Author's Note: All properties are the rights of their respective owners, Dynamite Comics, etc.
It appears a Red Sonja movie is in the works, starring an Italian model and directed by the woman who gave us the Solomon Kane film. Fingers crossed.
Here we go, this is the big showdown that our heroes have been working towards this whole time with the big bad, Kulan Gath. The title is a nod to his abilities, and taken from one of the best albums of all time, Megadeth's 1990 masterpiece Rust In Piece. Though it is a reference to a book series, Master of the Five Magics. Funnily, in an earlier concept for this chapter, Gath would employ all five magics from those books, but that plan changed somewhat, so read on and see how it turned out.
Once Upon A Time in Hyboria
Chapter 19: Five Magics
As the first rays of a shimmering red sun were cast on the walls of Aigaion, the towering spires of the dark stoned fortress casting shadows across the Hyrkanian and Bounty Hunter as they stood side by side atop a small hill. Red Sonja took in the fortress of her foe, the looming sight increasing her certainty that this was where Kulan Gath sought refuge, from herself and Joshua Walker. While the Swordswoman felt her blood boil in her veins, she could see the Gunslinger idly puff on his tobacco, a trail of smoke coming from his mouth as he similarly observed the stone fortress with idle features.
"You know Calamity Dame…" he mused in his lazy drawl, "How does our friend, Mr. Gath, get so many lackies? He's not the nicest fellow I've ever come across."
Sonja's lips pulled back into a bare sneer, "Kulan Gath's promises of unearned power are tempting to weak willed men. And there is no shortage of those." Indeed, there was no shortage at Gath's castle, with men patrolling the grounds and standing sentry in the towers at each corner, waiting for their arrival.
"It looks like we're expected," noted Walker as he unslung the long armament from his back and worked the mechanism along its underside, "Let's not keep 'em waiting." Nodding her agreement, the Hyrkanian drew her blade, giving the longsword a deft twirl, feeling the comforting weight in her hands as she turned to look at Walker. "You know," he began, blowing out another puff of smoke, "We could do this all quiet like, hell, they might even let us in without a fuss. It worked once before."
Sonja felt her blood boil and shook her head. "That vile creature has evaded my blade too long. This day will be the one where he finally meets his end!" declared the Hyrkanian warrior.
A low chuckle escaped Tombstone. "Alright then," he said as he removed the 'cigarillo' from his mouth and dropped it on the ground before crushing it under the heel of his boot, "Coming Sonja?"
Smiling, with her hands gripped tightly on the hilt of her blade, the Hyrkanian strode forwards, eyes fixed on the refuge of her nemesis. Descending the small rise, Sonja stepped into the midst of the dead, leafless trees surrounding the Aigaion fortress. They were like the castle at the center, black, towering, and imposing, but Sonja felt no fear from her surroundings or the formidable wizard she sought.
The soft clinking Red Sonja heard told her that Joshua Walker was following close behind, and the sound of his spurs had become a comfort. "I reckon you've tangled with this son of a gun before Calamity Dame," drawled Tombstone as the pair picked their way forward, stepping over outgrown roots, "Anything I should know?"
"There are many things to know about Kulan Gath," answered Sonja, "His powers are immense and ambition unending, but know this," she advised as they arrived at their horses, each grabbing the reigns of their mount, "He is a coward at heart; there is no doubt that Gath will flee before facing his demise."
"So we want our horses in position to pursue," finished Walker, "So if this bastard runs, he only dies tired."
That was correct, but it was only part of her plan. "But to flush him out, that will be our greatest challenge."
"I don't suppose you got any ideas on how to do that, do you Sonja?" asked the Bounty Hunter as the pair pushed forward. Sonja nodded, bringing her horse to a stop near the edge of the dead forest before hoisting herself up onto the creatures back. "Sonja? What are you doing?"
"My idea," she replied, grabbing the reins of her steed and steering it around, "We will attack the front gate and slaughter any who dare stand in our way." She turned and looked down at Walker, unable to help herself from smirking at his dumbstruck expression. "Will you join me?"
With a shake of his head and wry chuckle, the Bounty Hunter planted a boot into his stirrup and hauled himself up, swinging a leg over the plant himself in the saddle. "Alright Calamity Dame, one last ride."
That statement instilled a tinge of sadness, but the redheaded Hyrkanian focused her mind on the castle before them. "One last ride."
"Hiya!" whooped Walker as he put the spurs to the flanks of his horse, feeling the animal bolt forwards beneath him, closing in on the castle with Sonja hot on his heels. The sun at their backs, Sonja and Joshua charged across the open ground, about 150 yards worth up to the castle walls, a trail of dust filling the air behind them. There were shouts, and Walker reflexively hunched low in the saddle as arrows began to fly towards the duo before he pulled back on the reins, "Woah there Shelby."
Winchester in hand, Walker tumbled to the ground, not managing the smoothest dismount as he braced himself on his repeater and pushed himself up. Looking over his shoulder, he saw the Hyrkanian fluidly slip off her horse, her bikini flapping about her waist as she went straight to a dead sprint towards the heavy wooden door. Walker tore after her, watching as the horses circled aimlessly, Sonja's mount rearing back onto its hind legs as another arrow tore overhead and buried itself into the earth.
But the archers weren't the pressing issue for them, the guards on the perimeter all converged on the pair as the moved towards the closed entrance. Unfortunately for them, they had to come at Tombstone and Sonja over open ground, through Walker's Winchester. Shouldering the weapon, Joshua took aim at the closest man to be charging at the pair, pulling the trigger and sending a .44 caliber slug into the man's chest. The oncoming guard stumbled and fell while the Bounty Hunter worked the lever, ejecting the spent casing and loading a new round into the breech.
Whipping around, Walker turned to bring the gun to bear on a second guard, firing a second shot as Gath's man raised a sword. "Sonja!" called Joshua as he cycled the Winchester again, bringing the gun up to fire at yet a third guard, "We need to get inside!" The second man tried to get up, but a second shot from the '73 left him a lifeless heap on the ground.
Turning, Walker never got an answer from the Hyrkanian, because the main door flew open and a pair of men rushed out, straight into a waiting Sonja and her blade. The redhead raised her sword and brought it down on the first man out, cleaving all the way to his backbone in a single stroke. A second guard came at the Red Woman, with Sonja sidestepping the first swing of the guard's sword before bringing hers back around to deftly parry the second strike, but was faster on the follow up, swiping across his stomach, spilling his guts out on the ground. A third guard desperately tried to close the door, but was too slow, and Walker watched as Sonja surged forwards and cut his arm off, leaving him screaming as he held the bloody stump and stumbled back inside the castle. "We have our way in!" shouted Sonja, the woman plunging into Gath's stronghold.
Walker was hot on her heels, charging into the old world styled fortress and turning his eyes up to find the archers that had were similarly drawing a bead on the duo. The Winchesters report echoed off the walls of the castle, .44-40 WCF came out of the barrel with a thunderous report and gunsmoke plume. The archer he was taking aim at loosed an arrow, with Walker reflexively ducking to his right and working the action of the lever, bringing the repeater up to fire again, even as the archer was clutching his arm when the second bullet struck him center mass; Walker watched the man tumble forwards and off his perch, plummeting towards the ground with a wince-inducing scream that only ended with a sickening thud.
The sounds of screams and clashing steel brought Joshua's eyes and gun down to scan the courtyard only for the Bounty Hunter to see that he had nothing to fear. A big burly bare-chested man came at Sonja with a mace and round wooden shield that he used to block Sonja's first swing before she leapt back from the dropping mace. Before Walker could line the front post of the sights up with the brute, Sonja had thrown a savage kick at the shield, knocking it aside and following the strike up with her blade, driving the man back. He cried out in agony, his chest opened up as blood poured from the wound.
A flicker of movement in one of the castle windows had Walker raising the muzzle of the repeater to a balcony where a second archer was trying to draw a bead on the Hyrkanian in the midst of her duel. "Gotcha…" breathed Walker before squeezing the trigger and seeing the archer's head snap back. Looking back down, Joshua saw the redheaded warrior duck down and sever one of the man's legs with her sword, coming up after to carve through his torso as he fell back. Standing tall and proud over her vanquished foe, Sonja twirled her sword, blood dripping from the edge before plunging the tip int the man's chest.
The victory was short-lived, as Walker noticed the sun had dimmed and a howling wind filling his coat, "Sonja! Run!" he shouted as he charged straight towards the main building at the center of the courtyard right as those strange skies opened up on the pair, lightning bolts cutting through the air and coming down right where the Bounty Hunter had been a second before. Joshua could feel the heat on his back as hairs stood on end, but that didn't slow him down as he saw more lightning land ahead of him as Sonja sought refuge in the castle. With her sword, she smashed a window, climbing through before Walker followed suit, lighting coming down behind them as the wind began to die down.
"I did not imagine that I would meet you again Bounty Hunter!" called a familiar, oddly accented voice. "But how kind of you to fulfill your purpose and bring the Red Heathen to me!" Feeling a scowl form upon his lips at Kulan Gath's taunt, Walker turned to see Sonja snarling, hatred etched across her features. A cackling laughter caused Joshua to look back out, "You have both tried and failed to slay me before, and where did that failure lead you? Back to me!"
"Sonja," growled the Bounty Hunter, stalking away from the broken window, "Promise me that he will die when I am through with him."
"You have my word Joshua Walker, Gath shall die in such a fashion that you will hear his screams in your land," promised Sonja, bringing a closed fist to her chest. Nodding, the Bounty Hunter began removing cartridges from his belt and sliding them into the side gate of the Winchester, topping up the tube magazine after firing so many shots to get within the castle walls. "Now we must make haste, we have come too far to let our foe slip through our grasp," urged Sonja as she opened the door from the room.
The Hyrkanian burst into the hallway, sword at the ready, while Walker moved with a more measured pace, repeater clutched in his hands. Walker's eyes swept the hallway, noting they were alone as Sonja led the way deeper into Gath's fortress, past the lit torches that illuminated the way for them and around a bend to see what looked like a massive dining area ahead of them, with a table stretching across the view Walker had through the archway.
Inside the dining room, with a colossal wooden table at the center, Joshua looked around at the massive columns that reached up to the towering ceiling. Wrapping around the edges of the room was a staircase that reached to the highest point of the four-story tall building. It seemed that it was at the top of the building, as she moved towards the base of the steps when a familiar, raspy laughter echoed through the cavernous room. "Are you so pleased with yourself Sonja? Sonja… Sonja…" repeated Gath, tasting her name on his tongue, spitting it out with acidic hatred, "Whom has gutted my generals, bites at my heels, and dogs my priests, now has brought her lover to share in her fate... only after he watches me feast on your flesh."
Before he fully registered the words, his Winchester was up and panning across the balconies, looking for any source of the words. But even as he did so, Walker could practically feel his partner's fiery rage as her voice echoed into the room. "You are a poison, Gath! The only thing you shall taste will be your own blood as it flows from your dying lips!"
Despite the threat, and the formidable woman from which they came, Kulan Gath's next words were clearly from an unworried man. "And what of you Joshua Walker? So determined to take flight yet again? To flee what comfort you might have in search of… what, I wonder?" questioned Gath as Walker grit his teeth and fired at where he guessed the Sorcerer to be, inciting only another volley of amused laughter that replaced the echoing report of the gunshot. "A prize greater than the She Devil? What must she think of that, that you are so eager to leave her behind like all the other women before her, to be free of her… but you will not be free of me."
"You're a legend in your own mind," snarled out Walker through clenched teeth before working the lever of the Winchester. "A lyin', rotten, yellow bellied son of a bitch, the kind I made my name off of putting in the ground. And the only reason I'm not going to kill you myself, is because I'm gonna leave you in the hands of Red Sonja."
"Here is your chance to live up to your boasts!" declared Kulan Gath, "Or fail as so many have before you!" The words were followed by a bright light in the corner of his eye as he turned to see a ball of fire hurtling down at them. Acting on instinct, Walker wrapped an arm around Sonja and drove her to the floor before the fire flew overhead and the pair scrambled under the wooden table. A second incendiary attack slammed into the table as both Sonja and Walker crawled under its length as more fireballs rained down from above, peppering the wooden surface and hardwood floors around it.
"We can't stay here Calamity Dame!" hissed Walker when they reached the end of the table, his words punctuated by the arrival of another of the Wizard's fireballs. He heard a snarl in return as the woman turned herself around and kicked the ornate chair at the head of the table, sending it skidding away before she burst out from where they were hiding, with Walker pulling himself out from under the table and bringing his Winchester to rest on the edge. When another fireball came down at the running form of Sonja as she charged up the stairs, the Bounty Hunter swung his shooting iron towards the source and loosed a shot at the source of the attacks, firing through the licks of flame and smoke that were coming up from their cover.
When a moment passed, long enough for Joshua to cycle the action and get to his feet, he rushed after Red Sonja, boots pounding the stairs as he took them two at a time while chasing the Hyrkanian. Reaching the second floor, Walker saw that something was amiss, strange markings were etched into the wood of the floors and walls, and Sonja was crouched down beside one of them. Joshua kept his eyes scanning around, but moved closer to the Hyrkanian while giving an inquiring look, and she stood, explaining what the significance of the marks was. "Summoning sigils," explained Red Sonja as she stalked forwards, her progress notably slower as she set upon the next flight of stairs. "Gath has called upon wretched creatures to protect him… we must be wary."
"If he's summoned help… where is it?" questioned the Bounty Hunter, only for his answer to swiftly arrive in the form of a distinctly smaller, green tinted fireball to snap past the two and cause them to whip around and face the source. Standing at the end of the dimly lit hallway was a creature unlike any the Bounty Hunter had ever seen. Vaguely man-shaped, but hunched over, its greying flesh hanging loosely from the spike like protrusions of bone that dotted its body, hand glowing with the same green glow of the fireball that had just come at the pair as it opened its mouth to reveal a set of jagged teeth and let out a wicked screech, eyes glowing the same sickly green as its fireball.
"The fuck is that?" exclaimed Walker as he snapped his Winchester up and pulled the trigger, the round striking the creature in the chest, and causing it to stagger back. But despite the black blood oozing from its wound, the imp leapt forward as Walker chambered another round of .44-40 and put it through the skull of the airborne monstrosity, the back of its head burst open right before it landed on the outthrust tip of Sonja's blade, impaling itself as it came down, the light fading from its eyes.
"Whatever it was," began the She-Devil as she kicked the creatures remains off her blade, "There will be more."
Her words proved to be prophetic as they moved up towards the third floor, and Walker spied a shape moving along the wall on that higher level. Another of the Imps was crawling up the wall, a low hiss emanating from the creature as Joshua brought up the Winchester, taking aim and loosing a shot at the creature as Sonja climbed up towards the third floor, only for another of the creatures to appear at the top of the stairs, claws extended and screeching in challenge. With a scream of her own, Sonja launched herself at the creature, fearlessly diving into battle as Walker cycled his weapon while keeping his eyes locked on the imp that skittered across the wall, a trail of black blood in its wake.
From his spot halfway up the stairs, Joshua tracked and fired upon the demonic creature with well-practiced motions, putting four rounds towards the Imp. Each shot echoed through the towering room before being drowned out by an ear-piercing cry from the monster as it climbed up onto the ceiling, blood and flesh dripping from its bones, one of its hands began to glow a dull green. The Bounty Hunter hunched low and scampered up the stairs, using a hand to steady himself when he saw a green flash and looked up to see the strange fireball coming at him as he dodged to the outside of the steps and pressed himself to the railing as the attack hit the stairs, scorching the wood black and washing Walker in unnatural heat as he shouldered his Repeater and sent a reply. The creature staggered as Joshua climbed more steps, working the lever before putting another round into the Imp's head as it went still and fell from the ceiling it was clinging to.
Continuing on, Walker could only see the back of Sonja's head, her flaming red mane flying from side to side with each swing of her sword, but a flash of motion behind the Hyrkanian took his eyes off her. Another imp closed in on the Hyrkanian, and as Walker turned to bring up his Repeater, the creature saw him and ducked down, out of his line of fire as the Bounty Hunter heard the beast's pondering footsteps and hastily ascended the stairs to cut the imp off. Reaching the top, Joshua snapped his Winchester muzzle to point vaguely at the oncoming creature and pulled the trigger, the .44-40 slug slamming into the monster's leg and causing it to stagger while Walker worked the lever and fired from the hip once more, this round hitting the creature's gut, sending flesh and blood blasting out its back and splattering across the floor while Walker cycled the gun and fired the last cartridge into the beast's chest, blowing a hole through its rib cage.
Looking down into the empty chamber of the Winchester, Walker gripped the weapon tight in his left hand as his right went to the holster on that hip. The Imp lunged at Tombstone, despite its wounds, and Walker grit his teeth and swung the long gun backhanded, smacking the outstretched arms of the imp with the wooden stock and knocking the claws away. Seizing the opening, Walker drew his Schofield and thumbed the hammer back and planted a shot in the open maw of the monster, its eyes dimming and it collapsing to the floor shortly after.
Spinning around, Walker saw Sonja swing her sword to sever the hand off the imp she was battling, deep cuts gashing the demon's face and body as it finally succumbed to the She-Devil's wrath. Letting out a snarling cry, Sonja swung her sword at the demon's stomach, burying the edge deep in the creature before she stepped forward and coaxed the sword through the decaying creature's flesh, spilling its guts on the floor before it promptly fell forwards into them. Without hesitation, Sonja hurdled the creature's cropse and charged towards the next flight of stairs. Once he had slung the empty Winchester over his shoulder, Walker drew his second Smith & Wesson and took off after the Swordswoman, ascending towards the top floor.
Stepping up, revolvers at the ready, Walker took in what was waiting for them, "Gath really rolled out the welcome mat." No fewer than three of the gray skinned imp creatures were arrayed on the top floor, with eyes aglow and hands filled with demonic fire. Pulling the hammers of his pistols back, Joshua called out, "Alright Gath! You called down the thunder, now you got it!" Raising the guns, Walker sighted down the closest imp and pulled the trigger of one revolver and then the other, the pair of shots striking the creature in the chest, staggering it for a second and prompting the other two to act.
Walker sidestepped a fireball that came at him while he cocked both his pistols again, while Sonja threw herself at the creatures without fear, ducking under one fireball and dodging past the charging imp to come up slashing at the third one. A screeching cry echoed through the room as Sonja's steel tasted demonic gray flesh, and Walker saw the untouched imp turn to strike at the Hyrkanian's exposed back, but the Bounty Hunter swung his left Schofield over to plant a shot in the creature's shoulder, leaving its raised arm hanging limply at its side. Letting out a hissing snarl, it whipped back to face Walker, tensing to spring forwards; a sickening sound of metal carving flesh interrupted the leap, ending in the creature's sudden fall, precipitated by one of its legs falling away at the wrong angle. Lowering both Schofields, Tombstone put two more rounds into the creature, one hitting its back, the other blasting off its jaw, leaving it bleeding and hissing, but not dead, not until Walker raised his boot and brought it down on the creature's head, crushing it underfoot.
With no time to celebrate, the pair returned to the already wounded beasts and moved to finish them off. Walker advanced on the wounded imp, firing one gun and then the other, each shot tearing chunks of flesh off the monster as it stumbled back, only for Walker to thumb the hammers back and unload two more rounds into the beast, one of which caused a geyser of blood to erupt from the imp's neck, spraying out across the wall behind it. The other imp fared no better, as Sonja rammed her sword forwards and through the chest of the imp, pinning the creature to the wall as it flailed its arms and legs, trying to get at Sonja as she stepped back, taking her sword with her before spinning, whipping her blade around and severing the imps head in a single stroke. Joshua took more measured strides towards his demonic victim, watching as the imp raised a clawed hand to slash at Walker, only for one of the revolvers to be extended and fire, putting a .44-40 slug into the creatures elbow, blowing the rest of the arm below that clean off. When the imp opened its mouth to scream, the muzzle of the other Schofield was jammed in and the trigger pulled, blowing its brains out all over the wall.
Nodding towards Sonja and taking in the brief respite, Joshua took the opportunity to break open his revolvers and swap a load of fresh cartridges into the cylinders and snapping the guns shut, all while Sonja watched his back. When he was ready, the duo pressed forward towards the single imposing wooden door and pushed their way through, seeing a single robed figure standing in the room on the other side. "Reach for the sky you sonofagun," snarled the Bounty Hunter, cocking his revolvers for emphasis.
Kulan Gath remained unphased, cackling in reply as he folded his hands inside the sleeves of his robe and fixed each of them with a yellow toothed grin in turn. "You think you two are here of your own design? No… no, you are here because of mine," he growled, Walker's hands tightening around his pistols. But before he could act, Gath spread his hands, and a wall of purple light shot up between the two parties, and Sonja reacted by charging at it, swinging her blade only for it to be stopped cold by the rippling wall of magic. "You Sonja, to ascend I require the blood of one whom has been blessed by the gods, and through my machinations, you will fulfill that purpose. It was my hand that sent men to your village. My will that slaughtered your mother, father, and brother like pigs! My will that spilt their blood and brains onto the land! The same land where my will deigned you would spill your virginal blood."
He then began to wave his hands about, the extremities beginning to glow in some manner that had Walker narrow his eyes and shift his aim. "Do not think you have no role to play in this Bounty Hunter. A man from another world? Who has lain with the She-Devil? Your bones will make a worthy offering indeed," he boasted as he raised his arms and let out a low, demonic chant. "Lôst dā lē ven tärel hāl mäsk, Rä nä stin nī ro͞on, Alth hāl lärk nō ˈhea ven nar."
"Uh, Calamity Dame," tried Walker, only for Sonja to pound fruitlessly on the barrier while Gath's form began to smoke, "Sonja, we need to go!" he urged.
The Wizard fell silent and a flash filled the room, sending both stumbling back as Walker blinked away the white in his eyes and bringing his guns back to where his foe had been standing, seeing the thick smoke clear away to reveal nothing there. "NO!" shrieked Sonja as she rushed into the cloud and spun about, looking for the man Walker could clearly see was gone, "He can not have slipped through our grasp! Scathach would not have allowed it!"
Ambling past the distraught Swordswoman, Walker made his way to a window and narrowed his eyes, scanning the surroundings when he spied something amiss, "Sonja," he beckoned, pointing to a spot down below. "I don't think he's gone just yet."
The redheaded warrior woman was at his side in an instant, her hand gripped tightly around his arm as she took in the sight. A similar cloud of smoke was clearing in the courtyard below, revealing a man in grey robes, and before him was a strange symbol being etched into the ground by some strange orange glow, just like the ones that dotted the castle. "Then we shall give him no further chance to escape!" declared the Hyrkanian before she summarily threw herself out the window, dropping down onto the steeply sloped roof below and began sliding down the tiles.
"Goddamnit Calamity Dame," cursed the Bounty Hunter as he holstered his Schofields and followed suit, stepping up onto the ledge and taking a breath before dropping down onto the roof. Tumbling after impact, Walker eventually settled onto his back as she slid down the roof and plummeted off the edge, managing to get his legs under him before he hit the ground, though it didn't stop the wind from being knocked out of him or his hat from his head. Taking in a deep breath and pushing himself up to a knee, Walker noticed the gloved hand being offered to him. "This is no time for rest Joshua Walker," beckoned Sonja with fire in her tone, "Our moment of triumph is at hand. We must achieve our aims, or die a worthy death." Shaking his head, Joshua grabbed his hat and set it back upon his head before taking the offered hand and rising once more. "And if it is to be the latter, I would be honored to perish with you at my side."
"Mighty kind of you to say Sonja," drawled the Bounty Hunter as he drew his Schofields, "But I ain't planning on selling my life so cheap." Looking out towards Gath and seeing the summoning symbol before him glow brighter, Walker was keen to not make the same mistake as before so he raised the revolver in his right hand, pulling the hammer back and steadying his aim at one of the Sorcerer's legs before squeezing the trigger.
The bullet fired, but never found its mark, instead flying into a wall of fire that erupted from the earth, heat washing over Sonja and Walker as they recoiled back and heard the 'ping' of the bullet striking something metallic, with the flames dying down to reveal what that was. It had to have been another creature, but it was certainly unlike the ones the pair had encountered inside the castle. Unlike those, this one displayed no sickly grey flesh, instead was covered head to toe in a set of dull, bronze colored armor comprised of intricately engraved overlapping plates, adorned with spikey protrusions that lacked any sort of symmetry. Even more striking was the size of the creature, looming at least eight feet tall and wider than Walker and Sonja put together, its figure was more imposing than the massive, spike covered shield in its left hand and wickedly curved scythe in its right. A helmet covered its head, but Walker could see the pair of glowing purple eyes through the narrow slit in the bronze helm as it squatted down and let out an animalistic roar.
Taking an automatic step back, Walker gritted his teeth as the Demon charged, pounding footsteps hammering the ground as it wound its arm back to prepare to swing its scythe. Not knowing if his bullets could pierce the strange armor and quickly deciding what spot would give him the best option to slow the colossal creature. With scant seconds to act, Joshua raised his aim and fired one pistol and then the other at the Demon's head. The Bounty Hunter saw the bullets ricochet off the helmet, leaving small dents behind and causing the helmet to recoil, but not stopping the oncoming charge. What it did succeed in doing was giving Joshua the opportunity to sprint out of the way of the oncoming charge.
Feeling the wind in his duster as the monster swung its scythe, the blade embedding itself deep in the dirt of the courtyard mere inches from the Hyrkanian warrior who launched her own counterattack. With a speed that astonished Walker, Red Sonja unleashed her full fury on the monster, slashing at the scythe wielding arm, but even her strength couldn't get the edge to slice through the armor. But despite her flurry of slashes accomplishing very little, Sonja's sword kept swinging, the sound of metal meeting metal echoed through the air as the Hyrkanian attacked the weakest points of the armor at the joints around the waist, drawing a guttural bellow from the monster as it ripped its weapon from the ground. Seizing the opening, Sonja thrust the tip of her sword into a gap between the bronze-colored plates, drawing blood and another agony filled scream before the beast answered, swinging its shield at the retreating Hyrkanian. A few fast steps meant it was only a glancing blow, but the Red Warrior was still sent tumbling back off her feet, sword flying from her grasp from the power of the strike.
Pulling his lips back in a snarl, Tombstone was at least thankful Sonja was no longer in his line of fire as he took aim and fired a another shot from his right gun, trying to strike the same spot Sonja had by aiming for the center of the black stain on the armor. Looking down the sights of the gun, Walker loosed a second shot, then a third, and a fourth as the creature fell to a knee and Joshua holstered the now empty revolver. With only the gun in his left hand left, Walker's eyes widened as he saw the massive shield come back towards him and he jumped away just as the shield went past. Seeing the beast struggle to wield the scythe, Walker closed the gap, lodging his shoulder against the inside of his foe's shield and putting his weight into it to hold it steady as he pressed the muzzle of the revolver to a gap in the armor and squeezed the trigger, hearing the creature bellow and feel him thrash at the pain. Walker pulled the hammer back and fired again, drawing the same reaction when he saw the Demon relinquish its scythe and throw a punch that hit the Bounty Hunter in the back.
The pain that shot through Walker was immense, and he struggled to stay on his feet while swinging his gun around to the Demon's other arm, but he would never draw a bead in time. Just as the Demon was preparing to punch Walker again, it cried out in agony as the tip of a sword appeared through a gap in its armor, black blood spewing from the open wound as Sonja's head appeared over the monster's shoulder, hoisting herself up by her embedded sword.
Reaching forward, Sonja grabbed hold of the Demon's scythe and leaned back, dragging the inner edge of the blade along the bronze armor of the arm that once held it until it was pressed against the throat of the beast, Sonja straining with all her goddess given might to get some purchase with the weapon against the armor.
Walker saw the wounded arm attempt to come up at the Hyrkanian and leapt to her aid, his boot coming down to pin the Demon's forearm to the ground before firing a round at the monster's hand, punching a bloody hole in the grey flesh beneath the bronze-colored plate. Throwing its head back and letting out a ghastly roar, the Demon managed to dislodge Sonja, but in falling, the Hyrkanian had the leverage she needed to coax the scythe through the armor protecting the Demon's throat, slicing it and sending a geyser of blood out all over Walker as the head fell to the side, barely connected by the armor that remained as the creature fell, dead.
Turning, the Bounty Hunter laid eyes on his prey, the robed Sorcerer's eyes widened at the sight of the fallen monster before his sense of self-preservation got the better of him and he turned to high tail it away from his pursuers. Bringing his right hand up to his mouth, Walker took a deep breath and let out a piercing whistle before breaking open the Schofield in his left hand, placing a few fresh cartridges in the cylinder for a final confrontation with Gath, snapping the gun closed and holstering just as Shelby galloped up so Walker could pull himself up into the saddle before putting his spurs to the animal's flanks and tearing off after the sorcerer. In seconds, the horse had run down the Wizard while Tombstone reached down for the rope he had on the saddle, extending one end and twirling the lasso above his head.
Seeing Gath turn to look back at him, Walker couldn't keep the predatory grin off his face as he caught up to the man and pulled back on the reins, slowing the horse down as he yanked Shelby to the right. Cut off, Gath attempted to spin away, but only stumbled down, trying desperately to get back up when the lasso landed over his shoulders before the rope was yanked tight, pinning his arms to his sides. The Sorcerer opened his mouth to say something, but never got it out before a flick of the reins sent Shelby bolting back to the castle, dragging a screaming Gath the 50 yards the old man had managed to cover.
"Woah up," crowed Walker, bringing his horse to a stop before Sonja, who had wrangled her own steed just outside the castle walls. Kicking a leg over the saddle, Joshua dropped down beside the waiting redhead and made his way to his captive, who was still struggling against the rope. "Alright you sonofagun," growled Walker, kicking Gath over onto his back and reaching into his coat to produce the small stone idol he had carried with him across the land. "You're going to undo whatever you did and send me back, ya' hear?" snarled Walker, pressing his knee down on the old man's chest, hand wrapped around the collar of his robes.
"And then… and then what?" Kulan wheezed, eyes darting back and forth between his two captors.
"And then," began Joshua, grinning viciously as he looked at Sonja fury burning in her jade eyes, and couldn't help but feel a bit forlorn. "And then it'll be one on one. Best odds you're gonna get."
Gath's eyes went from Walker, to Sonja, and then the idol held in the Bounty Hunter's hand, "I require that," he said, voice flat and lifeless, "If I am to perform the required ritual."
Wary, Walker drew his loaded Schofield before placing the stone down on the man's chest and stepping back, "No funny business," he warned, retreating back to stand beside Shelby.
Gath gave no verbal reply, but the Bounty Hunter felt an unease in his gut that kept him on his toes, eyes narrowing as he looked for any sign of deception from Gath. All the beaten Sorcerer did was slowly stand on shaky legs, clutching the stone idol in his hands as he closed his eyes and began chanting lowly. "Cum historia Mutat valde Razgriz," he began, slowly lifting the idol above his head as wind began to pick up and dark clouds started to form overhead, and with each word they built up, larger and larger, blotting out the sun.
The Hyrkanian had her sword at hand and at the ready, her eyes glancing up at the sky before looking towards the Bounty Hunter, lips downturned before she went back to glaring at Gath. Shifting on his feet, Walker felt an energy in the air as his finger was poised on the trigger but hope of home stayed his hand while the Wizard continued to speak. "Revelat ipsum Primum daemon scelestus est!" he cried before thrusting his hands forward to bring the clouds down and knock Walker into unconsciousness.
Closing Notes: This might have been the big showdown with Kulan Gath, but there will be one more chapter for Sonja and Walker coming out next month that will wrap up this story. I had a lot of fun writing this, making both fight in their own unique ways, helping one another. The monsters they fight are a mix of the enemies from DOOM and the Dante's Inferno game. It was a fun write, even if it does admittedly feel like they came out of nowhere.
Also, the spells he uses to summon the demon is lyrics from video game music, DOOM: Eternal and to the spell cast at the end is a song from Ace Combat 5.
See y'all for all the last time, next time, Stay Frosty, Misfit Delta out.