Kull the Conqueror

- - Hah! Hah!

- You fight well. - Thank you, sir.

So, you want to be a soldier in my Dragon Legion.

I've passed all your tests.

No, no. Not all.

This... is for chopping wood!

A barbarian tool.

This--

yes--

is for waging war.

A nobleman's blade.

Hah!

You!

Hah!

You give away your position. Hah!

- So do you! -

Silence!

- -

Perhaps you should go back to your ax.

Ah, don't feel bad. Few men can hold their own against me.

Who are you?

Kull... of Atlantis.

Atlantis?

You're wasting your time here.

Every man in my legion is of noble blood.

My blood's red as any man's.

Take heart, Kull. There's a place in this world for all of us.

- General Taligaro! - Even a barbarian like yourself.

- General Taligaro! -

- -

General Taligaro, the palace is in chaos.

The king is slaughtering his heirs.

Noble blood...

all over the palace floor.

Hyah!

Hyah! Hyah!

Faster! Faster!

Whoa!

What have you done, Borna?

My elders challenged me for the throne,

so I've spared all my children any future disappointment!

This is madness, sire.

Taligaro, so you, too, will have my crown.

You want it.

Take it! Here! Take it!

There'll be no more blood spilled tonight, except your own if you insist on it.

Treason!

I spare your life tonight.

The crown, Kull. Give it to me.

It's my birthright. Succession falls to me. Give it to me.

Hold!

I am next in line, cousin!

- Ahh! -Lords, points of law must be clarified.

- The crown is mine! - No!

It's mine.

And I give it to-- I give it to you, Kull.

Here! Take it.

And keep it if you can.

The sacred law of succession-- undeniable and irreversible.

- Long live the king. - Long live the king.

Long live the king.

Long live the king!

Long live Kull.

Sire, you, you no longer need bow to anyone.

- My king. - Sire.

Borna's harem, Your Majesty.

And now yours.

Indulge me, Tu.

Even a king should bow to the ladies.

Down.

You still read the hands of fate.

You read them for me once. "King by the hand of a king," remember?

I'm surprised you remember, milord. You were very drunk.

Silence! You are insolent.

But honest.

Yes, I was drunk, though I do remember.

Borna had a fit because I grabbed you about the waist and tried to kiss you.

You did kiss me, and it wasn't my waist you grabbed.

What is your name?

Zareta.

Ah.

Bring your cards to my chambers, Zareta.

Leave us.

- Shall I undress, sire? - No. Shuffle.

Unfold my kingdom's destiny in the cards.

First, the hand of the spirit.

- The tiger. - That's my totem.

- I was called "the Tiger" when I was a pirate. - A sign of majesty and power.

Next, the hand of being.

A quest.

My whole life has been a quest.

The hand of destiny.

Destiny.

The kiss.

The fate of your kingdom will be found within a kiss.

A kiss?

Is that so?

Shall I undress now?

Are you in a hurry?

I am whatever you wish.

My women don't play games.

I'm not your woman. I'm your slave.

Tu was right. You are insolent.

- But honest. - I do not take women against their will.

As long as they come to you on command and not by choice, how will you know?

I'll do my best to satisfy you in the bedchamber now,

but do not mistake compliance for enthusiasm.

The destiny of a slave is to submit.

Now, shall I undress?

I don't need to be taught a slave's destiny.

I learned that lesson chained to the oar of a pirate galley.

For five long years, I learned.

Tonight I sleep alone.

Your Majesty.

Hear me now. All slaves of Valusia shall be set free, starting with my own.

You, go home.

I am home, Majesty.

I was born here in the palace.

Oh. Well, from now on, you will receive a fair wage.

You, where are you from?

Zalgara, Your Majesty.

You wish to go home?

- Well, do so now. You're free. - Kull!

Free Valusians have a right to own slaves under the law.

The law is changed.

Sire, look, um, for thousands of years, this law has been on this stone.

It was carved by our forefathers, and it may not be altered.

No matter how cruel or unjust the law?

The law is greater than any king, uh,

and as Royal Eunuch, I am sworn to protect it.

Long live the king!

Long live the king!

Freedom!

- - Our days are numbered!

The force of the people never rests. Your time is short, too, Mandara.

Mandara. Who is this man?

Ascalante, High Priest of Valka.

He was trying to reopen his temple. He was exiled by King Borna for heresy.

No! For speaking Valka's truth.

Valka allows the unholy flame to burn as a reminder of godless times...

and as an omen of things to come.

Nonsense!

- Release him. - You can't!

Is there some ancient law which prevents this too?

If so, tell me now.

Until then, let men worship what gods they will.

- - Reopen your temple, priest.

- You're going too fast, Kull. - Not fast enough.

Long live Kull!

- The staff goes in the other hand. - Oh.

Long live Kull! Long live Kull!

- Long live Kull! - Members of the Royal Court, people of Valusia.

For centuries the Topaz Throne...

has been the center of all the world's power,

and now, I give you your new king.

Long live Kull!

Long live Kull! Long live Kull!

Enemy spies, Your Majesty, no doubt sent from Commoria.

No doubt.

You sent for me, sire?

Yes. To say good-bye.

Good-bye?

I will not command your affections, Zareta.

You're free to go. We'll all be damned.

I choose to stay.

Why?

To be king is to be alone.

Today's event made that clear.

I am used to court intrigue, sire.

I can help you. I--

Is this the only reason you stay?

Tonight, I sleep alone.

I do go too fast.

Where is he?

It's about time, Taligaro.

Why have you summoned us to this evil place?

I didn't. I received a note marked with our sign.

As did we, cousin, but if none of us sent it--

- Someone knows of our plot against the king. - That's right.

And why it has failed.

Enaros.

I'd heard rumors of your ghost haunting the city.

I've had no need for the company of men.

But I see you still crave the flame's embrace.

"Let men worship what gods they will."

Isn't that what your new king said?

- - Wizard, what do you want now?

I've come to help with your plot to kill the barbarian king.

How?

You can't slay this tiger with mere weapons.

You have to trap him first.

Finally, the time has come for ancient Acheron's long-dead nobility.