. Sometimes - in the image of a black man.
(fast fade out)
WOMAN #14
In the guise of a deer.
(fast fade out)
WOMAN #15
In the form of a bull.
(fast fade out)
WOMAN #16
In the form of a stork.
(fast fade out)
WOMAN #17
In the form of a huge black goat.
(fast fade out)
WOMAN #18
(17 years old)
It had a dick like a mule, long and thick, like my hand. It always put its instrument on display – such a beautiful shape and huge.
(fast fade out)
WOMAN #19
Did I enjoy this copulation? No, I didn't get it.
(fast fade out)
WOMAN #20
Because its sexual organ is cold, if not icy.
(fast fade out)
WOMAN #21
Because it's too ugly.
(fast fade out)
WOMAN #22
Because of the physical pain it caused me all the time.
(fast fade out)
MALE # 2
On Easter night we took girls and women to our dungeon. There we burned candles and sang satanic psalms. Then we extinguished the candles and remained in pitch darkness. In the dark, we threw ourselves at girls and women.
THE INQUISITOR
(behind the scene)
Did you throw yourself at girls with whom you were related by blood?
MALE
It happened like that.
INQUISITOR
And what happened if a child was born from such a coition?
MALE
We started the infernal excitement again. We took a cup full of wine, stood around it and let the cup go around and drank wine from it until we were drunk, until dark spots in our eyes. And then we cut the baby into pieces and poured his blood into the same bowl. And they drank it. When all the blood was draining out of the baby, we threw the baby into the fire. When the baby burned, we threw the ashes into a bowl with his own blood and reveled in it...
(fade out)
WOMAN #23
(65-70 y. o.)
We met at night in the dungeon, took a newborn baby with us and threw it to each other. The baby often fell at the same time... we did this until the baby died of bruises. And the one to whom he got into the hands of the last alive, became the leader of our gang for exactly thirteen months and thirteen days.
INQUISITOR
(to the executioner)
Enough.
(to the clerk)
Mr. Clerk, write down the testimony of the suspect.
WOMAN
No! None of this happened! I said all this out of unbearable agony! All this is fiction and there is not a word of truth here!
INQUISITOR
(to the executioner)
Mr. Oh-oh...
(fade out)
We see the same old woman. She's sweating all over. She looks haggard. She can barely move her tongue. We understand that she has recently been subjected to particularly severe torture.
WOMAN
I have lived with many devils for more than forty years. They came to me in the form of cats and dogs.
Sometimes - in the form of worms and fleas. I have killed more than a hundred people, old and young. I gave birth to seventeen souls of children from devils.
INQUISITOR
Where are they?
WOMAN
I killed them all. I drank all their blood and ate their meat. Over the past forty years, I have raised storms thirty times and brought fire to houses nine times... That's it! I won't say anything more! You are all devils! You are the devil himself!
INQUISITOR
(to the executioner)
Mr. Oh-oh!
(fade out)
From fast fade out, we see the same old woman. Her neck is broken and her head is hanging unnaturally on her chest.
INQUISITOR
(to the clerk)
Mr. Clerk, write down the following: the devil did not want the accused to give out anything else about him, and for that he broke her neck.
(fade out)
WOMAN #25
I said that I renounce God in the name of the kingdom of darkness and all demons. I also said that... I swear eternal loyalty to the Lord of hell...
INQUISITOR
(behind the scene)
In whose presence did you take the indicated oath?
WOMAN
In the presence of thirteen demons, we did.
INQUISITOR
What did they look like?
WOMAN
They looked like...
(she closes her eyes and strains her imagination with all her might)
Like... like... like black dwarfs... with wings like bats... with skulls instead of heads...
INQUISITOR
Well... wonderful...
(to the inspector)
Mr. Inspector, how would you like us to take a short break in this place in order to have a little refreshment and drink a glass of wine? I just got a few bottles of Burgundy from France yesterday...
The Inquisitor and the inspector leave the room. Already at the door, the Inquisitor turns around.
INQUISITOR
(to the executioner)
Mr. Oh-oh. Give the accused some water.
(fade out)
85. NAT. IN THE STEPPE - MORNING
Dolph walks through a deserted, snow-dusted steppe. But now it stops. He spreads his arms. He raises his face to the heavens and deeply inhales the frosty air. He stands motionless for a long time. Suddenly he hears a horse neighing nearby. Opening his eyes, he sees a stallion under the saddle. There is no rider.
DOLPH
What the hell?!
Dolph looks around, but sees no one. And, approaching, he recognizes Laura's saddle - it is decorated with figures of pigeons. Dolph tries to lure the stallion and catch him, but in vain.
DOLPH
Something diabolic!
He turns towards the sea and looks suspiciously for a long time.
86. NAT. BY THE HUT - DAY
Dolph is back at Chloe's house.
DOLPH
(he shouts, but not too loudly, wearily)
Laura! L-a-a-u-u-r-a-a-a!
Dolph wanders around, looks inside, but finds no one. Suddenly, in the distance, he sees a figure in Laura's green cape. And we understand that this is Chloe.
DOLPH
Laura! L-a-u-u-u-r-a-a-a!
Dolph runs towards the figure, but it runs away from him without turning around. When Dolph catches up with the figure in the capes and grabs it, he sees that it is Chloe. A moment of confusion.
DOLPH
Oh, you... the creature!
Dolph knocks Chloe to the ground and starts strangling her. Defending herself, Chloe squeezes a stone that comes to hand and hits Dolph on the head.
(fast fade out)
87. NAT. SEASHORE - DAY
(a surreal episode that could be either Chloe's fantasy or Dolph's vision)
Chloe wanders along the shore. And where Dolph cut the body into pieces, he finds a pool of blood. Chloe dips her finger in the black blood and tastes it.
CHLOE
Oh heaven!
Immediately, Chloe takes off her clothes and enters the water naked. She dives.
88. INT. IN THE HUT – EVENING
Laura's torso and legs, her head, and her left hand, because she couldn't find the right one, Chloe puts it on the table. Laura's face is eaten by crabs and now there is no nose, lips and one eye on it. Chloe pulls out a crooked needle. Pulls out a harsh thread. Starts stitching.
89. INT. IN THE HUT – NIGHT
Laura's body lies on the table, sewn with rough ties. Chloe approaches a wooden figurine depicting a pregnant woman. This is Freya, the Scandinavian Mother of the gods. Chloe takes a knife and cuts the skin on her left palm. She drips her blood on the figurine of the goddess. Then he stretches out his arms towards the goddess, closes his eyes and begins to chant incantations in the ancient language.
And now we see that the figure begins to increase. It becomes the size of a person... She gets even bigger and rests her head against the ceiling. There is an unbearably bright radiance around her. The goddess looks intently and angrily at Chloe and a short dialogue takes place between them in the same language.
CHLOE
Gefa eta kone fj;r!
FREYA
(in a loud voice)
Hvi eg skulda gj;ra eta?
CHLOE
Fyrst in hennar g;rn fyrir ny fj;r!
From Chloe's last words, the goddess softens. She approaches Laura's stitched body lying on the table, opens the girl's mouth slightly and inhales a stream of dazzling radiant energy into it. And a moment later, Laura opens her only surviving eye...
90. INT. IN THE HUT - DAY
Laura is on her knees, resting her only hand on the straw mat. Her face is tense. Chloe stands behind and accepts the bloody baby head coming out of Laura's womb. Everything happens in absolute silence, and it makes you uncomfortable.
91. INT. IN THE HUT - DAY
A baby is lying in a basket woven from willow twigs. He cries loudly. Chloe approaches Laura (who is chained to the wall on the straw-strewn floor) and exposes the girl's breasts. Then he removes the child from the basket. This is a girl, and she is unusual: her hair is red like her mother's, her eyes are as cloudy as water with milk. Chloe brings the girl to Laura and puts it to her chest, and holds it herself, because Laura's only hand is hanging limply. Laura does not resist, obediently lets the baby suck her, although she does not look at him, as if he does not exist.
92. INT. IN THE HUT - DAY
Chloe holds a one-year-old baby in her arms. Puts it on the floor. Then he approaches Laura. He takes her hand.
CHLOE
The time has come.
Chloe removes the girl's shackles and helps her up. Laura approaches the baby. Looks blankly.
93. NAT. SEASHORE - DAY
Laura comes to the very edge of the surf. Dolph is standing in waist-deep water in the sea. He stands motionless, with his back to her. But then he turns around and looks at her. Laura slowly enters the water and disappears into the foam waves.
(End of the surreal episode)
94. NAT. SEASHORE - DAY
Waking up and opening his eyes, Dolph struggles to get up. Gets up. Staggering and breathing heavily, he goes to the place of execution and, raking the ground with his hands, extracts Laura's head. Laura's face is as scary as death itself: her nose has thinned, the bones on her cheeks have begun to bulge, her eyes have sunk in. Dolph lifts Laura's head and, clutching it to his chest, and, swaying from side to side, like a drunk, goes to the hut.
95. INT. IN THE HUT - DAY
Dolph splashes water into a copper dish. He gently washes the wife's head from blood, from dirt, wipes with a piece of cloth, puts it on the pillow. The stump of the neck he covers with a blanket. And now it seems as if Laura is lying on the bed and sleeping. Dolph lies down next to "Laura". Head to head. Dolph turns to "Laura" and presses his forehead against her, closes his eyes and begins to whisper.
DOLPH
That day we went away from everyone to the steppe...
96. NAT. IN THE STEPPE - DAY
(Dolph's memory)
Dolph and Laura make love in the tall grass... but now they separate, continuing to breathe heavily for some time.
LAURA
Look, Dolph!
Laura points in the sky, stretching up both hands. Dolph looks up and sees a ray of sunlight breaking through the edge of the cloud that obscures it.
LAURA
It's the Holy Spirit! He appears to us in the form of radiance or in the sun's rays, in bright highlights on the surface of the water, in the glare of light on wet foliage... Look at it! Do you see?
97. INT. IN THE CHAMBERS – MORNING
(Dolph's memory)
Dolph and Laura are in bed. They just woke up. Without opening her eyes, Laura stretches out her hand to her husband and, smiling faintly, strokes his palm.
DOLPH
Why are you smiling?
LAURA
I dreamed that I became a light.
(end of Dolph's memory)
98. INT. IN THE HUT - DAY
Dolph opens his eyes and looks at Laura's scary face. He runs his palm over his cheeks, over his forehead, turns his head to himself. Then he gets up from the couch, takes his head and leaves the house. We see that on the couch, where Dolph was lying, there was a blue ribbon that he took from Laura's table on the eve of departure.
99. NAT. SHORE - EVENING
The scarlet sun hovered over the sea. Dolph staggers along the shore. Finally, he comes to the place where he executed, kneels down. He dips his palm into the black frozen blood.
Leaving a dark, almost black trail, he runs his palm over his face.
DOLPH
That morning, the morning of my departure, you tried to tell me something. Something important.
100. INT. IN THE CHAMBERS – MORNING
(Dolph's memory, which we see through his eyes)
Laura is standing by the window, her back to him. She watches Dolph, who is looking for something in the room.
LAURA
Listen, Dolph, I have to tell you something.
DOLPH
Where is it?
LAURA
Something important.
DOLPH
I put it here yesterday...
LAURA
Something that concerns you and me...
DOLPH
Have you seen the dagger?
LAURA
No...
DOLPH
I brought it here myself yesterday...
LAURA
In a word, soon you will be...
(end of Dolph's memory)
101. NAT. SHORE - EVENING
DOLPH
.. the father... A blind man! What a blind man you are!
Dolph takes the dagger out of its sheath, turns it point up.
DOLPH
The blind man! What a blind man you are!
Clutching the hilt of the dagger with both hands, Dolph, with a loud scream, gouges out both his eyes.
102. INT. HOLY OFFICE - DAY
We see the Inquisitor's face in close-up.
THE INQUISITOR
Matilda Borg, the court of the Holy Inquisition finds you guilty of the charges and sentences you to be burned alive at a post specially raised above the place of execution, so that you feel the flame more strongly before you suffocate. The property belonging to you listed below is declared confiscated.
(fade out)
INQUISITOR
Magdalena Overbach, we accuse you of apostasy and heresy, and sentence you to be burned alive at the stake.
(fade out)
INQUISITOR
Renata nee Schultz, the court sentences you to be burned alive.
At this moment, we hear someone coughing off-screen. This is the bishop present at the sentencing procedure.
INQUISITOR
Yes, mister Bishop.
The camera makes a "throw" at the bishop.
BISHOP
Taking into account the extreme youth of the accused when she was first seduced by the devil, we, Bishop Ignatius of Bavaria, command that this woman be condescended to... and kill her before burning her.
103. NAT. BY THE FORTRESS WALL - NIGHT
Against the background of a black screen, we hear a man reciting a prayer in Latin.
MAN
In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti... in nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti...
From the blackout in the general plan, we see a woman tied to a vertical pole. It stands on a raised platform made of dry firewood. In the foreground we see a torch held by a person outside the frame. But this man, this man in a black cassock with a hood, approaches the woman and sets fire to the wood. The camera runs over the woman's face and we see that this is woman No. 1. The woman is tortured to such an extent that her face does not express anything.
(fade out)
Against the background of the black screen, we hear a powerful roar of flames and the crackling of firewood. From the blackout we see the face of a woman #2. She screams and writhes from the unbearable heat. Through a sharp blackout, we see the faces of women from # 2 to # 20 in turn. They're all screaming.
(fade out)
And now we see a terrible burnt head, almost a skull.
(fade out)
104. INT. HOUSE OF THE INQUISITOR - NIGHT
Lily is lying by the sleeping Inquisitor. Here she is getting up in bed.
LILY
(in a whisper)
Your Grace...
Lily makes her voice louder.
LILY
Your Grace...
However, the Inquisitor sleeps a deep and sweet sleep. The girl gets out of bed and throws on a robe. She lights a candle, goes to the window and makes a sign with a candle - "cross".
Then she goes to the front door and opens the latch. Soon the door opens and two males enter the house.
LILY
Hush! Take off your shoes!
The males take off their shoes.
LILY
(in a whisper)
Follow me, but as quietly as you can!
The males follow the girl. Lily leads them to the bedroom.
MALE #1
You'd better stay here.
Lily nods: I see. Male #1 extracts a knife from his bosom. Male #2 takes a piece of cloth out of his pocket. Both enter the room quietly. Almost immediately after them, Lilia enters. Male #1 looks at her questioningly.
LILY
(whispering)
I have to see this.
Male #1 nods her: okay. And he shows her a sign: look, don't scream. Lily nods. The men approach the sleeping Inquisitor. One has a knife at his hand, the other one has a small rag. A man with a knife presents a knife to the inquisitor's throat. The Inquisitor wakes up.
INQUISITOR
Who are you? What do you need? Do you need money? Of course, money! They're in a hiding place. I'll give it all!
MAN #1
Shut up!
At this time, the second man puts a rag in the inquisitor's mouth, making a gag out of it.
MAN #1
Lydia Abel-do you remember that name? You sentenced her to death by burning. She was my sister and his bride. Scum like you shouldn't live. In the name of the honest Christians tortured by you and sentenced to death, we sentence you Ferdinando Laurentis to death!
LILY
Scum!
After that, all three of them leave the room. The Inquisitor lies with his eyes wide open. We hear his rare and weakening heartbeats. We get closer and closer to his eyes, and as if we fall down into the eyes of the dying inquisitor and hear male and female voices off-screen in the darkness.
MAN
(very quietly)
Julia Schmidt, Helga Muller, Petra Schwartz...
WOMAN #1
Brigita Miller, Sarah Albertson, Katarina Arnolds, Lisa Adrians...
GIRL #1
Kristina Mayer, Eva Neuman, Alphonse Morgan, Karin Lindberg, Renata Schultz...
OLD WOMAN #1
Irena Schneider, Anna Weber, Katrine Koch, Laura Fischer, Janus Schroeder, Thomas Gross...
MAN #2
Christian Fischer, Alexander Bauer, Eric Zimmerman, Kurt Hoffman...
GIRL #2
Gunther Schmidt, Hans Muller, Klaus Wagner...
A BOY
(10 y. o.)
Ralph Berg, Udo Mayer, Erwin Becker, Peter Wolf, Daniel Larson, Patrick Lindberg, Sebastian Richter...
The Inquisitor's heart makes the last beats and stops.
105. NAT. SEASHORE - EVENING
Blinded, Dolph sits on the shore. It seems that he looks with his holes-instead-of-eyes at the setting bloody sun. From somewhere behind Dolph, a hand appears without one finger.
(this is Dolph's inner reality, his memory of all those he killed and cut off their fingers for his terrible collection)
This hand is crawling over Dolph's body. Then another hand appears. It feels his face. Then other hand does. And other one. And other one. Fingerless hands, like snakes, crawl over Dolph's body, over his face. Here are the hands of males and women, the hands of old people and children, the Saracen hands.
The camera zooms in on the black holes where Dolph's eyes are. The camera zooms closer and closer. And so we plunge into the darkness of Dolph's consciousness. Like a kaleidoscope, the faces of men and women, old men and old women flash by. On these faces is the horror of the realization of imminent and momentary death. All of them are covered with their hands from a deadly sword strike. But Dolph's sword knows no mistake and strikes quickly and accurately...
And now we see Dolph again.
DOLPH
Were you looking for the devil? So you found him...
Clutching Laura's head to him, Dolph enters the icy sea water. He goes further and further from the shore until he finds himself at a great depth. And now the waves are closing over his head. Here, at the bottom, before releasing the last breath of air, Dolph presses his lips to Laura's lips, and his whole life flashes before him in a split second.
He remembers how he sucked his mother's breast; how he climbed a tree, but fell off and hurt himself, and his mother pitied him, and his father said: "never mind, it will be more dexterous next time"; how he swung on the swing and laughed loudly; how he secretly took a sword from his father's chest and pulled it out of its sheath, while his heart sank with delight and fear; how he killed a snake with a shovel; how he first took possession of a peasant woman in the hayloft. And the last memory: even as a boy, he is lying on the ground, hugging a lamb, and on his face is an expression of absolute happiness...
(Slow fade out)
106. NAT. IN THE STEPPE - DAY
Angelicus and the boy, now a young man of about eighteen, are walking across the steppe.
ANGELICUS
The Order of the Holy Inquisition was created to search for and rescue lost souls. He helped thousands of lost souls to return to the arms of Jesus… But there are places where the Holy Inquisition is not able to reach: deep forests, high mountains, impassable swamps. A special purpose detachment was established to search in such places. We call them "hunters". Hunters must eliminate poor witches and sorcerers on their own, without any legal proceedings. The life of hunters is difficult, dangerous and full of hardships, because the hunter acts alone, wanders and spends most of his life outside the walls of his home. But without the "hunters" we will never win this terrible war, the war against the devil.
At this point Angelicus stops, he puts his hand on the young man's shoulder and looks him straight in the eyes.
ANGELICUS
And now I have to ask you the main question: do you want to serve our Lord Jesus Christ, Dolphus of the Adercas family?
YOUNG MAN
Teacher, I wish it with all my heart!
ANGELICUS
Are you ready to become a witch hunter?
107. INT. IN THE HUT – EVENING
Chloe notices a strip of silk on the couch, the same one that Dolph took from Laura's table on the eve of leaving the castle.
108. NAT. NEAR THE HUT - EVENING
Chloe ties a piece of cloth to a branch of a dry tree. The one next to the hut sticks out of the ground like a dead man's hand. And a strip of blue silk twists and flutters in the wind.
(fade out)
A small caption: Seven years later
109. NAT. SEASHORE - DAY
(from this frame, a color appears in the film, which symbolizes a free life with love in the soul)
We see Chloe walking along the shore. Next to her we see a boy about six years old. This is the same boy who played the soul boy, but now he is real, in the flesh. This is Henrik, her son, who was born from a relationship with Dolph.
Chloe and her son Henrik walk along the shore for a long time, but then they come out on the cliff, to the very cliff where we had already seen Chloe near the tiny, stone-built grave. For a while, the woman and the boy stand silently looking at the stacked stones.
BOY
What is it, mother?
CHLOE
This is a children's grave.
BOY
What is a grave?
CHLOE
When a child dies, they bury it in the ground or lay the body with stones.
BOY
What for?
CHLOE
So that he would not be torn apart by foxes and crows.
BOY
What kind of child is lying here?
Chloe crouches down and goes down to the boy. Their faces are on the same level. Chloe strokes the boy's hair. She removes a lock of hair from his forehead.
CHLOE
You're lying here.
(fade out)
110. INT. IN THE CASTLE – MORNING
A woman screamed in the dark. She screamed desperately and hopelessly. That's how they shout when there's nothing else left. From this cry, the Old Man wakes up in his modest bed in a tiny room.
111. INT. IN THE SECRET ROOM - LATER
The old man enters Dolph's secret room. He looks at pictures of the devil and demons, hell, Sabbath and witch executions. Behind the scenes we hear the screams of the tortured and executed, wheezing, the clang of iron, crackling of burning wood.
112. NAT. IN THE YARD - DAY
In the center of the courtyard, an old man puts paintings in a pile, sprinkles straw and sets them on fire. The old man stands for a long time looking into the fire, but now he says:
OLD MAN
(on camera)
Shame... this shame will never go away. I live with it, I will lie down in the cold ground with him. I was just writing... just writing... but the realization that I was a cog in a monstrous machine came so late... it's too late... I can still hear all those screams. The screams of women and men, the screams of old men and old women, the screams of children... I've been thinking about it a lot. Why? Why did all these poor creatures talk about themselves? Why did you condemn yourself to certain death?
The old man takes a picture of the devil from the ground and throws it into the fire. We see how the image of the devil darkens, blackens, as it is devoured by fire.
OLD MAN
Under torture, a person seems to be at the mercy of intoxicating herbs. Everything he has ever heard comes alive in his memory... Having no other hope of salvation, they tried their best to please their tormentor in order to avoid a new torture as soon as possible.
The old man takes another picture of a demon from the ground and throws it into the fire again.
OLD MAN
Under the influence of unbearable pain, you will not only say everything that the inquisitor wants to hear, but also everything that in your opinion could give him pleasure. For an incomprehensible connection is established between the torturer and the tormented. And this connection is truly diabolical...
113. INT. IN DOLPH'S CHAMBERS - DAY
The old man closes the windows of the house from the inside and goes out. At the same time, the camera remains inside the house, conveying to us the feeling of life leaving the house. It is the fading of life at home, immersion into oblivion.
114. NAT. AT THE CASTLE GATE - DAY
The old man hammers the gate with boards and nails.
115. INT. IN THE HUT – MORNING
Chloe bakes bread. The smell of hot bread wakes up her son Henrik. Without getting dressed, the naked-bellied one runs up to his mother.
HENRIK
Give me!
CHLOE
If you sit down at the table, you'll get it. Come on, get dressed, shameless!
And the boy, returning to the bed, hurriedly pulls on old clothes.
116. NAT. THE SEASHORE. SUMMER - DAY
An old man is walking along the seashore. He goes out on the cliff, stopped. He took a slow look at the sea surface, covers the old man's eyes. The sea air draws in deeper.
OLD MAN
The smell of algae and salty stones.
Somewhere in the heights a seagull screams. The old man lifts his head and shuts his eyes from the bright sunlight.
117. INT. IN THE HUT - DAY
Looking through the window, Henrik sees an old man walking towards their house.
HENRIK
Someone is coming to us! If it's a robber, I'll kill him!
Saying this, the boy grabs a wooden sword.
(This is the one that Dolph carved many years ago, sitting by the fire)
Standing against the door, the boy is preparing to attack. At the same moment, Chloe ducked to the window and, looking out, saw the old man. Without waiting for the traveler to approach the house, Chloe opens the door.
118. NAT. BY THE HUT - DAY
The old man approaches the hut.
OLD MAN
Long life!
CHLOE
And you don't get sick.
OLD MAN
May I ask you for water, good woman?
Chloe enters the house, but soon returns and hands the old man a mug. At the very moment when the old man was drinking water, Henrik darted past him from the house with a wooden sword in his hands. Turning around, the old man looks after the fleeing boy.
119. NAT. SHORE - DAY
Henrik runs up to a dry tree, puts the wooden sword on the ground and deftly climbs the trunk. And when he gets in, he unties a rag that sways in the wind.
120. NAT. NEAR THE HUT - DAY
The old man puts on his hat, puts his hand in his bag, takes out an apple and hands it to Chloe.
OLD MAN
Give it to your little rabbit.
Chloe follows the departing old man with her eyes. Already in the distance, before finally disappearing from sight around the bend of the shore, the old man turns around and raises his hand with an open palm. And Chloe, who is still following the old man with her eyes, raises in response.
CHLOE
(softly)
May Freya protect you!
121. NAT. BY THE TREE - A LITTLE LATER
CHLOE
(looking at my son)
What are you doing there?
But the boy doesn't answer.
CHLOE
Come to me, I'll give you something delicious!
Before going down from the tree, the boy unclenches his fingers and a strip of cloth, caught by the wind, flies straight into the water. The wind blows towards the sea, and therefore the sea surface is smooth, like a blue mirror. On this surface, the wind carries the piece away from the shore…
The boy approaches his mother, Chloe holds out an apple. Grabbing a treat, the boy begins to eat it with a loud crunch. Sitting down, Chloe hugs the boy to her, and he falls to her with a child's head. She kisses him on the top of his head.
CHLOE
You, my little rabbit!
HENRIK
(with his mouth full)
Mom?
CHLOE
What?
HENRIK
And who is the devil?
CHLOE
The devil is the one who torments the innocent.
HENRIK
And the fish, when they die, suffer?
CHLOE
Sure.
HENRIK
But we're eating fish, which means we're torturing it. Are we devils?
CHLOE
Good question, son! Damn good question…
122. NAT. IN SEAWATER - DAY
The ribbon untied from the tree slowly sinks to the seabed. For a while she lies on the undulating sand, attracting the attention of seahorses and hermits, but some fish grabs her and hides in the depths.
The end
Diabolus
© Copyright: Северус Ветер, 2021
Свидетельство о публикации №221022100742
Свидетельство о публикации №221022100742
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