The Last Legion Page #4

And you will know, and you will know,

That what I tell you is true.

The stone of fire that fell to Earth

Cooled in the ice of a

mountain and turned to iron.

There it was found by a

master blacksmith, a Calybian.

He hammered the metal in his furnace

for three days and three nights,

Hammering in the white

heat with no stop,

No, not so much as to eat or drink.

The cutting edge he tempered

in the blood of a lion,

And see here-- He

carved the pentangle,

A symbol of faith and truth,

So whoever held this sword

Would have faith and

know that it would serve

One cause, and one cause only.

The truth.

AURELIUS:
Would you take up arms again?

For the emperor?

We swore a sacred oath to

defend our emperor to the death,

But to go against the Goth...

It would take a miracle.

(Giggling)

It's so simple for them.

They like each other, and

they're not afraid to show it.

How do you see me, Aurelius?

You're a fine warrior.

You let your guard drop

occasionally, you're...

Careless, sometimes.

Show me.

Is that all you see me as, a warrior?

You're a handsome woman in your way.

(Clanks)

Such passion, Commander.

You must have broken many hearts.

You're getting slow.

Must be age.

You know, your attacks are

a little too predictable.

So, where am I open?

There.

Not bad.

(Sheathes sword)

ROMULUS:
Do you know this place?

AMBROSINUS:
Once, yes, I knew it well.

This was a sanctuary

for those whose lives

Were dedicated to the

secret of the sword.

Did you live here, Ambrosinus?

Here I was given this,

By Vortgyn.

Aah!

Where is it?!

He wanted the power of

the sword for himself...

(Screams)

...but the secret could only

be given to a righteous man.

That moment. So long ago.

Marked the path of both

our lives forever after.

ROMULUS:
The pentangle.

It's the same as on the sword.

Remember the prophecy?

"In Britannia was I forged...

To fit the hand of he

who was destined to rule."

I left Britannia in search

of the sword; I found you.

I knew then that what was

written must come to pass.

But I'm Caesar without an empire.

How can I fulfill the prophecy?

Have I taught you nothing?

Prophecy is an act of faith,

And we are the keepers of the faith.

What do you think, Aurelius?

Would you bury your sword for this,

To have a home, keep cattle, grow fat?

When it's over.

Maybe then.

I'm cold.

(Swans honking)

(Goats bleating)

(Eerie cry)

(Birds flying away)

(Cry continues)

Well, little one.

I want you to...

Go back to your people.

Carry a message for me.

You have a friend who

comes from a distant land.

They must give him up.

Look.

(Screams)

KUSTENNIN:
Ygraine?

The blacksmith's family.

This is Vortgyn at work.

- Oh, please, don't make them kill me!

- No, no, no.

- They'll kill me.

- Shush, child.

- They won't kill you.

- Yes, they will. They'll kill us all.

(Pants hysterically)

Unless we give them...

Him.

(Sobbing)

Romulus?

Lovely Romulus.

The boy. He is the one.

He is Romulus Augustus Caesar.

Why us, Aurelius?

Why did you come to us?

I lost my wife and two sons today...

And I want revenge...

But the bitter truth is if

we stand against Vortgyn,

Many more will die,

Perhaps all of us and our families.

That's not revenge; that's suicide.

The boy should go,

- And those who came with him.

- VILLAGER:
It's not our fight.

(Murmuring)

VILLAGER 2:
That's true, suicidal.

Let us hear Aurelius.

I will speak for him.

Everything you have been told is true.

I am Caesar.

We came asking for your loyalty,

but Rome has not been loyal to you.

Now, if it is the right path

and if it will save more lives,

Then I will surrender to Vortgyn.

Whatever is decided

here will be my destiny.

What are we doing? This is our emperor!

One day will decide

this, one final battle.

At dawn I leave for the fort with my

men to fight and defend from there.

Those of you who will stand with

us, we welcome you as brothers.

Those who will not, we

leave you also as brothers.

I salute you all.

Hail, Caesar.

ALL:
Hail, Caesar.

You kept your armor,

after all these years.

Ten years of farming gives you

something worth fighting for.

Twenty as a legionary... teaches

you to be ready for the day.

Good man.

It was made for my brother.

Doesn't he need it?

He's grown since then.

If we all die tomorrow, Ambrosinus...

What happens to the prophecy?

Now is the test of our faith, and

we are the keepers of the faith.

We keep the flame alive.

What happens after is not ours to know.

(Chatter)

(Coughing)

(Neighs)

If we don't live to see tomorrow...

Nothing will ever part us.

ROMULUS:
Commander.

A boy once took your sword.

What if he now offered

you his in exchange?

I would use it well...

And salute the Caesar

to whom it belongs.

You are Caesar...

Wherever you are.

Always remember.

My friends.

We've all seen many

mornings like this one.

Together we've watched the sun rise

And not known if that

day would be our last.

Some comrades I've seen

scarcely out of boyhood,

Trembling before their first battle.

It was a cold morning, Commander.

That it was, Demetrius.

And you men of the Ninth Legion,

All of us,

Together we have fought all our lives

For the empire that

our ancestors created

And together we have watched

that empire crumble to dust.

But with its fall we

have lost two friends...

And I can tell you that

in the darkest moments,

I came to believe that there

was nothing left to fight for,

But I've been shown

through the wisdom of others

That there is one

more battle to be waged

Against tyranny and the

slaughter of innocents.

Let us defend to the last

breath this island of Britannia

Against those who would

tear out its heart and soul.

And then those who come

after us will remember

That there was such a

thing as a Roman soldier

With a Roman sword and a Roman heart!

Hail, Caesar!

ALL:
Hail, Caesar!

AURELIUS:
Demetrius!

Commander!

MAN:
Secure the gates!

(Horses whinny)

(Army rumbles forward)

How many?

AURELIUS:
A thousand, maybe more.

Not as many as I thought.

You two man the walls.

Tertius, command the archers.

MAN:
They're out front!

Man battery! Light pitches!

Archers!

Attack!

(Yelling)

Aim!

Shoot!

Vortgyn, I give you...

Fire!

Aim!

Shoot!

Sorcerer.

They have the sorcerer!

Clear!

VORTGYN:
That is no sorcerer.

That is the keeper of the sword.

Aah!

Stay close to me.

The gate won't hold. Watch out!

Uhn!

- Aaah!

- Demetrius!

Whoa!

Uhn!

(Roaring)

Yah!

Bring me Caesar's sword!

Uhn!

Ow!

Uhh!

No!

I thought--I

thought I had...

Too many, old friend.

We don't have a chance.

They're coming.

The Ninth.

Aah!

To the last breath.

Archers, make wall!

MIRA:
Romulus?

Romulus!

(Groaning)

After all you've done to my country...

My Britannia, burn in hell!

(Screams)

AMBROSINUS:
behold!

The tyrant, Vortgyn...

He's dead!

Retreat! Fall back!

Romulus!

Romulus!

(Horse whinnies)

(Slices, groans)

That's for my mother.

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