Chapter Text
The stranger guided his horse along the remains of what must have once been a motorway but now wasn't much more than burned debris,rubble and ash. A stark reminder of better days that had long since gone. Of people, names, that had passed into oblivion with nobody now left who remembered them.
The stranger too once had a name but it had long ceased to matter. He was driven now by only one goal, find his quarry and seek justice or, if not justice, then at least revenge.
It was the unmistakable feeling of a familiar Quickening that told him he was getting close to his target. Familiar and yet not entirely. Not anymore, since it no longer belonged to the man he had known like the back of his own hand.
He looked up towards the small hill that rose out of the burned earth, like a jagged tooth out of a rotting mouth. There was the unmistakable smoke of a campsite and even from this far away, he noticed a small figure illuminated by the light against the rapidly darkening sky.
Only a short distance now. Just a little further and he would be done.
“Why have you come?“ the hermit asked wearily, huddled over his campfire. His hood was drawn down, covering most of his face, leaving his long graying beard as the man's only discernible feature.
"You know why,“ the stranger replied, his voice cold as ice.
“I should warn you,“ the hermit said, calmly as if the current threat was none of his concern. “This place is hallowed. You know there will be repercussions if you try to take my head here.“
“This is the part where I tell you,“ the stranger said with a grim smile as he drew his sword out of the hidden scabbard under his long coat, “that I'm way past caring about that.“
The fight, if one wanted to call it that, was over quickly as the hermit put up no resistance. Once upon a time that might have stayed the stranger's hand, or depending on exactly how far back he was thinking it might have made him enjoy what came next even more. Still, there was no hint of fear in the hermit's eyes as the blade rushed towards his neck, just quiet acceptance and pity.
Oh don't feel bad on my account, the stranger thought with grim satisfaction. You already took all I cared about. I'm going to enjoy what comes next.
And then it was done. The separated head toppled to the ground and mist began to swivel around the now headless body.
The stranger closed his eyes, letting his broadsword fall from his hand as the first wave of the Quickening hit him. He took in the strange images, shards of memories, faces, the ghosts of other Immortals, many of whom were unfamiliar and some who were not. He noted one in particular, the one he had been looking for.
Duncan.
More lightning struck him, the sheer force of thousands of years of experience forcing him to his knees.
Suddenly, the earth began to shake, and as he opened his eyes in alarm, he saw cracks appearing all around the dead hermit's body. He should probably have been prepared for this. The hermit had warned him after all. A sudden flash of light made stars dance in front of his eyes and then he was overcome by a sense of vertigo, it felt as if the world was shifting around him….