Descension

Part 4

It wasn't much of a fight. Sleep decided to attack and Duncan fell victim to the assault of the eternal opponent. He didn't even try to fight back, knowing that he could never win.

As the day continued to progress, Duncan to feel himself getting better, so whatever was affecting him must've been a short lived bug. But whatever it was he was sleeping comfortably.

That is until the door chimes starting to ring with a vengeance, forcing him to wake up. As he did he could feel the buzz of another Immortal creeping up his spine. He reached over to the nightstand and carefully lifted up his katana before heading out of the room to investigate.

Methos groans in pain as he leaned against the wall for support, trying to keep from falling down. His jeep accident was bad enough, but after being assaulted at one of his favorite hangouts he was severely pissed and in pain. "When I find that bastard I'm going to make him pay..."

"I'd like to see that," Joe grumbled.

Having his bar broken into, getting hit with Methos and then the intruder getting away scot-free was severely aggravating him. Driving Methos to the dojo only made him angrier whenever the ancient moaned in pain.

"Next time I see him I'm going to wipe the floor with him. That reminds me Joe how're you set for mops?" Methos asked him.

Before Joe could answer the door of the dojo opened and he found himself looking down the business end of a sword pointed right for his nose.

"Oh it's you," Duncan said as he lowered his sword.

"Yes it---MacLeod, did you know you look like crap?" Joe asked, noticing his friend's appearance almost immediately.

"I feel better than I look. Earlier I felt like death warmed over," Duncan said as he stepped aside to let Joe enter.

"Well now MacLeod I'm the one who's feeling like death warmed over," Methos grumbled as he painfully followed Joe inside.

"What happened to you?" Duncan asked in surprise at his fellow Immortal's condition.

"My liver called," he replied dryly, before punching Duncan in the face with a right jab, "now we're even."

Duncan guessed that he was referring to the headache he complained about and decided to let it go. This time. He then turned to Joe to get a real answer. "What really happened?"

"Methos came in complaining, the next thing I knew some black clad fool with a huge sword smashed through my roof to pick a fight. And he," Joe paused, pointing at Methos, "didn't even sense it."

Duncan turned to look at Methos. He couldn't sense another Immortal? Impossible!

"How couldn't you sense another Immortal nearby? Did you get drunk before you got there?" Duncan asked in a semi-scolding manner.

"It's not my fault, dad, I got a headache seconds before our guest dropped by. And it was a boomer," Methos argued, "I sensed no buzz so it could've been a mortal. But then again he knew about my past..."

"Wait a minute," Duncan began, "first, instead of the buzz you got a headache," he asked, Methos nodded, "then you say this guy knew of your past," again Methos nodded, causing Duncan to shudder, "did he say who he was or anything?"

"Nope. Just drew his sword, said he was there to kill me and then it all started," Methos explained, "except..."

"Except what?" Duncan asked.

"He said something about...the hunt beginning. He said to warn to the others that he'd be coming for them," Methos explained as he tried to remember just what he had been told.

FLASHBACK

Methos had almost completely recovered but before he could get up, he was picked up by his throat and held in the air with one gripping hand on his neck, squeezing tightly, making him unable to breathe properly.

"Let the others know that the hunt has begun. Tell them that I will come for them just as I have for all the others," was all he said before using his right arm to throw Methos at Joe and knocked him down.

END FLASHBACK

"This hunt? Is that the same as the Gathering you talk about?" Joe asked the two Immortals.

"No. The Gathering isn't at hand yet otherwise all the Immortals left in the world would be migrating to one place. It must be some kind of test that this person is doing," Duncan replied.

"Well if that's the case then anybody who crosses this guy is in danger. After seeing what he did to Methos I doubt anybody has the skill to take him on," Joe stated.

Methos covered his face as Joe spoke, knowing all too well what was coming his way. Duncan turned to face him and asked the question that he had hoped he wouldn't, but knew he would.

"What happened?"

With a sigh Methos sat down and prepared to explain his defeat. "I got my arse kicked. He sucker punched me, ran me through and then threw me at Joe before leaving. I didn't even last three moves against him," Methos explained.

Duncan shook his head. He knew that Methos didn't go out seeking fights, but to be known as the Horseman of Death, he had to have been very skilled in combat. And to be beaten so quickly...he didn't even want to think about that.

Joe looked at both Immortals, one at a time, before heading over to Duncan's phone. "I'm going to see what I can find out about this guy. If he is immortal then the Watchers will probably have something on him," he explained.

Duncan gave no argument as he pulled up a chair and sat down, holding his head in his hands. Just as he had started to feel better this news sent him spiraling back down again.

"So what do we do now, MacLeod?" Methos asked.

"I don't know. I guess all we can do is be on our guard whenever we head out and try and stay in public. There's never been reports of Immortals trying to kill each other when there are people around," Duncan said as he sat back in his chair.

Both Immortals sat in silence, occasionally listening to Joe's conversation with whoever was on the other end of the phone. But as the sat there something came to their minds like a lightning strike.

"Richie!"

Richie had been gone for most of the morning. Duncan hadn't heard from him at all, that thought alone set him on edge. There was no telling just what could've happened to him. It was even enough to worry Methos, who normally didn't care much for the kid at all. In unison the two said the one thing that came to their mind at this time.

"Oh fuck!"

Richie is out alone with no knowledge of what's going on, or what kind of danger he's in. If it happens, can he survive his encounter with this dangerous individual? Or will his head fall just as others have before him?