The 13th Warrior

I am Ahmedibn Fahdlan,

IbnAlAbbas, Ibn Rasid,

Ibn Hammad.

And things were

not always thus.

At one time,

I was a poet...

in the greatest city

in the world.

Life was easy,

And I lived without care...

until one fateful day...

I met a beautiful woman...

who belonged to another man.

Her jealous husband

Complained to the Caliph...

who made me the ambassador

to the land of the Tossuk Vlad--

a country

far to the north.

I was banished

from my home...

and from all

that I knew.

So, l journeyed by camelback many months

into the lands of barbarian peoples--

accompanied by Melchisidek,

an old friend of my father--

through the lands of the Ogus,

the Khazars and the Bulgars,

into the lands of murderous bandits,

called "Tartars,"

who attack caravans,

slaughtering everyone.

- The Tartars are coming !

The Tartars are coming !

The Tartars--

- Run ! Run for your life !

They have stopped.

They are not following.

- A boat !A boat !

- They're Northmen ! A boat !

A boat ! Over there !

Look!

They are going!

They are leaving!

Move ! Move !

Keep moving !

Ay-yi-yi-yi-yi-yi.

Wait, wait, wait !

Those men in the boat,

who are they ?

The Northmen.

Keep moving and keep quiet !

Why ?

Are they dangerous ?

It depends. Maybe they'll let us go,

Or maybe they'll kill us.

I am an ambassador,

damn it !

I am supposed

to talk to people !

You may yet

have the opportunity.

What do you suppose the potentate

of this encampment calls himself ?

Oh, emperor,

at the very least.

Hmm. Emperor.

We seek your--

We seek your headman,

your king.

Try Greek.

Eh ?

He says their king

is out there in that tent.

He says the king

will not speak to us.

Apparently, the king won't

speak to us because he's dead.

This is his funeral.

You are being introduced to

one of the heirs apparent--

-Buliwyf.

" Buliwyf wishes

a song of glory."

Recite a poem, a tale.

Surely you remember

something.

Uh--

In the beginning,

the Earth was void,

- and the spirits of God passed--

Now that there was a new king,

the Northmen prepared

for the funeral of their old king.

"We will burn him. In one moment,

he and all he owns can be in paradise.

These are our gifts to our lord

to support his kingdom in paradise.

- To take with him ?

- Lo there do I see my father.

'Lo there do I see my mother,

my sisters and my brothers.

- 'Lo there do I see

the line of my people...

- back to the beginning.

'Lo they do call to me.

They bid me take my place among them

in the halls of Valhalla,

where the brave

may live forever.

"She will travel with him.

You will not see this again.

It is the old way."

Another ship arrived

during the night.

There's a boy standing out there

on the bow like he's a statue.

The boy is letting them

see him.

He's in plain sight !

They do not know

If what they see is real.

Something to do

with the mist.

Apparently, they find dangerous things,

spirits in the mist.

The boy was being polite, giving them

time to decide if he's real.

He's a messenger.

He comes from their homeland

in the north with a message for Buliwyf.

He is Wulfgar,

son o King Hrothgar,

a great king from the north.

He comes to ask Buliwyf

For help.

His father's kingdom is under attack.

Their village is destroyed.

They are menaced

By an ancient evil, a terror.

A terror that has no name.

A terror that must not

be named.

Look at them. What thing

would affect them so ?

"The name cannot be said."

"He calls for

the Angel of Death."

He calls for the bones.

She's an oracle.

She calls for men,

a number of them.

Thirteen.

The number of months in the year.

"She says 13 men must go."

Eight.

- Nine.

Ten.

- Eleven.

- Twelve.

"She says the 13th man

must be no Northman."

What the hell

are you saying ?

The 13th warrior is you.

He thinks

Your horse is too small.

Something about, "Only an Arab

Would bring a dog to war."

"He wishes to know

your name."

I am Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan,

Ibn Al Abbas, Ibn Rasid--

- "Eban."

- No, no.

Listen. Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan.

Ibn means "son of."

Eban.

Hyah ! Hup !

What is he saying ?

"Hurry to meet death

before your place is taken."

I will not forget you.

Go with God.

You listening ?

...tomorrow.

...sneak up to steal

ten or twelve horses.

... we can find some geese.

So then he says,

"Do not foretell me wife,

for I will get to know so-proven

aye comin home tonight."

- I don't sound like that.

Roneth slept with her

while we took the horses.

- Blowhards, both of you.

She probably was

some smoke-coloured camp girl.

Looked like

that one's mother.

My mother...

was a pure woman...

from a noble family.

And I,

at least,

know who my father is,

you...

pig-eating

son of a whore.

No, no, no, no, no !

Wait !

Come on, come on, come on,

come on. Come.

- Come on.

- Where did you learn our language ?

I listened !

You can draw... sounds ?

" Draw sounds" ?

Yes, I can draw sounds,

and I can speak them back.

Show me.

There is only one God...

and Muhammad is His prophet.

- Bring me those sacks.

- Hey !

- Mind yourself.

Be quiet.

Only an "Arab"...

would bring--

A dog to war ?

I heard this

the first time.

Good going, "Arab."

- Come on.

- The dog can jump.

Here.

- No, no.

- Eat !

Shouldn't we stay

closer to land ?

No, boy! This is no day

to be close to land!

Odin !

Odin !

Odin !

Down.

- What did you-- What is that--

- Be silent.

Odin !

Land !

"Arab, speak what I draw."

There is only one God...

and Muhammad is his...

prophet.

Go.

Here.

- You'll need this.

I cannot lift this.

Grow stronger.

Rider.

Well-fed on a light mount.

Perfume.

A woman.

A herald.

It's a silk-swaddled

messenger boy.

Tell me your names !

Quickly !

I am Son to Hygiliak,

called Buliwyf.

We all know

your worthy lord.

We come on an errand

to serve him.

My Lord Hrothgar will want

to welcome you himself.

No wall, no moat,

not even a presentable fence.

You couldn't keep a cow

out of this place.

Women and children.

Barely a man

between 1 5 and 50.

My lord, this is Buliwyf, son of

Hygiliak, come from across the sea.

I know the man.

I sent for him.

Knew him as a boy,

Knew his father,

and I know him now.

Grown to a man.

Grown to a fine,

fine man.

What troubles this place,

old man ?

You know

he might be mad.

Be in the mist.

Has anyone seen one ?

- Has anyone seen one

in a hundred years ?

- Hyah !

They say they used to be

all over this countryside...

and worse further north.

People say many things.

Whatever they are,

unless we can track them,

we need a proper fence

and some sort of moat--

We could fashion a gate

from a wagon.

I don't want to build a fence.

I'm not a farmer.

- Let's go track the bastards--

- Gentlemen !

- Boy! Speak to me, boy!

- Who did this ?

- Speak to me !

- Find someone who knows him.

- Wait !

I know him.

It's a farmstead,

just up the glen.

I will take you.

Don't step

in front of me.

So it's true.

No horse tracks.

- They were afoot.

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