Batman and King Arthur

Paladin of Gotham

By Matthew Snee

Chapter Ten

At dawn the next morning, they dressed in their armor, said their goodbyes, and mounted their horses. There were fourteen of them in all - Batman, King Arthur, Sir Bedivere, Sir Lucan, Sir Lowry, and nine other knights. Their swords were prepared for treachery, but their hearts wished for peace.

They rode out to the field they had agreed upon, and Mordred was there waiting with his thirteen knights, including Sir Affelette, who still lived.

"Hello father," young Mordred said to Arthur as they met.

"No more war, Mordred," Arthur scolded his son.

"I suppose that's a possibility," said the murderous Mordred. "I do grow bored of killing your friends."

Arthur did not reply.

"We've come to discuss the end of the war," said Sir Bedivere, speaking for his sire. "What is your word on the agreement?"

"I do agree, I suppose," said Mordred. "But your lands and titles do not interest me. All I care about is being granted Britain after my father's death."

It was all a lie, as they waited for Lancelot to arrive from France. Once Mordred was supplicated, they would pretend peace... until war came again, with the victor never in doubt.

So it should come as no surprise that snakes slithered through the grass between their feet, and one bit one of Mordred's men, who quickly drew his sword to kill it.

Arthur's men, seeing this sword drawn- attacked.

There was not a moment to hesitate. The end of the war had truly begun.

The battle was enjoined. Knight clashed with knight. The odds were even in number, but Arthur's knights were greater, including Batman, who was the greatest warrior of them all.

The Dark Knight quickly met Sir Affelette on the field. The mustached knight wielded a great spiked mace, which he swung at Batman wildly. Batman dodged these easily, but just as he was about to strike back, Affelette landed a blow across Batman's chest - the wild swings had been a ruse.

Batman was knocked back, and he could already feel that one of his ribs was broken. He took two steps back, and waited for Affelette to attack, but instead the foul knight spoke:

"Korone died yesterday, despite your... mercy," he told Batman. "He was my son. So, I do not care if I survive this day. I only care that I ensure that you do not either, Paladin of Gotham. Oh yes, I know who you are now, a demon from a cursed land summoned by Merlin's dark magic. Demon or man, I will feast on your death!"

And with that Affelette launched his attack again. He hadn't the training Batman had, but he was cunning, and disguised his strategies in missed blows and retreats. The knight landed another blow unto Batman, this time to his shoulder, but Batman took advantage of Affelette's resulting wilderness to bash him in the nose, spraying blood into the air with his metal gauntlets.

Now Affelette was a fuming, bloody mess. "Yaaaaar!" he screamed at the Batman, as he launched another wild attack. Batman dodged, but once again, this attack was a ruse, and Affelette spun and managed to graze Batman in the face with a swing of his mace.

Batman could feel blood inside his helmet, pouring down over his right eye. Half-blinded, he took a defensive swing at Affelette with his steel staff, but missed.

Affelette laughed. "I think your time is over, Paladin!"

Batman doubted that. Affelette unleashed another wild swing, but the Dark Knight knew it was a ruse, and prepared for Affelette's second attack. This time, Batman dropped his staff, caught the man's arm in his hands, and with all his might, broke his arm at the elbow, until it hung backwards as though it was kept together with only a string.

Affelette fell to his knees in pain, but with his remaining good hand, pulled out a knife that he stabbed Batman in the thigh with. Batman grunted, and quickly karate-chopped Affelette's throat, knocking the knight to his back.

Batman pulled the knife out of his leg in considerable pain. Then he cast it to the ground beyond Affelette reach and stood over his opponent.

"Will I received your mercy now?" Affelette asked Batman. "Or will you treat me like a knight?"

Batman responded by stomping on his face, knocking him unconscious, but leaving him alive.

Then Batman turned and surveyed the rest of the battle.

Only himself, Sir Lucan, Arthur, and Mordred now stood alive. Lowry and Bediver lay on the ground dead, along with all of Mordred's men. But all were wounded - and all stood unsteadily. Lucan clutched his belly, Arthur favored his arm, and Morded had a terrible wound streaming from his forehead.

"Give me your spear," Arthur spoke to Sir Lucan.

"Sir!" argued Sir Lucan. "He is lost. Just wait. If you attack him, he will surely kill you."

"I said give me your spear," said Arthur.

Batman almost spoke, but realized he was only a spectator here now. What was left belonged to Arthur and Mordred. He could have protested, but Arthur would never have listened.

Sir Lucan gave Arthur his spear. It was the same spear Gawain had used when he had died.

"Now you will die, you cowardly filth!" Arthur shouted as he ran at Mordred.

Mordred smiled, lifting his sword, but slowly, and when Arthur came he quickly impaled his own son with the spear, dealing a killing blow. But with the last of Mordred's strength, he swung his sword at Arthur's head, landing a horrific wound through Arthur's helmet. Both men fell to the ground.

Sir Lucan raced to Arthur's side. Batman checked on Mordred - the enemy was finally dead, with vacant eyes and blood foamed on his unmoving lips.

"Arthur!" Lucan cried.

"I am alive," the King said weakly. "Is Mordred?"

"He is dead," said Batman.

"Good. Good," said Arthur.

They heard a stirring in the trees around them. "Who is that?" Batman asked, spotting ragged men and women approaching.

"Carrion," said Sir Lucan. "Thieves and pillagers, come to steal rings off fingers and whatever treasures they can find."

"We should go," said Batman.

"Yes," said Arthur. "Help me up. There is a little chapel near here, by a lake. We will flee to it."

They helped him up, and were on their way.

For a moment, Batman thought of going back to rescue Affelette, but then thought better of it. No doubt the bandits would kill whoever was left, but there was little Batman could do in his shape, and also it was difficult enough to carry Arthur as Lucan was mortally wounded himself. I'm always supposed to have a plan, thought Batman. I had no plan today.

It was another compromise he would have to accept. Batman though he might have been, but still compromises were necessary now and again.

They slowly made their way out of the field and off to the lake nearby, Arthur falling only once. They were all exhausted and wounded, and each grunted with every movement.

But somehow, some impossible luck found them, and they made their way to the little chapel by the lake in the valley below.

Inside, they lay Arthur upon the floor and the priest fetched bandages, medicine, and water. Arthur trembled upon the ground as Lucan stood watching and Batman knelt by the King's side.

"Now there is no one to lead Britain," said Arthur. "There will only be more war. If I had only foreseen it!"

"Man cannot know the future," said Batman.

"But he can guess! He can prepare!" said Arthur. "This is all my fault. If I hadn't warred with Lancelot, none of this would have happened."

"You cannot think like that," argued Batman. "You did what you had to do."

The King coughed violently. "Yes, yes I did." He thought for a moment, and then grabbed Batman's hand. "But you! You can lead us now!"

"No," said Batman. "You will survive. I am no leader. The people need you, my King."

"I wish I could help them. I fear..." He turned to Sir Lucan, who still leaned against the wall, but instead of watching them, his dead eyes stared at nothing. Blood fell from his lips, and part of his guts lay at his feet.

Lucan was dead.

"My poor friend!" said Arthur. "He was worse off than me, but he still carried me from the battlefield. And now he is dead! Jesus have mercy on his soul!"

The priest came back with his supplies and found only Batman and the King alive now. The priest nodded, and once he had set down the medicines and bandages, carried Lucan away.