"Lower away!" "Lowering!" "Easy as it goes, lads!" " Boats down, captain." " Very good, sir." "Shore party, stand by to board!" "Shore party ready." "Over the side then." "There you go, men." "You heard the captain, lads." "Cast off!" "Lo you now of days long past, of a time when the world was young, when sorcery thrived and wild adventure was forever in the offing." "And of this epoch, little is known, save that which is veiled in the mists of legendry." "It is within these mists that our tale begins on tomb island, a rocky crag perched at the far edge of the world." "We're not to be disturbed." " Wait for us at the boats." " Yes, your majesty." "Get on with it, witch!" "A sword..." "Look!" "It lives!" "Rise." "Who art thou?" "Titus Cromwell, king of Aragon." "What is wished of me?" "We need your help in conquering Ehdan." "It's the richest kingdom in the world, and I want it." "Why dost thou crave my services?" "Thou art a king with an army." "Four times I've been defeated by king Richard of Ehdan, but with your help I will be victorious." "And what wouldst thou bestow upon me?" "Your life is enough." "After all, how can we be sure a toad like you even has the power to aid us?" "Oh, no, dark lord." "You are my master, my god!" "As thou can see, my art is powerful." "I will allow you to live, as long as you serve me." "Betray me, and I will joyfully send you back to rot in hell," "Xusia of Delos." "Thou shalt have thy kingdom, and I," "I too shall have what should be mine." "A thousand leagues away, the wondrous kingdom of Ehdan was celebrating 20 years of peace and tranquility." "Once a haven for barbaric plunder," "Ehdan had been transformed into a prospering civilized nation by the wise and strong king Richard." "Richard." "Come, Richard." "We mustn't keep everyone waiting." "What troubles you?" "The nightmares." "The dreams still haunt me." "What did Amilius tell you about them?" "He said..." "What he said was that it's too much of this kingly life." "Unbeknownst to them all," "Cromwell's armies, aided by Xusia's black sorcery, had already stormed across the borders of Ehdan, leaving behind a wake of ungodly death, disease and destruction." "King Richard is finished." "Half his army lay rotting before us." "We can now deal with the good king without the aid of a sorcerer." "Besides, if we don't kill Xusia now while he's still weak from his conjuring, we might never be rid of him." "Cromwell?" "Thou has sent for me?" "Why, behold our hero." "Get to the point." "I'm weary." "Well, then, you shall sleep... forever." "Even without Xusia's sorcery, Cromwell could not be stopped." "Only one army stood between him... and the city." "Tavis!" "My son." "Bring a leech!" "Move!" "Father." "No, don't talk." "Wait for the leech." "There is no time." "The eastern army has been destroyed." "Destroyed?" "Father, it's black..." "Tavis." "Tavis." "Oh!" "Go." "Roust Duncan." "He will ride with me." "The others I leave in your charge." "Take them and escape." "A boat awaits you on the river." "Go now." "Quickly, Malia." "Take me to battle, father." "You'll need me." "I do love you more than life itself." "If I die, it will fall upon you to avenge me." "Do you understand, Talon?" "I understand." "And so it came to pass that the remnants of Richard's armies met Cromwell's black hordes in a final desperate battle." "Here on the sea cliffs of Elizrah, the fate of Ehdan had been decided." "Talon." "Talon." "Mogullen." "Mogullen, where's my father?" "Don't worry about the king." "The battle is lost, and we must save the queen." "Cromwell will be after her next." "Let's finish it." "Father!" "No, Talon!" "Listen to me." "Avenge your father another day." "Cromwell will try to stop your mother's escape on the river." "You must save her." "You hear?" "The future of the kingdom is in your hands." "Now go." "Go!" "Go!" "Go!" "To the boat, children." "Henry, come back!" "Henry!" "You bastard!" "No!" "No." "Oh, no!" " Mama!" " No!" "I'll spare your daughter, if you officially proclaim me king." "Never!" "Pull it out!" "Malia, you fool!" "No!" "Find that boy on your lives." "Don't return without him." "I want him." "I want him." "For years the boy was to be hunted, but Cromwell's assassins found not a trace." "Talon had simply vanished into the void." "Years passed, and rumors began to rumble through the outland kingdoms of a fearless adventurer, a warrior who roamed trackless deserts, mighty mountains and shining seas." "These rumors grew into legends about this man who was at once a buccaneer, a slave, a rogue, a general." "Talon!" "Then, just days before the 11th anniversary of Cromwell's victory over king Richard, a band of mercenaries arrived on the outskirts of Ehdan." " Why do we stop here, general?" " I have a debt to pay." "But, sir, king Lonbosha is waiting for us at Maladon." "He can wait." "Relax, Darius." "I hope this isn't a mistake, general." "Lonbosha might lose his kingdom while we're here." "Then we'll win it back." "Out of my way, witch." "I've been summoned." "I carry a message crucial to the final conflict." "I implore you to pardon this intrusion, lord and master." "Speak, dog." "Arrangements have been made to crush prince Mikah's rebellion and to deliver Alana to Cromwell for marriage." "For eight years, I have been submerged in the black sleep to heal the wounds of Cromwell's treachery." "After I slept, I conjured." "And now I shall conquer." "In two days' time, with the rising of the seventh moon," "Cromwell's power, Cromwell's bride and Cromwell's flesh shall be mine!" "What do you want?" "Your generals have gathered in the war room." "They await instructions on plans for the final conflict." "You handle it." "But, sire, it is imperative..." "It is imperative that you obey my orders, if you wish to live." "Yes, my lord." "Tell Cromwell not to worry." "With him leading us, we will crush the rebellion and capture princess Alana, unless your information about the rebels proves false, count Machelli." "Take these orders, and return to your men, Rodrigo." "I will send word as to when our rebellion begins." "Yes, prince Mikah." "No animals allowed in here." "Hush, dog." "Quiet." "You look like a thirsty lot." " Bring us a bucket." " A bucket, yes." "If you warriors are looking for work, you've come to the right place." "Why is that?" "The people in Ehdan are about to rebel." "What kind of an animal are you?" "I can't quite tell." "Here, you've had too much to drink." "Move on!" "Go on." "As I was sayin'." "There are two bidders for your swords:" "King Cromwell, the usurper, lord Mikah, the last legitimate heir to the throne." "What legitimate heir?" "Mikah's father was king Richard's closest advisor." "The people believe him and his sister to be the rightful heirs." "All is set, Mikah." "Proceed as planned tomorrow." "Excellent, count." "Tomorrow the throne of Ehdan shall belong to you, its legitimate heir." "It's ironic that the people of Ehdan should owe their freedom to Cromwell's war chancellor." "They will owe me nothing, my friend." "Justice is its own reward." " You're a good man, Machelli." " I must go now." "You and I will have no further contact." "It is no longer safe." "Machelli, you will be well rewarded for this." "Thank you, your majesty." "Has my sister made it safely into the city?" "Yes, my lord Mikah." "The princess Alana is waiting inside." "Alana!" "Oh, it's good to see you, sister." "Oh, Mikah." "You're late." "Now come and have a look." "A map of the castle's secret passages." "Alana, how did you get this?" "Cromwell's whore, Elizabeth, is partial to our cause." "She pilfered them from Cromwell himself." "With allies like these, how can we lose?" "Yes, but what is he plotting?" "He's got all the neighboring kings here and..." "Shhh." "It matters not." "I've just come from speaking with Machelli." "The rebellion begins tomorrow." "Spread the word." "Quickly now." "I can hardly believe it." "Tomorrow I shall be king." " The crown will be yours." " Yes." "But I'll not wear it, Alana." "The crown belongs to the people." "Cromwell." "What have we here?" "A nest of cobras?" "There's only one snake in Ehdan, Cromwell." "Is that you, Alana?" "I was hoping you weren't a part of all this." "Go warn the others." "Your rebellion is over!" "Take him." "Oh, no." "Oh, yes." "Now I poke you with my dagger, huh?" "Not this time, slut!" "You got lucky with me outside your den." "I'm gonna mount you like you've never been." "With what?" "She's a wild one, this one." "Let's have a look at your goods." "No." " My, what have we here?" " No!" "Take her down." "No!" "No!" "Beat it, pig, or die!" "That's a small threat." "That's a very small threat." "Why, you scum!" "Try that again!" "Stop shaking." "You're safe now." "Milady." "Kalipa says your brother was captured by Cromwell himself." "We have to get the word out." "No attack tomorrow." "Right." "This way." "In here, milady." "Dates?" "No beef?" "As you wish." "Just a leg?" "Or shall I bring the whole cow?" "One leg will do." "Word is being passed." "You Edhanians know good wine." "I didn't bring you here to get drunk." "Well, why did you bring me here?" "Is your sword for hire?" "It depends." "I would pay anything for it." "Well, if the price is right, my sword is yours." " Not so fast." " Oh, but my sword is poised." "Nothing in life is free." "First, a task." "So what do you want?" "A throat cut?" "I want you to rescue my brother." "And what am I to be paid?" "Two hundred talents." "That's not what I had in mind." "Five hundred talents." "All right." "Anything you want, but only for one night." "So tell me, where is this brother of yours?" "He's in Cromwell's dungeons." "You want me to snatch your brother from the king's dungeons for one night with you?" "That's a slim bounty for such a task." "Why, you bastard!" "All right." "The life of your brother for one night with you, but I expect my bounty perfumed and prettied." "Milady, 50 of our people have been trapped in skull cave by king Cromwell's red dragon archers." "Is there anything we can do to help them?" "No, milady." "Nothin' can save them now." "We can't just sit by while they're being butchered!" "What about you?" "Can you help us?" "What do you take me for?" " 'Tis suicide." " Quiet, Craccus." "Risking his life is his profession." "Risk, not throw away." "What's the matter?" "Is your sword too small?" "And what am I to be paid for this small chore?" "You're being paid enough for 1,000 such tasks." "Oh, I can't wait to bed you, wench." "You raise my expectation." "I'll rescue your rogues." "But first I want a taste of your lips to send me to my grave." "Brash hulk." "Who is he?" "I don't know." "Well, at least you won't have to pay your debt." "He won't live to see the sun rise." "Out the back, milady!" "Quick!" "Come out and live or stay and die." "The choice is yours." "You have five minutes to decide." "Come, lads!" "Your rebellion is over!" "The king has your leader in chains!" "Give yourselves up!" "You heard the jackal." "Do we fight or surrender?" "Oil!" "They're pouring oil!" "Get back there, scum!" "Stand by for torching!" "Arrows set!" "All eyes on the cave!" "Not a single rebel is to escape!" "This is your final chance!" "Surrender or roast!" "Ready?" "Take aim!" "Fire!" "Everyone has come to recognize him as the true heir." "With the prince captured, I guess his sister Alana is the rightful heir." "It's all a bit muddled." "We farmers tend to stay out of such affairs." "How do you plan to rescue lord Mikah, warrior?" "Just get me into the castle, and I'll think of something." "This will lead us into the castle?" "According to this map, it will lead us right into the dungeons." "Light me a torch." "Give me a hand with this." "Now is that any way to treat your husband-to-be?" "You're right, Titus." "Take me, my lord." "Oh, Titus." "Tonight you will be my queen, and soon the queen of the entire world." "And I will make love to you like no other can." "With what?" "Love or not, you will be my queen." "Nothing can force me to marry you." "Not even the life of your brother?" "Your majesty." "Your majesty." "Elizabeth, this is no place for you." "I've brought you some food and wine." "You've labored long." "I thought you'd be hungry." "Hungry, indeed, but not for food." "Dear Elizabeth, your new life as my consort suits you fine." "I was meant to be yours, my king." "Leave us, verdugo." "So, prince, are you going to tell me where Xusia is?" "What are you talking about?" "Oh, Mikah!" "How else could this rabble uprising grow thus far?" "Xusia must be behind it." "He's the only one who could truly challenge me." "You're being challenged by a myth." "Xusia of Delos died a thousand years ago." "I, myself, raised Xusia from the dead." "Little did I know what I let loose upon the world." "A wild tale." "It's no tale." "I've stalked Xusia for ten years, watching for signs of his devilish work." "He's using you as a pawn to gain control of my kingdom." "Your kingdom?" "Nothing you call yours is truly yours, Cromwell." "My god, man, there is a demon in our midst, and he is the leader of your cause." "Now you tell us where he is and save us all." "I am the only leader of this rebellion." "Very well." "There must be someone." " A mentor, an advisor perhaps." " There is no one." "He may not look like a demon." "In human form, he could look like anyone." "But there'd be traces of a serpent in his face, wildness of a jackal in his eyes." "You're mad." "Perhaps." "What's the matter?" "I'm too old for this." "Come on." "I'll help you." "I can't take another step." "I'm not leaving you here." "Go on." "Save yourself." "I'll carry you." "Come on." "Over here." "Come on." "Let's go over here." "Is this the only way into the dungeons?" "Yes, my lord." "Don't call me that." "What a place." "How much further is it?" "A hidden entrance into the dungeon is only a little further." "What is it?" "What do you hear?" "Is someone..." "listen." "Move!" "You go first, warrior." "Perhaps we should wait for you here... to guard the escape." "You do that." "Quiet." "You want to get us caught?" "There are guards everywhere." "Rodrigo." "Where are you going?" "Stop, or your leader dies." "My luck rots." "Blast!" "Get the door, governor." "Throw back the bolt." "Warrior?" "It's me, Rodrigo." "What the devil are you doing here?" "Cromwell's men were waiting for us at the sewer opening." "They intend to crucify us during tomorrow's feast." "I should let them." "Teach you a lesson." "Free everyone." " Which one of these cells holds Mikah?" " None." "They took him to Cromwell's torture chamber." "Poor Mikah." "Oh, thank you." "Oh, get up." "You're not animals to grovel." "Oh, thank you." "Thank you." "Who are you?" "My name is Estard Devereux." "I was once Cromwell's architect." "After I built this castle, the king had me imprisoned." " You built this place?" " Oh, yes." "They threw me in here five years ago to ensure that the castle's secrets would never be revealed." "What secrets?" "Oh, hidden passages, secret exits and more." "More." " I want you to tell me all you know." " Oh, I will." "I will." "Sire, the dungeon guards are dead and the prisoners are gone." " Elizabeth, you wait here." " No." "Trust me." "Kill everyone in the chamber now." "An angel." "Hush." "Save your strength." "Use it or put it away." "You did it." "What did you expect?" "I owe you one, my friend." "No, your sister owes me." "Now go before it's too late." "Come on." "Thank you." "Well, get going!" "I'll stay." "We get out together, or we die together." "Well, come on then." "There they are!" "Come on!" "Out of the way!" "Get out of the way!" "I'd love to stay, but..." "Come here!" "Come on!" "This way!" " Who dies first?" " I'll be the first." "Don't act as if you don't know who I am, Xusia." "It's your old friend, Cromwell." "Now we'll see how a sorcerer fares... against cold steel." "I'm no sorcerer, but I'll gladly test your steel, old friend." "He's mine!" "After him!" "Don't let him get away!" "You!" "How dare you intercede!" "Please, forgive me, your majesty, but it is a mistake to play with Xusia this way." "This man's no sorcerer!" "Please do not be fooled by this ploy." "Xusia's cunning knows no bounds." "Have you forgotten what this man has done to your red dragons?" "He must be one of Xusia's demons." "Forgive me." "I mean no disrespect, Your majesty." "I live only to serve the greater glory of your name." "Indeed, Machelli." "Indeed." "Fine duel." "Pity we won't learn who's the better." "Easy, my lord, the wounds must be cleansed." "Rodrigo." "Yes, my prince." "What happened to Alana?" "She is to be married to Cromwell tonight." "Like hell." "And the warrior is to be crucified." "I should have helped him." "Tonight... rally our men." "We will crush Cromwell or die." "Go back into the castle?" "Well, how else?" "Coming in, old man?" "Darius!" "Darius." "Well, did you find him?" " Aye." "King has him in chains." " Good god!" "What did he do now?" "Have at one of the king's sluts?" "It's not clear, but they mean to execute him tonight." "Damn." "Go!" "Roust the men from the house." "Check the ale shop for stragglers." "Move!" "I fear we can't get to him, Darius." " There must be a way into the castle." " We might all perish." "Damn you, Phillip, then we all die." "Many a time Talon has saved our skins, or have you forgotten?" "I just think we need more men." "You got'em!" "Who are you?" "Captain Morgan, an old cohort of Talon's." "How many are you?" "We number only 20, surely not enough to aid you." "Blast you, Erik." "Spread the word of Talon's plight." "Half the sea dogs in this port owe their lives to him." "Now, go!" "See, Phillip, you have so little faith." "Now gather the men!" "Myra!" "Myra, look." "Look who's just returned." "Oh, Elizabeth!" " But has Cromwell set you free?" " No, I was saved." " By whom?" " I know not, but he risked all for me." "This savior, did he have a gauntlet of steel?" "Why, yes." "Do you know him?" "Aye, all too well." "Damn his heart." "He goes out for a joint of beef and ends up rescuing a king's wench." " Now it falls to us to fetch him." " He's been captured?" "The lad will be crucified tonight." "We can't let him die for us." " We must save him!" " We will." "Let me go with you." " I know the way into the castle." " Tell me the way." "I beg you, let me lead you to him." "To the sword then." "We should never have followed that bitch in here." "Quiet, barnacle!" "It was those landlubbers that brought us into this trap." "Shut your mouth, sea dog, before I take this chain and wrap it around your neck till your lousy head falls off." "If these bars weren't between us, you'd be swimming in your own gizzards." "When we get out of here, I intend to settle this." "I'll meet you, scum, anywhere you choose." "Enough!" "Enough, or I'll skin all of you!" "What's on your mind, potato head?" "Cromwell sends you a bargain out of the goodness of his heart." "Ha!" "Cromwell's goodness?" "Silence, you black dog!" "Now, tell me who sent you to invade this castle, and I'll be merciful." "Bring them in!" "These two had nothing to say, so I cut out their tongues." "Now speak, while you still have yours." "Tell me who sent you here, or I'll skin her before your very eyes." "Kill him!" "Kill him!" "Rat!" "I hear the four kings have arrived with 1,000 knights." "But only two will be allowed to accompany each king to the feast." "Once we have assassinated the kings and lords, and Cromwell has exchanged his vows with Alana, we can send out armies to sweep across the continent to consolidate our power." "With the rebellion crushed, no one can stop us." "Where's Cromwell?" "He is preoccupied." "He has given me charge of his army until further notice." "Let us finish with this." "General Thogan?" "My knights will seal off the exits from the feast." " No one will get out." " Good." "General Rumboldt?" "When the signal is given, my archers will kill everyone at the feast." "General Renquo, you shall see to it that all the king's bodyguards are dead before the assassinations begin." "What is the signal?" "When Alana gives her vows." "Imagine, all the nobility of Ehdan and the kings of four empires wiped out in one fell swoop." "Cromwell is a genius." "In three hours' time, one man will control the entire... civilized world." "Their royal majesties, king Leonidas of Minoa, king Ludwig of Galese, king Sancho of Valencia and king Charles of the Franks." "Is that chief Talon?" "It certainly looks like him." "Well?" "It is him." "How can that be?" "Last I heard, he was chieftain of the black tribes, helping them to overthrow some slaver." "We owe that man too much to let him die like some dog at the hands of Cromwell." "Yes, but the treaty." "Damn the treaty!" "There'd be no kingdoms at all if it weren't for him." "It will mean war." "Very well." "Let it be war." "Cromwell!" "Cromwell!" "Cromwell!" "Cromwell!" "Join hands." "Who is here to help the barbarian with the gauntlet of steel?" " Who are you?" " Never mind." "The barbarian is to be killed at any moment." "We must save him." "Unlock this door, wench, and leave that to us!" "Let's treat the gods to one hell of a fight." " For Talon!" " Talon!" "Talon!" "Don't worry, little girl." "It won't hurt until I hit the bone." "Do you, Titus Cromwell, take this woman to be your bride, your queen, the mother of your children?" "I do." "Repeat after me." "Do you, Alana, daughter of lord Mogolin and last heir to the crown of Ehdan," "take this man, Titus, protector of Ehdan," "Emperor of Swabia," "Castul, Goth," "Aragon and Iberia, overlord of Brishia and Kelti and all the northern kingdoms of the west of Evmark, master of suders, lord and god over all that is right and good, to be your groom, your lover, master" "and the father of your children?" "I..." "Cromwell!" "Attack!" "Stand back." "Small world, your majesty." "Talon!" "I put your army on alert and had them gather seven days' ride from here." "They await your presence." "That's quite perceptive of you to assume something might go wrong." "I have lived only to serve you, your majesty." "With your army ready to strike, we shall yet crush these rebel dogs." "This won't take but a moment." "Men, thou art the devil." "Ah." "Machelli, the rebellion is finally on." "Yes." "Now I must get you to safety." "Machelli." "Finish the dog." "You go after Alana." "Go!" " What are you doing?" " We await Cromwell." "Why?" "To end his reign and begin mine." "But Mikah..." "Mikah is dead." "No." "No." "No." "The rebellion is dead." "I am the power!" "Beyond that gate lies my destiny." "You can be part of it or a victim of it." "The choice is yours." "All right." "I've wanted you for a long time." "You are the strength." "You are the power." "Take me with you." "You are wiser than I thought, Alana." "Promise me you'll obey my every wish, my every command." "Yes." "I'll obey you." "You obey this." "See me, Alana, as I truly am." "Now you are mine." "Die, jackal!" "And now I shall have thy soul, thy body, thy empire." "I have no quarrel with you." "Out of my way." " Cromwell is mine!" " Now we have a quarrel." "Sly sword." "Then let's finish it." "Who are you?" "Talon, son of Richard." "No!" "Why the long faces?" "Good god, you've snatched a kingdom." "Talon!" "Talon!" " Talon!" " Talon!" " Talon!" " Talon!" "Talon!" "Talon!" "And all that goes with it." "Don't we have some business to attend to?" "That we do." "So the debt's been paid, eh, general?" "Aye." "Now to Maladon to save Lonbosha's kingdom." "What do you want?" "To join up." "I want to ride with you." "Well, then let's be off." "We've a battle in the offing, kingdoms to save and women to love."