Hero Tales (獣神演武 -HERO TALES-)

( panting )

( metal clanging )

- KANYO. JUST TRY TO HOLD ON, PLEASE.

IS THAT YOU, TAITO?

YEAH, IT'S ME. WHO DID THIS TO YOU?

HOW MANY ATTACKERS ARE THERE?

- JUST, JUST ONE. - SERIOUSLY?

( screams )

- AT LAST XIAN JIA LAN WU, THE SWORD OF RULE,

SHALL BE CLASPED BY A HAND FIT TO WIELD IT.

( grunts )

HMM?

BASTARD! MOWING INNOCENT PEOPLE DOWN LIKE THEY WERE NOTHING.

WHY SHOULD I LET YOU DRAW ONE MORE BREATH?

IF I WERE YOU, I'D RUN!

- THEY WHO STAND IN THE WAY OF DESTINY SHALL FALL.

FANCY MOVE.

GUESS I CAN SEE HOW YOU STORMED THE TEMPLE SINGLE HANDEDLY.

- MY PRIZE IS THE SWORD OF RULE, BLADE OF CONQUERORS.

IT IS ACQUIRED EITHER BY ONE'S METTLE ALONE

OR NOT AT ALL.

STOP YAMMERING AND FIGHT.

THE ONLY THING YOU ARE ACQUIRING TONIGHT, MOUSTACHE,

IS THE HONOR OF BEING CONQUERED BY ME.

TOO SLOW.

- YOU GOADED ME INTO USING MY RIGHT ARM. VERY IMPRESSIVE.

( exclaims )

DO NOT TOUCH THAT SWORD!

( groaning )

DAMN YOU.

UNHAND THE BLADE AT ONCE

AND I WILL FORGIVE YOUR LACK OF DECORUM.

- HA! IN YOUR DREAMS, MOUSTACHE.

OH, NOW, YOU'RE REALLY IN FOR IT.

I'M NOT A GUY YOU WANNA MESS WITH.

FOOLISH BOY.

YOU GRIP THE HILT OF A WEAPON

FAR BEYOND THE POWER OF AN INSECT LIKE YOU TO UNSHEATHE.

SHUT YOUR FACE.

NO, IMPOSSIBLE.

( screams )

WHAT IN THE HELL WAS THAT?

- XIAN JIA LAN WU CHOOSES ALKAID OVER ME?

NO!

THE HEAVENS WILL SEE OUR FINAL RECKONING THIS NIGHT.

- WHAT? WHY DOES EVERYTHING YOU SAY SOUND CRAZY?

- I WILL VANQUISH YOU ONCE AND FOR ALL.

THEN WALK THE WALK, MOUSTACHE.

WHAT WAS THAT SHOCKWAVE ALL ABOUT JUST NOW?

DON'T TELL ME THIS GUY'S BEEN HOLDING OUT.

( yelling )

DIE!

- YOU'VE ONLY POWER ENOUGH TO DRAW THE SWORD.

EVEN THOUGH ALKAID,

YOU ARE STILL LITTLE MORE THAN A CHILD. WHAT?

I'M NOT DONE WITH YOU YET.

MY FALLEN BROTHERS WILL BE AVENGED.

WILL YOU NEVER LEARN?

- ( grunts ) - ( screams )

( screaming in pain )

( exclaims )

ALKAID!

- HAIL LORD KEIRO! DID YOU SUCCEED?

THERE, BEHOLD, MEN.

YOUR LORD AND MASTER CLUTCHES THE FABLED SWORD OF RULE,

AND WITH IT, THE VERY FORTUNES OF THIS WORLD.

( crowd cheering )

( theme song playing )

- Sonnei: THE HEAVENLY SPHERE PIVOTS ON THE FORTUNES

OF THE GREAT DIPPER,

A CELESTIAL RETINUE COMPOSED OF SEVEN BRILLIANT STARS

UPON WHOSE DEEDS THE PRINCIPLE OF KARMA IS SAID TO REST.

BUT, JUST AS HERE IN THE EARTHLY PLANE

YIN AND YANG HOLD SWAY,

SO, TOO, DO CONTRARY POLES DEFINE THE GREAT DIPPER'S FORM,

DUBHE AND ALKAID, THE WILD WARRIOR GODS OF OLD.

FOREVER CLASHING, FOREVER CALLING UPON THE PEOPLE

TO CHOOSE SIDES AND TAKE UP ARMS.

( panting )

THERE YOU ARE.

HOLD ON, TAITO, I'M COMING.

( knocking on door )

MASTER SONNEI. SENIOR SOEI.

- NO NEED TO BE FORMAL. WE'RE SORRY TO HAVE KEPT YOU WAITING.

THE PAST FEW DAYS HAVE CLAIMED MORE

THAN THEIR SHARE OF OLD FRIENDS.

- AND IF NOT FOR YOU, RYUKO, MY SON MIGHT BE AMONG THEM.

OUR THANKS.

- PLEASE, WE REALLY ONLY HAVE DUMB LUCK TO THANK.

WELL, THAT, I SUPPOSE,

AND MY TRULY DEPLORABLE SENSE OF DIRECTION.

- NO. YOUR STUMBLING ACROSS TAITO WAS FATE.

AS ARE ALL THINGS, MASTER.

- FOOLS ARE A HEARTY LOT, THEIR CARETAKERS LESS SO.

- AND I AM GRATEFUL FOR ONE LESS KIN TO MOURN.

PLEASE FORGIVE MY INDOLENCE.

- I ONLY WISH I MIGHT HAVE ARRIVED HERE A BIT EARLIER.

- DON'T START HAUNTING YOURSELF WITH "WHAT IFS".

I'M GUILTY ENOUGH FOR HAVING GONE TO EMEI SHAN.

- AND I INVITED YOU TO THE MOON VIEWING.

- PERHAPS THERE'S NOTHING WE COULD'VE DONE.

I MEAN, THE QING LONG PLATOON AND THE PRIESTS OF LIAN TONG,

ALL OVERWHELMED BY A SINGLE MAN. IT BEGGARS BELIEF.

- EVEN ALKAID WAS HELPLESS AGAINST HIM.

MASTER SONNEI, YOU MEAN...

Laila: TAITO. TAITO.

HEY, TAI... OH, SORRY. HI, MASTER SONNEI.

- ( laughs ) YOU'RE IN HIGH SPIRITS TODAY, LAILA.

- WELL, I WOULD BE IF MY STUPID BROTHER

WASN'T BEING SUCH A PAIN.

IS...

- HE'S OUT OF THE WOODS NOW. HIS WOUNDS HAVE HEALED NICELY.

- REALLY? WELL, THEN, SOMEONE NEEDS TO GET UP, DON'T THEY?

( groaning )

- RISE AND SHINE, SLEEPY HEAD. - WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?

- YOU'RE GONNA GIVE ME A PERCUSSION, GENIUS.

YOU MEAN CONCUSSION.

- SHUT UP. I KNOW WHAT I MEANT.

( screams )

RUN FOR YOUR LIVES. THERE'S AN ANGRY IDIOT ON THE LOOSE.

- YOU'D BETTER RUN AWAY. DAMN IT.

- I TAKE IT THEY KNOW EACH OTHER?

- MY DEAR SWEET DAUGHTER. HIS LOVING SISTER.

( laughing loudly )

- OH, WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU, YOU'RE GONNA BE SORRY.

- AW, AND WHAT'S GRUMPY GONNA DO?

UH, TAITO, WHAT ARE YOU STARING AT?

( people chattering )

KANYO...

LIAN TONG TEMPLE WAS MY HOME, TAI SHAN MY GARDEN.

THE PRIESTS AND THE BRAVE WARRIORS OF QUING LONG PLATOON,

SOME OF MY CLOSEST FRIENDS.

( breathing heavily )

- DAMN IT! - HOLD ON!

( grunting angrily )

- TAITO, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? STOP!

- ( rumbling ) - ( Laila screaming )

- WHAT KIND OF A MORON ARE YOU? LASHING OUT LIKE THAT?

- YOU OUGHT TO BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF.

WHAT?

- YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY PERSON WHO MISSES THEM, YOU KNOW.

THEY WERE ALL MY FRIENDS, TOO. WE'RE THE LUCKY ONES HERE, TAI.

LOOK, THOSE PEOPLE THERE HAD EVERYTHING

TAKEN AWAY FROM THEM.

WE STILL HAVE OUR LIVES. WE STILL HAVE EACH OTHER.

AND WE STILL HAVE OUR MEMORIES OF THEM TO KEEP THEM ALIVE.

( grunts )

I'M STRONG, RIGHT? I'M A FIGHTER

THEN, WHY COULDN'T I BEAT HIM?

- I DON'T KNOW. WHAT DOES IT MATTER?

HERE.

WAIT. LAILA...

- WHY ARE MEN SO STUPID AND USELESS?

WINNING AND LOSING ARE THE ONLY THINGS THEY EVER CARE ABOUT.

TAITO, YOU'RE A HEARTLESS IDIOT!

( grunting )

WHY AM I UNABLE TO DRAW IT?

THE ALKAID BOY, HE MUST STILL BE ALIVE.

SO BE IT.

IF THE SWORD WILL NOT DEIGN TO CHOOSE ME,

I WILL TAKE THE LAND BY FORCE.

SHIMEI, EMERGE.

- EVER THE WARY EYE HAS MY LORD KEIRO.

- EVEN THE DEAD FIND NO QUARTER IN WHICH TO HIDE.

DO IT.

- WITH PLEASURE, YOUR GRACE. REST ASSURED.

- ALKAID MUST PERISH, AS WILL ALL WHO STAND IN MY WAY.

Ryuko: INCREDIBLE.