(LOW, EERIE MUSIC) MAN IN DISTANCE: Feel... ..the energy between the two hands. Lotus. Then quiet. Put your focus on the polarity... Where are you? (STUDENTS GRUNT) -I'm here. -(STUDENTS GRUNT) But I should be out there. MAN: You must master this before you train with the others. What does it matter? I need to destroy demons, not write them love letters. Which is why you are the head of the palace guard. But you need to learn the ancient language. It is a privilege given only to the gods. I know the human language. I'll never need this. Never have, never will. You are unique, Monkey. That is why we brought you to the academy. We must take our time. -We do not yet... -Understand my potential. Master, why do you keep this if no-one ever wears it? A memory of the days before gods understood that we do not need a king. TRIPITAKA: Monkey? Monkey! Wake up. Help him! SHAMAN: I warned him not to go so deep. We will never get him back. (TRIPITAKA PANTS) Monkey, please! Wake up! www.able.co.nz Captions were made with the support of NZ On Air. Able 2018 Late. Couldn't get your hair right? (CHUCKLES) You're not exactly run off your feet. What's the rush? (STUDENTS APPLAUD IN DISTANCE) Hear that? The Master's teaching his signature combination tonight. I've got my own tricks. Best be on your toes. It's out there. The demons are watching. They're gathering and they will come for us. Really beating a path to the gate. Hope I can handle it. (GRUNTS DISMISSIVELY) Just do your job. Thank you, all, for coming. I know, it's hard to believe that there was a time when my greatness wasn't appreciated. (CHUCKLES) A time when many didn't understand the importance of hitting a rock... ..with a stick. (ROCK WHOOSHES) (CHEERS) (STUDENTS APPLAUD IN DISTANCE) MASTER: The Tall Son. The first of the Three Son combination. MASTER: Now something a little trickier. The Dizzy Son. (WHOOSHING) The Angry Son. (WHOOSHING) And now begin. (STUDENTS GRUNT IN UNISON) MASTER: Keep your balance. Mind your form. -And again. -(STUDENTS GRUNT) Channel your power. (METAL CLANKS) (DEMON HISSES) The Tall Son. -(GROWLS) -The Dizzy Son. -Agh! The Angry Son. I like to call this one the Heavy Son. -Yaa! -(DEMON SCREECHES) Ahhh! (CHUCKLES) A little twist on an old favourite. I think we can all agree, it was perfect. (CHUCKLES) Grateful lot, aren't you? How did the demon get through the gate? We will speak about this at the assembly. You are dismissed. (BIRD CALLS) (PEOPLE CHATTER) (STONE THUDS) (GRUNTS) Agh! Ahhh! You got me in the eye. MONKEY: Come on, Davari. You can't fool me. Oh, I'm serious, man. Whoa, I can see two of you, and you're both ugly. (DAVARI GRUNTS) Oh, come on. God versus human. No, not now, Davari. -What? -Not now. Yeah, trouble in Godland? What's wrong with a warrior being a warrior? You know, you don't try and turn it into something it's not. It's like you don't take a peach and turn it into an apple. What if they want you to be both? A peach and an apple? A papple? You know what is both? A master. Yeah, a master is a little bit of everything. Yeah. Hey. Hey, hey. You don't think they're training me to become a master, do you? What else? Oh. You left your post, inviting danger into the palace. This is the seat of the power of the gods, home of the Sacred Scrolls. As head of the guard, it is your responsibility to protect the palace. If you cannot accept that responsibility, then perhaps you should be relieved of it. Now that you mention it, I've been thinking. I'd like to step down. MASTER: Oh. And what role would best suit your talents? You can speak freely. I think we both know. So share it with us. The private lessons, the talk of my potential. I am to be a master, and I accept. I am a little early, but that's the plan, eventually, isn't it? Isn't it? (SCOFFS) A master must bring out the best in those that they teach. If you can bring out the flower bloom of this bud, then you will prove all you need. That's easy. (CLEARS THROAT) The first time a student. The second, a master. (CHUCKLES) Of course. More force, more magic, more Monkey. (WHOOSHING) Ugh! (MONKEY PANTS) I have failed you. I did not give you the guidance that you needed. Forgive me. Why are they trying to hold you back? The guards must be jealous of you to be trying to control you like this. Well, they can have all of it. I don't belong here. When I go home, I'm going to make my own kingdom. You're leaving Jade Mountain? No, no, this is where you need to be. This is the centre of the world. What's the point in coming here if you leave with nothing? They belittle you. They look down on you. When if you wanted to, you could destroy them all. You are a king. And you deserve a crown. You've been a good friend, Davari. The only one, really. TRIPITAKA: Monkey, can you hear me? Come back, please. We won't leave without you. Oh, they've invited their little friends. They're not little. Especially that one. He's massive. (WARRIORS GRUNT AND SNORT) -SANDY: What do you want? -RAXION: Huh? We want you. And we've gotcha! I'm not sure what I should do. Well, think of something! Anything. (CHANTS) Na ninekah alookah enumbah kudantai calaporeekah. Na ninekah alookah enumbah... DAVARI: ..look down on you. When if you wanted to, you could destroy them all. You are a king. TRIPITAKA: Na ninekah alookah enumbah kudantai calaporeekah. Na ninekah alookah enumbah kudantai calaporeekah. Na ninekah alookah enumbah kudantai calaporeekah. Na ninekah alookah... You've been a good friend, Davari. -Monkey, we have to go! -The only one, really. TRIPITAKA: Alookah enumbah kudantai calaporeekah. Monkey? Can you hear me? Monkey, you have to find your way back. (PANTS) (TRIPITAKA CONTINUES CHANTING SOFTLY) (GASPS) Monkey? What was that? Was it real? Na ninekah alookah enumbah kudantai calaporeekah. (TRIPITAKA CONTINUES CHANTING SOFTLY) (MOMENTOUS MUSIC) MASTER: A crown does not make a king. I don't need your permission. You broke in here to steal the crown. That much is clear. Why did you bring me to join the gods? You knew I would fail. We made mistakes, but we can mend them. Who said I want to fix things? You are still here. -(HEAVY THUD, BONE CRUNCHES) -Ugh! -(GRUNTS, GURGLES) -MONKEY: Master? (SIZZLING) (TENSE MUSIC) Yaaa! -Yaaa! -Agh! (PANTS) Master? -(GROANS WEAKLY) -Master? I'll stay, Master. I'll stay. You'll recover and everything will be as it was, OK? It's too late, Monkey. I have seen this day coming. The demons, they've tasted blood. The Sacred Scrolls, they are coming for them. Take them and hide them well. Master... Master? Master! Mast... LIOR: What have you done? Murderer! -He has the Sacred Scrolls. -TRIPITAKA: He's innocent! -LIOR: Stop him! -GUARD: Hey! (MONKEY WHISTLES) You can't hide, traitor! We will never stop looking. (GRIM MUSIC) * (TRIPITAKA CONTINUES CHANTING SOFTLY) MONKEY: Master... (MONKEY BREATHES WEAKLY) ..forgive me. (MONKEY GASPS) Tripitaka... ..I'm lost. Help me. (WHISPERS) Help me. -(BREATHES HEAVILY) -TRIPITAKA: I will. I will. (CHANTS SOFTLY) Tripitaka? You can see me? (WEAPONS CLANK AND WHOOSH) Agh! Who are you? MONKEY: Tell me. The mask. You broke it. Follow the demon. (MEN HOLLER) -GUARD: Over here! -LIOR: Secure the chambers! (SOFTLY) Davari? No, it can't be. He's not a demon. MONKEY: As the Master wished, I scattered the scrolls to the corners of our world. They chased me and found me. Hauled me back to face trial for a crime I didn't commit. In the wild, where you were found, where the Master gave you kindness and mercy that you had not seen and did not deserve. There you will be punished. As you took the life and liberty of the Master, so shall your liberty be taken from you. Your prison will be one not of quiet contemplation, but of permanent exile. Nothing. I had to do nothing. For the flower to open, all I needed was time. Your body will be frozen, your story will be forgotten. The world will consume you. This was never forged to damage gods. (WOMAN CHANTS) Na ninekah alookah enumbah kudantai calaporeekah. (WOMAN AND CROWD CHANT) Na ninekah alookah enumbah kudantai calaporeekah. Na ninekah alookah enumbah kudantai... Na ninekah alookah enumbah kudantai calaporeekah. Na ninekah alookah enumbah kudantai... The demons! They're here. (CROWD GASPS) We're under attack. (EERIE GROWLING AND HISSING) (CROWD CLAMOURS) (CHANTS SOFTLY) (GASPS) Did you see? The demons were waiting. The gods didn't have a chance. It was the beginning of dark times. Without you, the gods were weak. -That was Davari's plan. -He used me. -Problem? -The monk. He just spoke the ancient language. -(SANDY GRUNTS) -But the monk is human. And a human mind is very, very easy to exploit. -Weapon up! You're going in! -(DEMONS GRUNT) Err, excuse me. Hey, I'm sure you're having profound feelings at the moment, but we're about to be attacked by some very angry-looking warriors. (WARRIORS GROWL) (WHOOSHING) (LOW, TENSE MUSIC) Shaman, do some shaman magic on them! I was betrayed. The demon made a fool... -Destroy him! -(SHOUTS) ..of me! -(STAFF WHOOSHES) -(WARRIORS GRUNT) -What's he doing? -Ugh! Argh! Are we winning? (WARRIORS GRUNT) -Oh! -Argh! I...think not. (HEAVY THUD) (EXCITING MUSIC) Stop. Stop! You must not break the seal! You will contaminate the spaces and destroy everything. MONKEY: Don't worry. You won't be around long enough to see it. SHAMAN: Then I'll kill us all and we will all suffer the same fate, Monkey King. -You want to play catch? -Monkey, no. I know what it does. It destroyed my home and it swallowed everything. (ORB WHINES) Monkey, please, trust me. We have to go. Monkey! Shaman, make your move or we're cooked. TRIPITAKA: Leave it, Monkey! Fight him another day. (SIGHS) If we weren't already dead, we are now. We had the Monkey King, and we let him escape. We have found something far more valuable than broken gods - a human who knows the language of the scrolls. The monk is the one we need. (DRAMATIC MUSIC) www.able.co.nz Captions were made with the support of NZ On Air.