FULL EPISODE SYNOPSIS (spoiler!)

Kreel is hatching a new scheme. He has founded the Xaxian Youth Brigade. Children from all over the kingdom are brainwashed to admire Xax and to spy for him, even on their parents. With their help Kreel hopes to find Tell and his band very quickly as this leaves them nowhere to hide. Lord Xax is impressed, when Kreel presents him with the first list of people critical about him. He wants to meet the children and grants them an audience. One of the boys, Lucien from the Hidden Valley, is presented with the Xaxian Cadiz, a great honour.

Almost the rebels are caught before the network of young spies is in place. The smell of Leon's cooking attracts a group of Warriors. The band flees into the Shelter. Kalem makes it invisible and all the Warriors find is Leon's cauldron. In their frustration they destroy it. Kalem who is visibly weakened warns William that she cannot always be there to safe them because of the toll it takes on her strength. The safety of the group is Tell's responsibility. Shaken by this event the rebels must admit that they are tired. Leon suggests looking for a place where it is safe for them to rest. Will knows of a perfect place. Kalem reads his mind and warns him against it, but his mind is made up.

Crossing a forest they encounter a being known as the Keeper of Lost Souls. William wants to know if his parents are there and if they are at peace. The Keeper is vague in his answer and says that true knowledge must be learned and cannot be given. William should look inside himself to find the answer to the question whether his parents blame him for their death. The being also warns him, not to wait too long. Then it disappears.

At night in their Shelter the band is worried about their leader. He has gone into the night, haunted by the memory of his parents' death. Full of hate and revenge he cries out Xax' name. Kalem appears. She urges him to turn his thoughts away from this. But William is so filled with feelings of guilt and a desire for revenge that her advise to find the answer in his heart goes unheeded.

Kreel surprises Xax as he is looking into the magic water basin. Faintly Xax has heard Will's cry but mistakes it for that of a child. Meeting Lucien has reminded Xax of his own childhood. He had never known his parents, there had always been only Kreel and his childhood has been anything but normal or happy. The sorcerer's protégé becomes depressed.

On his way back to the Hidden Valley Lucien is ambushed by two bandits. The only thing of value in his possession is the Xaxian Cadiz. But when one of the men tries to take it from the boy the crystal gives off energy and kills him. His accomplice flees.

The rebels reach the entry to the Hidden Valley. The guardian, a huge monolith, towers over it on a hilltop. According to legend the guardian had been built centuries ago. From its position the entire valley can be overlooked. It is said whoever topples the monolith will die and the spirit of the valley will be set free. William has visited the Hidden Valley in his youth and remembers its residents as friendly people. Leon is worried when he learns there is only one way in and out of the valley. It might easily turn into a trap.

In the valley Tell finds the residents changed. They have become reserved, lethargic and suspicious. William recognises a woman by the name of Glarn. But she claims to have no recollection of him. Will and Vara follow the woman to find out what is going on. All huts in the village lead through tunnels into a great cave where the people congregate. The other women occupying the cave also say they don't know William. He cannot understand it. Glarn tells them that her man is working in a mine that had not existed when Tell had visited the valley the last time. Glarn also says, questions mean trouble.

Aruna and Drogo enter the cave after looking around the village. They taste the local water and food and soon are just as lethargic as the rest of the valley people. William and Vara are puzzled.

Leon is going to explore the valley. He finds the mine and watches the entrance. Thus he sees how one of the guards puts something in the worker's drinking water. When Will joins him a little while later, Leon tells him about his observation. This mine is different than the one the rebels had been in when they first met. Leon finds out that the substance in the water is lythmarg, a poisonous plant.

Some time later Lucien comes home. He is Glarn's son and asks her about the strangers. Since she does not know who they really are she cannot give away their secret.

The others take Aruna and Drogo to the Shelter. Fortunately the five herbs needed for the antidote to the lythmarg all grow in the valley. Leon collects them and prepares the antidote. Will suspects Xax behind all this. Leon advises a quick withdrawal from the valley as he is worried about spies.

Lucien's parents try to convince their son not to report the strangers to Xax. They fear the Warriors but Lucien reassures them they have nothing to fear while they are loyal to Xax.

During the night Will gives in to his feelings of revenge and hate. His emotions are strong enough for Xax to sense them, even though he is far away. Thus the Lord Protector is able to locate the whereabouts of the rebels. Kalem is powerless as William refuses to listen to her. Xax and Kreel set out to the Hidden Valley.

Lucien meets Vara. His arrogant attitude annoys her and she reveals her true identity to him. When she tells the boy the truth about Xax, however, he remains sceptical.

On Will's insistence Leon also gives the antidote to the valley people. The herbs work quickly and the people regain their free will and fighting spirit, especially Glarn. When Lucien comes upon their gathering the Cadiz causes another death. Lucien could not prevent it. Distraught he runs away chased by his people who believe that Lucien has betrayed them. Glarn and her husband Shark ask William and his friends to help them save Lucien from the mob. And they want the rebels to teach them how to fight. They no longer want to be slaves.

Lucien takes refuge in the Shelter with Vara. She has stayed behind with Alvar while everyone else prepares for the anticipated arrival of Xax. It does not take long until Drogo sights the approaching Warriors and reports to the others. There no weapons only tools in the valley. Time is too short to mount an effective defence. William only sees one way out. The guardian must be toppled!

Aruna is the best climber of the band so she goes up first followed by Leon. It takes their combined strengths to push the monolith over. While it is tumbling down William spots Vara who has come out to look for her friends. He runs towards her, gets caught in the rockfall and is severely injured. The princess is unhurt. The rockfall has another effect as well. A gap opens in the earth. Lucien happened to be there and falls into the hole. That way he comes across a secret tunnel leading out of the valley.

The entrance to the valley is sealed by fallen rocks. Not a moment too soon, as Xax, Kreel and their Warriors were just about to enter. The Warriors begin immediately to clear away the stones.

William is carried into the great cave. He is dying. The rebel leader tells his friends that he has let Xax know where they are to take his revenge and asks their forgiveness. Drogo urgently calls Kalem. She appears and instructs them how they can save William by forgiving him his selfishness. It works and he recovers quickly. Then they hear the drums of war. The Warriors have cleared the way and arrive in the village.

William plans to challenge Xax to a duel to buy the others time to escape. Since he was the one bringing Xax here Tell feels it is the only thing he can do. But everyone else is prepared to fight at his side. At this crucial moment Lucien appears with the news of the escape tunnel. The people are sceptical and still don't trust him. Vara supports him and so everyone follows the boy. And are led to safety. The soldiers searching the valley find it deserted. Kreel discovers the Cadiz, discarded by Lucien. The Youth Brigade has failed.

Lucien's parents are very proud of their son. The valley people move north to found a new settlement.
The spirit of the valley has truly been set free.

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