The sounds of swords clashing against one another broke the silence issued by the reveal of the Old King's state. Gabriel parried the first strike to come in, only to be forced to roll out of the way on the ground when the next few strikes came in from the falsebound Excalibur. The King seemed to fight emotionlessly, his state like that of automata - moving only according to the whims of the puppetmaster.
Speaking of whom, Bethicia cackled outloud in abject fiendish delight, "This is just too good! The young knight faces one who has brought him great honor and pain - and he cannot bring himself to make even a single volt!"
Tamerin struck down one of the zombies with his spear and levitated up on the pole of the spear, "Explain yourself, you vile sorceress!"
Bethicia seemed to be happy to explain even as the fight continued in the clearing made by the swings of their blades, "I spent years perfecting this spell - the Art of Corpse Duplication, Enslavement of the Dead. With this I can bring someone back at a measure of the power they had in life...except then they have no choice but to obey my every command. Like this one; Lord Jaime, spill Gabriel Dulac's guts all over the ground."
Gabriel dodged a crucial and potentially fatal upward slice from the False Excalibur, as the two separated for a moment.
Gabriel wanted to belt out any number of curses, long and vile, at that harridan up there, taking delight in the suffering of mortals, but as it was his every single drop of focus was on surviving this fight. Long hair stained with sweat and dirt from numerous dodge rolls, Gabriel held his sword up in a defensive stance.
Bethicia crooned outloud, "Ohh not even willing to take an offensive? You know what that means, slave."
Jaime rushed in and started stabbing frantically at Gabriel, no regard to his own health.
Gabriel parried and dodged attacks as best he could, but one inevitably nicked his jawline, sending a brief spatter of red lifeblood into the night air. Bethicia let out a gasp of pleasure at this, rubbing her hands together. King Tamerin and Jerome winced at the sight, even as Jerome burned yet more of the witch Bethicia's zombies to dust.
Jerome morosely contemplated, "...How many townships...how many despoiled graveyards for this foul army...?"
Tamerin - when his own end of the fight looked to be free - started to fly in, but Gabriel turned his head and shouted, "NO! This is my fight! No matter what...no matter what. This is my fight. From beginning to end...It was Jaime who brought me well and fully into the Knightly Order. And it...it will be me...that returns him to peace within God's Heaven."
Bethicia crooned, "Ohh such bravado! But so lacking in substance. You can't even land a hit---"
That was when Jaime spoke, "...Gabriel...for all that...happened---I misjudged you. You...grew...to be a fine lad. F-Finish me off...please...I-I-I am...s-s-sorry..." Every word seemed like a battle for him to force out, and when he finished his mouth slammed shut, cracking several teeth.
Bethicia shouted and screamed, suddenly furious, "Did your master say you could speak you disgusting show piece!? KILL HIM! KILL GABRIEL DULAC! KILL!"
Gabriel readied his sword, pointed it forward, preparing his legs for a charge. Then he was in movement, sword poised for a stabbing attack - do or die.
"KILL!" Her voice loud to all other than Dulac.
The King, unwillingly, prepared a large skewering strike aimed at the chest - with such a sword it would be a fatal one.
Gabriel suddenly twisted to the side.
"KILL!" She was now sounding more and more desperate. Tamerin and Jerome gasped - neither could bear to look...
Gabriel slid just a bit more, as the King's sword instead of skewering him slid along the side of his armor, followed by a barrage of sparks due to this contact, as Gabriel's own stab punctured through the armor and befouled flesh of the undead King. Gabriel knew he had only one chance.
..I let you go. For good or ill. Gabriel's mind processed the images he saw in those dreams, his troubled thoughts, his memories. Goodbye King Jaime. Be at rest.
"THUNDER KING'S HAMMER!!" The invocation brought down a massive hammer shaped burst of lightning that sent Bethicia tumbling off of her shadowy energy, and incinerated the undead King's body for good. Gabriel thought he heard something before the attack happened, but could not fathom at that moment what it was.
He stood there as the spell's power faded from immediate view, lightning crackling off of him. He looked at Bethicia, raising his sword. "Contend with me without your minions, wench!!"
Bethicia got back up and a large inky mass of darkness exploded out from underneath her, and she coldly pronounced, "Then you will face all the powers of Hell!"
