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Dungeons & Dragons (2000)
The Empire of Izmer
has long been a divided land. Ruled by the Mages, an elite group of magic users. The lowly Commoners, those without magic... are little more than slaves. Izmer's young Empress Savina... wishes equality and prosperity for all. But the evil Mage Profion has other intentions. At last! Come, Damodar. Release him. You are mine now. Come to me! Yes, I told you it could be done. You have the power of the Immortals. You can control Dragons. With a Dragon army at my command... I can crush the Empress... and control what is rightfully mine! You don't like that, do you? Good! I can use every ounce of your rage! Come on. Follow me. Follow me! I said follow me! What now, my lord Profion? We shall have to modify our plans. Summon the High Council of Mages immediately. They're about to learn something of our young Empress... that may give them pause for thought. It will be done. This must be some twisted magic experiment... gone seriously wrong. Why is it every time something bad happens... you blame the Mages? When was the last time you saw a river catch on fire? You think they care if anyone got hurt? I'd love to find a way to give those Mages some payback. "Ridley the Savior". That'll be the day. Look, Ridley, things are the way they are. There's nothing you can do to change it. You got your haves and your have-nots. We are your gotta-gets. And right about now, we gotta get paid. The Magic School. The what?! The Magic School? Are you crazy? We'll break into the Magic School. Think of what we could get. With the fire, it won't be heavily guarded. Think of the challenge, Snails. Think of what we could find in there. If we pull this off... we'll be the envy of every Thief in Sumdall. Trust me. Why would the Empress want to disband this Council? It's a concept I find difficult to believe. Azmath, your loyalty is commendable... but we have all watched the Empress' growing up... and we have all heard her views... on what she considers to be the injustices of the land. But she is just a young woman. Young people speak from the heart, not the mind. In time, with our counsel... she will come to understand why things cannot be changed. Maybe so. But is that a risk you are willing to take? Her revolutionary ideas... have already taken root among the people. In time, her influence will grow. As the months go by... she will learn to master the powers of her Scepter. When she does, I have no doubt... she will use it to enforce her changes upon us. What do you propose, Profion? I humbly ask that we vote to remove the Scepter... from the Empress' control... so that government in Izmer will remain secure. Remove the Scepter which lolls above our heads... and destroy the threat of revolution forever! And if she does not agree? Then... her true intentions will become clear. And then we will be forced to do whatever we must... to protect the strength and unity of Izmer. What say you? How could he get the Council to turn against me? He plays on the fears of the others-- their fears of change. I know, Vildan... but the changes I propose are for the good of the people. All people deserve to be free and equal... whether Commoner or Mage. I know this within the depths of my soul... and if necessary... I would die to make that the way Izmer is run. What can I do to stop Profion? You must outsmart him. Over the past years, I have been searching... for an ancient artifact called the Rod of Savrille. It holds the same powers as your Scepter... with one difference-- It controls Red Dragons. If you could obtain it... you could relinquish your Scepter to the Council... and still have protection against Profion. I must have that Rod of Savrille! With one wave of it, I will topple her... and bring down that useless Council of idiots with her. What is your wish, my lord? Pay a visit to the Magic School and see our friend Vildan. Persuade him to give you the scroll of which he speaks... and bring it here to me. And, Damodar... make sure that he's no longer around... to give our young Empress any more good advice. Come, my friend. Ridley, why it got to be so high? Snails, let go of me. Can't we just rob the first floor next time? Hurry up. Why don't we just rob God while we're up here? Come on, Snails. I thought you said this was going to be easy. No, I said it wasn't impossible. That's the same thing you said... when we robbed that little Halfling's house. Who'd he catch? Me. Who'd he beat from the waist down? Me. -Are you going to jump? -You going to catch me? -I'm going to catch you. -Promise? I promise. Now jump. All right. Sorry. I thought I heard something. You did. Me hitting the ground. That is a big Dragon. Now we're talking. All right. Let's get to work. I've already told you, Marina. The Empress can't use... her Scepter of Gold-Dragon control... or Profion will paint her as a tyrant to the Council. Profion must be made to expose himself to them. Damn it, I know it's here. Where is it? It should be right here. Are you sure you put it away in its proper place? I'm sure. You're sure, are you? Then why is it filed here with these volumes on alchemy? It belongs in Dracology. Where is it? I know I've got it somewhere. Ah, yes, this was it. Really, Marina, you must stop dawdling. The Empress only has three days until the Council... forces her to relinquish her Scepter to them. -I'm sorry. -That's all right. You must understand the seriousness of our task. I just feel like I should be doing something more... than shelving books. I understand, Marina... but you must learn to be patient to maintain focus. That's the best help you can provide just now. I suppose you're right. I never saw a scroll so hard to decode! It's protected by very ancient magic. Marina, fetch me some Manticore wing. -What is that? -A Dragon tooth. -Put it back! -Just a Dragon tooth. -Put it back. -A Gold Dragon tooth? -It's too big. Put it back. -Come on, Ridley. Here. What'd you give me the rodent for? Pick it up! Come on. You already got enough of these at your house. Look at this. We're going to be rich. You know how much we could get for one of these? Don't touch that! One of the lab creatures must have got loose again. Marina, check on it. Right. Snails, relax. It's an illusion. I knew that. Don't touch anything else! All right. What are you doing? We're the... The cleaning crew. Right. This is dirty. Cleanup crew's more like it. You're Thieves trying to rob us. She must've put a holding spell on us with that bracelet. It must be the only way she can get guys to come home with her. I'd have to put a feeble-mind spell on myself... to want to take you home. That was funny. You're going to the city dungeon. That wasn't. What a relief. I'll be thanking you when they cut my head off. You should. It'd be an improvement. There's that superior intelligence... you Mages are so famous for. Yes, well, speaking of intelligence... what kind of genius would break into a Magic School? He'd have to be really stupid or-- Or what? Well... Master! If you don't tell me which scroll it is... I'll have to kill you painfully. Never! Are you crazy? You just zapped... The Chief of the Crimson Brigade! To the streets of Sumdall! Follow them, you fools! Where are we going? Hey, nice trick! No, the other way! Watch out! Lady, please, stop and listen. Escapes are our bread and butter. -What's that? -I don't know! Get this rope off so I can deal with it! Can't nobody get a moment of peace around here? I ought to... Nice lid. You shouldn't have done that. Check that door. It's locked! It's locked! Follow me! If you think I'm going in that filthy mess-- That's disgusting! Post Brigades at every sewer entrance and exit. I want them found... now. Marina of Pretensa, student Mage... is sought for the brutal murder of Vildan Vildir. A reward will be... I can't believe this! You better believe it. They're framing us. They're framing you. You're nothing but a Thief. They can't be framing me. I'm an aristocrat. I'm a Mage. A low-level Mage-- completely expendable. Practically worthless. This is ridiculous. I'll go to the authorities. I can't go to the authorities. That's right. They'll toss you in prison... and torture you till you confess. You better tell us, 'cause like the man said... we're your accomplices. All right. Come on! You allow... a slip of a girl to escape you... with the scroll... and now Norda, the Empress' finest tracker... is in pursuit... and you tell me not to concern myself? It was a mistake. It will not happen again. There you are right. And here's why... Just a friend I'm sending along for the ride. A gentle reminder not to make any more mistakes. The moment you deliver me the Rod... I'll ensure that he-- it... vacate the premises. Now... may I suggest... that once you two have become fully acquainted... you follow the Empress' tracker Norda. She happens to be good at her job. She will lead you to our missing friends... and the scroll... and this time, Damodar... don't fail me. It's about time! If we find the Rod, the Empress heaps us with gold, huh? Why don't you try and rise above being a Dwarf? This isn't about gold. It's about saving our Empire. Empire? Who cares about the Empire? You Mages are the only ones who benefit from it. Oh, really? That's an interesting sentiment... coming from a guy who steals things for a living. Have you ever heard of honor amongst Thieves? We might live outside the law, but we respect each other. Unlike a bunch of back-stabbing Mages. That is just the sort of half-baked, illiterate drivel... that proves Commoners really are common. That's it. We're out of here. Come on, Snails. We'll go into hiding. She can find the Rod herself. Fine. I thought you were leaving. Mind if we eat first? No. Be my guest. Those red marks there look like the locks... my father used to put on plans in his carriages. Please. This is an ancient scroll, not a blueprint for a bucket. You don't seem to know what you're doing... so you might as well let me have a look. Give that back! Let's see. He used to put his fingers like this... and then he'd say something like... Alanor, salah-- What was that word? Bidet. Bidet? Bidara! Bidara. Alanor, salah, bidara! Can't blame me for trying. At least I-- See that there? I knew that boy had talent! Alanor, salah, bidara! Do not let them escape... or you will suffer a fate far worse... than that which hath been inflicted upon me. So there I am, hogtied, lying on my back. This Orc starts poking me with the spear. Kind of a no-win situation. So, I say to myself, "What do I got to lose?" So, I take that spear and bite it. And I start chewing. Idol of idols. With an Elf. You got to be kidding. The problem with Elves is they got no meat on their bones. You got to get yourself a nice 250-pound Dwarf. With hair on her chin you can hang on to. Excuse me, little man. You looking for somebody in particular? Or are you just looking for... somebody? Actually... I'm looking for someone just like you. What a coincidence... 'cause I was looking for someone just like you. We got to celebrate. Bartender, give me a bottle of your best wine. Make that your cheapest. Wait. I need the girl. Bar fight! Get them ! This ain't the time for romance! -What are you doing? -Come on! Come on! Wait, I got to go back. I think I'm in love! With an Elf? They think Humans are a joke! All right, I lied. I just want to hit it! Let's get Ridley out of here. Bidet, bidet, bidet. That Wraith must have been defective. -He seemed reliable to me. -He did not. It's Damodar, man. He's onto us. With what we've walked into, everyone's going to be onto us. What do you mean, everybody's onto us? Go ahead. Tell him what you got us into. Me? But you-- Go ahead. Tell me what you got us into. According to the Wraith inside the scroll... the Rod we're looking for caused the Great War. Is that all? Have you lost your damn mind? What does this Rod do? It's supposed to have the power to control Red Dragons. I don't know about you... but this sound like a pretty bad idea to me. It gets better. This map leads to a Dragon temple. To get in, we have to get the Eye of the Dragon... from the Guildmaster of the Thieves Guild... in Antius City. Xilus? No. Get-- No way! I told her she's crazy... but she keeps going on about Profion and the Empress. Profion? They can take care of themselves. I suggest we lay low... Iet the whole thing blow over, come back, rob everybody. That's all. Let's go. Snails, there's one more small problem. Problem? What's the problem, Ridley? I kind of committed us to find it. Ridley, how could you do something like that? You-- I can't believe this. I can't believe-- "This is our big chance", huh? "Let's rob the magic school. This is our big chance!" That's what you said to me, right? This is... dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb. Dumb! I got a new name for dumb. "Ridley". This is the Ridley-est thing I ever heard of. I'll understand if you don't want to go. What do you mean I can't go? Look, all I'm saying is that... don't you think this is just a little bit out of our league? Just a little bit? Snails, listen to me, OK? This Eye of the Dragon we're supposed to get? It's a ruby the size of your fist. I don't-- A ruby the size of a fist? Yeah. We'll use her to help us get it, and we'll take off. We'll make a fortune. Trust me. I hate when you say that! Ridley, I know I'll regret this. I knew you'd come through for me! Don't touch me. OK, just a little bit. We're in. How about you? I don't see what choice I have. Just tell me one thing-- If I help, who'll pay me? We'll worry about that later. That's a terrible way to do business. I didn't do it. I didn't do it! Get out of here! Ridley, check it out. Let's go. Listen, we're looking for esteemed Guildmaster Xilus. We thought you'd know him. The only thing I know is... you ought to take your business out of town... before you get the words "outsiders not appreciated"... branded right where your nose used to be. Get it? Thanks for your time! If I ain't drinking, you sure ain't shopping! Come on! There you are! Where have you been? Don't look at us, all right? We're just shopping. Is that three-eyed hyphen bastard watching us? If we follow him... he'll probably lead us into the Guild. There he goes. Let's go. Come on. Elwood, we'll go in. You keep a lookout. Nice. Isn't that Tollum? The guy that kidnapped the Duke of-- Let's keep 'em walking. Let's go find Xilus. That won't be necessary. Like I said, "Outsiders not appreciated." You was talking to us? We was confused 'cause your third eye... was looking at somebody completely different. Take 'em away! Don't touch me! Get off me! Get off of me! Where do you think they took Snails? Don't worry. He'll be fine. Just let me do the talking. So this is it? Everything a Thief strives for? You must be Xilus. Ridley Freeborn. Practitioner of the larcenous crafts. Member in good standing of the Sumdall Guild. It's a pleasure to meet you. A fellow Thief. The pleasure's all mine. See? Sumdall, eh? How is old Sumdall? That's a pretty tough town, isn't it? All those Mages. We get by. Yes, well, I think you must be very accomplished... to have such a precious morsel traveling with you. What might I do for you? The unity of our kingdom-- We understand you have something called the Eye of the Dragon. We desperately need it. Yes, well, I'm always happy to help a fellow Thief. Have you ever heard of the Antius Guild Maze? Of course. Every Thief has heard of it. Wonderful. Then you'll know that the Eye of the Dragon... is the prize at the center of my Guild Maze, won't you? You finish the maze, you win the prize. Has anyone ever finished it before? They all died trying. But look on the bright side. At least the prize is still there. Good health. And jolly good luck. This is a good one, Ridley. That's no fair! -I give him forty seconds. -Nah, a minute. I can't believe they're betting on whether or not he lives. Au contraire, precious morsel. They're betting on how long before he dies. Be careful, Ridley! Oh, my. This is not right! Yeah, yeah, yeah. Very clever. But is clever enough? Come on, the game ain't over yet. Very light on his feet, isn't he? What kind of vault is that? I think she needs to visit her friend. Nice. Well, yes, yes, yes. Very clever. Well done, you. -You were absolutely amazing. -Thank you. Oh, no, no, no, no. Thank you. I waited fifteen years for someone to pick that lock. I knew the man that could survive that maze... would be able to get into that vault. And now, here he is. The man. You. Why don't you give me what's rightfully mine? What about honor amongst Thieves? What a romantic notion. Do you honestly believe I could've amassed my wealth... if I worried about honor? So, pretty boy... if you don't want Hugo here... to rearrange your features for you... I suggest you just give it up. Who the hell is he? Who the hell are you? I don't know who you are... but be prepared for a lesson in pain. You must be joking. I never joke when Mages trespass in my Guild! This is the map you're after. Clear a path, and I'll put it out. Do it. Let go of me! You OK? We got to save Marina. Wait. What about the Dwarf? You get the Dwarf, I'll get the girl. Wait. How come I always got to get the Dwarf? Damn! Ridley, we already have the Dragon's Eye. Let's take it to Sumdall and sell it. Snails, we're not leaving without Marina. Listen to you, Ridley! You're going to risk your life for a Mage? Listen, Snails-- What? I wouldn't do that... if I were you. Hey, it's you. You know her? We're acquainted. Is that the Elf you were drooling over? I wouldn't put it that way. But, yeah, that's her. Pretty, huh? They all look alike to me. Silence! Where is the girl? None of your business. Wrong, Human. It is my business to arrest you and Marina of Pretensa... and to take you and the scroll you stole... back to the Empress of Izmer. So you're the law, are you? I should have known. One of your fellow lawmen-- in fact, the Chief of the Crimson Brigade-- beat you to the punch. He just took off with Marina! -Damodar. -That's him. Only he's not working for the law anymore. He's working for Profion. He's the one you want, not us. Your Majesty. Yes, Norda. Have you found me the scroll? No, Your Highness. I have unfortunate tidings to report. It seems Profion also seeks the Rod. But how could he know? I do not know, milady. Damodar has captured Marina of Pretensa... and the scroll... but I have her companions in my custody. What is your command? Seek Damodar out. We need that Rod. The Council demands my response imminently. Norda, please hurry. Our time is running out. As you wish. Gather the horses. We will track Damodar. They will travel with us. Should they try to escape... kill them. Tell me... Why were you at the Thieves Guild? It isn't exactly a sightseeing spot, is it? We needed money for supplies. You'll have to do better than that. I'm curious. You're a Mage... and yet you're disgracing your family... by consorting with Thieves. You're a disgrace to Izmer, conspiring against the Empress. I have no dispute with her. You know me. I have served her family loyally for many a year. It is Profion's desire to dethrone her... not mine. Then why do you help him? Look at me. Look at me! If I do not obtain the Rod... I will die. Please... help me. I'm sorry, but l... I cannot help you. Foolish girl. I can suck... the information I want... right out of you. Your friends have procured... the Eye of the Dragon... from the Thieves Maze. A key... of some sort. Can't I just walk? Don't you people know Dwarves are terrified of horses? Get over it. A lot of Dwarves are afraid to show their true feelings. I'm not, OK? They followed the valley. I know these lands. There's a shortcut up ahead. Through the forest and over those hills. It means leaving the trail... but if Damodar sets up camp and we ride all night... we stand a good chance of cutting him off. All right, let's go. I love the way you track. You wouldn't happen to be single, are you? What? There's no harm in asking is there? It just so happens that I'm single. Can you believe it? How old are you? Twenty-three. I know I'm a little young for you. What if I get my hands on an aging potion? I'll sacrifice a couple of years for you. I'm 234. Oh, damn. I didn't mean that much of a change. Hurry. Ridley, look--Beholders. Relax, Snails. We'll just sneak around 'em. Now what? A little distraction. All right, Snails, stay close. All clear. OK. I'll get Marina. You get the map. OK. Hey, wait, Ridley. How you get the girl and I get a map? We got to work out some new plans. Go. Be careful. All right. You, too. Let's go in. We were not meant to enter this place. This task they must complete alone. I'm Damodar. A little black magic. All right, Damodar. Nice. Piece of cake. I knew this was too easy. Need a hand? It's OK. Let's get you out of here. Come on. Just like you Thieves. Always taking things that don't belong to you. All right. Now... I'm mad. You want to play, do you? Yeah. Let's play. OK, you win. Game over. There they are! So much for getting out of here without a fight. Thanks. Anytime. Hit him ! Hit him ! Let's go! Come on. You cannot be serious. I've never been so serious. Oh, please. If you'll give me the Dragon's Eye... I might decide... to let you die quickly. Go to hell! Not your usual punctual self. Where's my Dragon's Eye? I have it. Really? Show it to me. Let him go first, and it's yours. Snails, don't! Make it easy on yourself. Give me what is mine. Never! You're as stubborn as your friend. Very well. You've made your choice. Come on, Ridley! Transporting! Come on, Ridley! Come on! The Council has voted. You must oblige us. You understand the consequences of your decision-- Do not patronize me, Azmath... for I understand all too well. Yes, I violate the law in defying the Council... but if I were to give you this Scepter... my crime would be graver yet... for I would be defying my conscience... and our people. Have you all forgotten? This Council was created to protect the people of Izmer... but ask yourselves... Is this what you are doing? I say not. Your concern is only for yourselves... not the people. And Your Majesty is forcing the Empire... to the verge of civil war... in the best interests of the people? The man who convinced you to take the Scepter from me... so that he would leave the state defenseless. Be careful, my friends... for once he's done with me, this Council may be next. War benefits no one, Profion... and I oppose it. But if it is necessary to obtain the freedom of our people... then no cost could be too great to achieve that goal. Do you hear her words? She violates our highest law! And then seeks to force us into submission... with a threat of war. Each citizen of Izmer, whether a Commoner or a Mage... deserves an equal right for prosperity... and as Empress... this is how I decree Izmer shall be run... from this day forward. Such pretty words. My friends, I warned you... that this headstrong child... will defy you and destroy you. Her youth denies her the wisdom... to understand why some things cannot change... but idealism is for children... and a child is not fit to govern an Empire. I ask you one last time! Will you submit to the ruling of this Council... and relinquish your Scepter? I was praying... that you would find the wisdom... to see that the path I propose for Izmer... is the right one. I do not wish to fight you... but I will not leave the Empire... at the mercy of an unscrupulous charlatan! So decide as you must, but know one thing-- I am not afraid. A wonderful performance. My friends, ask yourselves... are we prepared to see our Empire... destroyed by a child? Then is now not the time we should act? Then down with the tyrants... and let the war begin! What is he doing? Isn't he going to use any spells? Wait. How did you do that? The Elven people do not require spells to work with magic. You use magic. We are part of it. Part of magic? As are all living creatures, including Dragons. Sadly, Humans see only their destructive powers. I had a dream. I saw-- You saw a Dragon being born. It was amazing. Life was exploding all around. So it should. You see, when Dragons are born, they bring new magic with them. Magic is the life force of our world. It keeps nature and everything around us... in balance. And if many Dragons should die? Life would wither as it must... and the balance would be destroyed. The Rod. You and your countrymen... are very close to irreparably destroying... the fabric of magic with this Rod you seek. The Rod is man-made... unnatural. It must not be disturbed. You must rest. I'm sorry about Snails. I'm sure you are. He died for a good cause. A good cause? What cause is that? The Empress against Profion? Politics. I'm through with all that. I'm not going to die over some power struggle... between a couple of greedy Mages. No, you're wrong. No, you're wrong! Mage! You never had to live on the other side. You know what? Snails was right. There is nothing we can do to change it... and if I had listened to him, he would still be alive. Just because some Mages are evil does not mean they all are. I'm not! Let me let you in on a little secret. The Empress that Snails died for stands to lose everything... because she is fighting to change things. As if she has anything to worry about. You are so naive. She risks everything... because she does not believe the system is fair. Profion seeks to dethrone her because she believes... that Mages and Commoners should be treated as equals. She is fighting to change what you hate so much! That, Ridley, is what Snails died for. When Vildan told me what was happening with the Empress... I wanted to do all I could to help her. But even then, I did not understand... why she would want Commoners to be equal with us. But now... after being with you for only a few days... and seeing how you always manage to find your way... I understand why the Empress is right. Please, Ridley. Help me show them we are not like they are. You know, for a Mage... you're pretty smart. It will protect you. Thank you. All right. This is it. This is the entrance to the dungeon. What happened? What is it? It's a wall force of some kind. I've never seen this kind of magic. Only you were meant to pass. I guess I go alone, then. Be careful. Don't worry. I'll be fine. Great. Now what? Sorry, Snails. Finally, a Mage who got what he deserved. Why do you disturb the Rod of Savrille? To save the Empire of Izmer. Who... What are you? I am Savrille, creator of the Rod... cursed with the crime of trying to control the Red Dragons... and sentenced to this purgatory... until someone worthy of its power takes it. You are such a man? I don't know if anybody's such a man. But I'm going to find out. Be warned. Anyone who wields the power of the Rod... shall suffer a horrible fate... for the evil it creates cannot be undone... unless its spell is broken. How do I break the spell? That, you must discover. The Empress has called her Dragons upon us. Don't just stand there admiring them ! Destroy them before they reach us. Hurry! Hurry! Prepare to fire! Fire! Come on. Get up! Prepare to fire again! Move that crossbow. Aim for their wings, you fools! Fire, you fools! Fire! What have I done? Come to me. I found the Rod! Thanks for saving me the trouble. Feels good, doesn't it? Remember... your stupidity and persistence got your Thief friend killed. Don't let it be responsible... for finishing off the rest of your social circle. Oh, look. I've cut her. What a shame. Don't hurt her. Then give me the Rod! And you'll release them? Don't do it, Ridley. You have my word. Finally. You said you'd let them go! I lied. Kill them... slowly. Give that to me. You said you'd set me free. Now what about my head? Here they come! Come, Damodar. To the roof of Sumdall. Fire! My destiny. Come to me. Look. I've cut you. What a shame. You can run, Your Ladyship... but you'll never run far enough! Let their blood rain from the sky! You'll pay for that, boy. You really think that you can steal my destiny? I'll invent a new destiny especially for you... full of pain. A new kind of pain and new senses to feel it with. Not if I kill you first. This will be a real pleasure. Not so talented, eh, Mr. Ridley? I've enjoyed our little chat, but now it's your time to die. My little tracker. I could-- Hey, Mage! Why don't you pick on somebody your own size? Back for more? You really think you can use that, you little burglar? Well, that's impossible. Bring them down on him, Ridley! Destroy him ! I won't become you. What have you done? Your Majesty. It's over, Profion. The battle maybe, Your Majesty. Maybe... but not the war. Thank you. People of Izmer... at long last, I do declare that you are now all equal. Let the celebration begin. You hear that, buddy? That's for you. Nothing's going to be the same without you. But I guess I'll have to get used to that. I just hope wherever you are... you know that you did make a difference. You helped things change. You finally got it. Your big score. I guess I'd better get going... or I'm going to miss my own knighting ceremony. Ridley the Savior. Can you believe it? I'm going to miss you, pal. Do not question your gift. Your friend awaits you. |
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