Black Death (2010)

[bunniefuu]

The fumes of the dead hung
in the air like poison.

A plague more cruel
and more pitiless

than w*r had descended upon us.

A pestilence that would leave
half our kingdom dead.

Where did it come from?

What carried it's germ?

The priests told us it
was God's punishment.

For what sin?

What commandment must we
break that would earn this?

No, we knew the truth.

This was not God's
work, but devilry.

Or witchcraft.

And our task, to hunt down
a demon, is God's cure.

Brother Thomas.

Brother Thomas.

- Who was taken from us?
- Brother Ignatius.

- Is it the pestilence?
- We have not been told.

I have no signs. Please brother.

Let me out.

Averill.

O thanks pretty gorgeous.

- Where have you been?
- I was confined... sacred.

I thought you were dead.

- I am alright.
- I prayed, prayed all the time.

I am alright.

I have brought food.

One of our brothers died
this morning, Averill.

Even the monastery is no
longer safe, you must go now.

You must go back to
Dentwich Forest and

you must hide there
till this is passed.

On Sunday the prior
said the pestilence was

God's new purge, send
to wash away our sins.

- Is God punishing us?
- No.

No.

You must go now.

You must go back to Dentwich.

You must go.

- Osmund, I...
- Averill, you will die.

And you will not?

Come with me.

If I leave the monastery
now, I betray God.

We have already betrayed him.

You know the Martyrs Cross
at Dentwich forest?

I will wait for you there, every
morning at dawn for one week.

And then I will be gone.

Forgive me, Father. I am confused.

I confess, I am torn.

Can I serve you outside
of these walls?

I would leave here,
but I would never

stray from your grace, father.

Show me Your will.

Father, give me a sign.

I am Ulric, envoy to the bishop.

What I say now does not
leave these walls.

Word has reached the
bishop of a village

that does not suffer as the rest.

They say it is a sanctuary
from the pestilence.

There are many
villages that have not

been ravaged yet
by the pestilence.

It is claimed these villagers
are beyond it's icy grasp.

Then they are greatly mistaken.

These are difficult times.

Such claims however fantastical...

can find favour with those
less educated than you or I.

Precisely why we cannot fall
foul of rumour and superstition.

God's grip on his
people is lucent.

We must ensure the flock
is not tempted to

look beyond God and
church for answers.

I must see for myself how
this village is kept safe.

What part have we in this?

The village I seek lies
in the great marsh.

I require a guide, a man
of God, to show the way.

No man here fit for such a task.

With the bishop's blessing
I may choose any man here.

Out of respect... I
grant you that choice

I will lead you there.

No, he is a mere novice. This
requires a more experienced hand.

Let him speak.

The said village you seek
lies in the great marsh.

I was raised close by
in Dentwich Forest.

I know the area
better than any man.

He has all the
experience I require.

You will lead us.
We leave at dawn.

Osmund, that man is more dangerous
than the pestilence itself.

Father, I prayed for guidance.

God has answered.

Even if you survive, the world
out there will change you.

Perhaps that's what I want Father.

My lady love and I, we
lived in joyeous sin,

now my lady love has got
the blackened skin.

My lady love and I, we
pour our love so brave,

now my lady love rots
in an early grave.

We have our guide.

God has no men left,

he sends us a boy.

Are you up to it, son?

I can lead you there.

Pray you do.

Split any man from his
as*h*le to his apple.

What's that for?

How much does he know?

Ulric was 'frugal' shall
we say with the truth.

This village we're headed to...

they have cast God aside.
In his place sits a demon.

There was talk of sacrifice of men

eating men and of
raising the dead.

Now we're charged...

to bring the leader
of this village back

for confession, trial
and execution.

The bishop seeks to roast
themself a necromancer.

Sorry, what is a necromancer?

A necromancer is
someone who plucks

the dead from the cold earth,

breathes new life into them.

We have the tools,
we have the will.

We journey into hell.

- But God travels with us.
- So you misled me.

Return to your monastery
if you feel betrayed...

or join us and do God's work.

Let's get this cleared
up, let's get going.

That includes you, Swire.

We are not as bad as you think.

But worse. But we need you alive.

You seem well suited
to keeping men alive.

I have spent many a
long years in the

king's army with
Wolfstan and Griff.

I will be honest with you.

We have never faced
a demon before,

but we take what comes our way.

- What happened to him?
- Ivo was captured.

Wouldn't talk, so the b*stard
French tore out his tongue.

- And him?
- Mould is a man to leave alone...

unless there's
butchery to be done.

And Dalywag, he is a
torturer, a hangman,

and if the rumour
is true, m*rder*r,

thief and deceiver of women.

But apart from that
he's a good man.

- What about Ulric?
- I have got a wife and child.

I am here for the money. Ulric is

here, because God
told him to come.

- Burn.
- What's it...

Have mercy, please have mercy. No.

I have done nothing.

We must help her.

Do you here me? You
deserve to burn.

- I have done nothing.
- Burn. Burn the witch. Burn.

- You're in league with the devil.
- What is her crime?

She brought death to our village.

Death is all around us,
and it's no invitation.

This does not involve
you monk. Step aside.

I have done nothing, please.

Please, stand aside.

What is this woman accused of?

She poisoned our well
in a pact with the

devil, now half the
village is dead.

I offered a simple blessing over
our water to keep everyone safe.

- Liar.
- I did nothing wrong.

The dying began after she
was seen at the well.

You have her confession?

Plenty of us saw her cast her
spell. Now she must burn,

to spare what remains
of our village.

Move aside.

I will not ask you again.

Back.

Thank you.

Do not stop again.

Come on, brown slug.

As sure as the sun will rise
and fall, witches will burn.

There's a village
in the north, that

burned 128 witches in one night.

That's sixteen an hour,
for eight hours.

By the time that
night was through,

they'd k*lled every
woman in the village.

By the end of that week the
men were shagging pigs.

Pestilence isn't trial enough,
now God has us shagging pigs.

This village we seek,
you been there?

No, but I know where it lies.

Hell awaits us, or so we're told.

If you have not got the stomach
for it, then leave it now.

And I will have your
share of the bounty.

What is the Church believe
this pestilence is come from?

I don't believe God is
punishing us like many do.

I say from France, where
all foul things emerge.

For once Swire, you might not
be too far from the truth.

Three summers passed, we fought
a battle at Crecy in Normandy,

King Edward's army was dwarfed.

For every 20 of us, there were
a 100 Frenchmen, at least.

The French...

Ah, the French.

They could sense victory,
you could smell it.

On that day for the first time
our archers used the longbow.

Quicker to load,
further in flight.

Their arrows, their arrows were
useless. Couldn't reach us.

And ours, ours were like
a dark, buzzing cloud.

And that day's end,
field was littered

with their dead and their dying.

And custom no matter
how fierce the

battle, was to use
the misericorde.

Misericorde, it's the mercy-giver.

You stab straight through the
armpit directly into the heart.

It's quick and painless.

But on this day, there
was an end to chivalry.

King Edward ordered
every Frenchman

left alive to be
k*lled without mercy.

Arms, heads, legs...

hacked away.

God's greatest army
descended into savagery.

Forgive me, but how does
that concern the pestilence?

We invited Death
among us that day.

He hasn't left us since.

That woman you k*lled,

she was not a witch.

Why did you volunteer
to join us, monk?

To serve God.

k*lling witches serves God.

The woman was already dead.

If I had freed her,

the mob would have caught
her again and burned her.

I spared her suffering.

Sometimes that is all you can do.

Turn back.

Where we're headed men
have become savages.

It must have been
something pretty special,

to tempt you away from
that nice, warm monastery.

- Anything you want to tell me?
- No.

You know what my job is?

I am a torturer, truth-getter.
Spend hours on a man.

Can smell a lie, and I smell you.

Pray somewhere else,
if I were you.

Have you broken any vows yet, boy?

Leave him be, Mould.

Back, get back. Griff.

Griff?

- Get Back.
- Leave me alone. Leave me alone.

Let me look.

Let me look.

Just going to take a look.

Alright? Okay my friend.
Just having a look.

Why didn't you tell us?

I am sorry.

His journey is finished here.

I prefer mercy.

I need to make a
confession to the friar.

No...

cannot be sure how
this thing spread.

Who the hell asked you?

I will take your confession.

Come, you shall have absolution.

You keep your mouth shut.

Ego Te absolvo a
peccatis tuis in nomine

patris et filii et
spiritus sancti.

Forgive me.

Our Father who art in Heaven...

Hallowed be thy name...

Come thy kingdom,
forfilled be thine

when in heaven as in earth...

bread give us today...

I need a moment with him.

Alright.

I am glad it's you. I can
see things... Urgh...

Farewell my friend.

Bury him.

- The forest of Dentwich.
- How far to the marsh?

Half a day, perhaps less.

Be on your guard. God has
slipped over the horizon.

You're on watch tonight, Swire.

Giving Griff absolution...

took courage.

Do you truly believe this
village can rise the dead?

I would not be here otherwise.

You doubt it?

I believe that hunting
necromancers and demons...

serves men more
than it serves god.

You have learned much nestled
inside the monastery.

Demons and necromancers
are among us.

As you will find out.

Soon enough.

I will get some sleep.

Averill.

Averill.

Averill.

Averill?

No.

No, no, no. No.

Averill.

Wake up.

Ulric.

Get up.

Wolfstan.

Ulric, wake up. Wake up. Ulric.

- How many are in the forest?
- Calm down.

How many? What did you
see? What did you see?

They're in the forest. I don't...

How many? How many?

I don't know. I don't know.

- How many?
- He doesn't know.

Mould, forward, now.

Wait. Wait.

Get in there. Now.

Yah, shut the f*ck...

No.

God. God.

Where is Ivo?

You alright?

We lost Ivo.

Why did you leave the camp?

Speak.

- I came her to meet a woman.
- And where is she?

She did not survive the forest.

God has punished me for
leaving his monastery.

God has better things to think of.

Because of you...

one of my men is dead.

If we move, we move now.

How do we know the man we
have come for is not here?

These men are nothing
more than common thieves.

You will lead us to
the great marsh.

Sir, I am of no use to you.

You will lead us...

or stay here alone and be damned.

The village lies beyond the marsh.

What's the plan?

Identify the heretic...

capture him...

put him in the cage.

That will never go
across the marsh.

Then we will leave it behind.

Drag him here.

Come on, boy.

Come on.

What brings you to our village?

We seek refuge.

A place to rest, nothing more.

Then you are welcome.

My name is Hob.

I am Ulric.

You were attacked?

In the forest.

Then you did well to reach us.
That forest can be dangerous.

May I ask what you were doing?

Bringing relief to the suffering.

Relief?

From what?

Word of the pestilence
has not reached you?

Word is all that has reached us.

Come.

What the hell is going on?

We need guile to draw
out the necromancer.

No one acts unless I say so.

Tonight we will feed you
and give you a bed.

And in the morning we will escort
you to a safe part of the forest.

We're not welcome?

Of course.

But why would you stay?

Here is some buckets,
you need to wash.

This is no time to
be blinded by grief.

If this is hell, can't
wait for heaven.

You're not bound for
heaven, Swire. Believe me.

I will tend to your wounds.

I will tend to your wound.

That needs to be dressed.

Come with me.

Maybe you should
get her seeing to.

- Where are you from?
- From the monastery at Staveley.

You're in mourning.

Is it so obvious?

Was it a woman?

It's no sin to love a woman.

I have sworn to god.

A man needs more than
divine love to sustain him.

And he shouldn't be
punished for wanting it.

Do you have a husband?

- My husband is dead.
- I am sorry.

Take off your clothes.

I need to dress your wound.

The pain is going already.

It's extraordinary,
the pain is gone.

It is a strong remedy.

May I ask you, how did
your husband die?

Men like you k*lled him.

Men like me?

Men of God.

This church has not seen
worship for a long while.

The woman you went with...

She dressed my wounds,
nothing more.

Nothing here is what it seems.

You can help us keep warm, girls.

Child.

I found it.

- Where?
- In the marsh.

Every village we rode through
had graveyards bursting.

No corpse-fuelled pits,
no burning bodies.

We cannot judge them
for having no disease.

A party was send before us
charged with the same task...

four men, none returned.

They were led by a
man like myself.

This symbol is worn only
by the bishops envoy.

The girl wore its twin.

Please welcome our guests.
What is ours is now yours.

- To our guests.
- To our guest.

We also want to give
thanks that we have

been spared the
terrible pestilence...

sweeping through the land.

If I may...

I would like to express our
gratitude for your welcome.

Now let us pray.

Pater noster qui Es in caelis,
sanctificetur nomen tuum.

Adveniat regnum tuum.

Fiat voluntas tua, sicut
in caelo et in Terra...

Panem nostrum cotidianum
da nobis hodie.

Et dimitte nobis
debita Nostra, sicut

et nos dimittimus
debitoribus nostris.

- Amen.
- Amen.

I expected grace not the
entire Lord's Prayer.

Women outnumber men here. Maybe

that's why a woman
speaks for them.

Do not be fooled.

Evil works within this
place, within these people.

Osmund.

I just need some air.

We found her in the forest.

She spoke of you before she died.

Forgive me Lord. I am angry.

Why did you take her?

Why did you take her?

Osmund, where were you?

Why did you betray me?

Why?

Why did you betray me?

Osmund? Osmund?

Osmund.

Osmund?

- What troubles you?
- We're to become beasts.

We must become more than beasts
if we are to triumph here.

I see no evil here, just a simple

village that has not
yet been ravished.

Leave a suffering to your
heart daunt your senses.

Sir, how would you know, you
have no heart to suffer.

I have known grief.

My wife and child
sit at God's side.

Yes...

this village is without
the pestilence.

But it is also without God.

For this they will suffer.

Are you shy?

I am ugly and I am Christian.

And that is not a good
combination in here.

Piss off.

When will she be buried?

Do not worry. I will
take care of everything.

Can I see her again?

You will.

You were going to tell me
these men mean us harm.

Me in particular.

I knew the moment I
looked into Ulrics eyes.

But I did not know with
whose side you were on.

Come with me.

Come.

What's going on?

Something you should see.

Now.

What's wrong?

Get off.

Eat and drink.

As a Christian you will appreciate
the concept of betrayal.

Together... Keep
your head together.

- Keep it together.
- Get lost.

- Keep it together.
- Get lost.

Keep your head together.

Stop. Piss off.

You're not there boy. Look
at me boy. Look at me.

Come on, boy.

wh*re.

wh*re.

These Christians arrived in our
village claiming to seek refuge.

This was their true purpose.

They came uninvited to our home
bringing malice and hatred.

These are God's gifts to us.

These are his words...

and these fine men
his ambassadors.

Thirteen centuries of
control and intimidation...

now gaze back at us
through those bars.

We do not relish suffering.

We do what we must
to keep us safe.

The pestilence, the
Christian disease,

send by your god to
ravage his own people.

By spilling your Christian blood
the pestilence is kept away.

You and your flock, you believe
this blasphemous filth?

k*ll us now, you b*tch.
Get it over with.

I will offer you all
the chance to live.

Renounce your vengeful
God, and you will be free.

Keep him and you will die.

Not one man here will
bow down to you.

- I will die first.
- Who wants to live?

You?

I will fight Ulric for
the right to die first.

Choose one.

You will renounce.

I look forward to shagging
your mother's a*s in hell.

My mother is alive and she doesn't
relish the company of soldiers.

Come on.

Come on, men.

- Die well my friend.
- Oh, I will.

Come on.

My lady love and I, we
lived in joyeous sin...

now my lady love has got
the blackened skin.

Lady love and I, we pour
our love so brave...

She says, yeah.

Now my lady love rots
in an early grave.

My lady love and I, we
lived in joyeous sin...

Now you will learn about pain.

Nothing you can teach
me about pain.

Don't look. Don't
look. Hey, look away.

Look away, boy.

Blood of our blood,
unholy trinity divine...

we offer this lamb
slaughtering down...

that death not ours
shall stay afar.

For Christian blood,
putrid and sick...

into our marsh shall weep.

b*tch. You b*tch. I will
f*cking k*ll you, you b*tch.

I will slice you open.
Do you hear me?

I will f*cking slice you
open. I don't f*ck.

Choose another.

I will renounce.

No. No, you won't. You won't.

You try to leave
this... I will k*ll

you with my bare f*cking hands.

I swear, I do.

No.

Swire, listen to me. If you
renounce, you burn in hell.

- You...
- My Friend you will burn in hell.

He's going to k*ll you.

I swear to god, they're
going to k*ll you.

Swire, stop, no... I swear to
god, they're going to k*ll you.

God, begone. I do
renounce thee eternally.

God, begone.

I do renounce thee eternally.

Holy Ghost, begone eternally.

Holy Ghost, begone eternally.

Christ, begone eternally.

Christ...

begone eternally.

The false idols
have been cast out.

God is gone.

The Holy Ghost is gone.

Christ is gone.

These men will escort you
to the edge of the village.

You are free to go.

Where we going?

Where we going?

Where are we go... Aaahhh.

No.

Osmund.

- You will renounce.
- Leave the boy. Leave the boy.

Leave the boy and take a man.

He's a boy.

He's a boy. He's a boy.

This monk came to
restore our faith.

Today he will abandon his own.

Inside that cottage is
the woman he loves.

- I have brought her back to him.
- God, I am dead, I am in hell.

No Osmund, you left hell behind
when you crossed our marsh.

Come live here with us.

Come live with the woman you love.

We have no fury.

We have no pestilence.
We have no God.

Why are you doing this to me?

Because I like you.

Renounce, and you
will be together.

Go.

Go.

Osmund. Osmund.

Do not be tempted.

It is not her. It is not her.

Osmund.

Osmund.

Averill.

No, come here.

No, Averill.

Averill, look at me.

It is alright.

It's alright.

You're with God.

You're with God.

And very soon, I will be
with you. I promise you.

I promise you.

I love you, Averill.

In nomine patris...

et filii...

et spiritus sancti. Amen.

Averill is with God.

And so am I.

This shows how cruel they are.

Even the ones they love are
slaughtered in God's name.

The boy will not renounce.
He will not renounce.

You have no power here.
You have no power here.

Hob, crucify them all.

You can not tear a true man
of God away from his faith.

I do not fear you, nor
your pagan lapdog.

Finished?

Bring out the horses.

Crucify us and you
shall be spared.

That is the creed of your witch.

You came to our land
bringing death.

For once you speak the truth.

We came bringing death.

She cannot protect you
from God's wrath.

Repent. Before it is too late.

Hit it.

Repent.

You will renounce.

Never.

No. No.

Never.

Stop.

Let me see the boy.

You did well.

Come on, come on, come.

They will all die by God's hand.

Open my shirt.

Open my shirt.

I am Death.

Vengeance is mine.

God's fury rains down on you.

God is restored.

Run.

Where are you?

- Hell awaits you with open arms.
- There is no hell.

- Well, heaven doesn't want you.
- There is no heaven.

Why, why follow her?

Because she was beautiful.

And real.

This...

is real.

There... is... no... God.

Where are you?

Where are you?

Thou shall not k*ll...

Remember?

Remember?

Averill was in purgatory.

Perhaps in your twisted mind.

Did you never think that maybe
Averill was never dead?

We found her in the forest,
injured but very much alive.

You know that is not true.

Yes, Osmund. Averill was
never dead. She was alive.

I drugged her.

I drugged her.

So why... why...

Why would you do that?
Why would you bury her?

Because people need miracles.

And they worship the miracle
makers, whoever they might be.

The people in this
village believed in me.

- And so did you.
- No, Averill was dead.

You k*lled her.

Averill was dead.

She was dead.

Bring her back.

I beg you, bring her back.

No, I can't.

Pray to your God.

See what he can do.

She was dead.

There is nothing beautiful or

uplifting in returning
people to God.

There is no place in
heaven for those who k*ll.

The pestilence claimed
no higher purpose.

And those who had
survived our swords

that day soon fell
foul of its sighs.

They were not protected
by the witch.

They were simply remote.

And once the pestilence
crossed their marsh...

it k*lled them too.

Osmund.

Osmund.

We're here.

Osmund.

That you have returned
safe is a miracle.

Who is that?

It's a necromancer that I will
be delivering to the bishop.

Here, that's...

How many of you are left.

Enough.

Look after him.

There's no need.

He is back with God.

I never saw him again.

I heard stories.

Dark stories.

That in the years that followed
Osmunds heart turned cold.

That in the shadow of his
grief he found a hate.

And that in God's name...

he took up the sword and
vengeance became his creed.

Can I help you?

Please.

Please.

I have done nothing wrong.

Please.

Please.

You have the wrong woman.

I want a confession,
and I want her alive.

Osmund.

She won't confess.

Are you sure she's a witch?

Where is she?

Some say he found the witch...

and that he tortured
her and burned her.

Others say it was never her...

it was only her guilt he saw
in the eyes of the accused.

Let me go.

I like to think that
he found peace...

that he continued seeing
beauty in the world...

Goodness.