Chapter 11
Fight of the Headless Horseman
The Fun Gang plus Drake made their way around the rest of the neighborhood and then headed off for QC's Diner. After dealing with the werewolf, they made good time sprinting through the growing storm to hit the hospital, the police station, and all the other homes and stalls along the way. Pizza was getting handed out to everyone Trick-or-Treating by ICE-E's. It was easy to get extra slices.
All Susie had to do was tempt Pizzapants with a heavily pixilated picture on Kris' phone and convince the stoner that it was an image her older sister, who was totally single and looking for a strong, reliable man.
"I'm a strong, reliable man!" Pizzapants bragged, flexing. His costume and muscles sagged. Kris was also certain they had seen an overdue bill sticking out of the guy's back pocket the last time Kris and Susie went for pizza.
"Really? Then, I expect you can be very reliable and give us an extra pizza. And I'll give you her number."
"Yes ma'am! Or girl? Whatever, dude. I'll do ANYTHING FOR A HOT GIRL'S PHONE NUMBER!"
Kris laughed to themselves. Pizzapants had always bragged about having a secretive girlfriend who sent him sexy photos. But the truth was laid absolutely bare with this brief encounter. Susie scribbled a series of numbers onto a napkin and handed it over to the poor clerk when he returned with a fresh box of pizza. Ralsei thanked him for the food as Pizzapants reverently folded the napkin.
"I didn't know you have a sister!" Lancer said as they left.
"Shhh!" Susie hushed through a wide grin. "I don't have an older sister at all."
"Then whose number did you give him?" Ralsei asked, half torn between exasperation at his friend's prank and half impressed.
"It's self-help number," Susie said with a wide grin. "See, Ralsei? I am being a good guy! I just helped Pizzapants with an avenue to get some much-needed help, and we are all rewarded with delicious, free pizza!"
Drake snickered, "Nice one, Sooz!"
Susie did her best to resist an eyeroll. After his help in defeating the werewolf, she was determined to give him a Halloween truce. Drake had proven himself brave enough to help out at a critical moment, and against these monsters, some extra muscle was appreciated. She still didn't like the jerk as far as she could throw him.
Tonight's his chance to prove that he's more than a flirtatious creep. If he fails tonight, I'll punch him in the mouth the next time we meet! Screw wherever it is! School won't save him if he screws this up.
"Should we wait at the diner for the others after we get the candy from here?" Drake asked.
Kris nodded. They had observed the growing storm around town. It looked as though the others had already faced off against their own obstacles and enemies from other worlds. However, the world wasn't ending yet; Kris was certain that they had all done excellently in stopping the invaders from running rampant.
QC was out front, dressed as a witch. She happily handed out some homemade cookies. Cookies with taffies. As the gang approached, she waved happily.
"Mighty fine seeing you all tonight. Still out Trick-or-Treating instead of going to some dumb party? Very good! Never count yourselves too old to have some fun! Parties are fine and all, but most of them are excuses to hide away from insecurities." QC shook her head and said, "Sorry, I shouldn't have gotten on my soapbox. Here! I bet you're all eager to have your candy."
"Thank you!" Ralsei said.
"Trick-or-Prank!" Lancer shouted, thrusting out his plastic bucket. It was nearly empty because he kept snacking.
"Trick-or-Treat," Susie corrected, but just as eagerly holding out her bag to collect the goodies.
"And who are these new faces?" QC asked kindly. She peered at Ralsei and added, "You look mighty familiar."
"Oh! Well, that's because I'm related to the Dreemurrs! Distantly related," Ralsei improvised.
"Strong genes have a way of jumping a few generations and branches," QC commented. "You look like a mini-Asriel. How is your older brother, Kris?"
Kris explained that Asriel was doing very well. Everyone was looking forward to him coming back for another visit in a couple of weeks. There was also a fight brewing, because Carry and Bratty were both vying for his attention. Though Kris was sure that Asriel might have found himself a girlfriend at school, though he left that last part out.
"That's very sweet, dear. It'll be nice to have him back. And hopefully you'll still be with us then, Ralsei. You two will be the talk of the town!"
Ralsei blushed and muttered another thanks.
The diner owner turned her attention next to Drake as she handed out the cookies and taffy to everyone. "Ah, Drake! I've heard about you. You should come by the diner and grab yourself a cup of cocoa or maybe a plate of something heartier. I promise we'll take good care of you."
"I'd be happy to do that," Drake said with a winning smile. "In fact, everyone is coming by later tonight to hang out after we've done out Trick-or-Treating."
"I'll be looking forward to it," QC replied kindly. "By the way, how did you manage to pull off these cute little guys?" she pointed to the ghosts.
Susie and Kris went rigid with fright, expecting them to speak up and begin spouting their usual nonsense. The ghost themselves seemed at a loss for words and just hovered over their shoulders. Ralsei was the one who came to the rescue.
"They're really neat, aren't they? But they are a pain to pull off. It all comes down to thin wires that we have to wear and light are balanced under napkins. We lost so many attempts at pulling off this design!"
"But they look so good! You could sell the design or make some for a pretty penny! I'm not too good at arts and crafts myself."
"But you look so good and witchy!" Lancer complimented.
"Ah, you're too kind, kid."
"Lancer!"
"Lancer. Nah, I just get this stuff off the internet and follow the directions. I'm just relying on instructions from others. Which is why I am so impressed with what y'all have got going on here! Perhaps you could make more of them for next year and we could all have a little ghost following us." QC laughed and slapped her thigh. "Imagine if you gave one to Deputy Napstablook!? Hahaha!"
The teens laughed along with her before doubling back to find the others. Susie said it would be good to go and get more candy, just in case. Lancer heartily agreed. However, the shoulder angels had their own plans and input.
"There's something else coming…" Draego said ominously.
"Agreed. Something big is coming," Orgo said, looking around frantically.
Hodo shoved onto Kris a vision of a great monster swiftly approaching them. It was full of fire and muscles, and a horrifying face glared out at Kris from an odd angle. When they came to, Kris quickly explained to the others what Hodo had just shown. The warning didn't come a moment too soon. The darkness was already deepening.
Unlike before, the storm fully broke, immediately dousing them in a torrential downpour of freezing rain. Kris checked to see if they had access to an inventory pocket. Performing a neat gamer trick, they pocketed the bags of candy, only taking up a few slots while storing a small horde of candy and other goodies.
It was a good thing that some elements of the Dark World were seeping through. Their armor and weapons became real once more and the TP counter returned to their visions. Kris, Susie, and Ralsei got back-to-back. Lancer leaped up onto Drake's back.
"What are you doing?"
"Getting a good view of the fight! Also, I need a meat shield!"
Drake's expression darkened when he heard that, but no one noticed. A much greater presence and threat emerged. Galloping from down the road, came a ridiculous figure. With horse hooves and legs that were attached to a strange waist and torso. It was a bizarre merger of horse and human man, but it looked incredibly mismatched. No seamless transition from man to beast. The monstrosity was ripped, and boasted two huge, muscular human arms with bulging fists. Its neck was long, veined, muscular, sporting a luxurious mane, but there was no head.
"A headless horseman!" Susie gasped.
"That is not what I was expecting," Ralsei deadpanned. "That is hardly a horse or a man."
"It's like something right out of my nightmares," Susie groaned. "But where's its flaming head?"
"HERE!" a new voice boomed.
Kris saw the speaker first. A Jack-o-lantern with a contorted, demonic face laughed at them, flames issuing from its fanged mouth as it spoke and roared. Levitating in the storm, bobbing over the street of its own accord, it slowly approached.
"I MUST SAY, IT'S VERY HYPROCRITICAL OF YOU TO ALLOW ONE WORLD TO SPILL INTO YOUR TOWN WHILE DENYING THE REST OF ENTRY? WHERE'S THE HOSPITALITY? WHERE'S THE HONOR?" the Jack-o-lantern snarled. "I DEEM IT IS BECAUSE YOU HAVE NONE! YOUR CHILDREN WOULD HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR OF THE BLURRING OF OUR WORLDS' BORDERS IF THEY ONLY OBEYED THE RULES. AND DON'T WE LET YOU PASS FREELY INTO OUR STORIES?
"WHAT OF THAT LITTLE DEVIL HANGING OVER YOUR SHOULDER, SILENT ONE? HMM?" the angry pumpkin sneered, coming close to Kris. "I KNOW THAT HE WENT TO THE FORGOTTEN LAND OF FAIRYTALES AND WEREWOLVES, AND EASILY PROCURED THE NECESSARY WOLFONIUM TO HELP YOU WIN IN THAT BATTLE. AND DID THE RED HOOD KIL YOUR ALLY? NO! AND YET YOU ALL INSIST ON SLAYING US!"
Susie found her tongue and moved to help better guard Kris. She snarled back in reply, "The Darkners are our friends! We know they're not supposed to be here, but they're doing everything they can to help us stop a curse from destroying our town and our world! And if you think that's a bad thing, then you are my enemy!"
"IT WOULD APPEAR AS THOUGH YOU DON'T KNOW WHO YOUR TRUE ENEMIES ARE!" the Jack-o-lantern laughed, soaring over the teens to rest under the left elbow of the headless horseman. "TRUE, THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW WHO HAVE HAPPILY DECIDED TO WORK ALONGSIDE THOSE WHO CAST THE CURSE, BUT THEY ARE IN THE MINORITY!"
"He's lying," Orgo hissed. "He's hoping to get you to believe him so that way you'll lower your guard."
Hodo impressed upon Kris another vision. This time, they clearly saw themselves getting stomped flat by the headless horseman while the beast did unspeakable things to Susie. Ralsei was already a puddle of gore and Lancer was smooshed deep within the earth. Drake lay nearby, half-broken and slowly dying. The Jack-o-lantern head feasted upon the shoulder angels. The nightmare vision was enough to almost make Kris lose their lunch.
Susie jeered back, "Why should we believe you?"
"THAT DOESN'T MATTER TO ME IN THE SLIGHTEST," the Jack-o-lantern rejoined, his voice now coming from both the flaming mouth and the gaping hole at the top of the horse neck. "I HAVE COME TO TAKE MY RECOMPENSE IN EXCHANGE FOR YOUR TOWN BREAKING THE RULES. I HAVN'T FED IN SO LONG, AND NOW I FINALLY HAVE THE CHANCE ONCE AGAIN."
Kris and Susie felt sick and weak at his words. This was a monster that existed to haunt and slaughter. There was no kindness emanating from him. Unlike the mindless creatures formed in the pseudo-Dark Worlds, the Headless Horseman was an ancient entity with a long history and a very real desire to murder others.
"I hate that Alphys was so on the nose with her lecture," Susie grunted.
"We need to stop him here and now," Kris rasped.
"I'm ready to try," Drake said, though his confidence was audibly shaken.
Ralsei shook his head. "No, we cannot just try. We must defeat this fiend before he gets loose and destroys Hometown!"
"Then on to victory!" Lancer shouted, resummoning his bike and launching into action.
"Lancer! No!" Susie warned.
The Headless Horseman reached into his flaming mouth and withdrew a gigantic sword of burning steel. He took a swipe at Lancer. The little Prince unleashed his usual barrage of spades, but the projectiles were all knocked aside and shattered under the weight of the Horseman's counter. Lancer pulled up, but his bike was still exposed.
It cut cleanly in half, the metal melting under Lancer. The poor kid howled with pain. It was too much for Susie. She rocketed right at the Horseman, unleashing a roar that tore up her throat. The fiend reversed his swing and brought it crashing down on Susie. She held up her axe in a defensive posture and caught the blow. Susie was driven to her knees, the street buckling and cracking all around her.
Kris, Ralsei, and Drake and all shouted. Stunned for a moment, they finally charged, frantic to save her.
Though driven into a crater, Susie was still up. The Horseman's flames licked and singed her. Huffing furiously, she swung her axe in a great arc to the side. Her axe's head caught the Horseman's blade and shoved it to the side. With a tremendous crunch, Susie trapped his sword between her axe and road.
Then holding out an arm, she caught Lancer. His ruined bike crashed in two smoldering pieces on either side of her.
"MOST IMPRESSIVE!" The Headless Horseman laughed, wrenching his sword free.
Susie's axe went flying, but she snatched it right out of the storm. Steam drifted off her body after taking on the fiend so directly.
"You okay, Lancer?"
"No… No not really," Lancer said quietly. "Sorry, Susie. I really messed up."
"Nah, you were just being brave and dumb. That's why you have friends! To help you when you make mistakes," Susie replied. Though her words were encouraging, she was beyond pissed at the Headless Horseman. "Anyway, you haven't done anything as stupid as I have. Don't worry about it. Just stand back and let me kill this guy!"
"BRAVE WORDS FROM A DESPERATE FOOL," the Horseman chuckled. He raised his faux head as Kris and the others closed the distance. The fiery eyes flashed a flaming barrier appeared, pushing Kris, Ralsei, and Drake back. All three were badly burned.
Susie noted the rise in TP. She seized it and unleashed a torrent of Rude Buster into the creature. The Horseman slashed through the attack, breaking it. His barrier remained up and he attacked Susie. She was forced to dance to the side and try to put distance between herself and the monster. The Horseman did not let up, relentlessly pursuing her. He bellowed a deranged laugh the entire time he pressed his attack.
Still holding onto Lancer, Susie was not able to attack with the same weight and speed as normal, but she refused to drop her friend. Figuring that the Headless Horseman's large body and flaming sword favored fighting at distance, Susie dove in to negate that advantage. She managed to score two blows against his legs, but the Headless Horseman barely registered a scratch.
Harrumphing like an angered stallion, the Horseman began stomping with his heavy hooves. Shrapnel and blasts of energy buffeted her. Susie did her best to shield Lancer, which only wounded her even more.
Just outside the barrier, Kris desperately searched for any way to reach their girlfriend. The barrier negated Ralsei's magic, making it impossible for him to assist Susie. Kris tried to cut their way through the flames but kept getting badly burned in the process. But Drake was the one who really braved the pain. He sliced with this sword and followed through the small gap he had forced open with his sword. Drake emerged on the other side of the barrier, scorched and barely standing.
The Headless Horseman paused for the briefest second to note the newcomer. It gave Susie a small opening. She seized the newest influx of TP and released another Rude Buster. The energy blast cleaved its way up the Headless Horseman's groin, tearing open his torso, and splitting the skin and muscle on his neck. Black blood poured onto the street.
"BWAHAHAHAHA!" the Horseman laughed. "YES! NOW THIS IS A GOOD FIGHT! LET'S SEE HOW LONG YOU CAN KEEP IT UP, HMM?"
He leaped back, putting distance between himself and Susie once again. The moment he landed, the fiend thrusted his blade at Susie's face. Drake appeared before her and parried the heavy blow. The Thrust went wide, but Drake was badly burned again. Susie seethed; she hated having to use her healing powers when there was a serious bad guy right in front of her who refused to go down nice and easy. But Drake had just saved her and Lancer.
Pointing her axe at Drake, she cast Ultimate Heal. All of their TP was used up, but Drake immediately sprang back to life and into action. Not asking a single question, he charged the Headless Horseman and fought like a maniac. Susie could appreciate that. Clutching Lancer close, she followed the new guy.
Together, they flanked the Headless Horseman and landed a vicious series of blows against his legs and flanks. The fiend laughed the whole time, swinging his sword wildly. He managed to block and parry as many blows as he received, pushing the teens further apart. His sword continued to burn them as well, eating away at Susie's health.
Outside of the barrier, Kris had an idea. They rummaged through the inventory, but didn't find anything. They shouted to the Darkners keeping their distance if anyone had a burger or candy. One of the mobsters watching the brawl flicked a Dark Candy to Kris. They apologized to Ralsei for what they were about to do and crammed the candy into his mouth. Then Using Ralsei as a shield, Kris leaped through.
Ralsei took the brunt of the flames, but the Dark Candy revived him as it melted in his mouth. Kris was deeply burned, but still standing. They order Ralsei to start casting healing spells. Even if it used up their TP, they couldn't allow anyone to die in this fight! With that command barked, Kris joined the fight.
"TRULY REMARKABLE! I HAVEN'T FOUGHT A GROUP THIS TENACIOUS IN CENTURIES! YOUTHS FLEE BEFORE MY FURY, CHAMPIONS PERISH UNDERNEATH MY BLADE, AND ALL FLESH IS CONSUMED BY MY FIRE!"
He's casting a spell! Ralsei realized. He began singing to disrupt the Headless Horseman's enchantment disguised as boasting.
The Jack-o-lantern's eyes snapped towards him and burned with fury. It opened its maw wide. Flaming skulls with long trails of black smoke roared after the Dark Prince. Ralsei yelped and began running, keeping up both his own song and casting his healing.
"Nice for you to finally join us!" Susie cheered as Kris dove into the battle, stabbing their sword deep into the Headless Horseman's grievous wound. They gave her a thumbs-up.
The Horseman gurgled and dropped to one knee. Kris grew excited for a second, but then the wound in the creature sealed up, trapping their sword.
"DID YOU THINK IT WOULD BE THAT EASY TO FELL ME? I'VE BEEN AROUND SINCE BEFORE HUMANS AND MONSTERS MADE THEIR TENUOUS PEACE! DO YOU THINK YOU'RE ANYTHING SPECIAL? DO YOU THINK THIS IS THE FIRST TIME ANYTHING LIKE THIS HAS HAPPENED? I HAVE OUTLIVED THEM ALL!"
As he spoke, Kris' mind was rattled with horrific visions of massacres and Halloweens past. The Headless Horseman was not just some ancient monster, but a representation, and agent even, of the violence that consumed both sides. Halloween marked the harvest. Harvest was the height of fall. It was the last moment to raid the other side and bleed them dry, leave them with nothing so they would starve in the winter.
Death.
"No, we are not like that anymore," Kris whispered.
"HAHAHA! SO YOU THINK!" the Headless Horseman taunted, easily wielding his sword to knock the two dragon teens away. "YOU AND YOUR GIRLFRIEND ARE NOT THE ONLY COUPLE WHO HAS COME BEFORE ME, THINKING THAT THEIR LOVE WOULD CONQUER ALL! BUT THAT YOUNG BELIEF ONLY DREW THEM TO MY BLADE AND THEIR PREMATURE DEATHS!"
"But they have more than love!" Ralsei shouted from behind. "They have friendship! A friendship that has crossed species and entire worlds!"
The Dark Prince was dead serious as he leveled a condemning finger at the Horseman, almost as if he was taking aim with a gun.
"WHAT KIND OF WEAK SPELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE WEAVING WITH THAT GESTURE?"
"Nothing. It's just a distraction."
The Jack-o-lantern's face contorted into a strange expression, trying to process what Ralsei was insinuating. What were these brats really trying.
Drake yelped as Lancer flew into face. Susie took hold of Kris and shouted, "Remember, dork! Whenever you need help, I'll be there for you!"
Susie grabbed them and heaved upwards. Kris held onto their sword with all their might. Susie tapped their TP reserve again and used Ultimate Heal. Green and blue magic pulsed through Kris and sprayed out of the Headless Horseman as she jumped. With Susie's might at their back, Kris was able to slice all the way through the Headless Horseman, cleaving him from navel to neck.
A strangled scream escaped from the monster he split into pieces. A burst of healing magic and searing flames erupted from the Horseman's heart. The energy washed over the whole group, hurling them backwards. The fiery barrier finally broke and chilling rain crashed down onto the party once more. Drake clutched tightly to Lancer, watching for what would emerge from the smoke and steam.
Strong neighing accompanied a powerful shadow as it reared. A gigantic, black horse stomped his hooved and kicked nervously before bolting into the night. An old, naked human sat in the road, huddling in his very, very long beard. Next to him was a scarecrow with a Jack-o-lanterns head that was on fire and smoldering in the rain and wind. The ancient man looked up at Susie and Kris terrified.
Time finally took full old of the old man and rapidly reduced him to dust. One more strangled scream escaped the old man's chapped lips as he withered away. The storm's wind carried away his dust and decaying bones. And the fire in the scarecrow's eyes went out.
"Well, I definitely wasn't expecting that!" Ralsei gasped. "Uh, Susie? How did you know to do that?"
Susie gently put Kris down and scratched the back of her head sheepishly. "Well, I thought about what the Headless Horseman was. He looked so wrong. None of that body belonged with rest! And I figured, if we wounded him really badly, maybe I could try healing him, and then that would sort him out once and for all!"
"You're incredible, Susie," Kris said, full of affection and relief.
"Yes, she is," a harsh voice snarled.
The Fun Gang looked over their shoulders at Drake. He was crushing Lancer in his claws, grinning maliciously. Hodo, Orgo, and Draego circled around his head. Kris frowned. He had genuinely hoped that jumping through the Headless Horseman's flames might have driven them off or burned them away.
"This could have been so much easier if you had just followed what these guys had said," Drake sneered. "But we can also do this the hard way."
"What are you talking about?" Susie snarled.
"It hurt a lot to gain just an ounce of trust from you," Drake said coldly. "But it was worth it! Because you're worth it, Susie."
The three little shoulder angels shot small beams from their hands. Their blasts of energy met, coalesced, and then fired right into Susie's heart. Kris unslung their shield and tried to intercept it, but the arc of magic bent around them and struck Susie true.
"The moment you gave me just a little place in your heart, it was inevitable that the better guy was going to muscle out that wimp Kris and steal your heart!" Drake gloated. "And without the three heroes of legend working together, there's no way you can stop what is coming next!"
"Can we leave the rest to you, Drake?" Draego asked.
"Sure thing. These chumps can't stop us," the new boy answered confidently. At his word, the little angels zipped off into the growing storm. Lightning forked the sky as the Drake advanced.
Before Kris fully registered what was happening, Susie buried her axe into their side. The rumbling thunder was soft in Kris' ears as pain overtook them. They felt their ribs shatter and internal organs rupture. Susie swing rocketed Kris right off their feet and threw them across the road. Ralsei cried out and began moving, but Drake held up Lancer.
"Any more to help them, and I kill this brat!"
Susie had a blank expression on her snout as she rested her axe on her shoulder. She walked over to Kris and loomed over them. Kris struggled to breath, unable to say anything. They tried to make some pleading gestures, but Drake was there in a moment, stepping on their right hand.
As he crushed Kris' hand he bent down and said, "One last thing I want you to see before you die…"
He grabbed Susie and gave her a passionate kiss, ramming his tongue as far it would go. Ralsei made a sound as if he was going to be sick. Anger gripped Kris and drove away the pain that was crippling them. They weren't dead yet! There was no way Kris was going to let this stand!
"You're not going to get away with this!" Lancer said in a muffled voice, sandwiched between the two dragon teens.
Drake finally broke off the kiss, licking his lips. "I already have, you freak. Hmmm! Apples? Nice taste!"
"Make sure you deal with them promptly," Orgo said as the three angels began flying away.
Ralsei watched them go with the utmost disgust on his furry face. His eyes snapped back to Drake as he asked, "Now what?"
"Now, I'm going to kill Kris and remove your reason for existing, you pathetic Darkner!"
Susie raised her axe for the kill…
