Date: Wed, 8 Jun 1994 09:48:11 EDT Reply-To: Highlander TV show stories Sender: Highlander TV show stories Comments: Resent-From: MACLEOD@TEMPLEVM Comments: Originally-From: MACLEOD@TEMPLEVM From: Brian Macleod Subject: The End Here's a little battle scene from a storyline I was developing on another list. I kinda bent the rules a little and placed some HL-style immortals on the list. Basic story: Orion Antilles, good-guy immortal @80 years old. Arrowsmyth, bad guy, age unknown. Arrowsmyth killed Megann McKinney, Orion's fiancee. He then killed Quade Slanstar, Orion's protogee (the "Ritchie" character) who was also immortal. Time period for the whole thing is 2055. It takes place in the Shadowrun world. Hope you enjoy!! ---Macleod ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- ++++++ DOWNLOAD: Videofile05.11 Paris, nighttime, alleyway. A dark fog hovers through the night. The silence it generates is all encompassing, save for the sound of a pair of footsteps approaching. The mist brightens momentarily as an automobile passes along the main road. A glint of light is reflected off of the blade of a sword and, sec- onds later, its owner parts the opaque vapors with his presence. It is Arrow- smyth, adorned in solid black, Tai Chi broadsword in hand. He stops, sensing another's presence. A: "ORION!! Show yourself, your end draws near." >From the shadows steps Orion Antilles, garbed similarly in midnight shades, his full-length leather trench flapping in the slight breeze. O: "My life has already ended, I merely seek revenge." A: "Oh what high and lofty goals we seek, my foe, were that your swordsmanship skills be so high." O: "For your sins you shall die tonight, Arrowsmyth." A: "Come, Antilles, my sword seeks your Quickening." Arrowsmyth opens the contest of skill with a swipe at Orion's legs, which Orion deftly parries, then ripostes with his own strike. Arrowsmyth sidesteps the blow, slicing back once more and catching Orion across the thigh. Orion gasps in pain, hobbling back a foot. The wound is merely a superficial one. He stumbles slightly as he finds himself against the brick wall of the alley. Arrowsmyth, like a shark imbued with the scent of blood, dives in for a killing strike. Orion calls his own bluff, quickly rolling out of the way of the thrust, and Arrowsmyth's blade lodges itself a clean inch into the concrete. Without hesitation, Orion slams Arrowsmyth's torso with his own, and his now swordless opponent lands a meter away on his back. Orion strides toward him, raising his sword for the finishing swing. A numbing metal-on-metal *CLANG* reverberates through the alley as Arrowsmyth grasps a metal pipe from the littered floor of the roadway, bringing it between him and his opponent's sword. He counterstrikes with a blow across Orion's kneecaps, toppling the near-victor to his hands and knees in pain. Arrowsmyth rises and delivers a sharp kick to Orion's midsection, causing the warrior to howl in pain. Orion's screams of agony continue as Arrowsmyth's metal-clad boots batter his ribcage again and again. Once certain that his enemy has been downed, Arrowsmyth goes to his still-stuck weapon and procedes to work its way out. Orion rises unsteadily to his feet and lurches in Arrowsmyth's direction. He strikes out towards the back of Arrowsmyth's neck, but the swordsman ducks at the last second and now Orion's sword is fixed in the brick wall. It is not in deep, however, and soon both combatants' weapons are freed. They dive into the fray of battle once more, and soon they become an intertwined tangle of blades and limbs. The viewer has difficulty deciphering who is who in the swirling mass of black. The battle becomes more pitched as they wear on, but neither man is able to attain the upper hand. Arrowsmyth is backed up against a dumpster in the alleyway, and Orion swings down vertically. His foe sidesteps the killing blow once more, and uses the butt of his sword to pummel Orion's weak shoulder (yes, the same one which had been injured twice in the past week). A tearing sound is heard and blood quickly seeps forth from the rip in the trenchcoat. Orion cries out in pain, stepping backwards several feet. Suddenly, he pauses and a strange light seems to pass across his eyes. He hesitates momentarily, then raises his Katana once more. A certain confidence exudes from his stance, almost, but not quite, arrogance, more of a certainty than anything else. Arrowsmyth fans his blade in anticipation, then dives in for a lethal strike. Orion rolls below the swinging broadsword, bringing his own up to slice Arrowsmyth's off shoulder as he passes. He recovers and gets to his feet once more, and now it is Arrowsmyth who wears the grimace of injury. The two swordsmen square off, and Arrowsmyth swings around once more for a decapitating stike. Orion drops to one knee, bringing his sword up to parry the blow. He then retalites in- stantly from his position, slashing across Arrowsmyth's legs and bringing them eye-to-eye. Despite his best efforts, the assassin cannot find the strength to raise his sword again. He is barely supporting himself on one arm. Orion gets to his feet, and brings his sword up, preparing to finsh the battle. O: "For the murder of Quade Slanstar, I find you guilty. For destroying my life I also find you guilty, and for murdering Megann McKinney, I SENTENCE YOU TO DEATH!!!" He swings the sword down, cleaving Arrowsmyth's head from his torso. He steps back and the wind begins to howl around him. Trash begins swirling everywhere as does the still-present mist. A blinding light engulfs Antilles, and small surges of lightning begin to fly. One such bolt searches out the camera and zooms near-- *****CAMERA FEED TERMINATED***** +++++END: Videofile05.11 =========================================================================