4 acessos
[ALTARUS:] Gaze deep into the mists with your spirit-eyes, Xerxes... look far,
and tell me what you see.
[XERXES:] I see a land far to the north... a vast empire of dark endless moors
and snow-crowned mountains... a land of brooding citadels and warrior-kings
who hail to grim gods.
[ALTARUS:] Look well, Xerxes, for enlightenment hides within the fog-swathed
vales of Hyperborea...
[The King's Dream:]
Bythe onyx sceptre of my forefathers, the air is churning with auguries
ofdethronement...Impendingdreadthus prophesized! In a dream I was bade
ridetheargent-eyedunicorntotheRing of Stones... There a torrent of
viscidslimeassailedme,aspipesandhornssangtheclarionof my
dissolution...And the usurpation of my ancient azure throne. Assassins stalk
thenightedhallsof my palace... poisoned blades and chalices surround me.
Ithirstedfora balm, but my thirst was slaked by an envenomed draught. My
swordarmshackledby tendrils of sloth... enthralled by the chasmed gloom...
Borneuponwings of labyrinthine dread... I awaken! I shall seek the counsel
ofthe sorcerer, keeper of the ancient scrolls of wisdom, and the Crystals of
Power...
[The Words of the Sorcerer:]
My liege, great and regal king... the mists disclose their secrets... you
aredestinedtowielda great dark power. Drink deep of the potions of the
apothecary,forupontheenowIbestowa shard of the mystic Crystal of
Mera... sacred artefact of the At lantean mages, won in battle by our legions.
Myliege,theCrystalof Mera shall unveil the truth lurking hidden in thy
most fever-haunted dreams...
[The Voice of the Harbinger:]
Thelandawashwithspilledblood,andviscera torn forth from the
sundered dead... Gorge the earth with flesh darkened with the claw and fang of
war... rent open the ravenous maws of worms...
[The King:]
TheCrystalilluminesdarksecrets,the truth is known... a dire and
ancientthreatis ranged against me. Hearken, the clarion is upon the winds,
nowthecalltoarms is upon us all, Grim warriors, take up thy spears and
honethy gleaming swords. Archers, string thy bows, brave knights, saddle the
steedsof war, The glory of battle is nigh at last, our banner shall fly this
day in victory!
My warriors, a legacy shall this day be wrought by our blades, decreed by
the gods, Blessed by the blood of vanquished foes. Our destiny beckons...
[Lord Angsaar, Dark Liege of Chaos:]
Come,greatkingofHyperboria,marchagainst me with your splendid
legions and shimmering swords. I, the Bane of the Atlantean Kings, the Scourge
of Lemuria, Archfoe of the Immortals of Ultima Thule, shall Crush you! I shall
visitathousand plagues upo n your realm, and wreak untold havoc and bloody
carnage until I have your throne... and your soul!
[ALTARUS:] And thus, flanked by the splendour of azure banners, a vast army
marchedforth from the great walls of the Imperial City of Hyperborea, and at
theforefrontofthe mighty legions, astride an ebon war-stallion, rode the
king,sunlight glinting up on his splendid armour... compelled by dreams, and
guided by the Crystal of Mera...
[XERXES:] Where? Where did the king's path take him?
[ALTARUS:]The king was compelled to lead his forces to the shadow-haunted
Mountainsofthe Dead, a grim and brooding place steeped in dark and ancient
legendry.Alone he rode into the gaping maw of a huge cave hewn into the side
ofthe tallest mountain co untless ages past by unknown hands. For three full
daysandnightshedid not emerge from the cave... until, at last, he rode
forthfromthe eldritch mountain once more, a terrible knowledge shadowed in
hisicyeyes,andbearinginhisgauntletedfist a huge black sword, a
magnificentebonbladewhichnohumanblacksmitheverforged. Fearsome
sorcerouspowercrackledwithintheyard of black steel, dancing upon its
searinglyhoned, glyph-scored blade... and its bejewelled, dragon-carved hilt
did whisper arcane secrets to the king in a strange, elder tongue.
[XERXES:]But master, what powers did this blade possess? What secrets did
it hold?
[ALTARUS:]Manycenturiesago,beforeevenwerewaged the Great Wars
between the ancient kingdoms of Atlantis and Hyperborea, Lord Angsaar did rise
fromhischarnel-tomband do battle with a powerful immortal warrior-shaman
over the possession of the elder Crystals of Mera, mystic gems of unparalleled
magicalpotency.Angsaar,hispowerswelled by forces from the vast Outer
Darkness,didsmitehisfoetothe brink of destruction... but, with his
fadingsorceries,the immortal mystically transferred his li fe-essence into
hisgreatblacksword,and scattered the magic crystals across the galaxy,
leavingAngsaarwith a hollow victory and forcing him to return once more to
hisdarkChamberofSlumber. The sword was lost for centuries, as were the
crystals,untiltheonegemto remain on this world was discovered deep
beneaththenorthernseasby an ancient Atlantean wizard. And the sword...
legendsspokeofhowitsfinalrestingplace would be made known by the
sorceries of the last crystal only when the bl ade's power would once again ne
needed to battle the Chaos-liege. This was the immortal's final, most powerful
spell...uponthe reawakening of Angsaar, the sorcerous energies and undying
lifeforceencasedwithintheblade would be transferred to its wie lder...
aye, the one who discovered the Shadow-Sword would be imbued with the power of
theimmortal, and by the art of elder spellcraft, he would do battle with his
ancient nemesis once more...
[XERXES:] Then there looms such a cataclysmic battle!
[ALTARUS:]Andso, from his Black Citadel, the Chaos-liege did send forth
his Horde of Wraiths to engage the army of the king...
[THE KING:]
Behold,alegionof undead fiends meets us upon the field of war. Face
me,ScourgeofLemuria, I wield thy bane, the Shadow-Sword... (and darksome
sorceriesnow empower me with thunderous might!) Hearken, the clarion is upon
the winds, now the call to arms is upon us all, The glory of battle is nigh at
last, into the fray we ride!
[XERXES:]Theoutcome,master...who left the field victorious? Did the
king prevail?
[ALTARUS:]Themistsbegin to disperse... for now, the images fade. That
tale shall have to wait 'til another day...
[Lyrics: Byron]
[Music: Jonny Maudling]