----
Anna rode behind him, and hoped he could not read her thoughts. She stared at the back of his neck, wishing she could smash his skull in. But would that kill him, she thought. Both women rode the same horse, both stay silent out of fear of what lay ahead of them.
-----
Sharlette stood at the edge of the porch after pacing for hours. Her eyes scanned the dark woods in front of her. Puck stood next to her, copying her every move.
"He's coming." She said, as her gaze never left the trees.
"I can feel him. What do we do once he gets here?" Dwayne asked, as he stepped out on the porch.
"We confront darkness." She said, as Dwayne walked out into the field.
Puck starts to pace along the porch. "Just what do we kill him with? Will any weapon do?" He asks Sharlette.
"His own weapon, you have to get it somehow." She says, as she stops Pucks pacing with a touch of her hand. "He plans to kill your friend."
"Which one?" Puck asks, throwing his hands in the air. This dream was getting more frustrating by the minute.
"She was not born a son. You must fight him to get even near his weapon. His sword...or his whip." She said, as she let him pace again.
"Will this feeling ever go away, I still feel him with me." Shadow says and shivers.
"You have connection with him, it will last..." Sharlette let her words trail off.
"How do you prepare to do battle with a monster such as he, Sharlette." Chester asks, standing just inside the door.
"Mentally, he can't get you right here." Sharlette said, as she pointed to her head.
-------
They emerged from the woods and into the field , and let their horses gallop the rest of the way across the field. The people on the porch stood waiting for them like a small army ready to pounce. Sargatanis smiled as he saw Shadow, but his eyes soon found the old woman.
"Sharlette." He said, as he and his horse bowed to her.
She stared at him darkly and then turned her attention to Anna and Rachel. Both looked as if they had been beaten. Sharlette held out a hand for both of them to come to her. Anna started to dismount her horse, but Sargatanis held up his riding crop in front of her, and Anna tensed with fear and shook her head at Sharlette.
Sargatanis backed his horse up next to Anna's and pushed Rachel off. The rope around her neck held tight, and she started to strangle slowly. Dwayne started to run to her, but Puck held him back.
"Don't try and play a hero." Puck said, wondering where the words were coming from.
Sargatanis started to laugh. "Believe me, there is no hero among you." He says, as he stares at Chester. "He can't even keep his woman, let alone fight his own battle."
Chesters hands clinched into fists, as he stepped forward in hopes of knocking Sargatanis off his horse.
"Even if it's true, don't let him get to you." Puck said, as he stood in his way. This dream sucks, he thought.
"Your wench was sweet." Sargatanis said with a smile.
Puck turns to him. "What?" he asks, as visions of Sargatanis and Jessica enter his mind.
"She was willing to...." Sargatanis starts, but is hit hard by Puck and is thrown off the horse.
"PUCK!!" Shadow yells , as the two men roll across the lawn in their own battle.
"Leave them be. We have things to do here." Sharlette says, as she pulls Anna off the horse.
------
Rachel's horse moves back and the rope goes slack, helping her to breath. She stands up, noticing that the other end of the rope is tied to the stirrup. She unties the rope around her neck, and throws is across the lawn. She would have rope burn around her neck for weeks to come, but she was alive.
She watched as the men fought, hoping Puck would be the winner. She couldn't let this go on any more, she had to do something, anything.
The men break free from each other and Rachel runs between them. Sargatanis smiles at her, and suddenly she realizes her mistake. His whip comes smashing down against her cheek, knocking her to the ground.
Puck watches on one knee, as Sargatanis' whip lashes onto Rachel's back. Her dress was red with fresh blood, making Pucks anger grow more intense. "Stop!!" He yelled, as he ran to spear the man.
Sargatanis was too quick for him. He grabbed Puck by the throat and lifted him off the ground. The two men stare eye to eye for a brief minute, and then he throws Pucks lifeless body to the ground. Sargatanis smiles in triumph, at the others standing silently around him.
"Such foolishness." He said, as he noticed Anna standing next to Sharlette, and not sitting on her horse.
------
Rachel crawled over to Puck, and realized his neck had been broken. She closed his eyes that stared at the sky, and almost started to cry. She had to be strong though, the tears could come later. Next to him, Sargatanis had carelessly left his whip.
The whip dangled from her hand, as she made her way over to the others.
"You're time is over Sargatanis." Sharlette said, as he remounted his horse.
"My place is here." Anna said, almost hiding behind Sharlette.
"You're place was never here, Fool. Chester could never give you what I give you." Sargatanis said, as he brought his horse closer to her as if to lift her on with him.
Rachel quietly glided behind Chester, and put the whip into his hand."Be the hero, Anna's hero!" Rachel whispered into his ear. He grasped the handle tightly, as he watched Sharlette and Sargatanis argue. He started to count, one couldn't be too eager.
Sargatanis' horse reared up in rage, and Chester lashed out with the whip catching him around the neck. Chester pulled with all his might, and Sargatanis came crashing to the ground. "You are finished, over with... Do you hear me!!" Chester yelled, as he started to drag Sargatanis across the field. "You may have all the evil in the world in you, but it will not stop you from dying by my hand." Chester said, pulling the whip even tighter.
Sargatanis' eyes bulged in more than fear, as he felt the life running out of him.
"I'd give my whole life for Anna." Chester said as he jerked on the rope one last time.
A loud pop is heard, and Sargatanis' body falls lifelessly to the ground. Chester looks around smiling only to see that he is the only one left standing.