Chyah, chyah.
Britain, 420 A.D.
The Roman Empire has pulled
all its troops home
and ended its occupation
of the country,
leaving it in turmoil.
In every province of Britain,
the local tribal chief
has declared himself
king of that region
and each king wars with another
for more territory.
And now the Saxon barbarians
have started invading
the shores,
trying to conquer Britain
for themselves.
The Dark Ages
in Britain have begun.
A time lost to history.
A time of legends,
of v*olence and bloodshed,
of magic
and mythical creatures,
and of a great wizard
named...
Merlin.
That's it.
Push.
Push.
Their message, sire,
reads: "k*ll the child."
It is the safest way.
But not the wisest.
This child...
If the offspring of a demon
can be called a child.
I believe your daughter.
That was no man,
but an evil spirit
that did come down
and take advantage of her
basic goodness and purity.
Nor do I question the nature
of her account, King Eringar.
Only the nature of the spirit.
Which must have been evil
to defile her so.
One need look no further
than the chaos
in the heavens above, my lord,
to see the basic evil...
Quiet.
I tire of your words.
And I tire of yours.
Soli Kara!
Soli Kara...
The pupil should not
challenge the master.
I have counseled you.
So I did your father,
and his father,
and his father.
And his.
and many other kings throughout
the Wales and Britain.
Lo, these many years brought
thee through plague and famine.
Kept the Roman legions in proper
fear of invading these lands.
Aye.
You and your druid priests
took their pay in sacrifice
when you needed, did you not?
I want the child.
And one more.
I've seen a vision
of the Elder tree
associated with this child.
And so you say
this child's father
is a spirit
of the underworld?
Evil spirits. Which is why
it would be better
and safer to k*ll the child
than to allow
its evil spirits in here.
Or it would better
to not risk
the wrath of the Dark Gods
by k*lling it.
*
Merlin, let me see.
Good.
One last lesson for today.
What would you like to learn?
I would like to learn
how to read minds.
A simple proposition.
To read a person's mind
you must know their heart.
You must study them.
You must understand
what it is like
to be them.
Only in that instance
will you be able to place
yourself in their mind's eye.
And you will be able
to read their minds.
But that isn't magic.
Yet it works equally as well.
One should not
think first of magic
if you can accomplish
a thing using other means.
Merlin, what would
you like to learn?
I would like to learn
how to create light.
The spell you seek is ancient.
I rarely use it.
In dark places it will call
attention to oneself
as much as aid one's vision.
Luminarus.
L-Let me try again.
That certainly would call
attention to one's self.
Has he ever
shown you that book?
The Book of Spells?
No.
H-Has he shown you?
No.
I doubt you could
even read it.
And you could?
Of course.
I have studied
the ancient scripts.
His book of secrets.
Handed down from one
wizard to the next.
One thousand years
of knowledge.
Reaching back
into the Hyborian Ages.
Everything we need
is in that book.
He must have his reasons.
He's afraid.
You and I, the power we have,
is within us.
He draws his strength
from those pages.
I don't think we are
so different than him.
He may be hiding
something from you.
Like what?
Has he ever told you
who your father is?
We're orphans.
If he knew who our fathers
were he would have told us.
Ah, naive.
There are spells in that book
that can read the past.
Show you where you came from.
He's hiding that from you.
Don't you want to know
who you really are?
Use your spell.
Volo.
To me.
*
*
*
It is enchanted.
Keep watch.
En veritas.
H-How did you do that?
I don't know.
It just did it by itself.
Ask it something.
Show Merlin his father.
His father.
Focus on it.
Ahhh!
Ahhh!
Exito.
Ahhh! Ahhh!
Merlin.
Vendiger, put it down!
Pyria, release him.
Pyria.
Release him.
Release him, Pyria.
En veritas.
I have failed.
All that I sought
to instill in you
I cannot see now.
There is great power
within this book.
Neither you nor Merlin
are ready.
I disagree.
If you wish to remain
under my tutelage,
Master Vendiger,
you will adhere
to the time-honored traditions.
I trained you
as I was trained
and as were the wizards
before me.
Now, come.
Let us fix what
needs correcting.
Merlin needs our help.
It's always about Merlin,
isn't it?
I have no favorites.
Do you? If it were I
curled up on the ground
like a simpering baby,
what concern would I warrant?
I left him there
to tend to you.
You came for the book.
You and Merlin
are like sons to me.
You are not my father.
Come.
There are things to do.
Merlin needs you.
There's still time
to undo the damage
which may have been done.
You're making a mistake.
I have failed you too.
I need your help.
Blast the gods...
I wouldn't finish
that if I were you.
Will you help me?
Is this the great Merlin?
Rest, Merlin.
Merlin. Good morning.
I would like to introduce
to the Lady Nimue.
Hello.
Where am I?
My sanctuary.
Private study.
Deep within the earth,
beneath Llyn Ogwen.
Here one can work undisturbed.
Well, there is Nimue
and Viviane, but...
What happened to me?
Vendiger and your incantation
brought you in contact
with your father.
That thing...
That could not have
been my father.
I'm afraid so.
I am no child of a demon.
Your vision, was it not
of an Elder tree?
I'll need more proof
than a mere birthmark.
Turn it fro and one sees
an Elder tree.
Yet this way sees something
entirely different.
Who you are does not come
from your father or mother.
Nor from your status
or family crest.
Who you will be
comes from within.
You're the offspring of a God,
but how much of his powers
reside within you,
and for what purposes
you will use them,
only you can determine.
*
*
What is she?
Ones such as her
can be powerful allies
or the worst enemies.
There are all manner of Gods
still about in this world.
If you choose to see them.
*
*
*
Not what you expected, huh?
Impedio.
To me.
Go!
Go, go, go!
Dragon! Dragon!
- No!
- Go!
Go!
*
*
*
Ha ha ha!
Please. Everyone.
I'm just a traveler
passing through.
I only ask one thing.
That we shall celebrate
this night together.
That we can share
in this one thing
for victory.
Ah.
Shhh.
Drink.
We should attack
before our spirits weaken.
Everyday people
leave our ranks.
Hengest has taken us
this far has he not?
We should take
a kingdom for ourselves
rather than protect these fools
who grow fat from our labor.
I wish to join your army.
Ha!
What skill could you
possibly have?
One hundred of your finest men
cannot k*ll me.
Knave.
I'll run you through
right now.
Maybe so.
But aren't you curious
as to why I would make
such a claim?
What is it you want?
I want what you want.
Sire, are you not
the Hengest
who aided Vortigern
in driving out the Picts
and securing the kingdom?
The same,
if I am correct,
who was rewarded
by being expelled
from the very land
he spilled blood for?
I want the same as you.
To take back what is mine.
Well, Torm?
The verdict
remains the same.
The Gods are telling you
that there is evil
abroad in the land.
Evil that threatens
the foundation of your kingdom.
Evil that has been
brought about
by a dark spirit
that took on human form,
and has now reached
adulthood.
His power is enticing
the Saxons back to this land
to overrun it,
to become his minions,
and to k*ll all
who stand in his way.
So you must k*ll him,
this Merlin,
before he is the death
of us all.
Mage.
We've come for the one
they call Merlin.
- Come, now.
- No.
- But...
- No.
But you must have
some idea.
For the hundredth time, no.
I see you carry
no w*apon.
My w*apon is up here.
I'm sorry to hear that.
Is it your magic
that protects you?
Show us something.
Well, like what?
Make something.
How about...supper?
Magic is not something
one uses on whim.
He can't do it.
Methinks not.
Im-re peer-a.
Im-re peer-a.
You first.
Smell that?
Picts.
This isn't their territory.
With the Romans gone,
they come as they please.
You'll wish you had
your w*apon on you now.
Kala na na!
Impedio.
Impedio!
*
*
It is he.
The evil one.
Do I know thee?
I know that thou art
the agents for the evil spirit
that has been bringing down
our troubles upon us.
Now you shall be slain.
And your blood
shall be scattered
around the castle grounds
as an appeasement
to the Gods.
This is the only way
that the Gods will realize
our commitment to the task
of ridding this land
of all evil.
Of being worthy
of the Gods' help
in defeating the Saxons.
And you would rid yourself
of your only hope
in defeating the Saxons.
Mage.
I have seen the visions
of the one who bears
the mark of the Elder tree.
He will bring ruin
to our land.
Death and destruction.
It is your lot in life
to be so wrong
in your vision.
Vortigern,
why do you enlist
one such as Torm,
who crawls so low
to the ground
to as not see the sky.
What do you see?
Dragon.
A white dragon.
What?
I see it too.
There.
Dragon!
Dragon!
Gods.
Dragon!
Archers,
take the wall.
You will not
be able to destroy it.
At least we shall try.
We must work together.
Who sent you?
*
Mage!
We have a chance now
to appease the beast.
k*ll him.
My Lord, this man
saved our lives.
He predicted the dragon.
Your own council
did not foresee this.
It's coming back.
He brought the dragons
down upon us, didn't he?
k*ll him now,
while we still have time.
*
Luminarus!
To the forest!
Thanks.
Casualties?
The men are leaving.
We are four stone down.
Vortigern.
We are not the enemy.
We can only survive this
if we band together.
I suspect a wave
of attackers soon.
From whence? My outposts
have seen no such invaders.
Ha, they did a fine job
of spotting these dragons.
Thou should not forget
who you are talking to.
I will never forget
who you are, sire.
I will follow those dragons
back to their masters.
I want to go with you.
Teach me how to transform
into a hawk and I will follow.
No.
You go to Llyn Ogwen.
Bring back Excalibur.
Excalibur?
You must get it from
the Lady Viviane.
Viviane?
Nimue's sister.
How do I find her?
Go to Llyn Ogwen,
she will find you,
but remember,
the Gods have little in common
with mortal man.
You must not let her...
detain you.
Now go.
I can help here.
Bring Excalibur.
Prepare yourself
for an attack.
I would set up
defensive positions,
keep out of the open.
How dare you tell me
how to run my army.
If you want to survive this,
I would dig in.
I do not think
that attack
was the worst of it.
Does he know
who you really are?
No.
Wise to keep it that way.
Godspeed.
*
*
Viviane!
I seek...
the Lady Viviane!
The Mage sends his regards,
but what we really need
right now
is your help.
So if you could kindly
show yourself
and I could...
You be the Lady Viviane?
And you be...
the famous Merlin.
Aren't thou not our kin?
The Mage sent me here
to ask you...
For Excalibur.
Aye.
I give to you the same offer
I gave the Mage.
I give you something,
you must give something
back to me.
What do you want?
I want...
what is in here.
You're not going
to find a lot.
You don't give
yourself credit.
What could a God
possibly learn from me?
*
Excalibur.
Forged in the Hyborian age
before man.
It can cut through
the hide of a dragon.
The blade emits a special light
to blind thy enemies.
This scabbard.
As simple as it may be,
has powers as well.
While wearing this scabbard
one can suffer great injuries
yet come through whole.
A word of warning.
While this blade
has great powers,
it does not bestow them
upon all.
It rewards the just,
the righteous and pure of heart.
It destroys the unworthy.
To remove it from its scabbard
is to reveal who you really are.
For Excalibur will exact
the ultimate price...
if you are not worthy.
Thank you.
You cannot keep Excalibur.
It must be returned to me.
You shall bring it back.
I shall take this.
I wouldn't do that
if I were you.
And why is that?
Excalibur only rewards
the worthy.
And thou art worthy?
The bastard son
of a whore mother
and a demon from
the netherworld?
I shall slay thee
with this blade.
*
*
*
*
*
Merlin.
What are you doing here?
I had a vision.
A vision?
Who did this?
Vendiger.
What was he looking for?
I fear myBook of Secrets.
He has lost his way.
Did he find it?
No.
That's good.
*
Where did you hide it?
*
So you are the dragon master.
You're losing your touch.
I suppose I have,
to have selected
such a poor candidate
for schooling.
I knew it was a risk.
Taking you in.
Knowing where you came from.
You...
You had so much promise.
To turn out to have
so little talent.
Vires.
The Book of Secrets.
Where is it?
That I would put
thousands of years of knowledge
in your hands...
- Vires!
- Vires lucis.
*
Hyah!
Vires.
Ahhh!
Hyah, yah, hyah!
Mage.
No.
It is lodged by my heart.
My time of death is nigh.
No.
No, you can't.
You are the only one
I would give my trust.
My faith.
For you are, as always,
the closest thing to my son.
Listen to me.
To combat dragons
it is written
inThe Book of Secrets.
You must take my body
to the lake Llyn Ogwen.
It will be the only way.
The...The Lady Viviane
will reveal it to you.
But remember:
the Gods have little
in common with mortal man.
It is...
the truth.
Mage?
Mage!
Mage!
*
You see that?
*
Hengest.
The tables have turned.
I, once the servant,
shall soon become the master.
It is inevitable.
It is only up to you to decide
how painful the transition
shall be.
You. Replace the sentry
by the mountainside.
*
What manner
of battle plan is this?
All of us out in the open.
The men who
have gather here today
are the finest
fighting men of Britain.
You have served me
and your crown well.
Today I ask of you
but one more sacrifice.
Lay down your arms
and Hengest has guaranteed
to me your survival.
Throw down your weapons
and walk away
from this field of battle,
and you will be able
to return to your farms
and villages.
Hengest guaranteed your
families will be spared
if you do this.
Disobey and you
will be destroyed.
*
Men of Britain.
Though you may live
if you walk away.
You will not be free.
Vortigern seeks to give away
what he never possessed.
Your souls.
If you give in today
you will be vassals.
Servants to a new king.
Vortigern will, I'm certain,
be rewarded for his success
in your capitulation.
But you.
Each and every one of you will
go back to your families
not free men but slaves.
Because mark me, these Saxons
are not men of their words.
Do you not think
they will refrain
from attacking your villages?
Slaying you children?
Taking your women?
Look at what
they've done so far.
Imagine what they will do again.
We will not go down
without a fight.
Are you with me?
But how can we defeat their army
and their dragons?
All you offer is brave words
and a sure death for us all.
Death in battle is a good death
if the cause is just.
And think of this,
though the chance be slim,
we may prevail.
We have more allies
than you may know.
Our people at home outnumber
the Saxons three to one.
If we give in today
all hope is destroyed.
To give in today
is to lose your soul
and a man without a soul
is dead already!
Are you with me?
Yeah!
How dare you speak
to me this way.
Inciting insurrection.
I shall have you
ex*cuted for treason.
No. It is you
who shall be ex*cuted.
You committed treason
a long time ago
when you k*lled my father
and banished Ambrosis
and I from your kingdom.
And you commit treason today
by forcing our people
into sl*very.
For I am Uther Pendragon!
*
Ahhh!
For Britain!
For Britain!
For Britain!
Told you he wouldn't
go down without a fight.
Shall I?
Not yet.
Send forth the berserkers.
Berserkers,
charge!
Ah!
Send out your dragons,
Master Vendiger.
But our men are still
upon the field.
What about our men?
They are all God's men now.
Fly my children!
*
[dragons screeching
Retreat!
*
Hyah!
He is to be taken to Avalon.
Avalon?
Avalon,
the resting place of the Gods.
And now of the Mage.
There are those that have
Gods as their patrons.
So it was with he,
who earned his patronage
through his knowledge
of the secrets of magic.
Which is by way of the other
reason I have come here.
The Mage'sBook of Secrets?
Aye.
The Book of Secrets.
Thank you.
You cannot take it from here.
The Mage made me promise
it would never enter
the world of man again.
Whatever you need from it,
you must gather it here.
But he never told me
how to break the enchantment.
Nor I.
We haven't even made
a dent in their force.
Not yet but we will.
Word. Word, what word?
Or phrase maybe.
If you have tasks
I keep you from...
No.
Instead of going through
spell after spell in your mind,
would it not be more helpful
to say them out loud?
Perhaps I might hear
something familiar.
Or at the very least,
I could learn from thee.
*
You and your ploy have failed.
Our army lies in tatters.
My battalion annihilated.
Yet the dragons have moved on.
Yes, moved on.
To our family and homes.
With no one left to defend them.
If we had only done
as Vortigern wished
many men would still
be alive to fight again.
Do you not think
for one moment,
having thrown
down your weapons,
Hengest would have
let you live?
He would have slaughtered
you like dogs.
Yet we are being slaughtered
like dogs, Uther.
Do you want to help?
Everyone here is working.
Pick up an ax.
Your words are tiresome.
I see no hope in you.
You are wrong.
As long as we still live
there is hope.
And I also have hope in another,
should he return.
Who?
Merlin.
Merlin? He's probably fled
to another region.
You won't be seeing him again.
He will return.
No doubt he faces
life-threatening danger
to do so even now.
*
Merlin. You must leave here.
If you do not leave,
Lady Viviane will imprison
you here forever.
Why would she do that?
As a cat plays with a mouse,
you, half God,
are interesting to her.
And a lifetime for you
is but a moment to her.
She gave me Excalibur.
And she made you give
it back did she not?
I can't leave now.
Not until I gain
the knowledge I seek.
Tell her you are leaving now
and see what reaction that gets.
You are a prisoner.
And she will k*ll you
once you show her
how to access the book.
We Gods have little in common
with mortal man.
It is the truth.
The Gods have little
in common with mortal man.
It is...the truth.
The truth.
Thank you for...
Your help.
All right. In truth would be...
In veritas.
Show me the spell
to slay a dragon.
*
Any luck?
No.
In fact,
I think I'm going to give up.
The incantation binding
this book is beyond me.
I must join the battle
before all is lost.
You may leave
anytime you like.
Might I suggest
you try a little longer.
Think.
Think what you can gain
if you can
but access this book.
If one drinks
the blood of a dragon,
one can become like him.
You are a tricky one Merlin.
Pretending thou hast
not solved the riddle.
I think I'll be going now.
If you please,
return me to the surface.
You promised you would help me
learn the secrets of magic,
the inner workings of nature.
I'd love to stay and help,
but I have to rejoin my people.
So if you please...
You are one of us.
We are your people Merlin.
I am only half your kind
and if the lot
of you care not for others,
than I would gladly hone myself
in two and discard that portion.
Merlin, I did not mean
that I would not help you.
Anwelicus.
*
Thank you.
You were right.
You have the book?
No.
I left in the other room.
She can't access it.
I have learned everything
I need for now.
We need the book.
If you would kindly
return me to the surface.
You're never leaving!
Not until you show me
how to access it.
Be gone!
*
I'm sorry I didn't trust you.
We shall see each other again.
And you...
shall make it up to me.
I will return it.
I see you've fared
just as I expected.
Heh. Yeah.
We've got the dragon lord
and Hengest
right where we want them.
On the run.
Well, don't worry.
I have a plan.
Who is your swiftest rider?
*
*
*
This scabbard,
as simple as it may be,
has powers as well.
While wearing this scabbard
one can suffer great injuries
yet come through whole.
Are you sure this spell
is going to work?
If you take it of your
own free will.
And then I can
change back at will.
What if you die in battle?
Then you'll change back
to human then as well.
Just as Vendiger's
dragons would.
All we need is to keep his
dragons occupied long enough
for me to get through
and slay their dragon master
and then victory is ours.
I'll do it.
And I also.
*
Are you really sure
you want to take it?
Definitely.
*
*
*
Merlin.
Charge!
Reinforcements and archers.
Leave their wizard to me.
*
Ah!
*
That is as close to me
as you will get.
*
*
You are not the only
son of Pyria.
It doesn't have
to be like this, Merlin.
Join me and together
we could rule Britain.
Never.
Look up to the sky.
Your dragons fall like stones,
unable to best mine.
Tell me where the book is,
Merlin.
A quick death is preferable
to my having to pull
the answer from your mind.
You speak like
you've won already.
I will win, Merlin.
I was always the true power
behind Hengest.
If he falls,
the Saxons will follow me.
It was my dragons
that inspired them.
It is my magic
that can conquer Britain
and rule man
like the God I am.
And now, Merlin,
you see the truth.
Our birthright,
the power of the dark God
inside us.
The Mage taught you wrong
not to embrace it.
No.
He taught me things
more important...
*
Ahhh!
Like a sword can slay a wizard
as much as it can any man.
*
Ahh!
*
You showed true valor
rallying your own men,
but it will
be all for naught.
This Britain doesn't
die that easily.
Ahhhh!
*
You're free.
You're free.
I could get used to that.
*
Behold Uther!
Your new king!
As I knew...
that you would return to me.
For the day only.
The day...
or maybe a few.
We shall see.
*
* Running
* With my dream
* The path
I should not follow *
* The swords
Of promises *
* Surrounded by my past
* I'm falling
* All alone
* The chain of promise broken
* Piercing through my heart
* For the moment stolen
* Weeping music
* Of my life
* Along the inside
* This dark
* The breath
* Of the night
* White passion written
* Like the dust
* Sifting now
* Through my fingers
* Is the love
* That I could never
Leave behind *
* Time can never sting you
* You're locked inside
* My heart
* You're stronger
Than the promise *
* And I will hear
* The music of my love
* No other love
* In this dark
* Chain of promise broken
* Piercing through my heart
* For the one that's stolen
* I am bleeding
* Music of my love
* Time can never sting you
* Locked inside my heart
* We're stronger
Than I promised *
* And I will hear
* The music of my love
* No other love
* In this dark
Merlin and the w*r of the Dragons (2008)
Moderator: Maskath3