The (Solo) Adventures of Solomon Kane

“Is yonder not a bar fixed to the wall?” spake Kane

“Aye, but ‘tis made fast,” said the Frenchman, tugging at it. “The …”

As he pulled at the bar a section of the wall swung back to reveal a small secret room and the two men bend over the grisly thing laying upon the floor.

“The skeleton of a man!” exclaimed Gaston. “And behold how his bony leg is shackled to the floor! He was imprisoned here to die!”

“Nay”, said Kane, “the skull is cleft – methinks mine host has a grim reason for the name of this hellish tavern.”

At this Gaston drew his sword and with an exhibition of remarkable strength cut the chain adjoining the ring on the leg to a ring set deep in the log floor.

“Why would he shackle a skeleton to the floor?” mused the Frenchman. “Monbleu! ‘Tis a waste of good chain. And now M’sieur”, he ironically addressed the white heap of bones, “I have freed you and you may go where you wish.”

“Have done!” Kane’s voice was deep and fierce. “No good will come of mocking the dead.”

“The dead should defend themselves”’ laughed L’Armon. “Somehow I will slay the man who kills me, though my corpse climb up forty fathoms of ocean to do it!”

Kane turned to the outer door, closing the door to the secret room behind him. He turned to face L’Armon as he exits the room, just as the Frenchman levels a pistol at his face.

“Move not a jot, M’sieur!” His voice sort and menacing, “Move not or I will scatter your few brains over the room”.

“Gaston the Butcher!” said the Englishman soberly. “Fool that I was to trust you!  You range far, murderer! I remember you now with that cursed great hat off – I saw you in Calais some years agone.”

“Aye – and now you will see me never again”, Gaston replied.

Kane held himself steady, his only hope was for the Frenchman to mis-step or be distracted by something. “One chance is all I need”, thought Kane, “one chance and I’ll damn you to hell”.

Kane observed his foe, what was the man going to do?  Would he make a slip and allow Kane a single opportunity to turn the tables? His mind ebbed and flowed with ideas, swinging wildly from positive to negative, from dark to the light. Whatever happens a decision needs must be made in a few seconds.

With a slowly rising feeling of confidence, Kane faced the Frenchman full on, no fear in his eyes.  “What now, M’sieur”, he said ironically, echoing his adversary’s own silky speech.