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I am Hereward of Northumbria.
I have no other name.
My mother abandoned me to monks of the monastery when I was 3 months old.
The monastery of Lindisfarne, the only home I've ever known.
Its cold stones, my only refuge.
The holy island, my only life.
The sanctuary of our saints burned.
The storm engulfed our island.
North devils that fell upon our shores.
They swept over us like waves.
Their dragon ships carried upon black storm clouds from distant lands
to lay waste to all what we had known.
I am Hereward of Northumbria.
And my life as an innocent ended that night...
You do well to fear me, holy man.
I am Hadrada, king of Ekor, and I have brought death to many.
Many of your brothers lie dead.
You may live to mourn them if you give me the book.
There ain't no book!
We once traded in peace along these shores.
Then we heard of its beauty, its power...
It's the word of your white Christ...
It is a light, they say.
A light so bright that it dispels all darkness.
The power of your god will be my price.
This one speaks of your Book.
Talk!
- They have taken it from the abbey. - No!
There is no hope. We must submit to them.
Traitor!
The Keepers of the Book
have taken it across the water, to the main Island,
they will take it to the Abbey in Iona.
We will follow those Keepers and take their Book.
We fill out the boats and retreat.
Twenty nights along this coast for gold and silver alone is not enough!
We lost men on this crossing. I will have that book!
We will lose more men, for a book!
These beaches are synonymous with death.
Who has seen the bravery of the Saxons here!
Men who stain their church with their piss rather than fight!
We die on these rocks.
All for a book!
Don't question me, boy!
We will not cross without it.
Tell the rest to load the boats, take as many slaves as we can carry.
Tell them to wait offshore.
We will butcher the Keepers and we will have that Book!
What shall we do with this one?
This coward? Drown him into the sea!
The Holy Gospels will never fall into heathen hands!
The holy Christ will cut you down!
He will cut you down!
Come on, lad.
- The King's will come for us? - Aye.
They will really come?
The beacon shone last night, the signal is send.
They will come for us.
They will come.
They will see us safely to Iona.
We'll be safe in Iona?
Aye.
We've many miles to go. Come, boy.
We will take their book.
That would render its master more powerful than the church or king.
You talk of rulership? To be king?
I am but a just man, but you, you are more just.
I'm a ware to bring back wealth, I'll be king then.
No, we are a fractured people,
warring.
We must look beyond mere piracy.
The world changes. Empires are being forged.
The Saxons are mere invaders here.
Why shouldn't we achieve such greatness? Why should I not seek
such power for my only beloved son?
Without their book, this nation would fall.
And you...
You would be king here.
Brothers!
Today, we seize the power of the white Christ.
For Odin!
And Ekor!
The holy ruins! We await our guides there.
There is no one here!
They will come!
This old man is cold and needs to sleep.
See if you can find some wood.
Don't go too far.
Amen.
Well?
Something is better than nothing.
They abandoned us.
God has abandoned us!
Mo, He has not abandoned us. They will come.
Brother Erian always said we were warned,
that there were omens,
the people reaped in sin, and now all this death...
Brother Erian believed this. I do not.
- And nor should you. - He said: God punishes all sinners.
He did, he did.
Do you believe the whole Angles men sins? I do not.
Many have turned their back on the Word.
These are dark times, boy.
The heathen destroyed the monastery,
slaughtered our brothers.
Were they all sinners?
Did they turn their back on the Word?
It was the bloody work of men. Not the punishment of God.
They will come. I promise you.
Where is this place?
The chapel of St. Alchmund.
Alchmund?
Alchmund was the first pilgrim to bring the Word to Northumbria.
He is our most glorious saint.
It is said that Alchmund threw down Satan the great deceiver,
here in this holy place.
It is said...
When Satan saw the great work of Alchmund,
his conversion of the heathen Saxons of Northumbria,
he tempted Alchmund, as he's tempted Christ in the wilderness,
but Alchmund's faith was strong.
He threw down Satan, shaking the mountains.
The sea boiled, rivers ran red.
Alchmund was victorious over the darkness of his time.
We should be victorious over the darkness that threatens to cover our time.
And if we fail?
We can not fail, boy.
This book is the salvation of Angles.
It is our heart, our very soul.
Without these Gospels, this island is slipping to darkness.
This old man that I am must sleep a while.
It's going to be a long day tomorrow.
No seeing.
We must press on!
Our guides will find us.
They will find us! God wills it.
- You should rest. - We must press on!
Stop it.
You must rest...
I'll find you some food.
We must go! We must go!
Someone is coming. It's a soldier!
- He is armed. - A Saxon? A North?
- Come on! - No.
Do not fear me, priest.
I will protect the Gospels.
I Aethewulf of Wessex.
Your beacon was lead. I have come to aid you.
You are send from the king?
I am a warrior of the Enduring Kingdom.
Our order is dedicated to the protection of the Word of Christ.
They've send only one man.
I've traveled for many days with 10 men.
We were attacked by Norths.
My men fell.
What use is one man?
You have not seen the world outside your abbey, boy.
It is better to travel without attention.
The Norths have sackened the holy island. They slaughtered many.
They made many raids along the coastlines these last few weeks.
Their trading days are over.
- These will be dark days. - The Gospels will be safe.
Without these Gospels, the island will fall.
We will reach Iona!
Come, we must leave. It's getting night.
- It's not good that you look like priests. - Not good?
The Church seems to grow rich and fat whilst the country starves.
Monks hold little respect in the wilds.
Come!
We must keep moving.
Wait!
Quiet, boy!
Do not slow us again, priest.
Run!
Take the Book.
- No! - I can't go on.
No! Please.
Take the Book, or all will be lost.
God be with you, boy.
Go!
Where is the book, monk?
The Book!
I hear that your white Christ demands a life of celibacy.
A lonely life.
This is why you turn to young boys.
Pagan! Scum!
I've been many months at sea.
No woman.
Only monks for pleasure...
You'll... you will burn in hell!
Hell? Hell?!
I just want the Book, boy.
The Book for you life!
We must keep moving, boy.
More North may come. You can mourn your brother later.
I could have stopped him.
Had you done so, you'd be lying cold next to him.
I could have stopped him.
Come.
We must move. Come!
I'm sorry for the loss of your brother.
He was more than a brother.
He raised me.
He taught me.
The Norths have much to pay for.
They followed us deep into the forest.
More may come.
They want the Book.
They seek its power.
It must never fall into their hands. They are heathen bastards.
All will be lost.
My son...
Fallen.
Where are you been, boy?
Pray.
My son...
My blood...
They will pay...
I will frame my fury down upon them.
Blood will run.
May Thor receive you.
May Odin own you.
They called to you.
They wait for you to take your place among them in Halls of Valhalla.
May the brave live forever.
We must not mourn but rejoice
those who have met a glorious death.
We must move, boy.
There is no hope. He has abandoned us.
No, He has not.
What do you know of God?
You're a butcher of men, nothing more.
There are many ways to serve Christ.
By the sword?
Does it not resemble the cross?
While your kind are crawling to him in the privilege of your monasteries
we protect His word with iron.
With murder!
Christ has not abandoned you, boy. He stands in front of you!
Build a pyre.
And then we go back for the ships?
The Saxons must pay!
Your son is dead.
Half a day is lost. You want us all die for your book.
- It is over... - Don't question me!
What is this?
Witchcraft.
It's a warning.
This is an evil place.
We should find another way.
We are in the wilds now. We must push on.
Let us pass in peace.
Pagan scum!
I am no pagan. Let us pass in peace.
Who are you?
I am Denegifu.
We are the true followers of Christ.
And these?
Apostles.
To who?
To Christ's will.
Angles men dies.
The people starve.
Famine destroys those who does plague do not.
We witness the final days.
No flesh shall be spared.
We go to the mountains, to await His final judgment.
- You'll find no judgment in the mountains. - You should join us, monk.
Join you?
Your monastery will not shield you from the coming wrath.
Nor will the mountains.
Have you seen the villages, boy?
There is only death there.
He punishes sin.
His word is our only salvation.
Does His word feeds the starving? Or cure the sick?
No.
We must embrace the death He brings,
so we may sit at His side in paradise.
This is the Holy Book of Lindisfarne.
Illuminated by Bishop Eadfrith, in the presence of Christ.
This is your salvation.
Before we go to our death bless us.
Be our defense against cruelty and the wiles of the devil.
May God rebuke you. We humbly pray
May the power of God throws Satan in hell
and all evil spirits who wander in this world
to the damnation of souls.
That was foolish...
Never show the Book again... Not out here.
They were desperate.
That is why you must be careful.
It's a precious thing to risk.
The people need protection.
Only the Book is important.
Do not forget that.
They could have gone in any direction.
We won't find them out here now.
We will find them.
It is time to leave.
Do you never sleep?
We must keep going.
It is cold!
We travel north. It will get colder.
Come.
Wait!
We won't harm you.
- Are there others? - An army.
You will die out here.
- Where are they? - You are in... hell!
The others will eat your flesh and fuck your covered bodies.
A trap...
The witch is responsible.
- The pagan whore must pay. - No.
- She wears the marks of witchcraft! - Wait!
Let her speak.
Who are you? What is your name?
We do not understand you...
Speak now!
Eara! Of the Northern people.
She lies! She travels with bandits!
Why do you travel with these men?
They ambushed us and killed my family.
You're a long way from home, girl.
Plague took my village. We tried to escape it.
Are you Christian?
- She lies! - You will not shed blood here!
She tried to lead us to death.
You will not curse us with the blood of innocents.
I will not take any risk.
She'll bring destruction upon us all.
We'll leave her to the bandits. Come!
She has suffered enough.
...She's suffered enough.
We need to remove the arrow.
- Are there more? - Yes. They will return before nightfall.
We must find a safer place.
The wound is blue. The arrow was poisoned.
The poison works quickly.
He will not live throughout the night without remedy.
Remedy? Where will we find remedy?
It is all around us.
Do you Saxons know so little about the land you inhabit?
Free me. I can help him.
Free you?
- He saved me from your sword. I want repay the debt. - No!
Where will I run? Into the hands of the bandits?
The poison is known to my people. I can cure him.
With witchcraft? No!
From moss, bark, nettles... Is that witchcraft?
It can be cured.
We have work to do.
The poison blends into his visions.
This mixture is close
once that used to communicate with the old gods.
Old gods?
Devils!
Perhaps.
But they were worshiped across this land
long before the whisper of Christ came to our shores.
We must take the swords to the old gods and all that followed them devils.
They are a disease.
This will stop the wound from festering.
Eat.
Become... my... wrath.
All is safe.
I saw you.
You were in my dreams.
You saved me.
I've only repayed the debt.
There is no debt.
My debt is to you.
The poison was used by my ancestors.
It is said to come visions of the other world.
The warriors of my people once used it to
challenge the power of the old gods in battle.
I saw terrible things.
We live through dark days.
You're strong, boy.
I do not feel strong.
We have far to go.
We can't rest here any longer.
I know.
Gather everything.
We must leave.
We lost their trail.
There's no chance of finding your Book now, old man.
The old man's hatred has brought death to our own.
To his own son.
It has lead us deep into Saxon territory.
We can no longer obey this mad man.
We go back!
One more word, snake,
and I leave you here for the crows.
Move!
We will find the book.
Any against me shall suffer my fury.
I will not tolerate mutiny.
Now you move. Or you'll die.
Move!
We shall rest here.
We shall rest.
No. We can not.
You need rest.
He will remain loyal to the old man.
And you?
I will follow you.
The old man leads us to death.
We can not face them both, in open combat.
I'll take care of both of them.
No, there would be no honor in obvious assassination.
You choose your moment carefully.
His wound festers.
He will not accept aid.
Will he live?
Let him rest now.
I'll try to find the leaves to clean the wound.
How do you know such cures?
My people has used the land's gifts for a thousand years.
My mother taught me as her mother taught her.
I'm sorry for your family...
I will see them in the next world.
I have also lost mine.
Tell me about them.
They were not family by blood.
The monks there raised me.
I aided the scribes.
The scribes?
The monks of Lindisfarne translated the holy Gospels.
I've heard of your books.
Things of beauty and power.
The ancient images delight the world.
Like these...
These tell the old stories. The stories before Christ.
The stories that are almost lost.
The stories of the old gods?
Christ has become part of our story.
They are beautiful. Worthy of the Gospel.
The Book isn't everything.
But it's the word of God. It must be protected at all costs.
And mustn't people? Should they not protected?
The Book protects them.
From plague? From starvation? No.
The Norths destroyed our abbey.
They follow the Book inland.
They can not take it.
I promised my master I would bring it to safety.
For Angles man and all our people, I must do that.
This land is also raised, in Pictish heritage.
Our people chose to fight.
You fight the Norths?
Our warriors protect both the people and the Word with iron.
It is my duty is to deliver the Book to Iona.
I can not fail.
And when it is delivered?
I have seen too much horrors to hide me in a monastery again.
What will you do?
All I've ever known is gone.
I have nothing left.
Run!
Find him!
Where are you going?
I will have fun with you.
The Power of Angles men.
The Book of white Christ.
You can not read the words, old man?
No matter. You have your price.
I now see its beauty, its power...
I'm sorry, old man.
I'm sorry I doubted you.
You will be king here.
I embrace you, Hadrada of Ekero.
So much blood has been spilled for these pages.
I'll kill your wife and rape your daughters.
Just as you raped my mother.
No, I won't give you the honor dying with a sword in your hand.
You'll never reach Valhalla.
Perhaps your white Christ will accept you into his paradise.
I am Hamal, king of Ekero!
Now we go back to the ships.
Too many have fallen for his madness.
It is done.
Such wild beauty.
And such bravery.
Tie her.
She'll be worth a fortune in our whorehouses.
- What about the monk? - What about him?
He'll be here for the Book.
A monk will not last a day in these mountains.
He's prey for the wolves.
Where are they?
Does the girl live?
Why do you fall, devil, why?
Why?
They were innocent.
They were innocent!
Forgive me!
What was that?
Nothing.
This monk has a terrible aim.
Do not let her run.
Bitch!
You want to play, you want to play?
Good, I like to play!
Wait.
You will suffer before you meet your Christ.
All this for a book?
How is it, it has so much power over men?
It makes madman by the appear of it!
Look at it! Look at it!
The word of your god has no power!
Where is your god now?
I am Hereward of Lindisfarne.
Do the brothers of Lindisfarne carry arms now?
I am the only brother left.
This is the Holy Book.
It must be kept safe.
Will you stay with us, brother?
I can not.
God be with you, brother.
I am Hereward of Northumbria
I have no other name.
My mother abandoned me to the monks of the monastery when I was 3 months old.
The monastery of Lindisfarne, the only home I've ever known.
Its cold stones, my only refuge.
This holy island, my only life.
Many died for the Gospel, in those few terrible days.
I remember them in my prayers...
Always.
She taught me much in my first months from the monastery.
She became my refuge.
I was reborn at their side.
I learned from the people that Angles men were as precious as the Word.
And must be protected as fiercely.
I learned that the destruction brought to our shores from the Norths...
must be met with rough and iron.
I am Hereward of Northumbria.
And my life as an innocent ended that night...
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