Later that night, the Boston brothers pulled into the gravel driveway of their log cabin, parking just a few feet away from the front door. As they exited the jeep, Brick pulled out his machete, the blade glinting ominously in the moonlight.
"Are you sure it didn't just wear off?" Brick asked, his brow furrowed with concern.
Bumpa nodded, his expression serious. "Yeah, man, they're here. I felt it just before it wore off."
Brick's eyes narrowed. "How did he know where we—"
Before he could finish, both brothers sensed the unmistakable presence of an immortal nearby. They turned to see Max Macleod crouched on the rooftop, striking an epic pose against the backdrop of the crescent moon.
"Sup', Boston BOIS!?" Max called down, a smug grin on his face.
Brick crossed his arms, a mix of annoyance and admiration in his gaze. "We've been looking all over for you. You either got balls of steel or you're just plain STUPID coming to the lion's den like this."
Max shrugged, his confidence unwavering. "I call it confidence; you might call it stupidity. Either way, you got me right where you want me."
Brick smirked at Max's witty retort, recognizing the truth in his words.
"Well, what're you waiting for? Let's do this!" Bumpa urged, excitement bubbling in his voice.
Max stood up, leaping off the upper rooftop and flipping off the lower one, landing gracefully on the rocky ground below. He winced slightly from the impact, but quickly masked the pain. Despite being immortal, he was not invulnerable.
As Max began to speak, Bumpa attempted to walk over to him, but Brick stopped him with a firm arm.
"Before we do this," Max said, his tone serious, "I told Andy I hate fighting another brother from the service. Especially since we both fought in Nam."
Brick's expression softened for a moment, the weight of their shared history hanging in the air. "Shame we never met. Had we been in the same unit, things might've been different."
Brick drew his sword, making his final decision. "But, like Andy used to tell me—"
Max drew his sword in response, his eyes locked on Brick's. "There can only be one."
With that, the two charged at each other, swords clashing with a metallic ring that echoed through the night. Bumpa cheered them on from the background, his excitement palpable.
"You got it, BRICK! You—"
*BANG!*
Suddenly, a gunshot rang out, and Bumpa fell to the ground, his green beret tumbling off his head.
Brick whipped his head back, eyes wide with shock as he saw Bumpa's lifeless body sprawled on the ground. In that moment of distraction, Max seized the opportunity, slicing Brick's neck with a swift motion. Brick rolled to the ground, narrowly avoiding a beheading.
Max kept his guard up, knowing the cut wasn't deep enough to finish the fight. He felt a surge of confidence, believing the tide had turned in his favor. Unbeknownst to him, Methos was hidden in the woods nearby, using a Winchester Model 70 sniper rifle to take out any additional threats, especially the magic user they had been warned about.
As Max approached Brick to finish him off, Bumpa slowly got back up, popping the bones in his neck as he shook off the disorientation from the gunshot.
"AGH!" Bumpa exclaimed, shaking his head to clear the ringing in his ears.
Methos's eyes widened in shock as he witnessed the impossible. "Impossible…"
Max turned to Bumpa, bewildered. "OK, seriously, what the hell are you!?"
While Max was distracted, Brick seized his wrist with a vice-like grip, slowly rising to his feet.
"Brick: He's one of us, with upgrades," Brick growled, his voice low and menacing.
With a surge of inhuman strength, Brick backhanded Max away, sending him crashing into the wooden rooftop of the log cabin. Max rolled down the edge, dropping his sword in the process.
"Take out the sniper; I'll catch up!" Brick commanded, his focus shifting.
Bumpa nodded, sprinting in the direction where Methos was hiding. Alarmed, Methos frantically reloaded his rifle and opened fire, but Bumpa leaped into the air, landing a few feet away from him. The two immortals sensed each other, catching Methos off guard, as it was once believed that Bumpa wasn't immortal.
"Nice gun; I'm gonna make ya' eat it," Bumpa taunted, slowly approaching Methos, who pulled out his sword in response
As Bumpa slowly approached Methos, the tension in the air thickened. Methos gripped his sword tightly, ready for whatever was about to unfold. Just as he prepared to defend himself, both immortals sensed the presence of another immortal nearby. Suddenly, a battle axe came spinning through the air, embedding itself into a tree trunk just a few feet away from Bumpa.
Moments later, Lilith appeared, leaping from a branch and landing on the handle of her axe, striking an epic pose as she glared down at Bumpa, her eyes filled with determination and a thirst for revenge.
"YOU," Bumpa said, recognizing the one who took his metal hand away from him earlier.
Lilith soon responds, her voice low and dangerous. "That's right—"
"AGH!" Lilith's threatening aura was abruptly cut short as she lost her balance, falling from the tree and plummeting to the ground with a thud.
Bumpa and Methos stood speechless, watching as Lilith cursed up a storm from the pain of her fall.
"I… I don't know her," Methos muttered, bewildered by the sudden turn of events.
Meanwhile…
Max lay on the edge of the rooftop, gasping for air after the brutal concussion and a few broken ribs from his rough landing. He could hear footsteps approaching, forcing him to try and get up, hoping to heal fast enough before Brick could reach him. But he was too late. Brick started stomping on his back, stabbing him in the shoulder, making Max yell out in pain.
"Is that how you beat Andy!?" Brick shouted, his voice filled with rage. "Cheating with backup, HUH!?"
The small shred of respect Brick had for Max evaporated as he viciously kicked him off the rooftop, spitting down at him to further illustrate his disgust.
Back in the Woods
Lilith began her battle with Bumpa, rushing in with her axe raised high. Bumpa blocked her strike with his forearm, attempting to backhand her away. But Lilith evaded his swing, taking a few steps back and revealing her new prosthetic hand, crafted from stone and fully functional.
"Not as good as my metal one, but I'll make do," Bumpa taunted, a smirk on his face.
Lilith stood her ground, but a pang of nervousness crept in. The memory of her master Shawn Watson's brutal murder in a two-on-one fight against Bumpa and Brick haunted her. Even facing Bumpa one-on-one felt overwhelming due to his inhuman strength and supernatural weapon.
Methos watched from a distance, worry etched on his face. He knew he could not interfere in a one-on-one battle between immortals, as it could lead to unknown consequences. He contemplated telling Lilith to run, but he knew she would be too stubborn and prideful to heed his advice.
Taking a deep breath, Lilith charged in again, engaging Bumpa in a fierce exchange of blows. Her axe clashed against his stone fist, sparks flying with each impact. Finally, seizing an opening, Lilith managed to kick Bumpa in the stomach with a back-kick, leaving him momentarily groggy. But he quickly recovered, smashing his fist into the ground and creating a cloud of dirt.
The dust cloud obscured Lilith's vision, giving Bumpa the chance he needed. He lunged forward, grabbing her by the neck and delivering a devastating gut punch.
"GAH!" Lilith gasped, the wind knocked out of her.
Bumpa, showing no signs of mercy, chokeslammed Lilith to the ground, tossing her away toward a nearby lake down the hill. She splashed into the water, the cold shock momentarily disorienting her.
"LILITH!" Methos shouted, panic rising in his chest.
Suddenly, Bumpa whips back and shapeshifts his stone arm into a longsword extending towards Methods, stabbing him in the chest. The oldest immortal is now pinned to a tree with his feet dangling in the air as he slowly begins loses consciousness.
Bumpa admires his kill as he retracts his blade,shifting it back to its stoned hand, leaving Methos' lifeless body to flop to the ground.
The orange behemoth smirked, his eyes glinting with malice. "I'll deal with you in just a minute. Don't go anywhere."
He picked up Lilith's axe, leaping over toward the lake, hunting for her most likely incapacitated body to finish the job.
Back to Max
With both Max and Lilith in peril, they began to think back to their mentors, hoping to draw strength from their memories.
The sun dipped low in the Texas sky, casting a warm golden hue over the dusty training ground. Max Macleod, a wiry young man with a thick Southern drawl, leaned against a wooden post, his breath still heavy from the duel he had just faced. The memory of the cheating immortal lingered in his mind, a bitter taste that soured the victory he had barely claimed.
Duncan Macleod, his mentor, approached with a measured stride, his long dark hair catching the light. The older immortal's expression was a mix of concern and understanding. "You did well, Max," he said, his voice steady. "But I could see the frustration in your eyes. That man played dirty."
Max ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head. "I should've seen it coming, Duncan. I let him get into my head. I was so focused on his size that I forgot to think."
Duncan nodded, his gaze unwavering. "It's easy to lose sight of strategy when faced with a brute. Remember, a cheater relies on deception. Next time, don't let his size intimidate you. Use your agility to your advantage. Draw him in, make him think he has the upper hand."
Max looked up, meeting Duncan's piercing gaze. "But what if he catches me off guard again?"
"Then you must be quicker," Duncan replied, his tone firm yet encouraging. "Trust your instincts. You have the heart of a warrior, and that will guide you. When faced with dishonor, turn it against them. A cheat is predictable in his arrogance. Use that to your advantage."
Max felt a sense of clarity wash over him. "I understand. I'll be ready next time."
"Good," Duncan said, a hint of a smile breaking through his serious demeanor. "Now, let's work on your footwork. You'll need it."
Back to Lilith
In the misty highlands of Scotland, the air was crisp and filled with the scent of damp earth and heather. Lilith, an immortal spirited girl of 20, sat on a moss-covered stone, her heart still racing from the duel she had just faced. The towering opponent had been a formidable challenge, and the memory of her retreat stung like a fresh wound.
Ceirdwyn, her mentor, approached with a calm grace, her nice beautiful brown hair flowing like a river down her back. "Lilith," she said softly, kneeling beside her. "I saw what happened out there. You fought bravely, but you let his size intimidate you."
Lilith sighed, frustration bubbling to the surface. "I ran away, Ceirdwyn! I felt so small against him. How can I ever hope to win against someone like that?"
Ceirdwyn placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Strength is not the only weapon in a duel, my dear. Learn to use your size to your advantage. Speed and agility are your allies. When faced with a larger opponent, do not meet their strength head-on."
"But how do I do that?" Lilith asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.
"Evade and strike where they are weakest," Ceirdwyn instructed, her voice steady. "Aim for their legs, their balance. A larger opponent can be cumbersome; use that to your advantage. And remember, if they catch you, be quicker. Trust in your training and your instincts."
Lilith nodded, absorbing the wisdom like a sponge. "I will, Ceirdwyn. I promise to be ready next time."
Ceirdwyn smiled, her eyes sparkling with pride. "You have the heart of a warrior, Lilith. That is what will carry you through. Now, let's practice your footwork. You'll need it for the next challenge."
Back to the Present
With their memories flooding back to them, both Max and Lilith began to awaken, catching their second wind.
As Bumpa searched for Lilith in the lake, she slowly rose from the water, holding a fish that was trying to wiggle out of her grasp. Meanwhile, Max struggled to stand, using his sword as a makeshift cane. Despite the pain coursing through his body from the fall, he was determined to fight.
Brick sneered as he hopped off the rooftop, meeting Max face-to-face, the tension between them palpable.
"I didn't cheat to beat Andy," Max said, his voice steady despite the pain. "And the sniper was just meant for the witch and your brother."
Brick scoffed, his expression hardening. "You really think I give a shit at this point?"
Max shrugged as he looked to the side with a wry smile. "No, not really. Just sayin'…"
With a deep breath, Max unzipped and removed his heavy Kevlar vest, revealing a slim but fit physique, sporting a defined four-pack. "Let's get loud."
With a battle cry, the two swordsmen charged at each other once more.
To Be Continued...