This is a sequel to the FanFic "I can be only Numb". I liked the first one and so I decided to write a sequel with my own little twist. I've mixed Daria with Highlander: The Final Dimension which I thought was the true sequel and not the one based in the future. In this story, Daria has held onto the prize long enough to have a daughter, and is living peacefully until an ancient immortal awakens from an ancient cave in and goes after the prize! With this immortal alive, Daria lost the prize is at square one again! Now she must protect her family and friends again this new immortal threat, and keep her head. Hell hath no fury than a Cynic scorned.

Daria is copy is copyrighted by MTV, and Highlander is Copyrighted by Republic Pictures, and I have nothing to do with MTV or Republic Pictures. I just wrote this for fun and out of shear boredom.


I Can Be Only Numb II
The Quickening


Lawndale Park, twelve noon.
        Daria Morgendorffer and Jane Lane were sitting on a bench while they watched the little children play on the playground equipment. It has been some years since Daria had won the Prize by killing the Immortal, Kurgen. Of coarse, that was after her Aunt Amy was actually her grandmother, also an immortal. Daria had witnessed taking the head of another immortal that thought Daria was her Aunt Amy. Her Aunt explained that they became that way by dying, then coming back to life. Why? They didn't know. They just knew that the only way to die was for their head to be separated from their body, otherwise they would live forever. When one immortal killed another, they inherited all their memories and knowledge they had collected during their life through some kind of energy known as the Quickening. A very painful process, which seems to also to electrocute the immortal, and destroy just about anything around the immortal.
        The immortal's goal was to reach the time of The Gathering. An unknown force would draw immortals to one certain location where they would battle to the last. Mainly with swords, the main weapon of choice. No one knew why they had to battle to the last, but knew only one thing. In the end, there could be only one. Daria didn't by it at first, until her Aunt stabbed herself in the heart in front her and lived! Perfectly fine, she tried to teach Daria how to fight with a sword to defend herself from others, since she was now a target to get to her Aunt Amy. On the way home with her friend Jane Lane, they ran into an immortal named The Kurgen. Daria held him off for Jane to run away and get help, only to be impaled by his sword! Her Aunt Amy fought off Kurgen, but died in Jane's arms. She later awoke in a hospital with her mother, Aunt, and her friend thinking she was dead. That meant Daria was now an immortal.
        Later on, the Kurgen had cornered Daria's Aunt Amy at her Antique Shop, fought her, and took her head. Later, the Kurgen killed her Aunt's friend, and thought he was the last immortal. When the Kurgen didn't receive The Prize, he suspected Daria. At Amy's funeral, he found Daria alive and well. He then kidnapped Jane to trap Daria. Instead, Daria, with the aid of the local radio station, the Lawndale High cheerleaders, and Jane's older sister, they turned the tables. The cheerleaders rescued Jane, while Daria faced the Kurgen. She blew out his knees and shoulders with a shot gun, then took his head with her Aunt's sword. In the end, she won the prize! She could live and grow old if she wanted, or even have children and still live on forever. It was her choice.
        Now, she sat in the park talking to Jane four or five years after the incident. "You know, Daria, you rushed into it very fast." Jane told her friend. "What do you mean?" Daria asked, puzzled. "As soon as you were, I guess you could say almost normal again, you went and had a baby!" Jane said. She couldn't believe it when Daria had told her and made her the Godmother as well! "Hey, you don't know if I'll stay like this. So I thought it was better if I went ahead and became a mother as soon as possible." Daria explained to her. "Yeah. Then after nine months of an expanding gut, cravings, and nausea, you went into a very labor for about fourteen hours!" Jane told her. Or actually, reminded. "Jane, it was worth it." Daria said as she looked at the little raven haired girl playing on the jungle gym. She looked at Daria with her pale blue eyes and waved shouting "Hi Mommy!" "Be careful, Amy! Mommy doesn't want you to get hurt like last time!" Daria shouted back at her. "Last time?" Jane asked her friend. "She fell off the monkey bars and almost broke her wrist. I've never been so terrified in my life!" Daria told her. "At least she's okay, Daria. She's the greatest thing you've ever done. Speaking of which, you never told me who her father is." Jane told her friend, wanting to know. She had a suspicion, but didn't know if it was right.
        "Come on, Jane! You should at least have a clue by now! Why do you think she looks like you, and I insist she calls you 'AUNT' Jane?" Daria asked her. "You mean that Trent if her father?" Jane asked her. "Yes Jane, Trent is her father. And he loves her so much." She said as she remembered the night her daughter was conceived. She and Trent had argued about her pulling that stunt with Kurgen with out him, and her telling him it was because she was in love with him. That night, they made love. Nine months later, little Amy Jane Morgendorffer was born. "I thought she looked familiar. All I had to do was look in an old photo of me when I was a kid." Jane said to herself. "So, how's the writing gig at the TV station?" Jane asked. "Not bad. Plus, the Antique shop on the side helps. In fact, I found Aunt Amy's old Journal while restocking the store. Or at least, one of them. Turns out she was in Germany during World War II!" Daria told her.
        "What all happened?" Jane asked her. Well, I also remember it like it happened to me. This is how it happened.
        "The Nazi's wanted her because they thought she was an American spy. So she ran, and found a little boy hiding from the gunfire. When she rescued him, a Nazi soldier had found her and shot her! Well, she got right back up, grabbed his gun away from him, and-" Daria trailed off. "And gave him one of the very first sex changes with it." she finished.
        "Ouch! What happened to the little boy?" Jane asked her.
        "Turns out he the youngest of my mom's uncles." Daria said as she sipped a bottled water she had with her, still keeping an eye on her little girl.
        "Your worried about another guy like Kurgen, aren't you?" Jane asked, reading Daria's face like a book. "How can I not be? I've got a daughter to worry about, and you don't know if there are anymore like him out there! Mortal or immortal!" Daria told her. "Have you been practicing your sword then?" Jane asked. "Yes, but ever since that day, I know so many moves and fighting techniques. And all these memories in my head. I've learned to handle most of it., but there's one thing though." Daria said.
        "What's that?" Jane asked, getting a little worried when Daria mentioned the last part.
        "Both the Kurgen, and Aunt Amy's memories are in my head. I recall her last thoughts and images when Kurgen killed her, or his when he killed her. It still drives me crazy now and then. At least the bastard's dead." Daria said as she drained the last of her bottled water.
        "Mommy, can we go now?" little Amy asked her mother. "Sure, are you tired already?" Daria asked. "Yeah. I want to go see Daddy." the small child said. "Sorry baby, but dad's on tour with his band. He'll back tomorrow. We'll see him then, okay?" Daria asked. "Okay, Mommy." Amy said and wrapped her arms around her mother's neck. "I think it's time this little girl had a nap." Daria said as she and Jane got up to leave. "You think I can really rest easy?" Daria asked as she strapped Amy into the back seat. "Once again, yes! I mean, what are the odds that there's going to be another immortal guy coming after your head?" Jane asked as she climbed in the front seat.

Japan. Archeological Dig Site near what looks like a mountain.
        Inside the dig site, the top looked more like business building while the shafts below looked more like they were mining for gold or other precious resource. They had found a few artifacts here and there, and evidence that someone had actually lived somewhere in the mountain! Like there had been some sort of cave in there. But it was late at night, and everybody had gone home. The only people there at all was one night security guard that was roaming the caverns, making sure no one else was there or stealing something. The only thing you could hear was the drip of water that leaking in between the rocks. As the security guard made his rounds, he thought he heard something. He walked to where he thought the sound had originated. He listened, but heard nothing. He was about to walk away, when part of a wall came down. The security guard jumped out of the way in time to avoid to be hit by falling rock and debris. When the rocks stopped falling, he slowly got back up. He looked that the fallen wall now revealed some kind of cave. What had made it fallen, he didn't know. He showed his flash light inside it, seeing pieces of a few statues and pottery.
        Without warning, he was pulled into the cave by the collar of his shirt, and a sickening snap echoed through out the cave. Then, three armored men stepped out from the cave. Two looked like Mongolian Warriors, while the other looked as if he came from a different part of the world. He was still armored as they were, and carried a katana sword. "That immortal is out there somewhere, and he owes me four hundred years in that damn pit!" the leader said. "There's a good chance he's already dead. "If he is, then I'll get the one that took his head. Whoever has his knowledge, will pay for what he's responsible for. The time of the gathering has already passed. That means there should be only one immortal out there to look for. With us alive again, the fight for the prize is back on. YOU!" he said as he grabbed the warrior at his left. "Go look for the immortal. We'll follow close behind you. There's a new world out there, and I've been waiting for four hundred years to reek havoc on it." he said to the soldier. "Yes." he said, and made his way out of the caverns. "Time, is ticking away until I claim the Prize!" Kane said as he and the other warrior made their way out of the caves and caverns. "Don't you mean us?" the other man asked. "You know there can be only one." The leader said, and the sound of a sword be swiped was heard.

Lawndale, on the way to the Lawndale TV Station.
        Daria was currently driving to pick up a few things from her job when she felt a violent attack come over her entire body! She screamed a little and clutched the steering wheel as tight as she could! She was swerving on the road, and quickly pulled over with Jane and Amy panicking, asking Daria what was wrong. Outside the car, it looked like lightning was flashing, but there weren't any rain clouds in sight! Daria pulled over and hit the emergency break! The car halted, jarring them forward a little bit. Daria was still wracked with pain, then it gently and calmly went away. Daria let out a gasp from holding her breath, and started panting heavily. "Daria? Daria, what's wrong?" Jane was asking her with worry on her face. "I'm fine." Daria said as she started to regain her bearings. Then she realized something. The whirlwind in her head was gone! All the voices, the people's thoughts weren't there! She couldn't hear anyone's thoughts! Not even Jane's, or even her daughters thoughts! The Prize was gone! How could that be? It couldn't be gone, unless.
        Daria's eyes shot wide with the realization of what had happened to her, to what had happened to The Prize! "There's another one out there!" Daria said to herself. "What? Daria, what are you talking about?" Jane asked her friend. "I'll explain as soon as we get back to my house!" Daria said and floored it! "Daria, your not making any since and your scaring me and Amy! What's going on with you?" Jane asked, this time she was getting very worried! "I'll tell you when we get to my house!" Daria said as she sped even faster to get back to her home!

Morgendorffer Residence.
        Daria pulled into the driveway, turned off the car, and got Amy out and made her way to the house. "Okay, Daria. What is it? What's going on here?" Jane asked as she followed Daria into the house. "Amy, go find and play with Aunt Quinn, okay baby?" Daria asked her young daughter. "Okay, mommy. Are all right?" she asked her mother with worry and concern in her eyes. "Im fine, baby. Just go play with Aunt Quinn. Okay?" she asked her. "Okay, mommy." Amy said and went up the stairs. Daria waited a few moments, then went upstairs to her room. "All right Daria, that's it! What's going on here?" Jane demanded as she closed the door behind her. Daria went inside her closet in her padded room. "I'm getting something!" Daria said. "What? What are you getting that you needed to try and break the sound barrier for?" Jane asked her. Daria came out of her closet, and pulled out her Aunt Amy's sword. She pulled it from scabbard to see if it still had an edge. "It probably needs to be sharpened, but this is what I needed!" Daria told her. "Daria, what are you doing, taking that thing out?" Jane asked her, still confused.
        "Jane, what was wrong with me in the car was The Prize left me!" Daria told her as she got out a few other things, mainly clothes and a suitcase. "Wait a minute, how could it do that? It can't leave, can it?" Jane asked her. "Only if another immortal shows up!" Daria told her. "Another? You mean there's another one out there?" Jane asked a little in disbelief and panic. "That's right! That means, The Prize is up for grabs again! Since I'm the only other immortal in the world, how long until you think they're going to come after me, you, my family, or my daughter! If anyone does anything to my little girl, they'll beg me to take their head!" Daria said. "Listen Daria, how do you know you're immortal again? How do you know that this isn't part of deciding to grow old and die like the rest of us?" Jane asked her. "Well, there's only one to find out." Daria said and got out the dagger her Aunt Amy had used that night Daria saw her kill her would be attacker. "Jane, hold this." Daria told her, and put the dagger in her hand. "Like this?" Jane asked puzzled as she held the dagger with the blade facing outward. "Exactly." Daria said as she grabbed Jane's wrist, and thrust the dagger into her chest and through her heart! Jane screamed a little as she let go of the dagger that was now almost covered in Daria's blood. Daria slowly grabbed the hilt of the dagger, grit her teeth, and pulled it out of her chest as fast as she could! Daria yelled through her clenched teeth as she did, forgetting how much it hurt! After a few seconds, the bleeding stopped as the wound sealed itself, and Daria slowly stood back up. "Does that answer your question?" Daria asked as she regained her composer. Jane just stood there, stunned. Daria just simply removed her shirt, and put on a clean one as she set the dagger on her dresser. "Is everything okay in there? We like, heard someone screaming!" Quinn asked on the other side of the door. "We're fine, Quinn! I was showing Jane a TV trick. Too real for her taste." Daria lied. "Too real for her? Weird!" Quinn said and left. "I stabbed and you're alive!" Jane said amazed! "Get over the shock! We need to get to Aunt Amy's shop!" Daria said. "Why?" Jane asked. "To find out who this new person is." Daria said.

        As they entered the shop, Daria pointed Jane to the diaries. "What are we looking for?" Jane asked Daria. "Something about any kind of Immortal that could have ben hiding. Maybe waiting until there was one left, or thought was already dead." Daria told her. It took them hours, and they browsed through every diary Aunt Amy ever had. "Anything yet?" Daria Jane. "Nothing. Hey, get this! Around the first years of my realization of being immortal, I encountered a scottish Highlander who would tell me tales of his many adventures. One was of how he had sought out an ancient wizard in Japan." Jane read. "Japan?" Daria asked. Then the flash back hit her!
        "You're from Scotland?" Amy asked. "Aye, I am. I first became what I was at a battle with a rival clan. They hired a bastard mercenary named Kurgen!" the man told him. "KURGEN? He killed you?" Amy asked. "Aye, the bastard. When I came back to life, I was stoned and driven away from my home. Five years later, I met Ramirez." the Scott said to her.
        Then the flashed switched to that of the Scott. Memories of an old man with Amy's sword. Being taught how to fight, and his death by the hands of Kurgen. The bastard loved to ruin lives. The scott living for years with a woman, his wife. The man traveling around the world, and finding the wizard!
        "Ramirez was a good friend, and shall be missed. I will finish the training which he had started with you, Highlander." "I thank you, Makato. I was able to retrieve his sword." the man said, "Keep it with you. He probably would have wanted you to have it."
        Memories of training with the wizard, learning ways of illusion, taking the weapon of an opponent, many other things. This Scott learned a lot! The the main part came into view! The warning.
        "Be warned, Highlander. There is one out there that is far more dangerous than Kurgen. If he wins the prize, he shall be more terrifying than the Kurgen would ever be." the old man said to the Scott. "Who is he?" the Scott asked him. "His name is Kane." the old man said.
        Now there were memories of a fight. Kane and two men had come for the old man. The old man told the Scott to leave, instead he stayed to try and help. Kane ended up impaling the Scott, but the old wizard saved him with the cost of his life. As the Scott ran, he heard the old man say, "There will be only one, but it will not be you!" Then the cave entranced exploded! The quickening! It was too far too powerful to be contained in that cave and destroyed it! The Scott presumed Kane was dead.
        Now there were Aunt Amy's memories of living with the Scott. Many years, as a wife. Then the Kurgen came and killed him. Amy took his the Scott sword and scared the Kurgen with that scar he had on his throat. Basically making a target for any immortal to strike.

        "YO! DARIA!" Jane shouted at her. "What?" Daria asked as she snapped back to reality. "You looked like a statue. What's wrong?" Jane asked her. "That Scott was Aunt Amy's husband. He met the guy we're after. He thought he was dead from a cave in. Buried. His name is Kane.
        She said. "Okay,m how bad is he?" Jane asked her. "Forty times worse than Kurgen." Daria said to her. Jane's eyes bulged out of her head. "It gets worse." Daria told her. "WORSE?!" Jane shouted as Daria went into the back of the shop. "Yes, worse! He's a wizard. A very powerful ass at that! So you're going to need this for protection." Daria said and tossed her a sword. Jane looked at it and saw it was sword like hers, except the handle was that of a dragon. "What's with the japanese swords?" Jane asked. "Be on your toes. This guy is-" Daria stopped. Her little spider sense was tingling. "One of his goons os on his way. Let's get out of here!" Daria said as she and Jane hauled ass out of the store! They were now flying down the highway to who knows where.

        The air was calm in Lawndale. A bright day, a cool breeze, and just two teenagers making out in a alley near Lawndale mall. "Kevy, are you sure no one will se us?" The girl asked her boyfriend. Come on, babe! Everyone's inside. Besides, who would want to come through an alley anyway?" the boy asked her as he raised his sunglasses up. "Okay." the girl said as they started to make out. Then a small breeze picked up, and part of the alley looked as if about to open up! There was a bright flash of light! When the two looked back, a man in armor stood in front of them. "Mind if I borrow these?" he asked the boy and took his sunglasses. "Hey! Those are mine!" the boy shouted as the man walked away. When the man turned around, he was wearing the boy's jacket, shirt, and pants. While the boy was standing in the alley with nothing but shoulder pads on! The two ran away screaming as the man examined himself in what was left of a mirror in a dumpster. "Four-hundred years, and teenagers still have the worst taste in clothes." the man said as he walked into the mall.

        "Daria, where the hell are we?" Jane asked as she walked into the large apartment. "Aunt Amy's old apartment. We'll be safe here, I think." Daria said as she sat down on the couch. "I see should could have made this an antique shop as well." Jane said as she looked at the huge loft. "Looks like she was working on a drawing here." Jane said as she picked up the piece of sketch paper. "Let me see." Daria asked. Daria had been on the road for a day, and wanted to make sure she knew as much as she could about Kane. As Daria took the drawing, she saw it was a sword in the ground with the name MacLoud on it. It looked familiar. "Who's sword?" Jane asked. "The Scott. It's his clan's sword. It's a gravestone for his first wife." Daria said automatically. "wow. Having memories of a bunch of immortals helps a lot, doesn't it?" Jane asked her. "A little. Hey, draw your sword." Daria told her. "Why?" Jane asked her. "Because I don't want you to end up like me when I met Kurgen." Daria said to her as she drew Amy's Katana. "Good reason." "Here's some a little music to help us." Daria said. In a minute, Queen was blaring the Song 'Princes of the Universe'. And they began.

        They practiced al that night and most of that day. Jane had enough knowledge to defend herself. For a while, anyway. "Okay, one more move." Daria said to her. "DARIA! We've been practicing since we've gotten here. Can't I sleep?" Jane asked her. "After this move." Daria and her fought, and Daria let Jane hit her sword with a blocking move that put her sword behind her head. "I've got you." Daria said. "No you don't." Jane said, not knowing what she meant. "No," Daria started, and in one deaf move had Jane's sword out of her hand and at her throat. "you don't." Daria finished. "Okay. Now can I sleep?" Jane asked her.
        They both were sleeping quietly that night. Jane slept in her T-shirt and underwear while Daria slept in just her underwear. Ever since that quickening, she's been taking on different habits. Daria was dreaming of a time long ago. She was riding on horseback, in a race with someone. It looked as if the surroundings suggested the time of the French Revolution. She had just won the race, and her and the man were making out. "So, what's like in Scotland?" she asked him. "More beautiful than this land. One day, I'll take you to see it." he told her. "For a man trying to teach me to behave, you sure are failing miserably." she said to him. "Who said I'm not?" he asked and laughed with a laugh made him seem more funny and polite than what he was. "If it came down to it, would you take my head?" she asked the man. "Never. I would rather go without the prize than risking to harm you." "Me too, Conner. Me too." She said. "Thank you Amy." Conner said as they kissed. THUMP! Daria shot straight up and put on her shirt at the sound! "Jane!" Daria said to her. "I heard it it. Jane said as she clutched the sword Daria had given her, ready to draw it. "It came from the roof. I'm going to go check it out." Daria said as she drew her sword.
        Daria walked as quietly as possible to the roof. When she reached, she saw the whole place covered in sheets. "Damn maids!" Daria whispered quietly to herself. She walked quietly through the maze, Listening, and observing as best as she could. She heard gravel crunch behind her! She spun to see - Jane with her sword drawn! "Jane!" Daria said to her. "I couldn't help it! I got scared!" Jane said to her. Daria got that gut feeling, and noticed it was coming strongly from behind Jane! "JANE, DUCK!" Daria shouted to her! Jane ducked just in time for a blade to come swinging over her head and cut Daria across the chest! Daria hobbled down with pain! "Bastard!" Daria said to herself. "It's no use, Highlander! You are done for! If Kane won't kill you, I will!" a voice said and started running toward her. "You've already failed!" Daria said quietly, and quickly leapt to her feet, spun, and heard the body fall behind her as she saw the some of the sheets stained red. "there can be only one." Daria said. Then she heard it. The crackling, like foil crunching together, the flashes of light. The quickening! "Not again!" her and Jane said together.
        BOOM! The quickening hit Daria dead on and full force! Daria surrounded by the quickening, looking as if she was being electrocuted! Fuse boxes blowing, small explosions here and there! Then as soon as it started, it was over. "Ouch!" Daria said and fainted from the pain of the ordeal. "Daria!" Jane said as she rushed to her friends side.

        Lawndale. The Morgendorffer home was empty. "At least that idiot got me a name." Kane said to himself as he broke down the door. He was looking through home, smashing a few pictures here and there, and saw a family photo on the wall. He looked at it for a minute, and looked at the two girls. "One of these two is the Highlander." he said to himself. Then, answering machine picked up. "Hey, Quinn! It's Jane. Listen, Daria and I are okay, just bust on business. If you could call it that. So take care of little Amy. If you changer her hair to red like yours, Daria will have your hide!"Jane finished and the machine beeped. "Red hair, huh? Then she's the Highlander!" Kane said as he pointed to the picture of the girl with glasses. "He told me she was a brunette. Good thing I like them the best." Kane said as he smiled, smashed the photo, and walked out.

        The Highlands of Scotland were green and vast. She was walking out of the little hut Conner had built, and looked out the ruins of the old castle that stood there. She saw Conner hammering at a piece of steel. She walked toward him to see what he was doing. "What are you up to?" she asked him. Repairing this old sword. I thought it would make a nice gift. She looked at it and saw it was a Katana sword like his, but with a dragon handle. "It belonged to a friend of mine. It broke in battle a long time ago." Conner said. "I'm sure if it's from you, I'll like it." she told him.
        "Daria, are okay? Don't die! What am I saying, you can't die! Daria, wake up!" Jane said as Daria opened her eyes. "I'm starting to get pissed at these damn memories." Daria said as she slowly woke up. "More flash backs?" Jane asked her. "Yeah. This is getting annoying!" Daria said as she slipped on her glasses. "I called home and let them know you were okay." Jane told her. "You did what?" Daria asked her. "I called and let your family know you were fine." Jane told her. "SHIT! GET YOUR CLOTHES ON! WE'Ve GOT TO GET HOME BEFORE KANE DOES!" Daria shouted and grabbed her clothes.

        "Wow Helen, I didn't know the mall had such a vast food court!" Jake said as he bit into a taco. "Oh, Jake! For crying out loud, it's nothing special! How are you doing Amy?" Helen asked her granddaughter who was drawing on a napkin. "I miss mom." she said as she kept drawing her drawing of a powerpuff girl. "Someone mention me?" a familiar voice asked behind her. "MOMMY!" Amy shouted as she ran to her mom and hugged her mother's legs. "Hey, you! I'm going to take Amy home." Daria said to her parents. "Okay, Kiddo. See you there!" Jake said as he finished his taco as they walked off. "I didn't know she would be back home so soon." Helen said to her husband. "WHERE'S AMY?" a voice shouted. They jumped from the scare and saw Daria in a pair of jeans, a blue shirt, and a navy blue jacket. "You-you just left with her! How did you change your clothes so fast?" Jake asked her. "Kane! Shit!" Daria said as ran off toward the direction her dad pointed to. "Helen?" Jake asked her. "Police? I'd like to report a kidnapping!" Helen said into her cell phone.

        "Where's the convertible?" Amy asked her mother. "convertible? Just get in the car." she told her. As soon the door was closed, the image of Daria melted away to reveal Kane in a black trench coat and Kevin's uniform underneath in his own kind of makeover style. He got in and closed the door. "Who are you?" Amy asked him. "A friend of your mother's. Buckle your seat kid, this is going to get bumpy." he told her and floored the car out of the parking lot. Daria made it out in time to see them drive off in the beat up Ford. "AMY!!" Daria screamed as loud as she could. "That's bastard's head is mine." Daria said to herself.

        "Hello, Highlander. You've got a very talented little girl here. You better meet me at the old chapel on Degas street, or her little talent will be put out permanently." The message ended right there with the beep. "What does he mean Highlander?" Quinn asked her family. Daria was ringing a wash rag so tight she started to draw blood! "Daria! Not so hard!" Helen said as she noticed the white cloth turning a little red. When she opened her hands, she didn't see any kind of wound, or cloth burn. "Daria? What's going on?" Helen asked her daughter. Daria just looked up at Jane. "You want to get the dagger this time, or should I?" Jane asked her. "DAGGER? What Dagger?" Jake asked them. "Mom," Daria started "Aunt Amy was really an ancestor, but you were raised to believe she was your sister. She was immortal, and could not die unless her head was severed from her body. The man that killed her, the Kurgen, actually did kill me. I became an immortal. He kidnapped Jane as a trap for me. Instead, I laid one for him and took his head with Aunt Amy's sword."
        "DARIA! Y-you killed a man?!" Helen asked her daughter shocked.
        "Yes. As a result, I went through the quickening. I inherited all the knowledge of the immortals he had killed, and his. Including Aunt Amy's."
        "Daria, that's just impossible!"
        "When you were a kid, you let a little boy see your underwear for a quarter and you only told Aunt Amy that."
        Helen just looked at her opened mouth. "She-she must have-"
        "I remember it like I went through it mom. With Kurgen dead, and me the only immortal, I won the prize."
        "The prize? What sort of prize? A car?" Jake asked her daughter. Daria just gave him a look for him to shut up. "The prize is reading and hearing the minds and thoughts of others, choosing to be normal or continue to be immortal. Have children. I chose to be normal. Now it's changed."
        "How has it changed? You had Amy!" Quinn told her.
        "It was a few days ago. An ancient immortal woke up from a cave in that happened hundred's of years ago. With him in the picture, I lost the prize. Now he want's it. And he took my daughter to get to me!" Daria said as she looked out the window.
        "What are you going to do, kiddo?" Jake asked his daughter. "Only thing I can do. Get my daughter back, and make him suffer before I kill him." Daria said coldly. Quinn and Jake were shaken at how calmly she said that. "Daria?" Helen asked her. "Yeah, mom?" Daria asked her. "Show no mercy." Helen told her.

        Degas street was surprisingly deserted at this time of day. It was six o'clock, and all was quiet. Daria pulled up to the old chapel and saw Kane with Amy in his laps on the hod of his car. "Hello Highlander. It's a pleasure to finally meet you." Kane said with a smile on his face. "Let her go." Daria told him. "You know, I thought immortals couldn't have children. One of the benefits of the prize, huh? Remarkable, Highlander." Kane said to her.
        "Quit calling me that."
        "Why not? You carry the knowledge of that dirty Scott in that pretty head of yours. You also got the revenge I'm going to get for him trapping me in that rock four four-hundred years." he said to her.
        "That was your own stupidity." Daria said and laughed Conner's laugh exactly, even down to his voice.
        "I see he's still in there. I wonder if it was you that helped her here and there. It won't matter now. Go see mommy." Kane said to Amy. Amy started to run toward Daria, only for her to fade away. Daria looked at Kane with pure rage. "Nice trick, isn't it? It's great for parties." Kane said as he drew his sword.
        "Where is she?" Daria asked him as she did drew hers.
        "You'll find out when you kill me. If you can." Kane said and lunged!
        Daria blocked with a swift move, and made a strike, cutting his hand. "Nice move. Let;s see if you know any more." Kane said as they began to fight! The few people watching ran to their cars, or ducked into stores. Degas street might be open, but still not enough room. Daria made a quick move, and sliced his throat open! "I learned that from my Aunt!" Daria said and ducked in a store. "That won't help you any, Highlander!" Kane shouted and followed at the bleeding slowed. Kane looked through the store, but couldn't really see anything. "The brat cut off the power. Smart." Kane said to himself. He heard something behind him, and swung his sword. He only struck a dummy. He heard a back door opened and followed! When he reached out side, he saw Daria climbing a ladder to the roof. He quickly followed. "Now you've made yourself cornered, not smart at all." Kane said as he swung his sword. "I just didn't want anyone to get hurt." she told him. "Noble. Stupid, but noble." he said another lunge at her! Both blocked and fought, but each was getting no where. "You know, I also have the knowledge of many sword masters in me as well. Kane said. "Well, here's something they didn't know." Daria said and kicked him in the crotch! Kane bent over in pain and fell off the roof, but grabbing Daria by her pants and taking her with him!
        Daria was hanging by her hands while holding her sword, and looked to see if Kane hit concrete. She couldn't see him, at all! "Daria!" she heard someone yell! She looked to see Jane climbing onto the roof. "Jane? What are you?"
        "Hey, I owe you one. Grab my hand!" Jane said as she ran toward her friend. Daria took her hand, and got back onto the roof. As she did, she ran her sword through Jane's torso! Jane just looked down, then back at her. "Bitch!" Jane said to her as Daria pulled her sword out. "You sure are a lady killer." Jane said as she shifted back into the form of Kane. "Now we end this." Daria said. "Agreed." Kane said as he lunged. They fought more, metal clanging, sparks flying! Then Kane hit her sword, and got the blade behind her head. "You know what this means." Kane said. "Yeah, you've lost!" Daria said to him and laughed Conner's laugh in her own voice. She pushed her blade up, throwing Kane's up in the air, and bringing the blade across his neck diagonally one way, and quickly did it again the other! Kane's eyes went wide, and lunged after her! Daria dodged, and did the same thing to his back. Kane turned, looked at her, then fell with his head rolling away from her. She looked at him and said "There can be only one."
        BOOM!
        The quickening again hit her harder than the force of ten MAC trucks! Just as violent as the last time, she gained the prize again! Energy passed through her and around her! The roof exploded in different spots with huge explosions. All the windows on Degas street shattered into shards! Just as suddenly as it ended. Daria collapsed into a heap. She was tired, and her head whirled with a weird of whirlwind. The prize was hers again. "Back to normal." she said before she fainted.

        Daria looked over the cliff at the roaring sea. She inhaled the air as the cool breezed brushed her face. "Daria! Time to eat!" her mother called to her. She was normal again, or as close that can be called. She just knew, she would liver her life her way and be ready if she had to defend her family again. "Come on, Daria! If you don't eat now we'll be late for my gig!" Trent called to her. "All right!" she said. She looked at the gold band on her left hand. "This going to take some getting used to." she thought as she started walking. As she did, she left four candles she had lit. One for Aunt Amy, one for Conner MacLoud, one for Conner's first wife, and one for his friend Ramirez. One thing was for sure, life was short, and she was going to live it up. In the end, she could be only numb.

The End.