| ALTARUS:
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| Gaze deep into the mists with your spirit-eyes, Xerxes…
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| look far, and tell me what you see.
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| XERXES:
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| I see a land far to the north…
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| a vast empire of dark endless moors and snow-crowned mountains…
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| a land of brooding citadels and warrior-kings who hail to grim gods.
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| ALTARUS:
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| Look well, Xerxes, for enlightenment hides
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| within the fog-swathed vales of Hyperborea…
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| THE KING’S DREAM:
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| By the onyx sceptre of my forefathers,
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| the air is churning with auguries of dethronement…
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| Impending dread thus prophesized!
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| In a dream I was bade ride
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| the argent-eyed unicorn to the Ring of Stones…
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| There a torrent of viscid slime assailed me,
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| as pipes and horns sang the clarion of my dissolution…
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| And the usurpation of my ancient azure throne.
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| Assassins stalk the nighted halls of my palace…
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| poisoned blades and chalices surround me.
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| I thirsted for a balm, but my thirst
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| was slaked by an envenomed draught.
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| My swordarm shackled by tendrils of sloth…
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| enthralled by the chasmed gloom…
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| Borne upon wings of labyrinthine dread…
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| I awaken!
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| I shall seek the counsel of the sorcerer,
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| keeper of the ancient scrolls of wisdom,
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| and the Crystals of Power…
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| THE WORDS OF THE SORCERER:
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| My liege, great and regal king…
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| the mists disclose their secrets…
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| you are destined to wield a great dark power.
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| Drink deep of the potions of the apothecary,
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| for upon thee now I bestow a shard
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| of the mystic Crystal of Mera…
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| sacred artefact of the At lantean mages,
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| won in battle by our legions.
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| My liege, the Crystal of Mera shall unveil the truth
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| lurking hidden in thy most fever-haunted dreams…
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| THE VOICE OF THE HARBINGER:
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| The land awash with spilled blood,
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| and viscera torn forth from the sundered dead…
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| Gorge the earth with flesh
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| darkened with the claw and fang of war…
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| rent open the ravenous maws of worms…
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| THE KING:
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| The Crystal illumines dark secrets, the truth is known…
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| a dire and ancient threat is ranged against me.
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| Hearken, the clarion is upon the winds,
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| now the call to arms is upon us all,
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| Grim warriors, take up thy spears and hone thy gleaming swords.
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| Archers, string thy bows, brave knights, saddle the steeds of war,
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| The glory of battle is nigh at last,
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| our banner shall fly this day in victory!
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| My warriors, a legacy shall this day be wrought
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| by our blades, decreed by the gods,
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| Blessed by the blood of vanquished foes.
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| Our destiny beckons…
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| LORD ANGSAAR, DARK LIEGE OF CHAOS:
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| Come, great king of Hyperboria, march against me
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| with your splendid legions and shimmering swords.
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| I, the Bane of the Atlantean Kings, the Scourge of Lemuria,
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| Archfoe of the Immortals of Ultima Thule, shall Crush you!
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| I shall visit a thousand plagues upon your realm,
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| and wreak untold havoc and bloody carnage
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| until I have your throne… and your soul!
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| ALTARUS:
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| And thus, flanked by the splendour of azure banners,
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| a vast army marched forth from the great walls
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| of the Imperial City of Hyperborea,
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| and at the forefront of the mighty legions,
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| astride an ebon war-stallion, rode the king,
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| sunlight glinting up on his splendid armour…
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| compelled by dreams, and guided by the Crystal of Mera…
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| XERXES:
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| Where? |
| Where did the king’s path take him?
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| ALTARUS:
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| XERXES:
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| But master, what powers did this blade possess?
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| What secrets did it hold?
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| ALTARUS:
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| XERXES:
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| Then there looms such a cataclysmic battle!
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| ALTARUS:
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| And so, from his Black Citadel, the Chaos-liege did send
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| forth his Horde of Wraiths to engage the army of the king…
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| THE KING:
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| Behold, a legion of undead fiends meets us upon the field of war.
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| Face me, Scourge of Lemuria, I wield thy bane, the Shadow-Sword…
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| (and darksome sorceries now empower me with thunderous might!)
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| Hearken, the clarion is upon the winds,
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| now the call to arms is upon us all,
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| The glory of battle is nigh at last, into the fray we ride!
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| XERXES:
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| The outcome, master…
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| who left the field victorious?
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| Did the king prevail?
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| ALTARUS:
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| The mists begin to disperse… for now, the images fade.
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| That tale shall have to wait 'til another day… |