Author's Note: All properties are the rights of their rightful owners, Dynamite comics, etc.

So, Microsoft, when are we getting a Halo x Doom x Call of Duty crossover?

Wolkfing0811: Good to see you're enjoying, and while there won't be much of that this chapter, there might be in the next one...

Wrapping this story arc up, I went with a Megadeth track because... I've been listening to them a lot lately and this track off Rust In Peace felt like a good fit. Really, I'm just going to say you all should listen to Rust In Peace because it is thoroughly excellent.

Once Upon a Time in Hyboria

Chapter 12: Poison Was The Cure

Standing tall, eyes alert, Red Sonja kept up watch as sunrise neared. Alone with her thoughts, Sonja had spent the night stealing glimpses at the sleeping form of Joshua Walker, who lay flat with his hands behind his head and hat covering his face. Before the Bounty Hunter had woken her, she had dreams, things she understood were signs of her goddess, and they featured Walker. Since starting her vigil, the Hyrkanian had asked her goddess for clarity regarding the man because the dreams she had while sleeping had been clouded, confusing; she could sense… happiness, but had no other recollections of her dreams.

There was no such indecisiveness regarding how she felt about Lyreen, seeing the girl's fiery search for vengeance, it was impossible for Sonja not to feel sympathy. That was not all the Hyrkanian knew. She also knew that the young girl idolized her and seemed set on taking after Sonja, but the Swordswoman did not want this. Only the gifts of her goddess eased the burden, a weight Sonja believed no one should desire. Sighing, Sonja resolved to try and dissuade Lyreens dreams of emulating her, but knowing better than to try and do this before her thirst for revenge had been quenched.

The Swordswoman's honed senses instantly picked up on the slight rustling behind her, and her reaction was swift. Whipping around, her hand went to her steel, poised to draw it and meet whatever was attempting to infiltrate the camp on her watch. Her green eyes fell on the diminutive form of Lyreen sitting up from the spot where she had laid down next to the fire. The girl looked about before her eyes settled on Sonja as she got to her feet.

Removing her hand from her sword, Sonja gave the girl a faint smile and stepped up to her, "What are you doing up little one? You do not need to be awake yet."

Rubbing her eyes, Lyreen shivered from the wind that blew through the predawn air now that she moved away from the warmth of the fire. Without hesitation, Sonja removed the furs she wore as a cloak and draped them over the girl's shoulders, feeling the air rush unhindered across her skin. Lyreen pulled the cloak tightly around her smaller frame and answered, "I did sleep, and well, knowing that I had you and Walker watching over me." The words brought a warmth to Sonja's chest; her pride in being a slayer of evil was strong, but being seen as a guardian was even greater.

"I am glad," replied Sonja, turning her eyes back to the horizon and looking for any sign of trouble. "But that does not explain why you are awake now," scolded Sonja.

"I… I wanted to talk to you," admitted Lyreen, "You're Red Sonja! I have heard the tales they sing of your deeds, a woman as strong and fearsome as any man." There was a pause from the girl as she looked up at the Hyrkanian with an odd look in her eye. "They say you travel alone, for no man could be your equal, yet you say Walker is your partner. Is he more? Are you like my parents were? Joined?"

"No, we are not," denied Sonja, vehemence in her voice. "He is merely aiding me in my quest, just as I am aiding him in his. There is nothing else to our traveling together Lyreen, do not concern yourself with such fanciful thought."

The younger girl deflated somewhat, "I see," she replied, "I just thought… I just thought that you must have been so lonely when I heard those stories. I like you Sonja, you are aiding me when I have nothing to offer, you deserve what brings you happiness."

Raising an eyebrow, Sonja asked, "And you think happiness can be found in a man?"

"I think you may find happiness in him," responded Lyreen. "I have seen the way you look at him Sonja," she revealed with a sheepish smile, "And the way he looks at you."

Feeling heat in her face, Sonja swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat before answering. "Such a thing cannot come to pass child. He must return to his land, and I would not be able to follow him," though sadness tinged her words. Looking back to the east, she saw the first rays of yellow come up over the hills and shook her head, clearing it of such fantasies. "Go rouse Walker, we will get moving soon. And prepare yourself girl, for today is the day you will spill the blood of the wicked."

With the sun setting overhead and Winchester in hand, Joshua Walker brought up the rear of the group as they trekked through the wilderness, heading up a hill as Sonja spoke to Lyreen in hushed tones. "First, you must know your enemy, observe him, understand him as you do yourself, and you will emerge victorious without fail." Nearing the crest of the hill, the Hyrkanian crouched down, and the other two followed the Red Woman's example. "Walk quietly, flat footed and even, from heel to toe," advised Sonja as the two ladies took cover behind a boulder and Walker stopped next to a stump, looking over the sights of the repeater. "How do you feel, seeing them now?" asked Sonja, her tone gentle.

"Ready," replied Lyreen without hesitation before admitting, "Scared." To Walker, that was a good thing, that meant she was taking this seriously, and he had seen what happened to brand new bounty hunters too big for their britches. It was a fate he did not wish to befall the orphan.

"Fear will hone your senses, as it does mine," allayed Sonja, dispelling the notion that being afraid was a weakness. "Now look, what do you see? What speaks as to the nature of our foes?"

Lyreen hesitated, fingers tapping the wooden stock of the shotgun she carried, eyes looking intently upon the scene below them. Walker looked upon it, the shambles of a small stone castle that looked like some of the old army forts that dotted the New Mexico territory. There were a few men manning the battlements and milling about outside but none appeared to notice the trio watching them. "I see… the cart with hay, it's not very large," noted Lyreen, "So… they don't have many horses."

"Well spotted," complimented the Swordswoman, "But this a stronghold, they may have more supplies inside. How might we diminish the value of their numbers?"

Looking around, Lyreens eyes settled on the same thing Walkers had, the trio of men carrying buckets back to a castle gate, and the stream they had come from. "Their water source."

"If this were a siege, we could poison it, or damn it," agreed Sonja, "It is certainly a weak spot. They would be better served by a well inside their walls." The redhead's eyes roamed over the castle before she turned back to the young orphan. "How many men have you counted?"

"Sixteen," replied Lyreen, sounding quite confident.

"I count twenty," replied Sonja, deflating the girl, "But you did well, your senses are not as sharp as mine." Walker cocked an eyebrow, he had only counted eighteen, but didn't mention that. "Come, we have learned what we can, it is time we prepare for the hunt."

Retracing their steps back down the hill, the trio then worked their way around towards the stream they had seen, Sonja continuing to impart her wisdom on the younger girl. "I've learned many secrets of the hunt. Some I learned from my father, others from becoming one with the hunt. You must learn to be a part of the earth; prey cannot run if his is blind to you. But this is more than just a hunt, it is revenge, and so we will reveal ourselves at the moment of our choosing."

Weaving through a patch of cacti, Sonja spoke again, "Once invisible, you must learn the sounds of the arena. Calm your breath, for out here, each one is a storm to the creatures around you. Blend in with them, become one of them, so that you do not disturb your surroundings. Ensure your weapons make no sounds." It was a trick well worth learning, even Walker had gone so far as to remove the spurs from his boots lest they give him away at an inopportune time. "Breathe shallow, girl, with the bottom of your lungs to quiet your breath. When the enemy comes, nature will alert you to him."

They came to a halt for a minute, simply taking in their surroundings as Sonja had advised. The Hyrkanian warrior resumed her lessons, "Nature can tell you many things if you listen enough, like a loving parent. It will tell you who is coming and who has been there. Where to sleep, where to find food, what is safe to eat and what is not. Do not become complacent however," warned Sonja harshly before coming to an abrupt stop. Pointing down at the curled of form of a sleeping snake laying in the sand before sidestepping it, the Swordswoman continued. "The creations of the gods can be dangerous, but they can also be your best friends, if you let them. Nature can kill you without mercy, but it can also provide shelter and food. If you are part of the forest, no hunt will be impossible. The moon will become your eyes, the winds your ears."

Turning to the younger girl, Sonja spoke with a passion he had never heard from her before, "Hear the hunt in your heart, smell it in the winds. Nothing can escape nature, nor will it escape you should you be part of it." Lyreen nodded, soaking it all in as only a youth could. "You do well to take my words to heart, girl, but beware, nature is a beast, it will take you. It will kill you if you forget your place. All your stealth and cunning will be for naught if you misstep. Always respect the nature of the hunt, lest you become the hunted."

For Walker trailing behind the two ladies, it was interesting to watch Lyreen take each lesson into account. Seeing how Lyreen tried to emulate how Sonja moved, the way the orphan's eyes scanned the wilds around them, and was on alert for anything. What struck the Bounty Hunter was how poised the young girl was, it seemed that the lessons had instilled confidence in her, and it only grew with each step she took behind the Swordswoman.

"These lessons will not only serve you in the hunt, but on the field of battle as well," continued the Hyrkanian. "Look at the men we hunt. We have watched them, counted their numbers, know their comings and goings, how should we find our justice?"

Lyreen was silent for a second as she weighed the options, "The men come in go in small groups, never alone. They are ill-trained, disorganized. Their water comes from a stream outside the fort, in this forest, a forest we know better than they. The water, the fort, their arrogance, these are their weaknesses, the weaknesses we must exploit." Sonja nodded approvingly, and even Walker had to admit that he was impressed, but it was saddening in a way, to see the girl's life turn into this.

The young lady then turned to face Walker, "What about you? Do you have any words of wisdom?" inquired Lyreen.

Pondering this, Tombstone breathed out through his nose and met her eyes, "I'd tell you this, the 'Golden Rule of Gunfighting' as someone once told me. 'Be quick or be dead.' The first moment that you hesitate will be the last moment you breathe."

"Heed his words girl, for they hold true," spoke Sonja with an approving nod. Coming to a halt, Walker saw that the group had reached the bank of the stream. "You will need them soon," she said, causing both Walker and Lyreen to raise an eyebrow, "Do you not hear? Men from the fort are approaching, we best make ready. Be the hunt, be silent, be invisible, be quick."

The trio scattered, getting out of sight as the sun set over the horizon. Walker took up a spot behind a tree, letting his Winchester rest against the trunk and drawing his Bowie Knife. Looking out, he struggled to find Sonja, even with her unusual garments and bright red hair, but eventually he noticed a pair of green eyes peering out from the bushes. Lyreen was even more difficult to find, and it was only when he saw a hint of movement in the leaves of another tree that he spotted the girl clinging to a branch, Sonja's dagger grasped in her small hand.

His right hand clenching tightly around the handle of the fighting knife, the Bounty Hunter heard the sounds of approaching men. Left hand drifting towards the Schofield on that side, Walker heard four distinct voices as he stuck to the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment. The men spoke jovially, a mix of accents that the Gunslinger didn't recognize that then moved away from him. Confident, Walker removed his hat and took the smallest peek, seeing the group filling water buckets at the stream as he had seen other similar groups do.

While he weighed his options, someone else went into action, as something thudded against the ground from the direction of the tree where Lyreen was perched. The bandits noticed it too, and one set his pails down and moved closer, eyes looking straight ahead. Walker watched wide eyed as he saw what the bandit never did, and that was Lyreen drop down from the branch overhead and come down on his shoulders. The orphan didn't have the weight to put the man on the ground, but she did grab hold of the mans neck and plunged her borrowed blade into the bandit.

The other three men whipped around at the sight of their fellow being stabbed by a girl they had left for dead, and that was when Walker bade his move. While he wasn't silent like Sonja, he was just as fast, and when the nearest raider turned to face him, Walker drove his Bowie Knife into the man's gut, cutting through flesh as he put his other hand on his mouth to muffle the screams and drove the bandit to the ground. Twisting the knife, Walker could feel the life slip away from the bandit and looked up to see that Sonja had sprung from her spot, sword already out, and cut the other two down before they had a chance to react.

Both then turned to Lyreen, who stubbornly held onto the man as she continued to slash and stab with abandon. As the two older fighters moved to help, the man finally collapsed, his shoulders, neck, and face were covered in cuts that all oozed blood, soaking the mans flimsy shirt. On shaky legs, Lyreen stood, trembling hand still clutching the bloodied blade, her own shirt and face spattered with crimson.

"It is not like you thought it'd be, no?" asked the Hyrkanian. Lyreen simply stood still, staring down the lifeless body of the bandit. Only when Sonja got very close did the orphan seem to register the redhead's presence. "You've never killed a man before. It's not like you thought it would be."

"I… I thought I would be happy," replied the younger girl, finally tearing her eyes away from the corpse.

"Do not be ashamed girl, it is good that it bothers you," replied Sonja as she guided Lyreen away from the bodies, with Walker grabbing the scattergun and Winchester before following. "I would be worried if it did not."

"I am not ashamed," returned Lyreen, a bit of her fire returning, "He deserved death. But…."

Now the Bounty Hunter spoke up, "It's a helluva thing killing a man. To take all he's got, all he's ever gunna have." Walkers drawl was low, sincere, "But he was not here by chance, he chose to be here, steel in hand, just like you did, just like me. He had it coming… we all have it coming."

Sonja came to a stop and crouched down to look Lyreen in the eye, "Are you sure you wish to take this path young one? There is no shame if you do not, and we will see these men dealt with."

"I… No. This is what I must do," affirmed the orphan, turning back and holding her hand out expectantly. Walker nodded, handing her the double-barreled gun, which Lyreen took with a look of determination on her face. "My hands are stained with the blood of those who took my family, I will not deviate from this path."

"Then we press on, and there is no turning back until we kill them all, or they kill us," replied Sonja, voice solid as steel.

"I understand," Lyreen in the same tone. With that, the group pressed on towards the fortress, taking care to remain off the paths frequented by the remaining bandits. On the way, Sonja outlined a plan of attack for the remaining bandits, knowing that time was of the essence until they realized their fellows were missing. Walker agreed with the Hyrkanian's bold strategy.

The trio bolted across the stretch of open ground outside the castle walls, Sonja picking this spot since they knew the battlements on the other side were in a sorry state. Reaching the stone wall, Walker did as he was told, bracing himself against it as Sonja eyed the top. Holding his hands in front of him, the Bounty Hunter cupped the Hyrkanians boot and hoisted her up to the top of the wall and trying not to get too distracted by the bare skin so close to his face. Once the Hyrkanian had pulled herself up over the wall and ensured she was alone, she looked back down at Walker and waved him on. "You're next girl," intoned Lyreen, "Get ready." Picking up the orphan, the Gunslinger threw her up high enough that Sonja was able to grab her outstretched hand and pull her up. Then went the shotgun, tossed up to the Swordswoman before it was finally Joshua's turn to make his ascent.

Slinging the Winchester over his shoulder, Walker got a running start and jumped up, digging a boot into the wall in an effort to get a little bit higher as he held out a hand and felt a smaller one take it. For a moment, the Bounty Hunter thought he was going to pull Sonja back down, but the Hyrkanian's incredible strength was a boon, and she slowly but surely hoisted him up the wall, both of them grunting with effort. Once he was up, Walker adjusted his hat and unslung the Winchester, "We have not yet been noticed," informed Sonja, "There are few sentries, and most of the men are asleep, we have the advantage, we must move quickly to not waste it. I wish you both a good hunt."

With that, Sonja dropped down the inside of the wall, leaving just Walker and Lyreen on the rotting wood. "Remember the plan?" he asked. Getting a nod back, Joshua asked, "Spare shells?" Lyreen opened the small satchel he had given her, showing the extra ammunition for the scattergun she held, "Then I say your ready." Cocking his Winchester, the Bounty Hunter gave an encouraging smile and said, "Let's go."

The first thing they had to do was get onto ramparts that were in better condition, since the last thing Walker wanted was for them to get boxed in by the Bandits superior numbers. A modest leap got them Walker across a small gap, and after moments pause, Lyreen followed suit. Sticking to the shadows, Walker spoke in hushed tones, "Find you a good spot and remember what I taught you. If we get separated, don't panic, just stick to the plan. Got it?"

"Yes," confirmed Lyreen, cracking open the shotgun to ensure the weapon was loaded before pulling the hammers back, "I am ready."

Just in time to, because that was when Sonja made her presence known, with sword drawn, the Red Woman saw two men readying horses and cut them down, prompting the horses to bolt, galloping across the yard for freedom and rousing many of the other men. Sonja did not press her attack, letting those inside rouse themselves and prepare to overcome who they thought was the sole intruder in their sanctuary.

With a full moon overhead, Walker had an easy time picking out the men that emerged to challenge Sonja, and lined up the Winchester with the farthest one. Letting out a breath, his finger curled around the trigger until the Repeater's report echoed through the courtyard. The snap of the .44 caliber cartridge discharging got everyone's attention as they searched for the source of the sound while Walker worked the lever action and fired again. The second shot hit a second bandit in the chest, causing him to cry out and slump against a stack of wood, uncontrollable bleeding painting his shirt red.

It seemed to the bandits that Sonja no longer was their main focus, as they turned to the source of the sound just in time for Walker to fire a third shot, blasting the arm off a bandit as he took a step at the Bounty Hunter. While he spun to the ground, another yelled, "Leave the bitch for later! Get him!" and they all started to rush towards Walker.

While they were going across the courtyard, they were exposed enough for Lyreen to take aim and fire, the deep reverberating thunder of the shotgun overpowering their battle cries as one of their number was blasted off his feet. Taking advantage of the distraction, Walker moved, sprinting across the wood of the battlements, getting a different angle on the bandits as they tried to decide who they were going to go at. Over his shoulder, he heard the scattergun fire again and saw another bandit's head explode in a shower of bone and brains.

Coming to a stop, Tombstone crouched and shouldered the Winchester before snapping off another round, getting attention back on him. Before he could fire again, Walker saw one of the bandits taking aim with a bow and rolled out of the way, dropping down off the wooden battlements to the ground. The arrow he had been so afraid of hadn't ever come his way however, as Red Sonja, tired of being forgotten, thrust herself into the midst of the bandits and hacked the bowman's arm off.

Walker coming down had not been part of the plan, but with Tombstone on one side and Red Sonja on the other, the bandits struggled to form a cohesive strategy, only giving the Bounty Hunter and Swordswoman time to thin their number. The Winchester fired as fast as Walker could work the lever, and he made his fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh shots in quick succession. One of the men he'd shot was carrying a torch, and when the dead man dropped, the torch landed in a pile of straw, and the fire took hold, spreading through the wooden structures inside the castle walls and lighting up the night an eerie red.

The growing conflagration was nowhere close to Sonja and served to drive more bandits to the redheaded whirlwind of carnage as she carved through the bandits that took their chances with her. More men emerged from the castle, roused by the sounds of battle and were quickly felled by Walker as he snapped the Repeater from door to door, gunning down any man who emerged.

Working the lever in a well practiced motion, Walker pulled the trigger again, dropping a mace armed bandit who tried to rush him before looking for the next enemy. Sonja was still locked in a fight with three men, but with a deft parry and brutal counterstrike, she reduced that number to two. The distinct thunder of the Coach Gun caused Walker to look across and see Lyreen still on the battlements, weapon in hand as she gunned down one man, but there was a second climbing up behind her. Walker watched her turn only for his hand to knock away the gun and cause the orphan to tumble.

Tombstone cycled the toggle lock action and raised the Winchester, only when he pulled the trigger all he got was the sound of the hammer falling on an empty chamber, the weapon's ammunition expended. By the time the Bounty Hunter slung the Repeater and drew a Revolver, the bandit was already on the battlements, and Walker went into a dead sprint, rushing over to where the orphan was. He reached a ladder that led up just in time to hear the scatterguns report once more and feared the worst, only for the body of the bandit to come tumbling off the battlements and land on the ground next to him.

As a reflex, Walker trained the Schofield on the bandit, but there was no reason, the raiders chest had been blasted apart by a point blank shotgun blast, the nine 1/3 inch balls of the 00 buck shell tearing through flesh and bone without mercy. Looking up, the Gunslinger panned his revolver across the courtyard, but the only one left standing was Red Sonja, her blade matching her hair. Behind her lay the men she had carved through only to end up before a half dozen men that Walker had gunned down with the Winchester. The Hyrkanian gave the Bounty Hunter a nod he returned before ascending the ladder up to the rampart.

Coming up, Walker saw Lyreen standing at the edge, looking down at the widespread carnage the trio had wrought, the broken open shotgun cradled in her arms. When she heard Joshua approach, the orphan snapped her head up to face him, eyes wide and red before she collapsed to her knees and emptied the contents of her stomach. Rushing to the girl's side, Tombstone crouched down and patted her back, "Easy there girl, it's okay, it's over," he assured. "You did good Lyreen, did right by your folks."

"I… I… that bandit," she said through soft sobs, quaking finger pointing at the one who lay sprawled out dead on the ground below, "He was the one who came to my home, the one who… he…."

"And you did him in," reminded Walker, prompting Lyreen to look up, tears rolling gently down her face. "Took everything he was, and was ever gonna be, remember? The matter is settled. These… men," Walker said before spitting as if to expel the word from his mouth, "Ain't gonna do no more harm, you understand?" She nodded, wiping the tears from her face and sniffling to calm herself. "Good," said Walker, taking Lyreens hand in his own and the shotgun in the other before standing up, "Now, you good?"

The orphan's hand went to her right shoulder, "That weapons does, as you say, 'kick like a mule,' but I am well." There was a small frown on her face, "I fear I did not do as much as part of me wanted but… I am okay with that." With a shaky step, Lyreen moved towards a ladder down, "The smell is… wretched. How are you not affected by it?"

"Oh, I just gotten used to it I suppose," drawled Walker, breathing in through his mouth but he could almost taste the death that filled the air. "Killing is… it ain't a pretty business Little Lady. Are you sure it's one you wanna stay in? You said you got family?" Lyreen nodded emphatically, "Then you can get out of it, we'll take you there, and you can move on from this. Go on to do anything you want."

"Then why don't you?" asked Lyreen.

"Cause I made my choices, Little Lady, and, for good or ill, they led me here. I've been killing for years now, lasted longer than most, but the truth is that a lot of people like me, like Sonja, have gone out on a hunt," he said, looking the orphan dead in the eye, "And they ain't never come back." The words seemed to physically strike Lyreen when she heard them, a slap in the face as she looked back out over the courtyard. "Those men out there, what'd they amount to? Nuthin, that's what. They're dead and will only be remembered in contempt for their deeds, if they're remembered at all. And you just did what earned those men that disdain."

His words hung in the air like the smell, but Walker wasn't through just yet. "That feeling you got? Down in your gut? You never get used to that. You'll be better at the hunt, at shooting, at killing, but if you can't live with that feeling then, one day, you'll slip up and end up like them."

"I… see," replied Lyreen distantly, screwing her eyes shut for a few seconds. Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes and spoke with clarity and poise. "I think I want to go to my aunt and uncle, to put this ordeal behind me. My thirst for revenge… it's gone, I wish for no more. Let us leave this place, please."

Walker grabbed the brim of his hat, "That's a mighty fine idea, Little Lady."

Closing Notes: This is just about the end of this smaller arc, next chapter will wrap it up and transition us to the next one. Hopefully y'all enjoyed this, leave a review if you have thoughts to share.

Stay Frosty, Misfit Delta out.