"a powerful kingdom called Akkad. held sway over all the neighboring tribes." "Bound by their code of honor to fight and die to the last man they became prized as the personal bodyguards of princes and emperors." "Most renowned among the Black Scorpions was Ashur." "Ashur refused to allow the boy to compete for the honor of joining the Black Scorpions." "I must follow my faith and I forbid you to go to the games tomorrow." "You think it's all honor and glory." "it's not." "I've done some things that were not noble." "my son." "Mathayus paid no heed to his father's warnings." "You 24 boys are here to show your skills in the art of fighting." "Only 12 of you will be chosen to move ahead and train for six long years to become the pinnacle of a warrior." "A Black Scorpion!" "Ready!" "Advance to combat!" "Show some mettle if you want to be Scorpions." "Mercy is weakness!" "Layla?" "Mathayus?" "I thought your father" "I snuck out." "You're crazy." "I'm crazy?" "I can fight as well as any boy." "really?" "Prove it!" "Hold!" "Girls are forbidden from the games." "Leave her alone!" "Little vermin!" "Get him!" "Get him back here!" "Where do you think you're going?" "You dare dishonor the games by interfering?" "Lay a hand on him and you won't live to regret it." "Arm yourself." "I'm not in the mood for killing today." "Father!" "Arrest them both!" "And the girl." "Wait!" "King Hammurabi! the commander of your armies." "Sargon." "But Ashur has earned himself some forbearance." "My Lord." "As always." "And you may repay it by sending your boy to the Scorpions for training. he'll serve the nation well." "You will pay for this." "I promise." "had always resented Ashur's fame." "his hatred knew no bounds." "Father!" "Father!" "Mathayus knew in his heart who had done this to his father." "He vowed to master the ways of the warrior." "You fight like a woman." "Six years had passed." "and he returned a man." "much had changed while he was gone. shield and shaft." "You have trained hard." "Some have fallen by the wayside." "Those who yet stand before me the Order of the Black Scorpions." "Go forth proudly to wherever your king may send you." "Fight nobly!" "Bring gold to our nation's coffers and honor to your family names!" "Mom!" "Look at you." "You're a man now!" "I barely recognized you." "Mathayus!" "Mathayus!" "Mathayus!" "Noah!" "rock stew?" "too." "He eats Enki's portions as well as his own." "Where is Enki?" "Why didn't he come?" "He ran away from home last year." "He's left to find his fortune." "He'll be back." "look at the proud new Black Scorpion." "Layla." "I can take you on and don't you forget it." "Does that sting?" "Only if you dare touch it." "All turn and hail your king!" "Present King Sargon!" "I heard rumors." "You heard the truth." "Hammurabi's death was no accident." "Sargon killed him." "Such talk is dangerous." "Careful with your words." "Sire." "You look familiar." "Do I know you?" "Sire." "Ashur was his father." "Ah." "Your father was a skillful warrior and a patriot." "I trust you will honor his memory." "Send him to the palace later." "I may have a special assignment for him." "You call yourself a fighter?" "Get up!" "You better show me some skills." "Is that all you've got?" "You're nothing." "Don't just stand there." "Come to me." "There's no place for timidity now that the scorpion rides on your shoulder." "You're wondering about their tattoos." "One for each man they've slain." "wouldn't you?" "yes." "We all deserve to die." "The only question is in what manner and how soon. it'll be your job to insure that you die long before I do." "Your personal bodyguard?" "Mathayus. your king." "Show him what I mean." "Hail Sargon!" "Mathayus?" "I Sire." "Good." "Then riches and glory will be yours." "betray me even once and you will pray to the gods for a quick death." "We'll talk again in the morning." "Pick one for the night." "Or two or three." "Don't wear yourself out." "Or three." "I hear you're quite the swordsman." "I hope." "Mathayus." "Bring in the prisoner." "He was overheard slandering my name." "And the punishment is death." "Wait." "But this is my I know. you prove your loyalty to me beyond a shadow of a doubt." "I'll permit you to make it quick." "Mathayus!" "I'm sorry." "Is this true?" "Did you slander the king?" "Mathayus!" "Please!" "Answer me!" "Are the charges true?" "Yes." "Then you deserve what's coming to you." "but your family as well." "And you've disgraced our father's name." "don't flinch." "Noah!" "I said run!" "No!" "Go." "We stand and fight together." "behind you!" "You killed my father." "This is for him." "Your father was a traitor." "As are his sons." "Turnabout's fair play." "Let's go!" "Out the window." "Kill them!" "come on!" "Come back!" "Stop!" "Go!" "Go!" "Hold on!" "what's wrong?" "Just hold on." "We're almost safe." "Noah." "What's wrong?" "What's wrong?" "Noah!" "Noah!" "Hang on!" "Hang on!" "Noah!" "Noah!" "Noah. vengeance had branded itself in Mathayus' heart." "Shall we kill him now or bring him back alive?" "Neither." "I have special plans for this one." "You idiot!" "Now I'm gonna stink of fish for the next week." "What are you doing here?" "And I hate mackerel." "Next time I'll use tuna." "why are you following me around?" "I am not following you around." "too." "Muktil." "We're due to be married in a week." "Congratulations." "You think it's funny." "him or his sheep." "I just want a life of adventure." "And battle." "Like a man." "There's one small problem." "You're not a man." "Thanks for noticing." "Hey!" "I heard you tried to kill Sargon." "listen." "I will kill that bastard some day. and they've given him black magical powers." "You're gonna need all the help you can get." "but a girl would only get in the way." "I'm not just a girl." "we're not kids anymore playing games." "I see your Black Scorpion training also included lessons on how to become an arrogant jerk." "Congratulations on passing with flying colors." "Layla." "Make the sheep merchant's life miserable." "Fine!" "If that's how you want it." "You're on your own." "Fine." "Fine." "please." "Ten pieces." "Ticket to Egypt for one." "Ten pieces." "Ten?" "That's pretty steep." "Plus one for insurance. hostile natives and hurricanes." "Just the ticket." "Piracy has already started if you ask me." "Egypt." "For one." "Ten pieces." "Pardon me." "Excuse me." "Don't push in!" "What are you talking about?" "I left the line for 10 seconds to relieve my bladder." "Liar." "Greek." "I would caution you never to mix those two words together." "Cretin." "my good man." "Ten pieces." "Ticket." "You are following me." "Admit it. but not everything in the world happens because of you." "Then why are you going to Egypt?" "Because" "Everyone should go and see the pyramids once in their lives." "Why are you going to Egypt?" "Personal matters which don't concern you." "Don't play coy with me." "You know I'll get it out of you anyway." "All right." "My father once fought for the pharaoh's private guard and saved his life." "I'm going to ask if in return he'll let me borrow the Spear of Osiris to help me defeat Sargon." "The Pharaoh of Egypt is going to lend one of the most fabled weapons in history to a 19yearold kid he's never even heard of?" "I don't remember asking your opinion." "I'm afraid she's right." "It wouldn't work." "But mainly for the simple reason that the Spear of Osiris is only effective against Egyptian monsters." "sphinxes and cursed mummies." "And you know this how?" "Let's just say I'm well connected." "Really?" "And who are you exactly?" "Aristophanes of Naxos." "Not to be confused with the Aristophanes from Corinth." "That hack." "I speak 20 languages fluently and another 20 passably." "So if you need any translation services yes." "How did you learn about the Spear of Osiris?" "I am a poet and playwright by trade and sometimes a musician." "And was most recently court poet to the king of Elam." "Petty despot." "May he rot in the underworld for his lack of esthetic taste." "And learned of it from one of his high priests." "But you are thinking along the right path. one would require a potent weapon indeed." "Like?" "Let's see." "too unwieldy." "The Shield of Cronos." "That's completely discredited." "The Cloak of" "I've got it!" "The Sword of Damocles!" "The what?" "Damocles." "You know." "The one condemned to die a thousand deaths by the very hand of the sword that he used to kill King Philpman." "What do they teach you in Akkadian schools these days?" "Not to touch other men's swords." "Damocles' infamous sword was transformed by a lightning bolt from Zeus into a wondrous weapon whose blade could cut through anything." "Mortal or immortal." "And presented as a gift to the Queen of the Underworld." "You're saying this sword can cut through anything?" "please." "Anything." "And you know where this sword is? and that is saying plenty." "and you have a better idea." "Okay." "I've decided." "We're gonna continue on our journey to Knossos." "And you're gonna lead me to the Sword of Damocles." "such a journey would be fraught with perils." "The Underworld is a grim and dangerous place of condemned souls suffering unspeakable" "How much do you want?" "Exclusive rights to compose an epic ode of your quest for expenses." "Wait." "A hundred?" "it's a pittance." "A lady doesn't part with her dowry that easily." "Here we go." "I'm coming along." "Wait." "Forget it." "you will treat me with respect and as your equal." "your superior." "you will launder my undergarments daily in fresh rosewater." "you will bathe and rub my feet with olive oil once a day." "Don't push it." "Greek." "my sweet." "In case you get any funny ideas about losing us just remember this." "Akkadian women are just as handy with a dagger as Akkadian men. whose beauty makes even goddesses blush with envy." "save your flowery words for your scribblings. which is getting us into that." "Alive." "Of course." "Layla here might use her feminine wiles to distract the guards whilst we slip past them." "This I have to see." "isn't it?" "Concubines around back. isn't she?" "You should see her in a bad mood." "Hmm." "Guys!" "let's go." "These keys should get us into the palace." "But then we need to find the labyrinth." "The portal to the Underworld lies within the labyrinth." "Get down!" "Let's go." "Intruders in the palace!" "Stop them!" "Intruders!" "Hurry up." "Come on." "Come on." "I'm in!" "Come on!" "Come on!" "Ow!" "Watch your sword." "I think I've found something." "I think it's a lever." "don't touch that." "Are you all right?" "Yeah." "too." "Thank you." "Who are you people?" "Why are you imprisoned here?" "He says they are captives from many lands." "All brought here to be fed to the Minotaur." "The what?" "What do I expect from people who write on clay tablets?" "The Minotaur." "half bull." "A crazed monster whose appetite must be satisfied daily with human flesh. his reign will be secure and the people will prosper." "And you were going to tell us when?" "At the appropriate moment." "Speak up sooner next time." "We don't even know who this guy is." "Who will join me in battling this monster?" "You'd rather sit here in terror and squeeze out a few more wretched days of life than die fighting honorably for a chance at freedom?" "you are wasting your breath." "Most men are slaves to their fears." "Then it's the three of us." "I would just get in the way." "No doubt." "At least she came strapped." "Nice." "This way." "Stay behind me." "As you wish." "I've never heard those words from your mouth before." "are you?" "Don't be ridiculous." "You?" "Please." "Did you hear that?" "Yeah." "Which way is it?" "Let's go this way." "Okay." "That Akkadian looked familiar to me." "Who was his father?" "A famous mercenary named Ashur." "I was afraid of that." "Men." "Illyrian honor calls." "I was afraid of that." "I feel like we're going in circles." "Weren't we just here?" "What the hell is this?" "It smells like death." "What?" "What?" "Stay back." "Here." "Where are you going?" "Now I'm scared." "Let's go." "Now!" "Shouldn't we be following him?" "He's out of his mind." "Or not." "You've gotta be kidding me." "Layla!" "Ugly old slab of beef!" "Your mother was a cow!" "Don't worry." "It didn't go too deep." "A little higher up and you would have been in trouble." "A little higher up and you might be in trouble." "You'll be okay." "Wait here." "Your silence is praise enough." "That was you?" "Music has charms to soothe the savage beast." "that's good. but most grateful for your help." "It was a debt I owed your father." "We fought together in the war against the Hittites." "And he saved my life." "Your debt is repaid then." "men." "Where we're going we could use some brave fighters." "There's strength in numbers and great riches to be had." "Where?" "Tell him." "You tell him." "I'll tell him." "The Underworld." "the Underworld." "There's a portal inside the center of this labyrinth." "good luck to you." "No one has ever returned alive from that place." "Gilgamesh did it." "Never heard of him." "So did Herodotus." "So he claims." "Do you know what else he claims?" "When he visited the Underworld he saw with his own eyes diamonds and rubies to fill a thousand arenas." "He was literally crunching on a fortune with every step." "wouldn't be interested in such a hazardous journey as that taken by an old Greek historian." "a young Akkadian lad and a girl." "Greeks." "Greeks." "Okay." "Wait." "Why is he coming?" "I thought we could use the extra body." "I told him the Underworld was a shortcut back to China." "Now what?" "The portal is in here somewhere." "Where's the door?" "What?" "The door we just came through!" "These must mean something." "Look." "The entrance must be here somewhere." "I don't understand it." "Here we go." "Yes!" "Yes!" "Yes!" "What is it?" "What's happening?" "Somebody tell me what's going on?" "what's going on?" "Herodotus was right." "What's happening?" "Don't say it again." "Greek!" "Step out into your faith." "always follow in your faith." "my son." "That is your guide." "Amazing what faith can do." "Akkadian!" "How did you know?" "I didn't." "Seems like nothing is what it appears to be." "What's that?" "yes." "Herodotus says a living person can only remain in the Underworld and he or she turns to stone." "let's get moving." "You okay?" "Mmmhmm." "Yeah." "but" "We're all gonna die here." "young one." "Now let's see if he can get back alive." "Wait." "Ari?" "Bad omen." "Let's go." "This keeps getting better and better." "What fresh hell is this?" "We should get moving." "What in the name of the gods was that?" "Did you hear it?" "You can't go back now." "I can go guard the obelisk." "Ah" "One thing." "Herodotus disguised himself as a dead person like this." "I suggest you do the same." "And if we're discovered?" "Then we will be dead people." "What are we doing?" "Dusty Greeks." "He must be stupid." "How do I look?" "I think death becomes you." "Tell me if you see any jewels." "Gold." "Some silver." "Anything." "eh?" "Good." "Blood should repay blood." "You knew him well?" "shield by shield." "Burned and sacked cities." "Left the streets running red." "Aye." "That was a swordsman." "What was that?" "I heard something." "I think I just stepped in someone." "Buggers must have journeyed here and run out of time." "Arm yourselves." "I don't think we should be stealing from the dead yet." "eh?" "Nice." "Father?" "Don't look!" "Keep moving." "Do not make eye contact." "Don't look them in the eyes." "What's he going on about?" "He seems dissatisfied with the shortcut." "I'll take care of the loudmouth." "you won't!" "Save your blade for chopping onions." "Pollux." "Calm down!" "Calm down!" "Can't you see the effect this place is having on us all?" "Akkadian." "yet?" "Gold and diamonds and rubies so your feet can crunch on them." "The only thing my feet have been crunching on are corpses." "my friend." "are you sure we're going the right way?" "How close are we to the sword?" "Hard to say." "Say it anyway." "Herodotus wasn't exactly explicit." "but no." "Appearances are deceiving." "there's this game that we play in Greece." "You play by yourself." "getting harder as you continue. the closer you get to winning." "How are we doing in the game?" "I never played it." "Right." "It's a bit like Mahjong." "Mahjong." "Doubletalking Greeks." "Shiftyeyed Chinese." "Insane Akkadians." "Dead people!" "Damn Illyrian honor!" "This better be worth my while." "I can't believe I find my fortune in hell." "Things are looking up the Underworld." "Pearls." "Where is everyone?" "Wait." "We have to go back." "There's no time." "You go then." "I'll wait here." "let's move." "the game gets easier." "I got it." "What was that?" "Who are you?" "And by what devious means have you violated my inner sanctum?" "Her inner what?" "Let me handle this." "we are" "I'm not sure how we got here or where we are." "we" "Are humble traders journeying to China." "Yes!" "This curiouslooking fellow's homeland on a silkseeking expedition and" "And we must have taken a wrong turn." "Silence!" "On your knees." "My friends will have their fun with you." "I prefer to stand." "But thanks anyway. goddess of both love and war. you will grovel before me like a wretched worm." "There's no reason to get agitated." "We can handle this like mature adults." "Listen." "And listen well." "I rule this land at my pleasure." "And I could destroy you with a wave of my hand. seduce you" "with a single glance into obeying my every depraved" "whim." "please!" "Any woman can do as much by cinching her bust and pouting her lips." "Are you a man or a woman?" "I daresay you could not seduce a beggar if you heaped gold coins between your thighs." "Go up there and look for the sword." "I'll check down here. they'd no doubt run from you screaming." "000yearold bag of bones?" "You insolent little cur." "I don't need a goddess's powers to tear you apart." "You will regret that!" "you old cradle snatcher." "I'll tear your face off." "then I won't have to look at you." "Best you can do?" "Where are you?" "you old cow!" "That's it!" "The Sword of Damocles." "Slag!" "Slut!" "So you like to play." "What are you doing?" "It's not fair." "You said no magic!" "I lied." "Get ready for a long fall." "My Lady." "It's not her fault we're here." "It's mine." "not hers." "I humbly beg your forgiveness for intruding in your domain." "For your beauty and grace are unequaled." "Go on. that I will build you a magnificent temple in your honor when I return home." "I have a thousand temples already." "They bore me. you do possess a rare degree of physical appeal." "Don't listen to her!" "Perhaps if you were to stay by my side then I might be persuaded to let the others go." "Except for that vermin." "Let me down!" "It's so hot up here!" "Mathayus!" "Mathayus!" "You would stay young as long as I decided to keep you." "With no duties save to service my varied and copious needs." "He'll never agree to that!" "He loves me!" "what man would willingly want to lay down with you? I would be a fool to turn down your offer." "I made a vow to Shamash to avenge my father's murder." "And I'd rather be known as a fool than a liar." "You don't have the guts to face me!" "I knew your father." "And he means nothing compared to me." "My father was a hero. and you will find a monster lurking inside." "One kiss" "and you're mine." "Forever." "For the love of Zeus!" "Forget it." "You're not my type." "Mathayus!" "it's sharp." "you can keep this one." "we're almost out of time!" "Mathayus." "I'll have you soon enough." "Just as I took your father." "run the same way we came." "We don't have much time." "Run!" "Aren't you forgetting something?" "Where's that treasure you promised?" "But it's not my fault that Herodotus took a few you slipperytongued worm." "I'll skin you alive." "Look!" "Quick!" "Run!" "We haven't much time!" "Run!" "Come on!" "Come on!" "Come on!" "Let's go!" "Come on!" "come on!" "Hurry up!" "Come on!" "Yeah!" "Yeah!" "my God." "Pollux!" "We made it." "Get off me!" "You disgust me! you honor me with your presence." "Sargon." "A young friend of yours paid a surprise visit to me recently." "he's thirsting for revenge" "against you." "And he took something of mine with great sentimental value." "A sword which could wreak great havoc if it's not returned to the Underworld where it belongs." "I want it back." "I assure you." "if you can increase my powers." "Sargon." "I like that in a man." "You shall have all the powers you need. you must make me the ultimate sacrifice." "Never were any mortals more grateful to see the sun again than the Akkadian and his companions. ceased his endless carping. looked eagerly to his reunion with Sargon." "Mathayus?" "What I said back there to that old battle ax of a goddess about you being in love with me." "I only said that to try and distract her." "Cloud her judgment." "Stall for time." "That's what I thought." "Clever." "wasn't it?" "It was." "Do you think what the goddess said was true?" "Inside every hero lurks the potential for a monster." "the goddess's protection will insure that Akkad will be great forever." "Tonight's celebration to Astarte will be like none she has ever known." "My kingdom and powers will know no boundaries." "Sargon. to return to the simple life of being an acrobat for the emperor." "That's too bad." "We could use another good man." "Psst." "Come here!" "Come here!" "Where's everyone going?" "The king has told us to go to the arena." "you little rats!" "Something's not right." "You better go to the arena while I go after Sargon." "I'll come with you." "I've never been a big fan of command performances and I suspect you'll need the moral support." "Don't get yourself killed." "Not even a good death." "Nor you." "Come on." "Shouldn't we discreetly climb a wall or dig a tunnel." "No time." "Halt!" "State your business!" "I'm here for Sargon's black blood." "Stand aside and I won't have to spill yours." "you really don't want to do this." "Impossible!" "What sorcery is this?" "My quarrel is not with you but with that demon Sargon." "Let them pass." "Step aside." "Gods be with you." "I'm with him." "I've never seen such a weapon." "Sit down now." "Goddess Astarte." "Hurry up!" "Come on!" "Anywhere." "Just go." "Wait here." "This is personal." "Where are you two going?" "There's no seats this way." "Who's the shiftyeyed stranger?" "for the crowd." "To keep them from becoming unruly." "citizens of Nippur." "Your great gift insures the glory and prosperity of Akkad" "Great gift?" "and the blessing of the goddess Astarte." "I've got a bad feeling about this." "And rejoice in your new spirit." "Now." "What's going on?" "Hmm?" "Get away from the walls." "Move!" "Open the gate." "Move out!" "Mathayus." "Mathayus." "Father?" "How can this be?" "What magic is this?" "it is not the magic that you think." "It is the wondrous power and the miracle of the sword that you hold that has allowed us to meet again." "But I saw you." "I saw you in the Underworld." "A place you do not belong." "Prove to me this is really you." "Remember when you were a very young boy and sometimes when you were frightened" "I would put my arms around you and whisper something in your ear that only you and I would ever know?" "Remember?" "Father?" "You were a hero." "Why were you there?" "We cannot escape our fate." "Scratch any hero and a monster lurks beneath." "Feeling smaller without your special sword?" "hiding behind your trickery." "Father always said you were a coward." "Shoot that one!" "They're gonna set us on fire!" "What?" "Okay!" "Let's split up!" "Okay." "We can't let the arrows hit the oil." "the great hero?" "Sargon." "I fight for what my father once believed in." "And I fight for what you've corrupted." "scribe." "Sounds like a good epitaph." "throw me the sword." "Greek." "Ari." "Jewels first." "Careful." "It's sharp." "you fool." "I planned every detail of your little heroic journey into the Underworld." "This sword makes my power supreme." "eh?" "Mathayus." "But a fortune in jewels and a good tale to tell" "What writer could resist that?" "scribe." "Or I'll come for your head." "The king who became a god." "What?" "Mathayus!" "Never trust a Greek!" "you jackass." "as a Black Scorpion you owe your allegiance to your king." "You took a sacred oath." "And the darkness grows." "Fong!" "Stop the arrow!" "Get them off the wall!" "Release those arrows!" "Fire!" "Fong!" "We have to stop the flames from reaching the walls." "come on!" "Stop the flames!" "Put out the flames!" "Use the sand!" "Stop the flames from reaching the walls!" "Fong!" "Don't let the flames reach the walls!" "get the wall!" "We got to put it out!" "What?" "This is for my father." "you saved us!" "why should I show you any mercy?" "You dared spurn me." "Not to mention you stole my sword. you know you'll have me soon enough." "Yes." "I will." "hear my plea." "my son has slept the sleep of the living dead." "Bring him back to us" "I beg you." "What's that stench?" "I would think I've earned a thank you." "I never planned on serving that wretch." "my friend." "your exploits will be renowned." "If you'll just let go." "Hey." "Welcome back." "I give you your new king." "Shalmaneser." "we have passed through a very hard time." "But the sun is rising again." "Where is the Greek?" "He said something about Olympia and Neptune's Trident." "But he wanted you to have this." "He said you'd understand." "What?" "I think he'll do quite well." "will prosper again!" "People of Akkad" "Should have been you." "No thanks." "Not my cup of tea." "And us?" "We'll be fine." "It would have been nice to live in a beautiful palace with lots of servants and fine linens. roam the world like a man." "I decided I didn't like battles and killing as much as I thought I would." "That every man may know right from wrong." "Do you?" "But the truth of the matter was" "Mathayus did have a fondness for battles and killing." "the blood of a warrior and the scorpion's dark venom still coursed through his veins." "It would drive him out into the wide world for further adventures and further battles until one day perhaps he would return to become the Scorpion King." "That is the subject for another tale."