Chapter Text
Chulainn of Sophara was two things in this world: First, he was a caring father, and secondly, he was a fighter. His entire life he thought he was only a fighter, nothing more nothing less, until one day he was pierced by an arrow by a beautiful blonde pirate named Brigid. Though their first meeting nearly became their last when the woman mistook him for a sellsword hired by her mutinous first mate, this near taking of life would not prevent Chulainn from forming a bond with her and this would eventually result in the creation of life, this of course was his two priorities in the world, Faval and Patty. Chulainn knew when he first held his son that he had found something more important than anything that was ever taught to him in his entire life, family. However after the birth of his daughter, fate would separate Chulainn from Brigid in a terrible tragedy. He was alive though and needed to protect this family he had made with her, and to do so he would leave for what he saw at the time to be the safest part of the continent of Jugdral, a small city free from the Empire of Grannvale and just big enough to have need of a man with his set of talents. Only a few short years of living in this city would be safe though as the city would soon fall into the clutches of the empire and he knew that from this point on Chulainn was dead and that he would go by the same title he worked under as a gladiator in his youth, Holyn. Chulainn would raise his children to always be kind people despite the fact they were living under the tyrannical thumb of the empire. Chulainn also would take in children and orphans who became threatened by the child hunts imposed by their new overlords and use his knowledge as a fighter to defend his orphanage from the dark cultist of Loptyr. Word quickly spread that a strong fighter had sprung up in Connaught that even the cultists of Loptyr would dare not trifle with, and this title would help find Chulainn into his position of employment as one of two star gladiators of the Duke of Munster. This is where our tale truly begins to weave for our hero as he becomes a part of a conflict that would eventually free the people from the dark hand that had fallen upon them.
“Munster sure is something ey’ Galzus?” jokingly asked the gladiator to his peer as he prepared himself for the fight set up by the duke today. “I care not for the caliber of this city, nor the depths of its rot and decay, only for the coin given to me by the duke,” responded the gray haired giant who didn’t even bother to look at Chulainn while responding to him. “Wow, what a little ray of starlight you are, no wonder that bastard of a duke showed a liking to you, you’re just as much of a jerk as he is.” The taunt would not affect Galzus, who was already leaving the armory to go enter the sandy pits of the arena, and not wanting to leave the duke waiting, Chulainn would prepare the rest of his equipment and follow him to the gates.
He had become the favorite of the duke for his ability to live when pitted against the deftest of swordsmen to the most foul of sorcerers. Well… all swordsmen except for Galzus who was a mountain of a man who had only showed up to the city around a week ago and would have killed Chulainn if not for his keen eye and Luna technique being able to shatter Galzus’s blade but not without using up all of his stamina in the process, luckily for Chulainn the duke was so impressed by both of their signs of might he chose to give mercy to them both and give them both the title of head gladiator in his arena.
It was just another day for the two as they entered the arena, however something was off as the only viewers in today’s match were Duke Raydrik himself, and the head of all Loptyr worship in the entire Thracian peninsula, the dark bishop Veld. Other gladiators had already been sent into the arena though all of them lay slain by their opponent. When Chulainn saw his opponent his mind froze. “Brigid?” asked the hero as he locked eyes with the blonde swordswoman. This short exchange would be cut short as the one remaining fighter who was currently in the arena with them, a young raven haired girl who wielded a sword which dripped with the essence of evil was fighting all people in the arena in a manner akin to a berserk creature, had decided to charge Chulainn and cut him down. As Chulainn locked blades with the girl, he noticed how Galzus was simply standing nearby watching the exchange of swords between Chulainn and the girl with a look of shock on his face as he watched the girl. As Chulainn began to gain the upper hand in the duel, he could see from the stance change that the girl was about to execute the Luna technique, he however was intimately familiar with the stance and technique as a prince of Issach and used the fact that the girl appeared confused when the attack did not claim his life to parry the sword all the way across the arena. Without the blade's control, the girl would crumple to the ground and be caught by Galzus. Chulainn could care less about that though as his gaze once again returned to the blonde woman across the arena.
“You there, Blond One, I thank you for not taking my daughter’s life but my thanks will not stay my blade from cutting you down should you approach.” The blonde swordmaster stance remained strong and shielded her ward from the gladiators. “Brigid, don’t you recognize me? It’s me, Chulainn, your husband!” “Gladiator, you must have hit your head, as I am no one’s wife, I am Eyvel of Fiana, and unless you wish to meet your end I would recommend that you leave this arena before I cut you down!” The swordswoman would then ready herself for combat while her opponent could barely muster the inner strength to face her, not able to come to terms with the idea of cutting down his love. Chulainn was ready to let her strike him down until... *CLANK* came from the side entrance gates and a small group of fighters rushed into the arena. Led by a young boy with a pristine blade and ruddy-brown hair who rushed past the swordswoman and the young girl and declared, “I will NOT allow you to harm them!” He lept into combat with Chulainn and locked his blades into the dance of combat. The boy was however weak and had little combat experience, which allowed the gladiator to easily gain the upper hand in their duel and knock the boy to the ground and disarm him from his ornate blade. Chulainn’s blade was ready to end the boy’s life when he heard a young girl’s shriek, his young girl’s shriek. “Papa, wait please! Don’t hurt the prince he helped save my life!” “Patty, what are you doing here!?! Why aren’t you at the orphanage in Connaught?” asked Chulainn.
This conversation was cut short when a dark force was felt by all in the pit as the fell bishop viewing this event grew tired of the chaos that ruined his show. The air grew stiff and stagnant as nature bent to the whims of the sorcerer who cast a spell upon the woman he viewed as responsible for this. Veld knew that she brought Chulainn to the peninsula, she kept the young prince Leif safe from his cruel machinations, and she passed her damnable holy blood on to that damn archer who in turn used it to keep all those
sweet little sacrifices
from his clutches in Connaught. For this she would pay, pay dearly. “Brigid of house Jungby, for your crimes against Loptyr, you will be sentenced to live the rest of your days IN STONE!” The cruel bishop’s cackling was soon unheard as the arcane crackling of the spell thrummed throughout the arena as the woman was encased in marble, to the horror of all watching. Chulainn felt his heart break for the third time in his life. Before he could even try to free her, a snap was heard from the balcony and both Veld and Eyvel were gone. Chulainn crumpled to his knees and wept. He had failed, just like before.
That's when he was lifted to his feet by Galzus, who was now carrying the raven haired girl in his left arm. “Holyn, we have to go.” Once he was on his feet, he was nearly tackled off them when his daughter embraced him in a hug. With tears streaming down her face, Patty wept out “Oh Papa, I was so scared when I was captured, I thought I would never see you again!” Chulainn however could barely console his daughter. As Patty wept into her father’s arms, the small group and their leader started to make their way out of the arena. Galzus having seen this and realizing what may become of himself or his daughter when the guards of Manster comes to apprehend the rebels, quickly grabbed the arm of his fellow gladiator and started following behind the rebels’ escape. The young boy in charge of the group however took notice and once more brandished his weapon at the gladiators, Patty however went in front of the leader and begged him to allow them to come with them. Chulainn began to see one of the guards, who was planning to attack the young boy, and with a speed unmatched by any in their current group, he threw his kukri blade into the skull of the poor soldier. The young boy having realized that the blade was not meant for himself, acquiesced to the wishes of the young girl and said to them, “I am Leif Ferris Claus of House Leonster. and if you wish to fight for the liberation of our country, then I welcome you to our group.” Chulainn could barely think of how to respond to this information before more guards started coming after their ragtag group, and he knew it was time to bust some skulls.