King Henry the Ninth rose at dawn. As was his custom, he wandered over to the aperture in his chambers and gazed up at the clear sky. This day however, he saw the comet and its long fiery tale just below the rising sun.

“So the prediction has arrived.”

His mind flowed back to the soothsayer’s warning.

“A kingdom shall fall and twins shalt die, as the comet fractures the sky.”

He turned as a frightened pike man knocked frantically.

“Enter.”

“Sorry to disturb sire but the men are frightened.”

The old king shook his head.

“Tell them not to fear. Inform my captain that I wish to see him in my throne room.”

The trooper bowed and when the king had dressed, he found Grant and
Charly waiting for him.

As he sat upon his sumptuous throne, he muttered, “So the grim day has arrived.”

“Predictions can be changed sire,” Charly said slowly. “They are never set in stone.”

“You really believe that captain?”

“We have to sire. Allow me to have the gunpowder stored in the castle vaults.”

“You may captain. Perhaps this is a day that can be avoided.”

The friends bowed and headed for the alchemist. For many months now, he had been creating the gunpowder in large quantities as Charly had asked, and now the barrels were fairly cluttering his chambers.

“Ah captain. Have you come to remove this explosive mixture at last?”

“We certainly have,” Grant said. “You sure have been busy.”

The alchemist smiled.

“I am exceedingly diligent.”

Charly nodded to the waiting pike men who now entered to cart the heavy barrels to the lower vaults.

“We shall need no more,” Charly said. “The day has arrived.”

The alchemist glanced up.

“Then it is time for me to leave.”

“Where will you go?” Grant asked.

“To safer climes of course.”

They left him to it and returned to their apartment.

“What about us mate?”

Charly shook his head.

“Our place is here.”

He opened the drawer and pulled out the sapphire ring.

“I know what this black knight is really after. Come with me now.”

Grant followed as they returned to the throne room.

“Why back so quickly captain?”

Charly pointed out the special ring.

“I believe sire that our enemy will want to get his hands on these.”

The king reached inside his purple robe and pulled out his own.

“You know that he gave these to me captain. Why make war to retrieve
them?”

Charly smiled grimly.

“He needs both to return from whence he came sire. It is our duty to
deny him the opportunity.”

“We shall captain. When his army is smashed and he be scattered to
the four winds.”

“As we all know, this shall not be easy. We only have four of his swords and the blacksmith has been unable to replicate the steel.”

“A terrible business captain. To face an enemy that can slice my knights like can openers.”

“Then allow me to destroy the rings sire. You never know, he may call this war off.”

The king thought this over and after groaning, handed his over.

“Do as you will captain. Let us hope that you are right.”

The friends left at once and made for the blacksmith shop. The tough metallurgist looked up as they entered.

“Sorry captain, my latest attempt failed. As you can see the blade is far too brittle.”

As if to demonstrate, he tapped the new sword with his fist and it crumbled into filings.

“Hopefully we may not need them after all,” Charly said taking a heavy hammer.

As the blacksmith watched, Charly placed the rings upon the anvil and smashed them into tiny fragments.

“Come on Grant, we have to make sure that everyone knows.”

They found the castle crier and the captain said, “I need you to ride far and wide to deliver a special message to the settlements.”

“That is what I‘m here for captain.”

Grant smiled as his friend continued.

“Tell everyone that the rings have been destroyed by Charly.”

“I will do this sir.”

Charly patted his shoulder warmly.

“Good man. After you finish return here. Hopefully the castle will still be standing.”

As the crier ran for his mount, Charly entered the courtyard and assembled the rag tag army.

As they stood in line, he shook his head sadly.

“Since we lost the knights, our effectiveness has been diminished. The dark enemy knows this and is waiting for his chance. Therefore, every wall shall be guarded. At the least sign of trouble, the bugler will sound the alarm.”

He paused for effect.

“The black knight knows that he will have to break us here, or lose the war. We shall overcome!”

The bowmen and pike men cheered, and headed off to their respective positions. When they had gone Grant said, “Rousing speech mate.”

Charly looked at him grimly.

“Sometimes Grant words are not enough.”

As darkness approached and the comet burned brightly, a thick fog rose from nowhere and the lights of the oncoming army came into view.

A top a turret, the bugler spotted them easily and issued the call to arms.

“Looks like they are here,” Grant said as they reached the curtain wall.

“They are indeed. Obviously my message was ignored.”

The king’s troops manned the walls as the strange enemy approached slowly. The king joined his captain upon the battlements in full armour.

“Your ruse failed then.”

“Yes sire. Even destroying them was not enough.”

“I intend to fight beside you this night.”

He took a bow and dropping his visor, leant into the aperture.

The enemy approached with the black knight at their head. He scanned the determined defenders and strangely took a white flag and rode at them.

“Don’t fire!” Charly called. “He wants to parley.”

“Perhaps he wants to surrender?” Grant suggested hopefully.

“I very much doubt that,” Charly said.

The shining steed stopped at the walls and the knight shouted up.

“If the king steps down in my favour, I’ll spare this place and its people.”

“Go to hell!” the proud king shouted.

“Destroying the rings was rather foolish Charly. Now I’ll just have to stay.”

He turned and rode back to his own lines as the king’s standard fluttered in the breeze.

“Prepare yourselves,” Charly shouted as the enemy drew even closer.

Despite the gloom, Grant heard a strange rumbling and squinted.

“What’s that at the front?”

Charly strained to see and then his face fell.

“It’s a ruddy cannon mate! Now we really are finished!”

“What’s a cannon?” the king asked.

As if in answer, the air shook as the cannon was fired. The metallic ball smashed into the front turret, as it fired again.

“Hold your position!” Charly yelled as enemy fire began to rain down.

A third cannon shot broke the proud tower, and it collapsed with a mighty roar. Almost at once, deadly arrows showered upon the defenders.

“Keep your heads down!” Charly roared as the arrow storm struck his troops.

The thin armour of the defenders was no protection from such monsters. The tips smashed through easily and the defenders began to fall.

“If only we had knights,” the kind lamented.

“We do not sire,” Charly reminded him. These are just softening up tactics.

The cannon roared again and part of the front curtain wall crumbled.
As stone and men toppled, arrows crashed around them.

“We won’t take much more of this Charly,” Grant said with mounting alarm.

“I know that mate.”

Another cannon ball smashed the front gate to smithereens and a shout went up.

“Stay here captain,” the king commanded. I shall stand with the pike and defend the courtyard.”

Charly nodded as the king left while the enemy troops surged forward.

“We stay?” Grant enquired.

“You heard the ruddy orders.”

A cannon ball smashed the second tower as more arrows crashed around them. Within the courtyard, the armoured king stood with his men.

As the enemy reached the shattered gate, the king led the attack.

Swords clashed and cleaved, severing hands and arms respectively. A well-timed blow by the king, allowed a pike man to disembowel an enemy trooper.

A moment later, an axe caught the king amidships and the brave monarch crashed down.

“The king’s hurt!” the troops cried as another swarm of arrows descended.

“We can’t hold them sir,” the pike man said as he reached the captain.

“Just a moment longer mate.”

Sitting upon his steed, the black knight watched with satisfaction.
Now with the battle nearly won, he gave another order.

“Bowmen take up swords and assist our men. Cannon brigade remain on station.”

From the crumbling battlements, Charly saw the bowmen surging forward.

“Just as I expected Grant. He’s far too confidant for his own good.”

Within the courtyard, the battle continued. The swordsmen clambering over bodies to get at the enemy. Beneath that rotting pile lay the dead king.

Axes clanked and cut, swords clashed as the air filled with screams and moans.

“I think now is the time,” Charly hissed.

“You had a plan?”

“A rather grim one mate. A last resort. The final throw of the die. Come on!”

He dashed to the west parapet and opened the wooden hatch. A ladder led into the bowels of the castle, and down this he scrambled.

Just as Grant attempted to follow, a hail of arrows crashed down, more than a few striking his unprotected back.

He groaned and actually tried to smile before toppling over.

Charly scrambled back to the parapet and saw that his dear friend was indeed no more.

“You’ll ruddy well pay for that mate!”

He closed the hatch and scrambled toward the waiting vaults where the gunpowder waited.

“Never thought I’d need to do this.”

He opened a barrel and spread a trail of the mixture across the floor and into a nearby tunnel. When half was gone, he ran to the tunnel entrance where a lit brazier awaited. Just beyond this was the secret entrance to the stables.

“Let’s see how you like this.”

Charly lit the powder, and as it fizzled, he ran for his life. He found his steed and gripping the reins guided it into the open air.

Within the castle, the king’s remaining forces had been forced onto the battlements to make a last stand.

As the enemy rushed toward them, the fuse reached the chamber and the twelve barrels exploded.

From his position, Charly saw the castle being torn asunder, as the huge mushroom cloud rose skyward. The entire castle seemed to vanish within that terrible fireball.

He stared toward the waiting cannon and those who guarded it.
Drawing his sword, he charged.

The black knight had seen the awful detonation, and saw Charly bearing down upon him. Rearing his steed he cried, “We shall meet again Charly!”

The horse turned and rode off as Charly reached the cannon. Its two operators tried to stop him but were easily cut down. As Charly saw his deadly foe recede he cried with vengeance, “Oh no you ruddy well don’t. You’re not escaping a second time mate.”

Charly dug his heels and his brave steed bolted after the retreating enemy. As it clattered toward Thor Height, Charly urged it on to greater speed.

Across the rising rocky ground it sped, gaining ground as the black knight took greater care. Charly saw him dismount and slap his glowing steed away and run toward the towering cliff.

“Now I’ve got you mate!”

Charly pulled on the reins and jumped off, his sword drawn for immediate action. As he crept gingerly forward, there was no sight of his dangerous foe.

“Where on earth could he have got to?”

As rocks towered overhead, Charly moved gingerly toward the edge of the awesome ravine. Peering down he saw the raging river far below.

“He certainly didn’t go that way mate.”

Charly shook his head and stepped back.

“Damn crazy thing this. He just can’t vanish. No ruddy ring for a start.”

A scraping noise from behind swung Charly around and he gasped. The black knight stood some way off just staring at him. “So you decided to hide I see.”

The knight removed his helm and tossed it aside with some distaste.

“Such cumbersome things don’t you think?”

“I’ll keep mine on if you don’t mind.”

“Please yourself then.”

Charly stared at his own familiar face as the knight smiled.

“Worked it out yet?”

Charly smiled.

“You should know.”

The knight smiled back.

“We both knew upon that battlefield how this would end.”

“Hopefully with your demise mate.”

The black knight roared with laughter.

“Rather unlikely I’d say. So tell me how I got here?”

Charly nodded grimly.

“You jumped from an alternate reality of course. A reality far ahead of this one. Hence the rings.”

“You got it in one,” the knight replied. “However, you missed the important bit.”

Charly smiled.

“Why you want to kill me?”

The enemy nodded.

“Oh that is so simple mate. My good restricts your evil. You cannot be totally free whilst I exist.”

“Exactly,” the knight hissed. “I will soon rule here without your interference.”

“With no castle? I don’t think so mate.”

“Castles can be rebuilt.”

“Not an army though. We saw to that.”

The knight’s face grew darker as he caressed his blade.

“Enough of this idle banter. It’s time my friend.”

“I’m no ruddy friend of yours!”

The knight began advancing slowly and Charly swung his sword to keep him back.

“Remember this Charly. I know all your moves. After all, we are two sides of the same coin.”

Charly tried a sudden rush that his enemy easily sidestepped. An armoured boot struck out, knocking him to the ground. As Charly stood once more, his enemy smiled.

“Round one to me I think.”

Charly heard the roar of the river below and moved forward with purpose. The swinging sword not allowing the knight’s to find a path through.

“Let’s see what you make of this then.”

Charly stepped to one side and swung with all his might. Their weapons clashed as they came toe to toe.

“You’ll have to try harder than that.”

The knight swung an armoured fist and Charly reeled back. As he fell, the knight leapt at him.

Charly rolled violently as the sword blade swished down, and was on his feet before the knight realised.

He swung the sword again, striking the knight squarely across the shoulders. The blade sliced through the armour and his enemy squealed.

“This is one of your own blades mate. Taken from a corpse. I think we are even.”

The black knight staggered away, but his sword hand remained as mobile as ever. He turned, wiping the sweat from his brow.

“A lucky strike that’s all.”

Charly swung again but the injured knight lashed out viciously. The blade opened the stomach protection and the skin below. Charly reeled awkwardly as the awful pain struck.

“Now we are really even,” the black knight hissed.

Charly groaned, looking at his enemy with hatred.
“So it ends like this.”

The knight lurched at him until their swords locked together. Charly kneed his groin plate with no effect. They pushed and shoved, each trying to gain the upper hand.

At long last, the enemy began to stagger back as Charly threw in his very last ounce of energy.

“Hope you can fly mate.”

The ravine was only a step ahead and the knight knew it.

“Dam you Charly!”

Charly head butted his own evil face and the knight overbalanced. He fell back, as his sword arm swung for the final time.

The blade struck the thin neck armour as the black night toppled into empty space. His body tumbled as terrible screams rent the air.
Charly saw it smash into the torrent below as he wobbled.

He knew how badly he was injured. As his vision clouded, he saw Christine looking at him. The spectral cat meowed bitterly as Charley’s head detached.

For Charly himself, he had at least the weird sensation of seeing his headless corpse reeling over the edge, as his head plummeted into the cold icy waters.

The story did not end there however...

The darkness cleared and Charly found himself within a warm environment. Grass grew here, alongside rather small trees.

As he scratched his head in wonder, a fluffy black cat with a white bib padded towards him.

“At least I’m not in hell.”

Charly rubbed his head and knelt down.

“Hello Christine.”

The loving cat, the lifelong companion purred happily.

As she jumped into daddy’s loving arms, Charly glanced across the warm meadow. Wherever he looked, cats were peering at him.

Some sat upon the small trees. Just the right height for these fluffy felines. Others were scurrying towards him.

Charly smiled at the peaceful vision. Looking down once more at Christine, he stood at last. His cat purring within his arms, her nose rubbing against him.

“Well Christine,” he whispered. “Seems as though I have friends here eh?”

The cat stared up at his kind face.

“Welcome home daddy.”

Brigandia: The End...