The Final Duel and Final Request

Grove was quietly waiting in his chambers. He had locked himself inside, not wanting anyone to disturb him while he tried to remain focused. If anyone were able to see him, he looked like a statue at the center of a gathering storm - unmoving, unbending… uncaring. Even with the chaos that had erupted at the entrance he didn’t move. Even when the constant sounds of gunfire were heard he didn’t move. Even when the entire mansion trembled under the violence of an explosion Grove didn’t move. A single image of his mother and his sister flashed in his mind: his sister was smiling at her along with his mother. He did all of this for them. He was fighting for them. And he would face his executioner… for them.

He knew what was coming… He knew WHO was coming for him…

After the explosion, the entire mansion was as silent as a crypt save for the sounds of a fire slowly spreading, wood groaning under the strain of the damaged structure… and the slow steady steps of a man approaching Grove’s chambers.

Minding his manners, Grove stood up and waited patiently. His guest had found him…

The door to Grove’s chambers suddenly burst open after the Bounty Hunter kicked it with all his strength. The instant Richard stepped inside the room he aimed one of his revolvers at Grove. The leader of the Black Talons looked at the Wolf and could see that the initial battle with his men had certainly taken its toll on him. His clothes looked dirty and had a bit of damage to them, the Bounty Hunter’s face carried the signs of fatigue and his breathing was a bit more labored. The fact that he hadn’t shot him the moment he walked in also told Grove that the Wolf was being careful and unwilling to take unnecessary risks… he must be hurting and unable to fight at full strength.

For once, Grove had an advantage over this accursed Bounty Hunter.

Richard stared at Grove and kept his eyes sharply focused on the armored knight’s movements. Wolf felt like his revolver weighed a ton. Breathing was painful thanks to the half-healed broken rib. His entire body was feeling the strain of exhaustion after he finished using Desperado Mode. Now he had to face Grove with only the weapons he was carrying and no chance for a reload - he had to incapacitate Grove as soon as he could the moment he saw his chance… he couldn’t afford to fight for a long time or his body wouldn’t be able to take it, even with his healing injections.

“Twelve shots with the revolvers… five shots left in the rifle… can’t use explosives in here… gotta take him out quick…” Richard’s thoughts lingered on his injuries and his current stock…

“Welcome, Wolf. It’s finally come to this!” Grove greeted Wolf like he was welcoming an old rival, even though they had only known each other for a few weeks of being on each other’s throats. “I knew it would come to this, eventually.”

Richard kept his eyes focused and his arm steady even as his hand was struggling to keep a strong grip on his revolver. But seeing as there wasn’t a trap and Grove wasn’t attacking from the start, he used this little time to recover a sliver of his stamina. Very slowly, he holstered his revolver but kept his hand resting on it. If Grove attacked, his fast draw shot would be enough to stop him.

But Richard felt something was wrong… Grove wasn’t afraid of him. He had aimed his gun at him but the armored knight hadn’t moved. He simply stood there in his shiny new armor and was even smiling. So that was it… he had seen those eyes in the faces of thousands of enemies he’d gunned down before - he was ready to die. For once, he felt a bit of respect for the leader of the Black Talons. Grove was brave, here at the end.

“You’re looking pretty calm for someone who’s gonna die pretty soon, boy.” Wolf kept the conversation going… he controlled his breathing, trying to catch his breath while hiding the fact that even standing up was difficult for him.

“Ahh, yes! How right you are,” Grove chuckled as his left hand rested gently over a massive tower shield the size of an average man, “especially when I have no way to escape this fate. Either I die by you, or die in the gallows… there is no win-win for me.”

“There’s no need to fight, Grove.” Richard was hoping, perhaps foolishly, that Grove would surrender without a fight. But he also knew that his opponent had prepared himself for a final duel. “Surrender, lay down your axe and shield, and come quietly. Spare yourself and us of the trouble of having to put you down… don’t make this any harder on you.”

Grove’s eye glinted for a second. Wolf was trying to avoid fighting. So he truly was injured and tired. Good! He would finally be able to fight with complete abandon and kill Wolf!

“Hmph! You know damn well I cannot surrender. You and I? We’re killers, but we’re also professionals.” Grove moved his hand slowly and held the handle of his greataxe, lifting it easily as if it were a toothpick and pointed it at Wolf. “I would rather fight against my fate than surrender to it! As I’m sure you have as well…”

Richard’s face grimaced as he saw there was no other choice. At only 52% fighting capacity, low on ammo, Grove at his prime and using new hardware, and the mansion becoming an inferno, he knew the odds were stacked against him now. Using Desperado Mode now would be suicide… his body wouldn’t be able to take it. Until he found himself a proper healer or support teammate, he’d have to be extra careful when showing his hand.

Guess he’ll have to resort to his old tricks…

“So, tell me something,” Richard slowly relaxed his arms and posture, “was it worth it in the end, boy?”

Grove closed his eyes for a second… saw the faces of his family and smiled with absolute resignation. He reached for his helmet and put it on with his visor still up. His left hand reached for the tower shield which he lifted just as effortlessly as the greataxe.

“If you defeat me, I will tell you.” With a quick movement of his head, the visor came down and Grove stood at the ready with his shield at the front and his greataxe prepared for a massive swing. Now facing his own death and without any fear, Grove looked like a mountain of steel.

Richard, seeing that there was no other way of solving this confrontation, adopted a gunfighter posture and held his hand close to the handle of his right revolver. He would only have one chance to neutralize Grove and it would be the instant of the draw.

Grove’s body tensed a bit as he prepared to charge. Every muscle in his body was ready to become a gigantic fist that would crush the Wolf under his might. His armor settled with minute sounds of metal scraping against metal. The handle of his greataxe groaned in his steeled grip. His tower shield was now set and unmoving at the front, covering most of Grove’s person behind it. He would have one chance to kill Wolf and it would be the instant when Wolf shot him.

After several heartbeats that felt like an eternity, there was a slight shift in Grove’s footing and he exploded from his position like a steel bull as he charged towards Wolf. The Bounty Hunter’s hand was a blur that moved faster than Grove’s second step. Thunder rolled twice from his revolver, the muzzle flash illuminated the room and filled the air with gunsmoke as Wolf shot at Grove’s head. But something was wrong… Instead of his bullets hitting with a metallic clang against Grove’s helm there was a chilling crashing sound as the bullets disintegrated the moment they struck. The armored knight’s head jerked slightly but there was no damage! A shimmering blue aura clung to the metal armor Grove was wearing. Enchanted armor!

Richard’s eyes narrowed for a split instant before grimacing. “Shit…”

The gamble had paid off! Grove’s mind roared with triumph. He knew the Bounty Hunter was faster, so he had bet everything on the enchanted plate. Now, with Wolf’s guns proven useless, the tables had turned completely! Using his full strength, he swung his greataxe sideways to slaughter and cleave Wolf. Completely on the defensive, the Bounty Hunter had to dodge the devastating swings that tore apart furniture like they were twigs, shattering even the stone floor whenever he swung vertically.

Wolf was trying to gain some distance and fire another shot at Grove but the effects were the same. Four, Five, Six times he tried, but there was no way to penetrate the armor with his current loadout. Trying desperately to load a different bullet into his revolver, Grove took the opportunity to bash Wolf hard with his shield and throw him against the wall. The bounty hunter had the breath knocked out of him and a wet snap he felt in his ribcage told him that his injured rib had been broken badly and injured his lung.

Falling to his knees, Wolf coughed and gasped loudly, spitting blood after Grove’s attack injured him. Instinctively, he dropped one of his revolvers and placed his hand over his injured rib, a stab of pain made him growl like a feral beast.

Still weakened by his injuries, Wolf was unable to move nor mount an attack. He had no time… the heavy clanking sounds of Grove’s armored feet approaching made him look up as he tried to stay conscious.

The massive steel giant was looking down on him as he chuckled triumphantly, his metal defenses making it sound like he was a being born from steel.

“I got you, Old Man…” Grove discarded his shield and grabbed his greataxe with both hands, holding it above his head and preparing to slam it into Wolf with all his strength. He even saw the bounty hunter discard his other revolver and beat his right fist onto his chest twice… “Out of tricks, Wolf?”

Grove could still see that cold hard stare in the Bounty Hunter’s eyes… broken and beaten, but he wasn’t done fighting. He even reached for what looked like a hatchet and a broad knife. Puny weapons against his might.

“I win!” Grove brought his greataxe crashing down like a meteor with a powerful *KRAKOOM!* that made the entire room quake and lifted a cloud of dust which obscured vision for a while.

The armored knight had felt the axe crash into Wolf, but for some reason it hadn’t hit the stone! As the dust settled, he realized that the injured bounty hunter had stopped the full power of his swing with a cross guard using the hatchet and the knife!

Then he saw it! The seams of every piece of clothing Wolf was wearing, his boots, vest, gloves and even his weapons had a silver shimmer to them that revealed Wolf’s trump card.

“E-Enchanted!?”

“From head to toes, boy…” Wolf roared as he pushed Grove’s axe out of the way and slammed the blade of his hatchet into the armored chest. To Grove’s growing confusion, it had left a deep dent! “Round two… COME ON!”

Grove was stunned by the revelation of Wolf being completely geared with enchanted equipment. But he had no other choice but to keep fighting! He refused to accept defeat! Pressing his attack again, the armored knight went on the offensive by swinging his axe with both hands becoming a steel scythe cutting everything on its path.

But Wolf’s speed had been enhanced, his hands moved with equal speed with his tomahawk and knife as they did with his revolvers. Every stab of his knife found openings in Grove’s armor, piecing the flesh of its user with every move. His tomahawk was being swung around to deflect and redirect Grove’s wild swings. When the armored knight missed, the knife and tomahawk crashed into his armor leaving dents and punctures. The armor’s enchantment was failing!

Grove kept trying to land a solid hit on the bounty hunter but it was useless! Wolf knew how to move and how to avoid every attack! Fatigue was setting in… every missed swing was more stamina being spent… every wound he’d received from Wolf’s knife was making him bleed and sapping his strength.

This didn’t mean that Wolf wasn’t weakened either. Despite his enchanted gear, he was still very much injured and weakened. But his will to fight kept him going despite his pain. He had to end it now… he needed to know if his tactic had worked…

With a flick of his wrist, Wolf threw the knife. It flew true, striking Grove square in the chest. There was no flash of blue light, no screech of magic—only the grating *SHINK!* of enchanted steel parting like common iron. The blade didn't bite deep enough to wound him through the padding beneath, but the message was as clear as a death sentence to both men. The magic was gone.

With no more enchantments to protect him, his strength failing and the Wolf recovering the advantage, Grove roared out in desperation and began to swing his axe madly around destroying everything in his path!

This gave Wolf a brief second to roll back to collect his revolver with six shots left.

Grove charged against Wolf again in his final attempt to end the bounty hunter. “DIIIIIEEEEEE!!!!”

Wolf’s hand relaxed, his eyes narrowed as he cooled the burning injuries on his body. A split second had passed and his hand moved with blinding speed…

*BANG!* The first shot pierced through Grove’s right arm at the unarmored elbow joint. Losing all strength of his hand, the armored knight dropped the massive axe.

*BANG! BANG!* Twice thunder rolled again, almost simultaneously, tearing through the weak points behind Grove’s knee protection. Howling in pain and his legs buckling, the mountain of steel collapsed on his knees onto the ruined floor.

*BANG!* A fourth shot stuck his shield arm, further incapacitating him.

Grove couldn’t do a thing as Wolf pulled back the hammer and took careful aim at Grove again. He knew what was coming…

*BANG!* The shot slammed directly at the forehead of the helmet, ripping it from Grove’s head and sending it flying across the room, rattling the skull of the armored knight and knocking him down onto his back.

Unable to fight any further, the leader of the Black Talon had finally been defeated…

With his target laying on the ground, Wolf beat his chest twice again… the silver glow had finally faded from his equipment as he walked slowly towards his rival.

Grove could barely get his bearings after the bullet slammed into his helmet and knocked him on his back. Unable to move another muscle, he gasped for air and felt every wound that Wolf inflicted on him burning his flesh.

His ears were still ringing a bit, but he managed to hear Wolf’s footsteps as he approached him and soon stood over him. He saw the smoking barrel of his firearm aiming at his face. The steel colored eyes of the Bounty Hunter were staring down on him as his thumb pulled the hammer back for another shot.

“Fight’s over, Grove… you fought well. But you lost…” Wolf’s words came out from bloody lips as he spoke. “Now tell me… why’d you do it? Why work for a grey sunken bitch knowing you were gonna die? Was it really worth it? Answer me…”

Despite the pain Wolf was in and the fact that he only had one bullet left, the unrelenting determination of the Bounty Hunter still made Grove feel outmatched in every way. The fallen armored knight smiled wryly and chuckled in between coughs.

“Worth it? No. But,” His eyes opened up and looked up at Wolf without shame, “necessary? Yes… No doubt you’ve fought many battles for many years, Wolf, I’d wager you’ve probably forgotten what you’re even fighting for these days.”

The hardened gaze of the Bounty Hunter was staring daggers at Grove. That comment had hit close to home for Wolf… even if Grove didn’t really know it.

“I never had that luxury!” Grove continued with his voice rising, “Me? I always knew.”

“And what was that, boy?”

“A roof over their head,” Grove managed to sit up very slowly, “so that my mother doesn’t have to sleep in the streets. A dowry for my little sister so she can marry a man who is better than I ever was.”

Wolf’s gaze never showed any sympathy towards anyone he’d hunted down. For the first time, the unrelenting steel in Wolf's eyes softened for a fraction of a second. The barrel of his revolver, which had been aimed squarely between Grove's eyes, lowered by a single, almost imperceptible inch.

“You could’ve fought for someone else, Grove. You could’ve joined an adventuring party that could make use of your strength. You would’ve been an honest Alpha in this realm. Why’d you take the gold?”

“Heh! The Baroness… Sinis, she doesn’t offer gold, Wolf. She offers an answer to your prayers and all you have to do is obey. You don’t realize you’ve sold your soul to a demon until the real monsters come knocking at your door…”

Wolf moved his revolver so that the barrel was barely half-inch from Grove’s forehead. Despite the slight fear he now felt, Grove didn’t close his eyes.

“You only got one bullet left…”

“This one’s not for you, Grove…” Wolf’s voice was low, tired and full of restrained fury.

“So… I’m not your real target… am I?” Grove smirked a bit.

“You were the ‘talons’. I want the ‘head’ of the snake.” Richard pulled his gun back but was still aiming at Grove.

“You’re a Bounty Hunter. You take jobs from people to hunt down monsters… even those that look like humans. Right?” Grove saw the slightest of nods from Richard who was still watching him like a hawk.

“Then I have a bounty for you,” Grove looked over at his damaged desk, “inside the central drawer, there’s a false bottom, there you’ll find documents, papers and proof of Baroness Sinis’ shady deals: trafficking of illegal goods, slavery… you already know about the deals we had with monsters right? Well… they were actually lackeys of the Demon Lord.”

Mention of the Demon Lord made Wolf’s eyes widen a little… his final target!

“Why offer these documents to me? What’s your game?”

“I want you to kill the Baroness for me, Wolf.” Grove gauged Wolf’s reactions, but only saw cold anger. “If you deliver those papers to the right authorities, you’d be able to make this bounty legal and official to the laws of his country.”

“You think I’m so noble, boy?”

“What?”

“I’m gonna kill that bitch whether there’s a bounty on her head or not.” Grove could see the anger starting to overwhelm the eyes of the injured bounty hunter who, despite all challenges, remained resolute. “But, with this new information you have, I can make sure no one else can pick up her scraps.”

“So… that means…?”

“I accept the job.”

One hour later…

The City Guard had finally arrived at the burning headquarters of the Black Talon group to answer to the noise disturbances and the fire that was consuming the mansion. The Guild Master appeared with Alana tagging along to try and smooth things over with the guards and explain that there was a Guild request and bounty on the heads of the Black Talon group for crimes against the realm and that the Guild Master had sent the Bounty Hunter, Richard Wolf, to bring them in and their leader Grove, dead or alive.

After the fires were put out, the City Guard were busy rounding up all the surviving members of the Black Talons who hadn’t been slain by Wolf. Many of them had been injured beyond repair and were still dragged into the prison wagon with the rest.

The last two people to come out were Richard and Grove. The Bounty Hunter held his fully loaded revolver at the ready while escorting the armorless and chained Grove to the wagon. Many of the onlookers and neighbors began to yell out profanities and vented their anger towards the Black Talons and Grove for causing trouble in the realm and staining the reputation of the benevolent Baroness Sinis.

Grove remained impassive. Wolf remained stoic as well. They didn’t speak, they didn’t look at the crowd. Grove looked like a man being taken to the gallows and, very soon, he would be. His escort didn’t seem at all bothered by what was happening. Wolf’s mind was already somewhere else as he protected a satchel filled with documents under his duster coat and drank a healing potion.

Beyond the crowd, inside a carriage bearing the Baroness Sinis’ house sigil, the woman herself was observing the spectacle with great delight! Her anonymous tip to the Guild had worked perfectly! The mutts of the Black Talons were now going to be executed for “their crimes” and she even used that odious Bounty Hunter to save her the trouble of sending her pets to do the deed.

“Splendid! I will watch all of you die one by one during tomorrow’s executions and savor every agonizing moment you experience.” The diabolical grin in the Baroness’ face widened as she giggled like a child playing with her dolls. “I will send my little pet to hunt down that mongrel Wolf and tie up all loose ends. And when that is done… the Demon Lord’s followers will have free rein of this realm!”

For a moment, the Baroness noticed that before Grove was locked inside the prisoner wagon, he looked back towards the Bounty Hunter. Then she saw that hideous elf receptionist exchange a few words with Wolf.

Then she saw him turn his head to look in her direction. His eyes… there was no fear… no joy… and he was staring at her. Did he see her? Impossible… that mongrel adventurer will die soon anyway. She signaled the driver to get going and her carriage rode away.

“Miss Alana… that carriage, and that woman staring at us… who is that?” Wolf stared into the distance looking at the face of a woman who was looking far too pleased with herself in the middle of all this commotion.

“Umm… I don’t see the person you’re referring to, but that carriage carries the sigil of the Baroness Sinis.” Alana couldn’t really see that far, but she noticed that the eyes of the Bounty Hunter had narrowed down angrily. “M-Mr. Wolf? Is something wrong?”

“Yes,” Wolf said hastily as he held Grove’s documents closer to himself, “but we’re going to make it right. Tell the Guild Master I need to speak with him, right now. The night’s just begun for us, Miss Alana…”

“Target found…”