Methos and Harry Dresden in the Wizard the Knight and the Pragmatist

Disclaimer and thanks - The Dresden files are the sole property of Jim Butcher. Highlander is the property of Davis-Panzer Productions. I wish to thank my editor BCF and my Beta Reader RJ Bingham I would encourage everyone to go read his stories; they can be found at (.net/u/2428181/R_J_Bingham)

Authors' note – I offer my apologies that this chapter took so long to get out. The chapter was becoming so long I decide to break it up in to smaller pieces. I think both the Dresden Fans and Highlander fans will not be disappointed. Methos is back trapped in a difficult situation between what he wants and what the archangel is whispering in his ear to do. Plus both Harry and Methos get a chance to face off with The Merlin which is always fun. So enjoy the Wizards vs. The Knights in the trial of Matthias Zander. It is full of action and adventure and as always reviews are welcome.

Chapter 13

The Wizards vs. The Knights in the trial of Matthias Zander part one

Harry's Narrative

The day after Matthias Zander gave up his coin and surrendered to the wardens, Morgan placed him on trial as a warlock. I had witnessed this scene play out too many times before, with other warlocks who Morgan killed. Ninety nine percent of these trials did not go in favor of the warlocks.

Now many wardens had gathered along with The Merlin and Morgan again in the same large warehouse down by the docks where I had seen the young Koran Warlock decapitated. There had been innocent blood poured out on this hallowed ground before, many times. Guilty or innocent made no difference; Zander was going to die today and there was little I could do to change that. My palms were sweating and my heart was racing as I looked for Captain Luccio, Ebenezar McCoy, Listen-to-Winds, the Gatekeeper or even Martha Liberty! Unfortunately the only member of the Senior White Counsel present seemed to be my personal nemesis Arthur Langtry the acting and present Merlin.

I looked for any allies within the ranks of the wardens but they too seemed to be missing. My heart sank and I just shook my fist. I would speak for Zander even if The Merlin would hold it against me, but then again is seemed like he held everything I said against me anyway! Hells bells this was a set up if I had ever seen one.

The Merlin and Morgan were in a rush to have Zander's trial over and done with as soon as possible. One of the wardens led Zander bound and with a black hood over his head and then read the charges against him.

"Hells bells Morgan I want to file a official protest! Captain Luccio assured me that the Knights of the Cross received permission to testify at this trial. Without their personal help the wardens would never have been able to bring in Matthias Zander. This trial would never have happened if not for the intervention of the Knights and it's the least we owe them for their help." I was doing my best to argue with both The Merlin and Morgan.

"Wizard Dresden Captain Luccio, must have been detained by some other business. I am sure if the she promised the Knight the right to testify she would have brought them here. Beside the Knights are not part of the Unseelie Accords and the counsel doesn't have to offer then any participation in the trial of a warlock! We are of course grateful for any help they offered the While Council but we can not allow anyone to interrupt these proceedings!" The Merlin replied.

"So The Knights are good enough to help us but not suitable to speak at this trial! Just PEACHY this is just another mock trial for the latest warlock that Morgan is getting ready to chop his head off." I was beginning to think that Morgan enjoyed killing innocent wizards for the sake of declaring an example for all to see that they should not break the seven laws of magic. Someday this attitude of his was going to come back and bite him in the butt!

"Dresden you will stop right now, I have soulgazed the warlock Zander and proven him guilty and if you continued to object Morgan will order two of the wardens to restrain you."

Before I knew it two wardens I could only classify as goons grabbed me and pulled me off to the side. To say I felt discouraged was putting it mildly and my heart began to sink.

Then while The Merlin was finishing his speech I heard a strange sizzling sound like that of someone frying eggs and looked at the huge locked metal door to the old warehouse. I saw just the tips of something that looked as if it was on fire pierce through the door. Strange there was not a hint of the smell of smoke or anything burning in the building. The only things that could cut through metal with flames that did not burn were Amoracchius and Esperacchius with their Knights' in tow. The Door was being sliced like butter with a warm knife. It looked just like two light sabers out of return of the Jedi. My eyes kept glancing back and forth between the door and Morgan. The world seemed as if it had gone into slow motion. Just as Morgan swung down his sword to behead Zander the door fell on the warehouse cement floor with a thunderous CRASH!

Morgan's sword bit into flesh and bone and Zander's body lay lifeless in a pool of blood with all the wardens gasping at the sight of the Knights dramatic entrance.

Following behind the Knights was the small figure of Captain Luccio. She was accompanied by her entourage which included Listen-to-Winds, The Gatekeeper, Ebenezar McCoy, and Martha Liberty. Then Listen-to-Winds, and Ebenezar McCoy of the senior council commanded that the trial to be halted immediately. The two Goons that were holding me were stunned for just a moment by the horrendous noise the door made as it crash to the floor. They loosened their grip enough for me to struggle free and I ran to where Zander had fallen. I pulled the black hood off Zander's head as Methos and Sanya ran to my side and Methos kneeled down to examine Zander's body. Blood was everywhere and I couldn't tell if he was beheaded or not. My only clue was there wasn't a quickening but Methos had told me when an immortal is beheaded without another immortal around their quickening goes in to the earth and is lost forever.

Sanya was the first to reach Zander. He looked at Methos and asked in Russian if Zander was dead. At least I think that's what he said. The warehouse had been as silent as a tomb up to that moment; all anyone could hear after the senior members of the white counsel entered was the pounding of footsteps echoing in the vast empty space.

Methos examined Zander's body. Morgan had been distracted by the crash of the warehouse door and just barely missed his neck by an inch, but ripped his shoulder blade from his spinal cord. Our shoes were drenched in the thick red liquid seeping from Zander's lifeless body. Methos lips parted in to a half smile and reported Zander was not mortally wounded. I finally saw Zander's head was still attached to his body, if you call it that; he was neatly cut in two. I guess I had to explain to the senior members of the white council that Zander was an immortal and would live. Methos and Sanya still had their flaming swords drawn and were intent on protecting Zander until he revived. Right now he still looked quite dead.

I went to Captain Luccio, followed by Listen-to-Winds, The Gatekeeper, Ebenezar McCoy, The Merlin, Morgan and Martha Liberty and explained Zander's death was a temporary condition and in a short time we would see him heal and come back to life. I gave them the cliff notes on Immortals how they really died and a short version of what the game was. Morgan was fuming at the fact that the warlock Matthias Zander only seemed dead. He was livid that he had not been told about this new type of supernatural creature.

Everyone else listened intently, Ebenezar and Anastasia always stayed on my side rooting me on and trying to support me. The Merlin's face was turning red and I swear if we were in a cartoon character steam there would have been coming out of his ears. To say that he was outraged that he had been left out of the loop and uniformed about these newly discovered immortal beings was putting it mildly! Captain Luccio did explain all the evidence she had found about then she found in the archives of the original Merlin's library, something he always had at his fingertips. Somehow I do not think that helped her case much telling him he just hadn't read his own library. I knew there was going to be trouble for her back after they got to Scotland. Perhaps this was one time that the war with the Red Court might turn out to be a good thing because it would keep everyone too busy to dwell much on this incident.

Upon the order of Captain Luccio Methos picked up Zander's body and carried it off to a corner of the warehouse, where the dead immortal could recover with a bit more privacy. Of course Captain Luccio ordered several of the wardens to guard Zander, he was still a warlock and still on trial.

After the senior member of the white counsel finished talking to her, Captain Luccio had several private words with Morgan. Listen-to-Winds, The Gatekeeper, Ebenezar McCoy, and Martha Liberty walked over to the Merlin to have some private words with him also. I stayed with Methos and Sanya waiting for Zander to heal. Most of the wardens were confused and did not understand that Zander wasn't really dead. They also knew nothing of the race of men called immortals. Sure I was going to have to explain what had happened today too many of the wardens as I had to the Senior Counsel, but for now I just wanted to be near my friends. It was amazing to see the blue sparks start to mend Zander's body. Methos tried to keep Zander's re-entry back into the land of the living as private as possible, but we were in a warehouse, full of wardens five members of the white counsel, all who were gathered to be part of his trial for being a warlock. Methos also informed everyone it might take some time for Zander to heal. Privately I asked about how long this was going to take?

"Sorry Harry I do not know, Zander is a young immortal and these injuries are quite substantial. We could be here for some time waiting for him to heal" The old immortal informed me.

"But Methos I had you down to a time limit depending on what type of death you had, like if you were just shot maybe a few minuets, but remember the time the Troll tossed you in to the building and smashed your bones, well that might take 20 minutes to a half an hour." I explained my system to Methos.

Methos just shook his head and rolled his eyes, "Dresden you actually timed my deaths and how long it took me to heal?"

"Well stars and stones what do you care! I sort of found it amusing and it was useful Intel so I could know when you would be back up ready to finish the fight! Aren't you a little Cranky today, Methos what flew up you butt?"

Methos' cold hard eyes focused right on mine, "Dresden you just informed a whole room of wizards how to kill my kind, permanently. Immortals have lived in secret for thousands of years, on the fringe of society and now because of you my entire race is in jeopardy! I am in jeopardy. Bloody hell Rafael, this whole Knight of the Cross was the most assine thing I have let myself get talked in to!" Methos turned his back to me and tended to Zander, although there was little he could do but wait.

I motioned for Captain Luccio and Ebenezar McCoy to come over, while some of the wizards were already preforming spells to clean up some of the blood. I met then half way know Methos wanted nothing to do with me at the moment. I explained to them it might be some time before the trial could restart. I asked if I could leave and make a Burger King run? That was shot down as quickly as I asked. No one was leaving the warehouse until this trial was over. Damnit my stomach was staring to growl and I made a mental note to pack sandwiches and cokes the next time we had a warlock on trial. Too late now.

I asked Ebenezar a question. "Sir I was in too much of a hurry to explain the immortals to the council that I explained a too much."

"Hoss what are you saying boy?" Ebenezar answered back to me.

"My friend Methos, who is a Knight of the Cross is also one of these immortal beings and he is very irritated at me right now to letting the wizards know first they exist, and second how to kill them." I explained to my mentor.

"I will speak with him Hoss, the senior wizards of the high counsels do not want any more wars with any other supernatural creatures especially ones who are immortal. We are not interested in exposing his race or killing them. Some of the wizards have known about the immortals for many generations. Don't worry Hoss I convince your friend he has nothing to fear from us."

"Sir, that maybe a tad more difficult than you picture, Methos is entirely on the paranoid side when it comes to his secrets"

"Hoss you may have forgotten this but I am very good at what I do," Ebenezar reminded me.

"Yes Sir I know you are" I answered back to Ebenezar as I watched the old man take off his fancy robe, and sunder over to my favorite immortal dressed in his less intimidating blue jean overalls. They spoke for a while; Anastasia kept me back and suggested we give Ebenezar and Methos space. It took a while but the two men seem to come to some sort of agreement. They shook hands before Ebenezar came back to where Anastasia and I were waiting.

"Relax Hoss, your friend and I have am arrangement, I met him back in the 1800's he was a Doctor back then too. Your right he is stubborn and on the paranoid side, but I think I have convinced the good Knight that the wizards mean him and his kind no harm."

"So Sir now that you solved that problem can we have that run to Burger King for some food now?" I asked my mentor as he put back on his stately robe and put his hand on my shoulder.

"No Hoss" Ebenezar chuckled as he walked over to rejoin the other members of the senior council to explain to them what he had just agreed to with Methos about the status of immortals. Hells bells I guess I just have to be patient and wait for the immortal Zander to heal and the trial to begin again. I swear everyone in the whole damn warehouse could hear my stomach growling!

End of part one the trial of Matthias Zander

Next Part two

Next chapter 14 the trial of Matthias Zander trial is rebooted