Story I started when I was in the hosp this past weekend… I don’t know whether to continue it or let it lie. Rereading it, this story, chapter anyway, just seems so pretentious and somewhat juvenile. It lacks class. Meh.
Excalibur
Prologue: Gravemakers & Gunslingers
Dilia, New Mexico – 1886
The stranger rode in with the sandstorm trailing behind him. Peering from under the brimmed sunglasses he wore, the stranger took in his surroundings and made his way to the saloon, aptly named the “Spit n’ Trigger”, stabling his black mare out in the front. The barkeeper watched this patron wearily, almost knowing what to expect. The stranger hung his duster and black overcoat on the coat rack next to the piano yet kept his brimmed sunglasses and oddly shaped gun belt on.
“What’ll it be, mister? Don’t got much, just yer shit tequila, scotch, and whiskey. Pick yer poison and then be on yer way.” The stranger cocked his eyebrow. “How about a glass of milk? Have you got any? And is that anyway to talk to a patron of your fine establishment?” The stranger grinned at this. Perhaps he thought the mocking tone would bother the barkeeper. It didn’t, it just steeled his nerve.
The barkeeper poured the stranger a glass of whiskey and slid it down the bar. “Drink, pay, and git. We don’t want any of yer trouble, mister.” The stranger surveyed him with a look of curiosity and disgust. “And why would you think I bring trouble? Did someone mayhap tell you that that is what I’m bringing? Clever barkeeper… Who might have divulged this information to you? Please, pray tell, for I would gladly like to hear” the stranger said with a chipper tone. The barkeeper glared back at the stranger. “You know gods damn well who told me, mister. The girly who passed through here… She’s the one yer lookin’ for, ain’t it? Well she ain’t here. Best be on yer way if you intend to catch’er too. I ain’t got time for this rubbish, I got a business to run, so git.”
The stranger smiled and then left two gold pieces on the bar. Then he made his way back to the front, grabbing his coat and hat as he did, then turned back to the barkeeper, smiled and waved, and walked out.
The barkeeper, feeling as though the weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders, took the shot of whiskey that the stranger had left behind, sighed, and wiped the sweat from his brow. Then the saloon doors were kicked open and two hollow point bullets lodged themselves in the barkeeper’s head. “You’re a goddamn liar, pardner” the stranger said, smiling at the headless corpse of the barkeeper. “I’m not too fond of liars.”
The stranger went back outside and stood in front of his horse, readjusting the tether. Then he walked out into the middle of the road and started to yell, with onlookers staring out at him from their houses and businesses. “MORGANA! I WILL KILL EVERYONE IN THIS SHITHOLE TOWN WITHIN MINUTES IF YOU DON’T MAKE YOURSELF KNOWN IMMEDIATELY! BY GODS, I’VE HAD JUST ABOUT ENOUGH THIS GAME! TOWNS PEOPLE OF DILIA, THE CRONE YOU HARBOR HAS SOMETHING OF MINE. THE WITCH STOLE A FAMILY HEIRLOOM AND I WANT IT BACK! 200 GOLD PIECES TO THE FIRST ONE WHO DELIVERS HER HEAD!” the stranger shouted. But the towns people already didn’t like the stranger and apparently, didn’t care about the gold. Once they heard the threat of him killing them, they had already chosen their side. The onlookers then grew angry, and then reaching for their own pistols. “Tut tut, they never learn” he sighed, as he shot six of the towns people that he reached for their guns. “If any of the rest of you would like to try the same, please, I need some target practice and I wot you folks would be just fine for it, just fine indeed.”
“No need for that, Samuel. I’m here. I’m guessing we can’t settle this matter peacefully. Return to your homes immediately, people. I doubt you were going to want to stay for this.” said Morgana ruefully. “Your days of killing are over, Samuel. This ends today.”
Samuel began to circle Morgana, the way a lion might circle it’s prey before it goes in for the kill.“But my dear, you are correct. It does end. With your head blown off from it’s neck and Excalibur once again in my possession. Because you see, since the last time we met, I’ve gained something. Something that is more powerful than your pathetic sorcery” said Samuel, lowering his glasses, showing Morgana his threatening purple eyes.
Morgana just stood there, looking at this pathetic creature, a creature that was a direct descendant from King Arthur himself and let out a chuckle. “Ah, demon magic, I should’ve guessed. You healed awfully quick from our last row, I should’ve known you’d seek the help of bottom feeders like demons. So what deal did they make you? You kill me, get Excalibur, then it gets your soul for eternity, Samuel? That sounds like a hard bargain! Ha! You stupid fool. You won’t even get to use it for your plans… Or do you have another trick up your sleeve? You do, don’t you? How rash of me to think not.” Morgana glanced down at the gun that was Excalibur and smiled with quiet contemplation. “You intend to use the power of Excalibur to reverse time. To undo your deal with the demon, don’t you? Ah, that’s exactly what you intend… Clever boy, clever. But you’ll have to get it from your dear half-sister Morgana first, now won’t you? Come, come, brother, let us dance.”
The two gunslingers danced albeit with bullets. Morgana fired Excalibur nine times, Samuel dodging each of the bullets with grace and speed while he fired his demon revolvers, Morgana avoiding each slug with ease. They were both evenly matched, they both knew it.
Morgana lept on the balcony of the saloon and continued to fire Excalibur, feeling the power behind it and the energy coursing through. She lept from balcony to rooftop while each of the demon-powered bullets flew by her head, shattering the windows behind her. Laughing as she ran, she fired one last shot as she cartwheeled through the air, which landed itself right between Samuel Rook’s eyes. Dropping his demon revolvers, Samuel collapsed onto the sun cracked ground with a thump, blood pouring from every orifice on his face. “Good night, sweet prince. Big sister says sorry.” Morgana mumbled as she kicked over his body. With that, she flitted into the noon day sky and was gone.
The towns people came out of their houses and stared at the body that took center stage on the street. Slowly the towns people gathered around it, each with revered looks. Then something happened… The blood to Samuel’s body started to rejoin it’s body, like it was being sucked back in. A popping squelching sound emitted from Samuel’s forehead and the bullet that was fired from Excalibur was now laying on the ground next to him. The towns people backed away and stared with wonder. Samuel got up and brushed himself off, face still covered in blood and eyes still blazing purple. “I’m not in a very good mood” he said, and then proceeded to kill each of person in Dilia, slaughtering them with ease, shooting them like pigs in a barrel. He grinned and then frowned when his chore was over… And then set off to find his bitch of a sister.
