“So, you finally came to face me,” the deep, booming voice sneered from behind the detached helmet as we approached Dullahan. “I’ve seen braver fools run home to mommy at such a command. I must commend you for your, shall we say, arrogant punctuality.”

As I stepped closer, triggering his dramatic speech, I noted the tree he stood beneath: a fully grown fig tree, its trunk twisted and gnarled, somehow still defying its ancient years. Plump purple figs dangled temptingly. Dullahan nonchalantly lifted the front of his helm, plucked a fig, and began munching on it while glaring at me as if I were yesterday’s compost. With his head cradled in one arm, he looked like a grouchy ventriloquist feeding his cranky dummy some fruit.

His armor—regal in a gothic-horror kind of way—seemed to cast a shadow that bullied the tree’s own shade into submission, as if his vile aura drained the daylight dry. His cape, a dull gray, fluttered like a disgraced banner torn from its post, frayed at every edge. He bore no visible sword or weapon, but those needle-point gauntlets and the spooky magic show he performed earlier made it painfully obvious he wasn’t someone I could beat by asking nicely.

“Well, well, well. Cat got your tongue?” he asked between bites, juice likely running down his chin, though I dared not mention it. “You were quite vulgar last time, dear traveling knight. But it’s clear you’re no errant champion in my service—that much I knew the instant we crossed paths.”

“Be careful. He’s toying with you.” Ichni whispered, low and tense.

“So it appears the lotus has risen from the mud!” he proclaimed bizarrely, then burst into hearty laughter. I had no clue what that meant—apparently, Dullahan liked mixing metaphors with his murder threats.

“I’m just looking to pass by, stranger. Let’s both move along,” I said, half-hoping he’d say, ‘Oh sure, carry on!’ After all, he’d already succeeded at terrifying me halfway to death. By my body’s standards, that would technically count as a full kill, right?

“Stranger, you say? Oh ho,” he chuckled, “are we just stray breezes brushing past each other on the way to grander storms?” He let that poetic nonsense linger, then fixed me with a grim stare. “Nonsense. Fate orchestrated this encounter. I believe—yes, I believe you’re exactly the one I’ve been seeking all along.”

“I doubt it,” I lied baldly. “I’m just some random ghoul in old armor, running errands I never asked for.” Sweat beaded on my forehead as he scrutinized me, his partially revealed face etched in ancient gray flesh and a filthy off-white beard. His fiery sky-blue eyes glowed in those hollow sockets, practically singeing my nerves one by one.

He raised an arm as if pondering the meaning of life. “Humor me, then. The trusted captain insists I verify the fate of our dear princess. Perhaps you’ve heard of her?”

“...” We both knew the answer, so I didn’t give it.

“That’s right. She’s here,” He confided, his lips curving slightly upwards into a faint, unsettling smirk. “I can sense her presence clinging to you like royal perfume.”

Ichni sprang forth from my arm, her temper still roiling after the town’s supposed betrayal. She flashed tiny fanged teeth at Dullahan, looking like a furious, miniature banshee ready to chew him out—literally or figuratively.

Even if her bite lacked venom, her words sure didn’t. “You double-crossing fiend! You knew about my father’s and Onshi’s plan?!” she hissed.

Dullahan didn’t answer immediately as he looked at her. It was a look of… pity? Was he capable of pitying the princess’s circumstances? Whatever it was, it was enough to send a spark into Ichni’s powder kegs, as she promptly blew up.

“You preach about order and inevitability,” Ichni snarled, “but it’s scum like you who keep this cruel machine running! Dada ayu, Dullahan! These j’ana suffer daily, and you terrorize them for a cheap princess-hunting thrill? Is that your noble ‘fixing’ of the world? No, no no no. I’m done swallowing your bullshit! There’s the concept of the lawful evil we maintain, and then there’s you- you’re no knight. You can’t even be a dreadknight. You’re just some mutt that takes orders and does the king’s wet work. You make me sick.”

Her words sank in like poisoned daggers, yet Dullahan remained statue-still, not betraying any hurt. He stood there, timeless and silent, as her venomous accusations rippled through the tense air.

“You comforted me when I wept, Dullahan,” Ichni continued, her anger ebbing into raw sorrow. “When my mother died, I cursed everything. You told me I must stand strong, a pillar holding this damned world from sinking further. How can I hold back my tears when you, of all people, are the one hunting me now?”

“Princess…” I started softly, but Dullahan sliced through the tension with his cold, resonant voice.

“Your highness. I may have overheard the conversation between King Malphas and… Captain Onshi. I first came here to try to stop him.” He said with gritted teeth, as though his clenched jaw was all that was holding back his own rage. “I was too slow to stop them from doing this terrible deed. I cannot describe the anguish I felt when I found out you’ve succumbed to this… less desirable state.”

His words felt genuine, for what it was worth from my view. For an evil showboat, he sure sounded torn up about failing to save her.

“I was—and remain—willing to betray His Majesty to protect my only friend,” he finished, dropping a bombshell that made me wonder if I’d slipped into some unholy soap opera.

“You? You?” Ichni blurted, voice high with disbelief. “The most faithful lieutenant of them all, willing to throw everything away just for me? Have you lost your marbles, Dully?! How am I supposed to believe that?”

“I’ll prove it with my own hands, Princess. I’ll take you straight to King Malphas, and together we’ll force him to answer your questions,” he promised, voice laced with grim assurance. “I’ll make him lay out every filthy secret.”

Ichni paused for a moment, stunned. It’s what she wanted in the first place, and although her objectives- particularly unghosting herself- had taken higher priority, having the Dullahan as her ally would prove to be one of her greatest assets.

I wasn’t buying it though as I took a step forward.

“Not a chance, Dullahan,” I said firmly. “A loyal knight of your twisted caliber doesn’t just toss aside ‘honor’—whatever that means to you—for a so-called traitor. I know what I can do that will bring her back to life. Once I’m brought back to my former glory, I’ll have the means to both restore her to fighting form, and be able to face the Demon King.”

“Adrian…” Ichni murmured, suddenly with shaky confidence as she looked at me.

“Hey, we’re in this together,” I said, offering a reassuring grin. “Oddball weirdos in life and death, remember?” I added, trying to wedge her from her doubts. She looked at me with wide, slightly puffy eyes, shook herself, and nodded.

“Y-yeah. Honta!” She said with her arms pumping together. “We’re undead heroes, now. We fight together!”

“Heroes, huh…?” Dullahan said, his expression turning to bitter anger. “And who might you be, fair swordsman? I see a blade,” He cocked his head in his arms to spot the sheathe on the back of my belt. “But it is one that cannot yield to your… expertise.”

“I am Adrian Legend, faithful paladin of the Four-Lights of Nevermore.” I said with as much bravado as my voice could muster, still shaken by the haunted aura Dullahan exuded.

“ADRIAN!” Ichni shrieked, terrified. “Dullahan can kill anyone with cursed magic if he knows their full name!”

“WHAT?!” I shouted, eyes bulging. “Why not mention that crucial detail before I practically handed him my adventurer’s card?!”

“Well, I didn’t realize you’d prance around like a clueless murakka, rattling off your full name and rank to every villain like you’re at a meet-and-greet!” she retorted, exasperated.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

“If I had known he could deep-six me by simply knowing my name, I would have told him I was Climmard!” I hissed, regretting my honesty faster than I regretted that last beer.

“Don’t do that ever again! I can’t believe this.” Ichni huffed, crossing her arms. “You really did need to give him your full résumé! Dullahan, forget that! It won’t be fair if you win because my team leader is a fucking idiot!”

“Maybe you should be telling me everything I need to know when I’m facing a powerful foe since you’re the supreme tactician!” I shot back in equal spite.

Dullahan didn’t say anything, but when I noticed his face, I realized that it too was covered in shock. Was he so dumbstruck that I would actually hand him the bullet to shoot me with that he couldn’t register the fact?

“I… see.” He finally spoke, as though finally breaking from his revelation to observe me closer. “What an interesting development, Adrian Legend. Color me shocked, to be honest.”

His hoarse laugh began slowly as he pressed his hand to his face, but it rose in sound to a mighty holler of insane mirth. It echoed the hills as the symphony of death, indiscriminate in its victims, and I felt the life drain out of me and everything around me. Even the grass felt like it had lost its vibrant hue.

“Yeah, yeah. You got an ace in the hole now. So what of it?” I said angrily. His head shook in his hand as though his condescension towards me was too much for him to bear.

“I… don’t understand, but I care little. A paladin of light though, in this day and age? Remarkable. Repulsive, even.” He finally said, eyeing me with wonder. “Did you know I had a feat that the king likes to occasionally praise me for?”

“I assume your perfect attendance.” I jested, bending low to embrace a fight.

“No, no,” He corrected, leaning in as though letting me in on a secret. I swore I caught a whiff of fig breath. “You see, I was known during my time during the great war for the number I slaughtered, but particularly,” He leaned further in, his eyes narrowing. “That I was the one to have killed all the remaining Paladins in the war. I still remember disemboweling the last one, the memory of his awestruck face as he realized he was defeated still paints fresh in my mind.”

It was a harrowing thought. The paladins that Ichni treated like the monster under the bed, all murdered viciously by this demon’s hand. I felt mixed emotions before, but a lump in my throat built as I felt one finally rise from the rest. It was fear. I was facing someone who hunted my kind like animals, and took glee in ripping them apart.

“Or so I thought.” He continued, leaning back. “It appears I had missed one– or rather, fate has brought forth another opportunity for me to claim my accolade once more.”

He began walking towards me, a bloodthirsty look in his eyes. “So, Adrian the loyal Paladin, you managed to enter my realm, save the princess, and plan to go on some holy crusade, I presume. Subba.” He golf clapped by tapping the top of his helmet.

“Th-that’s right,” I stammered, backpedaling a few steps to keep from being a Dullahan snack.

“Just what are your goals though, exactly? Even small drops can become oceans with enough drive, so I must know what story I’m about to end.” He said with a fiendish smile. He was looking down on me like an insignificant cockroach that entered his pristine, unholy home.

“To shatter the chains of light, reclaim my mortal flesh, and save this kingdom from pure evil!” I proclaimed, voice quavering but firm.

“And to force my father to answer for his crimes and settle a debt with Onshi!” Ichni chimed in, draping herself over my shoulder like a snarky scarf.

“Both are absurd goals that don’t align all that well with each other! What scattershot drivel is this?” He shot, taking turns to look at both of us.

“I figured we can take turns doing what the other wanted?” I suggested furtively, shrugging.

“You both are fools then. I was your last chance, princess, for you to find your little happy ending, and instead you decided to waste your last moments with this pathetic whelp who pretends he’s some holy hero.” He scowled, his anger seething through his bared teeth. “I’ll make sure the warm arm that carries that gauntlet of yours runs cold before I drag you kicking and screaming back to the castle, if I must!”

“Dullahan, you can’t seriously be siding with Onshi now,” Ichni pleaded as he loomed ever closer. “You know you’re playing right into his grubby hands!”

“You said it yourself, Princess. I never question the king’s orders,” he replied, voice drifting from simmering rage to chilly detachment. “Unshakable loyalty, a tragic little quirk of mine.”

“The Captain will pay for this injustice, and I will make you whole and right these wrongs in haste. I no longer care if it’s with or without your permission.” Then he jabbed a finger at me. “You, murderer.” I flinched so hard I nearly fell over—nice to know my reputation’s improved from clueless idiot to serial-killer.

“Murderer?!” I stammered, trying to frantically recall my previous sins.

“Killer of our kin. Slayer of those we call family and friends. Demonstrator of demonic demolition, is this poetic enough yet? A Paladin.” Dullahan’s free fist clenched like he planned to punch a hole in my face.

“Ah, you’re trying to paint up as your own evil enemy…” I muttered, realizing he was psyching himself up to get on with it.

“I know your kind,” He said in a warning scowl. “Always sputtering fancy verses to justify murdering my own people. I don’t want to hear it from someone who takes it three fingers deep for the light, wannabe.”

““The fuck did you just say, you bargain-bin Halloween decoration?” I said haughtily, drawing my sword. I had completely forgotten that the holiday probably doesn’t exist in this world, but I didn’t care. “I spent years memorizing every scripture written to have something prepared for every occasion!”

“Final chance, Ichni. Join me, and I’ll spare this fool’s pathetic life… for now.” Dullahan purred, his devilish words breathing into Ichni’s uncertain ears. “Resist, and I’ll make sure it’s the loneliest box for you and the glove as I keep you safe. On your command, and he lives or dies where he stands. Khippa tell me you’ll join me.”

Silence stretched out with just a whisper of wind across the field. We stood locked in tension, itching to move. Still, Ichni didn’t speak. She seemed to be struggling with an answer that would give a conclusion to the talk– like crossing a final line that she dared not cross.

“Princess…” Dullahan added. “He lives to slaughter our people, the innocent. You’d see him fit as your owner of the glove?”

“He’s… not my owner,” Ichni said softly, glancing at my glove, then back at me. “Nor is he a threat to the kingdom. He’s my hope for it. My asaa, Dullahan.”

It looked like Ichni’s word cracked at Dullahan’s resolve as he shifted uneasily, as though unable to make the next step that leaped into battle. He was hesitating, and Ichni pressed on.

“I spent my whole life caged in that damn castle,” she continued, voice steady. “Its shadows blinded everyone to the world’s misery. My father might feign ignorance, but I can’t—and I won’t.”

“For all these years, I stood idle. And now, Dullahan? I’m a damn spirit trapped in a glove and STILL, I’m somehow freer than ever,” she said with a half-laugh of disbelief.

“This guy’s the real deal. He sees how messed up things are, and he plans to fix it. He’s GOING to fix it.”

“So Dullahan, here’s your answer; I’m not fuckin’ going anywhere unless my new chauffeur is driving the carriage.” Ichni declared.

“I’ll buy the first drink when I get your own body back, too.” I said with a grim smile as I readied the blade. Its teal glow gave me courage as it began its own battle against the menacing shadow of the dreadknight.

“Damn right we are, I hate this merdu glove.” She scoffed.

Dullahan gave a sigh that felt like the last rattling breath of a dying soldier. It was one of resignation that his plan had failed.

“...Very well,” he said at last, voice flat. “I accept I cannot persuade you back home.”

“Good, now get the hell out of our way and leave us be!” Ichni snapped, sounding more hopeful than she had all morning.

“Natt.” Dullahan snarled, and a sickly pale blue aura began to emanate from him. I saw the grass around him really die this time, and realized that his killing intent had returned in full force. Yup, murder mode reactivated.

“Natt?!” Ichni remanded, pouting.

“I’m guessing that means ‘no dice,’” I said, frowning. “Why not? You’re obviously not all-in on this murder-fest.”

“Do you seriously believe I was going to let you two pass me, alive? I think not. Courageous or foolish ambitions alike, you’re too dangerous to go on. I will give her highness’s new caretaker a parting gift. Let me offer you… eternal rest.” His smile, wistful in the grief of losing his princess as a friend, was twisted and mocking as he slid the helmet shut.

Then he lunged, making it crystal clear that his ‘gift-wrapping’ would be very, very painful.