After defeating the dark and powerful Kurgan, Connor Macleod left New York for places unknown slowly the darkness that was the Kurgan had began to immerge in the good and decent man slowly turning him into a dark and twisted vision of his former self eventually to the point of Connor Macleod hunting immortals for sport and for his own personal pleasure, the more heads he had taken the darker he had become almost to the point of the good and decent man being lost forever behind the darkness he had now become.

Highlander - In A Mirror Darkly

Late July 1987

The day had begun like any other for Duncan Macleod, his time was spent meditating and practicing the martial arts needed for an immortal to survive in combat with another of his own kind, although he had taken the heads of many immortals in his extended existence it was purely by skill and some blind luck as he knew how to read others of his kind and await for that one fatal mistake that would unleash the quickening and grant him all the knowledge and power of the fallen warrior.

"One more hour Macleod, keep pushing yourself, just one more hour"

He chanted too himself in his mind as he pushed his body, mind and spirit past breaking point. Only the sound of his phone broke his concentration as he completed his final move with his razor sharp sword and placed it on the floor as he picked the receiver, surprise took over him as he heard the voice on the phone.

"Hello Duncan, as I once said… you have all of the fun and some of the good women"
"Connor?"
"You where expecting the tooth fairy? I'm in England… we need to talk"
"Connor, I'm in Japan… you call me from half the way around the world and say we need to talk?"

With a slight laugh Connor continued.

"I know Duncan, I called you…a ticket is awaiting you at Hikawa airport… under your name, your flight leaves in four hours"
"Connor?…"
"See you soon brother"

Before he could reply the phone line went dead, slamming down the receiver he looked around at the place he had hired for the week and sighed deeply before he turned and left the room, quickly he showered and packed his bags.

Eventually he arrived at the check in desk as he spoke to the young woman behind the desk in Japanese.

"Good afternoon, umm… a ticket for Duncan Macleod miss?"

Slowly she reached behind the counter and retrieved the ticket with a smile.

"Mister Macleod, one ticket to England… Blackpool International Airport"
"Blackpool? Is this a joke miss?"
"No Mister Macleod… it is what the ticket states" She said with a half smile.

Ripping the ticket from her hand he bowed softly before boarding the plane.

13 hours later…

Exhausted from the long flight in coach class and the over bearing airport security checking his blade, Macleod finally stepped out of the airport and into a Taxi, after a two hour taxi ride around the beachside resort he eventually booked into the tiny bed and breakfast booked by his old mentor Connor. After throwing his bag on the bed he placed his ivory hilt Katana inside his long back coat and made his way out of the door into the freezing cold winter air as it blew of the Irish sea at high speeds, pulling his coat tighter around himself he began to walk around the streets until the familiar sense of an immortal nearby. Quickly he looked around as in the darkness a figure was backlit by the stars and festive illuminations that glowed from the distance.

"I thought you'd never get here!"
"Thanks for the shitty flight Connor"
"I thought you'd enjoy it" He replied with a smile.
"Do you have any idea what I had to endure on that flight? A flight sick 300lb man throwing up into a sick bag next to me while he took up half my seat!"

Slowly Connor walked towards him with his hands behind his bag, with no emotion in his eyes he extended his right hand in greeting, quickly Duncan replied with a smile.

"It's good to see you again old friend, I just wish it was under better circumstances"
"What are you taking about?"

Quickly Connor whipped around his sword, almost seeing it slow motion Duncan back flipped out of the way of his clansman's blade and drew his own sword in defence as he looked on in shock.

"CONNOR! What are you doing?"

Duncan quickly backed away as Connor closed the gap whipping around his sword.

"Ohh come on Duncan, we always knew it would come down to this! Just you and me… better late then never, haven't you ever wandered who was the better?"

An irruption of blade against blade filled the air as sparks flew from both swords, the fear in Duncan's eyes told Connor everything he needed to know as he whipped his sword around quickly slashing and ripping away at the chest of his clansman, quickly blood poured from the open wounds as Duncan looked on in shock at the speed and power of this former mentor.

Loosing his footing Duncan fell to the ground hard, much to the amusement of Connor as he stood over him and stepped down on him between his legs.

"What's the matter Duncan… Cat got your crutch?"
"Connor! What the hell are you doing?" He screamed in pain.
"There can be only one… Macleod… and that is ME"

Quickly he raised up his blade and whipped it around with all of his strength, Duncan's eyes widened as he saw the blade screaming towards him. With lightening speed he grabbed his sword and whipped it into the air deflecting the attacking sword while he kicked hard at Connors knees breaking both legs, Duncan rolled too his left as Connor fell hard to the ground, it didn't take long before Duncan picked up his blade and ran as fast as he could to the amusement of Connor as he called after him.

"COWARD… RUN COWARD, BUT I'LL FIND YOU"

After two days of running, Duncan had finally come to the realisation of what had happened to Connor, the good and decent man he once knew yet now he had another mission to help his old friend, with on phone call he had arranged to meet Connor in a very public place at the top of the large landmark tower, at 518ft 9inches it was an echo of the legendary Eiffel Tower in Paris, France.

Once again the presence of the dark and twisted Connor Macleod filled his mind as the elevator doors opened and people began to scream as gun shots and shouting filled the observation deck as people ran for cover in the elevator and down the long winding stairs.

"EVERYONE OUT… YOU, WAIT HERE!"

Duncan remained still as Connor pushed people down the stairs and laughed as the panicking crowd ran in fear.

"Damn I have never felt so GOOD!"

Reloading his gun he fired at the observation windows that lined the tower deck, the glass exploded and crumbled to the distant ground as the winds whipped around the tower at breakneck speeds.

"Well Duncan, lets finish this, once and for all"

Connor whipped his sword around as Duncan deflected the blade with growing difficulty, using all of his skill and all of his legendary luck he deflected most of Connor's blows and even landed some of his own until one fatal mistake.

He screamed in pain and fell to the ground as Connor's sword past threw his wrists severing his hands, with a look of shock on his face he looked at Connor who was manically laughing.

"Well, I guess it would be no fun kill an unarmed man…"

Quickly Connor raised his sword and winked before he spoke next.

"Then again… maybe not!"
"CONNOR!"

Connor's sword passed threw the neck of his former pupil and his head fell to the floor, smiling with delight he bent down and picked up the severed head and winked once more before drop kicking the head out of the window and watch as it fell to the floor hard.

"Damn it, I was hoping to hit the Irish sea, ahh well!"

Windows exploded and lightening crashed as the body of his former friend glowed with the power of the Quickening, the sound of metal scraping against metal, whining and squeezing as the whole tower glowed as lightening joined Connor Macleod to the exploded remains of Duncan's head as it hit the pavement below. After what was the most painful and powerful quickening Connor had taken since the Kurgan. He picked up his sword and began to walk towards the stairs and stopped, the tower had began to rock violently back and forward as the ear piercing sound of metal fatigue and snapping rang around the observation deck as the tower began to fell three inches and stopped as it swayed in the howling wind.

"Ohh Shit!"

He cried out as the tower collapsed under it's own weight.

The large crowd that had gathered to watch the unusual lightening display ran in fear as the whole 10'100 ton landmark crashed down onto the stores and restaurants below. Almost immediately the emergency services arrived as fire and explosions ripped threw the beachside city, shock and amazement rang threw the gathering crowd as local and national reporters gathered around the vast wreckage of the famous landmark while from the far side of the blazing wreckage a figure walked out of the fire and dusted off the flames on his coat, before newscasters could whip around the cameras the figure had disappeared into the darkness as the sound of laughter quickly disappeared.

Three Days Later...

A door opened as from the darkness a voice rang out.

"Dawson, we lost another"
"Who Bob"
"It appears that Connor has taken Duncan Macleod's head... caused Blackppol tower to fall, i was their, pritty cool"

With a slight nod he looked up at the man facing him as he replied.

"Hmm... I didn't expect that one. Close the file Bob"

Story By GW Ryan.