FULL EPISODE SYNOPSIS (spoiler!)
Darkness is threatening the peaceful Kingdom of Kale. The evil sorcerer Kreel has at last managed to obtain Shaytana's Eye - a crystal in which the power of Darkness manifests itself. With this power at his disposal Kreel and his protégé Xax conquer the royal Citadel. They murder the King and Queen and convince the unsuspecting young princess Vara that her parents have appointed Lord Xax as the kingdom's Lord Protector, to save it from a looming danger. Vara trusts Xax whom she knows, but she is afraid of Kreel.
Meanwhile the old farmer Berthold Tell returns to his home. He has been injured by the attack on the Citadel. His wife Agnes and their son William tend to him. Berthold tells them, that the Darkness has returned to Kale. Then he sends William, who is an excellent marksman with the crossbow, outside to keep watch. Will's dog Alvar goes with him.
Some time later Alvar alerts William to something going on within the house. They go back inside. Kalem, the good spirit of the kingdom, has appeared. Agnes and Berthold know her well and reassure William that she is not a threat. Kalem puts William to a test. She turns a loaf of bread into a bowl filled with water, then tells William to look inside. At first he sees nothing, but eventually the image of an arrow emerges. It's that of the Crystal Arrow, the talisman of Kale. This proves that William is the Chosen One who has been prophesied to return in Kale's hour of need. Kalem offers a small pendant in the form of the Crystal Arrow to William but he refuses to take it, believing himself to be unworthy. Their argument is cut short by the arrival of Xax's Warriors. William wants do fight them, protect his parents. Kalem knows this would be futile. His destiny lies elsewhere. So she influences his mind and sends him fleeing into the forest.
Kalem watches over William. She is still hopeful that he will take on his predestined task. When darkness falls, the young man discovers a light coming from a cave. Kalem tries in vain to turn him away from this place. Inside William discovers a skeleton and a bundle of straw someone is using for target practise of throwing knifes at it. William calls and the cave dweller - a large bald Albino with red eyes and sharp canine teeth - shows himself, startling Will. The young Kalean tries to run away but too late. The cave dweller throws something after him, hits him on the head and William falls to the ground unconscious. After a while he awakens to find himself tied up. Behind him a kobold is held prisoner in a cage. The kobold wears a strange symbol on his forehead that William pays no attention to. It's a symbol of Shaytana's Eye used by Xax and Kreel. The kobold tells his fellow prisoner that the cave dweller is a man-eater. William finds that hard to believe but the circumstances seem to confirm it. The Kalean talks the kobold into loosening his ties. Then he frees kobold from the cave. He has no legs, therefore William must carry him. Together they manage to escape.
At the royal Citadel Kreel creates a laboratory for his work. He builds a place to keep Shaytana's Eye and activates a stone water basin with some magic liquid to show him any place he chooses within the kingdom. The sorcerer and Xax feel safe. Kreel does not believe that even the fabled Crystal Arrow could stop them now, when Xax is showing himself with the princess at his side. Vara is very popular with the people and would legitimate Xax's claim as ruler.
William and the kobold run until the break of dawn. When they rest the cave dweller catches up with them but the kobold acts quickly. He grabs Williams crossbow and shoots at the man-eater who flees.
Some time later they arrive at the entrance to the cave that is the kobold's home. Will feels uncomfortable to enter it. The kobold pleads with him and the young man gives in. Inside some sinister men appear. They are overjoyed to see the kobold but take William prisoner. He is brought into the crystal mine that lies within the cave system. The young Kalean is chained to a group of other prisoners. Directly next to him is an old Kalean woman named Te Yuet, followed by Aruna, Seth and Leon. Aruna is an Arborean, a warrior cat tribe. Leon is a Heraclean, who are known for their great strength and also great wisdom. Will notices on Te Yuet's wrist the same symbol of the Crystal Arrow that he saw on Kalem. The old woman tells her fellow prisoners of an old Kalean prophecy: The spirit of their hero, William, will return in the kingdom's hour of greatest need. Tell protests. Even though he was named after the legendary hero of old he himself is no hero.
Near the end of the shift William shares his crystals with Te Yuet to help her reach her quota and is astonished when the others plainly refuse to do the same. The guards come to inspect the result of today's work and express disappointment over William's quota. The young Kalean manages to steal the key from the overseer and hides it in a niche in the rock behind him. Only Te Yuet has noticed what he did. Turning away from them, the overseer checks for the key and finds it gone. He turns back to the prisoners. Te Yuet quickly snatches the key from its hiding place and is caught with it. She is sentenced to death on the spot and thrown into a deep pit, as a warning for others. William tries to save her by telling the truth and admitting that he has taken the key but the guards do not believe him.
Shaytana's Eye is sensitive to all powers in the kingdom and senses William in the mine. Thus Kreel is alerted to a dangerous presence there. Kreel contacts the overseer by means of a crystal. The sorcerer orders a close observance of the new prisoner. Meanwhile William has convinced the others to help him with an escape plan. He believes that together they will be able to overpower the guards and free themselves. A short time later the overseer and some guards arrive, the prisoners follow their plan and promptly escape. Leaving the mine they discover a group of men approaching on horseback. The ex prisoners hide. The new arrivals are Lord Xax with some of his Warriors. The Lord Protector is enraged when he finds out about their escape. Until now it has been thought impossible for someone to escape from the mines. In his anger Xax kills the overseer and appoints a new one.
Having travelled a safe distance away from the mines the members of the group rid themselves of their chains and start saying good-bye. Kalem appears. William is not pleased to meet her again. To convince him to accept the task she has for him, she calls Alvar, William's dog, who seems to come from nowhere. Kalem creates a connection between William and his dog. Thus Tell finds out how Xax murdered his parents and burned their farm down. The young man still refuses to accept the Crystal Arrow pendant. He wants revenge. Kalem implores him to save the princess and find the talisman. William is unsure, but Kalem tells him he must not do it alone. Seth, Leon and Aruna agree and offer their help.
After dark they sneak into the Citadel. But Seth is captured and brought before Kreel. On his way Seth notices a death trap in the hallway. Kreel uses Shaytana's Eye for questioning Seth. No man cannot withstand the power of the Dark Crystal and he reveals their plan.
Just when the others reach the chambers of the princess, guards appear, followed by Kreel and Xax. Leon, Aruna and Seth are incarcerated while William is brought into Kreel's laboratory. There the sorcerer attempts to get into Tell's mind using Shaytana's Eye. But Kalem watches over her Chosen One and blocks his mind from Kreel's probing.
Working together the three prisoners once again are able to escape. They search for William and find him eventually. After freeing him they get the princess. Vara cannot see the danger she is in and does not want to be rescued. But she is given no choice in the matter. On their way out they come to a cross corridor. Seth notices the markings on the wall, indicating the death trap. He warns the others. Aruna does not trust him, believing him be a traitor. William however does trust Seth. When Aruna stubbornly insists on using the dangerous way, Seth tries to hold her back. He gets caught in the death trap and dies. Aruna now regrets not trusting him, but it is too late. Leon urges them on.
Xax wants to pursue the group, but Kreel convinces him to let them go. He plans to blame Tell for the murder of the King and Queen and the kidnapping of the Princess.
When they are safe, Kalem appears again. This time William reluctantly accepts the pendant. The Quest for the Crystal Arrow has begun.
© Cloud 9 Screen Entertainment & CLT-UFA International |
