Zodiac Story

Let The Golden Orange Rays Guide You To Your Destiny Part 1

The sweet symphony of sonorous swords rang through the air as the two duelists, locked in mortal combat, prepared for the end of hostilities.

"Alberto, you cowardly wretch, scourge of Milano, despoiler of Liguria, villain of Firenze, prepare to meet the inferno below!"

"No, it is not I who shall perish today, but you Lorenzo! Your honour has brought upon you naught but sorrow! Why, here you are in only rags and a dull sword!"

"Fortune has forsaken me, but my ideals ring true, even if you can not see it. Your deceit and deception shall fall before my blade, and I shall have what is mine."

"Never!"

The two continued their immortal conflict with renewed fervour, their faces contorted into a rage as they focused their efforts on penetrating their opponent's defences. With each blow parried, the fighters were at a standstill, each unable to advance their position. As soon as one thrusted, the other countered. All the while, a young woman sat helplessly as she watched the two battling. Eventually, the villain was slain, his body pierced through by his enemy's blade and spurting blood from his ghastly wound. The victor cast away the blade and rushed to the woman's side.

"Oh, Maria! How you must have suffered at his side!"

"It is nothing, Lorenzo. As long as you are here, nothing shall daunt me."

They both stared longingly into each other's eyes.

"Cut!"

Before the kiss? That was the best part about the scene. She moved in anyway.

"I said cut! Signora Agosti!"

She broke away from the kiss. Nico removed the retractable blade from his chest, dusting himself off and taking off his shirt coated with fake blood. The director, Antonio, had his face marred by an ugly scowl.

"This is my production! When I say cut, that means to stop what you are doing!"

"Ah yes, this is your production! Do you remember who asked for this scene to be changed?" She respected the director's position and role as sole crafter of an artistic vision, but she was glad he changed it. Poor Giulia though, she was already overworked with her secretary job and now doing an emergency rewrite for the script wasn't helping matters.

"The earlier scene was more dramatic! More zeal, more tension, more passion! The might of man against the savagery of beasts! A lone wolf fighting against a trial by nature!" Antonio shouted with his arms flailing wildly.

"Truly, it would have been a testimony for the ages! A magnificent indie director set for the Palme d'Or! But at what cost? On the backs of those under his creative watch? I would want no part in any film steeped in its actors' blood, nor can I condone those that sully themselves in the blood of unwilling participants!" she yelled back, barely missing her co-star's face with her gesticulating motions.

"True emotion and feeling must be extracted from authenticity, and no computer can capture that rawness! Lorenzo's fortitude and strength could not be wrought from any lesser actor, nor could Alberto's crafty and two-faced nature be brought forth underneath those of a lesser quality!" His swinging fists nearly hit the cameraman, Vittorino, who dived to the floor to escape them.

"Chiara's right. Listen Antonio, I've worked under you for ten years now, but that sequence would've taxed any actor. Not to mention, most directors stopped using live animals anymore," Nico interjected. "I respect your vision, but she has a point."

"You see now! Even your protege, the one you've watched from young man to mature actor agrees with me! I have always been a supporter of the performing arts and the desire for realism, but that was too far!" Clearly, her ideas were much better.