No. No, I would be honored to be named after those stars.
I... I truly would.
Thank you, Bowen.
Draco.
Throw off the yoke of Einon's oppression!
We must start to fight back!
Your father sang that sour tune once, and we did fight back.
And once was enough! We'll not dance to it again!
No, Hewe, just cringe like a dog under Einon's boot.
At least a cringing dog's a live one!
Hey! Why waste good food on bad rhetoric?
I speak the truth.
Truth? It's rarely inspiring, lass.
And it never wins rebellions...
but it will stretch necks, if there is a neck...
underneath that little mud pie.
Ready or not, here I come!
Dragon!
It's Draco!
About time.
Mmm!
It seems you people are in need of a dragonslayer.
Where is the lord responsible for this village?
Brok lives in a big house about six miles away.
But he'll only blame any damage on us and pluck our pockets to pay for it.
I won't pluck them as deeply. I'll make you a fair offer.
Take it, or leave him!
It's enough you people grovel to Einon.
Will you be bullied by some broken-down, blackmailing knight as well?
That's right, you don't need me.
Settle it yourself.
Of course, there are other ways.
Perhaps you'll part with...
one of your precious daughters, instead of gold.
Dragons are partial to maiden sacrifices, I hear.
Don't do this! Don't do this to me!
I was born in this village!
You knew my father! You knew my mother!
- Who's the girl? - A nuisance. Get rid of her.
- Why? - They're trying to placate you with a sacrifice.
Now, whoever gave them that bright idea?
- Never mind. Just get rid of her! - How?
- Eat her! - Oh, please! Yuck!
Aren't we squeamish? You ate Sir Eglamore, hypocrite.
I merely chewed in self-defense, but I never swallowed.
Improvise.
All right, all right.
He's coming! Quick!
You have a beautiful voice.
Oh, thank you. We dragons love to sing when we're happy.
Well, you're not like a dragon at all.
Well, how many dragons do you know?
Well, you're the first.
You should never listen to minstrels' fancies.
A dragon would never hurt a soul, unless they tried to hurt him first.
Really? Then why were you in my village?
Oh! The village!
Yes, the village! You remember the village?
Leave him alone, you bully! Run, Draco, fly! I'll hold him!
- Pick on someone your own size! - Where have you been?
I'm truly sorry, Bowen.
I've been distracted.
Bowen, meet Kara.
- You should have eaten her. - Oh, don't get angry, Bowen.
Why not?
You left me high and dry. I was worried to death!
Worried? About me?
Yes, about you!
I had the whacker all set up. Half the village is out there with me.
We're searching the skies for you, I don't know where you are.
If you're coming back, when you're coming back. You just...
Disappear.
Be careful! He's coming!
Well, well, well, it can't be!
But it is!
My old mentor. Still giving carving lessons?
Get off your horse. I'll give you one.
Time's not been kind to you, Bowen.
- You should never have broke with me. - It was you who broke with me!
And yet you return to me with this girl I lost.
I think she wants to stay lost.
Not her decision, I'm afraid!
I'm ready for my lesson now, Knight.
That's one lesson you never learned!
Only expose your back to a corpse!
You are a corpse!
You just don't know it!
Lie down, Bowen!
You're the sorry scrap of dead worlds and dead beliefs.
No! They were your beliefs!
Never. Never mine.
You said the words! You spoke them from your heart!
I vomited them up because I couldn't stomach them!
Because I knew it was what you wanted to hear!
Lies! Liar! I taught you!
You taught me to fight, that's all!
I took what I needed from you.
You taught me to fight!
You taught me well.
Who asked you to interfere?
I had everything under control!
Here, let me see.
It's knitted well.
You have a healer's touch, Kara.
In a few days, it'll be just another scar.
And what's one more scar?
To a knight, I mean. I once knew a knight.
He stood all alone against an evil king...
and even saved a rebel leader from blinding.
He must have had many scars.
- That knight died of his wounds long ago. - That's too bad.
His kind is badly missed in this world.
- That's the way the wretched world is, girl. - Doesn't have to be.
Men like you could... could lead others.
You could give people courage and hope.
Hope? Even if you could raise your army...
do you think they'd stand a chance against seasoned troops?
Last time they tried it was a massacre.
- I remember. I was there. - So was I.
That rebel was my father.
Let others stand with you. You'll see this time the end will be different.
What are you looking at?
Myself, once upon a time.
I'll see you in the village, Draco.
That's easy for you to say.
This time I'll collect the money, and you can die.
We can lose no more pigs to this dragon.
Wait!
This man is a fraud!
It's her!
This girl is a... wandering idiot.
She babbles nonsense.
I'm telling you, this knight is no dragonslayer.
You're mistaken, my child!
He's the greatest dragonslayer there is!
Possibly the greatest there ever will be!
- Brother Gilbert! - Bowen!
You're alive.
Praised be the saints. The saints be blessed.
You're alive!
- And whole. - Brother Gilbert.
You could not put your trust in a better man.
I personally have seen him slay almost two dragons.
- Oh, Brother Gilbert. - Almost.
Well, I didn't actually see the death blow of the second...
but as Bowen is here, he must have won.
Don't you see? He's in league with the dragon.
Hold that there.
And here he comes.
Sink! Sink!
I can't! It doesn't get any deeper!
Well done, Bowen! You've done it again!
What a brute! That's even bigger than the last one!
Actually, he's about the same size.
- Meat. - Meat.
Meat! Meat!
Oh, dear.
Run! He's getting away!
What's going on?
Meat!
- Meat! Meat! - Meat!
Run. That's what's going on!
- Run. - Run?
Kara! Kara!
Peace, brothers, peace! Heathens!
Brother Gilbert!
Oh, good Lord. Forgive me, my child.
Liar! Liar!
No dragon, no charge.
Meat. Meat.
Meat. Meat. Meat.
We're going to die!
God help us! We're all going to die!
Calm yourself, Brother Gilbert, we're not going to die.
We're just flying.
If you're going to get yourself killed...
you might as well do it in the fight against Einon.
I think Kara has a point. Oh!
But I'd rather discuss it on the ground.
Draco, what unholy place is this?
Unholy?
This is Avalon, the resting place of King Arthur himself.
So it was foretold...
and so have I found you, brave King Arthur.
Valor,
virtue, truth.
Ah, yes, truth.
Amen. Ready now, Kara.
And you, Bowen?
This is Avalon, the shadow realm of the Round Table.
- It's a divine omen. - Omens won't win battles.
Nor will you.
And you'll find out when you try to raise your army.
You already know the courage in your village.
They're very brave at pelting young girls with vegetables.
It must start somewhere.
Will you wish us luck, Draco?
Long ago, when man was young and the dragon already old...
the wisest of our race took pity on man.
He gathered together all the dragons...
making them vow to watch over man always.
And at the moment of his death...
the night became alive with those stars.
And thus was born the dragons' heaven.
But when we die, not all dragons are admitted to this shining place.
No, we have to earn it.
And if we don't...
our spirit disappears as if we never were.
And that's why I shared my life force with a dying boy...
so I would reunite man and dragon...
and ensure my place among my ancient brothers of the sky.
But my sacrifice became my sin.
It was you. Your heart beats in Einon's breast.
Yes, my half-heart...
that cost me all of my soul.
Even then I knew his bloodthirsty nature...
but I thought my heart could change him.
My God, I was so naive.
No more than I.
All my life I've dreamed of serving noble kings...
noble ideals.
Dreams die hard...
and you hold them in your hands long after they've turned to dust.
I will not be that naive again!
Kara, I will go with you.
So be it.
Farewell, Bowen.
Valor!
A knight is sworn to valor.
A knight is sworn to valor!
His heart knows only virtue.
His heart knows only virtue!
His blade defends the helpless.
His blade defends the helpless!
His might upholds the weak.
His might upholds the weak!
His word speaks only truth.
His word speaks only truth!
His wrath undoes the wicked!
Now I know you're completely mad.
- You want us to follow you and a priest against Einon? - Yes.
- To hell, more like. - But this time we can win. You don't understand.
I don't want to understand! I understand this!
I understand six years in a quarry! That's all I need to understand!
Believe me, I know what you've been through, Hewe.
- But this time we've been joined... - Only a fool would join you!
You're not listening to what I'm saying!
I've had enough of your mischief!
Save your strength for the fight against Einon.
- There isn't any fight against Einon. - I'm going to start one.
You and what army, Knight?
You have never fired a bow in your life...
- in anger or in practice? - No.
Draw your bow.
Sight along the arrow. Release.
Beginner's luck. Try again.
Steady.
Brother Gilbert, you're a natural.
Easy!
Here, widen your stance.
Up, down. Up, down.
One fluid stroke.
This could cleave a man's skull.
Like a pudding.
Eat.
Whoa! Whoa!
- I need more men! - It's just a few peasants waving pitchforks!
I noticed they're all on your land.
You're not too busy hawking in your old age to keep control of your minions, are you?
You accuse me?
I was just saying that any one of us is worth a hundred of them.
My brave Felton, an army unto himself.
Well.
Fool!
I know this man who leads them, and I will not underestimate him!
Him or the dragon!
Don't be afraid of the dragon, my son.
I'm afraid of nothing!
Nothing!
You understand?
A mother's gift to her son.
The finest to be had.
The finest what?
Dragonslayers.
Have you thought beyond tomorrow?
It's hard to see that far.
Look at the camp. What do you see?
- What do you hear? - Hope.
Exactly.
Down there you have life, songs and courage.
You have everything you'll ever need.
And now, so do I.
He dares defy me at my own gates. Look at him!
Well, today his Code dies once and for all!
No! We're safe here, Your Majesty!
That rabble couldn't possibly storm the castle!
By tonight they'll be cold and wet and tired.
They'll probably just limp off home.
We're safe here, Einon!
Remember your father!
Gotcha!
Bear to the right!
Let's shear them like the sheep they are!
To the forest!
Form up!
Halt! Halt!
Second line!
Right flank, advance!
Get in there, second line!
Charge!
Scatter or die!
Scatter or die! Go!
Like a pudding.
Pride goeth before the fall.
Help! Help!
Turn the other cheek, brother.
Retreat! Retreat!
Retreat!
Return to the castle! Retreat!
Brother Gilbert, it's Einon! Stop him!
Thou...
shalt...
not...
kill!
The dragonslayers.
Open up! It's the king!
Stop!
No! I want it alive!
Alive and safe.
Safe for all eternity.
Oh, no.
I go to save the dragon!
Who will go with me?
Come from the shadows, Aislinn. Come where I can see you.
- You know why I've come. - I know.
In giving my heart, I've taken on every poison stirring in his evil breast.
Even the pain of his death must be mine.
You cannot blame yourself.
Death without immortality?
That was not the only reason.
I had to wait for a time when mankind...
would not repeat my mistake and let tyranny thrive.
When there would be those who remembered the Once-ways...
remembered that even in the darkness there is still light.
I cannot see. Are the stars shining tonight?
Brightly, my lord.
Brightly.
Then let us end it.
Forgive me!
I know why you brought me the dragonslayers.
You wanted them to kill him because you wanted me dead.
I wanted to correct a mistake made years ago...
when I saved a creature not worth saving.
How un-motherly of you.
We have to open the gates.
The rest of us are waiting outside.
Go save your dragon, Bowen.
Hurry, all of you.
It's this way.
Well, well, well, what a pleasant surprise.
I expected you, Bowen, but with my bride-to-be as well?
- And with a priest to wed us. - To bury you.
Well, to bury one of us.
Kara, the door, quickly!
Hurry up. That way. That way.
Quickly, this way. This way.
Come on. Hurry up.
Now, I don't know how you all got in here...
but I tell you this: You are going to get me out.
Hewe, thank you.
Let me cut it down to size for you.
A girl.
A girl!
Bowen!
Lo, I'm immortal.
- Yeah! - Huh?
Now it's you, Bowen. It's you that has to do it!
What are you talking about?
As the heart binds Einon to me in life, it binds us in death.
- That's not true! - You've seen that it is!
Through the heart, we share each other's pains and power.
But in my half beats the life source.
For Einon to die, I must die!
Einon is dead.
- He lives! - It doesn't matter.
Don't you hear it? Our rebels have stormed the castle.
Alive or dead, Einon's beaten. We've won!
You will never win until Einon's evil is destroyed...
and to do that, you must destroy me!
Once you swore your sword and service were mine...
to call when I had need of you, to ask what I would of you.
I hold you to your vow, Knight!
He's coming, coming to stop you!
Strike before it's too late!
You are the last.
My time is over. Strike!
You are my friend.
Then, as my friend, strike, please!
- I can't. - Then I will make you.
Fight back, dragonslayer! Defend yourself!
Pick it up!
Move, and she dies!
What now, Draco?
Without you...
what do we do?
Where do we turn?
To the stars, Bowen.
To the stars.
And in the days following Draco's sacrifice...
Bowen and Kara led the people in a time of justice and brotherhood.
As I remember it now, those were golden years...
warmed by an unworldly light.
And when things became the most difficult...
Draco's star shone more brightly...
for all of us who knew where to look.