A

Wizard

of

Earthsea

Based upon the book by Ursula K. LeGuin

Screenplay adaptation by Rizwan Virk (riz@alum.mit.edu)

EXT. BIRD FLYING OVER GONT (Afternoon)

This scene opens near the island of Gont, “a single mountain that lifts its peak a mile above the storm-racked Northeast Sea”. The shots of the island are aerial views following a hawk, flying first over the sea, then swooping down over a busy port city that is nestled in a little bay. The bird then follows a winding road that cuts through heavy woodlands on its way up the mountain, passing several tiny villages that are really just collections of huts along the road. Finally, the bird flies out over the coastline on the far end of the island; we focus on the coastline for a moment, which is constantly being slammed by the cold ocean waves. We look out into the open ocean, which is ominously empty except for the bird, and watch the bird disappear in the expanse of ocean and sky.

EXT. KARG WARSHIPS IN OCEAN (Afternoon)

The scene shifts abruptly to a mini armada of ships in the deep ocean, just beyond view of the island. These ships have the "blood red on white" symbol of the Kargad Empire on their sails.

These are imposing Viking-like war ships, and there is a ruthless efficiency in their organization, following the Kargad pattern of five ships surrounding the lead the ship, which we close in on.

On one of the decks, in front of a wooden door (which leads to the leader’s cabin below) are the KARG LEADER, the KARG FIRST OFFICER and KARG SECOND OFFICER, each dressed in dark furs. The KARG LEADER has more ornaments than the others.

Other KARG WARRIORS are in the back, each attending to their duties on this ship. All of them are bearded, pale white skin, and rugged-looking. An occasional splash of water comes over the side of the ship.

The KARG FIRST OFFICER is unrolling an ancient cloth map to show the others.

KARG LEADER:

(speaking in Karg, with subtitles)
Did you see that bird? We’re finally approaching another heathen island!

FIRST OFFICER:

(also speaking in Karg, with subtitles)

The dark skinned devils don't think to send any armies out this far. All of these islands are waiting for our cleansing armies …

(unrolls the MAP fully. His finger points to the northeastern part of the map. We see his fingers move from Karego Et, at the northeastern end of the map, to the isle of Gont)

KARG LEADER:

(shakes his head in disgust and spits on the deck).

Where is the honor in it? Slaughtering peasants and goats! … (he laughs and grasps his slightly protruding belly) At least we will eat well and return to Karego Et as heroes! (looks around) Alright, let’s get this over with …

(KARG LEADER climbs up the steps to the highest point on the deck to address the troops and bangs a small gong that is there.).

KARG LEADER: (loudly, so that other sailors can hear)

Listen, all of you ... In three days we arrive at the Isle of Gont! (silence from the men).

We will cleanse this island of infidels in the glory of the Empire! (A brief but forced cheer arises from the crew)

And, after this … (pauses, looks around for effect)… after this, we go home! ( a louder cheer erupts from the men).

To the glory of the Empire! (the men repeat the chant enthusastically)

(He smiles to the men and walks back down the steps).

(mutters to himself as he climbs down and gets ready to go into the leader’s cabin door).

Then I can go back and take my rightful place in the Emperor's court instead of doing this dishonorable work.

FIRST OFFICER:

(looking worriedly over at the second officer)

Gont... have you heard of this island?

KARG LEADER:(with the door open, hesitates when he notices that the two officers have not followed him and turns to them …)

Well, what is it?

SECOND OFFICER: (gasping)

But, sir, Gont ... (stops as the Karg Leader comes back to look at him)

KARG LEADER: (gruffly)

Yes ... Gont ... what?

FIRST OFFICER:

Ah .. sir .. Long ago, Gont was an island that was famous for ... (stops ...)

KARG LEADER: (gruffly)

Famous for what? Goats? Sheep? Is that what are you afraid of? (laughs heartily)

FIRST OFFICER:

No ... sir ... wizards!

KARG LEADER:

What? Wizards? (laughs even louder than before).

Grow up you amateurs! Our gods do not favor these heathen … their magic will not stand against the flag of the Empire! There are no real wizards out this far from Roke!

(laughs again, mumbling to himself as he goes back to open the door, shaking his head ) Wizards! You're all going soft on me now!

FIRST OFFICER: (pleadingly)

But, sir, the men will not fight against magic! They'll get frightened and run off in the middle of a battle. Don't you remember what happened at Torheven?

KARG LEADER:

Nonsense! The dark skinned devils don't have any magic that can stand against the gods of Kargad Empire! Not this far from their inner seas anyway!

Rumors of Wizardy do not concern me! Rumors of sheep & goats do not concern me! The glory of the Empire is what concerns me! Do we understand?

(Water splashes up against the boat and sprays up in his face. The two men nod obediently, clearly not convinced. Karg Leader turns around and enters his chamber in a huff, leaving the first officer and second officer exchanging frightened looks as they peer out into the ocean).

EXT. BIRD OVER GONT

Again, we shift over the ocean very quickly to see the bird flying over Gont. The warlike nature of the Karg ships contrasts greatly with the idyllic life on the island of Gont itself, which goes on as usual at its slow pace.

As the bird glides over the island again, the aerial shots of the island show these towns in their rustic splendor (farmers tending sheep, taking their wares to market, oxen, etc.) and the ports as centers of activity (ships docking, merchants selling, smoke rising from chimneys, etc.).

The island is fairly large and it’s easy to see how there could be dozens, maybe even hundreds of towns nestled into the mountainside. This is a northern culture and it is late autumn so just a little chilly.

EXT. COUNTRYSIDE NORTH OF TEN ALDERS

The hawk careens down above an old woman (AUNT) herding goats just north of one of the small towns (Ten Alders). As the hawk makes a noise, the scene shifts to the AUNT, who looks up at the hawk, squinting in the afternoon sun, then turns here attention back to the goats who seem to keep wanting to do their own thing.

There are rocky ledges that to the north of the dirt road coming from the village. To the south is an open grassy area with a large fall into the ocean below. The dirt road continues into woodlands up the mountain.

Some of the goats are munching on grass near her, but others are already climbing up on ledges up the side of the mountain.

Her young nephew(DUNY), who looks 10-12 years old, is nearby, playing with a goat and watching his aunt. They are both dressed as peasants.

She is trying to reach one goat who has climbed a ridge above her and is nibbling on grass. She is offering little pieces of bread up to the goat, but he isn’t paying any attention. She looks around to make sure that no one is looking, and chants:

AUNT:

Hiolk han mirth han!

The goat stops nibbling, looks up, makes a noise, and immediately climbs down the ledge and stands obediently next to her. She smiles and continues to find the next goat. The goat follows.

DUNY: (looking up in wonderment)

Auntie, Is that a magic spell?

AUNT:

Eh? What was that?

She bends down and turns to him.

DUNY:

Is that a magic spell?

DUNY gets up from his little patch of grass and walks over to his Aunt and looks at the goat.

DUNY:

Does that magic spell make the goats to listen to you?

AUNT:

Eh? A spell? No, precious no. I’m not a wizard, you know. I just know a few charms, you know. Why one wizard, he cast a spell and stopped an Earthquake … a long time ago. It was something to see, I tell you!

(She gestures with her hand dramatically as she describes the spell that stopped the Earthquake, as if she could still see it happening. Suddenly, she comes to her sense and looks around to make sure no one is listening.)

AUNT: (in hushed tones)

No, Duny boy, no. Not me. They won't teach the spells to women, you know (she shakes here head and turns her back to Duny).

AUNT: (regaining composure)

But I do know a few words of the Old Speech. If you call a goat by its true name, the goat may listen, understand? If you call a bird by its true name (she looks up where the hawk was), it may listen, too!

DUNY: (perking up with some interest)

So magic is just about knowing the names of everything? I can do that!

(He smiles and looks around, as if he has just been told a big secret).

AUNT:

Yes, that's the beginning of it anyway!

(as if remembering something someone told her):
Remember this, Duny boy: If you know the true name of a thing, you can have power over it.”.

(She says this absentmindedly now as she climbs up on a ridge to see if there are any more goats, mumbling to herself. Her attention has clearly wandered from the conversation and she is turning back to her goats)

DUNY: (clearly excited)

Is that all I need to do?

AUNT:

Well that's the first step … (turns back toward the boy) But that’s not all, Duny boy. You also have to have the power inside you so that the animals will listen to you when you call their true names.” (She puts her hands in front of her abdomen as she says the word 'power'). If you don’t have the power, the true name won’t do you any good. They won’t listen to you!

(She calls out to another goat ceremoniously, who immediately trots over and follows her back down to where the other goats are grazing.)

DUNY: (excited)

Teach me the magic words!

AUN T: (looking down at him from the ledge)

Now that’s enough talk about magic from you ... we've got real work to do ... If you behave I might teach you a name or two when you’re older!

She shoos him off and goes back to herding the goats, leaving him to play in the grass. She walks a few yard away, looking for more goats.

DUNY’s voice: (we hear it but do not see him as we are still focused on the AUNT)

Hiolk han mirth han!

We close in on the face of the old woman; she is surprised to hear the words, crinkles her forehead in doubt, and turns over her shoulder to see what had happened. Her eyes widen with shock as she looks down on the boy.

The scene pans out quickly. We see not a few, but dozens of goats, crowding impatiently all around the boy, nipping at him, with more rushing on their way to him from the hillside. The boy is cowering in the glare of the goats, unsure of what he has done and unsure how to make them stop nipping at him.

AUNT: (climbing down from the ledge and with an amazed look on her face, looking at the boy)

Shoo! (she says this to the goats, but they do not budge)

Come with me boy, I see you have some power in you after all …

(She starts down the dirt road back to the town, the boy following her, and the goats following the boy.)

AUNT:

A little power and a little knowledge is a dangerous thing (shaking her head) ... I had better teach you a little more before you get yourself in trouble!

EXT. TEN ALDERS VILLAGE, BEHIND AUNT'S HUT. (The next morning)

The boy is in the village. He calls for the Hawk by name and it comes down and lands on his arm. A goat brushes past him and baahs at him as he makes his way to his aunt's hut. He enters the hut, which is smoke filled. As he goes in, we see some smoke escaping.

EXT. NEAR GONT ISLAND (Afternoon)

We see the mini Armada of Karg ships approaching the eastern end of the island.

These are imposing war ships. Unlike the residents of the island, who are darker in color, the warriors on the ships are all pale white, each with his favorite weapon. There are no women aboard the ships.

The scene closes in on the landing of the ships at a small beach, very close to a small port town. The townsfolk are stunned to see these imposing ships landing near their village and don’t know what to make of it. One of the larger ships makes landfall on a small beach and its hatch open up. Karg soldiers on white and black horses come thundering out. The other ships are close behind.

It becomes clear that this is an invasion and the local townsfolk are going to be slaughtered by the Kargs.

EXT. PORT TOWN (evening)

We see the village burning as it becomes clear that the Kargs have won. There are bodies of hundreds of townsfolk and dozens of dead Karg soldiers. There are several dozen Karg soldiers left, who are gathering around the Karg Leader. KARG LEADER plants the flag of the Kargs near the shore. A large fire is burning the remains of the Kargs, while the peasant’s bodies are littered everywhere.

KARG LEADER: (proclaiming, in Kargil, with subtitles)

May our gods avenge those Kargs whose souls remain here. With this victory, I claim the island of Gont in the name of the Kargad Empire!

They pass out alcohol in horns and gather around the fire as they celebrate their victory. We see several Gontish women tied up nearby.

EXT. ENTRANCE TO VILLAGE OF TEN ALDERS (next morning, cloudy skies overhead and a light mist )

The scene shifts to the town of Ten Alders, which is about halfway up the mountain. The air is tense and news of the invaders has reached the village. Activity is at a feverish pace in the village. A handful of men are preparing for battle at the village’s edge. The women are arming them and preparing to hide in their houses.

The village itself consists of a main dirt road that goes through the center of town and curves against sharp cliffs before going inland up the mountain side. There is a sign at the edge of the village with writing that we cannot recognize.

EXT. DIRT ROAD COMING TO TEN ALDERS

We see an empty road for a few seconds surrounded by Pine trees.

Then, a boy, DUNY, comes running up the road, almost out of breath and stops in front of the small army of defenders at the edge of the village. The boy is out of breath. We see the SMITH (who is Duny's father) step forward from the crowd of men.

SMITH:

Well boy, what did you find out at Deer Creek?

DUNY: (Panting, out of breath from running)

I ... I ... saw ...

OTHER MAN:

What did you see boy? Speak up! Are they coming?

DUNY: (Still panting and bent over)

Kargs ... I ... saw ...

SMITH:

Come on, out with it boy, what happened to the men and women of Deer Creek?

DUNY: (better, but still out of breath)

Kargs burned it. They are on horses ... Deer Creek … everyone is dead!

We hear the sound of hoofs coming from down below somewhere, but we cannot see them yet.

DUNY:

They're coming! The Kargs are coming!

We see the men staring down the road, clutching their pitchforks and makeshift weapons, with both determination and fear in their faces.

EXT. DIRT ROAD COMING TO TEN ALDERS

The road is empty. There are pine trees to the right of the road and to the left, the mountainside descends slowly.

Suddenly, a single horse and rider appear. He is a KARG WARRIOR, holding the Karg Flag up in the air, flapping in the wind.

Then we see the rest of the army emerge from the bend, 20 or so Karg warriors thundering up the road, swords and lances outstretched.

EXT. TEN ALDERS.

The men of the town wait silently for the invaders to reach the town, worry showing in their faces.

Duny is still standing there in front of them, looking from the men to the warriors, who are now only a few hundred yards away.

DUNY: (angry with his elders)

Dammit! How do you expect to beat the army with those weapons!

SMITH: (Hits Duny on the head, growls:)

Boy, … do you want to get killed? Go hide with your auntie and the women! (points to one of the shacks in the village).

DUNY: (not moving and not paying any attention to his father)

We need something else …

Duny looks over at AUNT, who is hiding in a stable to the side of the road. Suddenly, he looks up, noticing some fog higher up in the mountain and we see a look of recognition on his face.

The boy steps forward, looks up at the fog, and chants a magic verse.

SMITH is about to hit the boy's head again, when the men start murmuring. He looks up and the fog is very rapidly coming down the mountain like a snake. Within seconds the fog is all around them and no one can see anything.

DUNY: (voice only)

Father, I've called the fog! I've hidden us all!

We hear yelling from all directions, and we see shadows of the men moving out of the middle of the road ... out of the way of the Karg horsemen who are charging forward into the village...

After that, it’s hard to tell what’s happening as there is yelling, screaming, and killing all around the town. We see a townsfolk kill a karg warrior with a pitchfork, and it becomes clear that the townsfolk now have the advantage ... the Kargs are confused and the townsfolk, who know their way around, are killing them off one by one.

Then all of a sudden there is silence. Slowly as the fog lifts it becomes clear that the invaders have run through the town and fallen off the cliff on the far side, or have slammed their swords into those in front of him. The KARG LEADER is seen dead with a pitchfork slammed into him.

A handful of remaining Kargs are charging back down the mountain rapidly, in fright, followed by the KARG SECOND OFFICER, who is yelling at them from behind, even as he is the last to flee the Ten Alders defeat.

EXT., PORT TOWN, NEAR THE KARG SHIPS.

There are several KARG WARRIORS, including the KARG FIRST OFFICER, waiting by the fire, near their ships. Suddenly the sound of hoofs come from the moutain road and the few remaining Karg soldiers look up.

A handful of Kargs, now led by the KARG SECOND OFFICER are charging down the mountain rapidly.

KARG SECOND OFFICER:

(hysterical, in Karg with subtitles)

A wizard! They have a powerful wizard with them!

KARG FIRST OFFICER:

Where is our leader?

KARG SECOND OFFICER:

(still hysterical, riding up the group and stopping)

He's been killed. It was a powerful wizard I tell you ! He unleashed demons ... shadows in the fog that we could not fight against!

KARG FIRST OFFICER: (solemn)

Magic?! Wizard?! I knew this would be our downfall ! (looks around at the remaining dozen or so men considering what to do...)

We hear yelling coming from the mountain road. The remains of peasants from several villages are coming down, with their farm tools and pitchforks yelling frantically.

KARG FIRST OFFICER:

We should leave this place. We have several victories already to sing of. (turns to the men). It is time to go home! There is no honor here, only black magic!

He clutches the map and his sword and gestures to the remaining warriors that they should follow him to the ships. We see the Kargs load their horses and items hurriedly onto their ships, and we see peasants from multiple Gont towns, clutching pitchforks and makeshift weapons appearing on the road towards them.

EXT. VIEW OF GONT ISLE AND DEPARTING SHIP

We see one Karg ship leaving Gont Island, while the others are burning from the peasants attack. The makeshift Gontish army is yelling and holding their weapons up high as the Kargs retreat.

EXT. TEN ALDERS:

The fog has lifted and we see the townsfolk celebrating their victory and clearing up the bodies. There are 10 or so dead Karg bodies and several dead peasants, including the Smith.

MAN:

Where is the boy? The boy who had the magic spell?

They start to search every nook and cranny to find out where he is. His aunt looks into a red barn and she gasps, calling out "he's over here!". We see the boy lying on his back on some hay, his eyes and his mouth wide open, apparently dead.

MAN:

Is he dead?

AUNT: (gasping)

No ... he's not dead. Not yet, anyway. I'll see what I can do to heal him.

Aunt puts a blanket over him as the townsfolk gather around silently.

EXT. FOREST NEAR TEN ALDERS AFTERNOON

We are in the forest above Ten Alders. We see OGION, an old, bald, dark skinned, silent man, with a wizard’s cloak and staff walking slowly through the woods, stopping for a drink of water in a stream.

Intermittently, animals come up to him, and he feeds them, all the time saying nothing. A particular deer stays with him after taking a drink from the stream. Ogion nods after a few seconds, crosses the stream and continues.

As Ogion walks out of the woods onto the main road, he sees the smoke coming from the chimneys of Ten Alders, a look of recognition crosses his face, and he purposefully strides into the village. A hawk flies above and lands on the roof of a red barn where some townsfolk are gathered around.

INT. RED BARN

The aunt and several townsfolk, gather around the wizard as he walks to where the boy is lying motionless in the hay in the barn.
The boy is still, his mouth still slightly open and his eyes wide open.

WOMAN:

He saved us!

MAN:

I think he’s dead, mr. Wizard sir.

OTHER WOMAN:

Are you the mage who tamed the Earthquake?

OTHER MAN:

Where were you when we needed you against the Kargs arrived last week? What kind of a wizard leaves it to a boy to defend us!

Ogion says nothing and studies the boy for a few moments.

OGION:

I have heard of the deeds of this boy and came at once... He is no ordinary boy. How long has he been unconscious?

AUNT:

Master, he has been this way since he drew the fog. It has been a week ... we feared he is dying.

OGION: (bending over to study the boy)

He's not dead. (mumbling to himself) To keep dark the mind of the mageborn, that is a dangerous thing

He says a few unrecognizable words while waving his hands over the boy, and the boy suddenly comes to life, to the amazement of the onlookers. He tries to speak, looking around frantically, but cannot.

His aunt bends over the boy and hushes him ...Someone brings him water and the boy starts to drink and calms down.

OGION: (to the crowd while still looking at the boy)

Has he been named?

AUNT:

He will be 13 and a full grown man in another month, and that is when he should have his naming. (pauses) He still goes by his boy name. Some of the children call him SparrowHawk because of the Hawk that flies around him sometimes

OGION:

Where are his parents?

AUNT:

His mother passed away last year. His father was killed by the Kargs. I'm the only family he has left ... I can keep him until his naming ... his father wanted to hold his passage into manhood until the festival of SunReturn this winter.

OGION: (nodding)

You should prepare a feast for the boy,to honor him for the work he has done for this town and for the island of Gont… he overspent his power by summoning the fog. He won’t be able to speak for some time.

OGION: (standing)

He has already proven himself to be ready for manhood, and he needs his true name soon or he will be lost. I will return on the day of his passage to manhood and perform the naming ceremony. T o keep dark the mind of the mageborn ... that is a dangerous thing indeed. Is he apprenticed to any here?

No one answers

OGION:

At that time, I will take him as my apprentice. He will be safe with me.

Ogion turns and purposefully strides out of the barn. Realizing he has forgotten something, he turns back to the dazed villagers and says directly to the boy,

OGION: (shaking his finger)

Until then, no more spells!

Ogion exits. We see him walking purposefully out of the village and into the forest, while the townsfolk stand stunned for a while, and then slowly disperse...

EXT. FOREST SCENE (one year later)

As the scene opens, we hear the noises of the forest … a bird, swaying of the trees, a stream.

The boy (DUNY) is now a young man (GED) with a trace of whiskers. He is adorned in a cloak and follows his master, OGION, in the woods. Ogion has a staff that he uses to punctuate each step. GED does not have a staff, but he is trying to keep up with Ogion's brisk pace. His eyes are as bright as ever, but he has a bit of a scowl on his face.

They are walking in the woods in autumn and the leaves are all bright colors. The scene shows the two of them walking silently, over a stream. A deer comes up to the boy, and he feeds it and says a few words to it. Ogion has kept walking and is now several yeards ahead.

There are clouds overhead and it starts to drizzle. Ged puts his hood up and covers his face, but Ogion is unmoved by the rain.

GED:

Master?

Ogion turns to the boy, still silent.

GED:

Master, it is raining. Won’t we say a spell to keep the rain off of us?

The mage looks up at the rain and down at the boy, slowly shakes his head.

OGION:

Yes, Ged we COULD say a spell that would cause the rain to move. But we won't.

He turns and keeps walking. The boy is clearly frustrated and runs to catch up.

GED:

But Master, why don't we? Any simple weatherworker can cast such a simple spell ... and you are a full fledged wizard ... why won't you do it? I could even do it, if you would teach me the spell!

Ogion doesn't stop but begins to talk to the boy as they trudge through the wet leaves.

OGION:

Ged, since I named you a year ago, haven't I taught you anything?

GED:

The names of plants and animals only! These aren't real magic spells! When do ...

Ogion stops him with his hand and points to a root.

OGION:

What is this plant?

Ged leans over to look at the root.

GED: (impatiently)

Strawflower.

OGION:

Yes. That's right. You have learned much in only one year. And that one?

Ogion points to another one.

GED:

I don't know. I have seen it before, but don’t know its name. What does this have to do with spells and rain?

OGION:

It's called fourflower.

GED: (impatiently, clearly uncomfortable with the rain)

And what is its use?

OGION:

None that I know of.

Ogion starts walking again, with Ged following behind.

GED:

But Master, what is the use of knowing the names of plants if they have no use ..?

OGION:

But that's the point Ged, my young SparrowHawk. The higher arts of wizardry aren't about using things, they are about knowing the true nature of things.

I named you a year ago back at Ten Alders, remember? If someone knew your true name, Ged, they might be able to cast a spell and use you, the way that we like to use the plants. But that's not really why the plants are there ... that's not why you're here, is it? ...

Ged starts to say something but stops as his master continues.

OGION: (slowly but in a preachy tone)

Ged, there are other lessons that are more …

GED: (interrupts and walks forward away from Ogion)

…important for a wizard to know than spells ! Yes, yes, I’ve heard it before!

They have come out of the woods to a small clearing with a small dome like house, OGION's HUT. Ged is frustrated as he walks through the rain into the hut. Ogion sighs.and follows behind slowly.

EXT. OGION'S HUT (night)

We pull out to see the smoke from the chimney and a glimpse of the fire through the window. We see also that this is just one very small hut, surrounded by a grassy plain, surrounded by a forest ... all is silent.

INT. OGION'S HUT (morning)

It is a cloudy morning. The boy wakes to find that the Mage’s staff and cloak are missing. Ged gets up, takes a look at several leatherbound volumes on a shelf in the corner, the book of spells, but decides to wait until his master returns.

EXT OUTSIDE OGION'S HUT

Ged grabs his cloak and steps outside to see if Ogion is nearby. He is nowhere to be found. The boy walks out to a road and slowly makes his way to the nearby town of Re Albi.

EXT ROAD TO RE ALBI ...

After some minutes of walking, he notices some singing in the forest, a pretty female voice. He ignores it and keeps walking. Out of the corner of his eye, he notices a girl dressed in white ... her dark hair in strong contrast to her white skin and dress. When he turns his head to see, she is no longer there.

He quickens his pace and is near the outskirts of the town, when he hears a female voice calling out to him.

GIRL:

Hey, boy, wait!

He stops and looks to see the GIRL walk out of the woods and across a meadow to him. He hesitates for a second and then slowly starts walking across the meadow to her.

She has a white dress on, and is well groomed (in contrast to his weather beaten cloak and lack of style), and is very pretty. She is a few years older than him and is well shaped. He stops in the meadow and waits for her to approach.

GIRL:

Boy, wait ... I have seen you before, with Ogion the mage, isn't that right?

He looks at her unrecognizingly. She feigns shyness and smiles, looking down.

GED:

Yes, Ogion is my master.

GIRL:

(smiling and looking at him through her hanging hair)

Are you a wizard, then ?

GED: (sees the opportunity to impress her, straightens up).

Yes, I am a wizard!

GIRL:

You're a little young to be a wizard? What is your name?

GED:

I am called SparrowHawk ... and how do you know I am too young to be a wizard? Have you seen any wizards other than Ogion?

GIRL:

Yes, my father ... (she looks over the treetops and points to a castle barely visible a little North of the town) ... has his own wizard! He sent for him … all the way from the Archmage at Roke. This wizard from Roke had a staff. Where's yours?

GED: (fumbling)

Uhh ... I ... I left it back at the hutt.

GIRL: (smiling teasingly)

I don't think you're really a wizard, are you?

(Ged is silent and looks at her, scowling slightly. He starts to speak but she interrupts)

GIRL:

Is SparrowHawk your real name? That seems like a strange name for a wizard.

GED:

SparrowHawk is my usename. Of course, I would never tell you my true name ... to know the true name of something is to have power over it.

GIRL: (playing with her hair)

Oh? Is that it?

GED: (trying to sound confident)

Yes, why everyone knows that, even a village witch knows that.

GIRL:

Well, I asked our wizard about magic spells but he wouldn't teach me anything. He says that women are not to be taught the high arts ... only herb lore ... Can you communicate with animals?

GED: (clearly boasting).

I could, if I wanted to.

GIRL: (smiling naughtily)

Oh, and can you conjure up a love potion?

GED:

Any village witch can do that, that's not real magic.

GIRL: (eagerly)

Oh? And what is real magic?

GED: (his eyes light up)

A changing spell is real magic. Or a summoning spell.

GIRL: (curious and excited)

Oh? And can you change yourself into a Bear? How about a tiger? Oh ... can you show me some magic please ...

GED: (laughs)

If you asked Ogion that he would go on and on about equilibrium and patterns ... and he would refuse to show you anything!

(more seriously, imitating Ogion)

Those spells are not to be taken lightly ..

GIRL: (not hearing him)

How about a tree? No that wouldn't be much fun. Perhaps you could turn me into a bird? It must be incredible to fly above the trees and to feel so free ... (she is smiling as she imagines what it would be like to be a bird, her arms outstretched)

GED:

(torn, but unsure how to hide the fact that he doesn't know any changing spells. In his own voice now)

I would, but magic is not a toy.

(girl looks very disappointed)

Here, I will do something simple. I will call a falcon for you ...

Ged calls out for the hawk. The hawk comes flying down to him. He puts his arm out .. the hawk hovers close, but then flies away.

GED: (proud)

That is a spell of summoning.

GIRL: (mildly impressed)

Yes, but that's just a falcon, it's not very magical. Can you call a dragon?

Ged is silent as he looks up in the sky.

GIRL: (getting even more excited)

Can you call a spirit of the dead?

GED: (proudly)

I could, if I so choose.

GIRL laughs, clearly not impressed.

GIRL:(smiling )

Could you now, SparrowHawk ...?

They both hear a female voice calling from the woods.

GIRL:

(turns to the woods and places her hand on SparrowHawk's arm. He is clearly uncomfortable).

That is my mother. Why don't you come by here tomorrow and you can show me more magic?

GED is silent.

GIRL:

Yes? Please say yes.

GED:

Yes, I’ll come.

GIRL: (leans close as if to kiss him and whispers with a smile)

I'll see you then!

GIRL runs across the meadow and back into the woods.

GED watches her go, then walks back to the road his head down and continues walking towards the town.

INT. OGION'S HUT. EVENING.

Ged is cooking over a small fire. The dancing of the fire casts shadows around the hut. He is clearly preoccupied.

He looks up at the Book of Spells on the wall, which has two volumes, leatherbound, weather beaten, and very old. He stands up as if to go grab the book, runs his fingers on the back of one of the volumes ... then sighs and sits back down, grabs a bowl, and starts eating.

EXT. MEADOW NEAR RE ALBI. Next Morning.

Ged is standing in the meadow, with a small stick in his hand and a bit of bread. He waits for some time, sits down in the meadow watches the birds above, keeping an eye out for the girl.

After a few minutes he hears voices and turns to the forest. The GIRL comes out from the forest, dressed in a different white dress that goes down to her knees, showing her ankles.

She sees him and sits with him.

GIRL: (smiling)

Sparrowhawk, I see you've come again.

GED: (smiling back)

Yes, against my better judgement!

GIRL sits down across from him. Her skirt reveals a little of her thigh. She sees that Ged is looking at her leg, and she very quickly puts her feet together and draws her dress down so that he cannot see above the knee.

GIRL:

What's the matter SparrowHawk, have you never seen a girl's legs before?

He shakes his head.

GIRL: (moves closer to him, smiling mischeivously)

You know what they say about wizards?

GED:

What do they say?

GIRL: (looking down, again feigning shyness)

That all of your power is taken up by spells and magic ... that you don't have any power left for ... other things ... (giggles)

GED: (speechless, about to speak)

Girl laughs, then she quickly stands up a few feet away from Ged.

GIRL:

So, have you come to show me some magic today?

Ged rises to stand next to her.

GED:

Look, my master says that magic is not something to be engaged in idly ... you have to think about the consequences before doing any spell …

GIRL: (starts to walk away)

Can't you even show me a little bit of magic? How about the changing spells you spoke of yesterday.

GED: (walking towards her)

How about another summoning spell? I can summon goats with great skill!

Girl laughs.

GIRL:

Goats? Is that all you can do. I think you're afraid to show me any real magic. Is it because I’m a girl?

GED:

I am not afraid to do magic!

Girl is silent and walking away.

GED:

Look, once I saved our town from Karg invaders using magic!

Girl stops and approaches him.

GIRL:

Oh? Then why can't you show me something now?

(Ged is silent)

I suppose its because you're too young and your power hasn't developed yet!

(Ged gets red with embarrassment)

Anyway, my mother will be wondering where I went ... bye bye wizard to be ....

(She giggles and begins to walk toward the forest away from Ged)

GED: (clearly frustrated)

I am not too young! Come tomorrow and I'll show you a real spell!

GIRL:

Promise to show me something GOOD?

GED: (determined)

I will show you a spell you'll never forget!

She looks at him seductively but says nothing as she walks back into the woods.

Ged puts his head down and wanders back to the road ...

EXT. MEADOW

As camera pans out we see the sun shining in a partly cloudy sky ... slowly clouds form all around and the sun sinks into the horizon, leaving a much bleaker sky at twilight.

Under this dim light and cloudy sky, we focus down and go back to the forest and the little hut with smoke coming out of the chimney, Ogion's hut.

INT OGION'S HUT: (Twilight)

Ged is sitting in front of the fire. He gets up and pulls down the first volume of the Book of Spells.

It is a red leather bound book, but it is so dusty that the red color seems almost brown. Across the cover are Hardic runes.

Ged opens the book to the first page. It contains colorful runes on thick paper, with hand drawn marks all around the page.

GED:

Spell for ... hmmm .. can't read that rune ...

(Ged turns the page, points to another rune)

GED:

this one says water ... no not that one

(Ged turns the page again)

GED:

Fire ... (Ged pauses to look at the runes on this page, and as he reads silently, the fire dances more strongly, which we sense through the flickering and the shadows on his face. It is now pitch dark outside).

No not fire ...not this time ... I need something else ...something more impressive …

Ged flips the book to another page, and as he puts his finger on the first rune, he hears the sound of thunder, and drops the book on the floor. He stands up to look out the little window, and we hear the sound of rain falling outside and on the ceiling.

We see the light from the fire dimming ever so slightly as Ged looks to the book, which is on the floor spread open to a particular page. The dimming fire makes it difficult to see any of the runes on this page, but there is suddenly a chill in the air and we can see Ged's breath ...

Ged kneels to the floor, without picking up the book. His fingers go to the top of the page and trace the first rune ... then the second rune ... then the third ....

GED:

(whispering, his eyes wide open with excitement and anticipation)

Yes, that’s it! Summoning Spirits of the Dead ...

Suddenly Ged’s eyes change from anticipation to fear. Ged tries to look away, but his hair is standing on end and he reluctantly is forced to look back at the page, which his fingers are still on. His fingers trace the runes on the first line ... he is entranced and doesn't seem to be aware of what he is doing anymore ...

As he goes through each run on the first line, we hear whispers in the background ... a chanting of cold harsh words ... the pace intensifies as he finishes tracing the first line of the book.

Ged looks up suddenly toward the door and there, in the shadows of the flickering light, he sees a dark shadow in front of the closed door. The flickering lights make it difficult to see exactly what is there, but it is dark, cold, and not entirely there, fading in and out. As the darkness fades in, we hear the whispers more strongly. As the darkness fades out ... we feel it less.

Ged retreats to the wall, horrified not just at what he sees but at what he feels. His breath is still visible in the cold... We see and hear the darkness and the whispers going stronger.

Ged, his mouth open with fright, looks to the book for an answer and his hands are slowly drawn back to the pages ... he starts tracing the runes on the second line ... and the whispers become slower but louder, somehow hiding themselves in with the sound of the rain coming from above. The shadow grows.

As we look at Ged's face, the scenery around him shifts.

EXT. BOUNDARY BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH

He is still standing looking at the shadow, but he is now on the BOUNDARY BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH, an enormous, grassy hill that stretches out as far as the eye can see. There are cold stars overhead and a very slight, continuous wind. Ged is standing on the side of the hill, the pale light of the stars reflected in his eyes. A few hundred yards below him we see a low, rocky wall that stretches as far as the eye can see in either direction. After the wall, the hill descends to darkness. The shadow is standing on the other side of the wall, in the land of the dead, looking back at Ged.

Suddenly we see a blinding light reflecting on Ged's face.

INT. OGION’S HUT

Ged's attention is back in the hut. The door to the hut has been flung open and we see the outline of a man. We see that the blinding radiance is coming from the tip of a staff, and the man holding the staff is Ogion the Mage. The white light is all around him and streams into the room.

There is no trace of the shadow or the whispering.

Ogion, holding his illuminated staff up high walks down to where Ged is and shuts the book, and picks it up.

Ged gasps and starts to breathe heavily, as if he has been underwater is just coming up for air.

OGION: (turning to the boy)

SparrowHawk, you will never work that spell but in peril of your power and of your LIFE! Understood?

Ged starts to breath more slow, catching his breath. Nods slowly.

OGION:

Was it for that spell that you opened this book?

Ged is too stunned to answer and leans back against the wall of the hut and puts his head in his hands.

GED:

No, I was only looking for a spell to impress the girl I met ..

OGION:

Girl? What girl?

GED:

The daughter of the Lord of Re Albi ... I met her by the forest yesterday and she asked me to do some magic for her … (angrily)

OGION: (sighing and shaking his head)

You did not remember what I told you? That the girl's mother, the Lord's wife is an enchantress?

Ged shakes his head.

GED: (even more angry!)

I was embarrassed that I couldn't show her any magic after over a year of studying with you!

OGION: (ignoring Ged’s anger)

She is not from Gont nor from any of the inner islands. What powers she serves I do not know, but they are not the same as we serve.

(Ogion walks over and replaces the book on the shelf.)

I do not know her will. It may have been her that sent the daughter to you in the first place ... and perhaps it was her that made the book open to that page ... I do not know...

OGION:

Ged, listen to me now. Have you never thought how danger must surround power as the shadow does the light? This sorcery is not a game we play for pleasure or for praise!

(Ged is silent but fuming with both anger and embarrassment at the same time)

Think of this: that every word, every act of our Art is said and is done either for good or for evil. Before you speak or do you must know what is the price to pay!"

GED: (flustered)

How am I to know these things when you teach me nothing! Since I have lived with you, I have learned no spells! I have seen nothing, done nothing!

OGION: (sternly)

Now you have seen something … (Ogion points to the door) By the door, in the darkness, when I came in, did you see it?

Ged is silent and sober and nods, losing his anger for a moment.

GED:

What was it, Master, and where did it go?

OGION:

We should not speak of that dark thing during the night. I do not know what it was ... but it was not from the land of the living.

Ogion kneels down and sits next to Ged.

OGION:

Ged, my young falcon. You are not bound to me. I sense great impatience in you to learn the Art, I also sense great power, which I hope is greater than your pride.

I haven’t taught you any spells because you had drawn too much water from that well already and you needed this time to regain your strength. Now I’m wondering if I didn’t make a mistake. (whispers to himself) To keep dark the mind of the mageborn, that is a dangerous thing.

Ged is silent looking into the fire.

OGION:

Ged, my young SparrowHawk … I am going to ask you to make a choice now ...

Ogion pauses and Ged looks up at him.

OGION:

If you wish, I will send you to Roke, on the Inmost Sea, where I learned and where all high crafts of wizardry are taught by the Wise.

Or you may stay with me and learn what I have to teach first … which is patience first and wizardry second … Make your choice now, and I will honor it.

Ged pauses for a moment. Looks around the hut, the fire, and the book of spells.

GED: (standing up)

Master, I will go to Roke.

EXT. GONT PORT

This scene we only see from above, with expectant music playing, rather than close up.

We see Ogion and Ged walking to the gates of Gont Port, the biggest city on Gont, on the western side of the island. We see the guards kneeling to Ogion in respect, and Ged is unexpectedly impressed.

We see Ogion exchange a few words with the guard, and the guard leads them through the busy streets to the docks. There are a number of ships, small and large that are docked and the group walks past many of them to a small, medium sized ship with a dark brown color ...

The CAPTAIN of the ship, a brusk man with a big beard, speaks with the guard, takes a look at Ogion, and reluctantly agrees to take the boy on board. Ogion gives Ged a scroll, says something to him, puts his hand on Ged's shoulder, and turns slowly to go.

As we pan out, we see Ged aboard the ship, the ship slowly departing from the dock, and Ogion a lone figure walking out of Gont port up the mountain. As the ship pulls out of the harbor we see some writing that signifies the ship's name, the Shadow, and we hear the careening of the ever present hawk. Clouds go in front of the sunlight as we see this name.

EXT. OVER GONT

As we follow the hawk we move up the mountain to the town of ReAlbi ... just to the south of the town there is a meadow in between the forest and the main road ... we see a little speck on the meadow from above. As we close in we realize that it is the dark hair of the GIRL, who is waiting in the meadow for Ged ... she walks around for a little while, and then decides to leave.

EXT. On the boat, Shadow. Night. Several days later.

There is a strong wind blowing and the sail is up. Ged is helping with the tasks of the ship, when one of his comrades, SAILOR #1, points out something. Ged looks and is amazed to see the lights of a great city, larger than any he has ever seen before ... and sits wide eyed as the lights glide by.

GED:

Is that Roke?

SAILOR:

No, that's Havnor, the great central island. The king and queen sit there, or used to anyway ...

GED:

Have you ever been there? To Havnor? Have you seen the king's court?

SAILOR: (grabbing a rope)

No, lad, there's no reason for a sailor to go there ... I live for the open sea ... there's too many lights in the cities ... too much rabble ... You can't even see the stars at night!

Come on, let's get this tied up ... I think there's a storm coming soon.

GED: (clutching another rope and starts tying)

Storm coming? But I don't see any clouds at all ..

SAILOR:

Once you've been on the sea long enough, you'll start to feel the wind pick up, and you'll be able to sense if there's a storm coming.

GED:

How far till we get to Roke ... I hope I can get off before the storm gets too strong.

SAILOR:

It's not far now ... under normal weather we'd be there before sunrise ...

Ext. On the boat, Shadow. Night.

There is a storm brewing and the boat is rocketing wildly. Water is splashing onto the deck and the ship is making very little progress. Ged and the Captain are looking out into the wind and rain trying to see signs of something.

CAPTAIN:

(yelling to be heard over the wind, with a slightly cockneyed accent)

Son, I don't know that we'll be able to get you to Roke tonight ... this storm wind seems to be coming right from the island ...

Ged: (also yelling)

How far are we from Roke now?

CAPTAIN:

I don't know. We should be there by now but I can't see any signs of it ... It's the strangest thing I've seen in my 20 years of sailing ... We've had clear sailing through Havnor and it just came upon us on the last stretch. It's an easterly wind ... and it's blocking us from getting to Roke. (scratches his beard), we'll have to keep tacking south ...

(A second sailor overhears the captain and comes over)

SAILOR: (with a cockneyed accent)

Sir, it's the Mage Wind from Roke. It protects the island from all powers evil they say. My cousin told me he ran into it once.

CAPTAIN: (as the ship rocks madly)

Evil powers? (laughs!) I think you've been listening to one story too many by the campfire, sailor! We're not harboring any evil powers, are we lad? We just want to drop this boy off at school ...

(Captain looks curiously at the boy ... everyone is silent for a moment and turns their attention to Ged, letting the implications set in )

GED: (interrupting and pointing west)

There! ... There it is! ... I see a light ... Is that Roke?

Captain and Sailor look west but do not see anything at first. Then, a light emerges ... then another ... and pretty soon they can see a whole host of lights as the rain thins a bit.

CAPTAIN:

There we are! Well done, lad! We can all see it now ... That's Thwil Bay if i'm not a two headed serpent! Turn starboard and row like mad, lads!... Well boy, we'll get you to the port tonight after all ... and by tomorrow morning you'll be sipping cider with the mageborn, and we'll be halfway to Hort Town.

EXT. AROUND THE BOAT SHADOW AND THWIL BAY NIGHT.

We pull back, revealing the Shadow all by itself in dark waters fighting the edge of the storm and nearby, the city of Thwil on the isle of Roke. The city of Thwil is a collection of brick buildings and wooden houses packed together very tightly, with brick streets in between them. The buildings are intermittently lighted. In the middle of the tightly packed buildings is a hill, Roke Knoll, which has a grassy plateau, surrounded by a small brick wall. There is no rain falling at all on the city of Thwil or the island of Roke.

We see the Shadow, with oars rowing, slowly cross the threshold of the storm and makes its way toward the island unabated.

INT./EXT ROKE SCHOOL ... ARCHMAGE'S COURTYARD. NEXT MORNING

The courtyard has white marble pillars all around it ... and a collection of trees laid out across the courtyard making it difficult to see what is actually in the courtyard. There is a large fountain at the center of the courtyard and we can hear its water flowing,

The sun shines in the courtyard but the hallways behind the marble pillars are all dark and we cannot see into them. There is an open fire burning at one end of the courtyard, which contrasts oddly with the fountain at the center.

Under one of the trees between the fountain and the fire, we see ARCHMAGE NEMMERLE, clad in a white cloak with a golden clasp. The hood is off, and his head is shaved. He has a similar complexion to Ged and Ogion, but is clearly much older. An ornamental staff is leaning against the tree.

NEMMERLE is already in the middle of conversation with Ged, who is standing nerviously nearby, as we zoom in on the conversation.

NEMMERLE:

Ogion was very dear to me ... now that he has the Earthquake on a leash he almost never leaves Gont! How does he?

GED:

He's doing fine, sir, wandering the forests year round and talking to the animals.

(Nemmerle laughs, and pulls out the letter that Ogion had given to Ged).

NEMMERLE:

And did you come here directly from Gont, lad?

GED:

Yes.

NEMMERLE:

And which ship gave you passage, lad? How was the journey?

(Nemmerle opens and unfolds the letter, not really listening to Ged's answer ..)

GED:

The ship was the Shadow, sir, bound to the Andrades...

NEMMERLE: (looking at the letter)

Hmm ... My eyesight is leaving me … here lad, read it to me.

Suddenly we hear the footsteps of a boy, and see him come out from the darkness of one of the hallways. He is tall and thin, a few years older than Ged. He is wearing a clean pale yellow cloak ... his hair is impeccably combed. He is JASPER

JASPER: (bowing)

Sir, the Master Doorkeeper said that there is a new prentice that I should show around.

NEMMERLE:

(looking up from the letter ... which was clearly beginning to trouble him ...) Ahh ... yes... Jared, isn't it?

JASPER:

Actually sir, it's Jasper ... from the isle of Havnor ... son of the count of ... (now clearly trying to impress ... but upset that the ARCHMAGE didn't recognize him)

NEMMERLE: (interrupting)

Yes, yes ... Jasper .. that’s it … we have a new prentice, sent by an old friend of mine from Gont ... Now be a good lad and show our new arrival around and settle him in, won't you?

Ged looks at Jasper, who is still looking at the Archmage.

JASPER:(bowing and pointing to the hallway, then to Ged)

This way, sir ...

Ged, a bit surprised to see Jasper bowing to him and at being called SIR hesitates ... JASPER indicates that Ged should go first. Ged walks into the hallway and Jasper, bowing to the Archmage, clearly angry that he has been treated like a little boy, follows ceremoniously.

The Archmage isn't paying any more attention to the two of them, he is stroking his chin as he reads the letter. The boys are gone.

Out of the shadows of one of the trees, we see a very large RAVEN walk over to the Archmage. It caws at him a few times, as if speaking to him.

NEMMERLE:

(speaking to the Raven ... but still looking at the letter)

Yes, that's right, sent by Ogion ...

RAVEN:

(caws again, slightly differently.)

NEMMERLE:

What does it say? Well, it's very short, as all of Ogion's words are. It says:

Lord Nemmerle! I send you one who will be the greatest of the wizards of Gont ... if the wind blow true.

RAVEN:

(caws twice in response, ominously.)

We pan out and see the courtyard as the center of an enormous set of hallways and courtyards, the school of Roke. We focus in on one of the hallways.

INT. ROKE SCHOOL HALLWAY. IT IS DARK.

Jasper takes down a torch from the brick wall. The hallway is very dusty and dungeon, a marked contrast from the slick marble of the hallway. He shows the torch to Ged as if offering him something.

GED:

Yes?

JASPER:

Would you like to light it, sir?

GED: (upset at his pretension)

Why are you calling me "sir"?

(Jasper says a word and waves his hand … the flame lights, and he begins walking, with Ged following him)

JASPER:

For two reasons. First, I don't know your use name, sir ... (he gestures as if asking Ged to come out with something)

GED:

I am called SparrowHawk.

JASPER:

Ah yes, sir SparrowHawk. And second, I assume you must be Gontish nobility?

GED: (getting even more annoyed at this polite youth)

No ... (laughing) why would you think that?

JASPER:

Because, Gontishman, prentices are not normally given a private audience with the Archmage. I have been here three years and am a prefect …

GED:

We don't really have nobility on Gont, except for the lord of Re Albi, I suppose. My village is known mostly for herding goats and sheep.

JASPER:

Oh, well, perhaps they are noble goats and sheep! (laughs in a mocking way). Right this way Gontishman, here you may clad yourself to become one of us.

Jasper and Ged enter a small room that is adorned with many cloaks. The cloaks near the door are a pale green, and further in there are yellow cloaks, like Jaspers.

Ged reaches for one of the pale green cloaks. Jasper laughs.

JASPER:

Ha! At this rate, Gontishman, you'll be grabbing a wizard's staff without having earned it either! (laughs again).

Ged stops and looks at him, aware that he's being mocked.

JASPER: (dryly)

Try a yellow robe ... that is the mark of a prentice. The blue is for sorcerers only ... and the pale green is for full fledged wizards! (Jasper turns away from the door disdainfully)

Ged puts the blue robe back, and moves to put on a yellow robe, saying nothing but with a scowl on his face.

INT. ROKE SCHOOL HALLWAY TO CAFETERIA

Jasper and Ged, both clad in yellow robes, are in a hallway similar to the first, leading to an arched door, which has light streaming out from it. Jasper blows out the torch and places it in an empty stand near the arch.

JASPER:

Here you may eat, Gontishman. Come, I will introduce you to the other prentices. I have already eaten but you may join them.

Jasper walks first into the large cafeteria.

INT. ROKE CAFETERIA. Day.

There are three long wooden tables in the enormous hall. There are large stained windows so it almost looks like a church ... with light streaming in.

The first table is empty. At the second are several older boys, sitting by themselves, far from each other, in light blue robes slowly eating their meals.

At the third table, there are a group of prentices, ranging in age from 5 to 15, playful, all wearing pale yellow robes. There are other prentices who are joking with the cooks as they get their food and make their way over to table.

Jasper walks up to the boys at the third table. One of them (ETHAN) is standing and they are all joking with each other, except for one (VETCH) who is quietly eating near the group. Vetch and Jasper are both a few years older than Ged, but the others are all younger.

ETHAN:

Jasper! look!

The boy says a few magic words and moves his hands down from his forehead past his chin. As he does so, a white beard appears on his face, going down several inches. It is an odd sight, an old man's beard on a 10-year old boy's face.

ETHAN: (faking a very loud, deep voice, clearly playing)

I am Kurremkureeeeeek! (all the boys break out in laughter). Kurrmkurreeeeek I say! (boy starts to gesture wildly and jump around) Don't you know, lads, that everything has a name! This table has a name! Even dragons have names! Even you, boy, have a true name!

The group is laughing hilariously now. Jasper smiles dryfully.

VETCH: (waves his hand in Ethan’s direction)

Illusion!

The illusion vanishes.

JASPER:

Keep working at your illusion. Next time you have to make your face look older ... don't just add a beard!

The boys stop laughing and turn their attention to the newcomer.

JASPER:

This is SparrowHawk, a noble Gontishman who just joined us.

JASPER:

This is Ethan, son of the Count of Norhil on the island of Way. (points to another boy, who is about ten or so as well). And this is LOBDELL, a commoner from Havnor, same island from which I hail, And … (points to a group of even younger boys). this is Imlahil, and this is Luther, son of nobility from the north. The other prentices aren’t here right now.

They walk over to where Vetch is sitting. Jasper puts his hand on Vetch's shoulder.

JASPER:

And finally, SparrowHawk, meet Vetch, who also comes from a land well-known for its goats and sheep! (smiles dryly, but no one seems to notice his affront). It’s called Iffish, in the East Reach. Vetch and I are the two oldest prentices … he is my co-prefect.

Vetch looks at Ged, smiles, and welcomes him.

JASPER:

Okay you two goatherds, have fun! I'm heading out to the practice area. Vetch ... see if you can show him an empty room ... and bring him to Roke Knoll later and we'll all have some fun!

Jasper turns to go and several of the younger boys follow him.

EXT. THWIL CITY. LATER AFTERNOON/TWILIGHT

Ged and Vetch are walking together in the city. The lights of the little buildings are just coming on. They walk the cobblestone roads of the city, passing a number of shops with curious looking people in them. They turn on one of the roads … it comes to an abrupt end, with stone steps rising up a hill. They walk up the steps together.

GED:

Is he always like that?

VETCH:

Don't worry about Jasper. He's alright once you get to know him ... I came to Roke at the same time as he did three years ago. We're both about to become Sorcerers … so we have to help the younger kids.

They walk up one last step and arrive at Roke Knoll, a grassy hill that looks down on Thwil, Thwil Bay. They can also see the lights coming on in a great building beyond the houses, which is the school for wizards. On one side of the Roke Knoll are some trees, that Ged and Vetch are walking by. Ged peers into the trees and for a moment we see an extraordinary group of trees, with blue leaves and a mysterious light shining around them. Ged blinks and they are gone. He points.

GED:

Vetch, I thought I just saw a group of beautiful, blue trees surrounding a clearing ... but I can't see them anymore. Were they real or illusion?

VETCH:(laughs)

They are quite real. That's the Immanent Grove. Only Sorcerers can go there ... prentices aren't allowed. It's hidden by multiple blinding spells .... that's where all 9 masters of Roke meet for important councils .... next year I'll go there to study with the Master Patterner and earn my wizard's staff ... hopefully!

They come to a well cut section of grass on the hill. There are five or so boys, gathered around Jasper, each of the boys has a werelight (a small but bright magical light) over his head. Ged is about to ask Vetch more about the Immanent Grove, but he is interrupted.

JASPER: (smiling and waving his arm)

Hello, look what my fellow prefect dragged in! Our new Gontishman!

The boys laugh and turn to them. Ged turns from the trees to the group.

JASPER:

At home in Havnor, they speak of Gontish wizardry, and always with great praise.

ETHAN:

At home in Way also ... we've heard great stories about Gontish wizardry. The fire lord was one, wasn’t he??!

JASPER: (speaking more to his fellow students than to Ged)
So much so that I've always wanted to see the manner of it. And here tonight we have a Gontishman. An accomplished Gontishman ... the Archmage even gave him a private audience today...

The boys start to murmur in surprise. Vetch looks at Ged, clearly impressed.

JASPER:

And here we are on Roke Knoll, whose roots go down to the center of the Earth. All spells are strong here! Play us a trick SparrowHawk? Show us your style!

Ged, confused and taken aback, hesitates and looks at Vetch.

VETCH:

Later on, Jasper, he just got here ...

JASPER:

He has either skill or power ... or the Master DoorKeeper wouldn't have let him in the school. Why shouldn't he show us now ... rather than later?

GED:

I have both skill and power. Show me what kind of a thing you are talking about.

JASPER:

Illusions ... of course. Games of seeming! Like this.

Jasper points to the ground and says a few strange words. A little trickle appears in the green grass, and slowly it turns into a fountain. Ged walks over to the fountain and feels the water ... He tries to drink but the water in his hand disappears …

VETCH:

It's mere illusion ... though it looks real, it won't satisfy any thirst ...

Vetch points to it and says a word and the fountain disappears.

JASPER:

Now you, Vetch, show the boys and your new friend something interesting!

Vetch scratches his head and looks glum. He grabs a bit of dirt in his hand, and rolls it up into a ball. He says a few words to it, molding it, and suddenly it turns into a firefly and flies up. It hovers between the boys for a few minutes and starts to fly away.

Jasper says a word and the firefly turns back into earth and falls down.

JASPER:

Illusion, see! Now, Gontishman, show us what you can do?

Ged hesitates as all the boys look at him expectantly. He looks sullen and disappointed.

GED:

I do no such tricks as these!

VETCH:

Come on Jasper, that's enough, don't hound him. Let's get on with practice. SparrowHawk can show us his style in time!

JASPER:

Why don't you, Gontishman? Do you not have enough power?

GED: (getting very angry at Jasper)

Sorcery is not a game! We Gontishman do not play it for praise or for pleasure!

JASPER: (smiling)

What do you play it for, money?

GED:

No ...not for money!

Jasper changes his tone and puts his arms on Ged's shoulders.

JASPER: (disdainfully smiling)

That's OK, Gontishman. We understand ... no need to show us anything! Sit over there and watch us as we practice our spells.

INT. GED’S ROOM AT ROKE. NIGHT.

Ged is lying on a bed and it is dark, with moonlight shining in from a small window. The floor is stone cold, and Ged has a blanket on, looking a bit lost. There is a small wooden ledge that doubles as a table and a three legged stool next to it. Ged’s cloak is hanging on the back of the door.

Someone knocks on the door.

GED:

Come in, it’s open.

The door opens, and it is Vetch, with a werelight, a small globe of light, above his head. Vetch comes in and sits down on the stool and smiles at Ged.

VETCH:

Sparrowhawk, how are you?

GED: (looking down)

I’m not sure I fit in here …

VETCH:

Ah … Don’t worry … everyone has a tough time their first few days. I remember my first night spent at Roke … I was scared and terribly homesick! You’re a natural, I can feel it … don’t worry about a thing … you’ll learn how to use your power in time.

GED is silent.

GED:

Tell me of Iffish, Vetch.

VETCH: (smiles)

Yes, Iffish is a small island in the East Reach.

Vetch points down to the floor and draws islands with a silvery white substance that comes from his hand. He draws Roke and then the islands of the East Reach, Iffish, Tok, and Holp.

VETCH:

It’s a land of goats, sheep, and most importantly, Fisherman! Everyone has a friendly word there for each other … We have no high minded lords or ladies … everyone is a commoner and the better for it!

(Vetch smiles and so does Ged looking at his drawings)

VETCH:

There I have many cousins and a little sister who will be all grown up by the time I return! You should come visit SparrowHawk …when you earn yours staff.

GED:

Visit?

VETCH:

Yes, you won’t be tied up here forever! I sense you’ve many sails ahead of you, SparrowHawk! Now tell me of Gont, it will comfort me and remind me of home.

We pan out of the room above the maze of hallways that make up the school as Vetch and Ged become good friends.

EXT. AFTERNOON. AT ROKE BAY

Several months have passed since Ged arrived at the school

We see three small sailboats off of a small beach with wooden docks. It is a partly cloudy day, with limited sunlight. Each sailboat is a little dingy, seating two, and the other two sailboats both have two boys, aged 7 through 15. In the third boat is Ged, with Master WINDKEY sitting in the back with his staff in the boat, and a younger boy. Master WINDKEY is a middle aged man, who wears the grey cloaks of the Masters of Roke.

The boats are very close together so that they can all hear each other. Master Windkey is already talking as we zoom in on the scene.

MASTER WINDKEY

Alright boys, today we're going to use the MageWind to sail up the western side of Roke ... we're going to go close to old Kurremekurrek's tower, and then sail back. This'll be the longest journey any of you have made so far ... so it'll require you to hold the magewind with all of your concentration...

The boys all turn to look at their sails.

MASTER WINDKEY

First, you want to summon the magewind ... from the south ... you have to use your power of summoning to get the magewind, but you have to use your internal will to give it direction ...

We see one of the boys, Lobdell, on the other boats put his hand up and slowly we see the sail of his boat fill up with a slight wind ...

MASTER WINDKEY

That's it lad ... you're getting the hang of it ... now turn the wind so that it goes to the north ...

We see the boy turn his hand slightly and then suddenly the wind dies, the sail jibes as the wind picks up from the opposite direction, knocking the boy out of the boat.

The other boys all laugh.

ETHAN: (standing up in his boat!)

Good job, Lobdell! Next time be sure not to knock us all down.

The boy swims to the boat and slowly attempts to climb in. Ethan puts his hand up and his sail starts to fill up, slowly … the sail swings around but he is prepared for it ... and slowly his boat starts to move up the rocky coastline.

ETHAN:

I'll see you slowpokes at the finish line!

We focus in on Ged's boat, which contains him, Master Windkey, and a younger boy. Ged puts up his hand, his face heavy with concentration ... calls the wind ... his sail immediately swings, he moves out of the way, but his wind is gone just as quickly.

MASTER WINDKEY

That's it, lad... but you want it to come from the south ... it's not much different than telling a horse where you want it to go ... look north, see that last cliff, that's what we want to head for ...

Ged puts up his hand again and calls up the wind ... the sail fills up quickly and the boat jolts forward at a rapid pace, surprising even Master Windkey, whose cloak is flapping in the unusually strong magewind as he grabs his staff.

MASTER WINDKEY: (speaking over the magewind)

Well done, lad! That's very good for your first magewind ... but be sure not to lose control now!

Ged's boat quickly overtakes Ethan’s boat and darts north. Ged seems to be caught in a spell. The first boat, headed by Lobdell slowly starts to catch up to these two.

EXT. IN BOAT UP THE COASTLINE

We are further north, away from the Bay, skimming the Rocky coastline of Roke island. Ged is in the boat, concentrating less than before slowly, moving north. We can see the other two boats further south. Ged is staring out west but his hand is still up.

GED: (Ged points to the west)

What's out there, Master Windkey?

The magewind dies down and the boat stops.

MASTER WINDKEY: (laughs)

SparrowHawk, don't forget the magewind ... it takes a certain kind of concentration .... once you're more used to it you can do other things at the same time …

Ged puts up his hand and the magewind fills up more slowly this time as the other boats are about to catch up. Ged's boat darts forward again, leaving the other boats in the dust.

MASTER WINDKEY:

Out there to the west are the ninety isles ... no one knows if there are really ninety of them ... If you only count the inhabited ones, there are probably only eighty. If you count every piece of rock it's probably more than 100!

GED: (trying not to lose his concentration)

And beyond that? Have you been out further?

MASTER WINDKEY:

Have I? Oh yes, most mages today have not … but before I came to Roke to become the Msster Windkey, I traveled much of EarthSea … As I suspect you will before you’re done, SparrowHawk …. (stares off into space as if remembering, his cloak flapping in the magewind that Ged has created).

MASTER WINDKEY:

Just to the west of the ninety isles is Pendor, where the old Dragon lives ...

Ged’s wind immediately disappears.

GED:

Dragon?? Are there still dragons, master?

MASTER WINDKEY:

Oh yes ... there have always been Dragons ... though most of the famous ones ... the ones that ErrethAkbe spoke with … have disappeared from EarthSea...

GED is clearly intrigued and doesn't bother to get his magewind back up. The younger boy in the boat is also clearly intrigued.

YOUNG BOY:

Master, have you ever seen a dragon?

GED:

Yes, tell us about Dragons! Tell us about the Dragon of Pendor?

MASTER WINDKEY:

There isn't much to tell now SparrowHawk. The old Dragon of Pendor descended almost a hundred years ago and killed the inhabitants of the island ... no man has gone to that island and returned since then...

YOUNG BOY:

Are dragons evil?

MASTER WINDKEY:

Evil? Why no more than mages are ... though some dragons, like this one, has developed an appetite for gold and human blood ... so I suppose we would say it's evil. They're cunning, more than anything ... you have to be clever to be a dragon lord ... and never look directly into their eyes! Dragons know more about magic than we ever will... at least the old ones do!

The other two boats catch up and pass Ged as the boys jeer at him ... they are zigzagging forward as the boys struggle to master the art of magewind direction.

ETHAN: (laughing)

What happened SparrowHawk, did you break wind?

MASTER WINDKEY:

I'd say you've neglected your magewind, lad!

GED:

Dragonlord? Are there any dragonlord's left?

MASTER WINDKEY:

Lad, let's get your sail back up, this lesson isn't about dragons ... it's about sailing with wizardry.

Ged puts up his hand and the wind picks up nicely into his sail, and the boat darts off again and very rapidly zooms through the middle of the other two zigzagging boats.

MASTER WINDKEY:

Well done, lad ... you are learning to sail very quickly … (scratches his chin looking at Ged), so I'll tell you a bit more. A dragonlord is a human that Dragons will speak to ... of course Dragons only speak the Old Speech so you have to learn more than a few words before you can speak with them.

Ged is listening, clearly intrigued.

GED:

And how do we do that?

MASTER WINDKEY:

Dragons are very dangerous, lad. They can tear you into pieces with a single swipe. Mages speak to dragons only when they must ... and even then in peril of their lives!

Ged looks at him as if remembering something.

MASTER WINDKEY:

(Master Windkey points North to cliff way off in the distance .. barely discernible is a white lighthouse/tower that juts out of the cliff ... there is snow nearby )

When you go visit Old Kurremkurrek ..., the Master Namer, you'll learn the names of most basic things in the Old Speech .. There are books on DragonLore back in the main library, and Old Kurremkurrek has some as well ...they were written by the dragonlords of long ago... Ah but enough about dragons ... we have sailing to do today.

Master Windkey says a few words and puts his hand up and all the boats come to a standstill a few hundred yards from KurrekKurrek's tower.

MASTER WINDKEY:

Well done, lads! Next, I'm going to summon a wind from the south and you'll have to sail into the wind, which is a little more difficult. You have to be sure that your magewind doesn't lose all of its energy from the southerly wind ...

We hear him continue talking to the boys as we pan out and see the boats start to move south but are suddenly stalled by his counter wind. We pan out further and see these three boats, tiny specks against he enormity of the cliffs of Roke and the open sea beyond.

INT/EXT. VERANDA.

Ged is sitting with the Master Hand under a veranda at twilight. It is chilly out and the snow is beginning to fall. There is a small table with a candle and other objects next to them. They are both wearing warm cloaks. The Master Hand is a kindly old man …

MASTER HAND:

Winter is coming early this year (looks out at the snow), SparrowHawk. The snow won’t stay this time … but . you should leave soon with some of the younger boys to see the Master Namer. Before this winter’s through, you’ll be talking like a dragon, lad! (smiles)

GED:

Yes, but I have a question before I go.

Master Hand smiles and waits for the question. Ged picks up a pebble from the ground.

GED: (frowning)

Master Hand, you have taught me many illusions … how to make this pebble look like a fly … or … a piece of seedcake … or … some charcoal … or even .. a diamond

(As Ged says each of these, he waves his other hand over the pebble and it changes shape to each of the things he describes, ending up as a diamond that is glittering).

Master Hand smiles, looking at the diamond.

MASTER HAND:

Yes, and well done … you’ve come far, lad, and have mastered each of these illusions.

GED: (frustrated)

But that’s just it! They’re mere illusions! Tricks! Knowing one, you pretty much know them all. But … as soon as you stop doing the spell, it changes back!

Master Hand stops smiling.

GED:

I want to know how can I make this diamond stay a diamond … without turning back to a rock. How do I do true magic?

Master Hand grabs the diamond from Ged.

MASTER HAND:

True, this is a rock, or tolk in the Old Speech. No matter what illusion you put on it, its essence remains that of a rock. Tolk.

(As he says Tolk, the diamond turns back into a pebble.)

MASTER HAND:

In order to truly change this into a diamond, you would have to change its true nature, its true name … and you would have to do it from now until the end of time.

Ged is silent with anticipation.

MASTER HAND:

But if you did that, you would have changed a part of the world, lad. And you can’t do that without knowing about its consequences! You would have tipped the Equilibrium of all of EarthSea, and this is not to be done lightly.

GED: (growing impatient)

Consequences? What consequences?

MASTER HAND: (smiling)

Rocks aren’t bad things, lad! Imagine if all of the islands of EarthSea were made of diamond! We would be in trouble, wouldn’t we? Our feet might end up scratched!

(Ged is not smiling but is becoming impatient. Master Hand sighs and stops smiling.)

MASTER HAND:

SparrowHawk, If you change a raincloud into a normal cloud where does the water go?

GED:

Where does it go? I’m not sure.

MATER HAND:

If we have calm seas here in Roke, it might mean a dreadful storm out in the Reaches! People might die from that storm. Crops might die in drought. This is what we mean by Equilibrium … everything is related to everything else and is set in a perfect balance and harmony.

If you change one thing, then the things around that thing are affected as well and you have to understand those consequences before you change a single thing …even something as small as this pebble can affect the overall Equilibrium, do you understand?

GED: (frustrated, and gets up to leave)

Press a mage for his secrets and all he does is go on and on about Equilibrium! Don’t they teach any true Wizardry at this place??

MASTER HAND:

SparrowHawk, we don’t go on and on for no reason at all. Once you’re ready, when you’re a sorcerer, you too will learn the true spells of changing … from the Master Changer … but you must be careful … Until then, stick to illusion lad, it’s much safer!

Master Hand gives the pebble back to Ged, who gets up and turns to go, unsatisfied.

MASTER HAND: (stares at him very sternly)

SparrowHawk, listen to me … this is very important … (Ged turns to him; the Master Hand waves his hand and the candle on the table lights up and we close in on the candle and its shadow) … Always remember this … To light a candle is to cast a shadow …

The shadow from the candle grows as part of the fade out …

INT. ROKE CORRIDOR.

Ged is leaving the room with a dissatisfied look on his face and as he walks, he encounters Jasper.

JASPER:

You look gloomy. (smiling) What’s the matter, SparrowHawk, did your juggling charms go wrong?

GED:

Everything here is mere illusion. The only real magic I’ve learned is summing the werelight and the magewind … everything else is mere foolishery!

JASPER: (delighted)

Even foolery is dangerous … in the hands of a fool …!

Ged gives him a nasty look as if ready to fight him but Jasper is simply smiling down at him. Ged huffs away into the darkness.

EXT. ROKE ISLAND FOREST - AFTERNOON

Ged is walking, clad in his cloak, his hood pulled over his head, he is heaving under the strenousness of the journey so far. The snow is falling lightly and the afternoon sun is hiding behind the gray somewhere.

Ged is following a small path, barely marked, with trees and bushes on either side. He sees that the path is starting to wind upwards and decides to sit down for a rest. He sits cross-legged with his back against a big tree, still shielding himself from the falling snow, and takes a few deep breaths.

Suddenly he hears a very faint “squeak”, and sits up. He pulls down his hood and locates a small squirrel-like creature hiding behind a nearby tree, the OTAK. The otak’s eyes are yellow and it is furry.

Ged smiles as the Otak stares into his eyes. He takes a piece of bread out of his pocket and holds out his hand … the otak slowly moves forward.

GED:

Well hello there …You’re a cute little otak, aren’t you? How are you?

Otak squeaks slightly.

GED:

Yes, it’s very cold, isn’t it … how do you survive out here all by yourself?

Otak squaks again and works his way to Ged’s hand and takes the piece of bread that he his holding out. Ged smiles as the otak munches on the bread. The snow is still falling and it is pitch dark out.

GED:

Well, now what good is learning all this wizardry if we can’t use it to protect two weary travelers from the falling snow, isn’t that right otak?

The squirrel cuddles up to his leg, clearly searching for warmth as the wind starts to blow the snow away.

Ged holds up his hand and says a few magic words … he then extends his hands in the air a few feet in front of him, a few feet to either side, and touches the trunk of the tree. Suddenly the snow works its way around the invisble cube that Ged has drawn with his hands … as if there was a force field to protect against it.

Ged walks into the snow, leaving the otak in the protected area, and grabs a few sticks and brings them back inside the force field. He leans back and says a magic word, lighting one of the sticks and creating a small fire.

The otak snuggles up to his leg again, inching toward the fire. Ged warms his hands and settles back to take an afternoon nap, comfortable in the warmth of his fire and finally free from the snowstorm that is starting to pick up all around him.

INT. THE ISOLATE TOWER EVENING.

We are in a small, round room with an old window, a wooden door, a few small desks strewn about.. The walls (other than the window and the door) are lined with old books. At the front of the room is a large, wooden chair, and a wooden podium. In the large wooden chair is an old man, Kurrmkurrek, the Master Namer, who has a long white beard and eyes that hold both wisdom and fierceness. The Master Namer is writing with a feather quill onto a sheet of paper that is on the podium. There is a small fireplace blazing.

Suddenly we hear footsteps, climbing stairs outside the little room … the stamping of feet that have been out in the snow. The door opens and we see Ged, walk in, still stamping the snow out of his feet, with the otak in his pocket peeking his head out.

KURREMKURREK: (without looking up)

So there you are at last, lad!

GED:

Master, I have come to study the old names … but I got caught in a snowstorm … it’s been three days since I left the school.

KURREMKURREK:

Yes, I know …well here is your first lesson. (K. holds up the sheet of paper and hands it to him).

GED: (upset and storming over to K.)

But Master! I haven’t eaten at all today, and I’m bone tired … I had hoped to rest tonight and start my lessons in the morning.

KURRMEKURREK:

Lad, you don’t have the luxury of choosing when a name will be revealed to you … or when the chance to find that name has passed. (he holds up a sheet of paper). Yes you are tired, but a wizard may be bone tired and called upon to cast a spell that requires knowledge of the names you will learn here.

GED: (looking at the paper)

What are these? I can barely read this!

KURREMKURREK:

These are the true names of every bay, rock, and inlet on Roke island.

Ged looks confused and strains to read the silvery writing. K. picks up a candle near him and holds it up to the paper.

KURREMKURREK:

Listen, now, lad … they say you are a quick one. Well, in another three hours the ink that I wrote with will disappear … you have to learn these names before you sleep tonight. (Ged looks incredulously upset).

There will be more names tomorrow (k. points around to the books on the walls) and the day after that there are more names….

GED:

But … can’t I have some food first?

KURREMKURREK: (sighs and looks into Ged’s eyes)

Listen, SparrowHawk, Ged, this is the most important part of your training. Everything in EarthSea has a name …When you have finished the lesson, you shall have bread.

GED:

Wait a minute! How did you know my true name?

KURREMKURREK:

SparrowHawk is known all around the island, boy! Now don’t waste time with foolish questions … the ink will dry and disappear soon …

GED:

Not SparrowHawk … you called me by my true name, Ged? Only Ogion and I know that name … how did you …?

KURREMKURREK: (smiles)

Ged, I am the Master Namer. The highest art of wizardry is to discover the essence of a thing or a person … that essence is in their true name …

GED: (walks around suspiciously, trying to work it out)

Perhaps Ogion sent a bird to communicate with you?

KURREMKURREK: (continuing and ignoring Ged’s last comment)

Everything in EarthSea, every sea, every lake, every tree, every rock, every person has a true name in the Old Speech. The key to unlocking the essence of a thing is to know its name. Everything has a name … this Otak you are carrying, it is Hoeg in the old speech. Even dragons, even you and I have true names … (looks directly at him) Isn’t that so, Ged?

GED: (holding up the paper)

This paper … this is just rote memorization … but how did you … ? (his eyes light up)

Can you teach me to find out the name of a person or a thing? That’s true magic indeed!

KURREMKURREK: (smiles and hands him a piece of bread from a basket that is sitting underneath his chair).

By the springtime, you’ll have learned plenty … (laughs) … … but this process of learning names … never ends … The number of names in the Archipelago … that Segoy raised from the sea are infinite …that’s what it means to be a true wizard.

The candle flickers on Ged’s face as he opens his mouth to speak but stops as he notices the shadows on the sheer number of books arranged on the walls all around him.

EXT. OUTSIDE THE ISOLATE TOWER. DAY

We zoom in on the tower from the outside, in particular to a little window about ¾ of the way up the tower. Inside we see Ged sitting at one of the small tables, dozens of books spread out across little tables and on the floor. He is clearly at work learning the names that the master namer is teaching him.

The sun sinks and night arrives and still we see Ged studying, this time by candlelight. Fade Out.

INT/EXT. COURTYARD EVENING.

It is an evening in the summer and a great festival is going on at the school of Roke. There is music playing, a rarity for the island, and boys are running around having a grand old time. We close in on a courtyard (a different courtyard than the archmage’s) within the large school complex. This courtyard is much larger than the archmage’s courtyard, and has a floor of grass and a few trees planted therein.

There are six or seven boys there, and music is coming from some other part of the great school. Vetch and Jasper are there, both dressed in the blue cloaks of sorcerers with a silver clasp, and the other are prentices, including Ged, dressed in yellow cloaks.

One boy is creating werelights and sending them across to the others of the group. There is a tree nearby that looks like it has Christmas decorations on it, but they’re all werelights.

Vetch is sitting up above everyone else, floating above the courtyard, eating a drumstick of chicken. Two younger boys are trying to catch him, but he floats up above them whenever they get close. There is a table with more food and drink nearby.

Two younger boys are playing catch with a blue and a red ball of light. The atmosphere is festive.

Vetch finishes a drumstick, speaks to it, and it turns into an owl, which he sends flying up around the courtyard.

Ged is sitting on the ground with two other boys, and creates an arrow of silvery light with his fingertips and sends it off after the owl. It hits the owl and the owl turns back into a drumstick and falls back. The younger boys are giggling at this game.

Jasper is sitting nearby, cross-legged and dignified, with Ethan and one or two boys around him.

Vetch calls another drumstick to him and starts to eat. Ged is smiling and says a few words and starts to float up to Vetch. Just as he reaches him he begins to sink. In order to stay afloat, he starts to wave his arms as wings and slowly rises up in the courtyard. The boys that were trying to catch Vetch can easily catch Ged and he is playing with them.

Jasper scoffs.

JASPER:

The SparrowHawk that can’t fly!

GED: (smiling)

Is Jasper a precious stone? O jewel of Havnor, sparkle for us?

Ged holds out his hand and sends a stream of sparkles which gather around Jasper like a sparkled crown.

Jasper brushes the sparkles away with a gesture.

JASPER:

I am tired of boys and noise and foolishness!

LOBDELL: (smiling, and eating some chicken)

If silence and gloom is what you want, you could try the tower! Old Kurremkurrek will welcome you! (the other younger boys laugh)

VETCH: (still munching on another drumstick)

You’re getting middle aged, that’s all, lad!

GED:

What is you want, then, O precious stone?

JASPER: (clearly annoyed)
I want the company of my equals. (Jasper gets up to leave). Come on, Vetch, let’s leave the prentices to their toys and games!

GED:

(flys in front of Jasper as if heading him off, in a steely, challenging tone)
Jasper, what do sorcerers have that prentices lack?

The other boys all grow suddenly quiet. We hear the music, now softer, still in the distance. The boys can see that something is coming to a head between these two.

JASPER:

For one thing, Goatherd, we have Power! Now out of my way.

GED: (eyes ice cold, voice with a steely confidence)

I’ll match your power act for act!

JASPER: (incredulous, looking around)

You challenge me?

GED:

I challenge you.

VETCH: (coming down in between them)

Stop this! Both of you know that duels of sorcery are forbidden to us!

The courtyard is still silent, Jasper and Ged are still looking at each other. The music has faded and is more distant. The werelights have all disappeared. There is still a fire in the courtyard whose flames are glistening off of Ged’s eyes.

JASPER: (laughs)

I think, Vetch, that you’d better remind your goatherd friend of the law that protects him! Does he really think that I’d accept a challenge from him! From a fellow who smells of goats and doesn’t even know the first law of changing! (laughs again, and turns to walk out of the courtyard).

GED:

Jasper, what do you know of what I know?

Jasper and Vetch turn to Ged but he is no longer there. Instead a falcon, extremely large and looking curiously like Ged, is floating in the air, flapping its wings, causing a wind to blow on the cloaks and faces of Vetch and Jasper.

Jasper takes a step back, then smiles in a disdainful way and raises his hand to dismiss the image.

JASPER: (waving his hand)
Illusion!

The falcon is still there, flapping its wings as before. A gasp arises from one of the other boys.

VETCH: (frowning)

That is no illusion … that’s a true change …Enough, both of you, listen …

Ged appears again, standing where the falcon was.

JASPER: (getting angry but hiding it with his polite voice)

Enough to prove that he snuck behind the master changer’s back to look at the spells of changing? Ha! I like this trap you’re setting for yourself, goatherd! The more you try to be my equal, the more you show yourself for what you are!

VETCH turns to Ged.

VETCH:

Sparrowhawk, will you be a man and stop this now, before it gets too far.

GED: (to vetch as he hands him the otak)

Keep the otak for me a little while, Vetch. (turning to Jasper, who is walking away), Now, Jasper, what will you do to prove that you are my superior?

JASPER:

(laughs again, this time with a look of worry on his face and a false bravado)

I don’t have to do anything, prentice! I’ve already been made a sorcerer! (walks over to Ged). But I will do this out of pity for you, goatherd! Envy eats at you like a worm in an apple, while you try to prove you’re my equal! Let’s let out the worm. Once, over a year ago, on Roke Knoll you boasted that Gontish wizards don’t play games!

Come to Roke Knoll and show us what they do instead? And if it’s impressive enough, afterwards, I’ll show the boys a little true magic.

Vetch tries to intervene again.

JASPER:

Vetch, don’t worry, I have this under control. Your goatherd friend won’t know what hit him.

GED:

Yes, I should like to see some true magic. What would you like me to do, Jasper, O precious stone?

JASPER: (shrugs)

Summon up a spirit of the dead for all I care!

GED:

I will.

JASPER: (angry)

You will not! You boast and boast! You cannot!

GED: (smiling)

By my name, I can, and I will. Whose spirit shall I call up, Jasper?

Jasper is silent but filled with rage.

GED: (still smiling)

How about the princess Elfarren? You wouldn’t be afraid of a woman, now would you?

Ged walks out of the courtyard summoning Jasper and the rest to follow him. A murmur erupts from the boys as they follow him.

EXT. ROKE CITY , twilight

The contingent walks through the city to the hill. Only boys from the school follow along, each of them with a little werelight over them.

EXT. ROKE HILL, sun has set, there is still a little light showing.

Jasper and Ged face each other in this sorcerer's duel. Vetch tries to stop them from doing this.

Ged starts to recall the spell that he had seen in Ogion's book, now that he knows what all of the runes mean.

The wind starts to blow ...and clouds appear out of nowhere above ... We hear harsh, evil whispering and a darkness starts to seep out from the hill.

Jasper goads Ged on by saying this is "only an illusion". Vetch tries to stop them, but when they don't listen he runs back toward the school.

The darkness grows and all the boys are silent, even Jasper gets the feeling that something is wrong. Ged is entranced and doesn't seem to be able to stop himself ...

GED: (gesturing)

Elfarren, come forth from the land of the dead!

The whispering gets louder and a sense of terror and dread is all around .. the boys start to retreat knowing that something is wrong. Even Jasper looks worried as he covers his face as if he’s being blinded.

VETCH: (covering his face as if he's being blinded as well)

SparrowHawk, you must stop this ...

But it is too late. Ged is no longer in control of himself.

EXT. BOUNDARY BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH. NIGHT.

We see from Ged's point of view, he is back on the BOUNDARY BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH (see description earlier), the enormous grassy hillside underneath a pale cold night sky. The wall of stones extends into infinity in either direction and beyond the wall, the hill descends rapidly into darkness.

There is a figure approaching him from the other side of the little wall. It is surrounded by white light ... a woman ... with a beautiful face... It is the face of Princess Elfarren...

Suddenly, Ged sees a dark shadow appear behind the figure of the woman. The woman stops in her tracks. The shadow comes in between the wall and the woman, looking out at Ged. Ged speaks a few more words. Elfarren looks down and turns around back into the land of the Dead. The shadow jumps over the wall and lunges toward Ged.

EXT. ROKE KNOLL.

We are suddenly back on Roke Hill. There is a darkness appearing directly in front of Ged, a rip in space.

The rip grows and darkness oozes out … into the shape of an animal, crouching on the hill. Then we realize that it's not the shape of an animal, it's the shape of a man crouching on all fours.

Thunder and lightning are in the sky. The wind has picked up. The whispering is very loud. Everyone is frozen with fright.

The dark shadow jumps onto Ged and attaches its claws into Ged's face and the two of them are wrestling on the floor. We hear Ged's voice briefly:

GED: (muffled, as he is fighting the shadow)

Help, get this thing off me! Vetch! Jasper!

Suddenly the outline of a man appears, climbing Roke Knoll, holding a staff with a blinding light on the tip. As he approaches, we see that it is Nemmerle, the Archmage.

Nemmerle holds up the light to see what is happening. The dark shadow is now fully attached to Ged's body and Ged is lying on the floor fending it off. Nemmerle says a few words and the light streams out from his staff and strikes the shadow. The shadow detaches from Ged's lifeless face.

It stands and stares at Nemmerle, who says a few more words and holds up his staff, with light streaming. The shadow looks at the dark rip in space, but runs in the the other direction, down Roke Knoll and into the night at an amazing speed. The rip closes.

When the light of the staff dims, we see that Ged is now face down and the shadow is no longer there. Nemmerle looks around and catches the shadow at the edge of the hill. He gets up to chase it but we see it disappear into Roke City...

Nemmerle kneels in front of Ged, and turns him over. A gasp comes from the assembled crowd of boys. Ged's face and throat are bloody with scars from the attack and his eyes are clenched tight. Nemmerle touches Ged's heart and forehead with the top of his staff and whispers a few words.

Nemerlee takes a deep breath, leaning on his staff for support and looks around at the group of assembled boys. We see a close-up of a tall, skinny boy in the center of the group, it is Jasper, clearly shaken.

Nemmerle falls onto his knees, still leaning on his staff, his eyes closed. The energy has left his body. Everyone is silent. It is dark. Nemmerle collapses.