Date: Wed, 2 Nov 1994 11:45:49 EST Reply-To: Highlander TV show stories Sender: Highlander TV show stories From: Brian Macleod Subject: Behind Blue Eyes, part 9 ************************************************************************* *************************H I G H L A N D E R***************************** *****************B E H I N D B L U E E Y E S********************* ************************************************************************* BY BRIAN PROCOPIO, BASED ON THE FILM OF THE SAME NAME. COPYRIGHT 1994 CHAOS PICTURES, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- (*warning!!!! Graphic violence and such follows. Do not let your children read it unless you want them to turn out like me!!! :) *) PART NINE __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ Sparks flew as Macleod's sword crashed against the solid stone wall milimeters away from where Cole's head had resided. Gabriel chuckled as he thrust his rapier forward at David's midsection. The younger immortal rolled out of the way of the strike, backing off several feet. "Hmmm, I *so* wanted to fight MacKenzie tonight, too," commented Cole as he advanced towards the retreating swordsman, "but, I'll make do, I guess." He swung at Macleod's sword arm, but was solidly blocked by the left- handed immortal. He attacked with a side thrust kick from his present position, but David caught the invading boot with his free hand, and attempted to toss the elder warrior back. "I'm impressed," remarked Cole as he completed a back flip from the throw, landing effortlessly on his feet and on balance. "MacKenzie must have taught you well." "I'm a quick learner," exclaimed Dave as he brought the point of his sword onto a collision course with Cole's neckline. The blow was deftly blocked, but then Dave spun and slammed his shoulder into his opponent's chest, hurling him back several feet. "Besides," he added coldly, "MacKenzie wasn't my only teacher." Gabriel sprang to his feet and just missed with his swipe to Macleod's wrist. "I'm going to enjoy killing you almost as much as I'll enjoy Lisa afterwards," he leered evily as he added several more strikes to his current round of attacks. David bellowed as he blocked the onslaught, then raged forth with his own efforts. With reaching, sweeping swipes he pushed Cole back towards the wings of the stage, knocking over assorted bits of furniture and other stage props in the process. Nearly out of room, the defensive warrior swung his blade low at Dave's kneecaps, forcing him to spring back a foot to avoid the crippling blow. In the gap opened, Cole turned and raced for the nearby stairwell. David followed cautiously, his katana held firmly before him, reflecting the occaisional stage light as he made his way onto the fly of the theater. He glanced down at the main stage thirty feet below then turned his attention back to scanning the catwalk before him. Cole twisted down from an exposed panel in the drop ceiling, catching David solidly in the chest with both booted feet. Without giving his opponent respite, he dove in with a thrust, which Dave rolled away from. Macleod kicked at his challenger's shins and then regained his footing on the narrow walkway. "You cannot win, Macleod," the immortal hissed, tossing his blonde hair back from his eyes, "I'll always have another trick up my sleeve!" With that, he scaled the small rail keeping them on the catwalk and leapt, landing with a not-so-soft thud as he landed, one leg twisting awkwardly beneath him. David placed one foot upon the rail, and then removed it, already hearing the cracking and popping of Gabriel's bones realigning. He turned and darted for the steps. His senses at full maximum, he slowly made his way down, ears straining for the rubber on wood squeak that signaled an oncoming attack. When it came, he was barely able to catch it, the clanging of swords shattering the silence surrounding him. He used his advantage of higher ground to dive and tackle Cole from the steps, but the tactics which worked for him once failed to work again as Gabriel kept possession of his sword. Macleod rolled out of a potentially decapitating swing from Cole's rapier, then squared off with the opposing immortal several feet away. "This is, you realize, the moment when I relieve you of your miserable little existance that you call immortality and give your teacher yet another reason to break his pitiful vow and fight me," Gabriel lectured to the younger immortal, his hand and sword playing about dramaticly. David stared back at the older swordsman coldly. "Tell me where she is," he said quietly, no motion evident on his body. "Why? So the knowledge of where she'll die will go to the grave with you?" interrogated Cole sarcasticly, "You newbies take *all* the fun out of the Game sometimes, you know that???" "This isn't part of the Game, Cole. This is something entirely different." "Oh no," replied Cole enthusiaticly as he began circling Macleod, who watched him from the corner of his eye, "it's *you* who are wrong, Macleod, this is all part of the Game. Everything we do, how we live, it's all in the Game, it all effects who wins the Prize in the e--" David cut him off as he spun about, driving his sword towards Gabriel's neck. His foe leaned back, the skin on his neck barely brushed by the razor-sharp blade of the katana. He jumped into the fray but was quickly beaten back as Macleod swung wildly with his sword, the rage and fury exploding into one final burst of energy as he battered Cole's defenses away. He forced him back further, and Cole was tripped up by an imposing couch behind him, and he stumbled to his knees. A flurry of blows rained down upon him as Dave swung downward with all of his might again and again. Finally Gabriel's sword was knocked down and away and David brought his blade up for the final stike, the wear on him evident in his heaving chest and dripping forehead. "You have a choice," he stated to his opponent, his expression one of complete hatred, "Tell me where she is, or die forever." The defeated combatant looked down in defeat. His hair hung low, hiding his eyes as he muttered off the address. Dave sighed audibly, his shoulders slumping as he turned and paced away. It was over. The sword pierced his chest cavity and emerged bloody from his faded blue shirt. David's arms spasmed involuntarily, his katana tossed across the room with a clatter as he fell to his knees. "I told you I'd always have one more trick, Macleod," he stated triumphantly as he raised his sword high. "There can be only o--" "One," finished Brian MacKenzie as he strided into the auditorium, "and it won't be you, Cole." He advanced down the aisle, removing his leather trenchcoat and tossing it aside into the seats after he pulled his sword from under it. "Ahhhh, worthy game," hissed Cole as he turned to glance at the newcomer. "Mac...." grunted David, "leave, Mac. It's not your fight, remember? I don't care if he ends it, just don't get involved, dammit." "Dave, leave. Now." MacKenzie's tone signaled that dissonance wasn't an option in the matter. "Get out of here now. Go to Lisa and leave. I don't care where or how, just leave, don't let him do to your life what he did to mine." "Change of heart, MacKenzie?" questioned Gabriel as he stepped away from the younger immortal. "Mac..." persisted Dave. "Macleod, now." MacKenzie stated as he pointed at his student. The finger changed direction and caught Cole in its crosshairs. "You, now. It ends here." Macleod scrambled away from the two combatants, fearful of the look in his friend's eyes. There was no life there, he realized as he grabbed his weapon and made his way towards the exit... _____________________________________________________________________________ "No one bites back as hard On their anger None of my pain and woe Can show through....." _____________________________________________________________________________ "It's been too long, Brian, a shame actu--" began Cole as his lifelong foe took the stage. "Shut up." returned Brian grimly and forcefully, "The time of death is at hand for you, Gabriel Cole, words are meaningless." The pair stood several feet apart, preparing for the battle at hand. The younger adorned in his typical outfit of solid black, mirrored closely by his elder challenger, who was garbed in the traditional uniform of his martial arts training, the black sleeveless gi and matching pants, the only mar on tradition being the dark boots he wore on his feet. Gabriel opened up the conflict with a fient to MacKenzie's middle, which he swatted away without breaking his stance. The younger immortal dove at Brian with a thrust towards his chest, and MacKenzie spun and tried to cleave Cole in two from behind. His attempt was thwarted as Cole ducked and swung at MacKenzie's kneecaps. The immortal brought his sword down to block the strike, and pulled it up again, catching Cole on the chin, fresh blood spilling onto the stage. With a roar Cole launched into his offensive, trying to drive MacKenzie back. Seemingly without effort, Brian blocked each of the oncoming attacks, losing only a yard of distance in the process. The trigger tripped, the older immortal let his rage flow through, the power in his strikes increasing steadily as he drove back his attacker. The wear of battle was becoming all too evident as Cole's defense began to break down. He dove in with a last ditch offensive effort, slicing MacKenzie's upper left bicep. The warrior kept going, the strike unfelt, uncared for, unnoticed by Brian in his quest for justice. As the blades of the immortals ground together in a flash of sparks, Gabriel whispered evily to MacKenzie, "So, Mac, was she as good for you?" MacKenzie's eyes narrowed to slits. Denial was a thing lost long ago in dealing with this one.... He slammed his katana down upon Cole's blade, driving it down to the floor. "THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" he yelled as the blade cleaved Cole's neck, his body falling to the wooden floor with a *thump* milliseconds after his head. MacKenzie stepped back, his samauri clanging to the floor. The roaring of his heartbeat filled his ears, and the roaring sensation of the quickening channeled through his veins. His eyes arched open as the glow began to engulf Cole's body, trails of mystical energy stringing out to connect with his outstretched hands. The blast wave echoed forth from his soul, hundreds of overhead lights shattering in a cresendo of glass and sound as MacKenzie screamed in agony. The memories started to flow into his being. He dropped to his knees, his arms covering his head in an attempt to escape that which he didn't want to see. He saw himself as Cole fought his first battle... The rage inside since then... the massive plot to cause his downfall... and then... He screamed, the torment worse than any he had ever felt in his three hundred and forty-two years as he took his wife's head in hand and ran the blade across, spilling her life in a crimson streak over his own hands....... The sounds of the police sirens woke him from his unconciousness. He didn't care anymore, but instinct took over as he grabbed the swords and exited the building, running off into the dark forests in the distance... _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ Well, there' sthe big confrontation... Join us here tomorrow for the wrap-up and epilogue!!! Thanks, Brian Macleod/MacKenzie =========================================================================