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Chapter Text

Earth-2016

Theon Greyjoy hawked and spat a wad of tobacco out his mouth as he straightened his coat, following the black man towards a saloon.

“You sure he’s here?” he asked.

Sam Chisolm turned to him. “I hope so.”

Theon smirked, fiddling with the pistol by his belt. It had been over a month since he ended up in this world and had decided to tag along with Chisolm, since he didn’t know where else to go.

The pair stepped into the saloon where several grizzly men were sitting, either drinking whiskey or playing cards.

“Wait here.” Chisolm said to him, walking towards the bar.

Theon leaned against the doorframe, scanning the room. His eyes settled on a man playing cards with two other men. He appeared to be in his mid-30s. He looked up at Theon and gave him a nod.

Theon returned the nod of acknowledgment, before looking back at Chisolm who was talking to the bartender. He leaned in to whisper something in the man’s ear and everyone slowly drew their guns.

Theon placed a hand on his pistol, ready to fire if he needed to. One of the men at the table drew a pistol but the man who had noticed Theon quickly brandished his own weapon and shook his head.

The tension in the room was so thick you could slice through it with a knife. Theon noticed the bartender reaching for his gun.

Before he could even warn Chisolm, the man had already brandished his pistol and shot the bartender, sending him crashing back.

Spinning around, he shot two other men. Theon drew his own pistol and spun to his right, blasting a man who was aiming a rifle at him. The shot cannoned him off his feet and into a wall.

As fast as Chisolm had drawn his pistol, he twirled and sheathed it.

“Go get me the sheriff.” He ordered to the remaining patrons. No one moved for a few moments before his hand moved to the sheathed pistol.

At once, everyone shuffled out of the saloon, except for the man Theon had seen. The two men he was playing cards with turned and glared.

“Gonna kill you, Faraday, this isn’t over.” The first man growled but he gave them a cheeky smirk. \

Even the hookers from upstairs came rushing down and exited the saloon. Chisolm looked at the man called Faraday, while Theon turned to walk outside.

Faraday looked at the cards of his opponent before smirking. Chisolm turned back to the bar and the whiskey.

“Dan dead?” Faraday asked. “Pity, I had just ordered a drink from him.”

Chisolm smiled and slid the glass of whiskey across the counter. Faraday continued looking at him.

“Money for blood’s a peculiar business.” He said.

Chisolm continued staring at him silently before walking out of the saloon where Theon was waiting. A crowd had formed and were shouting insults.

“There he is!”

“He killed that man in cold blood!”

Two men aimed rifles at him and Theon.

“Name’s Sam Chisolm,” he said. “I’m a duty sworn warrant officer. I’m a servant of the Wichitar Court in Kansas. I’m also a licensed peace officer in the Indian Territories in Utah, Kansas, Nebraska and seven other states.”

Some of the people began lowering their weapons.

“Now this man is wanted on charges in Nebraska,” Chisolm began taking out a folded piece of paper from his pocket. “Expedited under the common state law act.”

He handed the piece of paper to the man right in front of him. Theon looked at them. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a man wearing a dark trenchcoat looking at him.

Theon frowned and quietly slipped away from the crowd, walking in the direction of the trenchcoat man.

As he rounded the corner, he drew his pistol and aimed, but there was nothing there. It was as if the man was never there.

In the distance, he could see the trenchcoat man walking out of town. And next to him were some strange creatures that seemed to have tails.

“Hey!” Theon shouted, charging after him. The trenchcoat man didn’t notice and kept walking before seeming to vanish into thin air.

Theon stopped in his tracks, eyes wide. What in the Seven Hells was happening? He looked around, confused.

Suddenly, without knowing why, he shivered.

It was if someone had walked over his grave.

It was at least twenty minutues before Theon walked back into the town where he found Chisolm talking to a young woman in her early twenties and a man who looked slightly older, around his age.

All three looked at him.

“Where have you been?” Chisolm asked him.

Theon felt a shiver run up his spine as he thought of the trenchcoat man and the weird creatures that were with him.

“I…thought I saw something strange…but it was nothing,” he lied. He looked at the man and woman. “Who are they?”

“Emma Cullen and her asscociate, Ted,” Chisolm said calmly. “They’re asking for my help.”

“With what?”

“Defending our town from Bogue.” Emma told him.

Theon frowned. “Bogue? Like Bartholomew Bogue, THE Bartholomew Bogue, the industriliset tycoon Bartholomew Bogue?”

“That’s him.” Chisolm confirmed.

Theon groaned. “Are you considering this?”

“Already made up my mind,” Chisolm looked at him. “You are more than welcome to not join me, I can understand if you refuse to.”

Theon raised a hand in annoyance. “Don’t put words in my mouth, Sam, you know I hate that. I’ll join you. How many men do you have?”

“Less than forty,” Emma said. “Mostly farmers.”

He stared at her in disbelief. “We’re going to die.”

“As I said, Theon, no one is forcing you to join.” Chisolm said.

“Again, never said that. Well, fuck it, I’m in.”

Chisolm smirked and clapped a hand on his shoulder.

Theon shrugged. “Let’s go to war.”

The four of them rode their horses towards the exit of the town. Theon was in deep thought. Something wasn’t right, and it had nothing to do with Bogue. Something else was coming…something far worse.

“How much for his horse?”

Theon was broken out of his thoughts as the four of them stopped. He turned to see Joshua Faraday and what appeared to be a really short man facing each other, hands on their pistols.

“Five for the horse, seven and two bits for the saddle.” The short man said.

Faraday smirked. “Our paths cross again. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Got a job, looking for some men to join me.” Chisolm said.

“Is there money in it?”

Chisolm turned and Emma tossed him a bag full of coins. Faraday weighed the bag as Theon watched wearily, waiting to see what would happen.

Faraday looked past him at Emma. “Who’s she?”

“Joan of Arc.” Chisolm chuckled.

“My name’s Emma Cullen,” she said. “And this is my associate Teddy Q.”

“My name is Theon Greyjoy.” Theon introduced himself.

“Theon Greyjoy? What are you, English?”

“Something like that.” He shrugged, not in the mood to explain.

“He’s with me.” Chisolm said.

“Well I do have an affinity for shiny things,” Faraday tossed the bag back to Emma. “Is it difficult?”

“Impossible.” Chisolm said.

“How many you got so far?”

“Two.”

“Besides them?”

“You, Theon and myself.”

Faraday’s eyebrows raised in surprise.

The group of formerly four but now five rode out of the town and into the wilderness. They rode for miles, nothing but wild country surrounding them.

“Sending a woman to get guns is not very chivalrous.” Faraday commented.

“I volunterred.” Emma shot back, making Theon raise an eyebrow.

“You remind me of my sister.” He chuckled.

Faraday rode beside Chisolm. “That one’s got a fire inside her. Which begs the question- whose execution do we seek?”

“Bartholomew Bogue.” Chisolm replied.

“Bart Bogue?” Faraday choked. “The robber-baron? All that gold won’t do you much good when you’re dead.”

“You’re free to leave,” Chisolm said. “Just leave the horse. I paid for it.”

Faraday chuckled. “Just saying it out loud.”

Theon, Emma and Teddy rode beside the pair.

“Twenty miles east of here is a town called Volcano Springs. You look for a Cajun named Robicheaux.” Chisolm spoke.

“Goodnight Robicheaux?” Faraday asked in surprise.

“That’s right.”

“The Angel of Death.” Faraday muttered as Theon wondered who this man was.

“Meet me outside of Junction City in three days,” Chisolm continued. “If I ain’t there, then it means I’m dead and you can keep my horse.”

He looked at Emma. “You’re with me. Theon, go with Faraday.”

“On it.” He nodded.

He and Emma began trotting away as Theon straightened his hat.

“Well,” Faraday drawled. “Let’s ride.”

The two groups began galloping across the open plains in separate directions. All the while, Theon kept feeling a bad feeling in his stomach.

Something wasn’t right.

Unknown town

Two men were loading ice blocks into a carriage.

“Man, this shit stinks!” the first man complained.

“You’re telling me this?”

The first man was about to say something when something grabbed him from behind and dragged him into an alley.

The sounds of bones breaking and screams echoed through the town. The second man’s eyes widened in horror.

There was so much blood everywhere…

The creature resembled a cross between a wolf and a man, standing at least twelve feet tall. It looked at him and gave him a predatory grin.

“W-what are you?” the man fell onto the ground, gripped by fear and panic.

The beast salivated, saliva dripping from its fangs. It leapt at the man.

He saw nothing else.

Chapter Text

Earth-2016

Theon, Faraday and Teddy entered a small dusty town where a ring was in the center of town. The trio leaned on the fence overlooking two fighters- an Asian man and a burly pot-bellied white man.

The Asian man wore many long knives around his belt and two pistols strapped to either side.

Theon tensed as he watched. The gunringer aimed his pistol and fired as the two men open fired, but the Asian man was faster, shooting the bullet out the air. Theon smirked. He liked this man.

"I like him," he chuckled. "He's game."

Faraday simply smirked. The white man and his friends laughed until the gunringer said. "Billy wins."

"What? Are you blind?!" the white man demanded. "Come on, Eddie, you're a liar."

Other men roared in agreement as Billy simply walked to where a man in his early to mid fifties was sitting on the fence, smoking a cigarette. He too had a pistol strapped to his side and a rifle lying across his lap.

Arcade licked his lips. "Why don't we go for real?"

Billy stopped and turned as Theon's eyes widened. "Oh boy..."

"Come on you scum-sucking runt of a man!" Arcade sneered. 

Billy and the man on the perch traded looks before the former turned.

"Double or nothing!" Arcade roared.

"It's your funeral." Eddie said grimly.

Billy walked back to the center of the ring and removed his hat, dropping it on the ground next to his feet, followed by the belt holding his pistol and knives. He got into a sideways facing stance, calmly looking at Arcade.

Theon and Faraday traded looks as they watched.

"Arcade?" Eddie asked. 

"Ready."

"Billy?"

The Asian man simply nodded.

Eddie fired his pistol in the air and Billy quickly removed his hairpin and hurled it, impaling Arcade straight in the heart. The man stumbled backwards before falling down, dead.

"Holy shit." Theon's eyes widened in shock. He had never seen anyone move that fast before.

The man from the fence got down and put out his cigarette, taking off his hat as the other men began putting dollar bills into the hat. As he reached Arcade's friends, one man growled. "I don't pay cheaters."

"Easy, Goodnight," his friend said. "He's drunk. He don't mean it."

The man paled. "Mr. Robicheaux, had I known it was you, I would have never made such a disrespectful comment." 

"It's all right, son," Goodnight smirked. "Just pay me and I'll be going."

The man hastily put a dollar bill in the hat. Goodnight smirked and walked away.

"Goodnight Robicheaux," Faraday called out. "Sam Chisolm sent us."

Goodnight stopped and turned.

Later, in a bar, Goodnight was getting a shave while Theon and Faraday faced him and Billy, drinks in their hands.

"So, Sam Chisolm needs our help." Goodnight chuckled.

"He sent us here to recruit you, but he didn't say anything about your friend here." Faraday took a sip of his whiskey.

"Wherever I go, Billy goes." Goodnight said in a tone that left no argument.

"What's your story?" Theon asked Billy.

"Funny story," Goodnight chuckled. "I was originally supposed to arrest this son of a bitch, till I saw him a barful of men in a bare-knuckle fight. And I said to myself 'Goodnight, this is not a man to arrest, this is a man to befriend.'"

"I pay Goody with the winnings from fights," Billy said quietly. "And he helps me navigate the prejudices of the white man."

Goodnight looked over at Theon. "I haven't seen an Englishman in years, what brings you out here to the Wild West?"

"Long story, not enough alcohol," Theon muttered. "I work with Chisolm."

"That man does have a habit of picking up strays." Goodnight agreed.

Faraday coughed. "So, are you in?"

"Defend a town from Bart Bogue? Hell yeah." Goodnight chuckled and Billy smirked in agreement.

"Looks like we got two for the price of one." Theon said to Faraday and the two fist bumped.

Chisolm and Emma rode through a wood until they reached a cabin. Chisolm slowly opened the door, revealing a dead body. The smell was rancid, flies swarming above the dead man and Chisolm nearly vomited from the smell, though on the outside he remained calm.

He entered, followed by Emma, who had drawn her pistol. Slowly, the pair looked around. It looked like someone still lived here, though when the person was coming back, neither of them knew. As Chisolm walked further in, a rope lassoed around Emma's ankle, bringing her to the ground with a scream.

Chisolm whipped around as a Mexican man with a dark goatee entered, whip in one hand and a pistol in the other. 

"Pistol, now." He gestured to Emma who glared at him, but reluctantly handed her pistol over. He kicked it into a corner.

"You Vasquez?" Chisolm asked, his hands in the air.

"What's it to you?" Vasquez asked as he looked around, pistol still aimed at Chisolm.

"I'm going to tear up a warrant," Chisolm slowly reached into his shirt pocket as Vasquez cocked the hammer of his pistol back. "I just want to make sure I'm talking to the right man."

He stepped forward, holding a wanted poster with a crudely drawn picture of Vasquez. "I got a business proposition for you."

"Well," Vasquez grinned. "Does this business involve her?" he gestured to Emma who was still glaring at him with hate in her eyes.

"Yes it does." Chisolm confirmed. As he said that, Emma tried to get back up, only for Vasquez to push her back to the ground as she screamed curses at him.

"After our business is concluded, what then?" Vasquez asked Chisolm with a cocky smile, completely ignoring the struggling Emma.

"There'll still be a lot of men after your hide," Chisolm shrugged calmly as he looked at him.

"And that should give me comfort?" the Mexican man scoffed.

"It should," Chisolm agreed, looking him square in the eyes. "I won't be one of 'em."

There was silence for a few moments until Vasquez chuckled, sheathing his pistol in the scabbard. "You're crazy, gringo. I like that."

Two days later, Chisolm, Vasquez and Emma were waiting by a stream until Vasquez called out. "Riders!"

Chisolm got up from the log he was sitting on, and walked to see Theon, Faraday, Goodnight, Billy and Teddy ride in.

"Sam Chisolm!" Goodnight called out happily.

"Goodnight Robicheaux!" Chisolm grinned. The other man climbed off his horse and the pair embraced. "Good to see you with a storm on our backs."

"Hey, Sam, that's Billy, he's good with knives." Theon pointed to Billy who simply tipped his hat.

Faraday got off and saw Vasquez. "Oh good, we got a Mexican."

Theon watched with sheer horror as Faraday began imitating Vasquez, facepalming.

Chisolm approached him. "You good?"

"Better than good," Theon grinned. "We might have an actual fighting chance."

"I wouldn't say that just yet, but it's a start. Good job." He clapped Theon on the shoulder, making the younger man grin.

"Where to, now?"

"You'll see."

A day later, the group rode through a wooded area.

"What a merry group we have here," Goodnight commented. "A black man, a Cajun, a Korean, a Baptist, an Englishman, two farmers and a Texican. This is not going to end well."

"Hey, cabron, I'm a Mexican," Vasquez corrected. "There's no such thing as a Texican."

"Tell that to my grandfather at the Battle of Alamo. Gunned down by two Injuns." Goodnight commented.

"Never until now did I think Westerosi were normal." Theon groaned.

The group sat at a cabin lodge, facing a pair of grizzly hunters who called themselves the Pigion Brothers.

"We talking about the same Jack Horne, the Jack Horne, the legend Jack Horne?" Goodnight asked in astonishment.

"Yep, knocked him off a cliff," one of the brothers grinned. "Snuck up behind him."

Theon groaned. "Did either of you idiots check to see if there was a body?"

"Now what the hell are you tryna-"

THWAP!

An ax impaled one of the brothers in the chest and he fell down with a thud. The group turned in surprise to see a grizzly mountain man with white hair come marching down the pathway.

The remaining brother backed away in a panic, firing his rifle in the air as he fell down. Jack Horne grabbed the rifle and slammed the butt of it into the man's head, and then stomped on his head to make sure. Faraday grimaced while Billy simply raised an eyebrow.

"Well," Theon drawled. "Looks like the Pigeon Brothers were not famous for very long."

Vasquez and Goodnight chuckled while Emma shot him a strange look.

"Mr. Horne," Chisolm began. "I'm Sam Chisolm, we met a few years ago. I'm here with a business proposition for you."

Horne ignored him and collected his belongings, including his hat, and began leading his horse away.

Chisolm continued. "We're looking for some men, Mr. Horne, good men such as yourself. We're defending a town called Rose Creek from Bartholomew Bogue, I don't know if you've heard of him."

Horne looked up at him. "I'm tired of wars. Been fighting for thirty damn years. And by the grace of the Lord Almighty, I've survived. Don't you all agree?"

"Yes, we do." Faraday agreed. Horne nodded and without another word began walking away back up the trail.

"What an interesting man." Theon commented.

"Yeah, i think that bear was wearing people clothes." Faraday quipped and a round of chuckles rang out. Theon suddenly shivered, though he didn't know why.

Later that night, the group had made camp in a rocky area and Theon sat, looking at the night sky.

"Theon," Chisolm said, making him turn. "Once this is over, I'll help you find a way back to your home."

Theon smiled. "I appriciate it, Sam, but I don't know if it is possible. But even if we didn't, this isn't exactly the worst world to be stuck in. Minus the guns of course."

"You don't like guns?" Chisolm asked.

Theon shrugged. "In my world they don't exist. They feel...barbaric for lack of a better world. Wielding a sword or spear or axe takes skill. With these guns, anyone can just point at someone and kill them. They are barbaric weapons."

"We are a barbaric people." Chisolm agreed.

"The Westerosi aren't much better." Theon muttered. He shivered as he thought of Ramsay Bolton torturing and castrating him. As he was in his thoughts, the exhaustion of the day finally caught up with him and sleep finally took him.

Theon woke up early the next morning from Chisolm rubbing his shoulder roughly. Theon bolted upright, drawing his pistol. 

"What's happening?" he demanded. The sound of falling rocks echoed above them and everyone turned to see Jack Horne come down.

"He was tracking us since yesterday." Chisolm revealed in a deathly calm tone. Horne made a few hand gestures to someone approaching from in front of them. Theon stood up and drew his second pistol, backing near Faraday and Goodnight, his entire body tense.

From the bushes rode a single Native American on a white stallion, his face painted red and white. He carried a dead deer with him.

Theon's eyes widened. He had heard of the race known as the Native Americans though he had never seen one so far.

"Oh please tell me I am hallucinating." Goodnight muttered in worry.

"You are hallucinating," Faraday agreed. "But so am I."

Both Goodnight and Theon shot him strange looks. Chisolm walked forward, holding out his hand in greeting. He spoke in a strange language Theon had never heard before. The Native American dropped a dead deer that still had arrows in them and climbed off.

He spoke to Chisolm while Theon still waited, his body tense and pistol aimed. He could only make out two words from the conversation- Red Harvest. That must be the Native American's name, he thought to himself.

Red Harvest drew a long curved hunting knife and sliced into the deer, removing the creature's heart. He held it out to Chisolm as everyone gagged at the sight. Chisolm gingerly accepted the heart and bit into it.

Theon could feel Horne tense up near him, his rifle still aimed. Chisolm handed the heart back to Red Harvest who took a bite from it. Without another word, Chisolm strode back to the rest of the group.

"What did he say?" Goodnight asked.

"He'll join us." He said to everyone's surprise.

"I can make breakfast." Theon offered.

"All ready had it."

Faraday, Goodnight, Theon, Billy, Vasquez, Horne, Emma and Teddy all looked around.

And high above them, a giant wolf-beast with a blood red stone in the center of its forehead observed them before loping away.

Chapter Text

Earth-2016

Chisolm rode his horse into Rose Creek while Billy Rocks calmly walked beside him, strapped with knives. Inside Rose Creek, there were nearly two dozen men, some in the streets and some on the balconies, all armed with pistols or rifles.

Chisolm and Billy emerged into the center of the small town, stopping in front of a small group of men.

"Afternoon gentlemen." Chisolm greeted with a small nod.

"Town's got a ban on firearms." The lead man said with a slight drawl while the mayor of Rose Creek shuffled nervously next to him. Billy looked around, never blinking, though his fingers twitched slightly. The mayor continued. "Check 'em in. Take 'em on your way out."

"If you don't mind me asking, but how is it you all go so well here?" Chisolm asked with a slight smirk, though he already knew the answer.

"These men are deputies," the mayor said, swallowing thickly. Above them, the men on the balconies aimed their rifles at the pair.

"Awful lot of deputies for such a small place." Chisolm commented. 

The man beside the mayor pointed at Billy. "What's his story?"

"Ah!" Chisolm grinned. "He's my manservant, Thomas," Billy shot him a look while the black man climbed off his horse. "Saved his life in Shanghai. Get Ivana in the light."

He stepped forward as the man grinned. "Now, you don't mind giving up those guns, do you?"

"Absolutely," Chisolm nodded. "Law and order, I say." He removed the pistol hanging from his belt and dangled it in the air for all to see.

"Sheriff," the man said. The man shot him a look before angling forward to take the pistol.

"Now, I am more than happy to corporate, but I can't say the same for my compadres behind you." Chisolm warned. The men looked behind them.

As if on cue, Goodnight Robicheaux emerged from behind a building, a rifle in his hand as he stood there. The men raised their eyebrows. From the sides, Joshua Faraday and Vasquez emerged from behind buildings as well.

Theon Greyjoy emerged and leaned against a railing, one hand straying to the pistol by his side, a smirk on his face.

The lead man smirked and looked back at Chisolm. Gone was the friendly smile. His eyes were now cold and deadly, betraying his intentions. Death and punishment.

Next to them, Jack Horne came walking in, chewing tobacco. He was strapped, knives and hand-axes strapped to his sides.

"Quite a batch of strays." The man mocked Chisolm, who said nothing.

"I'll say a prayer for you," Horne said. "A little prayer."

"You'll make a hell of a rug." One man scoffed.

"And you'll be murdered," Faraday spoke up, smirking. "By the world's greatest lover."

"All right," the man chuckled. He looked back at Chisolm. "What's your aim here, mister?"

"Well," Chisolm drawled. "I hear that there's some cowards running security here, so i figured we'd come down here and look after all this gold."

"Cowards?" the man sneered.

"Of the worst kind," Theon said loudly, making all look at him. "Brigands and war-makers. And as the Bible says- "The Wages of Sin is death.""

"You do know who we work for, right?" the man looked back. "The force he can bring to bear."

"Sounds like they don't care." A new voice rang out. Everyone turned in surprise. A tall black man with his hear in dreads walked up to them. He was dressed in a strange outfit that resembled white robes, and he had a hard look in his eyes. But the thing that drew everyone's attention was the strange pistols that seemed to be carved from white stone hanging by his sides.

"Couldn't agree more." Another voice, this one accented spoke. A stunningly attractive black woman, her hair also in dreads walked up beside the black man. Her eyes were a deep emerald green and there was something in them that made Chisolm involuntarily shiver.

Chisolm exchanged looks with the others, but they looked equally as confused.

"Who are you?" the sheriff asked.

"Lucian," the man shrugged. "This is my wife, Senna." She leaned against a wall.

The man turned back to Chisolm, who gazed into his eyes. "You tell Bogue, if he wants his town...come see me."

The man snorted and whistled-

But nothing happened. Theon grinned knowingly. 

"I don't think he heard you," Chisolm said. He gave an order in the Native American language.

The dead man fell onto the roof and tumbled to the ground, revealing Red Harvest. He aimed and loosed another arrow that struck the man next to the sheriff right in the heart. The man collapsed to the ground without a sound.

Theon stood up. A fight was about to happen, this he knew. No one spoke, yet all knew what was coming. Lucian and Senna traded looks and grinned. Faraday and Vasquez got ready. Goodnight was sweating and Horne shifted into a fighting stance.

For what seemed like an eternity, no one moved. No one wanted to make the first move. Senna heard someone moving above her on the balcony and smirked. Theon shifted.

Then, one of Bogue's men drew his pistol. As soon as he did-

BOOM! 

Chisolm shot him down before shooting the man behind him and spinning to blast another man to his side. Horne hurled an axe that impaled one man in the back. Theon smoothly palmed his pistol and fired two shots, taking two men out.

Feeling something behind him, he spun and fired. The shot punched through the man's skull, shattering it and hurling him from his feet. Lucian drew one of his Relic-Stone pistols and fired. To everyone's shock, instead of bullets, a burst of light emerged from the end of the pistol and punched a man from his feet.

Senna drew a massive cannon from under her cloak and fired, the shot of light smashing through a man's skull, killing him instantly. Vasquez fired a shot that killed another. Billy spun and hurled two knives that killed two charging men.

Faraday palmed his pistol and fired upwards, killing the two men on the balcony. As another emerged from the tavern, Chisolm aimed and fired, hurling him back. Chisolm gave him a nod as Theon walked forward, firing his pistols in a circle and killing three men drawing theirs.

As a man drew a pistol towards Billy, Horne tackled him from the side, tackling him to the ground. Billy ran across the street and rolled, plunging his knife into the man's belly before slashing him across the throat. Blood sprayed from the open wound and he fell, dead.

As two men exited a building, Red Harvest loosed two arrows, killing them both. Senna turned just as a man fired at her...

But the bullet passed through her. He nearly dropped his gun in shock. Senna gave him a savage grin and charged, firing her cannon and killing him. Nearby, Lucian swung and fired shot after shot of light from his Relic-Stone pistols, taking foes down left, right and center.

Faraday vaulted over the railing and aimed, blasting a charging man who was drawing his pistol. Theon charged across the street and dove, firing both his pistols as he did. The shells thundered into a man, smashing his skull and destroying his throat.

At the edge of town, Goodnight blasted anyone trying to escape the town as Faraday calmly marched towards him, gunning down anyone else. Theon and Vasquez fought back-to-back, firing their pistols.

Lucian dove across the ground to avoid a shot and Senna gunned him down in response. Inside a tavern, Chisolm calmly shot two men who were about to draw their pistols, while outside, Horne brutally stabbed the man he had tackled. "Clear vision! Clear sight!"

Blood sprayed everywhere as Horne continued stabbing the man. Billy swung and hurled another knife that impaled itself in a man's eye, killing him. Horne ran into a building and moments later, hurled a man out through the window.

Vasquez sheathed both of his pistols. Two men tried to escape, only for Theon to palm his pistols and blast both of them down in quick succession. One man jumped on his horse and began galloping out of Rose Creek. As he did, Red Harvest leapt from roof to roof before loosing an arrow that struck the man in the back. His horse slowed down to a trot before the man fell down, dead.

Lucian blasted a man in the face, taking him down. Looking around, he saw nothing but dead bodies lining the dust streets. Smirking, he sheathed them as Senna walked up to him. The two exchanged smirks.

One last man galloped away as Goodnight aimed his rifle. Theon and Faraday ran to catch up but slowed down when they saw Goodnight.

"Take the shot!" Faraday called out. Goodnight's hands shook and despite it, he didn't fire. 

"Damn it, take the bloody shot!" Theon snapped. Goodnight fired-

But the gun jammed. The rider galloped into the distance. Theon stared after him.

"What was that?" Faraday demanded. Billy walked up to them and took the rifle. He frowned.

"It's jammed." He revealed. Theon narrowed his eyes, but said nothing. The group walked back into the center of town. Lucian had grabbed the sheriff and hurled him onto the ground.

"Bogue will come back!" he said fearfully. "He will!"

"Well I want you to give him a message," Chisolm said as he, Faraday, Billy, Goodnight, Horne, Vasquez, Theon, Red Harvest, Lucian and Senna formed a circle around him. "Tell him it's from Sam Chisolm. If he wants this town...come and take it from us."

The sheriff slowly backed away before turning and sprinting away. Lucian aimed his Relic-Stone pistol but Chisolm held up his hand. "Let him go."

The man reluctantly lowered his weapon and turned to face the others.

"Who are you?" Vasquez asked.

"My name is Lucian," he said. "This is my wife, Senna. And as it seems, we are not of this world."

Everyone looked confused, with the exceptions of Theon, who's eyes widened, and Chisolm, who raised an eyebrow.

"Well Theon," he said. "Looks like you're not the only person from another world."

Everyone looked at Theon who groaned.

"You're from another world too?" Senna asked, surprised.

"I've been stuck here for two months." The Greyjoy muttered.

"Well," Faraday drawled. "Today just got more interesting."

The man was still galloping, when he slowed down. As he did, something raked across his back and he screamed, feeling warm liquid pour down his back. As he fell down, a massive shape loomed above him, white fangs dripping saliva. The beast raised it's massive clawed hand-

And the man's face exploded in a bloody smear of blood and brains. The creature howled and began running back in the direction of Rose Creek.

Chapter Text

Earth-2016, Rose Creek

An old man wearing a sheepskin cloak rode a wagon into Rose Creek. Theon was the first to spot him.

"Since when did we start allowing greybeards in?" he asked. Chisolm turned.

"Ho!" the old man greeted as he rode up to them. Vasquez had a hand on his pistol as Goodnight, Faraday, Billy, Horne, Red Harvest, Lucian and Senna arrived as well.

"Sir, can we help you?" Chisolm asked politely.

"I need your help, Mr. Chisolm." The old man stopped the wagon.

"I'm afraid we already have enough problems at hand, sir."

"It is connected to Bartholomew Bogue." The man took off his hat, revealing wisps of hair and an ancient beard that stretched to his stomach.

Lucian narrowed his eyes. Something was off about him. "Who are you old man?"

"I've had many names son, but you may call me Jake." The old man said. He looked at Chisolm. "In the coming days, you will soon forget about Bogue, for a greater evil is coming."

The Magnificent Ten all traded looks.

"What are you talking about?" Faraday wondered.

Jake sighed. "Have any of you heard of giant beasts massacring towns in the region?"

"Yeah," Goodnight spoke up. "Whole towns slaughtered. Some said it was a giant wolf, but that's impossible."

"It is not, Mr. Robichaeux," Jake shook his head. "A great enemy is coming, and he has mutated wolves and bears into beasts of awesome power. Their only desire is to feed on any living creature."

Everyone traded looks again.

"Why should we believe you, hombre?" Vasquez spoke up. "How do we know you're not with Bogue?"

"Vasquez, I am too old to be allied with anyone," Jake gave a thin smile. "I merely came to warn you all. For in the end, people say we no longer live in an age of heroes, but that's simply not true. What has been lost is our ability to see them. Sam Chisolm. Joshua Faraday. Theon Greyjoy. Goodnight Robichauex. Billy Rocks. Jack Horne. Vasquez. Red Harvest. Lucian. Senna Abaru. You are all needed to stop what is coming."


"And what exactly is coming, Jake?" Chisolm asked.

Jake turned serious. "The Bloodstone. Once a man, he has become a Demon with awesome powers. Soon he will figure out how the ancient Gateways works, and when he does, there will be no limit to the number of worlds he can destroy."


At the word 'Demon', Faraday, Horne and Vasquez instantly did the Sign of the Holy Cross. 

"If we are to believe you, what can we do to stop this 'Bloodstone'?" Chisolm asked.


"In San Francisco, there is an ancient artifact. It once belonged to the Roman Empire but over the centuries was lost. It has resurfaced and is now in the possession of the Long Zii Tong."


At that, Goodnight groaned. "Of course it is."


"You must find it, for it was one of the few weapons that can defeat the Bloodstone," Jake continued. "It is immune to shot and shell. You cannot burn it, starve it or shoot it. You could pack him in a thousand tons of ice, and it would be of no avail. The Sword of God could have destroyed it, but there is no weapon that I know of that can."


"Sword of God?" Theon frowned.


"A nuclear missile," Jake said. At everyone's frown, he elaborated. "A very powerful weapon. But believe me, you do not want to unleash it. Thousands in the region would die and all these surrounding lands would be poisoned for decades. Crops would cease to grow, animals would fall over and die."


Everyone traded horrified looks at that.


"So this artifact," Chisolm said. "What is it?"


"The Dagger of the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelias. It is currently in San Francisco and you must retrieve it before it's too late," Jake began riding. "I will join you later on."


He began riding away on his wagon. Everyone watched him leave.


"Well that was odd." Theon broke the silence.


Goodnight looked at Chisolm. "You think he was telling the truth?"


"He sounded too sure to be lying," the black man admitted. "And he wasn't lying about those slaughters in the region."


"But a Demon? Other worlds? First Theon, then Lucian and Senna and now this?" Goodnight groaned. "This went from mission impossible to mission insanity."


"If you want to leave, you are more than welcome to." Chisolm said softly.

Goodnight glared at him. "Hey, don't put words in my mouth, I never said that. I made a promise and I always follow through."


At that moment, Senna's emerald green eyes glowed. "Something's coming! Fast!"


Everyone drew their pistols while Horne drew an ax and Goodnight hefted his rifle while Billy drew a pair of knives and Red Harvest notched an arrow to his bow. The group spread out in a circle, waiting for something, anything.


"INCOMING!" Theon screamed. A massive silver-furred beast bounded over a pair of buildings and leapt towards them. It looked like a wolf, but much larger, nearly twice as big as a human, and there was a single red stone embedded in its forehead.

Theon palmed his pistol and fired a shot which punched into the beast's chest. It didn't slow down. Goodnight and Faraday loosed their shots and although it made the beast stagger, it didn't stop. Horne and Billy hurled an ax and knife respectively, the latter slamming hilt deep into the creature's left eye.

It howled and raked its claws just as Theon dove to the ground. He felt hot liquid pouring down his back, the pain unimaginable. Chisolm, Faraday and Vasquez fired a volley of shots that thundered into the wolf beast, punching it from it's feet.

Dark blood pooled around it as Chisolm walked up to it. Leveling his pistol, he fired a single shot that punched through its brain, killing it instantly. Lucian sheathed his Relic-Stone pistols and sprinted towards the wounded Theon.

Tearing open his shirt, he grimaced on seeing the massive claw wounds in his back. Theon groaned in pain.

"He's hit, but he'll live, he dived just in time," Lucian said to the others. "If he had been a second slower, his head would be missing."

Chisolm knelt beside him. "Let's get him inside, try and stitch these wounds up."

Faraday and Vasquez helped carry the wounded Theon inside where Senna held his hand, chanting. Black Mist flowed into the open wounds and the blood stopped flowing.

"Is he healed?" Horne asked.

"No, but I have accelerated the process. In a few days, a week maybe, he will be fine." Senna explained.

Everyone sighed in relief, their adrenaline finally slowing down.

Later, everyone except for Theon sat around a table.

"Wait, so you want us to ride to San Francisco?" Goodnight asked Chisolm. "That's a ten day ride at least, and we only have ten days before Bogue and his army arrive."

"Six if you take the train," the black man explained. "Three days there and three days back. And that still leaves us four days until Bogue and his men come to town."

"What was that thing?" Lucian asked. "I've never seen anything like that?"

"It was like a wolf, but bigger." Senna agreed.

"And it didn't go down with our weapons." Billy added.

"I don't know, but at this point, I'm starting to think Jake was telling the truth. If what he says is true, we need that dagger," Chisolm sighed. "But, we can't ignore the immediate danger. Bogue will still come, and we don't know where or when this Bloodstone will come. So, Goodnight, Billy, mind going to San Francisco and finding this dagger? The rest of us will help prepare the town for the attack."


Goodnight and Billy traded looks and nodded.

"You got it. We'll leave in an hour." The former said.


"The rest of us have to get ready for when Bogue comes." Chisolm said.

"And we will be." Faraday nodded.

Chisolm looked at Lucian and Senna. "You don't have to stay if you don't want to. This isn't your fight."


Both shrugged. "It is now," Lucian said. "Innocent people are in danger. And even if it wasn't, these lands don't sound very safe."

"Fair point." Faraday chuckled.

Goodnight and Billy hopped on the train, waving goodbye to the others as it departed the station, heading west for San Francisco.

"Let's get to work," Chisolm said. "We have a lot to do."

San Francisco

The blade of Marcus Aurelius began vibrating in it's box. Nearby, Ah Sahm turned and frowned.

"The fuck is happening?" he picked the dagger up. As he did, he shivered. Something was coming. 

Outside San Francisco, a pack of wolf-beasts began loping towards the unsuspecting city.

Rose Creek

Chisolm, Faraday, Vasquez, Horne, Red Harvest, Lucian and Senna were discussing the plan while Theon lay on a chair, still recovering. As Chisolm said something, a massive breach opened up, enveloping him, Faraday and Theon, just as Horne yanked Vasquez back.

The breach closed as soon as it opened, leaving Horne, Vasquez, Red Harvest, Lucian and Senna stunned and horrified.

Earth-87

Chisolm awoke to the sounds of gunshots. Sitting up, he turned. He was in a town and there was a single man in his mid-fifties in a gunbattle with a group of riders. Chisolm's eyebrow rose. This old man wore a dark drown trenchcoat, with a hat on. In his hands were a pair of pistols and effortlessly swung and fired, the shell punching the rider off his mount.

"You lie!" one man screamed as he struggled to draw his pistol. The man fired, blasting the man's skull open as he fell, dead.

"I am Jon Shannow, the Jerusalem Man," the man declared. "And I do not lie."

Sheathing his pistol, the  man turned to where Chisolm was. Faraday and Theon had just woken up.

"What are you doing here?" he asked gruffly.

"We just...found ourselves here." Chisolm said as he climbed to his feet. Looking past him, he saw more riders coming. 

Jon Shannow turned and nodded. "Go, I'll handle them."

"They'll kill you!" Chisolm warned.

The Jerusalem Man drew his pistols and waited, his coat blowing lightly in the wind.

"If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small." He quoted a passage from the Bible, as he cocked his pistols and fired.

Chapter Text

Earth-2016, San Francisco

"What the hell?!"

Goodnight stared at the collection of dead bodies lying in the streets of San Francisco. He could hear the sounds of a wolf howling, and paled. Turning to Billy, he said. "Is that what I think it is?"

Billy nodded grimly. "That Devourer. There's more."

Goodnight smoothly palmed his rifle and began running in the direction of the screams, Billy behind him. As they rounded a corner, they came face to face with a massive Devourer. The beast stood on hind legs, nearing ten feet tall at least. Goodnight was sweating and he licked dry lips with a dry tongue.

He aimed and pulled the trigger. The shell punched into the beast's back, making it stumble in pain. Growling, the Devourer turned and as it did, Billy hurled a pair of knives that sailed through the air and slammed into it, making it stagger.

Goodnight roared as he pulled the trigger of his rifle repeatedly, the shots punching into the massive beast, staggering it back as gaping wounds formed along it's chest. Still, the Devourer showed no signs of going down.

As Goodnight leveled his rifle again, a hand-axe came flying out of nowhere and slammed into it's head, making it fall to one knee. Goodnight and Billy turned to see a young Chinese man with a full beard and wearing a Hop Wei uniform march towards them, another ax in his hand.

"Need some help?" Ah Sahm asked gruffly as he stood beside them.

"Well, we can always use extra hands." Goodnight shrugged as he aimed the rifle at the Devourer who was getting back up. Billy drew another pair of knives as he, Goodnight and Ah Sahm prepared to fight the Devourer.

Earth-87

Jon Shannow rode his horse across a wide open plain, Chisolm, Theon and Faraday slightly behind him. The sun was beginning to set, casting an orange glow over the vast landscape. As the four rode in silence, Theon noticed several ruins laying across the plain. He frowned.

"What are these ruins?" he asked.

Shannow turned to him, still smoking a cigar and said. "Ruins from old Atlantis."

Faraday's eyes widened. "Atlantis is real?!"

"What's Atlantis?" Theon was utterly confused.

Chisolm spoke up. "There's myths and legends of an ancient empire called Atlantis that apparently sunk under the waves thousands of years ago during the time of Ancient Greece. I didn't know it was real in this world."

Theon nodded. He had done some reading and knew of Ancient Greece and it's famous figures such as Socrates, Plato and Alexander the Great.

"And Atlantis is real in this world?" he asked Shannow.

"Yeah, before they were destroyed the Sword of God." 

All three stopped their horses. Shannow noticed and swung back. "What?"

"This is the second time we've heard the Sword of God mentioned," Chisolm said wearily. "Do you know it was a 'nuclear missile'?"

"Yeah, I know," Shannow shrugged. "I sent it hurtling through the Gates of Time to destroy Atlantis."

"You what?!" Faraday's eyes bulged.

"I think we're going to need a lot of context here." Theon added.

Shannow sighed and took a deep breath before explaining. "Twenty years ago, near the settlement of Pilgrim's Valley, the last king of Atlantis, Pendarric, opened portals through Time to here, sending Lizard warriors known as Daggers to invade."

The three listened to the tale, shocked to the core. Shannow continued. "Eventually, with help from an old...friend of mine, I activated the Sword of God and sent it thundering through the Gates of Time, destroying Atlantis and causing the first Fall of the World."

"And then what?" Chisolm asked. "No offense, Mr. Shannow, but you said the events you just described happened twenty years ago. Yet here you barely look forty."

Shannow smiled mirthlessly. "There are relics in this world called Sipstrassi Stones, though we refer to them as Daniel Stones. Gold rocks. Except they can do anything the human mind can imagine. With them you can heal any injury, remove sickness and disease, and even create food."

"Create food?" Faraday asked in shock.

"I had an old friend who had one of these Daniel Stones in his possession. I watched him turn a simple rock on the ground into a living, delicious honeycake. He said the only limit to the Stones' power is your imagination."

Theon, Chisolm and Faraday traded looks. The power of these Sipstrassi Stones seemed almost godlike.

"And then?" Theon asked.

"There was a massive Daniel Stone that had kept the Sword of God contained for nearly three hundred years since the Fall. When I loosed it on Atlantis, the Daniel Stone healed me, giving me back my youth. In reality, I should be around sixty or seventy by now, yet I am only 41 years old." Shannow said.

"Son of a bitch." Faraday muttered in shock.

"And what happened in those twenty years, Mr. Shannow?" Chisolm asked.

"I settled down and became a Preacher in Pilgrim's Valley, preaching the Word of God to all who would listen. I had also freed many flying machines called planes that had also been trapped since the Fall. Among them was the Deacon."

"The Deacon?" Theon asked.

"He was a Preacher back in the Old World in a land called Florida. He quickly gathered support here and built up an empire near the Plague Lands. He said that the Old World was a depraved place, full of lust and violence. He said the new world must never be allowed to repeat the mistakes of the old. So he gathered support and conquered communities in the region, in what is now known as the Unity Wars."

"And then?" Chisolm asked.

"Then came the Hellborn," Shannow sighed. "Worshippers of Satan, they invaded these lands some 23 years ago until the Prophet Daniel Cade, my brother, defeated them. But then, ten years ago, they invaded again. The Deacon and his army fought them back all the way to Babylon. And then...wiped them out."

"Wiped them out?" Faraday asked in shock. "Like...extinction?"

"Yes," Shannow said bluntly. "The city of Babylon was razed to the ground. Men, women, children, artisans, farmers, all were put to death. And not a man in the Army of God failed to feel shame. But the Deacon was right. The war was over. And the Hellborn would never invade again."

"My God..." Chisolm muttered, all three of them horrified.

"And that is the tale of my world." Shannow said as the four rode into a valley.

Theon was about to say something when the ground began shaking. He gripped the reins of his horse tightly, looking up. It seemed as if the sky had been split in two. Two moons now hung in the sky, one full, the other like a crescent.

A jagged rip sounded across the land. The it was silent.

"What the hell was that?" Faraday whispered as he palmed his pistol.

Shannow sat back. All he could think of was the last time he had seen such a vision, and felt the earth tremble under him, twenty years before, when the Lizard warriors known as Daggers had been unleashed upon the land.

Chisolm swung towards him. "What's happening?"

Shannow looked at him wearily. "Someone just opened a door."

Earth-2016, Rose Creek

Lucian, Senna, Horne, Vasquez and Red Harvest were working with Emma, Teddy and the other townspeople to prepare for Bogue's arrival.

"How about we build trenches along the main street?" Lucian suggested. "Should provide cover fire."

"Great idea, hombre." Vasquez nodded approvingly.

"What about the gatling guns?" Horne asked.

"The what?" Senna frowned.

"The Jaws of Death," Horne explained. "Weapons of Satan. They fire a hundred rounds per minute."

"Fuck me," Lucian muttered. "This would be a whole lot better if Fortune were here."

"Who?" Red Harvest spoke up. 

"Sarah Fortune, pirate and bounty hunter, from a city called Bilgewater," Lucian explained. "She's an old friend of mine."

"Hmm," Vasquez hummed as he looked around. "Well regardless, we're gonna need a lot of cover fire here."

"Agreed. These buildings are all made of wood. Not enough protection." Senna agreed.

Lucian swung around and saw a high tower. "How about that? If we get sharpshooters up there, it could help our chances massively. Shoot the enemy down before they get in."

"Great idea," Horne agreed. "We can also line the fields outside with dynamite, blow these suckers up and take out a few."

"So it's settled then." Vasquez nodded. 

At that moment, a wagon came riding in. The five looked up in surprise to see that it was Jake, except he had shed the ancient white beard. He hopped down from the wagon.

"Jake?" Lucian asked in surprise.

"Lucian," he greeted. "I'm here to help."

"Against Bogue?" Horne asked.

"Him and the Bloodstone. It is here in this world. And it's going to destroy us all unless we gear up to fight."

Everyone paled. "Oh boy." Horne muttered.

"I have a feeling we did not sign up for this." Lucian added.

Jake smiled. "We should get your friends who vanished back here. The battle is about to begin."

Goodnight, Billy and Ah Sahm rode across empty lands back towards Rose Creek.

"You sure you wanna join us?" Goodnight looked back at Ah Sahm.

"I told you," the Chinese man glared. "This dagger is Hop Wei property. I had to convince Young Jun to let you guys take it, under the condition that I come with and it's returned when all this over."

Goodnight raised his hand in surrender. "Very well. We're almost an hour out from Rose Creek. Should be there before noon."

With that, the three continued riding.

Earth-88

In a massive arena, a red-skinned man with black veins across his body slowly chanted and opened a portal.

Earth-87

Shannow, Theon, Chisolm and Faraday were making camp when the four of them vanished in a flash of light.

Earth-2016, Rose Creek

Horne, Vasquez, Lucian, Senna, Red Harvest, Jake, Emma and Teddy were standing in the middle of the street when there was a flash of light and Shannow, Theon, Chisolm and Faraday stood there.

"Guys!" Lucian said in pleasant surprise. Chisolm nodded and then noticed Jake, his jaw dropping.

"Holy shit." Theon muttered. 

Shannow and Jake looked exactly alike! Except for the grey hair and aged face, the pair looked like twins. Shannow palmed his pistol and aimed it at Jake. "Who are you?" he growled.

Jake smiled thinly, aware of everyone staring at him wearily.

"I am you, Jon, from the future."

That floored everyone, their jaws dropped and eyes wide.

"What?" Shannow choked out, actually shocked.

"I am Jon Shannow from the future. I am also the Deacon." He said. And now Chisolm, Theon and Faraday were stunned.

"You're the Deacon? But that's impossible." Faraday sputtered.

Jake/Future Shannow chuckled. "Ah, Joshua, time travel is tricky. You see, in my timeline, I met a woman named Amaziga Archer and she asked me to travel to an alternate Earth. I eventually returned to mine, but twenty years before the Fall. So I became John Deacon. And I was on that plane when the world Fell, hung for 300 years."

"But if you're here...why?" Theon asked.

Jake's face fell. "Because the Bloodstone is here in this world. And we must stop him. You see, we are in a Multiversal War, a great conflict that is being fought in multiple Universes on multiple fronts. The Bloodstone is merely another enemy we must face. And there is another, but for now, we must stop Sarento."

"Folks back home are not going to believe us." Senna muttered.

"Indeed, Senna," Jake smiled. "Except Runeterra has been drawn into this Multiversal War, whether you want to be or not. And we must all be ready for the coming war."

Shannow was silent. Then he spoke. "The Bloodstone is here?"

"It is," the old man nodded solemnly. "And we must fight it. For the enemy will attack tomorrow, hundreds of legions of Devourers and Hellborn."

"Well we're in for it now." Theon admitted.

Bartholomew Bogue was not prone to hearing voices. The voice came to him before midnight, whispering in his mind. "Bogue! Bogue!"

Bogue sat up, pistol in hand. "Who's there?"

"Behind you," came the response and Bogue spun. Part of his wall had vanished and instead stood a tall red-skinned man with what appeared to be painted black lines across his body. "I need you, Bogue."

"Well I don't need you." He fired but the bullet bounced off his head.

"Save your ammunition and listen to what I can offer you- riches beyond your wildest dreams, and life eternal. I can make you, immortal, Bogue."

Bogue sat back and sheathed his pistol. "Damn! This ain't a dream?"

"No dream. Do you want to live forever?"

"I'm listening."

"My Universe is dying. I need another. A man has opened the Gateway for me and now I have seen your world. It is to my liking. But it would help me to have a general here to lead my...troops. From the few thoughts I could extract from the dying man, I gathered you were such a man. Are you?"

"Tell me about eternal life." Bogue ordered, ignoring the question.

"That can begin now. Is that what you desire?"

"Aye." Bogue reeled back, a searing pain in his forehead. When it faded, he touched his brow and felt a gemstone lodged in his forehead.

"What do you want from me?" Bogue asked.

"Blood. Rivers of blood and endless violence and death."

"Are you the Devil?" Bogue asked.

Sarento, the Bloodstone smiled.

"I am better than the Devil, Bartholomew Bogue. For I have won."

Chapter Text

Earth-2016, Rose Creek

Chisolm, Theon, Faraday, Horne, Vasquez, Red Harvest, Lucian, Senna, Shannow, Jake, Emma and Teddy sat around a small table, as Jake finished telling them about Sarento.

“So there is no way to defeat this ‘Bloodstone’?” Emma asked. “It sounds like he’s invincible.”

“His one weakness is blood,” Jake said, his breathing shallow and laboured. “If he doesn’t feed on souls often, he weakens and goes dormant. But yes, he is impervious to shot and shell. You can’t starve him or burn him. You can pack him in a thousand tons of ice and it would have no effect.”

“Great,” Faraday leaned back. “So the ultimate question is- how do we defeat a God of Blood?”

“I have a plan,” Jake winced. “But I need to get close to him. And before the Bloodstone comes, he will send in his Hellborn warriors to weaken us.”

“They will be here by tomorrow morning.” Senna said.

Theon looked out the window at the setting sun. It wasn’t that long till sunrise.

“And we have no idea where Goodnight and Billy are.” Chisolm muttered, feeling tired.

“They are a day’s ride from here and they are with someone else. A man named Ah Sahm.” Jake revealed.

Everyone looked at him, confused.

“And how exactly do you know this?” Vasquez asked.

“I saw them on my way here.” The old man shrugged.

Chisolm leaned back. “So we have until sunrise to prepare. And then these Hellborn will come.”

“But even if we defeat them, we still have the Bloodstone to contend with.” Theon groaned.

Emma looked out the window. “Guys, someone’s coming.”

“Who?” Shannow asked.

“Bunch of riders, wolfskin cloaks and horned helmets.”

“It’s the Hellborn!” Shannow roared, lurching to his feet. Theon palmed his pistol as the group walked out the bar and towards the main street.

The lead Hellborn rode up to them, the horned helmet glinting in the setting sun. He gazed over the group.

“I am Shok’Rath, Commander of the Second Corps,” he said. “This town is now the property of the Lord of Hell. You are the surrender your weapons and journey with us to meet the Lord of Hell himself, where you may prostrate and curry favour with him.”

The group traded looks.

“What if we don’t want to?” Faraday asked.

Shok’Rath looked at him passively. “Then you will die.”

“That’s not friendly now, is it?” Horne asked, shuffling his feet.

Shok’Rath looked at them all. “I will give you until tomorrow morning to decide. And if you refuse…blood shall be spilt.”

Without another word, he turned and began riding out the town, the other Hellborn following him.

Chisolm watched them ride and then swung to everyone else.

“What do you all think?”

Theon shrugged. “I’m sure as hell not surrendering my weapons to my likes of them.”

Teddy spoke up. “What’s so bad about a peace offering to these guys?”

“If we do, there’s no guarantee we won’t be shot to pieces,” Faraday pointed out. “Especially since we wouldn’t have any weapons on us.”

“Faraday has a point,” Lucian agreed. “Once we cross that line, Sarento is free to do whatever he pleases with us.”

“I sensed him,” Senna spoke up, making everyone look at her. “Those stones in their foreheads…Sarento draws power from them. Every time blood is spilt, Sarento absorbs that blood through the stones. He is Death, a Devourer of Worlds.”

Her words sent shivers through everyone’s spines and Chisolm nodded solemnly.

“So it’s settled then?” he asked. “We fight?”

He saw no protests. He nodded.

“We’ll set up the last of the defences. And then tomorrow…we make a last stand.”

Goodnight, Billy and Ah Sahm stopped their horses as they saw the Hellborn riding towards Rose Creek. Goodnight paled slightly.

“What the hell are those guys?” he asked.

“No idea,” Ah Sahm muttered. “But I’m pretty sure they ain’t here to throw a tea party.”

“They’re going to Rose Creek.” Billy observed.

Goodnight swore loudly. “And they’re gonna get there before we do!”

He began kicking his horse into a run. “We gotta warn the others!”

It was nighttime now, the stars shining in the sky. Theon leaned against the railing of the bar, observing the town.

Hearing footsteps, he turned to see Chisolm walk up beside him.

“Quiet night.” The older man said.

“The calm before the storm.” Theon agreed.

Chisolm looked at him. “After this is over, assuming we survive, I promise I’ll help you find a way back to your world.”

“Thank you, Sam,” Theon nodded gratefully. “I just…wonder how my sister is doing. Or Sansa…Robb…” he tensed up.

“It wasn’t your fault.” Chisolm laid a hand on his shoulder.

“It was,” the younger man argued. “I forgot how much the Stark’s had done for me. I betrayed Robb, I betrayed Sansa. And it was all for nothing.”

“It was not for nothing,” Chisolm said firmly. “Yes, you made mistakes. But today I saw a young man who could have easily ran away in the face of death. Tomorrow we might all be dead. But you chose to stay and fight. That takes courage. A lot of it. And I’m proud to call you my friend.”

Theon swallowed a lump in his throat, his lip quivering slightly. “Thank you.”

Chisolm gave his shoulder a squeeze. “Get some sleep, Theon. You’re gonna need it.”

With that, he turned to walk back inside, leaving Theon alone. A few moments later, he walked inside as well, climbing into bed.

He slept without dreams.

Faraday gazed ahead at the field outside of Rose Creek, a small piece of tobacco in his mouth. Vasquez walked up beside him.

“Senna says they’re charging in now.”

Faraday pointed to where a massive dust cloud rose in the distance. Hundreds of Hellborn warriors rode towards Rose Creek.

BOOM!

A pack of dynamite exploded, throwing many riders off their horses and killing a few more. Horne emerged from one of the pits, swinging his hand-axe as he killed a few more Hellborn.

“Incoming!” Faraday shouted back. Theon palmed his rifle and loosed a couple of shells that knocked a few Hellborn off their horses.

A rain of shells came at him and Theon ducked, sprinting behind a building and throwing himself to the ground. As a Hellborn rode past him, Theon levelled his rifle and fired, the shot punching the man off his horse.

Faraday and Vasquez ducked behind some barrels, firing their rifles and pistols at the oncoming Hellborn. Many had died charging the town but there were still more coming, and some had even breached the defences.

Those Hellborn who did were swiftly gunned down by Chisolm, Lucian and Senna who hid behind buildings.

Red Harvest stood on a roof, loosing arrow after arrow at the Hellborn who had made it into town.

Shannow stood in the middle of the street, bullets ripping past him. Calmly, he levelled his left pistol and loosed a single shot. It punched into the charging Hellborn warrior, ripping his throat apart as he fell off his horse and died.

Jake knelt on a nearby porch, firing his rifle. Horne ran past him. “They’re coming around the back!”

“Jon! Help him!” Jake ordered. Shannow swung around and nodded, sprinting together towards the back of the town.

Theon brandished a pistol and fired another shot that ripped into a Hellborn, killing him instantly. At that moment, multiple Hellborn fired at him, forcing Theon to sprint across the open street.

He leapt, cannoning through a window and into a bar, rolling behind some chairs as bullets punched through the wooden wall.

“Need help!” he roared.

Chisolm fired his pistol, killing another Hellborn while Senna drop-kicked another, sending him flying backwards towards Red Harvest who killed him with an arrow.

Vasquez and Faraday fired their pistols, taking out more Hellborn. Many of the defenders were dead now, or badly injured. Emma fired her rifle at two Hellborn, killing both of them.

Theon recovered and sprinted across the town, firing his pistols at several riding Hellborn, pitching them from the saddles.

Chisolm jumped onto a horse and galloped, killing several more, while Faraday rounded a corner and killed two more rapidly.

Vasquez peeked around a corner, loading more bullets into his pistols. The Hellborn had invaded the city now, killing more of the defenders.

Theon burst through a building, wrenching a rifle from one of the Hellborn, before elbowing another in the face. Spinning, he fired point-blank, killing the second, the shot punching him from his feet.

As several more came in, Theon ducked behind a wall, throwing himself to the ground as bullets rained behind him.

Jake moved across the main street, firing his rifle as he unloaded round after round at the incoming enemy.

Shannow killed five more Hellborn in rapid succession, before spinning and beginning to reload his weapons.

Outside Rose Creek, Bartholomew Bogue lit a cigar as his men began loading a gatling gun.

“Kill them all.” He ordered, the ruby stone in the middle of his forehead beginning to glow.

Theon dropped to one knee and fired his rifle, shooting a Hellborn that had charged towards him. The main street was now completely littered with dead bodies, both those of the Hellborn and the defenders.

Chisolm ran beside him. “How you holding up?”

Theon panted, sweat trickling down his face. “I’ve had better days.”

The black man snorted. “Haven’t we all?”

With that, the pair continued fighting. Lucian kicked open a door and fired his Relic-Stone pistols, the twin bursts of light sending Hellborn flying. Senna leapt over a balcony and landed in the middle of the street, swinging her Relic-Stone cannon towards the Hellborn charging in.

She fired a massive burst of light, killing two of them before she sprinted for cover.

Shannow ran beside Horne, the pair shooting and cleaving any enemies in their path.

“Damn it son!” Horne swore. “I need some ammo!”

Shannow tossed him a handful of shells from the rifle of a dead Hellborn and Horne began loading his weapon. Another foe moved into sight only for Shannow to fire a single shot that killed him instantly.

Chisolm and Theon continued shooting, hiding behind some barrels.

“Fuck! We’re pinned!” Theon shouted.

“Yee haw!”

Both men turned in confusion as multiple Hellborn were shot down. Looking ahead, they saw a trio of riders come galloping into town.

“It’s Goodnight!” Theon exclaimed, joy flooding him.

“And Billy as well.” Chisolm noted.

Goodnight Robicheaux, Billy Rocks and Ah Sahm galloped into town, the former two using rifles to gun down any Hellborn left on the street, while Ah Sahm hurled a hand-axe that killed another.

Goodnight rode beside the pair. “They got the Devil’s Breath!” he shouted in a panic, his eyes wide in fear. “They got a goddamn gatling gun!”

With that, he kicked his horse into a gallop.

“Oh no.” Theon muttered, paling in horror.

Outside town, Bogue gave the order.

“Let ‘em have it.”

They began firing the gatling gun.

Bullets ripped into the buildings of Rose Creek, multiple defenders being gunned down and dying instantly.

Horne and Shannow noticed this, the former now bleeding on the arm.

“Run!” Shannow roared as he helped Horne move. As the bullets reached them, the pair hurled themselves to the ground.

Jake was firing his weapon and killing more Hellborn when a bullet smashed into his lung. The old man collapsed on the ground, blood beginning to fill his lungs.

Near the back of the town, Faraday, Vasquez, Lucian and Senna were killing any Hellborn left, when Goodnight, Billy and Ah Sahm rode towards them.

“They got a gatling gun!” Goodnight shouted. “Get inside! Inside! Inside!”

“A what?” Lucian demanded.

“It means we’re fucked, take cover!” Ah Sahm roared as Billy jumped off his horse.

Chisolm and Theon began running across the main street, bullets shredding the wooden buildings.

As they ran, a stray bullet smashed into Theon’s thigh, making him fall to the ground in pain. Chisolm noticed and grabbed him, hauling him into an empty saloon and throwing them both to the ground.

Theon’s leg was heavily bleeding, blood spilling onto the wooden floor of the saloon. Chisolm knelt beside him. “We gotta get that bandaged.”

“Yeah.” Theon replied with gritted teeth.

Outside, Faraday, Vasquez, Lucian, Senna, Goodnight and Billy ran inside a building just as the hail of bullets from the gatling gun struck them.

“Get down!” Lucian roared as he pulled Senna down. Vasquez ran in, only for a bullet to punch through his arm, the Mexican man falling to the ground in pain.

Goodnight kept down as the bullets destroyed the wooden walls above them.

The gatling gun finally ran out of rounds.

Chisolm looked around. “We need to destroy that weapon.”

“Yeah,” Theon gritted his teeth as he struggled to get up. “Let’s go.”

Chisolm helped Theon stand and the pair stumbled out the back door to where the others had gathered.

“Goodie, think you can climb that tower?” Chisolm asked, pointing behind them.

“I’m on it!” Goodnight made a run for it.

“Wait up!” Billy added as Goodnight tossed him a Hellborn rifle and the pair made their way to the tower.

“We need to evacuate.” Shannow said as he reloaded his pistols.

“And someone needs to destroy that gatling gun,” Faraday added. “Otherwise we’re all dead.”

“I’ll handle it,” Senna said, jumping on a horse. “Cover me!”

She kicked the horse into a gallop, riding out the town towards where Bogue and his men were.

“Go Senna!” Goodnight shouted, he and Billy open firing on the few Hellborn warriors that were chasing her. As Senna made it closer, she brandished her Relic-Stone cannon and fired a powerful shot.

BOOM!

The gatling gun exploded from the shot, the explosion killing everyone present.

“Yee haw!” Senna laughed happily as she galloped back towards the town. Seeing this, the surviving defenders let out whoops and cheers as she rode back into Rose Creek.

The surviving defenders had all gathered near the main street, the corpses of both defenders and Hellborn littering the streets.

As Senna climbed off her horse, someone grabbed her from behind, forcing a pistol to her head.

“No one move!” Bartholomew Bogue hissed. “Or the blackie here gets it.”

Lucian made to move but Jake gripped his arm, shaking his head.

“What do you want, Bogue?” Faraday asked, a hand on his own pistol.

“I want to ride out of here, and don’t none of you sons of bitches try following me!” Bogue demanded.

Chisolm calmly stepped forward, his face cold. “What I will give you, Bogue, is a chance to face me, one on one. If you win, you’ll ride from here. If I win, well, you’ll be dead.”

Bogue sneered. “How do I know you’re not lying.”

“Because I don’t lie.” Chisolm replied coldly.

“Sam don’t!” Theon limped forward. “He’ll kill you.”

Bogue was silent for a moment before throwing Senna aside.

“I don’t know why you’re so eager to die, but I’ll oblige you,” he laughed. “You should have listened to the kid. I am Bartholomew Bogue, and I have never been beaten.”

“And I am Sam Chisolm.” He smoothly palmed his pistol and fired. Bogue was still. He was fast, infinitely faster, but something in the man’s tone made him freeze. Gunshots boomed and Bogue fell back, his own pistol firing, only for three more rounds to slam into his chest and stomach.

Bogue fell down, bleeding as he felt the life leaving him. He tried to stagger and looked up to see Chisolm bearing down on him.

“The wages of sin is death, Bogue.” Were the last words he heard. Then, he toppled backwards and lay still.

Faraday sprinted towards where Chisolm had fallen, blood pumping from the gunshot wound in his chest.

“I’ll live.” He muttered as Faraday ripped a piece of clothing and began applying pressure to the wound. Senna knelt beside him.

“Hold on.” She said, some Black Mist flowing into the wound. The bleeding stopped, the wound slowly closing.

“You’ll still need to rest for a few weeks, but you will live.” She assured him as Faraday helped him to his feet. Theon, Goodnight, Billy, Horne, Vasquez, Red Harvest, Lucian, Senna, Shannow and Jake all stood there.

“Hey, hombre, someone’s coming,” Vasquez called out as he looked towards the distance. “Strangest looking man I’ve ever seen.”

“Strange? In what way?” Faraday asked.

Vasquez squinted. “Appears to be painted in red and black lines.”

“It’s Sarento!” Jake roared.

Goodnight gathered his rifle and ran towards the edge of the town limit, Billy beside him. The rider was still some two hundred yards distant.

Goodnight’s mouth was dry. Levelling a shell into his rifle, he fired. The bullet missed and the rider kicked his horse into a gallop.

“Stop the son of a bitch!” he yelled as Billy and Vasquez began firing their own weapons . The horse went down and the rider stood up. Two shells punched into his chest, making him stagger back. Yet still he came closer.

One hundred and forty yards. One hundred and thirty yards…

Even through the terrible hunger, Sarento began to feel pain. The bullets struck him, at first feeling like mosquitoes biting him. Then, the bruising started.

He was so close now, the scent of blood and life filling him. They could not stop him…

“Sarento!”

Above the line of gunfire, a voice rang out. Turning his head, he saw an old man stagger towards him. He cocked his head.

“Speak,” the Bloodstone said. “What do you want?”

“I am here to offer you your greatest desire. I can take you to a world where there are millions of souls, endless feeding,” Jake said. “Look around you. There are only forty, maybe fifty people here in total. But I can take you to where there are millions.”

“And why would you do that?” Sarento scoffed.

“To save the lives of these people.”

“Damn it, Jake!” Theon grunted as he limped forward.

“So, wherever I name, you will take me?”

“Yes.”

“The twentieth century, on Earth?”

“Where in the twentieth century?” the old man responded.

“The United States. Los Angeles sounds pleasant.”

“I cannot promise you arrival inside a city. The points of power are usually in less crowded places.”

“No matter, Jon Shannow. For you will travel with me.”

“As you wish.” Jake stepped forward, holding a pure gold Sipstrassi Stone.

“Don’t die, old man,” Sarento growled. “Now, your promise!”

Jake clutched the golden Sipstrassi Stone. Violet light swirled around them-

And they were gone.

Chisolm, Theon, Faraday, Horne, Vasquez, Ah Sahm, Goodnight, Billy, Red Harvest, Lucian, Senna and Shannow watched the pair vanish.

“What the fuck just happened?” Lucian asked.

Senna smiled sadly. “The Bloodstone is gone from this world. We are saved.”

“But he condemned an entire world.” Goodnight pointed out.

Senna shook her head. “No, Goodnight. He did not. Before he vanished, I gathered a few of his stray thoughts. There was one word- Trinity.”

“What does that mean?” Billy asked.

Senna told them.

Later, the surviving townspeople of Rose Creek had gathered outside the church. The bodies of the defenders would be laid to rest, while the corpses of the Hellborn would all be burned.

“Thank you, Mr. Chisolm,” Emma said. “For everything.”

He nodded and climbed onto his horse. Theon, Vasquez and Horne, despite being injured, were already on their horses.

The townspeople all cheered as the Magnificent Twelve slowly rode their horses out of Rose Creek, before they galloped away.

Theon felt the wind in his face and smiled.

“Well, I’m home.” He looked around at the others and smiled as the Magnificent Twelve rode away in glorious victory.

Unknown Earth, New Mexico, July 16, 5:20 AM

Jake fell forward as the violet light faded. Sarento caught him.

“Don’t die on me yet, old man.” He warned. Then he smelt it. Souls. Millions of them.

“Where are we?” he asked.

Jake sat down on a rock, looking around at the lightning-lit desert. “New Mexico.”

Sarento walked away from the old man, looking around. There was an oil rig, tent flaps in the wind.

The twentieth century! His dream. Here he could feed for an eternity. He laughed aloud and swung towards Jake. The old man staggered towards him.

“We are a long way from the nearest settlement,” he said. “But I have all the time in the world. Tell me, Jon Shannow, how does it feel to have condemned an entire planet?”

“Now I am become death.” Jake said. Wearily, the old man turned and staggered away from him, walking down a hill. Sarento felt the despair in the old man and it only served to heighten the joy he felt.

He looked again at the metal tower, noting how deep it was. Who cares, he thought. Jake’s words came tugging in his mind.

Now I am become death.

It was a quote from an old book. He struggled to find the memory. Ah, yes…The Bhagavad Gita or Song of God. Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds. How apt, he thought.

Sarento looked around. Now he could see it. Mattresses, scores of them. Someone had laid mattresses twenty feet underneath the tower.

The quote continued to haunt him.

Now I am become death.

Knowledge flowed into his mind, and with it a terrible realization. For he knew exactly where he was.

The Alamogordo bombing range, New Mexico, 180 miles south of Los Alamos. The mattresses had been placed there in case of a premature explosion.

He looked around and only saw Jake sitting on a rock not far from him, a weary smile on his face.

Sarento started to run. The facts would not stop flowing into his mind. He knew exactly what was about to happen.

On wings of fear, he ran.

I can’t die! I can’t die!

He was one hundred and seventy seven yards from the tower at 5:30 AM, on July 16, 1945.

One second later, the tower was vaporized. For hundreds of yards around the zero point, that Oppenheimer had christened Trinity, the desert sand was fused to glass. Jake had a content smile as the explosion vaporized both him and Sarento.

A ball of incandescent air formed by the explosion rose to a staggering height of 35,000 feet.

Several miles away, J. Robert Oppenheimer watched the mushroom cloud form. All around him, men began cheering.

“Now I am become death.” He said.

Chapter Text

Planetos, Westeros, King's Landing

Stannis Baratheon, Davos Seaworth, Tyrion Lannister, Sandor Clegane, Varys, Vi, Bryce Quinlan, Edgin Darvis and Lady Maria were in the Small Council chamber, discussing recent events since Stannis had captured King's Landing and Joffrey Baratheon had been killed.

"So you say there are beasts in Winterfell?" Stannis asked.

"From what my little birds have told me, Winterfell is overrun with horrors," Varys said. "And they also tell me the Great Other is returning."

Stannis looked down in thought. "The Red Priestess mentioned that the source of it all lies deep in Sothoryos."

"Sothoryos?" Davos frowned. "No one goes there. it is filled with beasts and despair."

"But perhaps it is where we must start, if we can defeat him."

Vi rolled her eyes. "Fine, I'll go."

Everyone looked at her in surprise. "You will?" Tyrion asked.

"Why not?" she shrugged. "I could use a change of scenery."

Bryce chuckled. "I'll go with her."

"You will need some more help," Davos spoke up. "Perhaps I may be of assistance."

"Davos, I need you here." Stannis said.

"Nonsense, my Liege," he shook his head. "Lord Tyrion and Lady Maria can help. I can take them there."

Stannis nodded reluctantly. "Very well. Find out what you can and then return."

Vi grinned. "This'll be good."

Sansa Stark was in her room when there was a bright flash of light and she vanished.

Margaery Tyrell was braiding her hair when there was a bright flash of light and she also vanished.

Runeterra, Noxus

Sansa opened her eyes to find herself in a cobblestone pathway with an imposing city in the distance. Margaery groaned next to her. "Where are we?"

Sansa swung around to see a sign that read "Welcome to Noxus."

She gulped. "Oh dear..."

Planetos, the North

Samwell Tarly and Ridoc Gamlyn were going over some old scrolls when the former's eyes widened. "You might want to see this!"

Ridoc peered over his shoulder and his eyes widened as he said. "Oh we're so fucked."