The rifleman squeezed the trigger. Myra lashed out and thrust the rifle aside, the shot being sent wide with the thunderous snap of lit powder. “Stop! Don’t shoot!” she cried. Erasmus flinched, dropping to his knees, his cloak flapping about him as the other riflemen opened fire, the bullets barely missing him. Erasmus quickly scrabbled back behind the rock, a few last shots carving gouges from the stone.

Fang whirled on Myra. “What the fuck are you doing?”

“That’s not him. It’s not Pike! He doesn’t have the sword!”

Fang lashed out, knocking her to the ground with the back of his hand. Ruadh’s hand went to his dagger.

“You said he was following you! No matter…” he drew his sabre. Half of you, keep him pinned down.” More rifles cracked as the men reloaded. Fang waved his sword in the air, leaving two men to guard Myra and Ruadh while he lead the half a dozen others. “We’ll circle around the back. This one is the Captain own’s brother. Get too close and your as good as dead.”

“Hmph! High praise indeed…”

All heads turned in shock to the grey cloaked man that emerged from behind a tree beside them. A black sword in his hand.

“Shit!” a man raised up his rifle and fired. There was a burst of smoke, and spray of blood, and the rifleman’s head fell from his shoulders, Pike posed there with his sword, a dark scowl on his face.

“That slimy bastard…” Another slash, another man fell. The others drew back, sweating profusely.

“Wants this fucking sword so badly…” Pike stood like a dark, sullen tower over his victims. “I’ll give you all as much of this thing as want!”

“Bloody shoot him already!” cried Fang, but Pike was among them, cutting off a man’s arm before knocking the rifle from the hands of another. Fang scrambled away, while others drew swords or hurriedly reloaded. Myra ran towards Ruadh. “Run!” she cried. “Get out of here!” He stared at her with an expression that betrayed his grief. He did not move from his spot.

“What are you waiting for! You have to go!” Myra shouted in increasing desperation.

Ruadh shook his head. “There is no need. I can’t fight Talon… there’s nothing more I can do…”

“Ruadh!”

A rifle cracked. Blood sprayed out from Ruadh’s shoulder. One of Talon’s men had taken a shot at the ranger before running from the battlefield. But Ruadh only stood there, even as blood began to coat his arm. But Myra was more horrified by the one tear that streaked down his cheek.

“Screw this!” Fang shouted as an errant spray of blood splattered him in the face, Pike had just cut a man from shoulder to groin. “Scatter!”

Fang turned in the opposite direct just made a beeline into the woods, and any who were out of reach of the black sword did the same. Pike watched them flee with a grim scowl. Then he turned, and strode towards Ruadh. He walked past Myra, who was on her knees in shock. She stared at Pike’s back in silent grief and horror. In slow motion, Pike glared back at her with a single eye, for a brief moment, a tinge of sadness creased his face, but was gone as soon as it came. He looked away, and glowered at his prey. Ruadh stared solemnly back.

“Good,” Pike muttered. “Let’s get this over with. You should be content, Ruadh. With your head, Erda’s safety can be guaranteed.”

Ruadh sneered. “Is what the goblins said?”

Pike shrugged. “Couldn’t hurt to try.”

He raised his sword, but then there was a click.

“Stop right there, Pike.” Erasmus stood there off to the side, musket aimed at Pike’s head. “I’m not too bad with these…”

Pike sneered at him, but lowered his sword all the same.

“Ruadh, now’s your chance, get out of here.”

The old ranger looked shocked. “Sir Erasmus… you shouldn’t…”

“Don’t tell me you’ve given up. We haven’t even gotten to the damn battle yet, and I would rather have you at my side when that time comes.”

Ruadh went silent. “I promised Lady Erda that we would see you back in one piece…”

Erasmus nodded. “There’s time for that yet. Go on, make a start of it and I’ll join up soon enough. That’s a promise, friend.”

Ruadh smiled softly, nodded, and then turned and raced away. Pike went to take a step, but Erasmus brought the musket up to his eye, keeping aimed on Pike. The paladin waited for a few moments, then smiled, carelessly throwing the musket to the ground. Pike’s raised an eyebrow.

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“You killed Wudu… didn’t you.” Erasmus said, hand on his sword.

“Damn straight I did.” Pike said coldly. “But for Erda’s sake, I’ll give you what I didn’t give to the she-troll… a chance to get the hell out of my way.”

“I too made a promise… I came out here to defend Erda’s people…” His face got more dramatic. “To fight her enemies. This ends here… Head Hunter.”

“You…” Pike growled, eyes burning with rage. “Fucking… Paladin… If you want to be a fool and throw yourself off a cliff for glory or whatever, then be my guest. But don’t you fucking dare look down your nose at me. I’m the one trying to save Erda’s life! If you want to die like big damn hero, then I’ll oblige you here and now if I have to. I won’t let Erda die for your pride!”

Erasmus chuckled (I use that too much). “You’re right, I do want to be a big damn hero. And now, I finally have the guts for it. I’ve spent my whole career doing paperwork, making rich men richer. Honour, courage, a life of freedom, I had forgotten about all that. Until the day I saw a young, blind woman (Erda blind retcon?), burdened with the safety of her people. She had the chance to buy a whole damn army if she wanted. But she gave that up, gave away a miracle, to save the life of one, wretched vagabond. Any other person might have left you to rot. But she had the courage to do the foolish thing. Aye, I watched the whole thing. In that moment, when she pressed that healing juice to your lips, she seemed to glow like the sun itself. A person like that, is too good for this world. I don’t care about honour, but perhaps I am selfish…”

Erasmus drew his sword, slowly. “Is it so wrong to want to see a beautiful thing in this ugly world stay untarnished.”

“You idiot…” Pike growled. “Don’t you know what can happen to a woman caught on the losing side of a battle?”

“Aye, and so does she.” Erasmus drew his sword, slowly. “But rather than run away to safety, she came back, to fight for what she loves. Her resolve is something to behold. You want to buy her life with the blood of her kin? Pike, I won’t let you make a mockery of her resolve.”

Pike spat, raising up his sword, not even bothering to move into a fighting stance. “Fine then. But you remember how this went down last time...”

Erasmus touched his scarred cheek. He grinned. “Things are different now. Now, I’m playing the big damn hero. Now, I’m having the time of my life. This is the strength, of a man free from his shackles to this world.”

Pike scowled. “Fine, if you want a dragon to fight… here I am. BASTARD!” With that cry, Pike lunged forward, both hands swinging the black sword in an arcing slash. Erasmus blocked just in time, black sword met white blade with a cry of steel and a burst of blue sparks. Everything went slow mo so you could see Pike glaring widely at Erasmus, a fierce grin on his face. The epic music swelled up, PIKE VS ERASMUS appears on the screen.

Real time again. The two swordsmen parted, Pike rushed forward with a wild flurry of attacks, partly to overwhelm Erasmus, partly out of sheer rage. Erasmus blocked as well as he could, but he too was on the attack. As he redirected Pike’s blow, he hurled himself forward, ramming a shoulder into Pike’s chest.

Pike grabbed at Erasmus’ belt, found a knife hilt. Erasmus’ mail shirt was the only thing that stopped Pike from disembowelling him on the spot. Erasmus brought up the hilt of his sword, uppercutted Pike with it. As Pike stumbled backward, Erasmus swung his blade in an overhead strike. But Pike blocked, thrust the sword aside and struck back. They traded blows, swords splashing water everywhere in the rain.

Erasmus held his ground, but there could be no denying it, Pike was still the superior swordsman. Erasmus went on the defensive, being driven back by Pike brutal assault. His back rammed against a tree, causing him to stumble. Pike used the chance, knocked the white sword out of Erasmus’ hand. Pike pulled back for a thrust. Just as the black sword speared towards Erasmus’ chest, he hurled himself to the side. The sword sunk into the tree.

Pike tried to withdraw, but the tree withheld it, just long enough for Erasmus, in another slow-mo scene, to swing his arm in a sick left-hook, and slam his fist into Pike’s head. Pike was sent flying, but he rolled back on his feet in crouch. He spit blood and scowled at the Paladin, his eyes wild like a frenzied beast. Pike drew a dagger from his belt and hurled himself forward in an inhuman leap. But Erasmus caught Pike’s wrists and held him. They grappled for a moment, then they both drew their heads back so they could head-butt each other in another slow-mo shot.

Each man dazed, they stumbled away from each other,but Erasmus swung out blindly, caught Pike in the stomach. Pike swung back, catching Erasmus’ jaw in a right hook. Erasmus drew back for a kick, but Pike caught his leg, trying to snap it with a savage twist. But Erasmus went limp and was sent tumbling to the earth. Pike was on top of him, fingers wrapped around the Paladins throat. In desperation, Erasmus held onto his wrist. With strength he didn’t know he had, he shattered Pikes wrist, crushing the bone in his grip.

Pike snarled in pain, but still would not let go. Erasmus’ other hand searched the ground blindly, until he took hold of a conveniently placed dagger. The blade plunged town to the hilt as Erasmus stabbed Pike, just beneath the lower rib. Pike doubled over, and Erasmus rolled away, sucking in breath.

Pike pulled the dagger out, he grimaced for a moment, then he looked from his bloody hand, staring coldly at Erasmus. He stood up slowly, grabbing the hilt of his sword and yanking it out the tree. Erasmus picked up his sword, also conveniently there.

“For what it's worth…” Erasmus laughed through wheezing breath. “I never had this much fun.”

“Damn… peacock.”

The two men glared at each-other soaked in rain and blood. Then suddenly, Erasmus faltered, he nearly stumbled forward, but caught himself in time. His hand touched his arm, found a bleeding cut he hadn’t noticed before. His limbs were going numb, his strength draining away. Pike’s black sword seeming to glow, hungrily sucking in the light around it.

Pike strode forward. “If you weren’t so run down, you would have lasted longer…”

Erasmus fell to his knees, sweat beading from his brow as he fought to keep his sword raised.

“Tis…” he panted, “just a scratch…”

“I’ll tell Erda you died doing something noble or whatever,” Pike aimed his blade, aimed for the neck. “And then I’ll say… he should have quit while he was a head.”

Suddenly, an arrow appeared through Pike’s thigh. Pike snarled in pain, tried to remain standing, until another arrow struck him in the shoulder, throwing him backwards. Erasmus looked around through blurry vision. Green shadows appeared from the tree around them. Willing to see through the blurred veil, he saw then that men in green cloaks where approaching him, bow-staves in their hands.

Ruadh strode forward, a triumphant smile on his face, clutching a bow like it was his prize possession.

The Rangers had come.