Robin was stunned. Not only had this mad man seized control of Sherwood and forced the homeless to live shameful lives... but he had also seemingly killed Robin’s father... over a debt? Anger flashed over Robin’s face as he glared at the monstrous, red-eyed beast of a man.
“You murdered my father? His only crime was wanting to feed his son! You slaughtered him in the street?” Robin asked and the sheriff laughed.
“Oh come now, Robin! The man was a foolish, bumbling idiot! I did you a favour,” The sheriff exclaimed, stepping closer to Robin, who was fuming with rage.
“What are you going to do? You’re a worthless thief! You’re more useless than he was! That’s the legacy of the great Robin Hood! A bum father who barely had enough money to survive, and the son who would grow to become a thief! I’ll enjoy killing you! I wonder if you’ll beg for your life like he did!” The sheriff said laughing as Robin fired an arrow into his massive chest.
The sheriff looked down at the arrow, laughing.
“Is that all you’ve got? A fucking arrow after all these years? I expected more,” The sheriff said, trying to pull the arrow out of his chest but it refused to come out.
“That’s not just an arrow," Robin said as the arrow started to beep over and over.
The sheriff smiled, raising his fists as large metal claws shot out of his knuckles.
“A bomb? Is that what your great plan was?” The sheriff asked and Robin smiled.
“If I die, you are going with me!” The sheriff said as he lunged for Robin, his claws swiping left and right as Robin dodged every move, dancing around like a boxer. Green gauntlets materialised over Robin’s hands and he tossed his bow aside, punching the sheriff hard in the face, knocking skin off his jaw and revealing metal moving parts beneath the broken flesh.
Robin punched him again, and again... harder and harder, his green metal gloves breaking through the bloody metallic bones easily. The sheriff backed off in surprise as Robin punched him hard in the jaw, sending the massive beast of a man flying backwards.
The beeping began to slow and Robin leapt for the window, the sheriff scrambling to go after him as the arrow in his chest exploded.
Robin fell towards the city below, the streets rushing up to meet him as the entire castle exploded, glass shattering and metal flying outward around Robin as he plummeted towards the streets below. The noise of the explosion was deafening and Robin closed his eyes, falling downward in a silent plummet.
He hit something hard with a thud, but it wasn’t the ground, it was the hull of The Alanna. Robin opened his eyes, looking back at the fiery chaos of the tumbling castle walls as John pulled him into the ship through the open hatch in the hull. The ship sped away from the castle as what was left of it crumbled to the streets below. Robin closed his eyes again, nursing what was probably a broken arm. It was done. The sheriff was dead and the castle of Nottingham was no more.
*****
Robin limped into the ship, laying on one of the red lounges. Marion had tears in her eyes as she rushed to his side, taking his head in her arms. Robin was pale, a line of blood running out of his mouth and pain in his chest.
He looked down and though his vision was blurred he was able to make out a sliver of shrapnel sticking out of his chest.
“Don’t look at it, Robin! You’re not going to die! TELL him, John! He’s going to be fine!” Marion insisted, wiping away tears.
“Marion... I can’t stop the bleeding... The shrapnel has pierced his heart," John said and Marion burst into tears.
“Marion! Look at me!” Robin said and Marion leaned in close to his mouth so she could hear him speak in a low voice that was running out of energy.
“Marion... My job is done. The city is free. I did what I set out to do,” Robin said and Marion cried, talking through tears.
“What? No! What about me? You were supposed to be with me! How can I go on alone?” Marion sobbed and Robin smiled at her, placing a hand gently over her belly.
“Marion listen to me, you’ll never be alone. Not any more," he uttered and Marion was shocked, following his gaze and touching his hand on her belly, then realizing what he meant.
“You will bare a child Marion. I promise you," Robin said and Marion burst into tears, covering her mouth as Robin closed his eyes, going to sleep one last time.
*****
In the cockpit, John joined Will and Tuck, the three men staring out into the clouds as tears rolled down their faces. Tuck raised his canteen, wiping tears from his eyes.
“To Robin Hood!” he said, taking a swig from the canteen before passing it on, each of them taking a sip of the drink. Will wiped his eyes, taking the ship downward flying through the city and then on to the tall trees of Sherwood Forest. A hero had fallen and they would all need a long rest.
*****
Nine months later, true to Robin’s word, Marion gave birth to a baby girl in the Sherwood Trinity Hospital. Marion cried as the midwife passed the child to Marion and Will, John and Tuck looked on. Tuck looked as though he might cry as he caressed the forehead of the newborn, blessing the child.
“She’s
