Paige watched as Levi went down. Toward the end of their fight, Paige had barely been able to keep up with their movements.

She was worried for Levi. He'd been bleeding from his nose and ears for half the fight, and his eyes had been bleeding at the end.

She knew she didn't have a chance. She crouched frozen as Eric got to his feet.

"Pussy," Eric spat down Levi.

Eric raised a boot to stomp Levi's head, and Paige reacted without thinking. She lept in and stabbed Eric between the ribs, immediately retreating again.

Eric turned, glaring with his one remaining good eye. "Arggg. You cunt. I am so... fucking... tired... of being poked. You want to die first? Fine, you die first."

That's when an arrow struck Eric in the throat. He simply yanked it out and glanced to the direction it had been shot. Paige wasn't sure what level Eric was at, but he was an absolute monster. He'd taken numerous blows that would be considered fatal for herself, and it had only slowed him down.

"And more show up to the party," Eric growled, ignoring a second arrow that struck his shoulder. He raised his hand over his head. "I should have done this a long time ago. It's been a real pleasure, but it is time to end this."

Paige waited for the worst, but nothing happened.

Eric's seemed to zone out for a second, then snarled. "Abilities blocked. Curse-bound. What the fuck is that? You know what, doesn't matter. I can still do this the hard way."

Eric slapped the next incoming arrow out of the air and rushed Paige, grabbing her throat. He lifted her up level with his gaze.

"I am going to watch the life fade from your eyes," He said as he stared at her.

Paige kicked at him and stabbed at his arm as he held her, but he only grinned.

And then a katana severed the arm that held Paige right at the elbow.

Eric turned to see Iara jumping back in retreat. He lept at Iara in blind anger, but the edge of a shield slammed into his temple, sending him off-course.

Eric spun on the person who had hit him.

Joe stared him down, taking a defensive stance behind his shield, "It's over."

Eric smiled. "I knew you weren't dead. Can't wait to steal that trick. Couldn't figure it out. But it ain't over yet."

Eric tried to leap at Joe, but Iara took off a leg at the knee before he could. Again, she retreated before Eric could retaliate.

Eric fell forward, but somehow still quickly recovered, getting himself onto a knee and his stump of a leg. "I'll swear I'll kill at least one of you before I go down," Eric said, acknowledging he was going to lose for the first time.

Eric tried to lunge again at Joe, despite his missing leg and arm. He found the ground had turned to mud beneath him. He quickly sank to almost his hips.

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Maddy dispelled her crowd control spell as she walked up, turning the mud back to dirt and locking Eric down in the ground.

Joe walked up just out of reach of Eric. For a moment, Eric thrashed, trying to reach Joe with his one remaining arm, and then used it to try to free himself.

"Look at you," Joe began. "One eye, one arm, and one leg. At least the outside now matches what's inside... just half a man."

"Fuck you, I got more balls than any of you. Look at what it took to take me down. Just LOOK!" Eric seemed unhinged.

Joe nodded. "Yeah. Well, I'm sorry the old world failed you. We're not going to do that," Joe said as he sheathed his sword and fastened his shield to his back.

Eric laughed. "Oh, going to lock me up and rehabilitate me? You really are just a bunch of fucking carebears, huh."

Joe shook his head. "No. I'm a Redemption Paladin..." He looked Eric in the eye. "Not an angel of mercy."

With one nod from Joe, Iara's katana removed Eric's head.

After a moment, Joe casually reached down and grabbed the severed head by its red beard. He carried it to the enemy's campfire and tossed it in.

No one said anything.

----

Levi awoke as the heal hit him. His face was buried in leaves and dirt. He spit a leaf out of his mouth as he rolled over.

Everything ached. Something felt seriously wrong. Maddy and Paige stood over him.

"Guessing we won?" Levi managed to say.

"Yeah. Thanks to you," Maddy said, staring down at him. She looked concerned. "My ability is saying you're fully healed... but you don't look like it."

Levi forced himself to his feet, wobbling. "I think... no, I know... I did some damage to myself that can't be fixed with a healing potion or spell. I'll... deal with that later."

Paige threw her arms around Levi as he found his feet. He was glad it was her strength and not his own holding him up in her embrace. "I'm glad you aren't dead."

Levi let out a tight laugh. "Yeah, me too. What happened?"

----

They didn't bother burying Eric.

They had to carry two of their own fallen back, Tony and one of the young men from the sparring pits, whose name had apparently been Brent. Both appeared to have had their necks broken by just the force of Eric's blows.

Joe insisted on carrying Tony back himself.

Levi and Paige walked along beside Joe, quiet for most of the trip. Levi had to lean on Paige heavily for support, almost needing carried back himself. Joe looked sad and tired.

"Are you okay?" Levi finally asked.

"Yeah. Just..." Joe hesitated. "I knew what we were getting into. I knew people could and probably would die. And I led my friends into that."

"It was the right thing," Paige said. "And we rescued Maddy's group."

"Tony wouldn't blame you, Joe. You know that," Levi added.

"I know. Fuck. I know that. And I know that it was worth it, too. But dammit, I never wanted to be the one to make these kinds of calls again in my life. Then suddenly, without thinking about it, I was just taking up that role."

"No one else was going to do it. And if you hadn't, Paige was going after them. I would have followed. We'd both be dead. Then, how long before Eric picked apart the safezone like it was a damned buffet table?"

"I know," Joe growled. "I'd do it again. I will do it again, if I ever have to. But just because something is right doesn't mean it feels right. You should know that, Levi. When I used New Lease on Life before Eric stabbed me through the heart, all I thought was how I wished I could use it on someone else."

Neither Paige nor Levi said anything after that.

----

When they made it back, Gage and Caroline met them, and were freaking out that the man they'd captured had simply vanished. They were confused when everyone else seemed relieved about that until they were filled in about Eric and his shadows.

Maddy's group of girls were being tended to in a cabin. Though their physical wounds were healed, the girls were clearly traumatized, and a few women had volunteered to take care of them for a few days and help them recover.

Agnis had regained her composure, and her and Mike had taken control of the camp after Joe and his volunteers had left. That role primarily meant trying to keep everyone calm and preventing panic.

Joe's group returning victorious had helped with that a lot.

The next couple of days were spent recovering, burying the dead, and discussions led by the council on how to move forward.