The Sword of the Barbarians

Nantuk's invasion destroys Sangraal's homeland and decimates his people. Sangraal leads the remaining survivors in a desperate flight, seeking a new home across a brutal, uncertain wilderness. The fall of his realm steels him for the trials that lie ahead.

From the road, Sangraal and the refugees defend a nearby village from Nantuk's raiders. The villagers, grateful for the protection, welcome them as part of the community. Belem, the village leader, even offers Sangraal a co-rulership to help rebuild.

Nantuk has seized kingship after Ator's fall, drawing the ire of the Goddess of Fire and Death. Her cult grows under his rule, and she demands Sangraal's sacrifice to maintain power or doom Nantuk and his realm. The threat hangs over Sangraal as new wars loom.

Nantuk orders a renewed assault on the village sheltering Sangraal. The attackers slaughter inhabitants while Sangraal is captured and crucified, forced to watch the carnage. The brutality marks the cost of resistance.

Sangraal endures the horror of witnessing his wife’s death at the Goddess’s hands. He slips into unconsciousness as the assault rages. Belem's daughter Ati and the archer Li Wo Twan manage to free him from his crucified state.

Ati and Li Wo Twan patch Sangraal up, and he resolves to seek a powerful wizard for help. They set a course toward Rudak's mountain dwelling, hoping for a way to restore what they have lost.

Nantuk vows to torture Sangraal and deliver him to the Goddess to burn in her fiery altar. The threat fuels Sangraal's resolve but also hardens his path.

Rudak meets Sangraal and warns him that no one can truly revive the dead. He urges Sangraal to accept his fate and instead seek the shrine that holds the power to win the coming battle.

On the road to the shrine they face ambushes and traps. They manage to escape each setback, though they are captured several times and must break free. The journey grows harsher as Nantuk's men pursue them.

Sangraal reaches the shrine containing a powerful magical crossbow. He realizes the artifact could be key to defeating Nantuk and saving Ati.

Ati and Li Wo Twan are ambushed near the shrine; Li Wo Twan dies and Ati is captured by Nantuk's agents. Sangraal must press on with even greater urgency.

Sangraal pursues to Nantuk's headquarters, confronting him in a duel at the Goddess altar. He defeats Nantuk, impaling him on his own dagger and ending his tyranny.

The Goddess reappears and threatens Sangraal and Ati, but the barbarian uses the magical crossbow to kill the Goddess. Her power wanes as the threat to them is removed.

Sangraal and Ati ride away toward freedom, leaving the ruined realm behind. Their bond and courage hint at a hopeful new beginning despite the years of struggle.