The Fall of the Nekross Wizards vs Aliens

Mystah elblazion zar-hah!

Barach coushar dry far-ga.

Mezloch mas tarn-a-vah!

Now, don't muck this up, Ursula!

Then these alerts start flashing and my laptop goes crazy!

Turn it off and on again!

It wouldn't turn off, that's the point!

And then I discover the culprit.

You have got to see this. It could be big.

With some work, we can use it against the Nekross.

-CRASHING

-What was that?

A ragon-ta!

Gran! Come on!

-What is that red light?

-No idea.

Kaliz-ataban-al-nah!

Gran?

Wheesht ye, imps! Be shutting your bogholes!

-What's going on?

-The Mistress is casting a spell of mighty power.

Pharrikon-tah!

-Mighty power? Is anyone getting worried?

-Sssh!

The spell will be crescending!

Mefistor Ad-am-drach-Nekross-dah!

Ah!

Oh!

I've done it!

Done what?

I have dispatched the Nekross, Tom!

I've done it! I've really done it!

They're gone. Gone for ever!

I first got the idea from the Hazelwitch Grimoire.

I remembered it contained a complete directory of Be-Gone spells.

-You blew them up?

-Of course not, Thomas.

That would be quite against the principles of wizard law.

No, I knocked their spaceship far, far away!

Hold on.

Magic doesn't work on the Nekross. Or their ship.

But Magic will be working on the energies of the Earth!

Such as the Falling Force!

You mean gravity?

You cast a spell at the moon that altered its gravitational field.

Then used that to propel the ship into space. That's brilliant!

Thank you, Benjamin.

By now the Nekross and all their nastiness

will be on the far side of for ever.

-Moon, look in the mirror. Search for their spaceship.

-A mere formality!

Congratulations, Mistress!

Your great power will have dispatched the Nekross!

They have been departed...

..one furlong.

WHISPERS: How far is a furlong?

-About 200 metres.

-Oh.

Oh.

Oh.

CACKLING

Is that what wizards consider an attack?

Little more than an optical glitch.

A displacement of half a microspacial.

Half a microspacial! Pathetic!

Speak!

Your exquisite Excellencies, Technician Jathro 15

of subsection Alpha Grex Nine reporting.

Yes, Jathro?

No, sister!

He is Technician 15.

Don't honour technical classes with informalities.

Very well, Varg.

Speak, technician fool!

Your Excellencies, I meant no disrespect.

Please, accept my humble apologies.

State your business!

For your majestic pleasure, we have prepared a fresh wizard.

-Ready the extractor!

-It would be my pleasure.

The Nekross shall feast!

I've been preparing it for weeks.

Such powerful magic, it does drain you rather.

Brew of tangleweed to revitalise, Great Mistress.

-All milksome, as you will be liking it.

-Bless you, Moon.

Why didn't you tell me? I could've helped you.

Maybe... we could have cracked it together.

Because if I told you, and then I mucked it up,

you'd be so disappointed.

I didn't want to see that face.

I'm not disappointed in you.

I'm never disappointed in you.

Is this a disappointed face?

I'm so silly! You know me, Tom. I act like the Grand Pooh-Bah,

but my spells are always going wrong.

Oh, dear!

I can't even blame old age! I've always been a daft little thing.

-You're not daft, Mrs Crowe.

-Am I not?

When I was seven years old, I cast my first spell.

All I wanted was a puppy. But I ended up on top of the Eiffel Tower.

The gendarmerie had to coax me down with croissants.

Forget the past. We'll find a way to stop them.

You remember my friend Cammy?

Course. Gran and Cammy, the original wizard groovy chicks.

I phoned her the other day.

Her son answered.

She disappeared a few days ago, and when she came back...

..the life had been drained out of her.

-Gran, I'm really sorry.

-That's terrible.

She only lasted a few more days.

The Nekross destroyed her.

But at least we had all our fun, me and Cammy.

We really lived our young days.

That's why I tried that spell.

I want you to have all that fun, darling Tom.

Don't worry about me.

Tom, there's something nobody tells you about getting old.

You've got so many young people to worry about.

Can I just say,

I might have something that could help with the Nekross.

It's science, not magic. But hear me out.

Base and blasted Pythaggory!

Well, magic didn't get us that far, did it?

To be exact, 201.168 metres.

Yeah, OK, Benny. So, what is it, genius?

He is a genius, after all.

That? That?!

By the iron fist of Abron the Brave, that couldn't be hurting a fly!

Ssh, Moon! What is it?

-It's a flash stick.

-Flash it at me and I'll flash you back!

This will be the language of the Technomages!

Electronickery, the dry-dust talk of Pythagoras!

Oh, Moon!

Just because you don't understand science doesn't make it hocus-pocus.

Tell us what it does, there's a dear.

And we can learn something together.

Randal Moon will be all ears.

There's a computer virus on there.

It got onto my laptop but I cleaned it off.

And then I thought we could use it.

Oh! You mean it'll go fungal and infect the Nekross?

You mean viral. Maybe.

-With a bit of work.

-What are we waiting for?

Not in the Chamber!

There'll be no scientrickery in the Chamber of Mysteries!

Electronics won't work in here.

It's going to take a lot of work, but I know a place.

I didn't mean break into the school now.

We could have done this tomorrow.

Why wait? And we didn't break in. The doors were open.

Drama club's still on.

For half an hour. I don't want to get locked in by the caretaker.

Then you'd better get a move on, hadn't you?

And by the way, just why are we here?

That. The Spaceview Project connects millions of school computers

around Earth in one giant project.

Using all that power to chart the galaxies.

That's not just gigabytes of RAM,

that's exabytes, Tom!

Talking of bytes, I haven't had my tea. So if we can get a move on?!

We'll hijack that power to calculate the algorithms of the virus

and send it to the Nekross ship.

You're hacking into 20 million computers?

I just have.

SHE SCREAMS

She was captured performing a magical ritual

in the Shakotan Peninsula of the Earth sector known as Japan.

Extract the magic!

Oh, as my Excellency commands, so it's done.

The magic in this one is strong!

Yes! Young and tender.

Just like your friend - Tom Clarke.

Tom Clarke is no friend of mine!

I'll cut him down like any other wizard!

-Silence!

-Apologies, O Father.

Apologies, O Father.

They are more revolting after the extraction.

Is it really such a kindness to let them live on?

They disgust me. Guards!

Dispose of this dried-out bag of bones!

CHOMPING

Your Majesty, the Might of Nekron, for your sustenance.

The Magic is good!

We extracted 95 centilliums.

Your Excellencies, I have laboured to improve the refining process,

and you will find an increased yield of 11.2%.

I hope your Majesty is pleased. HE BURPS LOUDLY

You have done well, technician.

I enjoy my work.

It is an honour to be in service to the Royal Court of Nekron.

Excellent, Technician Jathro 15!

A reward for my children!

Two centilliums.

To share.

Thank you, O beneficent Father!

The Might of Nekron is indeed generous.

Be about your work, technician!

Technician Jathro 15 departs your Excellencies.

Now, my children. Report on the master plan!

All goes well, Father.

Indeed. Nothing can stop us now!

Here we go. Thank you, nerds of the world!

That's it? That's the virus?

Brilliant, isn't it?

Yeah. Amazing. Now what?

We transmit it to the ship.

That's Nekross tech. Where did you get that?

I pinched it off Varg when he brain-scraped me.

I can transmit it as an attachment

using their own base command frequency.

It'll target their magic extractor system.

If they can't feed they'll have to leave, or starve!

But Nekross computers are alien.

-Will it work?

-The more advanced an interface is, the simpler it is.

Basic computer studies. And this Nekross tech works as an interface.

But you said,

last time you hooked up to Nekross tech, your laptop blew up.

This interface is better defended. I've ramped up the firewall.

This Spaceview computer power will boost the signal and...

Bingo!

It's uploading.

That's amazing!

I have to admit, yes, I am pretty impressive today!

Well, that's what I thought!

ALARM BELLS RING

By the time the master plan reaches stage four,

Earth's defences shall be useless.

The Nekross shall feast!

-ELECTRONIC BEEPING

-What is that?

A message.

-Transmitting from Earth!

-On our command frequency? Impossible!

A Nekross signal!

There are no other Nekross in this sector, we are alone here.

It seems not!

It says, "Join me, brothers of Nekross, I have magic to spare."

It could be a trap! The humans call it ham or spam - don't open it!

Open it! Open it!

No, Father!

-Come on, Benny!

-I've just blown up the school computers!

You might have saved the world!

Good day's work! It happens, I know what I'm doing but

things get out of control, and then BOOF!

Obey me!

-I know the ways of humans, Father!

-Silence!

Open it!

What is this?

That symbol is human!

What does it mean?

LOUD CRASHING

I believe it means we are in trouble.

Can I just say, my life is so much better now with you.

I've just used a massive international network

to send a virus to an alien spaceship! How cool is that?!

I thought your geeky stuff was boring but you are rocking it now, Benny.

Thanks to me of course!

And my rocking virus should hit the Zarantulus any time now!

ALARM BELLS CONTINUE

SHIP ALARM BLARES

-Come on!

-Going as fast as I can!

What ever is going on?

-Benny sent the virus to the Nekross!

-I thought it needed work?

Yeah, but Benny's a genius, isn't he?

They've opened it! I'm in!

Engage emergency protocols!

The emergency protocols are offline!

All I'm seeing is a little face, what does the face mean?

The virus is in the ship systems.

Hey, everybody! Dad's got Chinese!

The polymorphic code will activate the infection propagator.

He's so excited, he can't talk properly!

Benny's going for the win, Gran.

Will someone tell me what's going on?

We're going to bring down the Nekross!

The extractor has been disabled! This is a human attack!

It's reached stage two!

Exciting! What is stage two?

Some of us are still catching up on stage one.

Is this right - Benny's launched a malware attack on the Nekross?

He's knocked out the extractor so they can't feed.

They'll have to go home!

A computer virus!

It has attacked the extractor and is now infecting all systems!

It's a brilliant idea. Are you sure about this?

No offence, but do you know what you're doing?

Of course he knows - he's Benny!

Great Mistress Crowe! Be hearkening to my call!

Great Mistress Crowe! Be hearkening to my call!

-It's for me!

-Great Mistress Crowe, something will be a-happening.

Dogs' tails and banshees' wails, a very big something!

Come now, you must be a-seeing of this!

A mobile mirror?

Why not? If you get a scrying signal.

Believe it when I see it.

Chamber of Crowe, open to me, reveal yourself on the knock of three.

-What is it, Moon?

-There'll be a shiver running through the ether!

The cold machine-ship of the Unworld Ones,

some great power will be shaking it like a sapling in a tempest!

Your Exquisite Excellencies,

the Zarantulus' plasma drive is destabilising.

-We're venting oxygen!

-Tanks one and two are empty. Tank three at 40%.

Father, we must withdraw!

-No! Never!

-If we do not withdraw immediately,

there'll be insufficient fuel to escape the moon's orbit!

Silence!

GLASS SMASHES As your majesty bids.

There's a plasma fuel dump in six days' flight time,

an asteroid on the Aigoula Belt!

Nekross never run!

Father, your sebum replenishers are offline!

We must leave!

No! No, I forbid it!

My Nekross King, your oily juices will dry,

your precious royal warts will flake!

Withdraw! Now! Now! Now!

Set course for the Aigoula Belt! Maximum power!

The evil Sky-Boat will be a-slipping of its moorings!

Yes!

Benjamin, you've actually gone and done it!

-I suppose I must have.

-Yes!

And the crowd go wild!

Well done, Benny. I reckon that's one up to the Unenchanted! Yes!

That little matter of science versus magic - the lines are closed,

the votes have been counted, and...science has won!

You're a genius. I mean, you actually ARE a genius.

This is a bit weird, I'm not used to being popular.

Technockery-mockery, the imp will be knowing nothing.

Don't knock the technockery.

In time the Great Mistress would have cast a spell

to see them off twice as fast!

Shush, Moon! Benjamin released us from a terrible, terrible nightmare.

Beautiful, beautiful child.

Thanks, Mrs Crowe.

And you did it according to the beneficent spirit of the Wizard Way,

with not one drop of blood spilt.

Well, they've gone, and that Chinese is going cold.

-I'd say it's time to celebrate!

-Oooh!

Main drive is gone!

My children!

Switching to emergency lighting.

It's reached life support!

HE WAILS

I'm in a party mood! Shin-digger-dah!

Well done, Gran!

It's perfect.

A perfect day...for Chinese!

Boys! Get the plates!

-Right, so you did it.

-I did it.

How did you do it? I want to know everything!

It was an accident. I got that virus on my computer,

and it's one of those really bad ones. Wiped everything.

That's how I got the idea.

I'll never get tired of saying this - Benny, you're a genius!

What this boy's done for us today is beyond words.

And him an Unenchanted!

It's really over? Are you sure?

I want to believe it, but it seems too easy.

It's over. Smile!

-HIGH-PITCHED NOISE

-Ow! What is that?

I dunno, hold on.

That doesn't look right.

Look! It's still connected!

-Turn it off!

-I can't!

What's it doing?

Wizardkind! Hear us!

Oh, my goodness!

Clear off back to your own planet!

How have you done this?

All the work of my friend Benny. Computer virus.

Might want to try switching it off and back on again?

This was your doing?

I should have disintegrated you when I had the chance!

Sorry I busted your extractor. Still, it could've been worse.

Worse than this?

The main drive is offline.

Life support has shut down.

We hang in space, powerless. All systems failing.

Everyone on this ship will perish in little more than one hour.

No...no way.

The virus was only supposed to knock out the magic extractor.

You want us to believe this was an accident? All systems infected?

Yes, you were thorough, Benny Sherwood.

I underestimated you.

You lot should be up for an Oscar.

We're not buying any of it!

Look at me, Tom Clarke!

Look in my eyes and tell me that I am lying!

Lexi. This wasn't meant to happen.

This is happening, Tom Clarke.

You told me once it was wrong to make anyone suffer.

Will you not show us mercy?

No.

You would have destroyed us.

You'd have hunted us down like animals to sate your sick appetites.

I have lost friends, I will not lose my family!

-It's all right, Ursula.

-What have I done?

Nothing more than they deserved.

You attack like cowards!

I am Ursula of the Magical Line of Crowe, we are not cowards.

You attacked wizardkind, took our people,

fed on them, destroyed them.

You brought this on yourselves.

You deserve it.

So be it.

Revel in your conquest, and we, the conquered, will not go easily.

Now, wizards,

can you face the consequences of your actions in all their brutality?

Can you watch the Nekross die?

We have to do something. We have to help them!

Arggggghh!

What's done is done.

So we're just going to let them...?

No! We've got to help them! We've got to find a way!

I didn't mean for this to happen!

Please, Mrs Crowe.

Perhaps Ursula's right.

And even if we could help them, where does that get us?

Will they just pack up and go away? I don't see it.

But not helping them makes us as bad as the Nekross.

What about the wizard code, I thought wizards can't kill?

Of course we can't!

But you can let me do it for you?!

It was an accident, you said it yourself.

There can be no going back.

Tom?

I'm sorry I egged you into this.

Perhaps...if we helped them they would leave?

Yes! We can't just ignore them!

No! We leave them to their fate. That's an end to it!

I'm getting out of here!

Tom. You stay where you are!

But he's my friend.

And you're a wizard. The thing has been done.

For good or for bad. The thing has been done!

Tom!

I forbid you to leave this house!

Whoa! Hold on there, Ursula.

This is my house, and any forbidding, I'll do it.

You don't talk to Tom like that, all right?

I-I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

Dear. I know Benny is your friend,

and we'd all do anything for our friends.

That's what Benny was trying to do, help his friends.

But he didn't want any of what's happening up there.

And I can't turn my back on him.

Tom's right, this was never Benny's fight.

All right, go after him.

-Thank you.

-But bring him straight back here.

Maybe, maybe there's a way I can help, after all.

Benny!

Benny!

Benny!

PHONE RINGS

Lexi!

'Tom.

'You do not lift a finger to help me, victim of this cowardly attack.'

That's not true!

'Remember how we worked together? Our "friendship?"

'But then your life was in danger also.'

This was an accident, we can't reach you, we can't do anything.

'You tell yourself that, Tom Clarke.

'But the Hag Crowe speaks through you.

'You could find a way to save us, if you wished it.'

Lexi, it's the truth. I'm sorry.

'The warmth of your words will not protect me as I freeze.'

I was wrong to think you different.

You are truly human, Tom Clarke, truly worthless.

SHE PANTS

Please, Tom.

I don't want to die.

SHUT DOWN NOISE

No, no, no!

KNOCK ON DOOR

Benny! Benny, you in there?

Where else am I going to be?

Come back with me. Back to the Chamber.

-Maybe there's a way to stop all this.

-What? With Magic?

-Maybe. Yeah.

-Your gran's going to let you do that, is she?

I loved her, but when did she turn into Conan the Barbarian?

Careful. She's still my gran.

And she's way too short, more like Conan the Barbie Doll.

It isn't funny, Tom. I'm 16. I've never even been in a fight.

And look what I've just done. Wiped out a whole ship of aliens.

-But it was an accident.

-I'm still responsible.

Remember when your gran got left on the Nekross ship?

It wasn't your fault, but you said you were responsible.

You were going to get her back, to save her.

Whatever it took. Even though you didn't know how.

Well, that's what I want. I just want a chance to put things right.

Boy, does that feel like a long time ago.

Till then the only time you talked to me was to wind me up.

I was a plank.

Remember when you and Quinn nicked my bag?

You started texting me pictures of it from all over the school.

I was running around looking for it, but whenever I got there,

it had always gone.

Yeah, then you did a graph

and worked out where we were going to put it next.

-And there you were waiting for us!

-I'd call that a nerd-win.

Yeah. Benny the Brain wins every time.

Not this time.

20 minutes until total failure of life support systems.

Always so precise, brother. Finally.

My apologies, exquisite excellencies.

Technician Jathro 15 of Subsection Alpha Grex Nine is unfit for duty.

Rest, Technician Jathro 15. There is little to be done.

There's still a chance. The humans can be soft.

Seeing us like this, they may take pity.

Not the Hag, she will never turn.

SHE GROANS

Sister. Constant warrior.

Conserve your energies.

Why? Soon...it will be the end.

Then let it come with dignity.

I've never seen Gran like that before.

She was scary.

She thinks she's doing the right thing.

She's seen what the Nekross do to wizards.

She doesn't want the same thing happening to you. Neither do I.

So come on, you're the techno genius,

think of a way that we can put this mess right.

It's not just the virus on here.

There's a patch to repair the damage, reverse the virus.

So you could send it to them, like last time?

I can't. See. It's hopeless!

There has to be another way.

The only other way is direct access.

Aboard the Zarantulus, plugging it right into their computer systems.

But their matter transporter is going to be bust

like everything else.

-Then we'll find another way to get you up there.

-What about your gran?

You're going to go against her,

against all wizardkind to help the Nekross?

No, idiot. I'm not going to help them, I'm going to help you.

Ursula?

You left the door open. Ursula?

Sssshhh!

The Mistress Crowe will be too busy to be talking with you,

Michael of the Unenchanted.

There'll be important work afoot.

Get out of my way, Moon.

Oh, Moon, let him through, you silly whatsit.

Ursula, this situation is a complete mess.

I know. That's why I'm trying to put it right.

How? With potions?

It's a Charm of Blissful Forgetting.

And what do you intend to do with it?

Benny shouldn't have to live with the awful knowledge of what he's done.

This way he won't have to.

I've got an idea.

I think.

Burnt Hill, the stone circle.

-What about it?

-The Nekross used their teleport there, remember?

We brought them to the circle and the Nekross teleported us

onto the Zarantulus.

The Wizards used the Burnt Hill circle

because the stones stored magic.

If magic is energy, like you say and the stones can absorb that,

maybe they've done the same with the power of the teleport.

You can talk to the stones.

Bring out the memory, recreate the magic.

So you're saying, if they can remember the magic...?

Maybe they can remember science, too.

If Magic is an energy that can be stored in the stones and accessed,

that means the teleport beam is also an energy..

I use a spell to talk to the stones, and the stones teleport us

-to the ship...and we'll go.

-You can talk to stones?

Yeah, but it's really...really dangerous.

Then you're not doing it.

I've got to do it. Let's go.

I know you're doing this for all the best reasons.

But you can't decide what's right for Benny.

You can't control his life like this.

There was a time before, you know, when I made this.

When Helen died.

You were going to use it on me?

No. On myself. You were so strong.

I just wanted the pain to stop.

And what if it goes wrong?

What if you slip that in Benny's tea,

and he ends up like a goldfish, forgetting everything.

That won't happen.

Meesch-fardach-dah!

It's perfect. And it's ready.

You stand in the middle. And stay there.

Isn't this a bit advanced?

Don't you need your gran's big book of spells or something?

-I need you just to shut up.

-Sorry. But is it going to take long?

Cos we're running out of time.

What did I just say? Shut up. You can do this.

Sky speaks to earth.

Earth speaks to stone,

RUMBLING

Stone speaks to wizard.

LOUDER RUMBLING

Ayrta-shaan-zah-dah!

Tom!

Isn't there anything I can say to make you change your mind, Ursula?

RUMBLING

-Great Mistress!

-What on earth was that?

-It felt like a magical tremor.

-Which means what, exactly?

There'll be powerful magic a-stirring in the earth.

Show me, Moon, quickly!

Tom! What's he doing? Ursula?

No! No, he wouldn't be so stupid!

Stupid? What do you mean? That's Burnt Hill. What's he doing there?

He's communing with the stones.

It's powerful magic and he's nowhere near ready for this.

Michael, we have to get to him. He's in such danger.

Can you hear me?

'Little wizard. You have disturbed our sleep.'

I...I'm sorry.

Tom! Are they talking back? I can't hear anything.

Yes, quiet, Benny!

Listen, I need...

'We know what you need. You need us to remember.'

Yes.

'The unworld ones.'

Their teleport, that bright light that took us

from here up to the sky? I need you to bring it back.

To send my friend back to the Nekross. Can you do that?

'We can. But it will take much from you.'

I still have two spells left.

'No. You have used all three in summoning the Strength of Stone.

'We will need more from you.'

There isn't any more.

'There is always more, if you are willing to give it.'

Stay there!

'Will you give of yourself for your friend, little wizard?'

What does that mean?

'There is no time left for talk. You must answer.

'Will you give of yourself?'

Give what?

'Yes or no, boy. Will you give of yourself? Yes or no?

'Answer! Yes or no?'

Yes!

BUZZING

Tom!

HE GROANS

Tom!

Tom!

He did it!

'The bargaining is done.'

Tom!

Oh no!

-Got to get Benny back.

-What's happened to him?

The stones, he spoke to the stones. I warned him!

Ursula, explain! What's happened?

Oh, my goodness! They tricked him, Michael. The stones.

They're older than wizardkind, some say older than time itself.

He must have made a bargain. That's what they do.

They make bargains. But he can't have known what that meant. Tell me!

The stones don't care anything for Creatures of Breath.

Tom bargained with his life.

What? But why, why would he do that?

-HE SIGHS

-For Benny.

CREAKING AND GROANING

HE STARTS

IT COUGHS

Human!

So you wish to join us in death!

-We've got to get him to hospital.

-A hospital can't help him.

The stones have drained his life energy.

Oh, my poor Tom. It's all my fault!

I am so sorry! Taking life is always wrong, I was wrong!

He's still breathing, Ursula. Use magic, help him!

I can't think. I'll get it wrong, I always get it wrong.

And no wizard has ever defeated the stones. They're older than Magic!

He's your grandson, and he's here because of you!

Now, save him!

I'll do whatever I can.

She's still breathing. There's still time to save her.

To save you all!

You have come to help us? So my sister was right.

How pathetic, at least the Hag-Crowe had the stomach for war.

So you'd rather lie down and give up than let me try this?

Listen!

I'm telling you, the cure for what I did is on here.

If you'll let me input into your system.

Proceed.

There we go! Come on.

COMPUTER BUZZES

What happened? Why's it not working?

No more tricks!

Now be disintegrated!

Hold on!

Hear me, Stones of Burnt Hill.

'Ursula. Of the Magical Line of Crowe.

'The spell-dabbler.'

Hold on!

The virus, when I sent it up here, it changed, it mutated.

With this copy of the original virus,

I can track the mutation point!

Then we send the anti-virus on the same path,

containing the same mutation!

To cancel it out, yes! We've got to work together.

'We know what you want, Ursula of Crowe.

'The wizard boy agreed to give of himself.'

Please, he didn't understand!

What are they saying?

Watch that screen. I must know the precise route the virus takes,

system by system!

I can't read Nekross!

Primitives. Begin!

The extractor.

Where now, where now?

Plasma tanks!

'The creature of breath agreed to give of himself.

'It is a contract as old as stone itself, the agreement is binding.

'We remember the creature of breath said yes.'

You remember! Of course you do!

'We forget nothing.

'Ursula! Hurry! Do something!'

The Stones remember, but I, Creature of Breath,

defy the Strength of Stone!

You will forget!

With my charm of forgetting.

THE STONES MOAN

What's happening?

I used the Charm Of Blissful Forgetting.

The stones are forgetting their bargain!

I got it right!

I have it, the mutation point!

Then send it! Send it!

We did it! We did it!

Yes. We succeeded.

Not again!

Guards, on your feet.

I'm sorry.

Oh, my sweet, sweet, precious boy. I thought I'd lost you.

Are you OK, son?

Benny! He's on the Nekross ship!

We have to get him back!

Maybe we can...

I've used up all my magic!

Plasma tanks secure, life support at optimum,

teleportation systems online.

What of the halfling?

Our saviour and would-be executioner.

I think saving you trumps the execution bit,

which to be fair was a mistake.

Silence!

You showed bravery in coming here.

Er...thanks.

You showed compassion and mercy.

Thank you.

-We are prepared to show equal mercy.

-Oh...good?

We shall throw you to the Skorpulus!

IT LAUGHS

This is your idea of mercy?

Your attack on us was slow, and cowardly.

Throw him to the Skorpulus!

IT LAUGHS MANIACALLY

This is Nekross mercy. Your death will be swift.

-You've forgotten something.

-We forget nothing!

Varg gave me access to the systems.

With Nekross tech I rigged a delayed reverse teleport keyed to this.

You did what?!

I'm a genius. Which means I might be compassionate, I'm not stupid.

Bye!

Guards!

Aaaarg!

Benny!

Tom, it worked! We did it!

-Are you OK?

-Now I am.

Oh, you clever, clever boy.

You're safe, you're safe.

Blessed be the Source!

I saved them, Mrs Crowe. I saved the Nekross.

I had to.

I know, Benny. I know.

You and Tom are safe. And that's all that matters.

Don't blame Tom for what he did.

He only went against you for my sake.

I don't want him kicked out of the Magic Circle or whatever.

Don't you worry.

From now on this family stays strong and it stays together.

And, Benny, as far as I'm concerned you're a member of that family.

And I was wrong. I'm sorry.

That's all right. I know you were trying to keep Tom safe.

And on that note, can we get out of here?

-Somewhere with less stones.

-No arguments from me about that.

And we keep away from this place.

The stones know more than they ever say.

More than anyone should ever know.

'You will need to be strong, little wizard, for what is to come.

'She is returning...soon.'

I dream about her. Dad says that's good,

that no one's ever really gone as long as we still dream about them.

Are there really such things as ghosts?

A pale shadow, the essence of a departed wizard.

And it was her, it was my mum.

Sometimes it's not just a dream, sometimes it's that night.

Pale shadows will be travelling from beyond the pale to deliver a warning.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd