As they battled, the phantom storm grew near. The Riders in the Sky drove the devil cattle around Mother’s Scar, so no man, woman, spirit or damned could escape. Of the Dark Watchers, deluge of black, poured out on dour earth of curdled dirt. Cassidy raged, and unto death, he would trudge till free of this riot of ghost and demon. Slaughter and rending of flesh called to Abaddon, dark angel of woe, who hunted warriors for his kennels. To serve as Hell Hounds would be their fate if the dark lord of chaotic fire devoured pit was impressed. Better to serve than to be tormented upon his Tree of Pain. Above rode outlaws and Law Men, who had failed the fallen Seraphim, forced to drive forever on storm bedecked skies.

Under the clamor and chaos, Cassidy and Kathyleen battled. Tramped under the strike of hooves, the thunderous herd raged. Hot, bloody breath drenched the flesh. Crimson sparks from steel rained down in brilliant, bloody torrents. Riotous air assaulted, as the damned attacked.

Above Cassidy, the storm broke enough to let the skull faced moon leered down. Sean Midhir the Highwayman faced the bounty hunter. Lascivious eyes found Kathyleen, but returned to him with a bottomless fury. Between the Sheriff’s son and the maiden of vampire’s grin, he dashed. Though Cassidy hacked and slashed, wounds of the phantom thief healed. Fierce battle raged; yet, muscles grew tired, and the tide turned. Sean beat with a barbaric glee. He stomped, punched, and kicked, though the bounty hunter threw himself at him to save the woman. Once his strength failed him, the Highwayman cast him aside. The wild woman recoiled, as her husband came to claim her.

“Coward, you’re nothing without your tricks!” challenged Cassidy, but Sean walked passed. “DUEL, coward,” he spit at his back with a laugh, “or are you afraid I’m better?”

Sean frozen; eyes turned on him with hellish flames deep inside. “Get on your feet,” jeered the Highwayman with a touch of Irish accent, “and I’ll give you another thrashing!”

Within the gaze of the moon, they stood. Cassidy reloaded the revolver, companion since his Union Army days. Amused was the Highwayman, and angelic features bore the visage of a lascivious devil, smile a sneer. The bounty hunter’s eyes, blue as dawn over the desert, had the aspect of a wolf that has gone mad. Sean winked, and Cassidy’s grin grew stonier. Both watched Kathyleen from the corner of their eyes, and the strip of cloth. She wept in anger and heartbreak. Wild eyes of a lioness closed, shred of silk dropped.

Calamitous report was born and then died. Barrel of Cassidy’s revolver smoked. The bullet had obliterated Sean’s heart, which was already dead. Flippant bravado, fool’s idea of bravery, melted into fury; eyes held whirls of hellfire. The Highwayman drew, and no bullet slowed him. Click, Sean frowned, thumbed the hammer, yet there was only another click.

Eyes of the Ghost Riders turned upon the Highwayman. Boyish sneer was slapped away, as a dark voice rose in his ear. He screamed in terror of the judgment and bolted, but the cowboys, outlaws, and villains swept through the village. Though no longer flesh, their grips were steel, and they snatched up Sean. Cassidy leaped for Kathyleen to use his body to shield her. Din of hooves dragged along darkness, until all were swept away.

Shadow receded, and took the stench of corrupt earth. Star shine, distant yet scintillated, washed the sky with its silent beauty. Cassidy turned to the Ghost Riders in the Sky to see another rider had joined them. Damp earth at his back was clean, for the wound of Mother’s Scar had healed. He saw Kathyleen sit up and tremble. The bounty hunter covered his face; thought of Barnabas, and a spike pierced him of sorrow. Mouth split wide, he thought of the Sheriff, and a rage filled growl spilled out. His horse, reliable and friend, walked up to him, nuzzled Cassidy’s hand.

Over her heart, the wild maiden pressed her hands to feel it still beat. Furious passion had frozen, shattered, and was cast about as the stars above. Never to be whole, these were only broken pieces, which cut if dared to be touched. She tried to save him, but some were born to be hanged.

Cassidy helped her up. “He wanted to be free,” whispered Kathyleen.

“The hangman will still earn his cash this night, Ma’am,” Cassidy said, touched the Highwayman’s book.

Sheriff Roy stood on the porch. Eyes of the bounty hunter lingered at the back of his mind. He cursed the crows, which haunted this night, somewhere in the dark’s blackness. Ill omens plagued the dimness, and in them, there was the face of Sean. Only the possibility of seeing Kathyleen swing on the gallows tree kept him here. After the heiress married his son, and moved her holdings, Roy would relieve them of their fortunes. No more pittances of a Law Man’s wage, and raiding poor travelers, who had little worth stealing. Suspicion cast upon rivals were threaded with danger, and eventually, every ruse failed.

Out in the night, a rider came into San Oscuro’s edge. The Sheriff stared at this spectral image. Kathyleen peered around Cassidy, vampire’s grin full of a cruelty. At this Roy thundered, for she should be beaten or dead. Deep in the darkness of the revolver Sean’s father found a chill. In the eyes of the bounty hunter was the look of a man, who’d uncovered a snake.

“I found your son’s secret, Mister Midhir,” accused Cassidy, “heir to the Highwayman mantle.”

Roy licked his lips, “You’ll swing with her!”

The bounty hunter leaned down. “Sean, your son, was turned into a thief,” azure eyes flattened, “by you, by his father.” Roy opened his mouth, and the hammer cocked on Cassidy’s gun. “Only one will swing this night,” he swore.

The Sheriff stepped back, as Kathyleen’s feline eyes seized him. “They’ll hunt you! You have no proof,” he warned.

The bounty hunter withdrew the book, smile wolfish. With another step back, the Sheriff drew a gun, but Cassidy’s grin grew stonier. Roy felt a sliver of ice at the cerulean eyes.

A nail struck the match, and cold metal pressed to the back of Roy’s head. “Cassidy,” rumbled Grieve, “you actually beat me to a bounty. I always wanted to claim the Highwayman.” He lit the cigar, shook out the match, and smiled at his fellow bounty hunter. The Confederate Uniform was dyed black as the night, and caught the tobacco’s bright ember.

“She is the Highwayman!” accused Roy.

“This…kid,” Grieve’s eyebrows raised.

“Here,” Cassidy threw the book, which bounty hunter Lebel caught.

The Sheriff stammered, but a gentle nudge of Grieve’s gun silenced him. He read, while they watched. “Well, Mister O’Cathain, or should I say, Midhir, you’ve had a long run,” he nodded. “The jury will surely hang you.”

“The Highwayman is wanted dead,” Cassidy said and Kathyleen smiled.

The crossroads, where waited the gallows tree, was alight with silvery radiance. Roy had danced out his last steps, for the rope had not granted a quick death. The bounty hunters watched, so the deed would be done.

“Has anyone ever told you, that you’re an ornery bastard?” wondered Grieve aloud.

“Only my friends,” replied Cassidy, who watched Kathyleen walk away to hide tears, heartbroken.

“You don’t have any friends,” he turned away from the horrid sight of justice done, “bastard.”