Chapter 7 – Eyes on fire

The sun rose in the east again, and the first morning light found Chip Maplewood crouched tied to a pole in the gardens of Rouen's cathedral, struggling to come back to his senses after enduring a cruel beating. The perpetrators, one of them a relative of the slain Colombe, were now catching their breath while standing guard on him. Chip's second day of captivity had just started.

Amid the pain, something caught his innate curiosity. He leaned back against the pole and glanced -despite one swollen eye- at the distance, where he noticed a gathering of musketeers was on course. He even made the bulky figure of Monterey Jack among the crowd. Stings of resentment clouded the ranger's face for mere moments, soon replaced by the overwhelming admission of guilt. "No, I can't blame him" He sourly reprimanded himself. "Were not for him and Zipper, who knows how many more I could have murdered in cold blood"

The screams tainted in red of those four lives he took made him grimace again.

Moments later, Captain Patrick Lefevre came into sight - along with some clergymice who flanked him as he ordered the soldiers to stand and pay attention. Unfortunately, the wind didn't help Chip and the lizard's speech was carried away from him. The ranger could only tell, by observing the way many musketeer's tails dropped in unison, that their new orders were not very pleasant to hear.

The briefing ended, and the assembled musketeers marched back to the crevices at the base of the cathedral's walls. Monterey Jack was seen starting out beside the lizard captain and engaging in an argument of sorts. Always outspoken, the Scottish mouse soon captured the attention of everybody around.

Everybody, except for a mouse in humble robes who instead walked away from the crowd and towards the tied ranger and his overzealous watchmen.

"Halt!" The gerbil watchman raised his arm. "I'm sorry, your grace, but we have orders not to allow anyone near this prisoner"

"I'm well aware, thanks" Louis La Fountaine nodded calmly, then took some pieces of butter bread out from his pockets. "But I can't just turn my back at a rodent in need, no matter how horrible his sins are. Could you at least let me feed him? As my daily act of Christian mercy?"

The guards look at each other for a heartbeat and then, letting out a sigh, stepped aside. "To feed him, you say? Sure" The gerbil then lidded his eyes upset. "That save us the trouble to feed him ourselves. This chipmunk killed my cousin! I can't wait for him to burn at the stake!"

Louis walked to the pole only to find the fallen ranger in a sorry state, with bruises all over his body and a swollen right eye. "Good lord! What have they done?" I'm sorry I couldn't come earlier to stop them!"

"Nothing happened here that I didn't deserve" Chip suddenly declared, avoiding the priest's gaze. "I killed his cousin, his name was Colombe. I murdered him and another three musketeers on that night. I'm a monster…"

The good priest leaned closer and offered a sympathetic sad smile. "My dear Chip, Lately I've been surrounded by many who have walked over the words of the fifth commandment or worse, twist them for their nefarious schemes. You are not one of them, believe me"

"Thou… shall not kill?" Chip stuttered these words with a quivering chin, while vivid images of blood and screams, of flashing blades and laughter danced in his mind. "Yes I am. I remember killing them with a smile on my face. Had not been stopped, I could have killed even more people in that forest. I'm so sorry, Louis" He finally gazed up at his old friend. "I wasn't able to control myself. I wasn't able to control the blades. I went… berserk"

"Berserk?" Louis arched his brow at the mention of that foreign word. "Do you even know where that word comes from and what does it mean? Bah, silly question! Of course you know. You are ten times smarter than anyone around here. My point is, a true norse berserk warrior of old would never regret the evil deeds he indulged on while possessed. You, on the other hand, are aching just by the thought of what you did and that, my friend, is a good sign. It means there is still hope for redemption"

"I'm already waiting for redemption, Louis" The chipmunk cut him short. "That's why I was brought here... I will die today at the stake. I can only hope I will be forgiven someday by my parents, my brothers… my friends"

"Never confuse death with redemption!" The priest replied incensed, then forced a piece of bread into the wailing Chipmunk's mouth. He did so as much as a way to snap him out of his fantasies as well as excuse to lean even closer. "Chew it slowly, don't swallow it all at once" He said in a lower voice. "Now listen…Tammy and the others, they are in great danger!"

With these four words, an old flame came to life inside of Chip again, one that had been drowned in a sea of shame and regret. "My friends… in danger… Tammy? Gadget? Dale and Foxy?" With each recalled name, his heartbeats accelerated and his expression adopted a more focused gaze. Louis witnessed this with some relief, witnessed his friend finally coming back from the world of the dead.

Before continuing, the old mouse gave a brief over-the-shoulder glance at the guards. They were looking back at him impatiently. "Almost done here!" He shouted at them with a grin. "A quick prayer for his soul and I'll be on my way"

Louis then entwined his paws together and knelt properly in front of the ranger. However, instead of a prayer, he gave an explanation in whispers. "They were captured and sold to the inquisition by the thief king of Stone Coffer. Today they are being escorted to Paris, to the inquisitorial headquarters. You know very well what will happen once they get there"

Suddenly, dramatically, he grabbed his friend by the little ears. In a heartbeat, he pulled him forward, nose to nose and eye to eye. "By the grace of God" Louis declared solemnly. "I acknowledge your sin and your resolution not to sin again. Now I assign you penance: Go save your friends. Do not come back to me without them at your side!"

Louis then draw the sign of the cross on the awestruck chipmunk's chest. Once done, he stood up and marched away in a calm, collected manner.

The gerbil couldn't help but smirk the moment the old priest passed by him. "What was that? For a moment, I thought you were going to kiss him on the mouth, your grace"

"Nothing so preposterous" Louis said drily, not giving him a second glance. "I was just looking for hints of fire in his eyes"

"Fire in his eyes?"

Both rodent guards turned back to the prisoner and felt shivers running down their bodies. Chip Maplewood was now staring right back at them with a steely gaze.

Time went by fast. At noon, the prisoner witnessed a large army of mice musketeers in black and white uniforms – probably the whole of Rouen's garrison - marching out in a new mission. By the amount of equipment on their backpacks he deduced the soldiers would spend many days away in the wilderness. And by their gloomy expressions, he concluded they were not looking forward to the road ahead. But the most miserable among seemed to be Monterey Jack, who couldn't stop to take glances over the shoulder at the gathered families who came to say goodbye to their relatives enlisted in Patrick Lefevre's battalion.

As expected, the blue lizard himself gave Chip a last vengeful stare as he passed by. The black nosed chipmunk, in return, flashed at him a mischievous grin and a defiant stare. Patrick blinked, hissed menacingly and walked back to his place at the front of the troops.

After that curious exchange and once the soldiers were out of sight, things settled down in those gardens. Chip spent the rest of the day undisturbed and in deep silence. He spoke no words, made no complains, annoyed nobody. He just sat there with the paws tied to the pole… sat there and waited.

Night came, it covered Rouen with a cold and starry veil. Not long afterwards, the cathedral's bells called everyone for the evening mass. The bells also marked the time for the prisoner to be taken back to the cellars and sure enough, a pair of soldiers arrived to take him in: Monterey Jack and Zipper.

"Oi there, mates!" The paladin knight, dressed in bright wide cuirass completed with a right forearm guard and iron gauntlets, his huge greatsword strapped at his back, send a crisply salute to the now sitting wardens as he stepped out from the shadows. Zipper, the scout in red leather armor and black hood, was perched on his shoulder visible wore out.

"The mercenaries? Didn't you leave with Captain Patrick this morning?"

"Aye we did" Monterey placed his paws on the wide waist and made an effort to explain the situation, even though he didn't appear to be in the mood. "We accompanied him and the troops for a good chunk o' the day, comfortably hidden in a hay cart, when suddenly ol' cap'n ordered me an' Zip to come back here and watch over this fallen ranger all nite long" He then shrugged quite upset. "Only God knows why"

The second guard, a long-nosed grey field mouse, stood and smirked amused. "Oh, I can tell why captain Lefevre changed his mind and commanded you to come back here. You cannot go and rescue an inquisitor from a city of thieves while keeping an eye at the sellswords who got involved with that wretched blonde witch just three days before"

The Scottish knight tensed up in response to that bold declaration. Still, the field mouse pressed on. "You also caused a scene earlier today at the briefing, didn't you?"

"None o' your business, mate!"

"Just saying" The musketeer mouse lidded his eyes. "Only you mercenaries would dare to raise your voices at our commander. Patrick Lefevre is a hero for us Rouen citizens! And you, you betrayed him on that night of horror. Then, lo and behold, you betrayed this chipmunk the very next morning. You just change sides as you see convenient!"

"Shut yer gob, laddie! Or even better, defend yourself!" The bulky knight shouted as he reached for the hilt of his cheese cutter.

Zipper quickly got himself between the two arguing rodents. "Hey, hey! Let's not be hasty here!"

The gerbil guard also came, grabbed his comrade by the shoulder and made him step back one stride. "Settle down, Guillard! It's not worth it" Then, he added with a whisper. "For God's sake, take a look at that human knife he carries! It could cut you in half with one swing"

"Please forgive my partner, Sir Monterey" Corporal Aubin, the gerbil warden, quickly apologized with a slight bow. "It's been a long day here in the gardens. Please, the prisoner is all yours. You may take him to the dungeons now"

"Right, right..." Monterey relaxed his stance and stepped aside, allowing the two musketeers to walk past him. He couldn't help but square his shoulders and crack his knuckles just as the pair disappeared inside a crevice. "What do they even know? They weren't there with us. They weren't… pushed into the middle of that nightmare like we were"

The fly patted his friend on the head sympathetically. "Let it go, Monty. We still have orders to complete, remember?"

Both mercenaries then turned towards the chipmunk prisoner, who was sit there with a sour look on his face.

"So we meet again, Chipper" Said the knight twisting his mustache as he walked closer. The prisoner just cocked his head right and kept the same mute and defiant mask. "Humpf! Still mad at me, are ye?"

While his Scottish partner worked on the chains behind the pole, Zipper flew by and met Chip eye to eye, his paw rubbing the tilt of his needle. "We'll take you back to your cell. Do not try anything, understood?"

Again, nothing but contempt on the chipmunk's face. The way the black eyes squinted made the small scout suddenly reconsider releasing him from the shackles, even for a brief moment.

But Chip attempted nothing in the few seconds his arms were free. Monterey Jack put on the shackles again on his wrists and prompted him to start walking. The prisoner stumbled the first few strides, his legs numb after spending all the day sitting there like a vegetable. His escort had to grab him by the shoulder to avoid any embarrassing scene. And even then, the ranger didn't whisper a single word of gratitude.

"I understand you, lad. I really do" Monterey declared as he guided the ranger through the rodent-sized corridors of the cathedral. "One day you are a law enforcer living in your idyllic little town in the woods; the next day you are a heretic sentenced to death by the most vicious and unmerciful organization of our times" Here he shook the head and sighed. "Females really have a way to complicate our lives, don't they?"

Chip and Zipper couldn't help but throw puzzled looks back at the big mustachioed mouse.

"I'm talking about your blonde witch, Gadget!" He quickly explained himself. "You know, the twin sister that didn't try to kill us. Cute lass, ain't she? You spent the whole night protecting her from harm, even though she seemed resourceful enough. A walking bag of tricks, that missy. And what did you get at the end for yer troubles, besides a single kiss? The despise of the 'ole kingdom and a ticket to the stake, amarite?"

The shackled chipmunk, now visibly enraged, bared his fangs at the mouthful knight. This one just smirked smugly and prompted him to keep walking.

Some minutes later, they arrived at the dungeons. "Here we are" Zipper pointed to the cell at the end of the corridor. Then added a quiet "At last" under his breath.

Monterey gave a mild push to Chip, and made him stumble a pair of steps into the dark moist cell. Despite the glare he received, he felt like talking again. "Has anyone told you that yer witch was captured again, together with wee lass Tammy?"

Oddly, Chip didn't utter a single gasp of surprise. Instead, he slumped down against the wall, staring at Monterey with scorn, as if daring him to talk ill about his beloved friends.

"Aye, I bet those guards already told ye the whole tale". He ventured. "They are on their way to Paris at his mere moment, escorted by a vile collection of thieves from Stone coffer – The place you told us to run and hide in" Monterey's expression turned sour and vengeful. "So in a sense, their grim fate is all your fault"

Chip wanted to yell back at him, he really did. However, and with a huge amount of self-control, he managed to keep his mouth closed.

"Monty!" The small fly buzzed.

"Keep the head, ye! I only wanted to give our former friend something to ponder on tonight". Monterrey scoffed at the whole situation, slammed the door shut and walked towards a nearby chair. "Blimey! What's wrong with this chipmunk?"

"Give it a rest, Monty, these outbursts aren't good for your health"

"Aye, aye" The bulky knight fell heavily on the chair, which protested with a loud creak. "Let's just begin our watch" He said running his paw over the face up and down. "Whatever it takes to regain our dear cap'n's trust again"

"And our due payment" The fly added with a slight, hopeful smile.

Barely one hour later, Monterey's snores were resounding all over the pitch-black prison corridors. Zipper couldn't blame him, that had been a most exhausting day for both mercenaries. For everyone in the garrison, he concluded as he imagined the battalion camping in the middle of the forest at that same moment. Still, Monterey and him had their own mission to fulfill in the prison, and he would make sure they pass it with flying colors even if it was as boring as to watch grass grow.

"At least grass sways with the wind from time to time" Zipper complained inwardly while he kept his undivided attention to the locked cell door barely visible in that darkened rodent tunnel. There, practically alone and replaying memories of the events of the previous days, the little scout slowly reached a difficult decision: He had to apologize now or never.

He lifted up and, as quietly as he could, fluttered all the way to the heavy wooden door. "Chip, are you awake?" He buzzed, then trembled when another loud snore echoed all over the walls. "Silly me. Of course you are awake"

"Listen" He pleaded apologetically once everything went silent again. "You have to forgive Monterey for what he said earlier. The news about Tammy's capture left him cold and heartbroken. I'm sure you know he cares a lot about her but… he has a female in his life complicating everything: Desireé D'Allure, a merchant he plans to ask for marriage as soon as she returns to Rouen. Please understand, Monterey tries to keep an impeccable reputation as a brave hero around her and her parents. The more we get involved with you and your friends, not to mention to raise our swords against the church, the more chances for Monterey to be rejected by Desiree and her family. I can tell my friend is angry because he was forced to choose between leaving to help Tammy again or stay and enjoy his own personal happiness. Now he has to live with that choice the rest of his life. I guess he blames you for that, because you promised Tammy she would find shelter in Stone coffer"

Zipper sighed, shook his head and then continued. "If it helps, I believe your plan to hide there was a solid one. A place where the inquisition has no influence, and from where you could buy passage to other lands. Actually, we weren't told details about how Tammy and the others were caught but you shouldn't blame yourself about things out of your control, get it?"

Suddenly, the sound of a door unlocking was heard in the darkness. "Huh?"

"Oh, I get it, Zipper!" Chip happily commented, a second before opening his cell and jumping at the fly with his shirt spread as a net. "And now I got you!"

"What? No, wait!"

The naked chipmunk then tossed his catch into the cell and hurriedly locked the door again. "Ugh, it feels so good to talk again, after spending an entire day biting a lockpick!"

"Stop! The fly buzzed desperately. "You are under arrest!"

"Sorry Zip, but I won't be coming back here any longer. I'm leaving for Paris tonight, you see?"

The fly fell in silence for a moment, perhaps awestruck by what he had just heard. In any case, Chip took advantage of these seconds to walk silently past the stirring form of Monterey Jack. By the way his warden yawned, the black-nosed chipmunk realized he had just seconds left before the alarm was raised.

"Monty! Wake up!" The scout used all his strength to smash Chip's unlocked shackles against the door, thus causing a loud metallic sound.

The big mouse, in result, awoke with a jump that sent him to the ground. "Blimey! What just… Zipper?"

"Monty! I'm here, Chip has escaped!"

Struck with disbelief, Monterey ran and opened wide the cell's door, only to witness his friend darting out over the shoulder. "It cannot be!"

"A lockpick! He held a lockpick in his mouth all this time!"

It took Monterey a long second to digest what had just happened, and the boiling outrage he felt explode in a loud guttural roar. "Blasted be that trickster!"

Chip made his way hiding in the shadows of the narrow passages that connected the dungeons with the living quarters and barracks. Just as expected, he found almost no soldiers guarding the place. The few of them were promptly knocked out by the escaping prisoner. He did so swiftly and stealthily, as to not produce any sound beyond the necessary. In fact, the only sound he kept hearing was that of the buzzing wings of Zipper, who was getting closer to him by the second.

After all, the cunning scout surely knew there was only one direction Chip would want to run to. The doors that led to the cathedral's garden. Chip reasoned he was being too predictable.

He changed course and, instead of heading right to the gardens, shadow-walked to the inner living quarters built beneath the thick walls of the cathedral. Unfortunately, by the time he arrived there, the alarm had spread and many resident inquisitors were out of their dormitories. Low rank Inquisitors and acolytes wandering around the corridors and halls and adding to the general commotion. Again Chip deviated to another route.

The ranger's run through the maze of obscured rodent-sized hallways brought him to the doors of a room that emanated an ominous feeling, as if someone inside was waiting for him. The ranger stepped out of the shadows and, quite intrigued, quite mesmerized, went in.

It was an armory. One almost empty. The ranger walked in and smiled at the sight of a worn-out shirt laying forgotten. "I probably reached the garrison's quarters" He concluded as he grabbed and put that shirt on.

"You are correct" A too-familiar voice made his fur stand on edge. Even more because the words were spoken directly to his mind. "And every one of them is already dead"

Sucking his breath in, the ranger turned and glanced at the corner of the room, where a pair of purple longswords were leaning against the wall. "No…"

"You've come again, yes?" The voice of Munnin whispered.

"And you will wield us again, yes?" Huggin added.

"You cannot save your friends without us, yes?"

"You will fail in Paris without us, yes…"

"No, no!" Chip slammed his back against the door, hiding his face with the palms. "That won't happen! Get out of my head!"

"It won't happen? What make your friends different than any other victim of the bloodthirsty inquisition?"

"They have me!" The ranger glared mad throughout his fingers. "I swear I'll save them without you!"

"Right, right… have it your way, hero!" The raven's voice relinquished. "Leave us here to rot. You are free to go to Paris and rescue your friends from armies of thieves, musketeers and inquisitors. We wish you the best of luck. However, have you forgotten what will happen to Gadget Hackwrench eventually?"

Just like that, Chip's will broke. Defeated by a single image of the fate that awaited his beloved friend. A sense of futility made him slump down on the floor, for he finally remembered there was a bigger threat to the mouse girl than whatever the inquisition had planned for her. A threat that no earthly blade could ever hope to cut down. Slowly, inexorably, he came to terms with what he had to do. "Gadget… I…"

Guided by the norse ravens, the purple blades firmly strapped at his waist, Chip Maplewood reached and bolted through the rodent doors that give way to the cathedral's outer yard. Soon, the windy starry night of Rouen welcomed him. Overcome with joy, he stopped on his tracks, closed the eyes and let the feeling of freedom wash over him. No more shackles, no more beatings, and no more darkened cells and corridors. Only the human city and open skies ahead of him.

"Hey, haven't you notice you aren't alone?"

"Huh?"

Out of the corner of the eye the ranger witnessed an enormous blade slashing at him in a sideways motion. The fugitive chipmunk barely had time to unsheathe his magic swords backwards and clash them against the sudden, traitorous attack. However, couldn't help but be sent flying many steps away due to the sheer force of the blow. "Whoaaa!"

"Hmpf!" The owner of the towering blade stood straight and grinned wolfishly. "Bloody chipmunks and yer reflexes. I reckon ye ough'ta be split in two by now"

"Monterey!" The ranger exclaimed agape watching the figure of the full armored mouse towering over him.

"Aye, Chip that's me" The mustachioed mouse rested his blade over his thick shoulder guard. "And ye are nothing but a dumb stubborn… fugitive!" With each word the knight's rage boiled up. Once he finished his sentence, charged at the ranger with a series of furious death-promising swings.

"This big guy is out to kill you!" Munnin stated as Chip dodged to one side.

"Kill him first!" A merciless Huggin commanded, and quickly found an opening in the enraged paladin's stances. A small window of opportunity - one breath wide- that the raven was set to capitalize from. Right after Monterey ended one of his powerful strikes and right before he dragged the greatsword forward again, the raven forced Chip to jump in and to make a cut in the giant mouse's forearm, on the exact place where the plate joins with the elbow guard. The otherworldly raven granted his chipmunk host a jolt of excitement as reward for a first successful counter strike.

Monterey staggered one step back as the sharp edge of the purple blade cut his skin. The growl he made seemed to please Chip even more, to the point of lick his lips with a wild expression on his eyes.

The pain didn't deter the knight one bit, though, and the next second he was again on the offensive, swinging his two-handed sword left and right and giving the escaped prisoner no quarter, no space to breath and no more openings to strike at.

Meanwhile, to the battlefield arrived high inquisitor Corentin, flanked by Zipper, Aubin and Guillard. Soon more clergymice and common rodent citizens joined them. All of them stunned by the duel unfolding before their eyes, the clash of dual longswords against a scottish greatsword that sent away sparks and flickers of purple feathers. And even more breathtaking to watch, the flaming determined eyes of both opponents.

"Monty!" The scout fly buzzed filled with dread, but the mustachioed mouse didn't even glance back at him. His sight –and hate- was fixed on the chipmunk in front of him.

"Bloody chipmunk!" The paladin growled as his sword met the ranger's once again. "Ye haf' any idea why I ran to guard these doors, so far away from the gardens?"

That puzzling question made a dent on the spell Chip was sunken into. He had come to know Monterey fairly well on these past days and couldn't believe, not for even one second, that cowardice was the right answer. "Why?" He asked, blocking another powerful and humming blow making use of all of his strength.

The ravens, on the other hand, were not pleased by the sudden inquisitiveness of their own champion. "Who cares why!? He is just stalling for time! Old geezer wants to catch his breath, finish him now!"

Still, Chip's curiosity overcame the commands and the hunger for blood. "Why!?" he demanded, barely refraining himself to jump blindly at the mouse's throat.

"Because I swore to kill you!" Came the answer together with a vertical slash that crushed the ground next to the chipmunk. "I gave my word to the church and to Captain Patrick!"

"Ugh" The startled chipmunk flinched, covering his eyes from the debris. "Listen, Monterey! It doesn't have to end like that!"

"It has to, Chipper" Monterey sighed quite gloomy, shifting his body to a hurried defensive stance. "Now if you want to escape this place and save Tammy... You gotta kill me first!"

"Too bad, I swore not to kill anybody ever again"

"Well, that leaves only one way to end this duel, doesn't it?

"No!" The chipmunk shook his head vigorously, then pointed one sword to the street at his back. "Come with me, let's save Tammy together! Deep inside you, you know that's the right thing to do!"

"Ye think I don't want to run to Paris and save her myself?" Monterey raised his voice, not caring anymore if he was heard by inquisitors or musketeers by accident. "I can't! My oath to Patrick sets aside any personal feelings. Duty always comes first!"

Here Chip ran his paw with despair down his face, both out of patience and out of self-control. The whispering voices of the ravens now seemed more reasonable than the mouse standing in front of him. Still he tried one last time. "Nonsense! One can bend the rules for the greater good!"

"And become a snake like you? Forget it!"

"Tammy's life depends on us, you goddamned dolt!" The ranger snapped.

Both opponents again rushed and clashed at each other. Again the sounds and sparks of metal against metal startled the gathered citizens as they witnessed the frantic dance Chip lost himself in. Because the ranger, urged by his own magical swords, sent down a whirlwind of deathly strikes at the paladin's big and armored body. Left and right, up and down, soon their ring was covered in purple feathers. Fear and amazement alike grew with the sight of the possessed ranger coming in with elaborate contortions seen more often in circuses than in a proper martial duel, even twirling upside down on one paw to cut at the legs, all the while displaying baring fangs and a vicious laughter.

But Monterey, always the brawler, defended himself with expertise, using not only his sword, but also his armored arms, shoulders and powerful legs to stop the chipmunk short from inflicting any serious wound. Monterey answered the overkill dance with his own parries and counterattacks. The longer reach of his sword giving him advantage and pressing his opponent to give ground away little by little. More than once, he swatted back his opponent successfully after a successful clash of swords. However, the mad wide eyes of the chipmunk, together with his incredible perseverance and stamina, forced him to shiver and at the same time, smile. True enough, Chip was a good fighter, good enough as to save Tammy someday. If only… if only…

Monterey's face suddenly brightened and, for everybody's surprise, reached forward to catch one of Chip's longswords with the open palm of his left paw. The blade penetrated both flesh and bones and ended up emerging out of the gauntlet. Monterey let go a grunt of pain. However, Chip's own paw was now firmly gripped and squeezed.

"Monty!" Zipper cried covering his eyes.

The ranger of rabid expression growled and attempted to slash the hulking knight's face with his other blade, but the movement was lost the moment his opponent whipped him out and smashed him against the ground.

"Gah!" Chip cried as his head met the solid sidewalk's slab. The impact was so fierce it made him lose one of his fabled longswords.

"This is bad! This is bad!" His ravens exclaimed alarmed.

But the paladin wasn't done or satisfied yet. He raised and smashed the chipmunk on the sidewalk again, from left and right, over and over. To everybody around, it was like watching a bully kid mistreating a rag doll. After two more rounds of punishment, Monterey raised the dazed and red stained body of the ranger and whispered at him with a victorious grin on his face. "I found a third way"

Monterey dug his heels on the ground and, calling out for all of his strength, twirled together with Chip a full circle, then sent him flying far, far away. If their fight had taken them to the edge of the outer yard and sidewalk, the throw made Chip and his right sword land painfully on the deserted cobblestone street.

An almost deserted cobblestone street. Just as Chip woke up from the concussion and raised his head up, the earth below him started to tremble and the pebbles around him came to life with a frenetic dance. "What…"

"Look out!"

Everything happened in one second or less. A quartet of horses pulling a stagecoach at full speed trampled over Chip leaving behind deafened witnesses and thick clouds of dust.

"Oh my god!" A middle-aged rodent lady exclaimed close to faint. "The chipmunk was killed!"

"Not any chipmunk" A random inquisitor corrected. "But the servant of the witch of Saint Pierre! It's over! Sir Monterey Jack defeated him! Hurrah!"

The common folk around followed the mouse's call and erupted in ardent applauses and congratulatory words that lasted for many, many seconds. At last the people had found some relief, watching as how one of the witches – they didn't know the technical title for Chip would be 'ghoul' – left this world in a most gruesome manner, right under the hooves and wheels of a night stagecoach. For any city rodent, that was as good as an execution as being burned alive.

Once the dust settled down, High priest Corentin gave Aubin and Guillard the unpleasant task to retrieve the fugitive's corpse… or whatever was left of him. Meanwhile, he himself went to Monterey's side, and found his companion Zipper already there, patching up the wounded palm.

"Sir Monterey Jack" The vole saluted him warmly. "An impressive feat! It's a shame captain Lefevre wasn't here to witness your victory against the forces of evil, but be certain that the tale will be heard all over France! Perhaps beyond! You are a true hero!"

"Aye sir" The weary knight saluted with his good paw. "Goodness and justice have prevailed once again. Perhaps we could go inside and celebrate with a generous portion of cheese?"

Zipper couldn't help but chuckle as he tied the bandage steadfastly. "Leave it to me! I'll go and find the tastiest one!"

"High priest Corentin! Sir!" Aubin came to them at full pace and looking quite dismayed.

"What is it, soldier?"

"There is… there is no corpse! There is nothing!"

"What!?"

Corentin, as well as plenty of other rodents who overheard the anguished report, ran to the spot the ranger had last been seen, leaving Zipper and Monterey alone with their thoughts.

"Monty… Do you think…"

"Aye, Zip" Monterey Jack turned to gaze at the strange purple sword Chip had left behind. He gazed and witnessed it fading into nothingness, leaving behind another trail of these little supernatural feathers. "He is alive… and on his way to Paris"