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FATE/CURADH BEAG

“Little Champion”  

Chapter 1: Divergence in History

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This and any future stories involving Connla will assume that you have read all previous stories, so some details already covered there will not be explained here. If you haven't read those, I recommend you do so before this one so you aren't too confused. This particular chapter happens immediately after the final chapter of Fate/Parallel Colors as well, so there will be spoilers for that story’s ending.

In the Chaldea Security Organization’s medical bay, five figures stared at a sixth who entered one of the spare rooms. Only the sound of the heart monitor attached to a healing pod beeped around the dumbfounded quartet of men as they gazed at the new visitor with abject astonishment. The remaining person held a video camera and was taking pictures of this moment for later viewing pleasure.

“Um… hello, everyone,” the purple-haired teenaged girl finally murmured, breaking the tense silence.

“Wha-?” Cuchulainn Prototype gaped, unable to think of anything to say.

“It can’t be…” Cuchulainn Caster uttered.

Cuchulainn Lancer couldn’t even so much as move. Cuchulainn Alter quickly looked back and forth between the visitor and the child Servant sleeping within the healing pod. They were the same person, yet the sleeping Servant was seven years old, while the newcomer was easily 10 to 15 years older than her counterpart. Alter thought for sure he was going mad, seeing two of the same girl in the same room as him.

She looked around, then fidgeted with her hands and asked, “Maybe… this wasn’t such a good time?”

“It’s all right. They’ll snap out of it once they hear your story,” Leonardo Da Vinci replied, still fixing the camera on the girl’s timid expression. She panned towards the four men and explained, “Fellas, this is Connla Aibi. She’s a version of Connla who came to us from a parallel world to aid us in our fight against Daoloth.”

“A parallel world… you say?” Lancer murmured, quickly realizing what was going on.

“So she’s kind of like Cliste, in a way? Except that instead of us going to her world, she came to us?” Prototype wondered.

“That’s right,” Da Vinci replied.

“Well shit. Why didn’t you say that before bringing her in?”

“I thought it would make for a good laugh to observe how you guys reacted to seeing a second Connla.”

“You need to do something about that sense of humor, woman,” Caster grumbled, feeling worn out from being the victim of such a ludicrous prank. “Not everyone finds that kind of joke funny, you know.”

“Ah hah hah, sorry about that! I just thought I’d spice things up a little after all of that doom and gloom we had to go through with Daoloth’s invasion.”

Aibi noticed that Alter was staring at her fervently, so she cast her eyes down at her feet and mumbled nervously. Da Vinci ran up to her and pushed her toward the crowd, imploring, “Come on, don’t just stand there! Sit down and relax with us! Since you’re going to be an important part of our recovery team, it would be best for you to get to know everyone else.”

“Y-Yes, of course,” Aibi moaned and sat down on a chair several feet away from the Cuchulainns.

Caster asked, “She’s going to be helping us?”

“Yep,” Da Vinci said. “She’ll be assisting you and Sigurd with restoring Connla’s cranial Runes, along with strengthening her connection so that she can return to our world without incident.”

“You don’t say…”

The older Connla wasn’t sure how to begin any sort of conversation with who were essentially four counterparts of her father. This became especially awkward since she was now about the same age as Lancer and Prototype, and only a little younger than Caster and Alter. Conversing to them as a child was one thing, but to regard them as her father figures when she was so close to their age didn’t sit so well with her. Being a Servant certainly was a weird experience – they could meet all kinds of people from their own life, while simultaneously being summoned at different points in their lives. Perhaps a man who became a hero in their adult years would meet his equally famous father when he was still in his childhood. Maybe a mother who never got to meet her daughter would meet her for the first time as a Servant. An adult could also meet his sworn rival when they were a child. This kind of discrepancy made her extremely uncomfortable to just casually chat with them straight away.

“Are you okay?” Prototype asked.

“Mm… I’m not sure…”

“It’s okay. Take your time. Some of us might look scarier than others, but we’re not going to bite.”

None of them knew how to initiate any sort of conversation with each other. Aibi sat there for a long while, unable to look any of them in the eye. Da Vinci figured this was no longer the appropriate time to record them on film, so she turned off the camera and approached the REM Catcher to see if it was operating normally. However, she stopped and yelped when she saw one of the monitors flicker.

“What’s the matter?” Caster asked.

“It’s happening!” the inventor blurted. “Connla’s reached her destination!”

Alter nodded. “Yeah, I can feel it. The kid’s mind has successfully connected with a counterpart’s body.”

“Oooh, please work, please work, please work…”

Da Vinci kept saying those two words over and over again as everyone fixed their eyes on the monitor. Of all the computers being used to operate the healing pod, this one had the most important job – to capture Connla’s brain waves, transform them into images, and record them. If everything went well, they would essentially be watching a movie of this unknown counterpart’s experiences in a parallel world.

All they could do now was wait and see if such a delicate connection would hold steady.

Sinking…

Sinking…

Sinking…

There was nothing the young purple-haired child Servant could do but watch herself plummet further into an abyss of random colors. Her body was so weak that she didn’t even have the strength to move a finger. No matter where she looked, all she saw were shifting hues. It was a terrifying sight, yet she was accustomed to it by now.

She understood what was happening – she was falling into another dream. This was an ability she gained from her maternal aunt, Scathach; Imbas Forosnai, the ‘illuminated inspiration’. This gifted one a form of clairvoyance by engaging in sensory deprivation techniques to enter a deep trance.

The girl’s particular form of Imbas Forosnai worked differently though. Instead of seeing the future, she would instead fall into this realm - the Kaleidoscope, a gateway to countless parallel worlds stemming from deviations in Proper Human History, allowed to exist and flourish in their own way so long as they did not stray too far from the path of human progress. Each ‘color’ she witnessed was actually a full-fledged world in its own right, and there was any potential of her falling into a random one. The main caveat was that there needed to be an alternate counterpart of herself to ‘receive’ her stray psyche and surreptitiously implant herself into the counterpart’s cranial Runes. This phenomenon allowed the traveling Servant to witness her counterpart’s entire life as if she were present, even though her body was still back in her home dimension.

So far, the child Servant had three such major experiences like this; the alternate Fifth Singularity, the alternate Fifth Fuyuki Holy Grail War, and the war against Rex Magnus within the Moon Cell. All of them happened after she either received grave injuries or was undergoing an intense operation. It was likely that the weaker her body was, the easier it was for her mind to fall into slumber and become detached like this. She didn’t know what happened this time for it to occur, but the fact of the matter was that she was here.

She couldn’t say a word as she descended upon a specific ‘color’, becoming swallowed up by one lone hue before the world turned completely black. All that there was left for her to do was to experience this new life as a record of her counterpart’s exploits.

The year was currently 1 AD.

Deep in the highlands of Scotland’s Ben Nevis mountain range, there was an isolated cabin inhabited by only two people; a mother and her young daughter. It was a quaint hovel suitable for living a hermit-like lifestyle, but there was actually a more sinister purpose for its existence - the mother purposely wanted to sequester her daughter from any semblance of civilization so that she could abuse her as she pleased. Furthermore, living out in the wilderness meant that the daughter would not be able to hear other people’s points of views, and would mistakenly take in her spiteful mother’s abuse as a form of endurance training.

Indeed, this house belonged to none other than the Scottish warrior woman Aife and her young child Connla, who was born after a certain Ulster hero essentially raped Aife after defeating her in battle. That traumatic experience was now seven years in the past, meaning that Connla had now finally reached that age. Despite having to sleep outside in her usual dog house in freezing cold temperatures, she was too elated to notice how frigid she was.

For perhaps the only time in her life, Aife had given her a very special gift for her birthday… Or rather, four gifts at once. Three of those gifts were her iconic geasa. The last was the ring that her unknown father had left behind for her to wear when she came of age. Aife absolutely refused to talk about Connla’s father, and if the subject ever came up, the child would be beaten so badly that she risked shuffling off her mortal coil multiple times. Of course, Aife would never actually kill Connla. If she felt she had gone too far, she would stop and nurse her daughter back to health. After all, she was an important part of her plot to exact vengeance on the man who sullied her dignity.

At long last, Connla was finally able to talk about her father without Aife going ballistic, particularly since her mother was the one who brought up the subject this time. The moment Aife slipped the golden ring on Connla’s right thumb, it seemed to affix to her skin and refused to be taken off. At first Connla panicked, but Aife explained that it was a special ring that her father crafted, which would permanently attach itself to anyone possessing his bloodline, and would serve as proof of her heritage. Although Connla didn’t know what her father’s name was, she was happy to know he was thinking of her even when she hadn’t been born yet.

The girl was so excited that she had some trouble falling asleep for a couple of hours. All she could do was stare at the ring and imagine what kind of man her father was. Was he some kind of druid? Or perhaps an infantryman? She knew he had to be strong, or else Aife would not have been defeated by him. If she feared and respected Aife’s combat strength, she couldn’t imagine how powerful her father must have been to overcome her mother.

The next few days would be spent preparing herself for the journey to Ireland, in eager anticipation of meeting her long lost father and training under him from now on. In Proper Human History, Connla would have been slain in combat by him over her mother’s petty scheme for vengeance.

However, in this history, destiny had different plans for the ill-fated father and daughter…

In this moment of the Ulster Cycle, the Tain Bo Cuailgne, also known as the Cattle Raid of Cooley, was approaching its final days. It was an epic war waged between the provinces of Connacht and Ulster to claim possession of the prized stud bull Donn Cuailgne. It lasted for roughly as long as Connla was alive – about five to six years, although the exact specifics were lost to time. It was because of this war that Connla was not able to live with her father while growing up.

All of Ulster’s men were unable to participate in combat due to the Curse of Macha, but one warrior was the exception to the curse’s rules.  His childhood name was Setanta, but the world would come to know him as Cuchulainn, or Culann’s Hound, sometimes addressed as the Guard Dog. True to his epithet, he single-handedly defended his home from Connacht’s forces for all of those years. To be fair though, he actually fought a long series of duels rather than challenging an entire army all at once.

Of course, no ordinary man would have been capable of such an impossible feat. Cuchulainn was the son of the Celtic God of Light, Lugh, and a lovely yet humble human woman named Deichtine. This made him a demigod possessing such sheer strength and tenacity that even his own allies were scared of him whenever he became upset. Even so, Cuchulainn likewise had someone he deeply respected and feared; the infamous teacher of warriors and Queen of Dun Scaith, Scathach. Back in his late teenaged years, Cuchulainn ventured to the Celtic underworld to train under her. One thing led to another, and he had a fateful encounter with Scathach’s sister Aife. Although he didn’t possess an unshakably deep love for Aife, he respected her abilities in combat and, after defeating her, insisted that they have a child together.

That child would turn out to be Connla, Cuchulainn’s one and only scion.

Aife named her according to Cuchulainn’s instructions; it was a derivative of Conlaoch, or ‘Chief Hero’, symbolizing his lofty expectations for his child. Aife was also told to give Connla the thumb ring he had crafted as proof they were father and child. It was a special ring made out of Runestones forged from his own blood, or Bloodstones as they were known. Once the Bloodstones made contact with Connla’s flesh, they fused with her and would never come off. The three geasa that Aife put on Connla, however, were not part of Cuchulainn’s instructions. They were part of her plot to make him suffer for defiling her body, by pitting father against child without one knowing who the other was. It was a cunning and cruel scheme, with no one meant to be the true winner.

In this timeline, none of that mattered anymore. Towards the end of the Cattle Raid, something unexpected happened, which caused history to careen far away from what Proper Human History would allow. Normally such an aberrant world would be quickly pruned from the greater collection of timelines, but for some reason, this one managed to survive its destined erasure and thrive.

So what exactly occurred for everything to go so wrong here?

“… Mn…”

Cuchulainn’s eyes cracked open, allowing a little bit of light to burn his tired retinas. The first thing he noticed wasn’t what he saw, but rather what he smelled. It was a thoroughly dank and unpleasant stench that made him nauseous. As he looked around, he quickly realized he was in a dungeon. His extremities and lower torso were all tightly bound with metal restraints to the stone wall, which he noticed were enhanced with Runes. To add further insult, there was a chained dog collar wrapped around his neck and a muzzle covering his lower face.

Shit. Guess I was captured, huh?

He grit his teeth, not out of humiliation, but more of deep worry for his homeland. Without him around to defend Ulster, what would keep Connacht from invading while the Ulaid were crippled by Macha’s Curse? He especially knew what Connacht’s royalty was like. Their king Ailill mac Mata was a man of reputable wealth in his own right, but it was the queen who was more infamous; Medb, the Eternal Lady of Connacht and a notoriously promiscuous woman who bedded many kings and warriors. The Cattle Raid was nothing more than a rich man’s game to them – in order for Medb’s wealth to be perfectly equal to Ailill’s, she initiated the raid to obtain Donn Cuailgne so it could match his bull Finnbhennach.

Although Cuchulainn wanted nothing more than to rip Ailill’s heart out for allowing this war to happen, he wasn’t so sure when it came to Medb. There had been one time during the Cattle Raid when the two encountered each other on the battlefield. She had attempted to advance her army into Ulster, but was predictably stopped by the youth warrior, and he captured her. However, despite his own penchant for loving multiple women as much as she loved multiple men, he harbored no such romantic feelings for his sworn enemy. Cuchulainn instead ensured that Medb returned to Connacht in surrender, without even bringing shame to her by defiling her body and/or pride as a queen.

Here in this dungeon though, the Celtic hero already knew who was responsible for imprisoning him. He thought back to when he was last conscious, trying to sort through these strange feelings of confusion and bewilderment.

I was about to fight Ferdiad, wasn’t I?

Ferdiad was another powerful warrior who trained alongside Cuchulainn in the Land of Shadows, but was loyal to Connacht rather than Ulster. They had become like blood brothers during their time under Scathach’s brutal regimen, and Ferdiad never grew jealous when she bestowed Gae Bolg to Cuchulainn rather than him. Alas, their loyalties to their nations were stronger than their personal bonds, so they had parted ways after returning to Ireland. In Proper Human History, Cuchulainn and Ferdiad met each other again in heated combat against each other during the Cattle Raid, and Ferdiad would be the first of Gae Bolg’s two most famous victims (the other being Connla).

Here though, something occurred before the fateful killing blow could be delivered. A sickly sweet scent permeated the area, practically incapacitating Cuchulainn before he knew what was happening. He struggled to stay awake, but could only fall to his knees and stare at Ferdiad’s surprised face. That was when Cuchulainn spotted her…

Medb had returned. This time though, she was wearing a different outfit consisting of a black bodysuit that was sheer enough to show her white underwear, white ruffles around the collar of her black jacket, a fluffy white scarf draped over her shoulders, and pitch black high heels. There was an unusually long and thin scar running down her upper chest, starting around the base of her throat and reaching to between her cleavage. The outfit was one thing, but Cuchulainn never saw her with that huge scar the last time they met. Furthermore, Medb’s countenance seemed a bit different… as if she was some inhuman tyrant staring down at a couple of gnats.

Cuchulainn could tell that Ferdiad was trying to talk to her, but he couldn’t make out the words before passing out. The next thing he knew, he was here.

Medb… what in the world happened to you?

He wouldn’t have to ponder that question for very long. The heavy wooden doors to the dungeon were swung open by two muscular prison wardens. Standing between them was Medb, her narrowed yellow eyes and curled light smile filled to the brim with arrogance and contempt. She stepped into the dungeon, and the doors closed behind her so that she was alone with her prisoner.

“Hey…” Cuchulainn growled. “What is the meaning of this?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Medb asked as, without hesitation, she pressed her chest against his torso and ran her hands along his bare pectorals. “I’m finishing what we started last time.”

“The hell does that mean? I let you go home peacefully under the condition that you stop messing around with the treaty’s rules. As far as I’m concerned, there’s nothing left to discuss between us.”

“Oh, but there’s plenty left for us to talk about! Did you think a woman of my nature would allow such a fine gentleman to be taken by another woman’s wiles? We may be sworn enemies, but I couldn’t help feeling aroused by your incredible display of restraint and respect for my royal stature.”

“Y-You’ve got to be kidding me…”

“I’m being very serious here. Fergus always tells me about what a strapping lad you were growing up, and that even he sometimes had a hard time handling your unpredictable behavior. So that got me to thinking, ‘What if I were able to bring you to heel the way Fergus wasn’t able to’? Plus, let’s be real here – you’re not exactly innocent when it comes to promiscuity yourself.”

“Well yeah, but-“

“So what’s the problem? You denied yourself the right to sully your captive’s body, so I’m giving you another chance!”

Cuchulainn’s ruby eyes flared as he shouted, “Don’t screw with me, bitch! Not only are you the queen of the invading province, you must also have every STD under the sun! I’m not going to ruin myself like that before obtaining Emer’s hand in marriage!”

“The daughter of Forgall Monach, huh? Unbelievable. I have all the wealth, beauty and charms a man could ever ask for, yet you’re more interested in a nobody like her?” Medb grumbled, looking thoroughly unimpressed. Then that sickly smile returned as she said, “Maybe if I took her and every other prospective woman out of the picture, then you’ll change your mind.”

“You wouldn’t!”

“Then obey me, Cuchulainn, or else the lives of those you care for will be forfeit. Well, assuming that Ulster is willing to quietly surrender to Connacht after my army’s oh-so thorough invasion following your defeat.”

“Ah…”

“How about it? Do you want more boy-troops to be slaughtered by my bloodthirsty soldiers? Do you want Ulster’s villages plundered and razed to the ground without mercy? Do you want all of Ulster’s men castrated and its women raped by Connacht’s men to completely quash Ulster’s legacy from human history? The future of your kingdom depends entirely on what you say, here and now.”

“You… you… monster…”

“I know. I just can’t help being ruthless like this. It’s simply too much fun to succumb to my carnal desires.”

Cuchulainn clenched his teeth in despair, knowing that the Cattle Raid turned out to be a spectacular failure. Yet, he knew it wasn’t entirely his fault. So many factors came together to put Ulster in such a fatal disadvantage – the Curse of Macha, the ownership of Donn Cuailgne, the soured relationship between Medb and Ulster’s king Conchobhar, Fergus’ betrayal of Ulster and subsequent allegiance to Connacht, Ailill and Medb instigating the war over some innocuous bed talk…

But worst of all was Medb herself. Even with her natural penchant for wickedness, Cuchulainn could sense that something wasn’t right with her. He knew that for all of her wiles and cunning, she wasn’t particularly evil at the core. She was just living up to her legacy of raising guileful queens. There wasn’t anything inherently wrong with following in the footsteps of her previous generations. He knew that Connacht’s royalty weren’t normally capable of such barbaric acts without a good reason, yet Medb was whispering such threats in his ear as callously as if she were talking about the weather. Something happened to her between their previous meeting and now, and it twisted her into a disgusting monster wearing a beautiful lady’s skin.

After an uncomfortably long silence, Cuchulainn finally said, “Look… you don’t need to make such a huge deal about enslaving me. You want me as your newest toy to break? Fine, you have me. Just leave Ulster alone. No one did anything to earn such meaningless wrath from you.”

“Ahh, good boy! See, that wasn’t so hard, was it?” Medb smiled radiantly. “Oh, but don’t get the wrong idea. Sometimes, people don’t have to do anything to become the targets of an enemy’s madness. Just the act of being alive can be considered sinful at times.”

“Gh…”

“Well, don’t you worry. I’m a woman of my word. Ulster will ultimately be absorbed into Connacht, but its men and women will be allowed to continue living as normal. Obtaining Donn Cuailgne was my original objective, but to also acquire an entire province as well as its hero as additional parts of my total wealth is a huge bonus. Ailill’s possessions will never be able to compete with mine anymore.”

“Pardon me if I’m sounding a little blunt, but your reasons for starting wars are complete bullshit.”

“Can you blame me? My pride was on the line. Nonetheless, what’s happened has happened. Curse me all you wish, but there’s nothing you can do about it. Oh, and before you think about escaping, just note that I spread some rumors about the hero Cuchulainn refusing to fight his beloved brother Ferdiad and joining Connacht, thus betraying Ulster when it needed him the most. The lowly rabble are so desperate for peace and gullible enough to believe such obvious lies that you might not have a home to return to.”

“Tch. At least you’re thorough with shaming your enemies,” Cuchulainn snarled.

“Yes, indeed. So now that you know what the stakes are, quit resisting and become mine,” Medb said as she opened her shirt more to show off her pale torso.

However, he couldn’t look away from the unusual scar. He asked, “By the way, how did you come across such a large injury on your chest? I don’t remember you having that last time.”

“Oh, this? Eh he he he… Do you really want to know?”

“No, but you’re not exactly giving me a choice here.”

“Okay then. Since I’ve been taking so much away from you, I’ll give you at least one reward in return. Yes, my Cu… Let me show you… the truth!”

She pressed her fingers on each side of the scar… and it slowly opened up. His mind went blank as he tried to process what the hell he was looking at. In that moment, he fully understood why the Cattle Raid had gone so horrendously wrong.

This is bad…

What followed after that grim reveal would be a full week of torture and intense physical pleasure the likes of which no man ever deserved to have to endure. Medb subjected Cuchulainn to all sorts of humiliating acts and ‘games’ to satisfy her unending lust. As much as he hated every moment of it, he kept quiet about wanting her to stop, lest she turn such insanity upon Ulster. After seeing what her ‘secret’ was, he was absolutely terrified of her capacity for ruining an entire province the same way she was sullying him. Every day seemed to bring a new level of terror and agony for him, until he no longer wanted to imagine what lurked within the darkest parts of her imagination.

If he knew what she had in store for him on the final day, he probably would have preferred a lifetime of being her prisoner to this.

Cuchulainn had been heavily sedated after going through his sixth consecutive day of punishment. His eyes were groggy and his body weak from exhaustion and starvation. He couldn’t move at all, yet he knew he was being transported somewhere judging by how four burly Celtic warriors were hauling him by his wrists and ankles like he was a huge sack of produce. Crickets chirped everywhere, and the air was frightfully cool, meaning it had to be nighttime. If he had even just a little bit of strength, he could rip these guys apart with his bare hands. Just the mere thought of moving on his own volition was painful enough for him though.

“All right, boys, this ought to do it,” Cuchulainn heard Medb say to her guards, and they stopped somewhere. That was when he the sound of waves crashing against rocks.

He tried to speak, only able to feebly utter, “Ungh… where… are…”

“Ah, good morning, Cu. In case you can’t tell, we’re not in the castle anymore. We’re on the very northern coastline of Sligo. Why, you may ask? It’s simple, really. I’m giving you your reward.”

“Re… ward?”

“Ahhh, you’ve been such a good concubine, obediently playing along with every single one of my whims. Some of them were so extreme that not even Fergus would want to partake in them. However, I’ve grown bored of your refusal to completely break down for me. So I had a brilliant idea, then one thing led to another, and here we are. Look to the ocean, Cu!”

He managed to open his bleary eyes enough to gaze at the Atlantic Ocean stretching for miles on end around him. There were the usual characteristics of a coastline – craggy rocks, crashing waves, howling winds – but there also seemed to be something huge lurking about in the middle of the sea. He thought it was a small island, but there were no maps detailing any sort of detached landmasses in northern Connacht.

What… the hell…

Suddenly, Cuchulainn’s body began to hover off the ground thanks to a spell that Medb cast on him. As he slowly started to drift toward the sea, she said to him, “Congratulations, my slave. I’m setting you free from my domination. But I also can’t have you running around causing trouble for my newly expanded kingdom, now that Connacht has amalgamated Ulster. No one wants their hero to return to them as a disgrace, so I decided to take matters into my own hands. You can become a new type of hero – one capable of defending two entire nations instead of just one. However, it’d be a little difficult to do that when you’re just a single man, wouldn’t it?

“That’s why I’m going to introduce you to my new friend. The two of you will be working together to bolster Connacht’s power, both as a weapon for conquering other countries, and as a shield for protecting your queen’s territory. I can’t promise that you two will get along right away, but I’m sure you can work out the kinks there yourself.”

Cuchulainn was now heading straight for whatever the bulky ‘landmass’ was. The last thing he heard Medb call out to him was an acerbic, “Slán go deo.” †

He kept falling, closer and closer to whatever this thing was. That was when he spotted them… A pair of bright blue eyes opening within the pitch darkness. Before he realized what was going on, he descended into a pitch black pit of nothingness, unable to see even his own hand in front of him. He felt like he was being absorbed into the creature’s innards and slowly digested into raw proteins.

Unfortunately, reality would not be as kind to him as he expected.

“…”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“…”

How much time passed?

Cuchulainn wasn’t sure. All he knew was that he had taken what felt like a short nap. He was partially submerged in cold water, but it actually felt pleasant to him. He tried to look around and move his arms. He had regained a lot of his energy back, yet his weight felt a lot heavier than usual. Why was that? He couldn’t have gained any pounds after being so dangerously emaciated. His head throbbed so badly, he thought the world was experiencing earthquakes with each pound of his sore brain.

Then, he heard Medb’s voice echoing directly into his mind, “Cu? Are you there, my Cu?”

“M… Me… db…”

“Oh, you’re already awake. That didn’t take as long as I thought it would.”

“What… did you… do… to me?”

“Not much. You looked so battered and broken that I figured you’d do a better job if I gave you a new body. You two must be more compatible than I realized.”

“A new… body?”

That was when Cuchulainn opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was Sligo’s coastline, but from the ocean’s perspective. He caught a glimpse of Medb and her henchmen standing at the cliffside staring back at him. He raised one of his hands and noticed that it was covered in steely black scales and dozens of protruding spikes. Not just his hands… his entire body was blanketed in this hideous carapace! Not only that, he seemed to be much larger than usual, like he had suddenly taken on the role of a giant.

“Now that I think about it,” Medb casually said, “you did wield Gae Bolg for a while, which was crafted out of your new friend’s bones. Maybe that’s why the transition went so smoothly.”

He wished his heart stopped so he could die right then and there. If what she claimed was true, then that would imply…

“You… goddamn… whore…”

A shrill sound pierced his ears, as if Medb was punishing him for badmouthing her. She retorted in a condescending tone, “Nuh uh uh, none of the sass! You’ve become my Giant Brave, and you’re going to do eee~eeeverything I say now! You may have the freedom to roam the seas during your downtime, but once your queen beckons, you are to respond to her summons at once!”

To make her point, she snapped her fingers. Cuchulainn… or whatever he was now, immediately felt an unnatural urge to lower his head in respect.

“Oooh, what a good boy you are! We’re going to be a dynamic duo that will go to SO many places! England, Italy, Scandinavia, Egypt… Of course, we’re not just going to go on a boring ol’ world tour. No, in case my motives aren’t already obvious to you, we’re conquering them all! We’ll go so much further than any conqueror in human history has done, all thanks to your command of the seas, my Cu!

“Oh, and just so you don’t get confused, ‘Cu’ does not refer to Cuchulainn. I’m talking about your new form; the Beast of Billows, Curruid!”

He didn’t know what to say or do anymore. She wouldn’t even let him have a dignified death. He was going to become her weapon for world domination, and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it. As Medb’s control over his mind overwhelmed his rational thoughts, he could only think of one last thing:

Someone… help… me…

Ben Nevis Mountains, Scotland

Connla’s eyes shot open, and she inhaled sharply. Her chest felt like someone had stuffed countless boulders inside it, and her heart frantically raced. She felt a cold sweat drench her entire body, and she shivered even beneath her thick blankets. For some reason though, her thumb felt blazing hot. She glanced at the ring to discover that it was glowing a bright red color.

What’s going on?

Panic overcame her, and she tried to shuffle on her hands and knees so she could crawl out of the dog house. However, she stopped when she saw a pair of slender legs standing in front of the entrance. The woman wore a deep purple bodysuit and high heel ankle boots. Connla knew of only one person who dressed that way, and it wasn’t Aife. She poked her head out and stared up at the red-eyed woman standing before her.

“Aunt Scathach?” she mumbled, clearly looking dazed. “What are you doing here? Mother and I weren’t expecting you.”

Scathach, the Queen of the Land of Shadows, smiled lightly and said, “Apologies for the sudden visit, my child. How have you been faring? I understand that you just had your seventh birthday.”

“Yes, I did!” Connla immediately turned joyful as she scrambled to her feet and showed Scathach the ring. “Look, Mother was finally able to give me Father’s gift! Not only that, she gave me three geasa that will help me be stronger in battle. She said I was ready to go to Ireland and meet my father, but was worried that I might be ambushed by Celtic warriors along the way, so she gave them to me as a precaution.”

“Is that right?” the woman murmured, then thought to herself, Damn it. I was too late.

“What’s the matter? You don’t look so thrilled,” Connla wondered.

Scathach took her hand and said, “Come inside. You must be freezing when you’re wearing nothing but your gown.”

“I’m okay. I’m used to it. If I went inside without Mother’s permission, she will get angry with me.”

“You don’t need to worry about that any longer.”

“Eh? What do you mean?”

“Just come with me. And get yourself dressed in your sturdiest adventuring garb.”

“Um… okay.”

Connla followed Scathach inside the cabin, and the child changed into her usual traveler’s bodysuit, complete with a capelet and skirt, plus heavy leather gloves and boots. Once she was ready, she sat at the table with Scathach and asked, “Is something the matter? You’ve been dreadfully silent this whole time.”

Her aunt suddenly stared her so hard in the eye that she thought she was glaring directly at her soul. Then she said in a plain yet terse tone, “You will not be journeying to Ireland. You will instead further your training under my instruction.”

“What!? But Mother said I have to go there and-!”

“Aife is dead.”

Connla’s heart seemed to stop, and her eyes widened to saucers as she uttered, “… What?”

“Last night, she was mauled to death by a particularly massive Demon Boar that had wandered here from Ireland.”

“No way… That can’t be right…”

“I sincerely apologize. Even though I had arrived to slay the boar, it was too late for me to do anything for your mother.”

The little girl fell silent and sat back in her chair. Eventually, she murmured in dismay, “I see.”

“I cannot express my remorse enough for not arriving sooner.”

“It’s okay. If that’s how it is, then I just have to accept it. It’s just so sudden though that I need a moment…”

“Very good. It’s that grounded, realistic attitude that will help you on your path to being a fine warrior like her, if not even greater than her,” Scathach smiled. Then she turned serious as she continued, “In any case, I have decided to bring you to the Land of Shadows so that you may further your training. I refuse to allow you to journey to Ireland when I feel you are not ready to embark.”

“Mother said I was ready though.”

“Clinging to a dead woman’s words is pointless. You must forget about what she said. From now on, you will obey me instead. If I say you’re coming with me, then that is that.”

Connla grew disappointed as she asked, “What about me meeting my father? I’ve been working and training so hard just so I could see him.”

Scathach shook her head. “It’s a long story, but Ireland is not safe right now. Especially Ulster, where your father lives.”

“What do you mean ‘not safe’? Isn’t it always embroiled in some kind of territorial war?”

“This is much, much different than your average scuffle over territory.”

The child became silent when she heard how serious her aunt was. She couldn’t stop thinking about what was possibly going on in Ireland, which meant she had one obvious question in mind:

“Is my father… Is he okay?”

The normally stoic Scathach slightly balked at that question. A horrid chill coursed through her veins. She couldn’t bring herself to tell Connla the truth, yet she needed to respond somehow. She forced a gentle smile on her lips as she replied, “Don’t worry about him. If he was strong enough to defeat Aife, then he’ll make it through anything that this crisis throws at him.”

“I see. What a relief,” Connla sighed. “Then I suppose I should train my hardest so that once I’m ready, I can join his side in battle.”

“Precisely. He wouldn’t want you to see him if he felt you weren’t prepared to face Ulster’s enemies. Set your concerns for him aside and get yourself ready for the trip to your new home.”

“Yes, Aunt Scathach.”

“Before I forget - you are to address me as Teacher from now on. Understand?”

“Oh, right. I forgot you prefer to be regarded as a mentor figure. Then I will get prepared for the journey, Teacher.”

“Good lass. Be sure not to tarry.”

Further out into the forest, Aife sat against a huge tree with her arms and legs splayed out. Her eyes and mouth were wide open with frozen horror. A lethal amount of blood splattered the base of the tree, all originating from a single wound on her chest. Her heart had been mercilessly blown out and was now resting a few feet away from its host. A familiar curse corroded her corpse, wearing away at her form until she would eventually be reduced into dust.

It was the curse of Gae Bolg… caused by her own sister.

AUTHOR’S NOTE #1:

† - “Good-bye forever.”

AUTHOR’S NOTE #2: Well guys, here it is. Between the Celtic Lostbelt vs. the Babylonian Singularity rewrite poll I had in Parallel Colors, the Lostbelt won out by a 7:5 ratio. Very close indeed, but the winner for this year’s story has been decided. For you Babylonia fans, it will have to wait until next year. Maybe I might post something here and there if I have any ideas, but the majority of my attention will be on the Lostbelt.

Chapter Text

FATE/CURADH BEAG

“Little Champion”

Chapter 2: Boundary Between Human and Beast

Scathach and Connla spent the rest of the day packing some provisions for the journey to Scotland’s Isle of Skye. It wouldn’t be a particularly long trip, only being a few days’ trek northwest from the mountains to the village of Oban, and then an ocean crossing to Skye. Connla was used to the journey thanks to her previous time training in the Land of Shadows. She felt a tinge of sadness as she boarded up the cabin’s doors, knowing that she was never going to see her birth home ever again. Alas, Scathach’s command was absolute, and Connla was not going to disobey her. Besides, she would leave knowing that anyone who had gotten lost in the mountains would have a safe place to find refuge.

The following morning, their preparations were complete. Without ceremony, the pair mounted Aife’s two horses and began the hike down the Ben Nevis mountain ranges, bounding northwest as much as they could. It was an uneventful day, and they didn’t converse much in favor of concentrating on guiding their horses down the steep paths. Eventually, the bright and crisp afternoon gave way to a relaxing night in the woods as Scathach and Connla made camp.

Scathach hunted some game while Connla did the cooking and cared for the horses. They settled on a simple boar meat stew with wild vegetables and water drawn from a nearby stream. Soon, they sat around the bonfire and ate their meal. Scathach closed her eyes in delight as she swallowed some food, then remarked, “Goodness… However despicable of a person Aife might have been, she certainly taught you how to be a world-class homemaker. Is there some kind of secret she showed you to making stew turn out this good?”

“Not really,” Connla murmured and blushed a bit, not used to receiving compliments like this. She was more used to being berated by Aife for not making their meals correctly. “I did bring some spices with me, and I picked only the freshest vegetables I could find. Other than that, I made it the same way I always do.”

“Surely you jest. With these skills, you will find a husband in no time at all. I almost feel nervous at the prospect of introducing you to greater society in the future for that reason alone.”

The girl didn’t seem impressed with her mentor’s attempt at a compliment. In fact, her lips refused to curl into even the slightest of smiles the entire time during their travels. In the back of Scathach’s mind, she recalled that she never once saw her niece crack a smile or look happy. Considering Aife’s personality and method of raising Connla, such a disturbing disparity wasn’t too surprising. It was something she would need to work on if she truly did plan on introducing the girl to other people later in her life.

“Hah… I guess I’m no good at starting inane conversations like this,” Scathach finally admitted. “Fine, I’ll just get to the point. You look like you’re deeply bothered by something.”

Connla tilted her head curiously. “Bothered?”

“You’ve had that faraway look in your eyes this entire time. That’s a characteristic of someone trying to hide something important from those around them.”

“I don’t understand. I’m always like this. Mother told me that a real warrior is supposed to hide their feelings from the world, lest they wind up exposing their weaknesses to the enemy.”

“Well she’s wrong. There’s no fault in confiding with others. It is part of being human.”

“But…”

“She taught you such nonsense out of spite of her own failure. I’ve told you before about how she lost against your father, didn’t I? She must have been so embittered by exposing her greatest weakness to your father that she was afraid of you making the same mistake as a future warrior woman.”

“Yes, I had a feeling that was the case. I just don’t understand why you’re telling me something so different. Is being open with others a right reserved for strong warriors like yourself, and weaklings like me need to close themselves to everyone until they become strong?”

Scathach shook her head in dismay, realizing just how warped her niece’s way of thinking had become. As much as she wanted to solely blame Aife for this, she knew she was partly responsible for it as well. Training her in the hellscape that was Dun Scaith, inhabited only by vicious monsters and vengeful spirits, must have further damaged Connla’s ability to relate with other people. Alas, Scathach believed she had no choice but to sequester her inside the isolated dimension – she knew that history was about to change in perhaps the worst way imaginable, and she didn’t want to expose the confused girl to even further horrors such as this.

“… Teacher?” Connla murmured hesitantly, realizing her mentor had been silent for an unusually long time.

“Ah, pardon me. I was lost in thought,” Scathach said. “Anyway, you need to understand something. You might be a warrior woman in training, but I do not want you to lose sight of the fundamentals of being human. Aife and I are not humans – we’re practically demons disguising ourselves as humans.”

“Eh? I don’t think that’s the case…”

“I already know this about myself. I do not think the same way that ordinary warriors do. It simply comes with the territory of being an undying god-slayer… or perhaps even a goddess taking the form of a human. You, on the other hand, still have a chance to retain your humanity. A warrior woman with a truly human heart is a precious trait that you must learn to maintain and cherish as you become an adult. Being strong in battle is one thing, but to be kind and open even to your enemies is a greater feat that I could not accomplish. That is the goal I have in mind for you.”

Connla murmured, unsure of how to respond to Scathach’s conviction. The woman continued, “That’s why the first step you should take toward such a goal is to tell me what is on your mind. I shall neither judge nor criticize you the way Aife did.”

Connla pressed her hands against her chest for a long while, debating to herself on what she should say. Eventually, she mumbled, “Well… the thing is… a couple of nights ago, I had a terrifying nightmare.”

“A nightmare?”

“I know it’s childish of me to say such things when I fight monsters that could come from nightmares anyway, but… um…”

“Don’t concern yourself over such a trivial matter. If it was frightening enough to shake you to your core, then you may talk with me about it. What exactly did you experience in this nightmare of yours?”

“It’s kind of hard to describe, but well… it felt like I was in someone else’s perspective – a man’s, to be exact. There was nothing but darkness all around him. Then I heard some woman’s voice in the far distance. I couldn’t understand what she was saying, but it felt like she was teasing him or something. And then… and then… there was a monster… a huge one…”

Connla suddenly trembled, and her throat choked up so hard that she couldn’t speak. Scathach became deathly silent as she listened to her niece’s tale. She thought about her former pupil and closed her eyes forlornly.

Setanta…

The child was on the verge of crying, so Scathach rested her hand on her shoulder and assured, “Don’t fret so much. It was just a nightmare.”

“But it felt so real! At the end, I heard the man crying for help, but no one was there to save him! I even heard that woman laughing in glee as he was being swallowed! What if… What if that actually happened!? What if I was actually witnessing what happened to that man!? Was there something I could have done to help him!?”

Scathach suddenly snapped, “Get a hold of yourself, Connla!”

“Uh…”

“Don’t confuse your dreams for reality. Whatever you saw, it was pure fiction. A figment of your imagination. Nothing you saw was real. Understand?”

“…”

“Yes or no! Do you understand!?”

“Y-Yes, I understand!”

“You must answer my questions clearly and concisely. I cannot understand your responses if you remain silent all the time.”

“O-Okay…”

“All right, I think that’s enough chitchat for now,” Scathach said and unfurled some blankets. “I’ll stand guard tonight, so get some sleep. We should reach Oban by this time tomorrow, then sail for Skye the following day. If you happen to have any more nightmares, let me know at once. Depending on the severity, I might need to make some adjustments with your cranial Runes.”

“You mean I could be sick?” Connla wondered worriedly.

“No, nothing like that. Just a small tune-up, that’s all.”

“Okay. I’ll tell you if anything happens.”

With that, the girl tucked herself beneath the blankets and eventually fell asleep to the sound of the gently crackling bonfire. All of this traveling and talking had worn her out, so it didn’t take long for her to pass out. Scathach never took her eyes off of her niece as she waited for her to fall asleep. More specifically, she focused her gaze squarely on the girl’s thumb ring, and of the Bloodstones embedded in the gold.

Setanta’s mutation into Curruid must be extending his influence so much that it’s reaching his child’s subconsciousness. If Connla keeps having such vivid dreams of her father’s corruption like this, I might have to actually seal the ring, or even cut it off entirely. The last thing I need is for Setanta’s loss of humanity to start affecting Connla when she hasn’t even begun her training.

Coastline of northwestern England

The giant sea monster Curruid loomed over the ruins of what was once a fortress in Liverpool, situated close to the borders of northern England and Wales. The man trapped inside the beast didn’t know what happened, but when he awake from a long three-day sleep, he saw nothing but wreckage and dead bodies floating all around him in the water. The harbor behind the fortress was drenched in meters of water, meaning he must have caused a tsunami. However, not everyone had died from drowning. Plenty of warriors had been torn asunder into gory pieces. Curruid glanced at his own hands and noticed blood dripping off of them.

Shit. I must’ve gone on a rampage.

He couldn’t remember anything at all. However, the evidence was so overwhelming that he could only reach such an obvious conclusion. The monster lowered his head and squeezed his eyes shut in a vain attempt to block out the horrific sight. Rage and despair filled his heart. He wanted so badly to get back at Medb for turning him into a beast that she could control at her whim.

There was no question in his mind that she wanted to conquer England and Wales first to secure the northern islands. If his tactical reasoning was correct, Medb’s forces would then sail towards France to cut off Spain and Portugal from the rest of Europe, providing her a stronghold on the mainland for her to go east. From there, it was only a question of if she planned to concentrate on the northern nations like Germany, Poland and the Scandinavian territories, or venture into the Mediterranean Sea and take over Italy, Greece, Turkey, or even Egypt. It was a huge conquest, but after he witnessed the queen’s well-guarded secret and was turned into her personal terror of the seas, he was certain she was capable of it.

God damn it… What am I going to do?

If he couldn’t find a way to overcome Medb’s control over him, she would lead this world into ruin. Everyone she deemed an enemy would be subjected to the same horrors he experienced while imprisoned. Villages would be plundered, farms would be razed, men would die on the battlefield, women would be raped, children would be violently groomed into serving as ‘loyal’ citizens of Connacht… It would be an absolute nightmare. Yet, he couldn’t stop blaming himself for failing to protect Ulster. How did he have any right to protect the world now?

As Curruid somberly turned back toward the ocean and gradually sunk beneath the waves, that was when he spotted a lone bird circling over him. Its black silhouette contrasted the bright blue sky, making it impossible for him to miss. Although the avian was much smaller than the sea monster, it displayed no fear as it descended upon him and eventually perched on his shoulder. The man trapped inside soon recognized the divine aura radiating from the bird, which turned out to be a raven.

“… So you’re here,” Curruid telepathically spoke to his visitor.

“So I am,” the bird responded.

“You already know what I’ve become?”

“Of course. Your external form may change, but I will never forget your soul’s true essence. I must say though – I never anticipated that my prophecies of bloodshed would extend beyond Ireland’s borders.”

“You’re the goddess of death and victory, and even you couldn’t predict this?”

“I only foretell the fates of warriors destined to die on the battlefield. The corruption of kings and queens is outside my jurisdiction.”

“Even so, you have to know what has happened to Medb by now. You wouldn’t be here harassing me otherwise,” Curruid grumbled.

The woman’s voice echoing from the bird chuckled slightly. “I did some poking around, and discovered what was wrong with Connacht’s queen. Quite the predicament, wouldn’t you say? If she’s left unchecked like this, she’ll destroy all of known civilization while deluding herself into thinking she’s conquering it.”

“Are you here to mock me about it?”

“On the contrary. Though my precognition is limited only to the concept of war itself, I can tell that history is not proceeding according to the planet’s will.”

“…”

“I might not consider myself any sort of savior representing the world’s best interests, but as a sovereign goddess of the earth, it is against my principles to allow some petty human ruler to decide this world’s very future. After your capture, I pondered how to counteract this impending disaster, fearing that no other warrior would be brave or strong enough to challenge her. There was one person I had been considering, but they’re a tad too young to be of much use to me at the moment. They still need to do some training under Scathach’s tutelage before I can recognize them as a true warrior.”

Curruid wasn’t sure who the goddess was referring to. Who could possibly take his place at this point?

She continued, “Nevertheless, I found out about you being transmogrified into Curruid, which Medb managed to summon from the Reverse Side of the World, and here we are. It seems I arrived just before she could fully erase your conscious mind. She must have decided to keep it intact to make you suffer even further.”

“Knowing that sick bitch, most definitely. But what are we going to do? I can’t resist her control over me. She has this god-awful scent that always knocks me unconscious.”

“Ah, her natural eau de toilette, huh? Now that she’s warped into such an inhuman creature, her inherent aphrodisiac has been boosted many times over to the point of rendering any man she desires comatose. You simply need to build a resistance to it.”

“’Simply’, you say. Do you have any idea how addictive that shit gets? It’s practically designed to make men suffer from withdrawal symptoms if they don’t get their regular dose of Medb’s bodily stink every once in a while.”

The goddess laughed again. “Of course I wouldn’t know. I’m not so carnal as to be smitten by another woman’s wiles.”

“Hmph.”

“Aww, don’t be so moody. In any case, I suggest you take a look in front of you.”

Curruid grew confused as he turned his eyes forward. Just then, a small spark of light glimmered before him. He widened his eyes lightly as he focused on what it was. It looked like a golden goblet filled with shining fluid. An intense aura emanated from it, and he uttered, “Is that… Dagda’s Cauldron?”

“Could be. I believe other parts of western Europe refer to this as a Holy Grail. Either way, it functions the same way as the Cauldron.”

“Why is it here!? Does even Dagda, the chief of the Tuatha de Danann, recognize the threat that Medb poses!?”

“As simple as it is to believe that oaf of a womanizer is lending you his power, I’m afraid that’s not it. Remember how I said that history is being upended by that woman? In fact, history has already changed.”

“What do you mean?”

The raven turned her eyes toward the sky as she said, “You were supposed to succeed in defending Ulster from Medb’s forces. Not necessarily to protect Donn Cuailgne from being captured by her, but at least keeping your fellow countrymen safe before they could be overrun by her barbaric soldiers, bereft of honor and restraint. Alas, Medb’s unexpected corruption was not part of Proper Human History, meaning that everything happening from there is an aberration to history itself. We have already veered dangerously off course from the true history of mankind, meaning that the only future I can foretell is complete and utter annihilation for all life by her hand.”

Curruid widened his eyes with rage. “What makes you think I’d believe any of your bullshit?”

“Then why don’t you touch the Cauldron for yourself? It’ll show you everything you need to know, just as it did for me.”

He paused, uncertain if he wanted to be taken in by such a simple provocation. Even so, the goddess’ warnings about Medb’s growing power were impossible for him to ignore, given what he witnessed back in the dungeon. Compelled by that thought alone, he opened his huge maw wide open and devoured the shimmering chalice, allowing his mind to be flooded with a gigantic wealth of crucial information. Every single bit of knowledge, however inconsequential or foreign it was, strung themselves together into a coherent story for him to acknowledge as the one and only truth.

To be honest, he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. So much of it didn’t make sense that he wondered if he was peering into some kind of parallel world. Despite the overwhelming amount of information being fed to him, something deep within his soul accepted it all without hesitation. Somewhere within that rush of knowledge was something he was looking for…

A chance at fighting back.

Curruid’s startled expression quickly shifted into a sinister grin.

“… Morrigan.”

The raven glanced at him and asked, “Well? Have you decided?”

“Yeah. I’m gonna do it.”

“You sure changed your mind real quick.”

“How could I refuse? If I can’t stop Medb herself, I can at least get in the way of her goal. Besides, this world’s future is doomed anyway. What’s stopping me from going as wild as I want, now that I’m a Phantasmal? This planet is now a grand battlefield hosting the rivalry between Medb and myself.”

“Oh, how exciting!” Morrigan crooned. “I’d be more than happy to cast my lot in with you! But how do you plan on interfering with her conquest? You have to have a huge plan in mind if you want to counteract her lust for world domination. After all, if you can’t even resist her mind-numbing eau de toilette in the first place, you don’t have a shot at anything.”

“This is a guess at best, but I think I’ve gained a resistance to it after consuming the Cauldron. I’ll have to test it out the next time she calls for me.”

“Makes sense. So what happens after?”

“I want you to gather any forces you can. Preferably, they need to be so strong that it would take a thousand men to kill a single soldier.”

“Hmm… I suppose I could rally some of the more bloodthirsty Fomorians from their slumber. What do you plan to do with them?”

“Wage war, Morrigan. A war of my own devising. But I still need some time to prepare for my little… surprise. Before I can do any of that though…”

Morrigan quickly flew off of her perch as Curruid began to sink his upper body beneath the ocean. Before fully submerging, he said something particularly ominous to her:

“I’ve got myself a tree to plant.”

The next day, a heavy rain storm engulfed Scotland’s northwestern territories, drenching everything and everyone in a potent deluge of water droplets. Thankfully, Scathach and Connla had left the Ben Nevis mountains behind just as the storm was approaching, so their trek to Oban would be significantly safer on the flat plains. The horses galloped along the tall grasses and sparse forests for as long as they could, only stopping to take short breaks. The rain gradually settled as the nighttime hours waned in, and the duo finally reached the tiny port town once the moon became visible from behind the parting clouds.

They rented a room for the night, and traded the horses to a fisherman for one of his spare boats. Once inside the small cottage, Connla took off her rain poncho and undid her ponytail as she remarked, “Phew! I feel like even my bones are soaking wet!”

“You should wash up and have supper before turning in. I’m going to go out and take care of a few errands for a while, so don’t wait for me,” Scathach said.

“Should I keep the bath water warm for you?”

“No, that’s all right. I will take care of it myself.”

“Okay. Good night, Teacher.”

Scathach left her niece in the cabin and went for a stroll through the marketplace. A couple of vendors remained open around the clock to serve the needs of fishermen and sailors who kept irregular hours, so it wouldn’t be difficult for her to buy some more provisions for the next day’s sailing trip to Skye. Some of the men also recognized her from her previous visits to the town, and she made small talk with the elderly folk as she made her purchases. About an hour later though, she broke away from the market’s hustle and bustle to take a short walk along the coastline.

Soon, the woman’s feet ceased moving. She stood there as still as a statue, only allowing her hair and clothing to billow in the cool night breeze. Her expression was stony and terse. Then she spoke to the wind itself:

“… I suggest you make yourself known already, lest I pierce your black heart with my god-slaying spear.”

For a second, nothing happened. That was until a branch on a nearby tree swayed as a large bird flew off its perch and circled around the annoyed warrior. The avian landed on an old tree trunk several feet away from Scathach, and a familiar female voice echoed, “Goodness. I don’t know why I bothered trying to get one over you, Witch of Dun Scaith.”

“You must have realized I had detected you long before we reached the village. You just didn’t want to make yourself known while the child was around.”

“I suppose,” Morrigan said. “I don’t know if the little one noticed me or not, but that’s irrelevant. I knew I wouldn’t be able to fool you, which is perfectly fine with me.”

“Hmph. Between the Tuatha, the Fomorians, the sidhe, the druids, and all other entities in between, I have little choice but to keep my senses sharp. Still, I’m surprised to see the goddess of death and victory being foolish enough to catch the attention of a god-slayer. What is your business with me? Are you finally willing to seek penance for your misdeeds against humanity?”

“Oh, come now, why must you be so trite? You know I’m incapable of caring for ordinary humans the same way you do. The only ones who matter to me are the strong and brave, who see death as but a mere obstacle rather than the absolute finality that grips common mortals with fear.”

“Then state your business. You’re testing my patience enough as it is.”

“I’m just here to enlighten you to the current situation between Cuchulainn and Medb,” Morrigan coolly said, unperturbed by Scathach’s irritation. “The wheels are in motion for this timeline’s inevitable conclusion. Soon, all of humanity will cry its final death wails as they plead for mercy against the new Fomorian god that Medb has unwittingly created.”

Scathach scowled a bit. “Setanta, a god? Don’t make me laugh. He may have divine blood in his veins, but he is still fundamentally human, no matter what form he may take.”

“Even so, Cuchulainn’s mind has become severely clouded with hatred for Medb, to the point that he believes that world destruction is equivalent to its salvation – at least, compared to whatever she has in mind. Alas, forces beyond our reckoning have decided to intervene and tempt our fallen hero with the power needed to conquer his despised rival.”

“Forces beyond our reckoning? What does that mean?”

“Eh he he… A Holy Grail… Or should I say, Dagda’s Cauldron appeared before our tormented little soul.”

Scathach’s body seized with horror. “Dagda’s Cauldron!?”

“Tell me – can a broken man wracked with both contempt for his sworn enemy as well as tremendous guilt for his own failure resist the allure of the Cauldron when it appears randomly before them?”

“Gh…”

“Not even one possessing great wisdom like yourself can answer. Well, of course you can’t – the answer is so obvious that voicing it would be redundant.”

“Are you telling me that Dagda is supporting Setanta in his foolish vendetta?”

“I don’t believe so. Many of the Tuatha and Fomorians have long since left this world behind ever since the Age of Gods gave way to the Age of Man.”

Scathach felt even more mortified than ever before. “Then who could it be?”

Morrigan glanced away calmly. “I do not know. Regardless of who this benefactor could be, the fact remains that Cuchulainn is no longer the boy you remember. With the miracles granted to him by this unknown Cauldron, he has become the world’s newest Fomorian god – a demon of the Reverse Side of the World, representing vengeance, conflict, and finality. Between his newfound godhood and Medb’s corruption into a monster of her own right, there is nothing anyone can do to prevent this world from turning into a global arena for their bitter feud.”

“Th… This is insane… You and I both know that the planet will erase this timeline should human history veer too far from its natural course.”

“That’s not going to happen. The Cauldron has given Cuchulainn the tools needed to circumvent the World’s Theoretical Pruning systems. It is by his will that this timeline will survive beyond the End of Man.”

The warrior woman clenched her teeth in despair. “Do you… Do you understand what this means?”

“Of course I do. It means the Age of Man is finished. With Cuchulainn’s help, we Celtic gods will reign over all other mythologies. Soon, the era known as the War of Gods shall dawn upon us. It will be a world embroiled in perpetual war and strife as Cuchulainn and Medb struggle to overcome the other. A fascinating turn of events, wouldn’t you agree?”

“And you’re in full support of this!?”

“Well… in as much as I am Cuchulainn’s partner-in-crime. But that doesn’t mean I agree with his idea of forcing this corpse of a timeline to remain alive. I may be the goddess of death, but I also represent victory, you know.”

“Ngh… This is all just some kind of game to you, isn’t it?”

“Can you blame me for wanting to find a bit of entertainment in all of this?” Morrigan replied with clearly no remorse in her voice. “It’s said that in times of terrible adversity, that is when the greatest of heroes rise to face the challenge. What adversity can be worse than the end of the world itself? That’s right… I yearn to witness the sort of valor that can only be found when facing the worst crisis imaginable. Bravery, foolishness, recklessness, courage, steadfastness… I want to see it all!”

As much as Scathach wanted to admonish Morrigan for indulging in such a selfish pastime, even outright kill her, she knew it would be a waste of time. It was by Morrigan’s own admission that she didn’t care about the fate of humanity. She only wanted to watch warriors clash and see who would emerge victorious. Scathach held back her insults and curtly asked, “So what? Do you expect me to do something about Setanta?”

“No. As powerful as you may be, you are but a mere teacher. Your role is to guide your chosen one towards the path to humanity’s victory over the warring rival gods.”

Scathach became increasingly worried when she heard this. She quietly murmured, “… How much do you know about her?”

Morrigan giggled at the question, then asked, “Conlaoch, I believe it was?”

“It’s Connla.”

“Eh, to-may-toes, to-mah-toes. I’m not familiar with how she was born, but it’s impossible for me not to recognize Cuchulainn’s essence within her. Why, even her scent is rather similar to his.”

“Do you plan on foisting your deranged fantasies onto her shoulders? You know I won’t allow it.”

“Not for now. On my honor, I will make no effort to sabotage your tutelage for her. Once she is to be sent to Ireland however, I may have to approach her at my discretion, depending on how the war plays out.”

Scathach faced Morrigan with an icy glare as an unexpected fear welled within her. She voiced it by asking, “Have you told Setanta about her?”

“Not at all. Think about it – if he knew, don’t you think he would have shown up to try and abduct her already? The poor girl’s mind wouldn’t be able to handle such trauma, yes?”

“That’s a fair point…”

“Don’t worry. I’m keeping him ignorant of the little one’s existence while he plays war with Medb. You’re free to groom her into the warrior she should be in the meantime. Although, I should warn you that you’re going to have to cooperate with Medb if you want any chance of completing the little one’s training throughout the coming years.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Ah ha ha! I’m not giving you any more free hints, my fair lady! From here, you’re just going to have to find out for yourself! Until the next time we meet!”

Before Scathach could react, Morrigan flapped her wings and soared into the sky, perfectly blending in with the night’s darkness. The maroon-haired woman could only stand there in abject silence. If Morrigan’s taunting didn’t piss her off, it at least gave her a lot to think about. Although she knew about Cuchulainn’s corruption into Curruid, never did she imagine that Dagda’s Cauldron would suddenly appear and push him into the direction of becoming a full-fledged Fomorian god. It greatly troubled her that neither she nor Morrigan had any idea how the Cauldron just showed up apropos of nothing, and why it chose Cuchulainn to be its bearer at the worst possible time. It almost felt like some divine force beyond her comprehension was playing with this timeline, wanting to see how horrendously it could be twisted as part of some kind of experiment.

Several hours later, Connla woke up from her deep slumber and stretched her muscles. She hadn’t slept this well in a while, and she felt tempted to just plop her head back on the pillow and pass out again. She resisted the urge, knowing she had to cross the sea with Scathach today. She opened the window to let some fresh air in, and she heard some pigeons hooting in the yard to signify the beginning of a new day. She got dressed and was about to have breakfast when Scathach walked through the door.

“Teacher!” Connla blurted. “Are you getting back just now!?”

“Yes. I had a lot that needed to be taken care of.”

“Are you going to be okay? You’ve been insisting that we cross the sea today, but I don’t think it’s a good idea when you haven’t gotten enough rest.”

“Not to worry. I’m using my Runes to help me maintain my strength. Once we reach Skye, I’ll make sure to get some proper sleep.”

“You always tell me not to rely on Runes like some kind of addiction. Shouldn’t you be taking better care of yourself than that?”

“Oh my,” Scathach callously put her hand on her hip and flashed Connla a confident smirk. “Is that a lecture I hear?”

“No, no, no! I just thought it’d be a good suggestion!”

“Instead of worrying about me, you should think about managing your own health. We are in a hurry, but I wouldn’t want you to strain yourself on account of your age.”

Connla gave her a sour glare. “Is that a lecture?”

“It’s advice.”

“Mmmgh…” the girl puffed her cheeks in annoyance. Her mood quickly changed as she asked, “Why are we rushing to the Land of Shadows anyway? Is there something big going on?”

“Nothing to concern yourself with,” Scathach replied so tersely that it was obvious she wanted to drop the subject. She ignored Connla’s curious gaze and ate some bread while brushing her hair. Such a brusque attitude quashed any thoughts Connla might’ve had about prodding her for more information – she certainly didn’t want to make her teacher cranky by being too stubborn. With the conversation aborted so abruptly, they finished eating in silence and gathered their belongings before heading out to the boat that was loaned to them.

“Yes, this vessel will suit us fine,” the woman remarked on the boat’s craftsmanship. “Are you ready to go?”

“Anytime you are,” the girl replied.

“Excellent. Let’s depart then.”

In Connacht’s throne room, Queen Medb and King Ailill admired the bull Donn Cuailgne that was being brought forth to them by the soldiers who raided it from its owner Daire mac Fiachna. Now that Cuchulainn was no longer participating in the Cattle Raid, it was frightfully simple for Medb’s men to swiftly breach Ulster’s defenses and lay claim to its valuables. Even while Medb had been preoccupied with torturing Cuchulainn, neither she nor Ailill allowed let this opportunity to seize all of Ulster go wasted. In essence, with Medb claiming Donn Cuailgne as her property to compete with Ailill’s bull Finnbhennach, the brown bull had become the symbol of Ulster’s complete downfall and Connacht’s expansion of territory. The declaration to Ulster’s kingdom had not been made official yet, but everyone knew the war had been lost.

“And with that, my assets are now worth far more than yours, my dear Ailill,” Medb said. “With Donn Cuailnge representing the very essence of Ulster, it is fair to say that I have acquired an entire country’s worth of wealth to surpass all your riches multiple times over.”

“Yes, I acknowledge that Donn Cuailgne is equal to Finnbhennach as a prized bull,” Ailill said. “However, I have my reservations on the opinion that the Ulster territories solely belong to you. Have you forgotten that you and I split our parties during the invasion? We both participated in the raid. Would it not be fair for Ulster to belong to the both of us, as proof of our union as king and queen of Connacht?”

“Both of us, you say?” Medb murmured, looking like she was disapproving her husband’s words. “I thought you promised never to express jealousy towards your queen.”

“Yes, I indeed promised not to be envious of your many lovers. I even stayed my hand when I learned of your party including Fergus mac Roich. But the equality of our assets is another matter entirely. You and I both know that we have earned the undying ire of Ulster’s men, all on the whims we whispered to each other whilst in bed. If Connacht is to amalgamate Ulster into its territories, it would stand to reason that such rapid expansion of our province would require both of us to rule it effectively.”

“Perhaps…” the pink-haired lady murmured in contemplation. “But have you forgotten? You’re the one who married into my kingdom. The only reason you were granted such an auspicious privilege is because you lacked jealousy.”

“Yes, I understand. I do not dare to question the bloodline of Queen Medb and her foremothers. Your advances towards other men are for the good of preserving your lineage.”

“Then by that logic, your very existence is in service to enhancing the prestige of my bloodline. You should also accept that you’re the inferior one between us by virtue of you marrying into my family. Therefore, you are in no position to declare what you believe should belong to me and what should belong to you, regardless if you’re the one who earned it or not. Even if we are neck-to-neck, the inevitable result is that I always win over you with a 51:49 ratio. There is no such thing as 50:50 in my book.”

“But my queen… to suggest that the entirety of Ulster is solely your property is the summit of folly, is it not? We engaged in this war with the intent to seize a single bull, not a whole province!”

Medb paused when she heard this. Slowly but methodically, she seethed, “The summit… of folly?”

“You know that is not what I meant,” Ailill told her. “I did not mean to insult you. I simply wanted you to understand how much of a mistake it would be to hoard so much territory to yourself if you are not prepared to face the consequences of invoking Ulster’s ire. Would you truly be able to cope with so much resentment on your own? I am merely providing you with my heartful support as your king and husband.”

“Hmmm… I suppose you have a valid argument,” Medb murmured. Her eyes shifted to the side as she added, “But you know what? I never have and never will concern myself with the opinions of the lower class.”

“Even so, while one impoverished person may be weak, the sum of an entire nation’s people rebelling against us would be- Gah!?”

Before Ailill knew what happened, a terrible pain shot through his back and exploded out his chest. His eyesight rapidly faded as he noticed the bloodied tip of a halberd poking through his robes. He couldn’t do anything as he slumped to the ground and closed his eyes, dead as could be. Medb coldly stood over the corpse for a moment, then said to the soldiers, “Clean this mess up at once. I have an audience later today, and I cannot offend my guests with the sight of a useless man’s blood all over the floor.”

“At once, Your Highness,” one man immediately responded and began hauling the body away, while his allies got to work cleaning the blood and polishing the floor.

Medb boredly sauntered out of the throne room as she said to one of her serving druids, “Ah, that feels so much better. I was getting rather bored of Ailill’s silly contests of wealth. It was a fun diversion while it lasted, but he was becoming rather brazen for someone of his lower stature.”

“How right you are, my queen,” the druid responded without hesitation, obviously acting as one of her many ‘yes men’ who would kiss the ground she walked on if it meant advancing their careers. However, Medb’s natural scent had been heightened so much that any man within her immediate presence would fall to the effects of a charm status. “Ailill may have been bereft of jealousy, but he was showing his true cowardly colors the more the Cattle Raid dragged on. It was almost as if he married you solely so he could get his proverbial slice of the pie, sacrificing his dignity as a man in order to line his coffers with your assets.”

“I had a feeling that was the case. His insistence on taking part of my Ulster territory was proof enough. I no longer need a greedy king to dictate how I should rule my country.”

“Now that the deed has been done, what shall you do now, my queen? You are free to pursue further expansion of Connacht’s supremacy without that teat-sucking excuse of a king weighing you down.”

“Teat-sucking? Ah ha ha ha ha! I like that analogy! You certainly have a talent for choosing the right words!”

“You humble me, Your Highness. I am but a mere scholar at your service.”

Medb dramatically tossed her hair, then declared, “Have the men ready my bull and chariot. I must continue my expedition of England. Of course, I will be bringing Cu with me. Expect to hear news of my latest victory soon.”

“Ooh, how ambitious! Already you seek to put the killer hound through his paces! I tremble with excitement, and pity the poor fools who dare to challenge your greatest weapon!” the druid exclaimed.

“Then without further ado, I must be on my way!”

As Medb strutted out of the castle, the druid accidentally dropped his scrolls as he snapped awake. He glanced around for a moment, then muttered, “Whuh… What was I doing just now?”

Chapter Text

FATE/CURADH BEAG

“Little Champion”

Chapter 3: Coronation of Taoide Olc

Chaldea

Da Vinci, the four Cuchulainns, and Connla Aibi were in the REM Catcher chamber monitoring both Connla Geal’s vitals and the images being displayed to them on the monitor. Da Vinci had been so ecstatic about her invention working that she nearly forgot to begin recording. Luckily, Aibi had the forethought to push the crucial button before the first pictures showed up. Once the dream was over, Chaldea would have the first ever visual record of an Imbas Forosnai vision, rather than just Geal’s written accounts of what she saw.

“Well, I’ll be damned,” Cuchulainn Caster grumbled. “She’s wound up in an Ulster Cycle that’s going to play out differently.”

“There’s a chance that her counterpart will actually survive into adulthood,” Cuchulainn Prototype remarked with a smile.

However, the other two Cuchulainns weren’t so sure. Lancer leaned against the healing pod that Geal slept in, then murmured, “I’m a little more worried about what our counterpart is doing. In that point in time, the Cattle Raid should be winding down after Medb successfully stole Donn Cuailnge. Yet according to the other Connla, she had a terrible dream about a man being swallowed by a monster. I can’t shake the feeling that that was just a mere nightmare for her.”

“And there was the glowing ring too,” Caster added.

Alter sat back in his chair and took a long whiff of his cigar. Unlike his other selves, he knew exactly what all of this meant. Although his memories of the actual Fifth Singularity that he took part in were hazy at best, he couldn’t forget the fear and confusion he experienced when Medb first summoned him in that world. He had been engulfed in total darkness, and emerged as someone wholly different to who he once was. This alternate Ulster was probably playing out in the same manner, except that this time, there would be no Chaldea to stop him. Without anyone to keep him in check when he was in such a state, the world would potentially be screwed. This prospect was quite dreadful to him, considering that Geal was now experiencing her counterpart’s life as if she were there in person.

Aibi noticed Alter’s dejected expression and asked, “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” he grunted, exhaling a long stream of acrid smoke.

“You’re worried about Geal, aren’t you?”

“I always am.”

“I mean, you’re worried about her having to fight your counterpart.”

“…”

“Do you think Geal will be able to handle the stress? She’s already been through enough with the Akakor incident and Daoloth’s invasion. If she has to witness a series of life-and-death battles against your counterpart, it might be too much for her to handle.”

“She’ll be fine.”

Aibi felt a bit put off with Alter’s brusque confidence, so she glanced away anxiously and didn’t say anything further, fearing she would upset him. Da Vinci put her hand on the worried teenager’s shoulder and said, “I think what he means is that we’re all here to watch over her in case of an emergency. There’s also the fact that Alter and Geal are now one Foreigner Servant, so he can easily sense if her Spirit Origin is under stress, and thus lend his strength to her if needed.”

“I… guess so…”

The room fell into an unsettling silence, accompanied only by the sound of water gurgling inside the healing pod. A minute later, the door slid open, and an unusual pair stepped through - Florence Nightingale, and Gilgamesh. Da Vinci glanced at them and uttered, “Oh. Now this is a rare combination. What brings you two here?”

Nightingale spoke in her usual commanding tone, “Excuse the intrusion, Da Vinci. The Acting Director is requesting your presence, as well as any available combat-ready Servants, to come to the Command Center at once.”

Considering how urgent the nurse sounded, coupled with the Sumerian king’s presence, the inventor realized it could only mean one thing:

“Has the Seventh Singularity been found?”

“Yes,” Nightingale replied. “Master and Mash are already present for the briefing, and they have assembled their initial team of Servants to accompany them on the Rayshift.”

“What time period is it located in?”

“It is in Mesopotamia, in the year 2655 BC.”

“Understood. I’ll leave the REM Catcher in Aibi’s care and come straight away,” Da Vinci reported. She then shifted her eyes toward Gilgamesh and said, “I’m surprised you’re here. Since we now know the Singularity’s in Babylonia, I thought you’d be jumping at the chance to go with Ritsuka.”

The King of Heroes folded his arms and muttered tersely, “Don’t be stupid, woman. As much as I would be thrilled to re-experience the time when I was alive, there are other matters to take into consideration. For instance, what sort of bedlam would occur should my subjects be faced with both my living self and this Servant self? Who would they obey? Would the enemy take advantage of the confusion? Would our internal conflict serve to hasten the Singularity’s effects? I may be many things, but a fool is not one of them. If my living self is already present in that time, then it stands to reason that his authority should be treated no differently than mine.”

“You make it sound like you already know Ritsuka’s going to meet your living self.”

He smirked callously. “Who knows?”

“Gonna play coy, are you? Well that’s all right. I guess it’s better for us to find out anyway. But then, why are you here in the medical ward anyway? You always love boasting about your perfect physique and health to any of the medical staff you came across.”

“Quit being asinine. I am not here for my own benefit. I simply heard rumors about some top-secret project involving the runt, and so persuaded the petulant nurse to grant me access.”

“And you went with it?” Da Vinci asked Nightingale. “I thought you always challenged authority figures like him.”

“Normally, yes,” the nurse replied. “However, given his logic to refuse assisting with the Singularity, as well as how shorthanded on staff we will be when we have two simultaneous incidents occurring, I decided to assign him as my liaison.”

“Assign me? You better choose your words more carefully,” Gilgamesh said. “I demanded that to be my role, and you obeyed.”

“It doesn’t really matter what the reason is. In the end, he will send me messages periodically in case I need to come assist with Connla’s treatment. Otherwise, I will have my attention focused on assisting Master.”

“I see,” Da Vinci said. She then shifted her eyes toward Gilgamesh and grinned, “Then it’s okay. Knowing you though, you probably just want to watch whatever the REM Catcher is recording for some entertainment.”

“Hah. Don’t you know it,” the king chuckled. “I always wanted to see at least one of the runt’s visions for myself.”

As if on cue, that was when Cuchulainn Lancer, Caster and Prototype began to make their swift exit. Lancer scratched his head as he passed by Gilgamesh, absolutely refusing to make eye contact as he grumbled, “Then I’m outta here. Taking part in the Singularity sounds more entertaining than having to share the room with an Archer who cheats at fishing competitions.”

“It’s not quite the same feeling I remember from meeting the Archer of my timeline, but I do get some chills up my spine regardless,” Prototype muttered.

“I’m sure Alter and Aibi have this under control. Having too many cooks in the kitchen might wind up being a bad thing, you know,” Caster grinned and casually waved at Alter before the trio left the infirmary.

Alter’s expression turned foul as he glowered under his breath, “Irresponsible assholes.”

“Eh heh heh heh…” Aibi chuckled sheepishly.

“Then I’ll leave things to you guys. I’ll come back whenever there’s downtime, okay?” Da Vinci said as she and Nightingale followed the three Cuchulainns. Once the crowd had thinned out, Gilgamesh approached the monitor displaying Geal’s visions and used his Gate of Babylon to summon a golden throne from underneath him. The chair rose in perfect sync with his sitting motion, and he folded his leg while resting his cheek on his balled hand.

“Now that the mongrels have excused themselves, I can finally enjoy myself with a much-needed distraction,” he said while summoning a gem-studded goblet and a wine bottle from his treasury. “It appears that I have arrived a little late for the runt’s maiden voyage with the REM Catcher. Aibi, inform me as to what has occurred thus far.”

“We only just got started, so it’s not much,” the older Connla said, then proceeded to explain what happened up to this point.

Alternate Ulster

Back in the western territories of Britain and Wales, Medb’s soldiers had already raided the nearby villages of their goods and forced the surviving citizens to comply with Connacht’s new rules. The northwestern coastline stretching from Cumbria all the way to Gwynedd, and including the Isle of Man, had all been ravaged by Curruid as he drowned countless soldiers and civilians beneath terrifying tidal waves. Anyone who didn’t drown were either slaughtered by Connacht’s soldiers, or sliced apart by the Phantasmal’s claws. Even his roar was enough to disintegrate a small battalion of men into blood-red jelly.

The Isle of Man in particular had been wholly sacrificed as a demonstration of the monster’s power, which Medb hoped would persuade England and Wales to surrender before the attack on the mainland. They obviously hadn’t, and came to pay for it with the brutal deaths of thousands of people. Since England was part of the Roman Empire at this time, the nation’s militia was not as well organized as it would be in later centuries once England established its independence. This made Medb’s invasion that much easier, although she knew it was only a matter of time before she would have to challenge the Romans directly.

She set those worries aside for now and drank some confiscated wine at the beach, sitting within a palanquin being carried by two of her sturdiest men as they stood within the devastation left behind in Curruid’s wake. She spent hours here, enjoying the waves and staring at her pet Phantasmal as he rested while hearing reports from her soldiers. With the more villages she occupied, it meant that her forces would rapidly expand with the addition of captives who could be used as bait, or even suicide soldiers to cause further confusion for the mainland territories. Her dark imagination went wild with the number of possibilities for how she could use her new ‘resources’.

She gulped the last of her beverage, then said to Curruid, “Ahhh, I guess break time’s over. Now then, Cu. How about we continue our way east and stamp out the rest of the competition on this island? This little invasion was just the warm-up for the main show – a way to help get you accustomed to your new form. We’re going to ramp up the chaos and destruction a bit this time, considering that we have to worry about more strongholds in the east.”

Curruid shuddered a bit, then glared directly into her eyes and said, “Yeah, you’re right. The chaos and destruction will ramp up.”

“Oh my! Are you getting into this more than I thought!? I didn’t think you were so motivated to serve your queen so faithfully!”

“… Keh heh heh.”

“Huh?”

“Who said I was going to destroy everything for you, woman?”

“What?” she glowered, stepping out of the palanquin in frustration.

“I’m tired of playing your self-indulgent games. Now, we do things my way.”

“What are you going on about!? Cease this prattle at once!” Medb commanded and used her power to exude an intoxicating aroma of fruits and fresh water that threatened to incapacitate any of her warriors who were unfortunate enough to be nearby. The men who shouldered her transportation died on the spot from how incredible the scent was. She expected Curruid to moan from an intense migraine and quietly yield to her. However, to her absolute horror, the sea monster barely flinched as he reared his head back and let loose a mighty roar that viciously billowed her hair and clothes everywhere. She had to cover her ears and squeeze her eyes shut to protect herself from the intense shockwave.

“Just as I thought!” Curruid declared with incredible mirth. “Your aroma no longer works on me! Ah ha ha ha! This is incredible! Thanks to the Cauldron, I no longer have to obey you!”

“The Cauldron!? As in Dagda’s Cauldron!?” Medb shrieked. “How did you obtain it!? No, better yet, give it to me! I must have it!”

“Too bad. I’ve already swallowed it.”

“No way! Then… you were just pretending to be obedient this whole time!?”

“’Bout time you figured it out, bitch. That’s right - I am no longer man nor sea creature, but an entity that far surpasses both. As tempting as it is, I wouldn’t go so far as to call myself a god. Perhaps being referred to as a sentient Phantasmal would be better. With the invincible might of Curruid, the tactical reasoning of Cuchulainn, and the incredible knowledge of Dagda’s Cauldron, I am the sum of all their parts, and your sworn rival in this war to determine this planet’s very future!”

Medb couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

“Yeah, that’s it,” the monster leered, relishing in her shocked expression. “Show me more of that despair. Reel in horror as you realize you have lost control of your most important weapon in your little vanity war. Gaze upon me, for I am the embodiment of your worst nightmares…”

He raised his left arm out and reached for the sky itself. The ocean ebbed unnaturally, then bulged like a rupturing cyst. Something was emerging from the depths of the sea. Soon, a flurry of unusual white tendrils through the water’s pristine blue surface and spiraled upward.

“I am the king of this Celtic Lostbelt, and the end of the world incarnate…”

He unleashed another mighty howl, signifying his intent to wage war on Connacht’s queen.

“I am… Taoide Olc!” †

At the southern shores of the island of Skye, Scathach and Connla disembarked from their boat and moored it to a nearby pier. As they prepared to venture further inland however, the red gems on Connla’s thumb ring started glowing on their own. She asked Scathach, “Teacher? What’s going on with my ring?”

“Hm?” the maroon-haired lady wondered as she inspected it. She quickly grit her teeth and reeled back a little.

Connla added, “This is the second time it’s happened too. The first time was when I woke up after having that terrible dream of that man. I only put it on a few days ago, so I don’t know if this is normal or not.”

Scathach glanced away and thought, That shouldn’t happen unless she’s very close to Setanta. The fact that it’s reacting when we’re so far away from Ulster means that the Cauldron is expanding Setanta’s influence at an exponential rate.

“Teacher?”

“Well…” the woman warrior stammered, unsure of how to answer her pupil’s questions.

“Hm? What’s that?” Connla suddenly asked as she pointed toward the southern ocean.

Scathach looked back, and grew horrified when she saw the water undulating. They could only stare in abject shock as the twisting white pillar burst through the water, extended its branches from the sea, and climbed further upward until they connected with the very heavens. Connla wanted to ask her mentor what was going on, but she immediately noticed an uncharacteristic expression of mortified horror on the woman’s face. To see someone so cool and unflappable act absolutely terrified was an uncomfortable sight to her, and she feared further upsetting her if she tried asking any unnecessary questions.

Scathach clenched her fist and uttered, “By the gods…”

The young girl couldn’t say anything.

“… Connla. We need to get to the Land of Shadows at once.”

“Are we in danger?” her bewildered niece finally wondered.

“Not at the moment. If we stay here though, we will be. Especially since we’re on the coast.”

Connla gulped, then followed Scathach as they dashed and hopped along the ground at full speed. They made their way northward toward the center of Skye, expecting to reach their destination within a day’s time. During the trip though, Connla found it hard to turn her eyes away from the foreign white tree growing in the middle of the Atlantic. Its form became more and more defined as it situated itself near the North Channel where northeastern Ireland and southwestern Scotland were at their closest. The tree was growing so far south from Skye that Connla couldn’t afford to look back too much, lest she not pay attention to where she was going.

All the while, her ring refused to stop glowing. An unusual fear crept up on her, threatening to make her fall to her knees and sob uncontrollably. She had to fight back such a crippling emotion and concentrate on following Scathach, consciously devoting her energy to running instead of crying. Despite this, she recalled Aife telling her about how it represented her blood connection with her unknown father, and how the gems would shine when she would meet him. If the ring was glowing now, did it mean he was nearby? The last she heard, he was still fighting some war in Ulster. How and why would he be so far away from his country all of a sudden? None of it made any sense to her. Besides, only one thing mattered to her:

Father’s still alive, isn’t he?

An entire day after the strange white tree emerged from the ocean, Scathach and Connla finally arrived at their destination. Neither of them had said much since the tree appeared – Scathach didn’t want to explain to Connla what it was, and Connla was too busy thinking about her father’s fate. Her dejected expression never changed, even when they arrived at the border to the Celtic underworld. At least the sight of steep craggy cliffs spilling torrential waterfalls within the thick mist was a welcome sight for the confused girl. The scent of rain water and wild herbs also helped calm her down. She stared in silence at the spooky yet majestic sights, knowing that this was going to be her home for who knew how long.

Meanwhile, Scathach stared at Connla’s back and thought, She must be exhausted, constantly thinking about Setanta. Perhaps a strict exam is what she needs to get her mind off of that fool’s fate.

“Connla,” the warrior woman said aloud. “What you see before you is the border between the mortal world and the Land of Shadows.”

“Incredible…” the little girl murmured. She panned her eyes across the entire area, taking in the hazy bottomless swamps, the many outcroppings of earth sticking out of the water like spikes, and of the grand castle hiding behind the grey fog in the distance.

“Don’t be so breath-taken. Here is where the dead wander aimlessly, seeking solace from their miserable deaths and lingering resentment towards the living. Not to mention, this is where your introductory test is about to take place.”

“Eh? I’m already going to be tested? But we’re only at the front gates.”

“That’s the point. Those who lack courage to take the first steps have no business traipsing about in my kingdom.”

“Hmm…”

“Now then, I will lay out the rules for this exam,” Scathach said, then gracefully leapt across the swamp like a soaring swan and landed on one of the rock formations. She gestured around her, then explained, “Your task is to cross these fetid waters and make it to the castle using only the knowledge and power you possess. You have two options – either use these craggy rocks to leap across, or venture through the swamp. Both methods have their benefits and downsides, so carefully consider what you want to do before committing to it. I do not care which path you take. All that matters is the result of you reaching my side once more. Of course, there won’t be any hints, clues, or assistance from me. You must overcome this trial through your own merits.”

“You’re kidding… Just how far away is the castle from here?”

“You’ll just have to find out for yourself, won’t you?”

“Guh…”

“Now that I have laid out the guidelines, the rest is up to you. Take as long as you need – time is not a factor in this realm. Given your hesitation, I wouldn’t be surprised if 50 years pass in the outside world before you make up your mind.”

“That’s not funny, Teacher! I’m not going to take that long! I just need some time to think about it!”

“Heh heh. If you have that much gusto to talk back to me, then you should be fine.”

Scathach turned on her heel and continued leaping across the rocks. As Connla watched her, she noticed the fog undulating unnaturally from the lower swamps. Then to her mortified shock, a chimera burst through and soared directly over Scathach!

“Teacher!” Connla shrieked.

“Tah!” the warrior woman shouted an unperturbed battle cry and hurled Gae Bolg at its face. In one clean motion, the spear punctured its skull and skewered its brain, killing it instantly. She elegantly extracted her weapon from the corpse moments before it plummeted back into the swamp.

“Oh my, oh my, oh my…” Connla shuddered, taken aback by the chaotic sight.

Scathach put a hand on her hip and casually said, “It’s 50 meters across each rock. If you screw up, you’ll die.”

“You’re just making fun of me now, aren’t you, Teacher!?”

“Come now, don’t go wasting your energy on frivolous matters. You can always take the safer path, you know.”

Connla grumbled bitterly, knowing full well that Scathach was joking. Going through the swamp was practically suicide when there were countless thousands of vengeful ghosts and demonic beasts just waiting to tear her into pieces down below. Up here there was nothing but empty sky and dense fog, so she was reasonably certain that there wouldn’t be any monsters capable of flying up this high that could ambush her. There were monsters that could climb the rocks, but so long as she didn’t waste any time standing around, she would be okay.

Connla heard a tremendous splash and looked down at the chimera that Scathach killed. More beasts had ganged up on the corpse and started viciously devouring it, visible to her only as a frantic display of splashing water and flailing limbs. She shivered and whimpered, “Yeek… She’s right about one thing… If I fall from here, it’s all over for me…”

She swallowed hard. During times like this, she needed to remember to take some deep breaths. After focusing on some breathing exercises for a few minutes, she concentrated on her surroundings once more, as if inspecting them with a fresh set of eyes. Now that the shock and awe of seeing the Land of Shadows passed, she could rationally analyze every possible factor available to her and determine the best course of action.

At times like this, you have to remember what Mother told you. The world is a chaotic place, but there is one thing out there that always remains a stable and reliable source of information.

Connla narrowed her eyes and glared at the first rock formation with determination.

Right… I have to use mathematics!

She got down on one knee and formed her fingers into a frame, singling out the nearest gigantic stalagmite that she wanted to jump on, then the second, third, and so on.

Teacher just said that there’s 50 meters between each one, and acceleration due to Earth’s gravity is always 9.81 m/s². It’s kind of difficult to see how many stalagmites I have to go across, but those should be good starting points. Objects move at a constant speed unless acted upon by an unbalanced force, so therein lie two problems; what should my speed be, and how do I go about achieving it? I would also want to give myself a way to jump higher to compensate for gravity taking effect each time I hop across. I also have to worry about drag since there’s a light wind crossing the valley.

She ran around and searched for anything in the vicinity she could use to help herself out, whether they be trees, rocks, hills, or even cliffs. Each time she found something useful, she would spend time calculating the variables and seeing which options would work the best. Launching off of a high-rise rock close to the edge meant she would have to achieve speeds greater than what humans were capable of with one mighty leap. Dashing along the field to gain momentum would tire her out before she had the energy to even jump. Running atop a boulder that was rolling down the cliff would give her some height and conserve her energy, but it was pointless if she couldn’t build up the speed. There were so many things she could try, but she didn’t like the outcomes of each idea.

Several hours later, Connla sat on the grass and sighed heavily. She felt incredibly worn out from running around and thinking so much, so she needed to take a short break. Still, she was growing fairly confident in a particular idea she had. She had found a decent cliff that sloped at a 30 degree angle and stretched for about 250 meters. All she had to do was run down the slope at 5 m/s, jump off at the right time, and hop across each platform until she reached the castle… at least, that was the idea. Using kilometers instead of meters, she would have to achieve a speed of 18 km/h. Perhaps that was easy for adults, but she was still a seven-year old child. Sure, she was used to sprinting at fast speeds to either outrun a demon boar, or to make it home on time to fix Aife’s supper, but this was genuinely a matter of life and death. If she pushed herself too hard, she could wind up collapsing and falling off the cliff, with no way to save herself afterwards.

Maybe if I made my strides longer rather than focus on a fast pace, I could free some of the stress from my body.

That was probably the best option she had. All that remained was to put it into practice. She took a deep breath, then positioned her body into a sprinter’s pose and adjusted her angle carefully. Once she was ready, she finally dashed forth down the cliffside, gaining more and more momentum with each step. However, she soon realized she was going a little too fast for her liking.

“TOO FAST! TOO FAST! I CAN’T STOP!”

Without thinking, Connla performed her mightiest leap off the cliff and sailed across the gap. Her feet hit the first stalagmite, but her momentum forced her onward and she jumped off that rock onto the second one, followed by the third. Each time she bounded in the air, she couldn’t resist glancing down at the murky waters below, and into the eyes of curious monsters who spotted her from high above. She broke through the fog and-

“WAAA~AAA~AAA~AAAH!”

… Let out a terrific cry of fear when she instantly saw a wall of pure stone shooting straight at her!

Her entire body slammed against this new cliffside, and her arms and legs hugged what seemed to be a stalactite. The effect would probably be comical to anyone who was watching this scene, but she was still in serious danger. She gradually lost her grip and slid down the rock, but she dug her fingers and toes into some crevices that acted as solid footholds for her.

She couldn’t think straight. She spent a few seconds shivering in terror over what she just did. She knew that if she stayed here for too long, her arms and legs would get tired, so she forced herself to climb upward while ignoring the screaming pain in all of her muscles. Her hand eventually gripped the edge of the cliff, and she pulled herself up thanks to snatching some deep tree roots and using them as impromptu ropes.

After a considerable amount of effort, Connla was on solid ground once more. She collapsed on all fours and gasped for air while shaking like a leaf. ‘Exhausted’ was hardly a term that could justify how run-down she was right now. Scathach approached her student and remarked, “Impressive. Instead of foolishly trying your luck over and over again, you used the local environment to your advantage. Well, I’m not surprised to see you relying on such a tactic. Aife might have been a boor, but she certainly valued intellect, and she would have wanted you to do the same.”

“Uuuh…”

“Good grief, you can’t even speak right, can you? Oh well. That’s a trial designed to separate the boys from the men. Now that you’ve demonstrated what skills you already possess, I can decide on your training regimen for the weeks to come. For now though, I think you’ve earned a well-deserved rest.”

Scathach kneeled over Connla and made her get on her back piggyback style so she could carry her to the fortress. She spent the next hour walking through the forest, and the fog seemed to rapidly clear each time she took a step. Connla regained enough of her senses to gaze ahead, and she noticed how quickly the atmosphere changed from gloomy and miserable to lush and bountiful. The heavy air gave way to a crisp and refreshing breeze, and water bubbled along a nearby brook. Trees that were in the fog appeared to be dying, but here they boasted lively green leaves and healthy roots.

“Whuh? W-Why is it… so beautiful… all of a sudden?” Connla moaned.

“Heh heh. Are you surprised?” Scathach chuckled. “Welcome to the Castle of Shadows, the hidden paradise that stands tall over the Celtic netherworld. Here, I rule over the dead as their eternal queen, and push back foes that would seek to claim this land as their own.”

“But… it looked so… far away… from the front gate. Why is it only… less than… half a kilometer… away?”

“That fog is an illusion I created. There are the odd times when humans either purposefully or accidentally wander into the front entrance. That dreary atmosphere is designed to force them to turn back around, making them believe that the castle is impossible for them to reach on foot alone. Of course, you’ve seen through the mirage now, so it’s fine for you to know this secret of mine.”

“I… see…”

“Weren’t you worried that you wouldn’t have made it across the swamp? That the castle was simply too far away for you to calculate jumping along the stalagmites?”

“I was… kind of skeptical… about that. But… I could only… work with… what was… around me.”

“How true. Well, I suppose allowing you to see all of the rocks you had to cross was a hint in itself.”

“Ahhhh… bwuh… uuuuh…”

“Wow, your throat must be parched. There’s a nice spring you can use to refresh yourself.”

They reached the natural spring in question, and Connla gleefully shoved her head into the water to gulp as much as she could. Scathach resisted the urge to chuckle at the sight. However, she was more relieved that they had made it to the Land of Shadows in time. Her biggest fear of getting Connla involved with Cuchulainn could be put to rest, now that they were fully cut off from the chaos that was about to occur within the outside world. What he was going to do with the Tree of Emptiness was beyond her knowing, but she was afraid it would become a disaster of epic proportions. All she could do was wait for Morrigan’s report, and plan her next move from there.

Panic erupted all over northeastern Ireland and northwestern Scotland. Those who were able to witness the Tree of Emptiness emerging from the sea did not understand what was going on. Some believed it was an incarnation of one of the Tuatha de Danaan’s gods arriving to save them from Medb’s tyranny. Others thought it was a Fomorian who had awakened from its long slumber. Some turned to it as a sign of hope; others saw it as a terrible omen. Prophets, druids and magicians from every land could not answer the people’s questions. They too were equally as puzzled with this mysterious entity’s appearance.

Those from the captured Ulster province were especially terrified of it. Many of them saw it as the symbol of Cuchulainn’s wrath towards Connacht. They weren’t too far off, either.

As fear and uncertainty spread among Ireland and Scotland, Medb had barely made it back to her homeland intact. What happened after she lost control of Curruid was absolutely harrowing, to the point that she didn’t want to recount it with any of her best men. In particular, her lover Fergus mac Roich noticed how disturbed she looked when she returned with only a battalion of 500 shell-shocked men, having left with 10,000 two weeks ago. None of those soldiers were fit for combat anymore, and some had to be imprisoned for their own safety.

Fergus decided not to ask Medb for any details. Instead, he headed to the dungeons and asked his fellow warriors if they could share with him what had happened. Most of them had been reduced to incoherently blubbering wrecks, but a couple of more stoic fellows were able to tell him what they saw:

“Total carnage…”

“The ocean turned red.”

“All of my boys were crushed beneath that monster…”

“He destroyed a fortress with just his weight.”

“I thought I heard a man’s voice inside that thing’s mouth…”

“I lost my entire family.”

Every testimony became increasingly disturbing, to the point that Fergus could no longer stomach it. Unlike them, Medb had confided in Fergus about how she merged Cuchulainn with Curruid, meaning he knew that a fellow Ulsterman had completely turned against his countrymen. How Cuchulainn was able to break through Medb’s hold on him was a mystery to Fergus, but he knew this was only going to mean trouble. He knew how dangerous the boy known as Setanta was – born as a half-human, half-god with incredible combat prowess and a libido that was hard to match. The only things that helped maintain Setanta’s humanity were his pride and honor as a Red Branch Knight. Clearly, such virtues no longer mattered to Cuchulainn, now that he had embraced his inner monster and lashed out at the woman who wronged him.

Since Ailill’s death, Medb had given Fergus the right to rule as Connacht’s king while she went off to wage her territory war. With her out of commission for now, and with the anxiety caused from the Tree of Emptiness’ appearance, it was everything Fergus could do to keep the populace calm without going insane himself. As much as he wanted to hunt Cuchulainn down and force some answers out of him, he had to remain to hear the people’s concerns and address them as he saw fit.

During a brief reprieve before his next audience, the exhausted warrior sat back and exhaled in sheer frustration. As he rubbed his forehead to relieve some building stress, the door to the castle’s royal library opened. The person who stepped through was an elderly gentleman wearing black druid’s robes, except that his were styled to resemble a trench coat with intricate Celtic patterns embroidered on the hems. His greyed hair parted over his eyes, and he wore a thin set of glasses, giving him the aura of an unapproachable scholar who knew all the secrets of the world.

“Ah… so you’ve finally decided to show yourself, you old coot,” Fergus grumbled.

“As much as I would love to sequester myself from you and your sharp tongue, I’m afraid that reality deems to deny me such respite,” the druid retorted as he smoked his pipe.

“What’s going on? Is it another one of your prophecies?”

“Perhaps. Or it could be an imminent warning.”

“Seriously? How the hell could this possibly get any worse?”

“I only tell what I foresee as I rest upon the branches of my favorite oak tree. They portend of how ‘the element of the sea will soon dominate every land, from the far west boroughs of Portucale, to the snow-capped peaks of Rossiya, to the rich territories of Zhongguo, and further beyond to Yamato and the uncharted seas. All sovereign states exist to quench Taoide Olc’s thirst’.”

Fergus’ blood practically froze in his veins. If it had been any other druid making these outrageous claims, he would have had them dismissed immediately, if not outright executed. However, this man was a fellow famous for his prophecies always coming true. He was the High Druid of Ulster, and the only man superior to the fallen province’s King Conchobhar before his untimely death. In a way, this man could be considered a precursor to the legendary Arthurian wizard Merlin, although this man was hardly as famous as his later brethren.

“… Cathbad.”

The druid smoked his pipe again. “I don’t need to be a prophet to figure out what you’re going to ask next.”

“Yeah.”

“The fact is that whatever time we have is precious. If we cannot challenge Taoide Olc directly, we must devise a method of escaping his influence, before we can then figure out a means of defeating him.”

“Shit. He’s not giving us a chance to organize.”

“His retribution is swift and without mercy. Even if it is world destruction, everything he does is to spite that woman. The boy we once knew as Setanta has truly lost his mind.”

Fergus faced Cathbad and asked plainly, “Got any ideas?”

“I do have one in mind, though it is an unorthodox approach.”

“Screw it if it’s unorthodox. I’ll take anything at this point.”

“It’s going to involve cooperation from Medb and Scathach, as well as myself. If you can speak with the queen, then I will discuss this matter with the Witch of Dun Scaith. Unfortunately, Medb does not share the same respect for my authority as Mother Nature’s messenger like Conchobhar once did. She only seems to share her ears with those whom she has fostered a certain… relationship with.”

“I get it, I get it. No need to moan about your sagely advice constantly being ignored. I’ll convince Medb to cooperate with you and Scathach for this plan.”

“We must be swift. If the prophecy is to come true, then we may only have a month before Taoide Olc succeeds in his revenge.”

Fergus raised an eyebrow, then wondered, “What is he going to do, anyway? You said ‘the element of the sea will dominate every land’, or something to that effect.”

“Well…”

Curruid emerged from the depths of the ocean before the Tree of Emptiness which he had allowed to blossom in this timeline. He couldn’t remember anything that happened after he officially declared war on Medb, but he knew he must have devastated her forces. After regaining his senses, he scoured the coastline for Medb’s corpse, but could not find it. She most likely escaped with just a small handful of survivors, and was now recuperating in Connacht. He didn’t care though. His next step of the plan would surely cement him as the god capable of deciding the world’s future.

Curruid turned to face his former home country, then howled as loud as he could. Inside the monster, Cuchulainn activated Dagda’s Cauldron and made a horrific wish. Then, one by one, various ‘holes’ opened up all around the Tree of Emptiness. At first, nothing obvious happened. A few moments later though, numerous downpours of seawater rushed through the gaps like gigantic hoses, spraying endless amounts of water upon the ocean. The Tree had turned into a massive waterfall that would dump millions of gallons of water being siphoned from a different world into this one, effectively giving these oceans twice the amount of ocean that Earth was capable of handling.

It wouldn’t be immediately apparent, but as long as the portals never closed, the water would continue to flood the North Channel. The coastlines of southwestern Scotland and northwestern Ireland would soon experience slightly rising water levels, which refused to recede no matter what anyone did. As the days passed, it became readily apparent what the Phantasmal’s ultimate plan was:

To drown all of human civilization.

AUTHOR’S NOTE:

† - “Evil Tide”

Chapter Text

FATE/CURADH BEAG

“Little Champion”

Chapter 4: The Celtic Isles

Chaldea

“Pfft… fwa ha ha… Ah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah!”

Gilgamesh covered his face in a futile attempt to hide his mirthful expression. He was laughing so hard that he had to wipe a couple of tears from the corners of his eyes. This wasn’t his typical arrogant laugh that he’d bellow to assert his dominance – this was an honest-to-goodness fit of laughter one would experience from seeing something absolutely hilarious. It got to a point that he needed to press his hand against his gut to keep it from twisting into painful contortions.

“L-Lord Gilgamesh…” Aibi murmured, unsure of how to calm him down.

“My word, it’s almost too much!” the king howled as he tried to settle himself, yet the chortles kept coming. “Did you see that!? The way the runt smacked against the wall like a rag doll!? Goodness, such comedy should be considered criminal! Hah hah hah hah hah!”

“Well, I fail to see the humor,” Cuchulainn growled. “If you had to go through that nightmare gauntlet like I once did, you wouldn’t be laughing anymore.”

“Pah! As if a paltry challenge like that is worth my notice!”

“I bet Scathach would find a way to seal off your treasury. She is the Land of Shadows’ queen, after all. Once you step into her territory, you’re basically her bitch.”

“You speak as if her territorial advantage is something I should fear. Besides, no ordinary mortal would be able to cut me off from my Gate of Babylon.”

“Scathach is hardly what you would call an ‘ordinary mortal’.”

Gilgamesh noticed Cuchulainn’s stern expression, realizing the Celt was not joking around. He glanced at Aibi and said, “You’ve had experience with that woman before. Do tell me that the Mad Mongrel speaks lies.”

“Well, um…” Aibi shuffled about uneasily. “Let’s just say that she’s exceptionally powerful when she’s residing within the Land of Shadows. You could say that she and the Celtic underworld are one and the same. You simply can’t talk about one without referring to the other.”

“Hmm… So it’s kind of like with Ereshkigal and her dominion over Irkalla?”

“More or less.”

“… Very well. I have little choice but to defer when such a comparison is being made. Still, it is rather remarkable that the runt was able to overcome such a simple trial with naught more than her wits and knowledge. It would be the equivalent of passing through Irkalla’s seven gates while already naked – foolish, yet equally brilliant.”

Aibi let out a light sigh, relieved that Gilgamesh finally stopped behaving so erratically. She turned her attention back to the monitor as she examined Connla’s vitals. She murmured to Cuchulainn, “It looks like her heart rate and breathing were in sync with her counterpart’s during the jump across the ravine.”

“Yeah,” Cuchulainn said. “It was faint, but I could sense the other Connla’s sheer terror.”

She frowned a bit, then leaned in and whispered in his ear, “I’m sorry about Lord Gilgamesh.”

“Hm? Why is that?”

“You must be so worried about Geal, yet he’s laughing without a care in the world. I can only imagine how incredibly offended you must be.”

He paused for a moment, not expecting her to say something so sensitive. It was true that the Sumerian king’s presence was getting on his nerves. Yet, he also knew that he genuinely meant no harm. He eventually shrugged and muttered, “I stopped giving a shit ages ago. The guy’s two-thirds divine, and you know how screwed up the gods’ way of thinking is, regardless of which mythology they come from. Better to just ignore it, rather than argue with him every time he does something stupid.”

Aibi tilted her head and murmured, “I guess so…”

“Besides, I’m more worried about what’s going on in the alternate Ulster. That weird white tree that popped up in the middle of the ocean is bothering the hell out of me.”

“I know. It looks like it’s pouring endless amounts of water into the sea. If something isn’t done to stop it, the world could be flooded within one or two years. But with all hands on deck to resolve the Seventh Singularity, there’s really nothing we can do, is there?”

Suddenly, Gilgamesh blurted, “There is no hope for that timeline.”

“What!?” Aibi exclaimed. “How can you be so sure!?”

“What the runt is showing us right now is little more than the prologue to the main story. A flashback, or perhaps a memory, if you would. What we are seeing has already happened. You could say that we are being provided with the context for why that timeline is the way it is before the runt’s counterpart sets off on her inevitable journey.”

“So then, by the time the ‘present’ comes around, all of civilization will already have been flooded?”

He didn’t respond. He merely leaned his head against his fist and drank some wine with a grin on his face. Aibi faced Cuchulainn, hoping that he could back her up here. Alas, all the Celt grumbled was, “Just ignore him.”

“…”

Alternate Ulster

A week had passed since Scathach and Connla arrived in the Land of Shadows. The mentor didn’t want to expose her pupil to a brutal training regime straight away when she needed some time to adjust to her new home. Scathach allowed Connla to take some time to rest and familiarize herself with her surroundings. Scathach had prepared a small corner of the castle plus a section of the yard to serve as Connla’s living quarters. It was fortified with plenty of Runes to ward off the thousands of ghosts and monsters that also resided in the underworld, providing the girl with a safe haven that she could retreat to in case she was in danger. If she was careless and wandered into the other areas of the castle, she would be endlessly ambushed and chased around by vengeful spirits. Scathach had to force Connla to comply with such strict living rules as soon as possible for her own safety.

There was also another reason why Scathach didn’t get started with Connla’s training right away – the mentor was greeted by a certain visitor who arrived to provide her with an update.

The familiar crow perched atop the queen’s throne shuffled her wings, then said, “That’s the gist of it.”

Scathach rubbed her forehead to fend off the stress building in her head. She groaned, “Ungh… Setanta, you idiot. Are you so desperate to obstruct Medb’s conquest that you would deprive her of anything and everything that she could possibly dominate?”

“That’s what happens when you get too close to Medb – her insanity affects people in ways no one could imagine,” Morrigan said.

“Doubly so since she’s infected by that thing.”

“Indeed. So what do you plan on doing? As the Witch of Dun Scaith, and by extension the most powerful ruler of Scotland, you have an obligation to protect your country. Since Medb is the ruler of Ireland now, that means the fate of the Celtic Isles rest solely on how you and Medb respond to Cuchulainn’s provocation.”

Scathach’s stress levels skyrocketed when she heard that. She couldn’t stomach the idea that she needed to cooperate with Medb, but the world was facing a crisis that no one could fight back against. Cuchulainn, now as the god Taoide Olc, had gained Dagda’s Cauldron and the Tree of Emptiness for himself, making him too powerful for anyone to challenge. She doubted even she could last in a fight against him, considering that the Cauldron could just heal his wounds. Besides, she was more concerned with training Connla for her eventual role, rather than trying to discipline a former student who would never listen to her anyway. Scathach’s top priority was to keep Connla safe until the time came.

“As much as I don’t like it, I’ll have to speak with Cathbad as soon as possible,” Scathach said. “He and I go back to the days when I first learned Runecraft, so arranging a meeting with him and Medb shouldn’t be a problem. Getting the other rulers of Scotland to cooperate might be a challenge, considering how they are always engrossed in their petty squabbles. Despite that, I trust that they will open their eyes to the reality of the situation soon enough.”

“Do you have a plan in mind?”

“A radical one, but yes, I do. I will have to be quick though. By the way the alien tree is gushing so much water out, it may take just a couple of years before all the lands are submerged.”

“That in turn will increase the amount of ocean which Taoide Olc can traverse in. This must be his solution to destroying any mainland nations when he is essentially a sea monster. Not to mention that he’s thinking of summoning numerous Oillipheist to function as his soldiers.” †

“Unbelievable…”

Morrigan suddenly shot her eyes toward the throne room’s door. She said, “I think you’ve got a guest. Since I’ve told you everything I can, I’ll make myself scarce now. I trust you can handle the rest from here.”

The crow flapped her wings and flew off the throne, soaring through the nearest open window. As Scathach watched the goddess depart, the door to the throne room opened. Connla stepped through and said, “Here you are, Teacher. I was looking everywhere for you.”

“Connla,” Scathach replied in a stern tone, “how many times did I tell you not to wander away from your safe zone? If I hadn’t already killed the ghosts on my way here, you would have been assaulted.”

“I’m sorry. It’s just that I was getting worried about how high the lower bogs have been rising lately and wanted to let you know. If nothing is done, the monsters residing down there might be able to crawl up here.”

“Don’t worry, I’m already well aware of that. I have a plan in mind that will help us out.”

Connla tilted her head and asked, “Is that why you were talking with someone just now?”

“Huh?”

“I thought I heard you talking in here, so I figured you had a guest.”

“Oh… hah hah. Don’t be absurd. I may be Dun Scaith’s queen, but that doesn’t mean I hold audiences on a regular basis. No, I was just conversing with a druid through my Runes. I’m arranging to travel to Ireland to speak with Queen Medb regarding the matter.”

“You mean you’re leaving soon? But what about my training?”

Scathach shook her head. “Good grief, your dutifulness is almost incorrigible… Everything will be fine. I’ve prepared lots of homework for you to work on during my absence. You also need to hunt, gather and fish to keep your food stores topped, right? I might need you to chop some wood to get us ready for winter too. Relax, you’ll have plenty to do until I return.”

“Okay. I guess I get a little skittish when I’m bored…”

“He he he… just like your father.”

“Hm? What was that?”

“Nothing. Go back to your room now. I still have a ton of arrangements I need to make before I leave.”

“I see. Sorry to bother you then,” Connla bowed, then quietly returned to her quarters.

Three days later…

In Galway, the capital of Connacht, Medb had assembled her top advisors in the war room for an emergency meeting. She, Fergus, Cathbad, and the generals and high druids all listened in silence as Scathach presented her strategy for saving their countries from the imminent global flood. After the warrior woman finished speaking, the queen closed her eyes and deeply contemplated what she heard.

“So let me see if I have this right,” Medb murmured. “You want me to dedicate my Royal Authority towards rising Connacht off of the planet, essentially turning it into a floating island. Meanwhile, you would do the same for Scotland. Then you want us to merge our two nations into one huge landmass?”

“Precisely,” Scathach said. “My authority as the Land of Shadows’ queen is potent enough to raise Scotland, though I will need the assistance of as many druids as I can find in my country. I was hoping for Cathbad to put in a good word to Scotland’s other kings and see if they can loan me their best magicians.”

“Hm…” the elderly druid smoked his pipe. “I can’t say I’m overly familiar with Scotland’s royal families, though I am aware of my name being rather well-known around those parts.”

“Oh, it won’t be that difficult. All you have to do is tell them of the prophecy you mentioned to Fergus, and they will respond accordingly. It’s hard to refute a prophet whose predictions always come true, after all.”

“You make it sound like that’s supposed to be a good thing.”

“It’s persuasive, at the very least. If I tried to negotiate with those obstinate warlords myself, I would have a headache the size of Arran Island. We simply don’t have the time to put up with such nonsense.”

Medb frowned as she asked, “If it’s such a bother, why not just raise Skye from the ground and leave the rest of them to drown?”

Scathach glared at her. “The leaders may be fools, but the common people are doing their best to live their lives during these tumultuous times. Maybe this will be hard for you to believe, but I’m not the type to abandon others simply because it’s convenient for me. Why would I become as strong as I am if I am not to use such strength to save my countrymen?”

“Hmph… I didn’t take you for being so sentimental.”

“Unlike you, I’m a human being at my very core.”

The tension between the two women intensified by the second. All of the men surrounding them weren’t sure if they were being cordial, or if they were about to go for each other’s throats at the drop of a pin. Eventually, Medb dully huffed and grumbled, “Well, I don’t really care about Scotland’s fate one way or another. I’m only concerned about rescuing Connacht.”

“You mean Ireland, right?” Fergus asked.

“No, I mean Connacht. Oh, and perhaps Ulster as well, considering that it’s now been amalgamated into Connacht.”

“B-But what about the rest of our countrymen?” a druid wondered nervously. “Do you mean to tell us that the territories of Leinster and Munster mean nothing to you?”

“They’re not under my rule, so they don’t matter,” Medb replied without any hesitation in her voice.

“Surely you jest, my queen! My family is in Limerick!”

“Your point?”

“I… I want to save them somehow!”

“Then have them move to Galway.”

“But my mother is elderly and cannot move such great distances!”

“Then kill her off and bring the rest of them here.”

The druid couldn’t believe how callous his queen was behaving. He sat back down with a clearly distraught expression, unable to think of anything to say to someone who was so cold-blooded towards her subjects. Several of the other men present had similar thoughts as well, yet were clearly too afraid to voice them lest they wind up the same way as Ailill.

Fergus exhaled a deep sigh and folded his arms as he considered something. Soon, he said to Medb, “How about this, then? I will go to Leinster and Munster, and personally warn their rulers that if they do not agree to join Connacht in this endeavor, they will have no choice but to be caught in Taoide Olc’s flood.”

“You mean you want them to amalgamate with Connacht the same way Ulster has been?” Medb wondered, her eyes lightening up with curiosity.

“Right. Instead of invading them, we can give them the freedom to decide what they want to do with their provinces. How the populace will respond to their royal decrees determines what our next move should be.”

“How boring. Invasion is way more fun and efficient. Sadly, we don’t have the men and resources after what happened with Taoide Olc’s rampage in England. I suppose I have no choice but to go along with your idea, Fergus.”

“Excellent. I knew you would listen to reason,” he smiled. “I’m sure negotiations will go over smoothly, considering the reports of how the coastline provinces are already losing beaches and farmland to the rising waters.”

“That’s true,” Scathach said. “Cold hard facts are indispensable in making even the most debauched of idiots understand reality.”

Medb shifted her eyes toward her and muttered, “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that was an insult directed at me.”

“Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but the world doesn’t revolve around you. I was only speaking in a general sense.”

“Why, you…”

“All right, that’s enough, ladies,” Cathbad sharply interjected. “Scathach and I will inform Scotland’s rulers, while Medb and Fergus deal with Ireland’s southern provinces. Once we decide who will join the Celtic Isles, it will be a race against the clock for Medb, Scathach and I to assemble every Runecraft user we can find and raise both countries from the ground. The goal is to fully raise the islands by this time next year, if not sooner. If there is any dissent towards this plan, speak now.”

No one said anything. The silence was enough of an indication for the meeting to be adjourned. Although everyone had mixed feelings on the matter, they were at least in complete agreement about having to save the Celtic territories from the monster that they created.

Three months later…

Connla closed the arithmetic textbook she was working on for the day and glanced outside. It was another dreary and foggy day, which made it ideal for ghosts to wander about with total impunity. Even Scathach’s fortified Runes that she planted in the yard were not strong enough to ward off every possible spirit whenever the weather turned poor like this. Connla had no choice but to stay inside for the day and make some small progress with the heaps of homework Scathach had left for her before departing on her important journey.

The girl sat in front of the cauldron and cooked some cock-a-leekie soup with wild bird meat that she hunted earlier in the week. As she stirred the broth, she glanced outside and watched the fog quietly roll along the bogs.

I can’t believe it’s been three months since Teacher left. I can’t stop wondering what her important business must be if she has to leave me here for so long.

This obviously wasn’t the first time she pondered her mentor’s absence, but the result was always the same – she would be left with no answers. She found it a bit annoying that Scathach wouldn’t confide with her about what the purpose of her travels was, but what could she do? She was just a little kid who wouldn’t understand the implications. She was expected to just sit tight and follow her instructions until she returned.

Couldn’t Teacher trust me even a little bit? I mean, we are family, aren’t we? Or is that meaningless now that I’m her student?

As Connla sat there pondering such things, that was when she heard an unusually shrill screech coming from the distance outside. She bolted from her chair and peeked out to see what was going on. Although she couldn’t make out the ghosts very well, she noticed that they were flailing about, appearing and vanishing in a state of total confusion. She fetched her spear and deftly vaulted through the window. Her boots landed on the soft mud as she looked around to assess the situation.

They’re scared of something…

This was highly unusual. Normally the spirits inhabiting the Land of Shadows were always full of hatred and bloodlust, yearning to tear through any living being unfortunate enough to cross their path. Connla didn’t even think they were capable of fear since they were already dead. However, some unearthly force compelled the ghosts to fly around erratically. Even some who had gotten too close to her barely noticed her presence as they frantically looked around for any sort of safe place to hide in.

Although Scathach demanded to Connla that she never leave the safe zone, her curiosity got the better of her and she breached the Bounded Field to run towards the edge of the cliff. From here, she had a good view of the southwestern seas where the Tree of Emptiness had sprouted several months ago. She hadn’t been able to see it from inside the field, but now that she was here, this was the first time she actually got to witness the endless outpouring of water gushing from gaps formed all over the alien entity. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped in absolute shock.

“By the gods!” she blurted.

She knew for sure now; this must have been why Scathach was gone for so long. She had to have been doing something to fight against whatever this disaster was. It also explained why the water in the bogs had been rising so unnaturally in recent weeks, and how the local monsters and wildlife had to find refuge elsewhere. Consequently, this made hunting much harder for Connla since she had to stray further from the castle to find any animals.

But then, if this had been going for so long, why hadn’t the ghosts reacted to any of it until now?

She looked around, hoping to see if there was some other explanation for why the spirits were so terrified. She didn’t notice anything obvious like an incoming threat or an immediate change to her surroundings. Whatever it was, it definitely had a greater effect on spiritual entities rather than physical ones. She doubted she could do anything to change the situation, although she was glad to have a better understanding behind Scathach’s prolonged absence.

Something’s definitely wrong, but I don’t think I can do anything about it. I guess I’ll have to ask Teacher the hard questions when she gets back.

Before Connla could turn around to return to the castle, she noticed an ominous set of dark clouds literally lurching toward her at an unnaturally rapid pace. Within the next few minutes, a heavy deluge of rain pounded all around her, dissipating the fog that blanketed the Isle of Skye and giving her a much clearer view of the ocean. Thunder rumbled in the distance, as if hailing the arrival of a savage weather deity.

None of that mattered to her right now.

Her eyes, wide open as saucers, were transfixed on a terrifying creature that slowly ascended from the sea. Its obsidian scales glistened from the water rolling off them, and bright red spikes protruded from its shoulders, arms and back. Its teeth were longer and sharper than any shark’s ever would be. A pair of azure eyes glowered from within the skeleton-like head of this beast. She swore she actually saw the monster staring directly into her eyes. That was most likely impossible due to the huge distance between them, but the fear gripping her soul caused her to believe they were making eye contact. Regardless, there was no mistake that it was looking at the Isle of Skye, at the very least.

Connla’s knees buckled, and she collapsed on all fours while still gluing her eyes on the sea creature. Although she had never seen it before, Aife and Scathach had told her stories of numerous ancient beasts and demons that had roamed throughout Scotland and Ireland, hailing back from the long-lost Age of Gods. One of these monsters was supposed to be a massive sea monster covered in black scales and red thorns, which could command the seas, summon tornadoes, and bring death to all with its lethal barbs. The legendary spear Gae Bolg was even made from this creature’s spikes after it had died in battle against a rival sea monster.

However, here it was.

Alive and well.

Looking straight at her.

“Cu… Cu… Cur… ruid…”

That was all Connla was capable of uttering before losing consciousness and collapsing onto her side. The sounds of pelting rain and quiet thunder seemed to lull her further into sleep, as her mind shut down from the sheer terror of seeing a Phantasmal thought to be extinct.

Out in the Atlantic Ocean, Curruid rose from beneath the waves and gazed upon the Isle of Skye in silence. Through the monster’s eyes, Cuchulainn could see the island he once trained in. It felt like ages since he had last been here, but he didn’t come here to be nostalgic.

During the last few months, he wandered throughout the seas around England and mainland Europe, brutally slaughtering anyone who tried to challenge him. Most of his rampage was concentrated on England, though northern France, Belgium and the Netherlands suffered some casualties after their nations attempted to send reinforcements to England. So many sailing vessels had sunk beneath the waves he caused that he no longer bothered to keep count.

The most important thing to him was that he wanted to grow more acclimated with his new body and test the limits of the Phantasmal’s power. The sheer strength he wielded was almost too incredible for him to fathom. Yet, he also wanted to make sure that no other civilization possessed any similar abilities or creatures who could challenge him. He needed to be the only one on the top of the proverbial food chain. He had to be the one to determine this world’s future. To that end, he had to crush any opposition as soon as possible.

However, there was one particular foe that Cuchulainn could never get out of his mind; his former mentor, Scathach. As long as she lived, she would always be a threat to his conquest. Since he had declared himself a god of destruction, and she was a god-slayer who sided with humanity, it was inevitable that the two would meet in combat. As much as he wanted to concentrate on spreading death and chaos all over the mainland, he could no longer ignore this problem and decided to swim back northward to western Scotland, where the Isle of Skye was.

Now he was here. Despite his gargantuan size and immense destructive capabilities, he hesitated. He wasn’t sure if Scathach had a trap set up for him. Was she even in the Land of Shadows right now? He was certain she would have greeted him with pure bloodlust and flung spears long before he could get close.

Yet… there was nothing but silence.

Cuchulainn grit his teeth, growing frustrated with the tension.

What are you plotting, Teacher?

Regardless if he was falling for some kind of ploy, he needed to advance. If he could occupy the Celtic underworld and turn the resident ghosts and monsters against their queen, he would have a significantly better territorial advantage when it came time for him to dominate Scotland. So many ideas rushed through his mind about what he wanted to do once he took the Land of Shadows for himself that he needed to coax himself to focus on the task at hand.

Fine. If that’s the way you want to play this, then I’ll humor you. Let’s see what sort of games you’ve set up for-

Before Cuchulainn could finish that thought, that was when the ground beneath him quivered unnaturally. He lurched forward, nearly smashing his head against the seabed as he lost his balance.

Gh! What the-!?

A tremendous cracking sound nearly deafened him. As he shook his head to regain his bearings, that was when he noticed something unusual happening with the Isle of Skye… no, all of Scotland!

Are they… floating!?

The huge sound he heard was the earth breaking free from the rest of the planet, fully dislodging before gradually ascending higher and higher into the air. Countless boulders and dirt clumps rained around the craters being left behind, which were quickly filling up with water before inevitably submerging beneath the depths. Then a second huge cracking sound caught Cuchulainn’s attention, and he whirled around to see what was happening with Ireland. He watched in total disbelief as his beloved Ulster, along with the rest of Ireland, started to rise from the ground. It was only when he could get a good look at the undersides of each landmass that he noticed thousands of Runes activating all at once.

Although that part made sense to him, what happened next didn’t. As both islands continued rising, they reached each other’s altitude and slowly started coming towards each other, with the area around the North Channel as the center point. As they came closer and closer, they began to merge with each other to form a singular continent that was cut off from the rest of the world.

You’ve got to be kidding me.

It was the only thought he had as he took in the sight of the newly-formed floating country. What he just witnessed was the birth of the Celtic Isles – the final bastion that would obstruct Taoide Olc from fully destroying all of humanity.

Eventually, the rumbling and cracking ceased. All that remained were the sounds of waves and water gushing into the craters left from Ireland and Scotland. It took him a long time to understand what just happened, but once he did, he grew apoplectic and raged so much that the water boiled and steam curled all around him.

“Damn you, Medb… Damn you, Scathach…”

He realized what their strategy had been. If they couldn’t stop the water from rising, they could at least keep the two countries far out of Taoide Olc’s reach so that he couldn’t destroy his two greatest threats. After all, he was a sea monster. While his dominion of the ocean was absolute, he had no method of commanding the skies. He certainly couldn’t jump high enough to reach them either. This would give Medb and Scathach plenty of time to prepare some kind of counterattack from above while he was trapped far below them.

Loath as he was to admit it, he couldn’t do anything to retaliate. His sea minions were useless, he couldn’t reach the coastline, and any tornadoes he conjured would only tickle the island’s underside. If he stayed here any longer, he would no doubt be attacked from above. As far as this battle was concerned, he was defeated…

For now, anyway.

Hmph. Very well. If that’s what you want, then I’ll respond in turn.

Resigned to his loss, Taoide Olc turned away from the Celtic Isles and swam back southward to England. No doubt, the country would have been crippled with the sudden loss of Scotland, meaning it would be terribly easy for him to crush before moving back to the mainland. As he departed, he glanced at the Tree of Emptiness as it continued pouring water from the dimensional rifts he had Dagda’s Cauldron create.

It'll take some time, but I will return here one day. Besides, there’s a hard limit to how high Medb and Scathach can raise the island before humans are unable to survive such altitudes. So long as the flow of water remains uninterrupted, my territory will expand endlessly. All they are doing is delaying the inevitable.

The monster gradually sunk beneath the ocean, until nothing left of him remained. He had one parting thought for his former countries as he left them behind:

Enjoy your false peace while you can.

“…la! …nla!”

Uuuh… let me sleep some more…

“C… la! Answer… Co… Conn… Open your…”

Who’s calling for me?

“Connla! Wake up, dammit!”

“Hmmngh…” the little girl moaned as she stirred in a half-asleep state. She opened her bleary eyes and looked around in a blank daze.

“By the gods! You’re still alive!” a familiar woman’s voice exclaimed.

“Huh? Is that you… Teacher?”

“Who else could I be!? What were you doing out here, you fool!?”

“I, um… I can’t recall…”

Connla struggled to sit upright since her head felt like it was splitting apart. She rubbed her eyes and yawned before looking around. Although her clothes were still slightly wet from the storm, the pleasant sunshine helped dry them off enough that they didn’t feel too uncomfortable for her to wear. Songbirds chirped, and the fresh scent of drying rain permeated her nostrils. The beautiful afternoon helped wake her up somewhat, and she stumbled onto her feet.

Scathach examined her niece, then said, “You don’t appear to be injured. Looks like you merely lost consciousness.”

“Oh… that’s right,” Connla murmured as she brushed some dirt off her bodysuit, then pointed toward the ocean. “I… I saw something out there.”

“You mean the white tree?”

“Well yeah, that… But there was something else.”

“What was it?”

“I’m not sure if you’ll believe me or not, but… well, um… I saw… the legendary demon of the seas. You know, the monster that Gae Bolg was forged from?”

Scathach appeared mildly surprised. “You saw Curruid?”

“Mm,” the girl nodded. “There’s no mistaking it.”

“Why did you come all the way out here? You know you’re not supposed to leave the castle for any reason.”

“I know, but the ghosts were flying around in a panic. I wanted to see what was wrong, and that’s when I saw the monster. I think they were scared of it.”

The warrior woman closed her eyes and grumbled to herself. She was both upset with Connla for disobeying her orders, and relieved that she was safe. However, her mixed feelings were superseded with thoughts of how dangerously close Taoide Olc had come to invading the Land of Shadows. If she and Medb hadn’t cooperated soon enough to raise Ireland and Scotland off the ground, they probably would have been too late to stave off any disaster that the vengeful god would have brought upon them. It proved that Cuchulainn saw Scathach as much of a threat as he did with Medb and wanted to eliminate her.

“Teacher? Are you okay?” Connla tilted her head when she saw Scathach looking rather exhausted.

“I apologize,” the woman groaned and sat down on a moss-covered boulder. “I’m afraid my journey has thoroughly worn me out.”

“You sound like you were in a hurry. Did you know the Land of Shadows was going to be attacked like this?”

“Yes. The same is true for Ireland. I wanted to do what I could to help save both countries.”

“What did you do? I don’t see the monster anywhere, so whatever it was had to have worked.”

“Hm? Haven’t you noticed by now?”

“Noticed what?”

“Look at how high we are above the ocean.”

Connla turned around and panned her eyes along the clear blue horizon. Her heart leapt when she realized that the Land of Shadows was floating! She stepped back in shock and yelped, “Whoa!? How in the world did this happen!?”

Scathach realized, She must have been passed out while we were ascending.

“I don’t believe it!” the girl kept exclaiming. “We’re soo~ooo high up! There’s no way the monster will be able to attack us from all the way down there!”

“That’s the whole point. I was assembling as many Rune users as I could to help me raise Scotland. I also spoke with Ireland’s rulers, and they did the same for their country. We’ve successfully merged them into one continent known as the Celtic Isles.”

“Incredible! I know Runecraft is strong, but I didn’t think it was this amazing! Now I really want to know more about it!”

“Calm yourself, child. There is still much you have to learn before I can teach you how to bend nature to your very whim.”

“I know, I know. You already told me that I have to have the utmost respect for nature before it will lend me its power.”

“That’s right. Besides, I think it’s more important that you understand why you have to learn how to use spear techniques and Runecraft like I do. Unfortunately, it seems you’ve only had a glimpse of the terror lurking out there that you will have to face in the future. I was hoping to avoid showing you too much, but it appears I’m too late.”

Connla’s excitement immediately diminished once she heard Scathach say that. She thought about Curruid, then shuddered and moaned, “Y-You mean, I have to fight that sea monster?”

“No, not him. He will be my problem. I’ve designated another opponent for you.”

Although the girl was relieved that she didn’t have to worry about Curruid, she then asked, “Who would that be?”

“Not ‘who’, but rather ‘what’.”

“Huh?”

Scathach pointed out into the distance, then made a firm declaration:

“Your target will be the unknown white tree.”

AUTHOR’S NOTE:

† - The Oillipheist, or ollpheist (“great beast/worm/reptile”), is a sea serpent-like monster in Irish folklore. It could be considered an inspiration behind the famous Loch Ness Monster legend.

Chapter Text

FATE/CURADH BEAG

“Little Champion”  

Chapter 5: The Stranger of Skye

16 AD

Lost Depth: C+

Celtic Lostbelt: Taoide Olc

Little Champion of Ulster

A fierce and chilly wind rushed through the Ben Nevis mountain ranges, reaching well below 10 degrees Celsius. Anyone who found themselves in this harsh environment would swear that the wind was shearing through their very skin and musculature, no matter how properly they dressed for the climate. It wasn’t snowing, but the thick grey clouds encroaching on what little blue sky was visible signaled that a terrible snowstorm was fast approaching.

“Shit… it’s bloody freezing…”

A tall and gaunt man garbed in a heavy black cape and draped hood fell onto one knee as he struggled to feel his toes beneath the thin layer of purple bodysuit he wore only over his legs. Obviously, he had not come prepared to do any mountaineering in some of the coldest climates in the world. This was exacerbated by how high the Celtic Isles actually floated off Earth’s surface, exposing the terrain to near-unbearable cold weather and thinning levels of oxygen. No human dared to ever venture along the mountains anymore due to how dangerous the environment had become. Many of the local fauna likewise retreated to lower ground, leaving only some insects and birds behind.

Of course, this man wasn’t any ordinary human. No matter how difficult his journey would be, nothing would stop him from taking one step at a time towards his destination. There was a limit to how much he was willing to endure, and even he wasn’t stupid enough to fight through an impending blizzard while stuck in the mountains alone. That was why he needed to think about finding shelter as soon as possible.

Despite the bitter cold he found himself trudging through, he did at least have one advantage – for whatever reason, he knew where he was going. The curving pathways, tree formations, and rock outcroppings all looked familiar to him… and he didn’t know why. It annoyed him that his memory was reduced to little more than an indistinct haze of thoughts and feelings that he didn’t understand. It wasn’t so much his mind that remembered this place, but rather his body. Why was that? What made such an impression on him that he could navigate these mountains on nothing but pure instinct?

Nevertheless, he kept climbing. The path he took kept ascending towards the isolated peaks that hadn’t seen human life in many years. Once upon a time, horses and oxen ferried people around these parts, and giant Demon Boars tended to be a common sight. Now, there was nothing but rugged pathways that he could at least make his way through to some destination that he had no clue about. All he knew was that something was at the end of this roadway, and he wanted to see what it was to rekindle some sort of memory. He was pretty sure it would give him shelter from the snow as well, but he wasn’t sure why. Was it a hollowed tree? A cavern? An underground grotto?

He soon got his answer when he reached the top of the spiraling path. To his surprise, he had discovered an abandoned cottage with a stable attached at the back and a doghouse in the front yard. He froze on the spot and stared at the house for a long while, taking in every inch of wood, dirt and foliage, and committing it all to memory.

I know this place…

The front door was sealed shut with a wooden plank, but it took no effort for him to rip it off the door, crudely granting himself access to the inside. It was still cold, but not as bad as it was outside. There were some blankets and sheets left behind, plus there was a fire pit that he could use to warm up. He got a small fire going to light up the interior, allowing him to see the tables, chairs and shelves that had been left to rot. However, something on the table caught his eye, and he took a closer look. It was a folded piece of yellowed paper that hadn’t been opened for who knew how long. He gently gripped it betwixt his fingers, unfurled it, and read the contents, which had been written in Gaelic:

“To anyone who visits this place, you are more than welcome to take refuge here if you need to. We, the original owners, have decided to leave this house behind, so you may take possession of it if you want. The only thing we ask is that you leave this house intact as much as possible so others may find shelter. Take care, and farewell.”

There wasn’t a name written anywhere, but he figured it wouldn’t have meant anything anyway. He had spent so long on his rampage across the world that he denied himself any semblance of human interaction. For 15 whole years, he existed solely as a monster incapable of rational thought or emotion. No one would have ever recognized the man lurking within the sea monster’s carapace. Hell, he no longer recognized himself as a human being. Why would some other person’s name cause any sort of reaction for him?

Yet he was sensing something he had forgotten this whole time. What was it? A memory? A longing? Or just plain nostalgia? He couldn’t explain it, but he was sure that something ‘important’ had happened here. He knew the layout of this place perfectly well – the bedroom was in the far back, the cellar was hidden beneath some urns in the kitchen, and the curtain on the far north side obscured a dent he had made with his spear many years ago. He knew everything about this place, and it bugged him to no end why that was the case.

“Damn it…”

He cursed to himself as he sat in front of the fire and glared at the note. He would have recognized the handwriting, but it was one rare thing that wasn’t familiar to him. He had never seen such scribbled and untidy writing before, meaning it was probably written by a child. He chortled to himself – even if he met this kid, they would be an adult by now. That was how much time had passed since he was last here.

For all of his foreign pangs of nostalgia though, he couldn’t recall there ever being a child in this house when he was here last time. It had been well over 15 years since then. Maybe about twenty? Twenty-five? Somewhere in between? He had been here a while before the Cattle Raid of Cooley, while he was still training under Scathach, so that sounded about right. The thoughts kept nagging at him as he practically bored his eyes into the paper. It bothered him so much that he wasn’t sure if he should just toss the paper into the fire and forget all about it. However, some inexplicable compulsion made him reconsider burning it, so he opted to just pocket it and save it for later.

As he stared at the crackling fire though, his mind refused to stop racing.

I know this place like the back of my hand, yet I can’t remember for the life of me if there was a kid here…

As he laid on his side and tried to get some sleep, he couldn’t shake the sensation that something ‘bad’ had happened here…

Or perhaps that it was going to happen.

Fifteen years passed since Scathach brought Connla to the Land of Shadows. It had been a long and grueling life for the young girl, always having to do her best to keep up with her mentor’s strict training regimen. Fortunately for her, Scathach wasn’t as harsh with her whenever she made mistakes, especially when compared to how Aife would react. Connla certainly made a lot of errors along the way, particularly when it came to learning Runecraft for the first time. Even after so many years of studying and practicing, she could only grasp the full power of the basic Runic alphabet. Combining them together into advanced patterns would take a lot longer for her to understand.

At least Connla’s physical exercises were not so difficult. She was already familiar with using a spear, so she could easily build on those foundations and devise some techniques to help her counter Scathach’s fighting style during their more intense duels. Furthermore, instead of forcing herself to learn advanced Runecraft, she integrated the basic spells into her actual fighting style, such as enchanting her spear with an Ansuz Rune before throwing it to create an explosion, or sticking a Hagalaz Rune at the spear’s tip to pelt an enemy with a concentrated hailstorm before going for the kill. Scathach decided to focus on Connla’s ability to adapt to any given situation, rather than forcing her to be some kind of powerhouse when she wasn’t capable of it.

No matter what the lesson would be though, Connla always took it seriously. If there was one thing she constantly fretted over, it was disappointing Scathach in any conceivable way. This was especially true when the warrior queen had given her pupil an ultimate goal that she needed to work towards. However, she hadn’t given any specific details about what the truly disturbing nature behind her penultimate foe actually was. Despite her advanced intelligence, Connla was not mentally ready to hear the truth. Scathach had no choice but to keep quite about it until the time came.

Now, on the fifteenth anniversary of Connla’s arrival to the Land of Shadows, Scathach believed that her pupil was prepared to hear why she was going through such rigorous training.

The pair stood upon the castle’s tallest battlement and faced toward the Atlantic Ocean. The vast horizon was nothing but water, stretching for countless miles on end. That was, all except for one particular spot where a familiar white tower loomed over the endless ocean, literally reaching high above the clouds into the stratosphere.

Scathach started the conversation by stating, “I’m sure you have been most curious to know what that white pillar is.”

“Of course I have,” Connla nodded. “I’ve always wanted to ask, but you’re always so tight-lipped when it comes to keeping secrets. Plus I didn’t want to be rude and try to pry.”

“Your patience will be well-rewarded now. I think it is time you understood what exactly happened to make the world the way it is.”

The young girl gulped with anxiety as the woman asked, “You know about how the rest of the planet is completely submerged under water?”

“Of course I do. It has to do with the god of destruction Taoide Olc that materialized in this world a long time ago.”

“Haven’t you found it a bit strange that in all of your studies regarding the Tuatha de Danann and the Fomorians, not once was there ever mention of a god named Taoide Olc?”

“Well… I did find it kind of odd. I just thought that he was some obscure god that had been long lost to time.”

“How about the reason that he inhabits the body of Curruid?”

“That, I honestly have no idea. Maybe he’s formless and needs a physical vessel to exist in this world?”

Scathach slowly shook her head. “No, my pupil. Disregard anything and everything you assume about that so-called ‘god’s nature.”

Connla’s skin blanched a little when she heard that. What in the world was she going to hear? Was she actually prepared to learn the reason why the rest of the world had been destroyed?

The maroon-haired queen brushed her thick hair aside as a strong ocean breeze rushed past the pair. She took in a deep breath, closed her eyes, then finally murmured, “We have that abomination to thank for our troubles.”

Connla gazed intently at the strange ivory tower protruding from the ocean. She remained silent for a moment, then whispered, “Crann Ban… The White Tree of Endless Deluge, and the enemy you have tasked me with destroying. Even now, it continues pouring water from its body…”

“What do you think of Taoide Olc and Crann Ban? Don’t you believe there is some sort of connection between them?”

“Hmm… I would think so, given that Taoide Olc is a sea monster who would benefit from having so much water. I honestly don’t think it’s a coincidence that they both exist, but I just don’t see how they’re related to one another.”

Scathach grimly narrowed her eyes. “Let me give it to you straight – there’s no such thing as Taoide Olc.”

Now Connla was really confused. “No such thing? But he’s somewhere out th-“

“Just listen to me. The truth is that there is no such thing as a Celtic god of destruction. It is only a creation unique to this world… Nay, to this timeline.”

“This… timeline? I don’t understand.”

“Think of the choices you made throughout the day. Did you have porridge, or pudding and sausage for breakfast this morning? Did you decide to stay inside and study, or hunt some monsters to stock our food supply? Did you polish your spear, or did you clean your laundry? You inevitably made a choice among each option, which have thus defined how your day has proceeded in this timeline. However, the decisions you didn’t make could very well exist within their own timelines. This very day could have played out completely different for you in a parallel world had you made different choices for yourself.

“It’s the very same principle behind Taoide Olc’s existence. The choices that others made in this timeline have resulted in an outcome where a fictional god, who is never supposed to exist in any other world, has been created and is leading this timeline to ruin.”

“So then, he’s a manmade entity?”

Scathach nodded. “Precisely.”

Connla’s blood practically chilled in her veins and arteries. “How in the world could that happen? What sort of forces exist out there to create something so terrifying?”

“Forces that do not exist in any world besides this one. You could say that this timeline has become an unrecognizable aberration among all parallel worlds.”

The young girl suddenly became pensive as she thought back to that morning 15 years ago. No matter how much time passed, she could never forget that nightmare of the unknown man being swallowed by a much larger creature. Scathach had told her to dismiss it as a mere dream, but now she wasn’t so sure anymore. She had so many small hints and clues, but she was missing so much information and context that she couldn’t quite fit them together into a coherent explanation for all of this. Nevertheless, she was sure the man from the dream had something to do with this - the vision felt way too real for her to truly ignore.

Scathach sighed when she saw Connla’s perplexed expression. Despite how bewildered the girl looked, she had to keep going with her lecture. She leaned against the wall and languidly gazed at the white tower dubbed Crann Ban. Soon, she continued speaking:

“While there were plenty of other factors involved in Taoide Olc’s construction, one of the greatest was the appearance of Crann Ban. It is the object you are tasked with destroying.”

“What is it, anyway?” Connla wondered. “It doesn’t look like a part of Taoide Olc, so it must be manifesting on its own.”

“You’re right. Crann Ban… No, I shouldn’t use that name. It’s true identity is the Tree of Emptiness, Circinus.”

“The Tree of Emptiness?”

“Think of it as a god that has no business being in our world.

Connla became shocked as she blurted, “Are you telling me that’s actually a living creature!? It’s not just some inanimate object!?”

“You are most astute.”

“That’s insane!”

“Trust me – once you hear the full story, that will be the last thing you call ‘insane’. Now then, have you heard of the concept of aliens?”

“Aliens… I’m not really sure.”

“They are beings from beyond the heavens. They originate from the stars, and are said to be beyond human comprehension. That tower is actually an alien that has taken root here and granted our manmade god the ability to drown the entire planet. While it’s not responsible for creating Taoide Olc, it did fan its flames of fury by granting it a facsimile of Dagda’s Cauldron, effectively making him this dying world’s invincible king.”

“So then, the world is not supposed to be totally submerged?”

“Of course not. There are many different lands and countries, each brimming with their own life and culture. Taoide Olc and the Tree of Emptiness took all of that away over the last 15 years. The only reason Scotland and Ireland are still intact is because the Queen of Connacht and I entered into a pact, where we cooperated on using our respective authorities plus the assistance of countless druids to make both countries float high above the rising ocean. You could say that these two nations are the only ones left in the entire world.”

“Whoa…” Connla gasped. She had to take a moment to understand just how grave the situation was. No wonder Scathach refused to tell her anything until now. All of this seemed so beyond her scope of experience… but then again, Scathach said they were dealing with an alien being, so who knew what it was capable of?

“You had best compose yourself, because I haven’t told you the worst of it yet,” the warrior queen warned.

“Right… Of course. I’ll listen to anything you have to say.”

“Good. So you understand that due to the Tree of Emptiness’ influence, this world has strayed far off of the intended course for human history. In fact, it has veered so badly that even if we were able to slay the alien, there still would be no hope left for humanity’s recovery.”

“…”

“Even so, this timeline can still be dangerous to other worlds. I didn’t explain to you about the concept of parallel universes for no reason. All of our worlds are connected to the Greater History of Man, or the primary history that all of the ‘possibilities’ stem from. However, there are only so many ‘possibilities’ that the World can maintain at any time before its prana stores are fully depleted. Furthermore, there are external threats that will descend upon these alternate realities and wreak havoc upon that world’s intended course of history, such as what has happened here. The World has an automatic function to cut off such toxic realities from the Greater History of Man, either to ward off these invaders or to sustain its mana supply. This is what’s known as the Theoretical Pruning Phenomenon, or Pruning for short.”

“Pruning…”

“In particular, if a parallel world goes too far off its natural growth and history, then the World will Prune it. From there, it should be erased, along with any potential threats that that cut-off reality may pose for the primary history. I think you realize what this means, don’t you?”

Connla paled. She thought she was going to be ill, but she kept herself in check and murmured, “We’re in a Pruned world…”

“Yes. Since there is no hope for human civilization recovering from this calamity, the World deemed it fit to cut this world off from the primary history.”

“So then, we shouldn’t even be here, should we?”

“That’s what it should be. But that Tree of Emptiness is trying to keep this world attached to the Greater History of Man for its own purposes. You could say that due to its existence, our reality is now a cancer trying to infect Proper Human History. The Tree of Emptiness is using this dead universe to try and burrow its way into the World itself, much like a parasite. I believe the word I have heard for such a toxic reality is called a Lostbelt.”

“A Lostbelt…”

Scathach gravely nodded. “I’ve been training you for these past 15 years precisely so you could gain the strength and skills necessary to cut the Tree of Emptiness down.”

Connla gasped in horror. “You want me to take that thing down!? But it’s so huge! I couldn’t possibly make a dent in it, never mind slay it!”

“Don’t fret so much. It is not the size of the warrior that matters, but how effectively they are trained in pinpointing the enemy’s weaknesses.”

“Even so… I don’t think I have a conceivable chance at felling something so massive…”

“Do you think I wasted 15 years’ worth of my time training you to do something that’s impossible? You have a better shot at taking it down than trying to challenge Taoide Olc.”

“Why is that?”

“To put it bluntly, he’s unstoppable. It would be suicide for you to fight him when you can make all of our problems go away by destroying Circinus. Once the Tree of Emptiness is gone, the World will be able to erase this timeline from the Greater History of Man. Not even Taoide Olc can do anything about that.”

Connla wasn’t sure what to think. Sure, she had a better understanding of what she was preparing to fight against, but she didn’t like her chances one bit. A lot of things simultaneously made sense, and yet didn’t make sense. How was she supposed to respond to such outlandish claims? Turn around and say, “No way, I’m out of here”? That would go against her very principle as a human being. Even if Scathach’s explanation sounded like total nonsense to her, there was something obviously at stake here, and she didn’t want to abandon her teacher when she needed her the most. Perhaps the biggest thing on her mind was whether or not she was capable of living up to such ridiculous expectations.

Scathach noticed how nervous her niece looked and kneeled before her, resting her hand on her shoulder as she said, “I know I’ve told you to learn how to fight so that you can protect something, yet here I am telling you to destroy this timeline’s very future. I can’t blame you for feeling so troubled over this foolish woman’s mixed messages.”

“Well… I just… don’t know anymore…”

“You don’t need to think about it so hard. If you want to fight for someone’s behalf, then do it for your counterparts who live in complete ignorance of Taoide Olc’s reign of terror.”

“My counterparts…”

“You don’t want that god of destruction to find a way to cross to their worlds and destroy them as well, do you?”

Connla closed her eyes. Then, she shook her head and responded, “… I don’t.”

“Then fight for them. Nothing more, nothing less. If you can do that, I will be happy.”

They stared into each other’s eyes for an intense moment. Soon, Connla gently nodded and mumbled, “Mm.”

“Good. It’s getting late, so turn in for the night. I will be preparing to travel to Ireland come this time tomorrow.”

“Another meeting with Queen Medb? I thought you just had one with her last month.”

“The situation is getting a little chaotic over there, so she requested my presence to help calm tensions between the various magistrates.”

“Sounds like a lot of work.”

“Yes, bureaucracy can be a pain at times, but it is necessary for maintaining order. Not that you need to worry about it, of course. Just do your usual routine and keep an eye on the spirits while I’m gone.”

“Understood.”

The following afternoon, Scathach departed for Ireland and entrusted Connla with her usual duties. For the next two weeks, the young girl mostly focused on hunting some wild boars and local fowl to stock up for the coming winter months. Today was dedicated to fishing around the bogs near the castle, and Connla found a good spot to fish up plenty of bluegill. Naturally, she erected several Runic fields to repel the angry spirits so they wouldn’t harass her. She realized that she had filled her bucket up with so many fish that it would be too heavy for her to carry if she kept going. She hauled it with both arms back to the castle’s cellar where she could prepare it later.

During the short time that Connla was absent, the ghosts who came to check out what she was doing realized that something felt amiss. There was an incredible presence that seemed equal to, if not even stronger than Dun Scaith’s queen, which made them uncomfortable. Fearing they would be hunted down, they bid a hasty retreat. As Connla was returning to her fishing spot, she noticed the spirits’ hesitation and wondered what was going on. As she approached the nearby trees, that was when she spotted something unusual.

Slumped against the tree was a heavily wounded man who looked to be in his early twenties. His long blue hair draped over his shoulder, soaked in blood oozing from his shoulder and chest. Although he had crimson tattoos etched on his face, arms and chest, it was difficult for her to tell them apart from the many egregious cuts that bled profusely. His ruby eyes were languid and tired - clearly an indication that he was exhausted from losing so much blood. He didn’t wear much except for a torn bodysuit on the lower half of his body, although his arms and legs had some kind of black bones and spikes wrapping around them. A massive black spiked tail slumped languidly upon some ancient driftwood. The man heard the grass rustling under Connla’s boots, and he shifted his eyes up to meet her gaze. His breathing was labored, as if just looking at her was a challenge for him.

It took her a brief moment to realize what was going on, but she soon yelped, “By the gods! What happened to you!?”

“Ungh…”

The young girl whimpered and looked around to see what she could do. Since Scathach was not in the Land of Shadows, she had to handle this on her own. It had been so long since she met anyone other than Aife and Scathach though, so she wasn’t used to dealing with outsiders. Hell, this was probably the first time in her entire life that she ever met a male. She couldn’t tell if he was supposed to be friend or foe, but that didn’t matter much when her conscience was screaming at her to tend to his wounds.

“Uh, um, I-I’ll be right back! Just stay right there!” Connla yelped and ran back to the castle.

The man watched her leave. Once she was out of sight, he sighed in relief and closed his eyes. Now that someone saw him, he was sure it wouldn’t be long before he’d get to have his long-awaited reunion with Scathach. He felt a little guilty for scaring such a young girl with his grotesque injuries, but there wasn’t anything he could do about it. After leaving the Ben Nevis mountains and reaching the Land of Shadows, he had to traverse through the monster-infested swamps that protected the underworld from foreign invasion, and they were as deadly as he remembered. Being assailed by a horde of gigantic Demon Boars and wrathful spirits for two days straight was no joke, even for someone of his strength and pedigree.

About ten minutes later, he heard the grass rustling again, this time in a running pattern. Connla returned with some food and supplies. She kneeled next to him and started wrapping the worst of his cuts with bandages. He grunted when pain flared in his arm, and she uttered, “Was that too rough for you?”

“I’m fine… Pain is no big deal. Still, you look like you’re one of Scathach’s pupils, so shouldn’t you know healing Runes anyway?”

“I’m afraid I haven’t started learning advanced Runic formulas yet. I’ve mastered the basics, but when it comes to combining them to make new spells, I’m a total amateur.”

“I see. Guess it was too much to ask of a little kid to know how to heal. Those Runes were a pain in the ass even for me to learn.”

“Are you saying you used to be one of Scathach’s students too?”

“That was ages ago. But yeah, I trained under her for a short while.”

Connla’s eyes seemed to light up a little as she said, “So you’re like my senior apprentice. What’s your name?”

“Hmph…” the man scoffed derisively. “I’ve thrown my birth name away a long time ago. Everyone knows me as Cuchulainn.”

“Cu… chulainn…”

As she dabbed one of his wounds with an antiseptic, he stared at her intently. She noticed this and averted her eyes from him bashfully. He couldn’t tolerate this uncomfortable atmosphere, so he asked, “Did Scathach ever talk about me to you?”

“I’m afraid not. She doesn’t care to talk about her former students. Says it makes her feel too melancholic if she dwells on the past.”

“Hah. Figures she wouldn’t. Especially not about a worthless failure like me.”

Connla tilted her head. She couldn’t resist wondering why he’d say such a harsh thing about himself. Even without the injuries disfiguring his body, his gruff expression and vapid tone of voice told her that he had been through a lot in his life. Despite this, she tried not to pry into his past. Whatever his business was in the Land of Shadows, she felt it was not her place to know. All she had to do was patch him up, then figure out what he wanted here and now.

Once Connla finished treating Cuchulainn, she gave him some bread and glasses of water. She told him, “I was in the middle of curing the fish I just caught. Give me a moment and I’ll prepare some for you.”

“Yeah.”

She got a bonfire going and roasted some fish on sticks for them to eat. It wasn’t the most elegant-looking of meals, but he couldn’t deny how hearty it was. It had been ages since he last had a decent feast prepared for him like this… Probably not since he was living with his foster parents and brother, back when he was a young lad. Once he took up the spear in his late teens, life simply got too hectic for him to enjoy anything outside of combat. Sitting there and watching Connla cook made him realize how much he missed the simpler things in life – reading, sparring, playing with his friends, sitting at the dinner table with family…

Damn it. This must be why Scathach doesn’t like dwelling on the past too much.

The weary man rubbed his face and sighed deeply, fighting back the urge to agonize like some cranky old dude about wanting to go back to his childhood years. Connla asked him, “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Just a little tired.”

“Take it easy. Losing so much blood must be doing a lot to your mental state.”

“You’re right. I’m thinking of a lot of weird shit. I just need to compose myself for a bit.”

“Sure… So, why are you here anyway? Did you want to talk with Teacher about something?”

“I wouldn’t go through that hell if I didn’t. Is she here?”

“She said she had some important business in Connacht, so she told me to hold the fort here. She should be back in a day or two.”

Cuchulainn’s lips thinned into an imperceptible line. His brows creased and his eyes flared with quiet fury when he heard the word ‘Connacht’. His breathing increased dramatically, as if he was a livid boar trying to keep its rage under check. He trembled so hard that Connla yelped, “What’s the matter? Does it hurt somewhere?”

“No… No, I’m fine… Just let me ask you something.”

“What is it?”

“There was a war between Connacht and a neighboring province 15 years ago. Do you know anything about it?”

Connla mumbled to herself in contemplation, “Hm… Hmm… I don’t really know much about the world’s history since I’ve been isolated here for many years.”

“Oh? How intriguing. You must have been too young to know anything about it at that time.”

“Back then, yes. But Teacher told me bits and pieces about some major war between Connacht and another region called Ulster. I believe Connacht won in the end, and Ulster was merged with it as a result. Not only that, Connacht’s ruler took over Ireland’s other provinces, so it’s common to say that Ireland and Connacht are the same thing.”

“…”

“Um… Does that answer your question?”

“… Yeah, it does. Thanks for the info. I have a better idea of what I should do now.”

The girl looked pensive as she realized, “Wait a minute. The rest of the world sunk beneath the ocean due to the evil god Taoide Olc, so there aren’t any other nations besides the Celtic Isles. You can’t possibly come from anywhere else, so how could you not know something that was so obvious?”

Cuchulainn snorted mockingly. “Let’s just say I’ve been away for a while.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Don’t you know it’s impolite for a young lady to pry into someone else’s business? Or is Scathach not teaching you a damn thing about etiquette?”

“Oh… Please excuse me,” Connla whimpered forlornly. “I have a bad habit of being too curious for my own good. Teacher told me over and over again to keep it in check.”

“Well whatever. It’s a kid’s prerogative to be precocious. Just don’t go butting into my business with Scathach, or you might be asking for a lot more trouble than you can handle.”

“I understand.”

They sat there in an uneasy silence for a while, listening to the crackling fire. The late afternoon gradually turned into night, and Connla gazed up at the setting sun to keep her mind off of the gruff stranger she had to take care of.

“Say,” Cuchulainn suddenly muttered. “Since we’re just killing time, tell me what training under Scathach is like.”

“Huh?” she uttered and stared at him. “I don’t mind, but don’t you already know yourself?”

“I wanna know what it’s like for a small kid to try and keep up with that demon of a woman. I was in my teens when I started my training, plus I already had my previous experience as a boy-troop soldier, so I could put up with those rigors well enough. It must be a total nightmare for someone like you to appease that battle freak when you aren’t as strong as I was.”

“Well…” Connla murmured and scratched her head. “Actually, I was kind of used to it already. My mother always put me through some seriously tough endurance tests.”

“Endurance tests?”

“Like walking on hot coals for an hour, or hunting a giant Demon Boar and bringing its entire carcass back on my own, or running up and down the mountain in an entire day. That’s on top of cleaning the house and looking after the horses. Most of it was geared towards enduring torture from any potential enemies, since she always said that I should see everyone else in the world as my enemy. I kind of found that hard to believe, but I didn’t want to disobey her either.”

“You don’t say…”

“Take a look,” she said and rolled up her sleeve to show him the many hideous scars covering it. “Mother said these wounds are the marks of a real warrior. I’m usually embarrassed to show them, but Teacher always says to be proud of surviving Mother’s strict training. She keeps calling these scars ‘battle trophies’, and that I shouldn’t be ashamed of them.”

“…”

The child warrior looked upset as she admitted, “Even though she says that, I kind of don’t like how they look, so I try to keep them covered as much as possible. I figured you would understand though, since you’re my senior apprentice.”

“…”

“I mean, that’s how all soldiers in Scotland and Ireland are trained, right?”

Cuchulainn couldn’t bring himself to say anything at first. Even though his boyhood was indeed a nostalgic feeling for him, at least it gave him a sense of peace in this otherwise chaotic world. If this weird girl was saying she never got to read, spar, play with friends, or even sit at the dinner table with family, then…

He soon muttered, “Let me ask you something.”

“Y-Yes?” she tensed up, noticing that something felt off about his demeanor.

“Is it just me, or do you seem abnormally mature for your age?”

“Huh? Of course I am. I spent the last 15 years in the Land of Shadows, and we both know that time doesn’t matter here.”

“How old were you when you first came here?”

“I was seven.”

His eyes widened a little. “Seven?”

“You could say I’m 22 years old now, although I don’t really like thinking of it that way. If I were to leave here now, I wouldn’t look any different than when I first arrived. Everyone’s just going to see me as a child anyway, so I might as well swallow my feelings and go along with it.”

“Forget about Scathach and the Land of Shadows for a second,” he implored bluntly. “I want to know of your time before then. Are you telling me you went through torture endurance training up until you turned seven?”

“Yeah. I think Mother started me when I was two or three. Maybe younger, but I don’t remember very well.”

“What about your reading and writing skills? Did you go to school or do any sort of studying?”

“Not much, although I didn’t really need to. Mother said that she had a druid come and place some Runes on my brain when I was a baby. I would read some difficult books or poetry if she wasn’t around, and she often asked me to come up with strategies for battle scenarios she’d invent. I always liked mathematics though. There’s just something rewarding about tackling a hard problem and arriving at the right solution, especially since the answer always has to be objective and finite, rather than subjective like in literature or philosophy.”

“Didn’t you have any siblings?”

“I was an only child. Apparently, Mother said I was the product of a rape,” Connla said, as plainly as if she were talking about the weather.

Cuchulainn swallowed hard. “Did you have any friends your age?”

“Like I said, Mother taught me to treat everyone else as the enemy who was out for my life and secrets. She kept me secluded in the mountains for my safety. But Teacher keeps saying that’s not true, even though she’s kept me here for so long, so I have no idea what to believe…”

He sat back in total shock. He felt like he was receiving rapid-fire punches to his gut each time she said something unbelievable. As she kept confessing each detail of her younger life, that was when a bitter realization dawned upon him:

He might have missed his childhood and yearned for the good old days…

But this kid never had a childhood to begin with.

He clenched his jaw hard, and his eye twitched on its own. She stepped back in mild surprise. Only now did she realize his teeth were long and sharp, rather than blunt like normal teeth. She sensed an ominous aura surrounding him. Something seriously wasn’t right with this man. She tensed up and moaned, “Did I upset you? I’m so sorry if I did. Please don’t be angry with me. I was just telling the truth, and-”

“No, I’m not mad at you,” he assured. Despite his terrifying features, he kept his temper in check so as not to frighten her further. “I was just thinking of something else.”

“Oh,” she relaxed once she realized she wasn’t in danger.

“Now that I think about it, you never told me your mother’s name.”

“She was the warrior woman Aife.”

“Aife…”

“She’s also Scathach’s sister. The thing is, she died from a boar attack a long time ago, so that’s why Teacher adopted me.”

“Aife… Aife… Aife… Aife… Aife… Aife…”

He kept repeating that name over and over and over again like a broken record. Something was tugging at the very recesses of his clouded memories. What the hell was it? Why did that name sound so familiar?

“Um… Cuchulainn? Are you okay?” Connla wondered worriedly.

He grabbed the sides of his head in frustration. “Ghhh… Damn it! Why can’t I remember!?”

“This is awful! Are you suffering from amnesia!? Is that why you want to see Teacher!?”

“AAAAGH!” he roared and hobbled over the grass in pain. He tried to fight back against a throbbing headache that threatened to split his brain apart.

“Calm down! Stay with me now!” the girl urged and held his head in her arms. “If it hurts that much, don’t force yourself to remember anything!”

“Unnngh! Gah… Hah, hah, hah… Shit! It’s not coming to me!”

“That’s okay. The fact that you remember your name is a great starting point. You came to the right place too. Teacher is bound to know a way to help you. If you stress yourself out like this though, your condition might get worse. Please take it easy.”

“Ugh… You’re right.”

“It’s unfortunate that she’s not here though, and I’m totally useless in this situation.”

“Don’t say that. Patching my wounds and stuffing my belly is more than I can ask for. I wouldn’t want to impose on you any more than that.”

“Then if it’s the least I can do, I’ll make sure you’re well enough to see her.”

“Hm… Say, speaking of me remembering my name, I don’t think you ever told me yours.”

“Mine?” Connla replied, then frowned. “I’m afraid I can’t. I have a geas that forbids me from speaking my birth name to anyone.”

“I see. What a shitty vow to uphold.”

“Teacher did tattoo my name on my arm though. Even if I can’t say it, she thinks I can circumvent the curse if my name’s presented in writing form. Let’s see here…”

As she began rolling up her opposite sleeve to show him the tattoo, that was when a bloodcurdling scream pierced through the heavens.

“CONNLAAA~AAA!”

Chapter Text

FATE/CURADH BEAG

“Little Champion”

Chapter 6: Onward to Ireland

While Connla was busy with Cuchulainn, Scathach had returned to her domain after finishing her business in Ireland. It had been dreadfully boring political work, and she couldn’t wait to return home and let out some pent-up stress on any giant Demon Boars unfortunate enough to cross her path. She didn’t like how bad the situation was in Ireland, but she couldn’t do much other than impart some much-needed advice to the land’s best druids. She had to worry about Scotland first and foremost, and everyone respected that they were taking up her precious time to come help them. She was given several gifts for her trouble, and she opted to bring them as souvenirs to show to Connla.

Right away, Scathach noticed that something was amiss. When she approached the Gate of Skye, she saw that it had been opened very recently. ‘Opened’ was probably too loose of a term to describe it being ‘forced, shoved, and banged on until it cracked open for an intruder’. Anxiety gripped her heart. Not many in this world had the capacity to wrench open the gates that she sealed tightly shut. At least she could rule out Connla since the doors had been beaten inward, rather than outward. Besides, Connla had been granted permission to open the Gates of Skye just once – when it was time for her to leave on her journey. She wouldn’t be stupid enough to do something like this.

I don’t like this…

That simple thought plagued Scathach’s mind as she rushed in and leapt through the swamps. She found the place eerily absent of ghosts and local wildlife, especially with the number of torn carcasses strewn about and bloodying the bogs. Whoever the intruder was, they practically plowed through anything that got in their way. What frightened her even more was that the newcomer clearly knew where they were going, judging by the straight path being carved toward the castle. Normally, someone who wandered in here by accident would be totally lost and wind up back outside anyway. The illusions that Scathach cast obviously meant nothing to Dun Scaith’s ‘visitor’.

Oh, god.

Her terror intensified to new heights she never experienced before, as all of these clues pointed her to only one suspect. She hurried even faster to the fortress, dreading the worst possibility:

Please don’t let Connla see him… Please, please, please, please, please…

Luckily, the countless corpses provided her with an easy path to follow toward her target. Once she reached the closest pond to the castle though, her worst fears were realized. She spotted her niece sitting next to a monstrous-looking man with blue hair. Her heart practically leapt out of her throat as she screamed with all of her soul:

“CONNLAAA~AAA!”

The pair jolted when they heard her call out that name in absolute panic. Cuchulainn froze on the spot. His thoughts became incoherent once again, but they were all focused on one thing:

Connla… Connla… That’s right… I know I uttered that name somewhere…

The child warrior stepped back and looked around, bewildered as to what was going on. Suddenly, a crimson light glinted in the sky above the pair. Faster than one could blink, the light instantly pierced the earth between them, generating enough force to sunder the craggy hill into clean halves. Connla screamed as she was violently thrown backwards off of one half of the hill. Cuchulainn snarled as his feet skidded along the face of the other half, but he lost his balance and tumbled the remainder of the way. The moment he regained his footing, he immediately found himself slashing his polearm against Gae Bolg, wielded by a furious Scathach. For a few minutes, they were locked in an intense duel of flailing spears when Connla eventually rushed up to the scene.

“Teacher!” she cried out and brandished her spear to see if she could help.

“NO! Stay back!” Scathach shrieked with such urgency that it made Connla freeze. She and Cuchulainn leapt backwards after delivering blows that literally shook the air around them. She kneeled in front of her young pupil and implored, “You need to leave this place immediately!”

“Wha-?”

“This man is much too dangerous for you to meet! Run away, and don’t look back!”

“But…” Connla whimpered, wondering how Cuchulainn could be a threat when he was so horribly wounded. He didn’t have the best of personalities, but he was rather peaceable around her. Despite this, she couldn’t help but realize that Scathach seemed unusually desperate to keep her away from him at any cost. It didn’t make sense to her. If he had amnesia, why would he even bother going after Connla anyway? Why would Scathach try to kill him without asking why he was here?

Or perhaps… was there some kind of connection between them that she couldn’t fathom right now?

“What are you doing!? Stop standing there and go already!” Scathach commanded as she conjured a volley of Gae Bolgs and flung them like bullets at the oncoming Cuchulainn. He tried to bat them away, but the fusillade overpowered him and threw him backwards several hundred meters.

Connla squealed, “Where should I go!?”

Scathach clenched her teeth, realizing that the girl really didn’t know of any other place besides the Land of Shadows. She let out a small sigh, then pulled Connla in closer and whispered as quietly as she could, “Listen to me. Head to Galway, the capital of Connacht, and find a man named Fergus mac Roich. He is a revered hero of that land, and was the one who taught your father the art of combat. If you tell him that I sent you, he will definitely take you under his wing. You might have to prove yourself to him, but I know you can do it.”

“Uh… Okay…”

“Go on now, and don’t worry about me. You know perfectly well that I am not easy to kill.”

“I know. Still, please be careful, Teacher.”

As the little girl clamored over the rocks leading down to the Land of Shadows’ swamps, Scathach couldn’t resist chuckling to herself a little.

How silly. An undying monstrosity like me, being told to be careful. Normally I’d chastise her for her lack of faith, but considering who my opponent is, it seems I will need any good wishes I can get.

With this confrontation as the starting point, the Little Champion was now on her way towards Ulster, as had always been destined for her. All the Teacher of Heroes could do now was pray that her pupil’s fate would not play out the same tragic way as it did in Proper Human History. The necessary Pruning of this Lostbelt, and the protection of the Greater History as a whole, was going to depend on her skills and survival. As Scathach glared at Cuchulainn, preparing to face off against him with every shred of her strength and prowess, she was both worried that she might not have taught enough to Connla, and also confident that the girl would make it through somehow.

Connla scurried through the marshlands, bouncing along either dead trees or small platform Runes she generated to help her leap over the swamps. When she reached the furthest edge of a large bog, the soles of her boots smacked on some wet grass and moss, causing her to slip a little. She regained her bearings, then glanced back at the direction she came from hoping to spot Scathach somewhere. To her astonishment, she noticed numerous distant red flashes sparking in the thick air like twinkling stars.

What a fierce battle. I thought Teacher would end it right away with Gae Bolg… Does this mean that man also has a Gae Bolg to counter hers?

She hadn’t seen Cuchulainn carry a weapon on him, but she also knew the Barbed Spear could be summoned to the wielder’s hand at any time. She had no idea what would happen if two Gae Bolgs were thrown at each other with full force, and she definitely didn’t want to stick around and find out. As she was transfixed on the crimson sparks, an unnatural chill coursed through her nervous system. She whirled her head around to see what was going on. She instantly realized that she was surrounded by a group of wandering spirits who had approached her while she was distracted. An ordinary person would have been terrified at the sight of so many skeletal entities glaring pure malice at them, but Connla only grew irritated from such a rude interruption.

“Gh! I don’t have time for this!” she shouted and hurled purifying white flames from a Nauthiz Rune at the angry ghosts.

“KEEE~EEE!” the spirits screeched and scattered to escape the conflagration. These flames weren’t capable of harming the living, but they could incinerate the undead with frightening ease. This effect could be enchanted on a caster’s weapon as well, giving it the property to temporarily ward off ghosts with physical attacks. Connla did so with her spear, and she dashed through the horde while swinging the blade about multiple times. Several spirits were sliced apart and reduced to dust, and any survivors of her onslaught backed away anxiously. However much they wanted to add this girl’s soul to their ranks, they learned the hard way that she was not to be messed with, so they opted to retreat.

“Get out of my way!” Connla commanded, smashing her spear onto the dirt to unleash the contained energy in her spear’s Nauthiz Rune. The explosion of white fire prompted the last of her attackers to scatter with frightened yelps. With her path now unimpeded, she hurried to the cliffside where the Land of Shadows separated itself from the land of the living – the very same area where she had to go through the gauntlet that was her entrance exam so many years ago. Now it was all too easy for her to use platform Runes and some wind spells to propel herself high over the swampy trenches, making her appear to the hundreds of Demon Boars far below that she was flying gracefully. Her trajectory carried her to the opposite cliff, and her heels sunk into the mud as she struggled to come to a stop. She tripped a bit and vaulted like a gymnast to recover her balance, eventually falling to one knee and gasping for air.

Phew… That was the hard part. Now to find the gate.

Connla ran around the area in search of the invisible doors that led to the outside world. It took some investigation, but she eventually picked up on their magical energy and came close enough to finally see them through the many mirages that cloaked the entrance. She raised her spear up high and began chanting, “O power that is tied to your queen’s name. Answer her student’s summons and open the gate only once for me. The castle of shadows, I bid farewell to. Gate of Skye!”

The heavy doors unlocked themselves, then swung open toward the outside for her. Without hesitation, she rushed through into the land of the living, then looked back to watch the gates clamp shut with a heavy sound behind her. Their visage soon vanished, perfectly blending in with the local wilderness.

As of this moment, she was now on her own.

“HAH!”

“TAH!”

*FWOOSH!*

*BOOM!*

*CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!*

Back in the dreary bogs of Dun Scaith, the area had become a battlefield for two of the most famous warriors in Celtic mythology. Now that Connla had safely evacuated, Scathach was free to use her full might on Cuchulainn, with every intent of slaying the self-styled demonic god. She wasn’t optimistic about her chances given that he was being powered by Dagda’s Cauldron, meaning that any injuries he sustained would just heal right back within seconds. Even so, she had to do everything in her power to protect her youngest pupil from this monster’s wrath… at least, long enough so she could complete her mission of destroying this Lostbelt. The fighting would last like this for a whole day, with neither gaining the advantage over the other for so many hours on end.

The duo landed several yards away from each other, and the grinning Cuchulainn taunted at Scathach, “What’s the matter, Teacher? Are you getting soft on me?”

She wanted to retort, but she had to press her hand against her lower abdomen to heal a particularly nasty cut along her ribcage. It was excruciating to even breathe for a few seconds, but once she recovered enough, she replied with a feigned and bloodied smile, “Not in a million years. You’ll have to try harder than that to kill me.”

“Don’t you worry on that account. I have plenty more where that came from.”

“Ugh…”

“While I normally wouldn’t give a shit about your problems, I’m feeling a bit generous. Prepare yourself, for today is the day I give you the glorious death you’ve always wanted. Your eternal life of monotony and stagnation will come to a violent end. Doesn’t that sound wonderful, Teacher?”

“Shut it, beast,” Scathach’s eyes flared with pure hatred. “If you were still the Setanta I remember, then I would have been happy to accept your challenge. But you’re not him. You’re just an unholy creature wearing his skin.”

“What does it matter who or what I am? All you should care about is that I will be your destroyer.”

“And then what will do you after I’m dead? Take the Land of Shadows for yourself?”

Cuchulainn looked even more smug than usual as he said, “Naturally. If Medb has the territorial advantage in Ireland, then I just have to do the same for Scotland. I have to thank you for forcing Scotland’s other rulers to bend the knee to your authority – it just makes it all the more convenient for me to assert my reign over this country.”

“My god…” Scathach gasped. “Is your hatred for Medb that immense?”

“It goes without saying. Medb must die. That is what I have decided, and I will distort my own existence… nay, this entire world’s very foundations to obey my decree. I’m sure you know the reason why I must go so far.”

She glanced away uneasily and bit her lower lip.

“But there is one thing I must know before I destroy you,” Cuchulainn said as he pointed his Gae Bolg at her. His expression quickly became grim as he asked, “Who the hell was that kid that you ordered to escape?”

“Tch… Why does some insignificant girl matter to you?”

“Fuck you, woman. No ‘insignificant girl’ would ever get to be the pupil of Dun Scaith’s queen so easily. I believe you called out to her as Connla, correct? Is she someone important to you? A family member, perhaps?”

An indescribable mix of terror and fury welled within Scathach’s soul as she tightly grasped her Gae Bolg and charged straight for him without any rational thought. Him declaring war on her and Medb was one thing, but when it came to Connla and her connection to Cuchulainn, the warrior queen refused to discuss it whatsoever. She believed it would be the absolute worst outcome for him to discover his lineage with her pupil, and she needed to do everything she could to prevent that from happening. It had become especially complicated when Scathach saw Connla tending to Cuchulainn’s injuries, meaning they had interacted for some time before her arrival. She would have preferred to send Connla on her way without Cuchulainn ever meeting her, leaving them both ignorant of each other’s existences.

But something bothered her about the whole thing…

Why didn’t he harm Connla in any way? It can’t be because she took care of him. He’s too heartless for that. For that matter, how did he not realize who she was to him?

They spun and twirled about like maniacs as their spears clanged against each other numerous times. Scathach was the image of grace and strength with her lithe movements and potent strikes, but it felt like she was fighting a brick wall with how impervious Cuchulainn was. No matter how she tried to attack him, he always had a response. In fact, she had found a rare opportunity to try and cut his arm off, but to her sheer horror, her blade stopped dead short with an unceremonious thud just an inch into his muscle.

“Trying to chop my limbs off? Not gonna work,” he sniggered. “Ever since fusing with Curruid, my hide’s become too tough for weapons to pierce through.”

“You demon…”

“Yeah, I am. What are you going to do about it?”

Scathach instantly jumped back at that provocation and unleashed her strongest Dagaz Rune, blinding him with an intense burst of pure white light. He quickly shielded his eyes with his arm, assuming she would try to destroy his eyeballs with her spear while he was distracted. Once the light settled, he looked around and realized that Scathach was gone. That was not good. If he gave her the opportunity to pull off one of her strongest attacks, there was the possibility that he wouldn’t survive. He dashed from his spot and went on the prowl for his former teacher.

Meanwhile, Scathach had retreated to the depths of the bogs, diving underwater to further mask her presence from Cuchulainn. She knew that time was not on her side. If he figured out where she was, she would never get another opportunity to ambush him like this. She had to make this count, or else she was doomed.

The weight of her Gae Bolg’s searing energy pushed her feet upon the soft mud of the swamp’s bottom. Unfortunately, the weapon’s scarlet glow illuminating beneath the water betrayed her position to Cuchulainn, but she expected this to happen. She predicted that he would leap high above her to try and dive straight upon her while charging his Gae Bolg. If he did so, he wouldn’t have enough time to counter her spear’s curse, meaning she could kill him before he ever had the chance to throw his weapon. It was just those few precious seconds she needed to beat him at charging Gae Bolg’s curse.

Just a little more…

However, Scathach grew perplexed when she didn’t see Cuchulainn energizing his spear during his jump. Something else seemed to be happening to him. A sickly multicolored fog of reds, blacks and deep greens surrounded his entire form, obscuring him for a moment. Then she became utterly mortified when he burst through the cloud, revealing himself in a set of black-scaled armor and massive talons that she didn’t recognize whatsoever. She barely recognized the man with his heavy horned helmet covering his whole face. She lost focus for a second, but those milliseconds were enough for him to plummet upon her much closer than she would have liked. She had no choice but to try and retaliate!

“Gae Bolg Alterna-!”

He crashed into the swamp with the mightiest splash imaginable, parting all of the water around him to expose the bottom of the bog. Right in the center, he had Scathach pinned beneath one of his claws, with the center talon piercing through her chest. Blood gushed out of her mouth as she felt her strength fading. He had just missed her heart, but her aorta had been severed, meaning she was good as dead at this point. Her Gae Bolg suddenly lost its energy and fell next to her.

I’m sorry, Connla… I have to… leave everything… to you. You must hurry… before this monster can…

Part of Cuchulainn’s black helmet parted to reveal his face beneath. He glared directly into Scathach’s eyes and demanded in a hoarse voice, “I’m not going to ask again. Tell me who that kid is. Now.”

“N… Nev… er…”

“There’s no point in acting defiant. I can tell you’ve trained that girl. You must have given her a great task that she needed to be prepared for, and obviously it doesn’t involve fighting me. You know that would have been suicide for her. Challenging Medb would have equally been as reckless. I’m the only one in the world who has the power to stop that bitch before her true nature awakens.”

“Gh…”

“… I see,” he glowered as a realization dawned on him. “There’s only one thing the kid can do for you. You’re not trying to destroy me. You’re just buying time for her to go after Circinus behind my back, aren’t you? It’s the only way to make all of this Lostbelt’s problems go away, after all.”

“…”

“Hmph. Guess I’ll have to find that out for myself. I’ll have plenty of time to do that once I’ve claimed your authority over Dun Scaith.”

As Cuchulainn dug his talons further into Scathach’s body, her vision faded to black. She struggled to think coherently, but there was only one thing on her mind as she lost consciousness.

Connla… be strong…

Suddenly, about a dozen smaller Gae Bolgs punched their way throughout Scathach’s body, spraying so much blood everywhere that the soupy grey mud around them was dyed red. In some other timeline where the same thing occurred, she had lost 90% of her organs. This time, he wouldn’t show her even an iota of remorse. Every single organ in her body was destroyed, giving her absolutely no opportunity to even think about healing herself.

In that moment, the Land of Shadows’ queen had well and truly died.

The man who stood victorious over her was now the underworld’s new ruler.

He fell onto his knees, momentarily stunned that he had accomplished what he wanted to do for so long. He stared at Scathach’s mutilated corpse, then gently scooped her onto one of his huge claws and leaned his face in towards hers. Without thinking, he locked his lips with hers in a gory and bloodied kiss that lasted for many minutes.

It wasn’t just something Cuchulainn wanted to do with Scathach for so long. It was also the symbol of him inheriting her ‘crown’ as the king of Dun Scaith, thus becoming Scotland’s penultimate sovereign.

Sorry, Teacher. But you know I have to do this. I’m the only one who can stop Medb now.

A whole day after Connla left the Isle of Skye, she had made her way southeast to around where present-day Fort William would be, though she didn’t really have a clear path in mind. All that mattered to her for now was making as much distance from that dangerous battle as possible. On the plus side, she would no longer be assailed by angry spirits and Demon Boars, making the trip significantly easier. After leaving Skye, she had to go south for a bit toward the Ben Nevis mountains, but quickly curve southwest toward where the North Channel used to be before the two countries merged together. The trouble was that while she had a good grasp of where east and west were due to the sun’s course, she was a bit lost on how to tell south and north apart without a compass. Using Runes to tell her the direction was an advanced formula that she hadn’t learned yet either.

After some frustration, the exhausted girl sat on a fallen tree and sighed despondently, “This is bad… I have no idea where I am…”

She figured that it would be best to rest here for the night and worry about getting her bearings tomorrow morning. Her legs were rather sore from all of the running she had to do to make as much distance from Skye as she possibly could. Complicating things was that she was getting a bit hungry, yet didn’t have much strength for hunting. She would have to make do with foraging berries for today. She found various bushes with blackberries, wild cherries and bilberries nearby and started eating from them. As she ate, she couldn’t stop thinking about Scathach and Cuchulainn.

I hope Teacher is okay. She has to be. That man was her pupil, so he can’t be stronger than her, right? Then again, I felt some kind of tremendous aura emanating from him, as if he wasn’t human. Is he some kind of monster taking on a human form? I heard the gods of the old days frequently did that…

Once she thought that, her mind wandered to the possibility of Cuchulainn actually being a god. But then, which one? She was familiar with the pantheons of both the Tuatha de Danann and the Fomorians, and he didn’t seem to resemble any of them. Then she had a pit-in-the-stomach feeling as a possibility crossed her mind.

Taoide Olc…

Connla didn’t want to believe that Cuchulainn was actually the god of destruction. He did have a rough personality, but she saw that he wasn’t really a bad person. The way that Scathach panicked when she saw him was also a point of contention though, obviously desperate to separate the two before engaging with him. Connla had no idea what to think anymore, and her mind practically blanked as she continued munching on fruit.

Suddenly, her skin prickled with goosebumps and she became alert. She whirled her head around several times to see if there was anything suspicious. Her time in the Celtic underworld had unintentionally primed her body to pick up on any unusual sensations or magical resonances, which was extremely helpful whenever she needed to sneak past any crowds of ghosts. She grew more confused as she realized her body was reacting to a presence in the land of the living, which she thought wasn’t supposed to be possible. She stood up and hid one hand behind her back, which she charged a small Ansuz Rune on, keeping a fireball ready in case she needed it.

Connla slowly investigated the area, and that was when she came across two figures wandering around. She quickly eased up when she realized they were children around her age, if not a bit younger. One was a boy with neatly cropped short grey hair, the other a girl with similarly styled and colored long hair, but she kept some of it up in a pair of buns with the remainder looping around to resemble flopped rabbit ears. Both of them wore similar white clothes, the boy wearing shorts and the girl with a skirt. From how nearly identical they looked to each other, she figured that they had to be twin siblings.

“Wook, wook!” the girl exclaimed with a distinct lisp as she pointed at Connla. “There’s someone there!”

“Heee~eeey!” the boy called out and waved to her.

Connla canceled her spell and approached them before asking, “What are you two doing out here?”

“Just pwaying,” the girl said. “It’s a nice sunny day, so my bwother and I awe wooking for tweasures.”

“Treasure? In the middle of a forest?”

The boy wagged his finger and said, “You never know. Some pirate might have buried a pot of gold around here back when the island was on the ground. That’s what our Auntie says.”

“What awe you doing here?” the girl asked Connla.

“Um… actually, I’m kind of lost,” she admitted. “I’m on a journey to Ireland, but I don’t know which way is southwest.”

“Weally? That’s easy! Just go that way!” the sister exclaimed as she pointed in a particular direction.

“How do you know that?”

“My bwother and I always twavel between Irewand and Scotwand, so we know the woad vewy well!”

“Why do you two travel so much? Neither of you look much older than me. Don’t you have a home anywhere?”

“All of nature is our home,” the brother said. Clearly, he appeared to be the mature one of the siblings, making the sister the playful one.

Connla raised an eyebrow, completely puzzled by such a response. “You don’t say… So you’re something like feral children?”

“Feral children? What is that supposed to be? We just live out in the woods with our Auntie.”

“Oh,” the warrior girl murmured as she realized they actually were with a guardian. “Where is your aunt right now? Can I speak with her?”

The sister shook her head. “Auntie comes and goes when she wikes. She twusts us to be good while she’s gone though.”

“So she’s not here?”

“Nope.”

“Hmmm…” Connla folded her arms and pondered what to do. She was worried about leaving the twins alone in this wild environment, yet she needed to be on her way to Ireland. There was also that strange sensation she experienced when she first spotted them, which she found rather difficult to ignore.

“Oh, I know what that look is,” the boy said with a sour expression. “You’re worried about us, aren’t you?”

“Well… I mean… I’m sure you two know how to take care of yourselves, but… I’m sorry. It’s kind of hard to explain.”

“If anything, I’d say we’re more worried about you getting lost again.”

“Really?” Connla scratched her head and chuckled sheepishly. “I think you might be right.”

“Maybe we should go with you. We know these lands like the backs of our hands.”

“Is that okay? Wouldn’t your aunt be mad if you took off just like that?”

“Don’t wowwy!” the sister blurted. “Auntie always knows how to find us!”

“She does? Who is she, anyway?”

“She’s a bwack bird.”

“Whaaa~aaat!?” Connla shouted in total disbelief. “A bird!? So you are feral children!”

The twins stared at each other with uncertain expressions. The boy then said, “We still have no idea what you mean by this ‘feral children’ business. Is it supposed to be an insult?”

“Oh, no, not at all. It just means you’re children who have been raised by animals. Since you’re being cared for by a bird, that means you’re feral children, right?”

“Huh. I never thought of it that way. I thought it was pretty normal, especially with how Auntie tells us lots of stories to help us fall asleep.”

“The bird… tells you stories? You mean she can talk?”

“Of course she can. Did you think we were being looked after by some dumb animal?”

Connla turned on her heel to glance away from the twins as she contemplated this development. She thought to herself, I see. If this ‘Auntie’ character can talk to them, it has to mean she’s a goddess taking on the form of a bird. That would explain why they’re so well-learned despite living in the remote wilderness. The question is, which goddess are we talking about here?

“Awe you okay?” the sister asked. “Do you have a tummy ache?”

“No, I’m fine. I just have a lot on my mind.”

“Auntie always says that thinking too much can be a bad thing. How about we stawt wawking for a bit befowe we find a pwace to camp for tonight?”

“Good idea. I would like to get moving anyway. Oh, but before we do, we should introduce ourselves.”

“Oh yeah!” the brother blurted. “Where are our manners? I’m Fir, and my little sister is Fial.”

Connla briefly explained about her geas, then rolled up her sleeve to show them the name tattooed on her arm. Fial stared at the marking, then said, “So your name’s Connwa?”

“Yes. I’m from Dun Scaith, under the tutelage of my aunt Scathach.”

“So your auntie awso waised you! That’s so neat! We have wots in common alweady!”

“I guess so.”

“Well then, let’s get going,” Fir said as he led the way for his sister and his new friend. “Let’s make it to the tip of Loch Etive before nightfall, then we’ll continue to the end of Loch Awe by this time tomorrow. After that, we should make it to Sgaradh, and you’ll be home free.”

Connla wasn’t sure what he was talking about, so she murmured, “Sounds good to me.”

Chapter Text

FATE/CURADH BEAG

“Little Champion”

Chapter 7: Changing Landscape

In Galway, the capital city of both Connacht and all of Ireland as per Medb’s decree, the streets were bustling with activity as townsfolk cooperated with each other to set up some sort of festival or celebration. Enthralled children tied colorful ribbons around the various lamps dotting the roads, women arranged local flowers in large potting plants, and men climbed on ladders to hang up streamers and pennants everywhere. It was a lively scene within the residential neighborhoods, but things were not so jovial in the merchant district. It was practically a daily routine for a customer to shout at a merchant over how expensive their wares were, especially when it came to food. Luckily, it rarely got violent due to the constant presence of the queen’s soldiers, who stood guard with such stony expressions that some folks wondered if they were human.

At the castle, the queen and king of Connacht stood upon a balcony looking over the town and the Corrib river. Medb smiled to herself proudly as she brushed some locks of hair aside and said, “Look, Fergus. Everyone must be so busy getting things ready. I can practically hear them scurrying about from way up here.”

“Hmm,” Fergus murmured. “I must say, a lot of folks must be feeling ruffled after hearing such a sudden announcement yesterday.”

“Ruffled? Why do you say that? You make it sound like my decrees are an inconvenience.”

“Of course not. It’s just that expecting everyone to drop what they’re doing and set up their homes for a new Queen’s Champion Tournament the following day is going to spark some ire among the populace. Couldn’t you have at least given them a week’s notice or something so they would have time to prepare?”

“Oh, don’t be silly, my love,” Medb crooned as she approached him and brushed her hand against his chest. “No matter what my commandments may be, they will do anything in their power to make my wishes a reality. That is how much faith I have in my citizens to be undyingly loyal to me.”

“Well sure, but there is a limit to how far a person is willing to bend themselves backward for their ruler. I mean, let’s be real here. It’s because of the threat your soldiers pose that they’re working so hard on such short notice.”

“You make it sound like my Red Branch Braves are intimidating the townsfolk. They’re doing no such thing. They are simply the queen’s eyes and ears, as well as her swords in case anyone tries to challenge Connacht’s stability.”

Fergus quietly sighed to himself. He knew it was a lie. The soldiers weren’t really an offshoot of Ulster’s Red Branch Army – they were just being given that name as Medb’s way of mocking the otherwise disbanded troop. Furthermore, he was aware of how the Braves actually extorted goods from farmers to pay as ‘tribute’ to the queen for her ‘protection’. During his journeys into the countryside, he would lend his ear to the grievances of local farmers and shepherds who had to give up a portion of their crops and livestock to keep the Braves away from them. That was the reason why food prices were so expensive in the town – the farmers had no choice but to drive up the costs so they could keep working. It had gotten so bad that city folk were forced to steal and barter just to put food on the table. The most impoverished parents were desperate enough to sell their children off as farmhands in exchange for food, or perhaps even worse.

Fergus wondered if Medb even understood how severe the crime rate was becoming in Galway, which was why he kept gently prodding her for any responses she could give him to these growing concerns. Of course, he couldn’t take it too far either, lest he experience the same fate that Ailill did 15 years ago. He knew she did it just to inherit his assets, despite the propaganda she fed to the masses about how Ailill attempted to assassinate her.

After a short pause, Fergus replied, “All right. Just let me ask you this, then. Why are you hosting another tournament? We haven’t had one in quite a while, and you’ve been content with your roster of Champions for the last few years. Why would you want to find more?”

Medb suddenly frowned a bit. Fergus’ heart pounded, as he feared he might have upset her. However, she then responded in a light yet firm tone, “You might think I’m ignorant of what’s going on outside Galway… but I’m acutely aware of the civil unrest growing amongst the people.”

“Oh?”

“Don’t forget – if I so want to, I can see everything through my Braves’ eyes. They are born from my blood, and are thus extensions of myself.”

“Yeah, I know,” Fergus said uneasily.

He was one of the few people in the whole country who knew how the Red Branch Braves actually came into existence. Since Medb was also regarded as the Mother of Soldiers, she could ‘give birth’ to soldiers by sacrificing drops of her blood to produce small armies of warriors solely dedicated to her cause. This also allowed her to observe the country through them, which was why she didn’t appear in public so often – she was always busy focusing on transferring her consciousness between each Brave and watching what they saw in case they came across any valuable information. If needed, she could also send telepathic orders to them this way. This meant that no corner of Ireland escaped Medb’s notice, so long as she had her Braves around. While Fergus and the other Queen’s Champions knew about it, he wasn’t sure if the common people were aware of their queen’s power. He suspected that they didn’t, or else the simmering tensions would explode into unbridled panic and bedlam.

Medb sauntered into her living quarters and threw her back onto the bed as she explained, “The people are scared. They’re saying things like ‘the end of the world is coming’, or ‘we won’t last another 10 years like this’, or ‘we may have to eat each other just to survive’. Can you believe it!? My country, populated by cannibals!? I won’t stand for it!”

“Well, I don’t think it will get that bad…” Fergus stammered. Not even he had heard something so outrageous before, so he was slightly taken aback. “It’s just that, how will deciding on a new Champion help you solve this potential crisis? As far as the citizens know, your Champions are the best of Ireland’s warriors, tasked with keeping you safe from harm.”

“Sure, that’s true for some of them,” Medb admitted. “I’ve mostly been leaving the long-term investigations in Cathbad’s care, but he told me that he needs at least one or two more skilled fighters to assist him with some sort of ‘special tasks’. I’m not sure what he means, but all of the other Champions are already tied up with their own duties.”

“So this is to help decide who will be Cathbad’s assistant, more or less.”

“Pretty much. Besides, even if he didn’t make such a request, I probably would have held one anyway,” the queen said as she gazed out the opposite window facing northward. Fergus likewise glanced outside, not at the land or sky, but at the white tower looming over the heavens in the far distance. She didn’t need to say anything for him to understand what she was implying.

“… Are you prepared to face him?” the king asked quietly.

“Do I have a choice? He changed this entire world because of his hatred for me. It’s just that I don’t have enough power to do it on my own. That’s why I need as many Champions as I can find before it’s too late.”

He didn’t say respond. Before he could make any attempt to cheer her up though, Medb sat back up and exclaimed, “Well, I’m sure it’ll all work out somehow. Besides, imagine how high my popularity will skyrocket if I win! Yes, I must always think positively! If I don’t stand up as the beautiful heroine destined to destroy the evil monster, humanity’s future truly will end!”

Fergus had to summon every ounce of patience and willpower to keep his biting wit in check. The amount of narcissism and ignorance she spewed was enough to nauseate him. Even though they were indeed lovers, their opinions on how the people should be treated couldn’t have been more different. While they both loved their citizens, he saw them for the fellow human beings they were, while she treated them as a mindless hive that existed to prostrate before her. He suspected that she kept him around only as a means of improving her self-image by sending him as an ambassador for the people, thus maintaining the illusion that she was a caring queen. Otherwise, she would just observe everything through her Braves anyway.

The only reason he didn’t outright question her morals, or just kill her right then and there, was because he needed to be on the inside if he wanted to get to the truth behind Cuchulainn’s disappearance and Ulster’s downfall. Therefore, he needed to stay calm and listen to Medb’s gloating, no matter how much it sickened him.

In response, Fergus flashed a broad smile and said, “Whatever you say, my queen.”

The cawing of crows and light scurrying of nearby squirrels signaled the beginning of a new morning. The gurgling water from Loch Etive woke Connla up as effectively as it helped her fall asleep almost 12 hours ago. She had been so exhausted that she didn’t stir even once during that entire time. She still looked plenty fatigued, judging by her matted hair and severe bags under her eyes. She had one of those dreams where she was running around everywhere for no apparent reason, and she would wake up feeling like she had run a marathon. Eerily enough, while most of the details of her dream were vague at best, the one thing she could remember was occasionally spotting the man from two days ago in pursuit, prompting her to keep fleeing wherever she could.

Connla sat up and rubbed her eyes, then kneeled over the river’s bank and splashed some water on her face to shake off the sleepiness. She was rather annoyed with herself for having a dream that was too similar to her current circumstances, though she wasn’t sure if the stranger would actually chase after her. All she could do was believe that Scathach could defeat him so it didn’t actually come to that.

Teacher…

The girl remained kneeling there in silence as she thought about her mentor. She was like this for about five minutes, until she heard two pairs of running footsteps approaching her from behind. She heard Fial remark, “You’re finawwy up, Connwa.”

“Huh? O-Oh, yes. I must’ve slept in.”

“Awe you okay? You still wook vewy tired.”

“I’m all right. I just need a few minutes.”

“I’ll say,” Fir blurted. “You look terrible. Here, have some of these. Fial and I picked them just now, thinking you would be hungry.”

The siblings placed two cloth bags full of berries on the ground. Connla shuffled over and said, “Thank you. I’m feeling quite peckish, so this is perfect.”

Without hesitation, she started munching on fruit for the next ten minutes to regain her energy. She noticed that the twins were just sitting there watching her, so she asked, “Aren’t you guys going to eat? We have a long trek ahead of us today.”

“We’ve already eaten,” Fir said. “We’re just waiting for you to get ready.”

“Oh. Then I guess I should hurry.”

“No, take your time,” Fial assured. “It’d be bad if you cowwapsed because you didn’t take care of yourself. We can wait as much as you need.”

“Um…” Connla stared down at the ground forlornly. “I’m… I’m sorry for the trouble… I must be slowing you two down from your own adventuring. I really should know my way around, but I’ve never left the Land of Shadows until now, so…”

The siblings shimmied next to her, and Fir wondered, “What’s with you all of a sudden? You look all mopey and sad. Did you have a bad dream?”

“Sort of…”

“It was just a dream. Auntie always tells us that no matter how scary or depressing a nightmare may be, the morning sun always comes to banish it. There’s nothing to worry about.”

“Yeah… you’re right…”

“I’m more concerned with why you had to leave the Land of Shadows. Fial and I thought your auntie would have instructed you to leave, but you haven’t said anything like that. Did something suddenly happen that forced you to leave?”

“…”

“Connwa?” Fial leaned in, wondering why she wasn’t answering her brother’s question.

“I, um…” Connla murmured. “I’d… rather not talk about it. If I do, I might wind up getting upset. I’d rather save that energy for walking than crying…”

“Oh,” Fir whispered, realizing that her situation was potentially more serious than he expected. “Okay, you don’t have to tell us. We still have to walk for two days before reaching Sgaradh, so let’s make the most of it.”

“Yes. I think I’m ready now. I can eat along the way, then we’ll stop for a bit so I can hunt some game. We need to have a decent supper tonight.”

“Our goal is the southernmost tip of Loch Awe. We just have to keep going along this way.”

With that, the trio continued on their journey through southwestern Scotland. Fir and Fial were so concerned about Connla’s emotional wellbeing that they distracted her with idle chitchat about anything they could think of, from their own upbringing in the woods, to Fir’s interest in learning how to hunt, to Fial’s curiosity with plants and wildlife, and even to gossiping about how similar their caretakers were. They made it to their destination by nightfall, and Connla slept by the river’s edge again. Since the day was so carefree and uneventful, she seemed to have a better night’s sleep this time, since she woke up feeling more refreshed compared to before.

From there, the children continued on the final stretch of their trip. By mid-afternoon, they breached through the last of the dense forest, and Connla gazed about in astonishment.

Compared to the thick woods and craggy paths she had to endure for so long, this place was shockingly devoid of much other than lush grass and wildflowers blooming everywhere. A strong breeze freely flowed through the plains, unimpeded by trees or mountains. There were some moss-covered rock formations dotted here and there, and a perfectly clear view of the ocean from either side of this flat, almost unnatural landscape. She was so stunned by the beauty of it all that she uttered, “What is this place?”

“This is Sgaradh,” Fir explained. “Otherwise known as ‘the Divide’.”

“It’s where the Nowth Channel used to be befowe Iwewand and Scotwand mewged into the Cewtic Isles,” Fial added.

“Oh, right…” Connla realized. “Teacher told me that the two countries fused together back then. So this must be where it happened.”

“Yep!”

“So is Sgaradh considered part of Ireland or Scotland?”

“Neither, actually,” Fir said. “Auntie told us that it’s supposed to be a ‘new-trull’ zone, whatever that means.”

Connla tilted her head and wondered, Does he mean a neutral zone?

“Auntie says that the weaders of both countwies come here to tawk about weawwy impowtant things,” Fial said.

“I see,” the spearman murmured and thought, That makes sense. The North Channel didn’t belong to either country, so it’s reasonable to think that this timeline’s replacement of it would be treated the same.

“Well,” Fir’s voice changed to a melancholic tone. “I guess this is where we part ways.”

“Huh? It is?”

“We’ve made it through Scotland, haven’t we? All you have to do is keep going straight from here and you’ll be in Ireland. I think Galway is much further southwest from here, but you can always buy a map in Belfast, or have someone else guide you.”

“That’s true.”

“Fir and I need to stay in Scotwand, or else Auntie will get mad. We can’t twavel between countwies without her pewmission,” Fial said sadly.

“That’s okay. I can handle myself from here. Once I finish my business here, I’ll come find you two again. I would like to meet your aunt someday.”

“Is that a pwomise?”

“Sure.”

“Do you pinky swear?”

“Of course,” Connla said, and the two girls locked their pinkies together for a moment. However, she felt a bizarre chill course through her hand and arm when her finger made contact with Fial’s.

“I want to do it too,” Fir interjected, and he and Connla likewise made a pinky swear. Again, she experienced that cold sensation rush within her bloodstream. She maintained a stoic expression the whole time, not wanting to give any hints that she suspected something was ‘off’ with her new friends. With that settled, the twins turned back into the forest, and Connla waved good-bye until they were out of sight before turning toward the plain.

Okay, let’s do this, she thought. If I need to, I’ll stop in Belfast to get a map. Teacher left me with some currency, so as long as I’m stingy with the spending, I can make it to Galway. From there, I just need to figure out where this Fergus mac Roich fellow is supposed to be and convince him to help me.

Now that she had a more solid plan, Connla began running southwest through Sgaradh, hoping to reach Ireland proper by nightfall. It would take an ordinary person about three hours to make the crossing at normal walking speed, but with her Runes and natural affinity for the wind element, she could get through Sgaradh within half that time. As much as she expected the trip to be an uneventful one, something happened on this beautiful afternoon that would permanently change her perspective of the Celtic Isles for the worse.

As she veered a little too far south towards Sgaradh’s coastline, she was about to turn further west before noticing that something was amiss. At first, she thought the strange object poking vertically out of the rocky coastline was a stray dead tree. However, as she approached it closer, she soon realized that it was a person. She couldn’t make out their features clearly, other than it was a black-haired woman wearing a plain maroon dress and red capelet. She gazed out into the distance in total silence, but Connla couldn’t make out her expression with her back turned toward her.

She tilted her head and wondered, Isn’t that supposed to be dangerous? Maybe I should tell her to get back before she can fall down.

She had heard horror stories from Scathach about how people had fallen off the edge of the Celtic Isles and plummeted to their deaths in the ocean far below. Although the water level had risen significantly throughout the years, the seas were still treacherous due to verified sightings of numerous Oillipheist swimming beneath the surface, eager to devour anyone foolish enough to fall into the ocean. There was no question that these creatures were Taoide Olc’s soldiers, and a huge reason why the rest of the world was overwhelmed by the god of destruction’s immense power.

With these tales in mind, Connla ran toward the woman and was about to call out to her. However, she barely made it within hearing range when the most shocking thing imaginable occurred…

The woman spread her arms out, then tumbled forward off the cliff!

“Ah-!?” the girl choked, so stunned by the sight that she froze on the spot for a second. Panic immediately overcame her senses as she charged toward the spot, fell on her knees, and stared in wide-eyed astonishment at the rolling waves that consumed the woman. There was absolutely no sign of her anywhere. Connla was so appalled by what she just witnessed that she couldn’t think coherently. She shook her head and shakily stood back up.

No, keep it together. This isn’t your fault. You only just got here, and you were too far away to reach her in time. Just go find someone and have them report it to the authorities. There’s nothing else you can do than that.

She took multiple deep breaths to compose herself, then hurried away from the island’s edge and ran as fast as she could toward Ireland. Her heart pounded erratically, and her chest was in such pain that her body practically begged for her to stop running. She ignored the pain and just kept dashing like a maniac, hoping to reach some semblance of civilization as soon as possible. Exhaustion eventually won over though, and she collapsed onto her hands and knees while wheezing uncontrollably.

She had spent so long catching her breath that she failed to notice that someone was approaching her. It was only when she heard the distinct sound of grass crunching beneath heavy boots that she looked up to see who it was.

The man looked to be in his early to mid-20’s, with short black hair that curled out at the tips like wings, and the underside of his hair was tinted blonde. It appeared rather unkempt and poorly taken care of, yet it seemed to add to his rugged charm rather than detract from it. His right eye was deep blue while the left was pitch black, barely allowing the pupil to be visible. Aside from the traditional armor that Celtic soldiers wore, he sported a large black pauldron on his left shoulder that allowed a red cloak to drape over the arm. Most notable about him was that he wore some kind of dark-colored neck brace, and that his head appeared slightly angled for some reason.

“Well now. What do we have here?” the young man wondered as he kneeled before her. “You look completely out of shape, young lady. Did you leave a cake in the oven or something?”

“I, uh… I-Is this… Ireland?” the child warrior gasped.

“Sure is. If you didn’t know something that obvious, you must have lived in Scotland for your whole life. Or maybe under a rock, but I doubt that’s the case with your adventurer’s garb.”

Then to the man’s unexpected surprise, she grabbed his arm and desperately cried out, “Please, you’ve got to help me!”

“Whuh-!? Whoa, slow down there! What’s gotten your tights in a twist all of a sudden!?”

She pointed back and blurted, “I-I-I saw a woman commit suicide! She jumped off the island in Sgaradh!”

His expression instantly turned serious as he asked, “A woman? Can you tell me what she looked like?”

She explained everything as best as she could. He contemplated her information for a minute, then murmured to himself, “Could it be Declan’s wife Eabha?”

“Do you know something?” Connla asked anxiously.

“Maybe. Let’s hurry back to Belfast. I’m getting a real bad feeling ‘bout this.”

As the pair headed toward the city, the girl’s anxiety kept growing exponentially. She struggled to convince herself that it wasn’t her fault, yet another side of her kept berating her for not doing something, anything, to help save the woman. She could perform incredible feats of speed and agility, so why couldn’t she have used them to save one person? She was so unnaturally quiet that it was impossible for the man to ignore.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

She didn’t respond. She couldn’t even look him straight in the eye. He thought to himself, Of course she’s not. She just watched a person die. Any kid her age would be upset.

In an attempt to console her, he patted her back and said, “Listen to me. I may not have been there to see what happened, but I am certain of this – you’re doing the right thing. If you had tried to save that woman, you might have fallen with her.”

“…”

“The island’s coastlines have become so dangerous that it’s forbidden to get within 500 meters. It’s smarter to stay back and inform the soldiers so they can investigate instead.”

“… Are you sure?”

“Who in their right mind would expect a girl your age to stop someone from throwing themselves like that?”

“So then… you’re not angry with me?”

“Don’t be insane. If I would be angry with you for anything, it’d actually be going after her. Even though we just met, I can tell that you’re a smart girl. Don’t go wasting your life for something as foolish as trying to save someone who wants to die.”

“But then, what if someone who is important to her blames me for it?”

The man scoffed darkly, “Then I’d punch them in the face as hard as I could!”

“Um… I don’t think you need to go that far…”

“Look, all I’m saying is to stop worrying about it. Once everyone’s been informed, we can figure out what to do with you from there. To be honest, I’m curious to know why such a young girl has come all this way from Scotland all by her lonesome. Judging by your weapon and attire, I can’t imagine you’re here on a tourist trip.”

“No, not exactly…” Connla mumbled. “I kind of have some business here.”

“What sort of business?”

She had an idea, and she glanced up at the man while asking, “Do you know of someone named Fergus mac Roich? My teacher ordered me to look for him.”

His eyes widened in repressed surprise, and his skin seemed to blanch a bit. “Fergus? You mean that Fergus?”

“Huh? Why? Is there another one?”

“N-No… Ahem!” he coughed to compose himself. “Yes, I know of Fergus. Everyone does… well, except for you. After all, he’s the King of Connacht.”

“Eh!?” she yelped. “He’s the king!?”

“Your teacher didn’t tell you that?”

“No, I’m afraid not. I had to leave my home in a hurry, you see, and she had absolutely no time to explain anything to me. Think of it as an emergency trip to Ireland.”

“Well, now,” the swordsman muttered as he scratched his head. “Seems like you’ve got a lot more on your plate than I ever expected. Witnessing a suicide must have really thrown your original plans off.”

As Connla became quiet again, the fellow also thought to himself, Besides, what sort of emergency would occur in Scotland to force such a young girl to look for Connacht’s king? It’d be way easier for her to contact one of the magistrates, but instead her teacher told her to look for the king?

He didn’t like this. Although he didn’t know what was going on from a factual standpoint, the implications were enough to make him more and more concerned for the mystery girl’s welfare. Something huge had to be happening to warrant Fergus’ immediate attention, and the child was caught up in it.

Eventually, he leaned in and assured, “All right, leave it to me! I’ll get you to Galway safe and sound, no matter what it takes!”

“Huh? You will?” Connla wondered. “But why? I haven’t done anything to deserve such hospitality.”

“Nonsense. You’re already doing a lot with reporting that woman’s death. I’m sure her family will be glad to know where she is, rather than spending the rest of their lives wondering where she disappeared to. I know I would appreciate you for it.”

She immediately became forlorn, and he realized she was going to start brooding again. He quickly added, “Besides, I have a practical reason of my own for helping you out. I’m actually planning on going to Galway myself come tomorrow morning. Bringing you along is just taking care of two things at once, wouldn’t you agree?”

“I guess so. Teacher always said that efficiency is more important than raw strength.”

“Right? I know it’s been hard, but try to wipe that frown off your face and show a little more cheer, okay? King Fergus wouldn’t like meeting a girl who’s always sad.”

She glanced away uneasily. It wasn’t going to be as simple as he would like, but he did have a point. If her goal really was to meet Ireland’s king, then she needed to show more professionalism than this. She needed a little more time, but she knew she could do it.

“Well, it’s settled! Starting tomorrow, we’ll be traveling mates,” the man declared. “That means we have to introduce ourselves, don’t we? Things got so hectic back there that we couldn’t have a proper how-do-you-do.”

“Oh, you’re right,” Connla said. Just like with Fir and Fial, she explained about her geasa to him, then showed him her name tattooed on her arm.

“Connla, huh? Do you have a last name?” he asked.

“No. I may know my mother’s lineage, but typically a child’s last name is derived from the father’s lineage, and I don’t know who my father is other than he’s from Ulster.”

His face practically beamed with delight as he exclaimed, “So you’re also an Ulsterman! If you were 20 years older, I would have fallen in love with you right here and now!”

“Uh…”

“Hah hah hah! Come now, it’s just a joke! You should learn not to take everything I say too seriously! Anyway, I’m Conall Cernach, son of Amairgin mac Echit and Findchoem, and nephew of my sworn rival Cet mac Magach. Man, saying that makes me feel kind of old, considering that Cet’s been dead for years now.”

“Wow. That kind of sounds like a long story. I won’t ask if you don’t want to talk about it, Sir Conall.”

“Ugh, drop that ‘sir’ nonsense, would you?” Conall itched the back of his crooked neck. “Just Conall is fine.”

“Oh, okay.”

“Still, Conall and Connla, huh? With names like ours, we’ll get along just fine, don’t you think?”

“I… guess so?”

He glanced away and thought, This kid doesn’t have the best sense of humor, does she?

An hour later, the pair reached Belfast. Once upon a time, this was the largest city in the Ulster province. Ever since the Celtic Isles were formed though, the population had rapidly dwindled until it was a mere fraction of its original size. Many buildings had been left to decay to the elements, and only the sturdiest of properties built more inland were viable enough to be used as homes. It was now more of a central hub for local farmers to get together, with only small-time merchants occasionally stopping by to sell wares such as clothes, baskets and tools. There were a couple of taverns, an inn, a bathhouse, and a soldier’s outpost, but that was it. The rocky basalt hill overlooking Belfast known as Ben Madigan, or Cave Hill in modern times, looked more impressive than the town.

Connla was slightly taken aback by how quaint and humble the supposed ‘largest town in Ulster’ turned out to be. She couldn’t help but ask Conall, “I heard that Belfast is much larger than this. I was kind of expecting a bustling city, not a proverbial ghost town.”

“Hm,” he grumbled. “Guess news travels slowly in Scotland, doesn’t it? That used to be the case, but once the isles began floating in the sky, it’s been nothing but problems for Belfast. Heck, it’s the same for other coastal towns like Carlingford and Lahinch, but nothing can top what happened with Dublin.”

“Dublin?”

“Do you know about Dublin’s Fall?”

“No, I don’t.”

“It happened about eight years ago. It was much further south from here, right on the coast of the Irish Sea. Well, when the Celtic Isles began floating, the bedrock was strong enough to support the weight of the city for a while. However, time and the elements have begun eroding the edges of the island, causing them to collapse to the sea below. I think you can guess what happened when that erosion caught up with Dublin.”

“Oh…”

“Given another few years or so, the same’s gonna happen with Belfast. That’s why the town looks so abandoned – everyone’s packing up and moving inland. Only the most die-hard of Belfast’s citizens refuse to move, despite the obvious danger they’re in.”

“There’s nothing that can be done to stop the erosion?”

“The druids have been trying to slow it down, but they can only do so much. Besides…” Conall’s grumbled, and his voice became noticeably darker in tone. “Connacht’s whore-queen keeps conscripting the best druids to work for her in Galway. There’s practically no one around to help because of that useless bitch.”

Connla tilted her head and asked in a perplexed murmur, “… Whore-queen?”

“Ah!” Conall quickly caught himself before he could blurt more profanities in front of her. “N-Never mind me! Forget what you heard just now!”

“Um… okay?”

“Look, all you need to know is that the island’s erosion is forcing everyone to move away. Dublin’s Fall was such a devastating blow to everyone’s morale that it’s become commonplace for people to ‘end themselves’, like what you saw with that woman. That’s why I want to finish our business here as soon as possible so we can get going to Galway. It’s a much safer city than this town will ever be.”

“If you say so.”

With that, the duo arrived at the soldier’s outpost and explained the situation to the guardsmen. After Connla finished telling them everything she could, Conall then added, “From her description, I think it might be Eabha, the wife of the cow farmer Declan.”

“Declan, huh?” one of the soldiers grunted. “He mentioned to me that he hadn’t seen his wife in a few days. He thought that maybe she had run off with another man, or some nonsense like that. The bastard was drunk off his ass as could be, so I didn’t really pay attention to him. If the dead woman really is Eabha though… Hoo boy. I think we’re going to be in for one hell of a show once he finds out.”

“Should we go to Sgaradh and investigate?” one of the junior warriors asked.

“Fuck no! Even if we did, what the hell can we do!? It’s not like we can dive in after her! She’s Oillipheist food by now!”

Connla shirked, unable to say anything in retort to such a lackadaisical attitude toward their jobs. Even so, the older soldier was right – there really was nothing they could accomplish. Conall interrupted them and said, “You could at least send a report to Galway so that Lord Fergus knows. You can’t ignore his decree to inform him of any and all comings and goings out in the countryside.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know,” the senior warrior said as he took out a scroll and a quill to scribble down some notes in what apparently passed for handwriting. “I don’t know why the king bothers keeping an eye out for these obstinate fogies when the island’s just gonna make them fall to their deaths anyway. The queen certainly doesn’t give a shit unless they have produce to fork over to her. Hell, I’d be thrilled to be stationed anywhere other than here.”

Conall glanced at Connla, who was appearing more and more uncomfortable the longer she listened to the warrior’s complaining. He got up and snatched her arm as he brusquely said, “If we’re done here, I’m leaving with the kid.”

“Yeah, go ahead,” the younger soldier said. “Should I be the one to inform Declan of Eabha’s passing?”

“No, I’ll do it. If he causes a ruckus, I’ll be able to restrain him.”

“Be careful. The other men have been warning me about how belligerent he’s been becoming over the last few days.”

Conall gave him a dismissive wave, then guided Connla toward the fields further inland. Once they had walked far enough away from the outpost, she asked him, “Are the guards here always so… blasé? A woman just died, and it’s like they don’t care.”

“I’m sorry you had to see that,” Conall frowned. “I didn’t want to say this to you, but the truth is that suicides like that are becoming commonplace, especially after Dublin’s Fall. It’s been happening so frequently that it’s almost become too much for the local law enforcement to keep up. All they can do is throw their hands up, inform the victim’s relatives, and send a report to Galway.”

“I see,” she whispered and looked away. She truly had no idea how deplorable the situation actually was throughout the Celtic Isles. Despite being exposed to so many shocking truths in such a short time, she knew she had to keep an open mind and understand exactly what was going on so she could perform her ultimate mission as effectively as possible.

Eventually, they reached a cow ranch that only had two bovines grazing in the field. It was approaching the early evening hours, so a man in his 50’s ushered the animals back toward the barn to get them settled in for the night. Conall called out to him, “Oy, Declan!”

“Hm?” the farmer grunted bitterly, then flailed his walking stick about. “Dammit, not you again! How many times are ya gonna try an’ squeeze free meals outta me!? Git yer sorry butt outta my sight, or I’ll do it for ya!”

“No, that’s not it! I’ve got something to tell you about Eabha!”

“Huh? Eabha? Ya mean ya pounded the guy who stole ‘er from me into next week?”

“Look, this is really important. I need you to listen to me carefully.”

“Don’t ya go talkin’ t’me like I’m five, ass-face! I can hear ya jus’ fine!”

Conall sighed, then said to Connla, “This is going to take a while. Go to the inn and wait for me there. If I’m not back in the hour, go ahead and rent a room. I’ll pay for it tomorrow.”

“Okay,” she replied and headed back to the village, hoping that Conall wouldn’t get into too much trouble with the visibly distraught Declan. Once there, she sat on the front porch reading some scrolls she borrowed from the shelf. The sun had set beyond the horizon, but there was still plenty of residual light left behind when Conall eventually arrived.

“Well? What happened?” she asked.

“It took some wrangling, but he finally listened to me. He said that he wants to give his thanks to you for reporting it to the soldiers, and that he’ll take us in for the night.”

“Are you sure? I certainly don’t want to impose on him when he’s grieving his wife’s death.”

“I said the same thing, and he said not to worry about it. He insists that we stay with him for tonight. Probably doesn’t want to be left alone when he’s in such shock.”

“I guess so.”

They left the inn and returned to Declan’s property. Night had fully descended upon the Celtic Isles, so it was the perfect time for them to go inside the farmer’s house and prepare for bed. As they passed by the cramped living room, Connla spotted Declan sitting on the couch staring at the wooden floor in complete silence. As much as she wanted to say something to him, she figured it would be a terrible idea to try and console him. She didn’t know anything about his situation, and she didn’t want to say something ignorant that could wind up inciting him even worse than he was earlier. She just followed Conall to the spare room that Declan allowed them to borrow, and she ate some porridge while gazing at the stars through the window before turning in.

Chapter Text

FATE/CURADH BEAG

“Little Champion”

Chapter 8: Source of Life and Death

The following morning, Connla woke up to the smell of eggs being cooked on the small stove in the guest room. Numerous birds chirped outside, and the breeze flowed softly along the grass and fields. A rooster bellowed in the distance. She looked up and noticed that Conall was already awake and preparing breakfast for them.

“Mornin’, missy,” he greeted her. “Did you sleep well?”

“About as well as I could,” she mumbled while wiping her eyes.

“Can’t blame you. Yesterday must’ve been real hectic. Today’s gonna be a breeze, though – we’ll get moving to Galway as soon as we’re ready. No dramatics to worry about when you’re on the road.”

“How’s Mr. Declan? Is he doing okay?”

“Don’t know. I haven’t seen him yet,” Conall said as he glanced out the window with a perplexed gaze. “That’s odd. He’s usually up and about tending to his cows. The man prides himself on being an early riser to care for his girls. I made him his breakfast earlier, but he hasn’t stopped by to eat either.”

“I hope he hasn’t done anything irrational. Hearing about his wife’s death must’ve been a real shock to him.”

“Shit… Let’s look for him. I’ll check the barn and fields. You look around the house.”

They split up and investigated the property. Conall inspected the barn and found the cows still inside their stables waiting to be milked. Meanwhile, Connla poked her head through each room she could find, carefully looking to see if Declan wasn’t hiding. She went upstairs to the second floor, which only contained the master bedroom and a lavatory. The latter’s door was open and there was no one inside. In contrast, the bedroom’s door was closed, so she suspected that Declan was inside. She tried the doorknob, and it clicked open before she gently swayed the door open inward.

“Mr. Declan? Are you in h-” she began to ask, but then stopped mid-sentence.

Like a curtain unfolding in front of a window, the scene opened up before her eyes. She was so stunned that the entire world was enveloped in total silence for a good minute or two. She wanted to tear her eyes away from what she was seeing, but her body refused to move. Fortunately, Conall’s rushing footsteps disrupted the fragile stillness as he shouted, “What’s wrong!? Did you find him!?”

Connla couldn’t say anything. All she could do was grab his arm and point into the room while shivering uncontrollably. His mind was filled with blasphemous curses as he looked inside the bedroom to see what was wrong. His jaw dropped as he finally saw what the problem was:

Declan had hung himself.

Two hours later, the same soldiers from yesterday had been notified and sent an emergency request for assistance from the neighboring villages. Other farmers noticed the pell-mell around Declan’s property and ambled around the area, wondering what had happened. It didn’t take long for word to spread among such a small and sequestered community.

Connla didn’t want to get involved with any of it. She sat inside the barn by herself, hugging her knees to her chest and brooding in silence. She was already exhausted from crying over Conall’s shoulder, then explaining what happened to the guardsmen afterward. She didn’t want to turn this incident into mere chit-chat among the weary townsfolk. She would keep her testimony close to her heart, only allowing Conall and the soldiers to know what she saw in that bedroom. Declan’s death expression was so twisted and horrific that she doubted she would ever forget it. She was used to people already being dead and roaming the Land of Shadows as spirits – witnessing these actual deaths for herself was almost too much for her to handle.

Connla was getting a bit impatient with how long Conall was taking, but she also didn’t want to leave the comfort of the barn and wind up being ambushed with questions from the curious villagers. She just waited there for him to return with an update, and hopefully news that they could continue their journey to Galway. She didn’t want to be in Belfast anymore, and he knew it. He promised to be as quick as he could, but didn’t know how long it would take. Out of sheer boredom and exhaustion, she nuzzled her cheek against her knees and slumped into a half-asleep stupor.

About ten minutes later, Connla felt someone nudge her shoulder, startling her awake. Conall had returned, and he asked, “You okay?”

“Mm…”

“I got the go-ahead for us to leave Belfast. The boys will handle the rest from here.”

“Good. I don’t like this place.”

“I know. I’m so sorry you had to see that,” he apologized while rubbing her head. “I should’ve made you stay in the guest room while I checked the whole house myself.”

She glanced away. She didn’t blame him for any of this, but she didn’t want this conversation to devolve into them constantly apologizing with each other. She simply responded with a light nod, then stood up and asked, “Can we avoid the villagers as much as possible? I don’t want to talk with any of them.”

“That won’t be a problem. The guys have assembled everyone into the town square and are issuing an edict for Belfast to be abandoned once and for all. The nearest magistrate will also be coming to enforce the order. That means this is our chance to slip away while no one’s looking.”

With that, the pair left Declan’s empty house behind and took a roundabout way to avoid being spotted by soldiers and townsfolk. They were well outside the town’s borders within the next 30 minutes, allowing Connla to calm down a little now that she didn’t have to worry about having to answer unwanted questions.

“You hanging in there?” Conall asked.

“Yeah.”

“Gotta be honest with you; I never dreamed that ol’ Declan would do something like that. I guess that goes to show how much he loved his wife, and would have missed her too much to keep on living. It was kind of his fault for treating her so badly, though. Word around the grapevine was that she complained about how anything she did was never good enough for him. That, plus their farm failing to produce enough income to pay for taxes must have driven both of them over the edge.”

She felt uneasy about wanting to ask her next question, but she inevitably wondered, “Is that kind of thing… a normal occurrence?”

As much as Conall wanted her to clarify what she meant, he understood all too well that she wished to avoid using the ‘S’ word. He sighed deeply, then admitted, “You could say that.”

“Why? Why is everyone experiencing such despair that they would throw their lives away like that?”

“Hmm…” he scratched his head. “Maybe instead of just explaining it, it’d be easier to show you.”

“Show me what?”

“We’re almost near Lough Neagh. Once you see it, it’ll become obvious.”

Curiosity dominated Connla’s thoughts as she wondered what exactly he was hinting at. It didn’t take long for them to reach Lough Neagh, the largest freshwater lake in all of Ireland. They had a full view of the lake from the eastern-most side in Antrim county, and the young girl was taken aback by the sight. It wasn’t of the beautiful water glistening in the late morning sunlight one would expect though – it was the shocking lack of water in the first place. Ages ago, the lake was large enough to cover six counties’ worth of territory. Now it had shrunken to the point that the only county that had enough viable water was Antrim. Even nearby Portmore Lough had been completely drained of its water several years ago, leaving nothing but a dry lakebed behind.

Connla squatted atop a half-buried boulder and gazed into the distance as far as she could see, while gasping, “Oh my goodness…”

“You see what the problem is now?” Conall asked. “When the Celtic Isles first floated off the ground, everyone instantly started hoarding all the water sources for themselves in a kind of panicked frenzy. Now that we were completely cut off from the ocean, we had no choice but to compete with each other for water. It got so bad that small civil battles erupted over the growing tensions between everyone you could think of. Think about it; do you save it for the soldiers protecting the citizens, or do the farmers deserve the lion’s share? Should personal hygiene be sacrificed? Does the amount that wild animals consume have to be regulated? Do we need to cut down trees and other plants, or do we preserve as much of our ecology as possible?

“So much of our lives revolved around water that we barely noticed until it was too late. The first few years were an absolute disaster, let me tell you. No one knew what they were doing, and they allowed greed to overcome reason, resulting in lots of casualties over squabbles that would otherwise be meaningless.”

“All of that, on top of the isles eroding around the shoreline?” Connla wondered.

“Yeah. I think Dublin’s Fall was the point when everyone decided to stop fighting each other and devise a system of distributing and consuming water.”

“You said that was eight years ago, right? So then, everyone was killing each other for seven years before that?”

“You got it. For that reason, many people divide our society into two ‘eras’; pre-Dublin and post-Dublin. If Pre-Dublin was all about madness, chaos and greed, then post-Dublin is about resignation and despair. A lot of people have given up hope for the Celtic Isles’ future and are seeking to escape from it, if you catch my drift. I’ve even heard rumors that the nobility is ridiculing these losses, saying that culling the masses makes it easier to distribute water to fewer people. Not that they’re making it any easier, considering how much they charge for it. The only hope anyone has for survival is to pray for heavy rainfall.”

She lowered her head in silence, as if grieving for the many lives lost during such horrific times. Conall frowned, realizing he had given her more reasons to brood. Not wanting to depress her any further, he said, “Well, enough of our history lesson. Better not to dwell on it for too long, or you’ll just make yourself upset. Come on, we’ve still got a long way ahead of us.”

She hopped off the boulder and followed him around the southern shore of Lough Neagh before they carried on southwest.

Back in Scotland, Fir and Fial ventured back northeast along Loch Awe, having reached the northernmost area of the river around the same time Conall and Connla were leaving Belfast. They wanted to rest in the Inistrynich peninsula before moving on for a long journey eastward to Dundee. Despite the town normally being on the River Tay and thus potentially subject to the Celtic Isles’ erosion, the landmass surrounding the river had merged together to allow for a lake to be formed instead, now being called Loch Tay. This made Dundee a popular place for people to gather due to its abundance of water, and was one of the twins’ favorite stops during their aimless wandering.

As Fial sat down on a fallen log to rest her feet, she gazed at the sky and suddenly wondered, “I hope Connwa’s doing okay.”

“Are you worried about her?” her brother asked her.

“Yeah. Auntie said that Iwewand is becoming more and more of a bad pwace to wive in these days.”

“I’m sure she’ll be okay. It’s not as bad as it was before Dublin’s Fall.”

“But the people awe still so scawy. Especiawwy the wich people who tweat evewyone awound them wike their pewsonal pwopewty. Why do people wike wiving in cities when they know they’ll get tweated so badwy? It’s so much easier to wive in the fowest, wike the dwuids do.”

“Remember what Auntie told us before? Humans are creatures of convenience. They don’t like having to do hard work. If there is a method for them to relieve the burden, they’ll always use it. They’re not like us – being able to live in the wild without having to worry about things like sheltering from bad weather or wild animal attacks.”

“Not wike us… as in being-?”

Before Fial could finish her question, both children instantly froze in place and shivered in terror. It was as if time itself stopped, with not a single lifeform in the immediate area wanting to so much dare as breathe. An intense pressure forced everything to hold still so as not to incur the wrath of whatever this presence was. The children had never experienced such a dreadful and ominous emotion before, and it frightened them so badly that they kneeled on the ground and hugged each other tightly.

“F-F-F-Fir…” the girl whimpered.

“S-S-Stay quiet…” the boy whispered between his chattering teeth, doing his best to maintain a brave face for his sister.

About a minute passed before the intense sensation eventually lessened, allowing the world to return to normal. Fir held Fial close and looked around before murmuring, “I think it’s gone.”

“Uuuuh… What was that?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never felt anything so… evil.”

“Did we do something bad?”

“I don’t think so. Maybe it was just passing by.”

“We gotta tell Auntie the next time we see her.”

As Fial said this, they heard a raven cawing nearby, followed by them spotting a black bird circling around them a few times before landing on the fallen tree that Fial was sitting on before. A firm and sultry woman’s voice echoed from the bird, “Did someone call me for?”

“Auntie!” the twins cried out and swarmed in front of her, finally releasing all of their pent-up fear by bawling uncontrollably before her.

“There, there, my children,” the bird cooed, rubbing her wings against their heads to calm them down. “Did the big scary beast frighten you? It’s okay now. He’s no longer here.”

“What was that!? Not even the biggest and meanest Demon Boars were that terrifying!” Fir exclaimed.

“Nothing for you to worry about. He’s simply on his way to Ireland.”

“Iwewand?” Fial murmured, then glanced at her brother with fear in her eyes. “Fir… Do you weawize what this means?”

“Yeah. It’s where Connla was heading.”

“Is she weally gonna be okay?”

“I… don’t know…”

The bird leaned in and asked, “Connla? Who might that be?”

“She’s our friend,” Fir said, then explained everything that happened in the last few days.

“I see… I see…” the animal murmured. However, she actually wasn’t surprised to hear the twins’ tale of their mystery friend who had run away from the Land of Shadows. In fact, she already knew everything that was going on, and repressed a light chuckle.

This is getting interesting real fast. Wouldn’t you say so, my dear Taoide Olc?

Further down south of Loch Awe, a grand figure clad in dark tattered clothing rushed along the wild trails like an oncoming thunderstorm. Any animals that sensed his presence instantly fled the area, as if they were serfs making way for their king’s ostentatious procession, and would be threatened with execution if they interfered.

The ‘man’, if one could call him that anymore, landed upon a high cliff looking over Scotland’s southwestern territories, with Sgaradh not too far off in the horizon. Ever since he claimed Scathach’s authority over the Land of Shadows, his original appearance was further warped into something far too demonic for him to be referred to as a human being anymore. While his head and torso remained humanoid, his arms and legs had warped into black scaly limbs reminiscent of a dragon standing on its hind feet. He donned a blood-red crown over his hood, and additional silver pauldrons on his shoulders in reference to his original self as the Hound of Ulster.

He was no longer the Cuchulainn that anyone in Ireland would recognize anymore. He was now Taoide Olc, the King of the Abyssal Depths who carved a path of utter destruction and chaos wherever he went.

He hunched down on all fours while wielding Gae Bolg as he stared out into the distance. He knew what his destination was… but not so much his goal. He definitely had two objectives in mind. The trouble was that he didn’t know which one to prioritize. He pressed his free hand against his opposite arm, which was still wrapped in a layer of bloodied bandages. The only semblance of humanity left in his soul were the wrappings that Connla had covered his previous wounds with. As much as he had transformed into a creature of unfathomable terror and chaos, he couldn’t bring himself to take them off. To him, they represented the first act of kindness he had ever received in far too many years.

That was why he had so much difficulty deciding what to do from here. His ultimate goal in this world was to destroy Medb. That much was certain. However, meeting Connla seemed to change something in him. He had deduced that Scathach had trained her to eliminate the Tree of Emptiness, though he figured it was a waste of time. How could such a small child hope to singlehandedly handle an alien entity that had drowned the rest of the world? Alas, the girl seemed determined to go through with it, and he couldn’t allow it.

But then, why wouldn’t he allow it in the first place? He was certain she would fail, meaning she wasn’t really a threat to his plans. As far as he should care, she was insignificant. Yet, he couldn’t get her out of his mind. Scathach was Connla’s mentor, after all. Maybe she had taught her something that he wasn’t aware of. He didn’t want to risk allowing his arrogance to get the better of him when he had come so far to be Medb’s worst enemy. What would he do with Connla should he find her then? Kill her? Weaken her? Or take her back to the Land of Shadows and imprison her in the castle?

Cuchulainn was certain of one thing – he didn’t want to kill Connla. He had learned so much about her from their short chat that he didn’t want to slay her just because she was an inconvenience to him. Her life had already been unfair enough to this point, and he didn’t want to snuff out any chance she had of finding a better future for herself.

For all of his monstrous and inhuman appearance inspiring fear in others, maybe… he was scared…

He was scared of Connla meeting Medb.

That had to be it.

He was terrified of such an innocent girl encountering the worst queen in all of human history. Connla certainly was cute, and he was aware of how much Medb loved people she found to be adorable. Medb might find Connla so charming that she would engage in severe ‘cute abuse’. Maybe she would expose her to the same nightmare he had endured so long ago. The child had already been so horrifically beaten by her own mother enough as it was, distorting her perspective of the world around her. Cuchulainn would never forgive himself if he allowed her to be subjected to such despicable acts all over again.

He narrowed his eyes and grit his teeth. He had made up his mind.

Without a word, he leapt high off the cliff and plummeted into the forest far below.

For the next three days, Conall and Connla continued on their journey southwest to Galway. The first day saw them pass by Armagh before camping out in the wilderness. On the second day, they reached the outskirts of Roscommon. The final day was when they would reach the hills of Castlegar, a small farming hamlet just outside Galway’s borders where Conall’s parents lived.

While they were taking break during the afternoon of the first day, Conall said to Connla, “Well, now that we’ve put Belfast’s excitement behind us, I think now’s as good a chance as any for me to ask what your business is in Ireland.”

“My business?” she wondered.

“Yeah. I can’t get over how you want to meet someone as important as Fergus mac Roich when you don’t even know your way around the country. Did something happen in Scotland that forced you to leave?”

“Well… it’s kind of a long story.”

“We’ve got tons of time. Might as well lay it on me while we’re adventuring buddies, right?”

“I guess so. I’m just not sure how much you’ll believe me, though.”

“Try me. After having such a rowdy foster brother like mine, it’s difficult to surprise me anymore.”

With that, Connla proceeded to tell Conall of her upbringing in Dun Scaith, and of the strange man she met who made even her normally stoic teacher panic. She had trouble explaining why she was forced to leave her home so suddenly, but she was sure it had something to do with the mystery fellow. Everything she said piqued his interest, but one thing stood out in his mind.

“I see. So you’re Scathach’s pupil?” he murmured.

“Yes,” she nodded. “I’m sure you don’t believe me, seeing as how I still look like a child even though I lived there for 15 years.”

“Hmm… I do find it hard to believe that a kid like you would be that demon-woman’s student. Yet, it also kind of explains why you’re so smart despite your age. I’ve heard rumors of how time is all warped and funky in that place. Is that true?”

“It is. Time does not advance in Dun Scaith whatsoever. It’s a world of perpetual stagnation where the dead roam aimlessly, while those who are alive can exist for so long that they cease to be human if they’re not careful with maintaining their sanity. It’s an extremely harsh place, meaning you always have to live for combat every moment of your life. I entered the Land of Shadows when I was seven, and stayed there ever since the Celtic Isles rose from the earth 15 years ago.”

“So technically speaking, you’re 22 years old now?”

“That’s right.”

“Damn. That’s just downright uncanny,” Conall raised an eyebrow. “If that’s true, then I feel kinda bad for treating you like a little brat until now.”

“It’s okay. I don’t expect anyone to see me as an adult when I must look so small and weak to them.”

“Still, that must be tough, having to pretend to be a child when you’re really an adult.”

“I’m fine, really. There’s no helping how the Land of Shadows operates. I’m more surprised that you’re just taking my word for it. I thought you’d be demanding for some kind of proof by now.”

“I guess so,” he agreed as he stood up and slowly withdrew his sword from its scabbard. “All right then. How does a duel sound to you?”

Connla glanced up at him perplexedly. “A duel?”

“If Scathach really was your combat instructor, then accepting my challenge should be a piece of cake, right? Not to the death, of course. I just want to see what you’re capable of.”

She stood up and brandished her spear. “Are there any victory conditions I should be aware of?”

“Let’s see… How about whoever knocks the other’s weapon out of their hands first.”

She nodded, then backed away from him and got into her combat stance. He did the same, and they stared into each other’s eyes fiercely. Already, he could tell how serious she was. Her amicable disposition seemed to vanish in an instant, replaced by someone far different than he expected. He didn’t want to think he had picked on the wrong person, but he couldn’t shake that feeling all of a sudden.

Without thinking, Connla initiated the duel by running toward Conall and engaging in a straightforward yet high-speed clash of blades. He was used to being on the offensive, but this time decided to hold out defensibly to gauge what her capabilities and fighting style were. She was definitely quick, but had to rely on pinpoint critical strikes rather than try to overcome him with brute force. Considering her small stature, he wasn’t surprised she would use such an obvious tactic. However, her unusual height also made it awkward for him to strike back since he wasn’t used to fighting someone so short.

He swung his sword horizontally, coming dangerously close to slicing deep into her cheek. She threw her body and head back, narrowly avoiding the strike before calmly executing a roundhouse kick that struck his lower abdomen. He stumbled aside, and she stabbed at his sword-wielding hand. He raised it out of the way in time and pushed on her back, making her stumble past him. She almost fell onto her face, but managed to tumble safely along the grass and get back up just as he was coming for her.

Connla sprung onto her feet as Conall swept low, kicking his face to disorient him before vaulting backwards onto a nearby tree. She hopped off to gain some height, planted her spear’s blade into the ground, then soared in an arc over him before swinging down as hard as she could. He parried her by slashing in a wide crescent motion with all his might. The sheer force of their clashing weapons sent her spear sailing straight upwards out of her hands while landing several feet away from him.

He smirked, believing he had won as he charged in to restrain her. However, she effortlessly snatched a slingshot and some Runestones out of her skirt pocket before firing multiple rounds in quick succession, barely losing her fighting rhythm. Each pebble exploded around him thanks to them being charged with tiny Ansuz Runes, forcing him to knock aside several shots. This slowed him down enough for her to calmly retrieve her spinning polearm before it could hit the ground and she slashed at his sword multiple times, not allowing him to regain his bearings.

“Teyah!” he roared, slashing so fiercely that he cut clean into the same tree from before. She jumped backwards over the attack and grabbed a thin branch from the falling trunk, then spun around it like a gymnast before letting go and twirling her body a few times. She up-righted herself and conjured a Ken Rune, blasting a small gust of air at his extended hand holding the sword. It detonated with a sharp crack sound, causing him to fall on his buttocks and grab his wrist in pain. The sword shot out of his grasp and planted itself upside-down in the dirt nearby. She landed between him and the blade to bar him from grabbing it, and she pointed her spear at his chin before he even realized what happened.

“Cor blimey!” Conall exclaimed and threw his hands up. “I resign! This victory is yours!”

Connla remained in her combat stance, but didn’t move as she watched him get back up and dust himself off. He picked up his sword and shoved it back into the scabbard as he said, “All right, missy. I can tell you’ve got the makings of a great warrior. Scathach certainly trained you well.”

Once she realized the fight was over, she lowered her weapon and exhaled a deep sigh. She plopped her rear on a tree stump and gasped, “Haah… No matter how much I fight, it always seems to take a lot out of me.”

“No kidding. A girl of your petite stature really shouldn’t be having scraps with burly dudes like me. I guess that’s why your style involves finishing fights as quickly as possible.”

“More or less.”

“But hey, that means I have confidence in suggesting you should sign up for the tournament.”

She raised an eyebrow in curiosity. “Tournament?”

“Oh, didn’t I mention it?” he asked as he sat next to her. “I’m actually heading to Galway to take part in the Queen’s Champion Tournament being held there.”

“What is that supposed to be?”

“It’s a competition that Medb holds once in a while to determine who the next Queen’s Champion will be. The winner will be scouted as one of her strongest soldiers, being given perks the likes of which you could only dream of. I’ve been honing my skills in preparation for the next tournament, and now it’s finally time for me to show them what I’m made of.”

“Is that why you were in Sgaradh when we met? To do some training?”

“You got it. I was hanging out in Belfast providing the locals there with protection from wild animals in exchange for food and lodging. That’s why I got to know Declan and Eabha so well – they allowed me to stay at their place to protect their cows from stray wolves.”

“I see.”

Conall stood up and grunted in consternation. “Still, to have to go to the heart of Connacht itself… Just the thought makes every ounce of bile rise up in my throat. If I had it my way, I’d gladly have it held in Armagh or Antrim.”

Connla tilted her head and murmured, “You really don’t like Connacht, do you?”

“Damn straight. Their royalty can especially go screw themselves. After what that bitch did to utterly humiliate Ulster, I’ll never forgive her or anyone involved with her.”

“But the tournament’s reward is to be one of the queen’s finest soldiers. Doesn’t that contradict with your hatred for Connacht?”

“Yeah, it does. I wrestled with the thought for a really long time. Finally, I decided that with how everything’s going to shit, I decided to swallow my feelings and go make a name for myself. I want to do some good for the people, and I figured that being a Champion would allow me more freedom to reach any civilians in trouble. Being a Champion carries with it the reputation of being the long arm of justice, and I’ve witnessed more than enough tragedy and suffering to want to bring some semblance of stability to this mad world.”

“So it’s not about serving the queen, but rather the people.”

“Right. Tragedies like with Declan and Eabha are so common that many folks have given up hope of the nobility giving a rat’s ass about their welfare. I want to make a difference somehow, even if it winds up only being a little in the end.”

Connla thought about what Conall was saying and silently agreed with him. Even though she had only been in Ireland for such a short time, seeing two suicides in less than 24 hours was enough for her to make the same decision as to how she wanted to live her life. She dreaded to think of how many similarly terrible events Conall had witnessed in his time to be so determined, especially when it came to the so-called pre-Dublin era that he explained to her earlier.

She then said, “So once we reach Galway, I’ll be looking for Fergus while you enter the tournament.”

“I hate to break it to you, but I don’t think you’ll have much luck with meeting the king on your own,” he admitted. “Even without it being so busy right now, he’s often preoccupied with royal duties and thus doesn’t accept audiences for anyone except the most prestigious of Connacht’s druids.”

“Oh. That’s going to be a problem. Teacher told me that I have to see him as soon as possible.”

“That’s why I suggested you entered the tournament. If you wallop as many opponents as you can in such a public forum, he’s bound to notice that you’re her student just from your fighting style.”

“Hmm,” she pondered his idea for a moment. “That doesn’t sound like a bad idea. The thing is, are they going to allow a girl of my age to enter?”

“Ugh… Good point,” he scratched his head. “They do have an age restriction. I mean, there is the Boy-Troop division, but even that’s only for boys anywhere between 10 to 16. Those kids wouldn’t last five seconds against your skills, meaning you’d have no way of demonstrating your real potential to Fergus. It’s also rare for females to enter the tournament since warrior women are not as common in Ireland as they are in Scotland.”

Both of them mulled over how to solve this quandary. They went through a few ideas, but none of them were feasible so long as she appeared as young as she did.

Suddenly, Conall snapped his fingers and exclaimed with a broad grin, “That’s it!”

“Huh? What’s it?” Connla asked.

“A sponsor! If we could convince a nobleman to vouch for your skills, you would be able to get around the age restriction!”

“Would that really work?”

“Sure! I know the right guy for it too! We’ll have to carry on like usual, but then stop in Castlegar just outside Galway. It’d be perfect, since my folks live in the area and we can do some training in their fields.”

“Well, I really don’t know what you’re talking about, so I’ll just have to trust you.”

“Don’t worry about a thing. The old coot may pretend to hate guests, but he actually loves having them over. Too bad I can’t say the same for his dogs,” Conall said as he eagerly began trotting along the path.

She grew curious as she muttered, “… Dogs?”

Chapter Text

FATE/CURADH BEAG

“Little Champion”

Chapter 9: Progress in Galway

The late afternoon sunshine soon gave way to the dimming early evening hours, painting the sky with a gorgeous gradient of pinks, oranges and purples. The blood-red sun started to set by the time Conall and Connla reached a particular estate situated in the small hamlet of Castlegar just northeast of Galway. It had been two days since they agreed on their plan to find a sponsor for her, but now that they were finally at this nobleman’s secluded home, Connla was starting to feel a strong sense of trepidation.

“Uwah,” she gasped nervously.

The front gate loomed over them, and the yard between the gate and manor was populated by several large hounds possessing the meanest glares in their beady black eyes. The darkening atmosphere didn’t help to ease the young girl’s anxiety. Connla hid behind Conall, who didn’t appear perturbed by the sight of these vicious canines. One of the dogs noticed her and started barking wildly between throaty growls, as if the animal was commanding her to leave the premises. Once one started making noise, it didn’t take much for the others to howl along.

“Whoa there!” Conall exclaimed. “Usually these guys are quite docile!”

“Maybe I should go somewhere else,” Connla murmured. “I don’t want to make them angry or anything.”

“Relax. They’ll warm up to you soon enough. They’re just doing their job of keeping this place safe for their owner. Speaking of which…”

The front door swung open, and an elderly man shouted at the top of his lungs, “SILENCE!”

The dogs immediately ceased their pell-mell and scattered about the grounds. The man approached the two warriors, having to take his time since he needed to use a cane to get about. He opened the gate, then said, “I’m surprised to see you here, Conall. I thought you would be busy with your training right now.”

“I know, but something’s come up,” Conall replied sheepishly. He put a hand behind his head and muttered, “Sorry if I being unreasonable here, but I met up with this kid who says she’s from Scotland, and she doesn’t have anywhere to stay. Think she could crash with you for a bit?”

“Hm?” the old man mumbled and stared at Connla. “Who is she, some kind of runaway?”

“Not at all. She’s a pupil of Scathach’s who just arrived here from the Land of Shadows.”

The old man threw his head back and laughed. “Pah hah hah hah! Don’t make fun of me, boy! How can a petite waif like her be a student to that demoness!?”

“I’m not joking! She proved herself to me in combat earlier!”

“Bollocks. How could she last against one of this country’s finest warriors and earn his trust so easily?”

“Oh, believe me, I had my doubts when she first said who she was, but she wound up handing my hide back to me without batting an eyelash! I dare say, if there was a way for us to travel through time, she’d give young Setanta a run for his money! If you don’t believe me, sic one of your boys on her! Just don’t go crying to me if you wind up losing one of your pups like you did back then! Heh heh!”

“Ghh…”

“Um,” Connla murmured hesitantly. “I’m kind of lagging behind in this conversation.”

“Oops, my bad,” Conall smirked. “This geezer is Culann, a smith who likes to coop himself up in his workshop 24/7. If you can’t tell already, he likes dogs more than even people.”

“Hmph!” the old man snorted. “At least dogs aren’t capable of betrayal, unlike most people I know. I swear, this country is a total mess because of that conniving harlot Medb. If we hadn’t lost the Cattle Raid, I’m sure we’d still be independent from Connacht!”

“Sorry, gramps, but the kid’s a little out of touch with the goings-on of Ulster. I’ve agreed to let her be my training partner, but she kinda needs to get up to speed with what happened back then. I can’t exactly bring her to my place since we’re already short on space, so I thought she could stay here for a bit. Dad always says that whenever you actually do have guests, you’ll flap your jaw like the world is about to end tomorrow or something. I figured you’d be perfect for getting her caught up with our history.”

“What do you think this is, a public lodge? I’m not going to loan even an inch of space to someone I’ve never met before, child or not!”

“Quit being so stubborn, pops! Does this little squirt look like someone who would cause trouble for you?” Conall playfully asked as he kneeled behind the bewildered Connla and tugged her cheeks. “Besides, it’s only going to be for about a week. Once the tournament’s done, we’ll get out of your hair before you know it.”

Culann grunted again, then shifted his eyes down so that they met Connla’s. After sizing her up for a bit, he then said, “Only on one condition.”

“What would that be?” she asked.

“Show me your weapon.”

Although perplexed, the girl brandished her spear and passed it to Culann. Conall smacked his forehead and muttered, “Ah, here we go…”

Connla glanced up at him and wondered, “Is something the matter?”

“The old man will recognize other people, but only if he spends time examining how well their weapons have been used. If I were you, I’d grab a pillow or something, ‘cause he loves taking his sweet time. There was one time where he spent an entire week appraising a warrior’s sword, only to turn him away.”

“Oh, dear. If that’s the case, maybe it would be better if I stayed at your place. I can always sleep in the barn, or even outside if needed.”

“No way! A growing girl like you needs her proper sleep! I’ll make sure you get a bed, even if it means you have to sleep on my back!”

“You don’t really need to go that far.”

Suddenly, Culann interrupted them by plainly stating, “Fine. I’ll let you in.”

“Whoa-!?” Conall yelped, appearing genuinely surprised. “That was quick!”

“Don’t be a fool. I know quality when I see it, and this weapon has obviously seen more than seven years’ worth of combat despite being only wielded by one person for its entire lifetime. If you say the girl is from the Land of Shadows, then I’m inclined to believe you. It’s the only possible explanation for the peculiar way this spear has been handled. To be honest, it’s piqued my curiosity more than I anticipated. I’ve got a lot of questions to ask the child, and she better be ready to answer them.”

“Can we consider this a fair trade then?” Connla asked. “I satisfy your curiosity, in exchange for allowing me to stay here and explaining everything you know about Ulster.”

“Sounds good to me.”

Conall muttered, “Well, well… That worked out faster than I expected. I’ll come pick you up tomorrow and we can spar some more in the fields, okay?”

Connla nodded, and the warrior took his leave to return to Galway. Culann allowed her inside, and he showed her to a spare room she could use. He was already making some stew for himself, so he split some of it with her as they conversed at the dinner table. She explained her situation regarding needing to meet with Fergus, and that she sought Culann’s help as her sponsor for the tournament.

The blacksmith chortled heartily as he remarked, “Poh hoh hoh hoh! Imagine that! A pint-sized ankle biter like you giving those muscle-brained brutes the runaround in such a public forum! The thought alone makes me want to sign you up!”

“So you’ll do it?” she asked eagerly.

“The nicks and notches in your weapon told me everything I needed to know. I’d be a fool not to support a warrior of such talent at this point.”

“Thank you so much! Now I’m one huge step closer to meeting with the king!”

“Bah! That’s just the easy part. You still gotta do the hard part yourself.”

“I know. I’d disappoint Teacher if I didn’t take it seriously. But still, I can’t help but think about what Conall said about you being stubborn with recognizing others. What made you change your mind so quickly?”

Culann sighed and closed his eyes as he lost himself in deep thought. Soon, he said, “In my experience, there’s only one person I know who has handled a spear the same way you do. It was a long time ago by now, but I remember watching young Setanta fight my hound while wielding his polearm in the same manner as you. It was uncanny and brutal, yet there seemed to be a kind of beauty to it as well.”

“I heard Conall say that name before. Who exactly is this Setanta person?” Connla wondered.

“Just an upstart of a boy, who was born to King Conchobhar’s sister Deichtine. Among all of the Red Branch’s boy-troop, that lad was particularly energetic and unmatched in any sort of contest you threw at him. He was probably around your age when I accidentally locked him out of the manor after Conchobhar asked me to invite him, and he wound up slaying one of my dogs just to try and get inside.”

“Wow… So you’re saying I fight the same way that Setanta did?”

“No doubt about it. You don’t seem to be as spirited and brash as he was, but your talent speaks volumes nonetheless. That’s exactly why I’ve allowed you to stay here, so long as you answer this question,” Culann said as he glared fiercely at her. “You wouldn’t happen to be a relative of his, would you?”

“Of Setanta’s?” she murmured, then frowned hard. “I really don’t know. After my mother’s death, my aunt Scathach essentially adopted and raised me in the Land of Shadows. Neither of them told me anything about my father.”

“I see. So the possibility is there, but you simply don’t know.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t be of more help to you,” Connla apologized. “As far as me fighting the same way as this Setanta fellow, maybe that’s just a coincidence.”

“Hmph,” Culann grunted and sat back. “I don’t believe in coincidences. Far as I know or care, everything has a reason.”

“Then maybe Teacher taught me so that I would mimic him?”

“For what purpose?”

“Well…”

Both of them were at a loss for how to advance this conversation. Culann grew frustrated and grumbled, “Bah! All of this thinking and talking is making me tired! You’ve got a long week ahead of you, so make the most of my hospitality while you can!”

“Of course,” she said, then prepared to head to her room. “I’ll be out training with Conall for the day tomorrow. Will your dogs be agitated if I approach the gate again?”

“Not to worry. I’ll train them to recognize your scent,” he said as he borrowed one of her gloves. As he took off her right glove though, he noticed the ring on her thumb. Growing curious, he suddenly uttered, “Let me see that.”

“Huh?” she mumbled and brought her hand closer to him.

“Hm… Hmmm… A Bloodstone ring, hm? Interesting.”

“Mother said that my father left it for me.”

Culann immediately became quiet when he heard that. He quickly faced away from her and muttered, “I see. Well, you get yourself to bed already.”

She nodded, but appeared unsure as to why he was behaving so strangely. Once she left for her room, the elderly man finally exhaled a deep breath he had been holding in to help compose himself.

Unbelievable. The patterns on that ring are the same as Setanta’s tattoos. Furthermore, Bloodstone rings are very expensive and can only be made with the blood of a true warrior. There’s no way this is just a mere coincidence. That Connla girl has to have Setanta’s blood in her. I just know it…

Chaldea

Cuchulainn Alter kept his eyes focused solely on the monitor displaying Connla’s vision. He was so silent that it spooked Aibi. Of course, she understood why he seemed so intimidating in this moment – he was seeing the home of Culann, the man whose name became part of his famous moniker. He was probably experiencing pangs of nostalgia the likes of which no one could fathom.

However, Aibi was more worried about how dangerous the alternate Cuchulainn was and what it was going to mean for the Lostbelt’s Connla. It was especially troubling that neither of them knew their relationship to the other, but that it was only a matter of time before the truth would be revealed. Most likely in an overly dramatic fashion as well, given the Heroic Spirit Connla’s horrific luck stat.

Aibi stood off to the side with her head lowered and her expression glum. Nearby, Gilgamesh noticed her apprehension and frowned slightly. Unlike the other two, he was thoroughly enjoying this epic-length ‘movie’, always eager to see how this story’s twists and turns would be resolved. Yet, he couldn’t fully engross himself in the spectacle if he knew that Aibi was feeling uncomfortable. She was the whole reason he got involved in this mess to begin with, and it annoyed him that she would behave as timidly as her younger counterpart. He expected her to have a bit more confidence in herself given that she had lived a longer life than many other Connlas ever would have, and had displayed a sort of sassy side to him in their previous conversations. Right now though, she was showing that same sullen expression of dismay and self-reproach, and it irritated him so much that he had to say something.

“Aibi,” Gilgamesh said, “cease your fretting at once. It is becoming an eyesore.”

“Oh…” she glanced at him and rubbed her cheeks to ‘wipe off’ the expression. “My apologies. I just have a lot on my mind.”

“Tell me something new. You always look like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders. Relax a little. There’s nothing any of us can do to influence the outcome of that Lostbelt, so just enjoy the show.”

“Easy for you to say. I’m literally watching a counterpart living in what is essentially hell on Earth. If it wasn’t for that accursed Tree of Emptiness or whatever, that timeline would not be existing right now. Honestly… what in the world would that thing gain out of keeping such a doomed world alive on what is basically life support? It’s that thing’s fault that my counterpart is in such a perilous situation! I simply cannot understand it!”

“I told you to calm yourself,” Gilgamesh told her tersely. “The fact that you are flailing about in such a panic demonstrates that you have no faith in her abilities.”

“But-!”

Suddenly, Aibi felt Cuchulainn’s hand touch her shoulder. They stared at each other for a moment, before he murmured in a deep voice, “Settle down.”

“…”

“I know that all of this is upsetting to you, and that you wish you could do something. But we have to let things run their course. If we tried to interfere in any way, it might cause more stress for Geal. It’s possible that all of this has already happened, and what we’re witnessing is just a record. It means that no matter how frightening or dangerous this other world may be, we can rest easy knowing that it’s already been resolved.”

“… You think that’s the case?”

“I don’t know for sure. It’s just what I choose to believe in, so that I can focus on looking after Geal. Record or not, such a vision must be putting her under plenty of duress, and I want to make sure she comes back to us with her sanity intact.”

Aibi’s nerves began to calm down as she listened to Cuchulainn’s logic. She took a deep breath, then said, “You’re right. I’m sorry for behaving so erratically. I really should be observing Geal’s vitals, shouldn’t I?”

“Exactly. If you’re really sorry, then get back to your job.”

“Of course.”

With that, the chamber fell into silence once more. Now though, Gilgamesh noticed that Aibi looked more relaxed and professional than before, and he smirked lightly.

I suppose a father knows best, hm?

Galway, Connacht

After finishing her breakfast the following morning, Connla waited outside to meet up with Conall. Once they were ready, they headed for Galway about an hour’s walk away. Their plan was to make sure she could enter the tournament before doing any sort of serious training. She brought a letter of recommendation that Culann prepared for her during the night, along with some money he gave her to cover the registration fees. From there, it would be all up to the officials to make the final decision.

As the pair passed through the gates of Ireland’s capital city, Connla stared around at the numerous stone buildings, clean brick roads, and crowds of people ambling about. The townsfolk had embellished the local neighborhoods with various decorations and flowers. Several bards had set up themselves on various street corners and were either singing songs or telling tales for small donations. The bright colors and lively sounds were all brand new experiences to her, who was only used to living out in the quiet wilderness.

“Hey, stop staring so much, or people will think you’re some kind of yokel,” Conall chided.

“I’m sorry. This just seems a little overwhelming to me. I thought Galway would be like Belfast, but they couldn’t be any more different.”

“True, the towns built closer to the isle’s coastlines are more like Belfast. Those that are more inland tend to fare a bit better. Since this is Ireland’s capital city though, it’d make sense that everything would be bigger and louder than anywhere else.”

She couldn’t say much else as she gazed around at everything and everyone around her. He couldn’t blame her for being so fascinated, but was worried that she would be pointed out as some kind of weirdo by the children. He guided her through the quieter streets until they reached the coliseum located next to the castle in the center of the city, which looked over the majestic River Corrib. Connla noted how the river was surprisingly plentiful with water compared to the other rivers and lakes she had seen during the journey through Ireland. That alone told her why Galway was so much different compared to Belfast and other near-abandoned farming hamlets she saw. It was as if all of Ireland’s life and culture was concentrated in this one spot, and the rest was being left to rot. She couldn’t help but think of the tragedy lurking behind such a beautiful sight, and she sighed despondently.

“Hey, look lively. We’re almost there,” Conall told her as they approached the coliseum’s entrance.

“O-Oh, yes,” Connla snapped to attention and followed him inside. They passed by a pair of stoic and burly-looking red-haired soldiers flanking the main entrance, and she couldn’t resist gazing at them intently for a moment. As soon as the pair were out of earshot, she asked Conall, “Um, those men… They wouldn’t happen to be some of the Queen’s Champions, would they?”

“Those guys?” he raised an eyebrow. “No, they’re the Red Branch Braves, Queen Medb’s personal troops. They’re mainly stationed in Galway, though there are some Braves who patrol the local areas. They’re so fiercely loyal to Medb that it borders on inhuman. No one dares to mess with those guys, considering that one is enough to defeat 100 ordinary men.”

“So what’s the point of deciding on a Queen’s Champion if she already has these Braves obeying her?”

“The Braves are simply responsible for protecting Galway. The Champions are Medb’s representatives throughout all of Ireland, and can handle political matters in Scotland for her. Think of the Champions as politicians with immense physical prowess, while the Braves are dumb brutes who can only follow their queen’s basic commands.”

“Dumb brutes, huh?” she murmured curiously as she glanced back at the silent soldiers.

“What’s wrong? You scared of them?”

“Not really. It’s just that I sensed magical energy emanating from them.”

“Magical energy?” he muttered. “You mean like Rune magic?”

“I’m not sure…”

Conall had no idea what Connla was talking about. He wanted to prod her for more answers, but realized it was their turn to approach the receptionist. He took care of his own registration first, which was easy enough. He even made small talk with the workers there once they recognized the name Conall Cernach as belonging to a notorious wandering swordsman. Once it came to Connla’s application, that was when things quickly became complicated.

“I’m sorry, what was that?” the attendant asked in disbelief. “You said you wanted the girl to enter as well?”

“What, did I stutter? That’s exactly what I said,” Conall retorted.

“I’m sorry, but we don’t allow applicants below 10 years old, and even then they have to be male to participate in the Boy-Troop division.”

“I know that. It’s just that she has a letter of recommendation from the blacksmith Culann. The rules state that you’re not allowed to ignore a sponsor’s endorsement, regardless of who the participant may be.”

The clerk mumbled as he read through the letter to verify its authenticity, then said, “It certainly looks genuine. It’s just that… well, it’d be difficult to allow such a young child to enter a tournament when the dangers are so blatantly obvious.”

“Yeah, I get that. But I can personally vouch for her skill. If you don’t believe me, why not allow for a short exhibition match so your superiors can see for themselves?”

The employees glanced at each other hesitantly. They certainly didn’t want to disobey Culann’s wishes, but they also didn’t want to lose their jobs (if not their lives) over such a flagrant breach of the rules. Besides, if Connla were allowed to participate, what sort of precedent would that set? How would it impact the young children watching? How would their parents react? As far as they were concerned, it was a potential scandal just asking to unfold.

While everyone was mulling over what to do, that was when a man’s booming voice declared, “Halt.”

One of the Red Branch Braves stationed nearby as a guard approached them. Connla stared up at him, her head just barely reaching his waist. She was starting to get the sinking feeling that maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all.

“Sir!” the clerk jolted.

“I come with orders from the queen. While the child will not be allowed to participate in the primaries, she may demonstrate her capabilities in a private after-hours exhibition for Queen Medb.”

Everyone was stunned to hear this. Conall blurted, “R-Really?”

“All is according to the queen’s will.”

“What the hell!? How does she know what’s going on!? I don’t see her anywhere!”

“Galway and Queen Medb are one and the same. Anything and everything that happens in these walls are privy to her knowledge.”

“What a load of bullsh-!”

“No foul language is allowed within these halls, under penalty of imprisonment.”

“Gh!”

As the two men argued, Connla contemplated the magical energy she sensed from the Brave and thought, Maybe these soldiers are connected to the queen somehow? Teacher did mention that Ireland’s ruler is pretty powerful in her own right.

“Well then…” the clerk muttered, trying to break through this awkward conversation. “If that is what Queen Medb wishes, then we can arrange for a private nighttime exhibition match that Miss Connla can participate in.”

“Will Lord Fergus be present?” she asked.

“Naturally. He’s one of the main judges for the tournament. Of course you won’t be competing for the Champion’s title, but perhaps another opportunity may present itself if you perform really well.”

She nodded exuberantly. She wasn’t really interested in any of this Queen’s Champion business anyway. In the end, she only cared about meeting Fergus, and this was her chance to prove to him that she was Scathach’s pupil. What baffled her was why the queen would go out of her way to host a match when she had never seen Connla before. That question kept plaguing her mind as Conall finished their business in the coliseum. They left to have some lunch in town, then went out into the fields to practice some swordplay for the remainder of the day.

At the same time as Conall and Connla finished registering, Medb opened her eyes and beamed an unusual smile that bewildered Fergus. She had been resting in her chambers observing the comings and goings in Galway through her Braves’ eyes, which always took a substantial amount of her energy. Fergus sat next to her on the bed and noticed how strangely pleased she looked as she woke up.

“Well now,” he remarked. “This is not a sight I often see. What has gotten you in such a delighted mood, my queen?”

“He he he,” she chuckled. “Oh, nothing much. I happened to spot the prolific swordsman Conall Cernach signing up for the tournament.”

“Oh ho. So he’s finally decided to show up this time. I’m aware of his fervent disdain for Connacht, and of how he ignored all the other times we held such contests. I wonder what made him change his mind.”

“I don’t know, and I don’t really care. His presence isn’t what has caught my attention.”

“No? Then what else did you see?”

Medb proceeded to explain about the strange lavender-haired girl who had been recommended by Culann, known for refusing to sponsor any warriors for the tournament in past years. Fergus’ expression shifted to one of curiosity as he heard about the special exhibition match set for this girl. He eventually asked, “So what prompted you to grant such a privilege to a child warrior you’ve never seen before?”

“It’s true that this is my first time seeing her,” Medb admitted. “However, Scathach told me that she’s been taking care of only one pupil throughout the past 15 years – her own niece, Connla. When I heard that name, and the fact that the stubborn old goat Culann recommended her, I knew I had to step in. If I don’t ascertain that Scathach’s claims are true, I might drive myself crazy knowing I let a potential Champion slip from my grasp.”

Fergus hummed to himself in contemplation. It didn’t sit right with him that she would arrange such a thing behind his back, so he had to trust that she knew what she was doing. He knew how dangerous Celtic warriors tended to be, and with the prospect of being treated as nobility on the line, he knew many fighters would resort to extreme measures to win such a once-in-a-lifetime prize. He didn’t want to recall how brutal and uncivilized the previous tournaments had been – poisoning meals, stealing participants’ weapons, hostages being taken, allies betraying each other, outright murder, and general bloodshed all around. Despite the merriment that Galway enjoyed, there was no denying how horrific these contests wound up being in the end. It was less about who the strongest was, and more about who the most underhanded and savage bastard was.

This tournament was going to be different. Fergus absolutely refused to allow such mayhem to run rampant anymore, meaning this event would have much stricter rules than before. If anyone attempted to commit any sort of crimes like that, they would be outright banned from participating. He was glad that this unknown girl would have a private forum where she could demonstrate her skills without being exposed to such violence, but it also made him worry about who her potential opponent would be.

“Is something the matter, Fergus?” Medb asked her partner. “Does this go against the stringent rules you’ve been working so hard to enforce?”

“Not at all. I’m happy to see you’re being so gracious towards a potential competitor. I guess I’m just concerned about ironing out the details for something so unconventional.”

“If there’s anything we Celts pride ourselves for, it’s our ability to adapt. I’m sure you’ll think of something fantastic, my love.”

“You got it.”

Three days later…

“HRAAAGH!”

Conall unleashed his mightiest war cry as he swung his sword hard against his opponent’s weapon, knocking it clean out of his hands. The much larger brute reeled back in astonishment and grabbed his arm, feeling stunned from practically all of his muscles and blood vessels vibrating under the strain. He was so shocked by his diminutive opponent’s surprising strength that he simply couldn’t believe how it was possible. He fell to one knee and snarled, indicating to the excited crowd that he was defeated, and that Conall stood victorious once again.

This particular day saw the tournament’s semifinals bracket of Ireland’s best warriors fighting it out in the finest displays of swordsmanship they could demonstrate. Thanks to Fergus’ influence, there were strict rules to not allow for wanton bloodshed and/or violence, which made the competition palatable for families with young children to observe in the stands. Various noblemen from across the Connacht, Munster and Leinster provinces took the best seats and entertained themselves by placing bets on the various fighters. Many had their sights set on Conall Cernach, who had gained quite the reputation for himself throughout the years as an unmatched swordsman who feared no one.

Not only was Conall an amazing fighter in his own right, he had trained with Connla over the last few days. Even during his time off the tournament, the pair would head straight for the plains and duel each other in some of the most intense matches he had ever faced. Compared to Connla’s refined skills and cleverness, these other warriors seemed like total chumps to him. Whether it was with swords, spears or martial arts, no one could beat this stubborn man with the crooked neck, and he advanced to the finals bracket as practically everyone expected.

In the rafters, Connla watched as Conall disarmed his latest opponent. Unlike most people who just enjoyed the spectacle of it all, she observed all of the contestants with the keen eye of a seasoned fighter, using her knowledge and insights on how the men and boy warriors handled themselves to judge how likely their chances were. She could already tell that Conall would have an easy time with this fighter due to him obviously using his bulky musculature to intimidate others rather than genuinely train to be a warrior. Heck, if she were to partake in the nobles’ betting games, she would be richer than she ever imagined.

Alas, Connla kept her thoughts to herself and watched the tournament in silence. The tournament’s third day was wrapping up, and Conall advanced as one of the four final fighters. She left her seat, slipped through the back entrance, and hurried to the resting area to reunite with him.

As he rubbed his forehead dry of sweat, he spotted his friend approaching and said, “There you are.”

“Congratulations,” she said. “I was confident you would make it, but I had no idea how tough the competition would be.”

“Meh. It was all right. Good enough for a workout, at least.”

“I wouldn’t get complacent if I were you. Tomorrow’s where you’re really going to have to do your best.”

“Yeah, I know. I’ve got at least two more matches, and then the final duel with the previous tournament’s winner. Considering that they could be happening back-to-back, it may be wiser for me to save my strength rather than train with you tonight.”

“Good idea. I think you have all the skills necessary to make it through anyway. It’s more important for you to rest.”

“Then I’m gonna head back to my folks’ place for the night. You should get back to Culann’s before he starts worrying about you being out late. Wouldn’t want him to lock you out accidentally now, would we?”

Connla waved her hand dismissively and replied, “I don’t think he would do that. He told me about how he did it with Setanta a long time ago, and that he regrets it so much that he always double-checks before locking the gate.”

Conall chuckled. “Let’s hope you’re right.”

As they parted ways from the coliseum, the bulky warrior that Conall defeated watched them closely from around the corner. He was beginning to have an idea, and he smirked a partially toothless grin as he ducked out through the rear entrance in pursuit of the young girl. Connla made her way through Galway’s main plaza before turning towards the gate that would take her closest to Culann’s home.

Suddenly, a worn-out Gaelic football sailed in front of her and rolled before her feet. She picked it up, then heard a young male call out to her, “Hey!”

She noticed a group of boys a few years older than her playing some football in the dirt clearing just outside the gate. They were all staring at her, waiting for her to return the ball to them. She nodded and was about to throw it back to them. That was when her skin prickled, and she instantly became alert as she sensed malicious intent nearby.

“Wait! Stay right there!” Connla called out to the boy.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

She whirled around to face the gate, where she spotted the intimidating fighter from before approaching the crowd of children with a ferocious glare in his misshapen eyes. His body was covered in bruises everywhere thanks to his match with Conall, so Connla could tell that he was in a desperate state.

“You there, girlie!” he barked at her in a coarse voice before drawing his sword. This act alone frightened the boys, who gasped and stepped back uneasily. “You’re the kid that that cheating bastard Cernach was chatting with!”

“And if I am?” she retorted coolly.

“Terribly sorry, but you’re gonna have to come with me now.”

“For what reason?”

“I’m gonna need insurance if I’m to become Medb’s next Champion.”

“Insurance? Isn’t that just a nicer way of saying you’re looking for a hostage?”

“Shut up. Just be quiet and do what I say, brat. Or do you want me to use one of those boys as an example of what happens when you go against me?”

Connla looked unimpressed as she said, “You better give up while you can. Even if you took me as your prisoner, Lord Fergus would never allow a scumbag of such low caliber to join Medb’s forces.”

“Cheeky little bitch, aren’t you?” he snarled. “You should know that I’m the strongest man across all of Ireland and Scotland! Everyone who dares to challenge my strength lives to regret it - that is, if I let them live in the first place! I’m warning you; this sword has shed more blood than you will ever know… As far as I care, man, woman, and child all bleed the same!”

“You don’t say. That’s not exactly a ringing endorsement after seeing you being so thoroughly trounced in such a public forum.”

“Shut your yap, you mouthy little snot! Come with me right now, or pay the price!”

As the brute attempted to get closer to her, she dropped the ball she had been holding and kicked it into the air a couple of times. Once it reached a sufficient height, she leapt high and whirled her leg about in a roundhouse kick, smashing her ankle against the ball so hard that it distorted the air around it. It shot straight for his face with such speed and force that he had absolutely no time to react.

“GWAH!?” he yelped as he lost his footing and collapsed backwards. The ball smacked against his nose and broke it with an unsettling cracking sound. He fell onto his back and passed out with a shocked look on his face. By now, one of Medb’s Braves had spotted the commotion and summoned some guards to accompany him with arresting the brute while he was unconscious. Meanwhile, Connla retrieved the ball again and brought it back to the gobsmacked boys.

“Here you go,” she handed it to the first lad. “I suggest you guys head back home before it gets too dark. Who knows what sort of characters like him are lurking about during such a massive event?”

“R-Right…” the boy mumbled. Usually he and his friends wouldn’t appreciate being lectured by such a small girl, but the excitement of it all had caught them off guard.

“If you’ll excuse me,” she bowed and proceeded along the dirt road back to Culann’s house.

High above the front gate’s arch, an invisible figure squatted and watched the confrontation between Connla and the muscular thug unfold. He was using an artificial form of Royal Authority granted to him by Dagda’s Cauldron to mask his presence the same way an Assassin-class Servant would. He had to maintain a low profile while lurking about in Galway, but it wasn’t too difficult for him considering that everyone was more focused on the tournament and the festivities surrounding it. Unbeknownst to Conall and Connla, Cuchulainn had been tailing them during their entire stay in the area, wanting to get a feel for both what they were doing as well as how the Galway region had evolved during his 15-year absence. Just as he expected, it was far grander than he could have ever imagined, but it also made it rife with corruption and crime just like what he witnessed.

He snickered under his breath as he watched Connla dispatch the brute with the football. Using a child’s sport to defeat such a childish man was simply too humorous for him not to laugh at. Despite that, he gained a little more insight into how Connla fought, even if it was just seeing how strong her legs actually were. He suspected that if her arms and torso were scrawny, then she had to have powerful legs to compensate, and his hunch was proven correct. Scathach was well known for using her legs to throw Gae Bolg, so it was not surprising for Connla to do something similar.

Not bad, kid. But that’s just the preview. I’m going to enjoy seeing what you’ve got tomorrow evening.

Chapter Text

FATE/CURADH BEAG

“Little Champion”

Chapter 10: Hard-Headed Steeling

Throughout the following morning, the excitement among Galway’s citizens was readily apparent by how everyone talked about each of the matches, and of how long the lineup was in front of the coliseum’s front gates. It could have potentially turned into a frenzy if Medb’s Braves were not around to quietly intimidate the spectators into behaving. It didn’t help that scalpers were making a steady profit from illegally selling counterfeit tickets at inflated prices in back corner alleys, meaning the organizers had to work even more diligently to flush out the fake entries from the genuine ones. Even the nobles’ quarters were bustling with activity as the wealthier citizens placed bets and debated on who the newest Champion was going to be.

Despite the obvious crime and corruption surrounding the event, none of that seemed to matter to Conall. Sure, he was nervous about losing in front of so many people, but when he heard about what happened to Connla the previous evening, his anxiety disappeared as he grew apoplectic for her sake.

“What the hell!?” he shouted at the Brave who was making the report. “How could you guys let that piece of shit target children like that right under your noses!? Aren’t you Braves supposed to be watching out for your citizens, or are you just glorified cult members who only obey your queen!?”

“The culprit has been apprehended and is currently being interrogated,” the Brave said, fully brushing aside Conall’s furious questions. “There will no longer be any threat of that man harming the populace. By my estimation, he will be executed for his present crime as well as to atone for the culmination of his previous misdeeds.”

“That’s not the point! Sure, you nabbed one guy, but what about the rest of them!? I thought Galway was supposed to represent the best of Ireland’s culture and civilization! As far as I can tell, it’s showing me nothing but the worst!”

“Our prerogative is not to flout any sort of culture or civilization. It is to protect Galway as the queen deems fit. Any sort of criminal activity that may take place will be handled at her discretion.”

“By the gods, don’t you have even a single thought of your own!? No wonder this city’s gone to hell! Its protectors are too busy kissing their queen’s feet!”

Connla grabbed Conall’s arm and implored, “Please, stop! No one got hurt, and the culprit is facing his justice! Shouldn’t that be enough for you!?”

“… Tch!” Conall spat to the side and stormed away from the Brave, with Connla following him. Once they were out of earshot, he cursed aloud, “They’re all so fucking useless! If I didn’t have to fight my matches, I would have abandoned this godforsaken dump a long time ago!”

“But you said you wanted to become a Champion so you could make a difference somehow. Why not see this as an opportunity to improve Galway’s safety so stuff like that doesn’t happen again?” she asked.

“Well… you may be right. I just don’t think it’s going to be so easy when everyone has to take orders from a queen who cares more about pampering herself than managing her country.”

“Yes, I’m aware it won’t happen right away. But wouldn’t it be foolish to just walk away from it all after making such a declaration? Or were you lying to me, and your hatred of Connacht is more important than following your dream?”

“Gh…” Conall flinched. “Of course I wasn’t lying. I just sort of feel… conflicted.”

Connla took a moment to ponder what she would say next. Eventually, she replied, “Either way, you won’t get anywhere if you wind up losing the tournament. How about you focus on that first, and then worry about the rest later?”

“Yeah, you’re right. All of this is meaningless if I don’t become a Champion. Don’t you worry – I might be feeling a bit lost, but I’m definitely going to give it my all today. Just sit back and watch Conall Cernach blow the competition away!”

“Be careful. Just from observing the other three opponents, I can tell that they are very skilled. Not only would you have to defeat two of them, there’s also the final match with the previous tournament’s Champion. Do you think you can handle so many fights in a row?”

“I’ll be fine. I’ve already got a good feel of how each of them fight. If it gets dangerous, I’ll hang back a bit and find an opening.”

Connla nodded, then left him to go find her reserved seat in the stands. Conall’s match was first, so he headed out into the ring to greet his spear-wielding opponent. Although the stocky armored fellow was renowned for his ability to use the spear in unconventional ways, Conall was already prepared for it thanks to him asking Connla to mimic how this warrior fought during their training. Thanks to that, he could anticipate when his opponent attempted any sort of tricky maneuvers that would cause many others to lose their balance. Since Conall could maintain such a solid defense without much thought, he could concentrate on finding openings for nonlethal blows to eventually incapacitate the spearman.

After his victory, the second match between another swordsman and a druid versed in combat proceeded. Although the fighter was valiant in his efforts, the druid was astonishingly agile with his movements, fearlessly blocking heavy sword strikes with his wooden staff. His Runecraft stymied the soldier with surprise fireballs and vines shooting from the ground everywhere, quickly overwhelming him and making him fall to the ground unconscious. Compared to the finesse and elegance of Conall’s fight, this one seemed unnecessarily brutal, and many worried if the swordsman was going to survive. Fortunately, the druid was quick to provide a panacea to heal his opponent. Many suspected this was not a show of altruism, but rather to abide by the primary rule of no killing so he could stay in the competition.

Once the contestants had rested for an hour, Conall and the druid faced each other as the final opponents. The spellcaster was so sure of his victory that his sneering and taunting expressions slightly irritated Conall, but he maintained a stoic glare to not show any sign of trepidation.

Stay calm, and don’t let his bullying get to you, he silently encouraged himself.

The spellcaster initiated the match by conjuring a row of Ansuz Runes, flinging numerous small fireballs at the swordsman. They exploded on the ground that he stood on, but he was already jumping over them and heading straight for the druid. He delivered a vicious stomping kick to the scrawny man’s face, throwing him backwards across the ring, and he skidded along the ground in a desperate attempt to regain his footing. As the druid vaulted back onto his feet, Conall chased after him. A volley of fireballs burst from the caster’s hand as he tried to stave off the warrior. However, he bravely weaved and ducked through the assault, even batting aside a couple of flaming projectiles with his sword.

The mage was flabbergasted by how calm Conall looked as he warded off each magic attack like they were nothing. Of course, Conall didn’t have too much experience with fighting druids since there weren’t many who were capable of both close range combat and rapid-fire Runecraft. Once again, it was thanks to his training with Connla that helped him hone such skills. He suspected that this particular druid would be in the finals, so he asked her to mimic his style as best as she could. She did so, warning him that he needed to pay attention to his environment since Runes could be silently planted on the ground without anyone noticing.

During the fight, Conall always kept at least one eye trained on the dirt in case the mage tried to play any tricks on him. His cocky opponent spun his oak staff upon his hand and initiated a duel with him. One would think it’d be foolish for a wooden weapon to be used against a steel one, but druids had clever ways of reinforcing their staves with Runes that Conall always had trouble understanding. The caster twirled and twisted his body about in inhuman contortions as he used his staff as a spear to push Conall back.

As Connla watched the match, she noticed something shining on the ground just behind Conall. She gasped lightly, recognizing it as an Ansuz Rune. If he stepped on it, he would be blown to bits no differently than if one triggered a land mine. She wasn’t sure if he noticed it or not, but she knew this was what his opponent’s tactic was, and that it was way outside the boundaries of the tournament’s rules. Although she didn’t want to interfere, she felt this was an exception. If the druid wanted to break the rules, why shouldn’t she? It wasn’t like anyone was going to notice anyway.

Connla closed her eyes and focused on silently casting a spell.

Eihwaz!

It was a Rune that represented protection, resistance and determination, and was also capable of repelling anything negative. Since the mage’s strategy was considered ‘evil’, her desire to protect Conall from such a dirty trick activated a small Eihwaz Rune, which she conjured atop the Ansuz Rune to cancel its effect. The druid noticed this and became alarmed, wondering who was capable of seeing his trap and dispelling it. Conall had no clue why his opponent was so bewildered, but he took this chance to go on the offensive, throwing the scrawny caster back with a mighty clash of his sword against the reinforced staff.

Without thinking, Conall immediately swung his sword at the druid’s neck, coming dangerously close to chopping the poor fellow’s head off! However, he stopped short of doing the grisly deed, and the entire audience exhaled a resounding gasp of relief simultaneously. The mage was so shocked by this close call that he collapsed onto his buttocks and trembled uncontrollably.

“Match set! We have a winner!” the referee shouted.

Everyone cheered and clapped in feverish congratulations for Conall. His heart pounded and he thought his nerves would go flying everywhere if he didn’t keep himself in check. In the stands, Connla stood up and clapped for her friend’s victory, although she knew that the tournament wasn’t truly over yet. She glanced over at the royal suite where Medb, Fergus, Cathbad and their attendants watched.

Beneath their seats was an embellished chair designated for the Queen’s Champion that the tournament’s winner was to fight to earn their blessing. The one who sat in that seat was a muscular brown-haired man who wore little more than a red cape with golden pauldrons, an armored kilt, and heavy leather boots. His body was covered in various Runic tattoos, indicating that he was versed in magic as much as he was a deadly fighter.

Even just by looking at this Champion, Connla was starting to become worried for Conall. There would be no time for a rest before he would have to fight this behemoth of a man, most likely designed as a test of the new Champion’s endurance. Of course Conall already knew, or else he wouldn’t have participated to begin with. Even so, her nerves became tense as she watched the burly fellow leave his seat and silently enter the field. He was obviously no braggart, but he didn’t need to be – his presence was so powerful that he practically commanded the entire coliseum to be silent without needing to say a word. Connla was sure that everyone was just as nervous for Conall as she was.

The giant man stood several feet away from Conall, then folded his arms and declared, “First of all, I must congratulate you for overcoming so many obstacles in your path to greatness. You have demonstrated the necessary valor, courage, and restraint that the queen seeks for her Champions. I will not deny that you have earned your reputation as one of Ireland’s greatest swordsmen. However, there is much more to being a Champion than just swinging a sword. There is also the ability to make decisions that you may find too difficult, but must be done for the greater good of the country. You must show unwavering tenacity when faced with insurmountable odds. There is no such thing as an impossible task, so long as your mind is clear and your sword is sharp.”

“I understand,” Conall said in a firm tone.

“Very good. Now let us begin, Conall Cernach. Your final opponent is I, Cu Roi mac Daire, King of Munster and the Champion of Queen Medb.”

With that, Cu Roi tore off his cape and pauldrons and chucked them aside, while Conall got into his combat stance. The swordsman inhaled several sharp breaths, trying to compose his erratic nerves. Seeing Cu Roi up close like this, Conall realized why so many warriors before him were utterly intimidated whenever they had to challenge the King of Munster. Still, he had a plan, and he was going to go through with it no matter what.

Cu Roi initiated the battle by energizing his Runic tattoos, causing his body to shine with bright red energy. It was like his very blood emanated a grotesque glow as he let out a bear-like roar and charged at Conall. The king delivered an enhanced roundhouse kick at his smaller opponent’s side, but he used his elbow to block it. He thought the bones in his arm would snap under the pressure, but they held strong and allowed him to stab at Cu Roi’s exposed leg. He reacted in time to save his leg from being skewered, twisting on his heel and whipping his body around so that he performed a rising high kick to Conall’s chin. The audience couldn’t believe how swift Cu Roi was despite his gargantuan size, and cried out in awe.

Conall was also quick to react, vaulting on his free hand backwards before Cu Roi could attempt to stomp on him. Conall used the momentum to propel himself forward suddenly, jamming his elbow straight into Cu Roi’s solar plexus. The king gasped hard as he felt all of the air rushing out of his lungs. He balled his hand into a tight fist, then punched down on Conall’s spine. The pain was so intense that Conall thought he had blacked out for a moment. He felt himself hit the dirt, but then instinctively rolled aside before Cu Roi could smash his foot directly onto his opponent’s back. Conall slashed his sword as he rolled, gouging into Cu Roi’s leg despite the Runes protecting his flesh.

“Hmm!” the king angrily grunted. He was surprised that he suffered an injury even after he took precautions to avoid it. His instincts told him that Conall wasn’t just lucky or an extremely skilled fighter - his sword had to have some kind of secret property that allowed him to bypass Runic effects somehow. Cu Roi decided that if he couldn’t wear Conall down through a defensive battle, he would have to pummel him into submission as quickly as possible. It wasn’t his favorite tactic, but given the situation, he couldn’t think of anything better.

Cu Roi raised his hands before him, and raw energy crackled between the palms. Conall noticed it and jumped high without thinking. Before he knew what was happening, he was being blasted back toward his opponent due to an Ansuz fireball that Cu Roi launched from his hands. Conall flipped forward and chopped his leg on Cu Roi’s shoulder, dislocating the joint with a painful crunching sound. While Cu Roi was disoriented, Conall delivered a series of kicks that sent the king toppling away clumsily on his feet. Although he took quite the beating, Cu Roi hunched down and pressed his good hand upon the earth. His tattoos seemed to ebb like water – or perhaps blood flowing through veins – as he cast a healing spell that borrowed power from the land itself. Any cuts and bruises he suffered patched up quickly, and even his dislocated shoulder popped back into place on its own.

Shit, Conall cursed to himself. The old duffer can regenerate.

Once Cu Roi was fully healed, he cracked his knuckles before getting into a low posture. Then he leapt high like a grasshopper, falling upon the bewildered swordsman with his fist raised, ready to punch his face clean into the earth. Conall inhaled and glared at his sword with sheer anxiety written all over his face.

I was hoping not to have to use this, but I don’t have a choice!

He clenched his teeth, then concentrated. The world seemed to slow down around him. Even Cu Roi plummeting upon him appeared like animation frames being played one-by-one. Conall found the perfect moment to attack. If he was too early, it would miss. If he was too late, he would be crushed to death. Everything relied on this one precious instant to go right.

“Curaidin Catutchenn!”

His sword emanated a brilliant light, making it resemble a torch in blade form. He swung in a wide vertical arc, producing a blinding flash that burned into every audience member’s eyes for a split second. Even Connla had to shield herself by throwing her arms in front of her face. Cu Roi wasn’t so fortunate, since he was caught directly in the path of this magical sword’s surprise trajectory. Although he was suspicious, he never anticipated Conall to actually possess one of Ireland’s treasured weapons from the era of the Tuatha de Danann and Fomorians, and his shock prevented him from taking any measures to block this strike.

SHING!

Cu Roi didn’t feel anything cutting into his skin…

Then, his chest suddenly exploded with blood flying everywhere in a gory spectacle!

Many women and children screamed in horror at the sight. Men who weren’t accustomed to battle were stunned into silence. Those who were let out cries of astonishment. Connla’s widened eyes blinked fervently as she watched in a bewildered daze. Not once during her training with Conall did she ever suspect his sword was actually Curaidin Catutchenn, also known as the Hard-Headed Steeling, or the Light Sword of Judgment.

She had heard of it from Scathach during her studies into Ireland’s Age of Gods, but since they were in a Lostbelt, she didn’t know where it had ended up in this timeline. In Proper Human History, it belonged to Cuchulainn before he became infamous for using the Barbed Spear, Gae Bolg. In the well-known illustration Cuchulainn’s Death by Stephen Reid, the sword that Cuchulainn wielded while tying himself to the standing stone Clochafarmore during his final battle was indeed Curaidin Catutchenn. If he was ever summoned as a Saber-class Servant, this was the sword he would wield in battle.

Well, Connla now knew who its possessor was in the Lostbelt. She wasn’t entirely sure how it came to belong to Conall, but she was sure there had to be a good reason for it. Cuchulainn had disappeared with Gae Bolg so long ago, and the rest of his armaments must have been scattered throughout Ireland. Was there some sort of connection between Conall and Cuchulainn that she didn’t know about? Or did he just happen upon it by chance and gained a reputation for himself with it?

Similar thoughts raced through Cu Roi’s mind as well. He collapsed onto his back and clenched his gaping wound tightly, forcing it shut so his innards wouldn’t be exposed to the frightened spectators. Luckily, he was also an accomplished druid who knew advanced healing magic, so he used Runes to rapidly close up the gross injury. His inherent nature as a superhuman being also played a factor in his otherwise impossible survival. Although it was absolutely excruciating, it didn’t take long for the injury to reduce itself to a harmless vertical scar running along his chest.

“Guh… Uuuu~uuungh!” Cu Roi growled deeply as he struggled to sit back up.

Curaidin Catutchenn’s luster faded, becoming a regular sword once more. Conall exhaled a deep breath and stared at Cu Roi in complete silence. Although he was afraid he had taken it too far, he also didn’t want to show any sign of concern or regret. No matter how brutal it was, he had to demonstrate his commitment to making hard decisions like this, just as Cu Roi declared earlier.

“Heh… heh heh…”

The King of Munster started to chuckle.

“Hah hah hah hah! Splendid! Absolutely splendid!” he howled with joy.

Although taken aback by this sudden display of mirth, Conall extended his hand to help the king stand back up. Cu Roi remarked, “This whole tournament must have felt like a mere formality to someone as skilled as you!”

“Not at all,” Conall said. “To be honest, I’m still quivering in my boots. I’m having trouble accepting this victory as real.”

“Then rest your nerves, lad. I, Cu Roi mac Daire, King of Munster, hereby bestow my blessing upon you, Conall Cernach, to become the newest of Ireland’s Champions.”

Cu Roi withdrew a short scabbard bearing an embellished silver dagger. It had little purpose as a weapon, but mainly served as a status symbol among the Champions. As long as Conall kept it with him, he would be recognized as one of Medb’s top warriors no matter where he went within Ireland. The bewildered fighter lowered his head and let Cu Roi gingerly rest the scabbard on his hands, then murmured, “Thank you, sire.”

“Come now. Let us dispense with the formalities,” the king assured. “You’re the man of the hour, so enjoy it while you can.”

“Right…”

As the men exchanged pleasantries, the crowd had already erupted into thunderous applause and cheers for Conall’s victory. While Connla didn’t shout or scream, she clapped for a short while before ducking out of her seat to meet up with him in the contestants’ waiting rooms.

Along the way, one of the Braves barred her passage and declared, “Halt. No spectators are allowed past this point.”

“Oh, my apologies,” she said. “It’s just that Conall gave me a pass, so I thought I could just go through.”

“Show me.”

She handed a small piece of paper to him, and he read it briefly. He soon acknowledged it with a grunt and said, “Very well. It’s just that at the moment, Conall may have to accept his awards and make his formal pledge as a Champion before you are able to see him personally. Since this note makes mention of you being the target of a participant’s kidnapping plot, I will escort you in the meantime.”

“Thank you, sir.”

He brought her into Conall’s quarters, then explained the situation to a second Brave. He nodded and left, allowing the first soldier to remain on standby as Connla’s guardian. As they waited, she kept sensing the faint amount of magical energy emanating from the Brave. Unable to hold back her curiosity anymore, she wondered, “Um… Can I ask you something?”

“You may, though my ability to respond to sensitive matters is strictly limited.”

“Well… it’s just that… I noticed that you must have some kind of ‘magical aura’ surrounding you. Or rather, among all of you Braves.”

“…”

She fidgeted, then murmured, “Is that considered a sensitive matter?”

He suddenly glanced away from her, then blurted, “Just a moment.”

“Huh? Oh, sure…”

He closed his eyes, as if in deep concentration. About a minute later, he glanced at her again and said, “Queen Medb has permitted me to relay this message to you – ‘if you wish to know, then win tonight’s match and become my second newest Champion.’”

Connla grew apprehensive. The queen knew so much about her already when they had never met in person yet. The Brave became suspicious and asked, “Do you disapprove of the queen’s decision?”

“No, not at all. I was just thinking of something else.”

“I see. I am aware of a private match being held this evening, but I did not know you were the participant in question. One of my brothers has been selected to be the opponent.”

“Really? I’m going to fight one of you?”

“Specifically, the queen has chosen Maine Lasta.”

“Which one is he? You guys look so similar that it’s hard to tell you apart.”

“I believe you encountered him during the registration period.”

She thought back for a moment, and realized that it was the very first Brave she met. She then asked, “What about the rest of you? Don’t you have names of your own?”

“We all bear the name Maine.”

“All of you?”

“Indeed. The queen once had seven sons, and she named them all Maine in order to fulfill a prophecy of a son named Maine killing her enemy Conchobhar mac Nessa. Unfortunately, the third son Eochaid, or Maine Andoe, wound up slaying a different man named Conchobhar. Of course, that is a story long in the past, and the seven princes are no longer with us. Thus, we Braves are considered her secondary set of sons, and are thus all named Maine in honor of them.”

“Interesting. So the one I’m going to fight is Maine Lasta, or the ‘Crimson Maine’. What about yourself? Or the Brave you just sent away? How many of you guys are there anyway?”

The soldier became bewildered as he was assailed with so many questions at once. “W-Well… My individual name is Maine Faireach, or the ‘Watchful Maine’. Some of my brothers include Maine Dian, the ‘Strict Maine’; Maine Matan, the ‘Muscular Maine’; Maine Glorach, the ‘Shouting Maine’…”

For the next hour or so, the Brave kept answering such inquiries to the best of his ability. She was starting to get a good idea of how these imposing men operated, though she wasn’t sure on how Medb was able to directly communicate with them. She was surprised by their lack of individuality though, only being able to discern them by their names and slight personality differences. She was sure there had to be some reason for it though. After all, they were incredibly effective at working together as a uniform unit of soldiers. Maybe things like unique identities, personalities and beliefs interfered with the job. Perhaps that was something she would see should she join the knighthood when she grew up. For now, she simply didn’t understand the concept.

Night soon came upon Galway. Once the day’s celebrations wound down and the majority of the audience had returned home, the coliseum remained open for Connla’s scheduled battle. Unlike with Conall’s match, where the entire city was present to witness his victory, only a select few people were allowed to observe this fight due to the sensitive nature of exposing a young child to such a brutal contest.

Faireach, the Brave that Connla chatted with that afternoon, assisted in getting her ready. Once she was versed in what she needed to do, she entered the ring wielding her spear. Although the sheer size of the audience was not something she had to worry about, it was the ranking and social status of her observers that caused her some trepidation. Naturally, Queen Medb and King Fergus were present. Conall sat in the new Champion’s seat beside Cu Roi. The King of Munster was interested in what Conall’s training was like, and he explained about his previous adventures plus his meeting with Connla. Cu Roi had a hard time believing that a child could be skilled enough to tutor a grown man, so he wanted to see if Conall’s claims were true. Another person present was Culann, who had been informed of the match due to him being Connla’s sponsor. Other than them, a small handful of nobles whom Medb personally told about the fight showed up to fulfill their curiosity.

Regardless of the spectators, Connla’s attention really had to be focused on the Brave standing opposite to her. Just as Faireach said, his ‘brother’ Lasta was the Brave she would have to contend with. As Connla’s anxiety grew, she suddenly heard Conall whistle and encouragingly shout, “Stay calm! You don’t have to force yourself to win! Just show ‘em what you’ve got!”

She nodded. Since this was just an exhibition match, there really was nothing on the line for her. Lasta brandished a heavy two-handed axe and glared at her beneath his steel helmet. His attempt at intimidation didn’t really impress her – she fought Demon Boars many times this guy’s size before.

“Match set!” Fergus bellowed. “Contestants, prepare yourselves!”

Neither fighter budged nor made a sound during this tense moment.

“… BEGIN!”

Upon his call, Lasta and Connla ran straight for each other. The Brave swung his axe in a sweeping motion, and the child warrior hopped over it. Lasta smashed his weapon into the ground next to her, sending her and some earth flying into the air. He then attempted to slice at her while she was caught in midair, but she swung her spear to parry it. She snagged the axe’s hilt, spun her body around it, then planted her feet against Lasta’s chest and bounced back before thrusting a small Ansuz Rune at him, causing him to violently tumble backwards along the dirt. He lost his grip on his weapon, and Connla placed her hand on the ground to activate some Runes. Before Lasta could retrieve his axe, a bundle of tree branches snaked out of the earth and wrapped themselves around it, preventing him from picking it up. While he was preoccupied, he failed to notice her take out her slingshot and relentlessly fire multiple Runestones powered with Ansuz symbols. They exploded like miniature bombs around him, either making him lose his balance or pummelling him back further.

“Whoa… That didn’t last long,” Conall murmured in surprise.

Cu Roi mumbled to himself as he analyzed Connla’s performance. He then remarked, “A little rough on the edges with the Runecraft, but the spontaneity of their casting seems to suit her rapid style of combat.”

“Oh, come on. Do you expect a little kid like her to be a top-class druid so suddenly?”

“Considering she’s supposed to be Scathach’s pupil, I had some fairly high expectations given how horrifically strict she is.”

In her own seat, Medb rested her cheek upon her fist and sported a blasé expression. She didn’t like how quickly this strange girl was beating up one of her best soldiers. This was supposed to be a special occasion, and Medb wanted to milk it for all it was worth. She smirked to herself, then secretly snapped her fingers.

All right then. If that’s how it’s going to be, I should liven this party up a little.

As Connla watched Lasta stumble back to his feet, she saw the heavy wooden door open up again. She became perplexed as four more Braves entered the ring wielding various weapons, and they joined Lasta in surrounding her in a circular formation. Conall suddenly became worried as he uttered, “What’s going on?”

Cu Roi frowned and murmured, “I had a feeling this was going to happen.”

The nobles whispered to themselves, wondering why the additional Braves were joining the battle. Culann trembled with silent fury, unable to fathom how Medb could be so callous towards such a young child. Fergus stared at the queen in disbelief and asked, “What is the meaning of this?”

“Oh, come now,” she giggled. “It’s just a little bit of harmless fun.”

He obviously didn’t agree with her as he turned his attention back to the battle. Along with Lasta, his brothers Matan, Glorach, Dian, and another one named Fuilteach, or the ‘Bloody Maine’, intended to gang up on Connla at their queen’s behest. Medb didn’t specify if they should keep her alive or kill Connla, so they went with the assumption that she was to die. Despite the overwhelming odds, Connla kept her cool and at least analyzed each weapon they used so she could determine how to fight against each one.

Lasta and Matan charged at her from opposite sides. At the same time, Dian fired multiple arrows from his bow, forcing her to either dodge or bat them aside with her spear as the others approached. She then jumped over the two men as they swung at her low, and performed a series of elegant-looking kicks to both of their faces, dizzying them as she knocked them aside with a final double roundhouse blow. The moment she landed, she thrust a Hagalaz Rune in Dian’s direction, pelting him with a flurry of hailstones that dug into his skin. Glorach came running at her using only a large spiked shield, but he could use it as both a battering ram and a piercing weapon. He managed to bash against Connla’s shoulder while she was busy with Dian, and she skidded along the ground in a daze.

Fuilteach, obviously the most vicious of the Braves judging by the blood staining his clothes, stood over Connla and pointed his sword at her chest, intent on stabbing her to death. The instant she saw this, she suddenly shone a Dagaz Rune at his eyes, shocking his retinas with an intense burst of bright white light, then spun on her hand and kicked his leg to topple him while he was distracted. She vaulted back to give herself some distance from Glorach as he chased after her. She used the same trick as she did with Lasta’s axe, restraining one of Glorach’s ankles with some tree roots conjured from an Eihwaz Rune. As he struggled to break free, Connla performed a drop kick to his face, throwing him backwards and freeing his foot at the same time.

An arrow whizzed past her cheek, lacerating the skin and causing a small trickle of blood to flow. Dian had recovered and was pelting her with projectiles once again. Her mind numb from the adrenaline rush, she dashed at him with an eerily blank expression on her face. He panicked and carelessly fired as many arrows as he could to hinder her progress, but she weaved through them and vaulted onto his shoulders, then detonated a small fireball at his back to viciously hurl him clear across the arena.

“Eh he he he… Yes, this is more like it!” Medb chuckled exuberantly. “I love it! This is what a real fight should be like! Chaos, bloodshed, and mayhem galore! The outcome doesn’t matter, so long as it is a real spectacle! More! More, more, more! Show me more! Suffer for my entertainment! Ah hah hah hah hah!”

“Medb…” Fergus moaned under his breath. He was fully aware of the queen’s brutal nature, but it was during moments like this that he wondered if she was even human anymore.

During the violent battle, another spectator watched from high atop the coliseum’s ramparts, well-hidden from everyone else’s view thanks to the night sky plus his dark clothing and black scales covering his body. Cuchulainn could see Medb from this vantage point, and an incredible rage welled within him as he watched her relish in the carnage. It was far too tempting for him to just lunge in and tear out her heart without mercy. However, he needed to be patient. If he acted recklessly, Medb could use everyone around her as meat shields, preventing him from getting in too close.

He might have degenerated into a monster that destroyed the rest of human civilization, but he still had a soft spot for his fellow countrymen.

Besides, Cuchulainn’s focus was more on Connla as she struggled against the five Braves. Although she was an excellent fighter, he was worried that she would be slaughtered for Medb’s amusement should she keep on summoning more Braves to challenge her. He needed to interfere in a dramatic fashion without making his presence known just yet, and he had the perfect means of doing so.

It’s time…

Cuchulainn raised his hand for a moment. Then he thrust it forth, pointing at the arena and the small audience surrounding it. Although nothing was visible, and it was a windless night, his hair and clothing rustled as multiple invisible ‘things’ rushed past him.

As the dizzied Lasta clumsily tumbled forward, Connla vaulted onto his shoulder and pommeled her body on one hand, performing a breakdance-like series of kicks to Glorach’s face before beating him back with a rising kick. She used the momentum to upright herself with a somersault, then bunny hopped off of Lasta’s back, smashing his face against the ground moments before Matan’s axe cleaved into the air where she just was. Once she landed, she flung an Ansuz Rune at his armored midsection, blasting him away with a small explosion.

Conall was so dumbfounded that he screamed at Medb, “For crying out loud, woman, stop the match already! Hasn’t she proven herself enough for you!?”

She was having such a good time watching the chaos unfold before her that she blatantly ignored his protests. However, Fergus stood up and said, “I have to concur.”

“Aww, you too?” the queen moaned in disappointment. “She’s supposed to be Scathach pupil, right? Surely a challenge like this should be nothing for her.”

“You relegated me as the master of the tournament. Any decree I make within these coliseum walls is law.”

She rolled her eyes. “How boring. The nobles betting on my handsome little Braves are not going to be pleased about this.”

Fergus raised his arm and was about to bellow his order to make the soldiers stand down…

“YAAA~AAA~AAAH!”

One of the noble ladies unleashed a deep and bloodcurdling shriek of absolute terror. Everyone turned their eyes toward what she was looking at, wondering what would prompt such a frightening reaction. A horde of translucent skeletal ghosts flew straight for the stunned crowd, coming at them so fast that barely anyone had time to react. Connla’s eyes widened to saucers and her jaw dropped as she recognized what this new onslaught was.

Angry spirits… from the Land of Shadows!

Chapter Text

FATE/CURADH BEAG

“Little Champion”

Chapter 11: Hound of Culann

Pandemonium erupted throughout the small audience of nobles. Culann was practically glued to his seat in terror as he watched the ghosts swirl and undulate in the air all over the arena. It was all he could do to eye a particular angry spirit as it curled around and made its way straight for him, intent on slashing him into meat ribbons with its skeletal claws. Suddenly, a burst of blue flames engulfed the ghost, causing it to scream in agony as its spiritual core was burned into cinders. Culann spotted Connla deftly vaulting along the stands to reach him and the other nobles sitting near him. She wielded her spear in one hand while using the other to fire multiple Nauthiz Runes at any ghosts that dared to approach.

“Please leave this to me! You must escape immediately!” she shouted to Culann and anyone else in earshot.

His throat choked up, but he soon regained his senses when one of the Braves grabbed his arm and insisted, “We must leave, sir.”

“Y-Yes, of course…”

The last thing Culann saw of Connla as he was being ushered out of the coliseum was her energizing her spear with a Nauthiz Rune so she could fight the spirits head-on. Many thoughts swirled in his mind, but they were all focused on a certain boy from his past. Seeing Connla gallantly rush to Culann’s rescue made him both severely nostalgic and incredibly conflicted.

Setanta…

Meanwhile, Cu Roi and Conall joined the fray to assist Connla in warding off the ghosts. Medb was so startled by the assault that her mind went blank. All she could think about was the possibility of Cuchulainn being nearby, and what he would be doing controlling the Land of Shadows’ ghosts to attack Ireland’s capital city. Fergus took command of the Braves and ordered them to protect the nobles as they escaped.

“Connla has the west gate covered, so I’ll take the east!” Conall shouted to Cu Roi. He ran toward the horde of spirits attacking the spectators and made Curaidin Catutchenn emit its incredible light. Not only could it damage mortal flesh, it was also capable of wounding the undead, and he eagerly utilized that property to cut down spirits one after the other.

As for Cu Roi, he leapt from his seat and landed in the arena while energizing the Runes tattooed on his body. The ghosts realized how much of a threat the King of Munster would be if they tried to gang up on him individually. Their ethereal bodies shone bright blue, then they began to converge and fuse together at a single point until they formed a gigantic ghost with multiple glaring skulls attached to its body.

“Unbelievable!” Connla shouted in disbelief as she watched the transformation. “I’ve never seen them do anything like that!”

“Pah! Nothing more than a paltry display, as far as I’m concerned!” Cu Roi bellowed as he charged multiple Nauthiz Runes and attached them to his arms and fists. He intended to brawl with this thing like a wrestler, which Connla thought was absolutely crazy. No one else seemed to share in her opinion though, judging by their nonchalant reaction to the king going wild as he thrashed with the huge ghost.

“Ghhhnnnngh!” Cu Roi snarled. His hands were locked with the ghost’s in a stalemate, each struggling to shove the other to the ground. He heard numerous cries of hate and vitriol as the fused spirits all unleashed their frustrations upon him in a psychic attack. He was starting to lose his footing, and he slowly slid backwards along the dirt.

“HAH!” Conall cried out as he leapt high from the rafters and swung his sword at the ghost’s exposed back. A brilliant flash of light carved into its spine, causing it to shriek in sheer agony. Likewise, Connla jumped in from the opposite seats and generated a large blue fireball in her palms, which she launched at the gaping open wound Conall just made. It detonated inside the huge ghost, destroying its core and breaking apart the fusion, but it wasn’t strong enough to actually kill all of the smaller spirits. Cu Roi ripped apart the remainder of the fused spirits and stamped them out with various punches and kicks.

As Connla and Conall landed, the latter noticed the stray ghosts trying to escape, and he cursed, “Shit! There’s way too many of them!”

“We can’t let them get into the city!” Connla blurted.

Just then, they heard a new male’s voice calmly proclaim, “That won’t be a problem.”

As the spirits attempted to fly over the coliseum, they were suddenly blocked by an invisible barrier that burned them the moment they made contact with it. Connla carefully looked around and noticed a complex pattern of Runes planted in a box formation, designed to trap the undead in a prison. She was amazed by the intricate pattern and automatically assumed that Scathach was responsible, but had to remind herself that she wasn’t present. So then, who else could erect such an elaborate prison without anyone noticing?

That was when she noticed an elderly gentleman standing within the center of the arena. He wore dark druid’s attire with multiple embellishments and gems attached to the fabric. He kept the hood down though, as he lit a small flame on the tip of his finger to light a cigar that he casually smoked. He glanced around at the battlefield, then muttered, “Goodness, what a mess. This is why I’m not a fan of such barbaric sports – they are completely lacking in class and decorum.”

“Ooh, Lord Cathbad!” Cu Roi exclaimed. “Your assistance is much appreciated! Now we have nothing to fear of the populace being attacked!”

“I only came on a whim, particularly when I sensed the presence of Dun Scaith’s undead roaming the arena. I swear, what in the world is Scathach doing, letting so many spirits loose on her watch?”

Connla wanted to say something, but Cu Roi interrupted her by exclaiming, “Still, this certainly is an impressive number of vengeful ghosts! How are we supposed to cull so many of them with only three close-range fighters!?”

Cathbad exhaled a puff of smoke in obvious disdain as he muttered, “I suggest we make ourselves scarce then.”

“Why do you say that?”

“A certain king is not too thrilled about his precious event being so rudely terminated. These invaders will soon come to know the true terror that is the Spiral Rainbow Sword.”

Cu Roi’s face immediately blanched, and he uttered, “Oh, dear…”

Without another word, the four defenders fled the arena through the back entrance as fast as they could. Connla glanced back, only barely able to see Fergus leap from his royal seat and land on the ground. He wielded a large cone-like sword that throbbed with incredible power, which she could feel even from so far away. The usually amicable man was visibly angry as he pointed his sword downward, grasping the hilt with both hands so he could jam the pointed end into the earth as hard as he could.

“CALAD… BOOO~OOOLG!”

Even from a great distance outside Galway, anyone could see the night sky suddenly erupt with a bizarre assortment of aurora-like colors rippling over the coliseum. This was quickly followed by the ground shaking with such intense force that the coliseum itself was severely damaged.

The chaotic night eventually gave way to a calm yet uncertain morning. It was impossible for anyone in Galway to not have heard the very earth rumbling and cracking beneath their very feet, and fear began to grow among the populace as they wondered what happened. The Celtic Isles never experienced earthquakes, so this was a completely foreign event for everyone to cope with. It was all the Braves and the royal messengers could do to try and keep the peace among the frazzled civilians.

Meanwhile, everyone who had been present for the battle assembled in the throne room. Thanks to Connla’s duel with the Braves plus her assistance in rescuing the nobles, Medb bestowed upon her the right to be a Champion. There wouldn’t be an official ceremony for it though, considering how young she was. Medb decided that it would be okay, believing that it would be smart for Connla to be a secret Champion who could observe the populace without anyone noticing. It wasn’t exactly what Connla had in mind, but she wasn’t going to complain if it meant her investigations could go that much more smoothly.

While that business was being sorted out, Cathbad glared at Fergus and grumbled, “Regardless of the result, did you have to go so far as to unleash Caladbolg’s full strength on mere ghosts? Even half-strength would have been enough to obliterate them.”

“Hah hah hah hah! Sorry about that!” Fergus bellowed a hearty laugh. “Guess all of the fighting got to my head, and I wanted a piece of the action!”

“This is no laughing matter. Repairing the coliseum is going to take months of hard labor. Not to mention the cost…”

“Aw, don’t let it get to you. The place was getting a little dilapidated anyway. Besides, it’s a good opportunity for the young men to get some work in, rather than being bored out of their skulls since there hasn’t been any war since Dublin’s Fall.”

“Trying to turn a bad situation into a favorable one, while dodging the consequences? You’re just as narcissistic as Medb.”

“That just proves how compatible we are for each other.”

“Sure, you keep telling yourself that.”

Once Medb finished ordaining Connla as a Champion, the queen finally said to her king, “Fergus. It looks like Connla wishes to have a word with you.”

“Hm?” he glanced at the young girl. “Is there something I can do for you, young lady?”

“There is,” Connla said. “My teacher instructed me to look for a man named Fergus mac Roich. You are that fellow in question, are you not?”

“Interesting. Well look no further. I am indeed Fergus, the man you have been searching for. Who told you to look for me? For that matter, I know very little of yourself. If you are going to be a Champion, it’s imperative for me to know your personal history.”

“I am from the Isle of Skye. Or more specifically, from the Land of Shadows. My mother was the warrior woman Aife, and the sister of my teacher Scathach. My father’s identity is unknown, other than he was a warrior of Ulster.”

The others let out muffled cries of astonishment, not expecting her to actually be related to the Witch of Dun Scaith herself. Fergus’ broad smile flattened to a frown, and he asked, “Scathach’s niece, hm? Why have you traveled from Skye to Connacht? Such a trek would have been extremely dangerous for a lass such as yourself. Surely you didn’t mean to just seek entry into the tournament.”

“Not necessarily,” Connla replied. “Something terrible happened in the Land of Shadows, and Teacher told me to look for you.”

“Did she now?”

“Did you know her by any chance? I don’t think she would have mentioned your name otherwise.”

“Well… It’s kind of a long story,” he muttered sheepishly.

“Were you an enemy of hers?”

“You don’t need to worry about it. Whatever my past is with Scathach, I won’t deny that she intends for me to look after you in her stead.”

“So that means I’ll be in your care from now on, Lord Fergus?”

“Yeah, but you don’t need to address me so formally. In fact, I wouldn’t mind if you called me Uncle Fergus,” the jovial man grinned and rubbed his nose.

“Uncle… Fergus…” Connla murmured, perplexed that a great man like him would act so casual.

“Now that we’ve got that sorted out, let’s change the subject a little,” Cu Roi said with a grim expression, greatly contrasting with Fergus’ amicable smile. “You said that something terrible happened in the Land of Shadows?”

“Mm,” the little girl nodded wistfully. “I don’t really understand what was going on, but Teacher insisted that I leave as quickly as possible. From how desperate she sounded, she probably thought my life would be in danger if I had stayed behind.”

Conall became serious as he said, “Now that you mention it, you never told me why you came here from Scotland other than to look for Fergus. I thought Scathach never graduated her pupils unless she felt they were ready to leave on their own.”

“That’s right. I wasn’t finished with my training.”

“Hey, hey, are you serious? You can kick ass with the best of them, and yet she wanted to train you even more? Just what kind of demon is that woman anyway?”

Connla tilted her head curiously. “I don’t think my skills are anything to boast about, especially when compared to Teacher’s. Even so… I wonder how she’s doing back home…”

Medb frowned and asked, “What happened, honey? Tell us everything you can. We’ll listen to anything you have to say.”

The child warrior nodded, then said, “While I was in the Land of Shadows, I came across a strange man I had never seen before. I know that getting into the Land of Shadows is not easy, so I couldn’t imagine anyone other than Teacher and myself residing there. Yet, there was this guy about Conall’s age who showed up out of nowhere, and was heavily injured. I thought he was wounded after going through the ghost-infested swamps surrounding the Castle of Shadows, so I gave him some food and treated his injuries. He told me that he was Teacher’s pupil at some point in the past, so that’s how he knew his way around.”

“An injured man, hm? What did he look like?” Cathbad asked.

“I couldn’t tell beneath his hood and mantle, but I think he had long blue hair that was turning black. His eyes glowed red beneath the hood though, and I noticed some jagged face paint on his cheeks. I could be wrong, but his teeth looked super sharp as well.”

“Is that right?”

Connla thought about her conversation with the stranger, then said, “He didn’t say much else to me, but despite his scary appearance, he didn’t seem to be a threat to me. He just kept asking if Teacher was around, as if he was there specifically to meet with her. She was absent at the time, so I looked after him for a bit. I found out he had amnesia too, so he was struggling quite a bit.

“But when she returned, she attacked him without hesitation. I think she knew who he was right at first glance, as well as the potential danger he posed. Then the man’s hood and cloak flew off, and I could get a better look at him. He was very tall and well-built, and some kind of cursed tattoos covered his body. The scariest things were all of the thorny black bones affixed to his arms and legs, and he even had a huge spiked tail that stretched for a few meters.”

What she said next immediately alarmed everyone:

“What surprised me the most was his weapon – it looked exactly like Teacher’s spear, Gae Bolg. It was a little different from hers though… More ominous and bloodthirsty, in a way…”

Medb’s eyes narrowed as she clenched her teeth and deeply glowered, “Did you say… Gae Bolg?”

“Eh? Y-Yes, I did. There’s no way it could have been anything but Gae Bolg.”

“Medb,” Fergus uttered in a dire tone.

“This is bad…” the queen scowled darkly. “He’s come back to haunt me, hasn’t he?”

“Cor blimey. To say this is terrible news is the understatement of the millennium,” Conall added. He craned his neck and moaned, “Damn it… My neck’s flaring up.”

Cu Roi folded his arms, then asked Connla, “Did this fellow ever tell you his name?”

“He did,” she replied. “He called himself Cuchulainn.”

“Nnngh…” the King of Munster snarled to himself, immediately appearing uncomfortable. “That confirms it. Taoide Olc is making his return.”

Now she looked really confused. “Taoide Olc? What does the god of destruction have to do with that Cuchulainn fellow?”

Everyone stared at her, almost slack-jawed. Cathbad suddenly asked, “How in blazes could you not know about Cuchulainn and Taoide Olc!? They’re the same entity!”

Connla stood there in a daze, unable to parse what the druid said just now. The others realized that she honestly had no clue about meeting the man who destroyed the rest of human civilization. The silence was unnerving, especially when Connla thought back to what Scathach told her about Taoide Olc’s true nature – that it was a manmade god exclusive to this Lostbelt. If the man from her nightmare 15 years ago really became the demonic god’s ‘sentience’, and the others were saying that the scary man she met in the Land of Shadows was the same being as the god, then…

I dreamed about Cuchulainn, didn’t I?

That realization chilled her so much that she felt frozen in place.

Medb sighed a little, then said, “It looks like you truly have no idea about what happened at the end of the Cattle Raid. I’m surprised, given that Scathach would have taught you about it.”

“Well… she did generalize it a bit. Something like how Ulster lost and was amalgamated into Connacht afterward, which then resulted in Taoide Olc’s creation and revenge against Connacht. But she didn’t tell me much about the specifics,” Connla admitted, fidgeting her fingers together in anxiety. “I don’t know about the soldiers, nor the individual battles fought during that time. I certainly don’t know how the god came to be. As far as I know, it’s just a past event that shaped the world as it is.”

“I see. I suppose to Scathach, the details mattered less than the outcome. If you had known you were harboring an enemy of Connacht, I would have put you to death already. But you genuinely assisted my Champions in dispelling the ghosts, and I suppose it is Scathach’s fault for leaving you completely ignorant about Cuchulainn’s existence. In light of these revelations, I will stay my hand. However, should you ever see that man again, you are to treat him as your queen’s worst enemy. Do you understand?”

“If he is indeed Taoide Olc in human form, then I have no choice but to see him as such.”

“Wonderful. I knew you would understand,” Medb smiled warmly.

“Besides, I’m more worried about those ghosts that attacked us,” Connla said with a forlorn expression. “They were definitely from Dun Scaith. There’s no way I would mistake their hateful cadence. Teacher would never allow that to happen. She’s the queen of the underworld for a reason – she’s supposed to be the gatekeeper shutting those spirits out from the living world. To allow even a single one to escape would be inexcusable to her, let alone a horde of them attacking the living in a completely different country.”

Fergus murmured, “That certainly is true. You said that Scathach fought Cuchulainn when you escaped the Land of Shadows?”

“Yes. That’s the last thing I know about Teacher. It’s been well over a week since then.”

“Then that settles it. I have no choice but to go to Scotland to do a welfare check. Scathach can complain all she likes, but I have to make sure she’s okay. After all, she’s responsible for keeping the Scotland half of the Celtic Isles afloat.”

“But I can’t just let you go by yourself,” Medb said. “You’re my right-hand man. Who else would I be able to rely on to deal with the peasants’ petty disputes?”

“I’m sorry, but this is urgent. If Cuchulainn really has made his return, then I’m the only one who can put him down.”

“I know. I don’t intend to stop you. It’s just that I can’t send you alone. Even if your guards die during this mission, you have to come back to me alive.”

“Then I just have to choose the best of the best to protect me, don’t I?”

“But I’m the one who has to have the best Champions by my side to protect me from that horrid beast.”

The others watched as the king and queen bickered amongst themselves. Finally, Conall said, “I’m definitely going with you, Fergus. I want to confront Cuchulainn for all of the shit he’s put us through.”

“Sounds good to me,” Fergus agreed. “Since you’re new to the roster, I’d like to put you through the paces of what it means to be a Champion. Your sword should also be a huge help in battle.”

Cu Roi closed his eyes and murmured under his breath, “Curaidin Catutchenn…”

A moment later, he declared, “Very well. I’d like to accompany you two.”

Fergus looked surprised. “Oh ho. I didn’t think the King of Munster would show any interest in a journey to the eastern lands. You usually stay close to your beloved province.”

“I know what the stakes are. I refuse to let my strength rot while I sit pretty on my throne. Besides, I’m getting old. I need to be sure that the next generation of Champions will be able to carry the flag before I pass on.”

“But what of Munster? You wouldn’t leave it undefended so easily.”

“Not to worry. I have taught Lugaid everything he needs to know to handle affairs in my stead. Despite his short temperament, he is a competent statesman at heart.”

“Well, if you insist.”

As soon as the three men agreed on forming their party, Connla suddenly blurted, “I have to go too!”

Predictably, Fergus shouted, “Absolutely not!”

“Why!? Scathach’s my teacher! I’m concerned for her just as much as you are, if not more so!”

“You encountered Taoide Olc and escaped with your life! Do you have any idea how lucky you are to still be alive after something like that!?”

“I simply didn’t know! But now I understand that’s the reason why Teacher attacked him without provocation! If that’s the case, then I’ll definitely be more careful from now on!”

“I refuse! You need to stay here while we go to Dun Scaith!”

Connla grew annoyed as she bluntly asked, “Do you know where it is?”

Her question caught Fergus off guard, and he uttered, “Well… I know it’s in the province of Skye.”

“And where exactly in the province of Skye is it?”

“Um…”

“Exactly. I’m the only one who knows where the gate is. I have to go with you as a guide.”

Fergus groaned in consternation. He glanced at Medb and asked, “What do you think?”

“Well now,” the queen said. “You certainly are familiar with the lay of the land, and I accepted you as one of my Champions. The question is, are you able to go back through the gates into the Land of Shadows? From my understanding, Scathach’s the only one who can open or shut the doors at will. If something’s happened to her, there’d be nothing we could do.”

“I have no intention of actually going back into the underworld,” Connla said. “All I want to ensure is the gates’ status. Depending on what I see, I can say with certainty as to whether Teacher is safe or not.”

“Hmm… Well, if it’s just to see the gates, then there shouldn’t be any problem with you accompanying Fergus. As far as my personal protection is concerned, I will have Cathbad, the remaining Champions, and my Braves stay here in Galway.”

Connla bowed and respectfully said, “Thank you for your understanding, Queen Medb.”

Cu Roi said, “If that’s how it’s going to be, then far be it for me to challenge the queen’s wishes. However, I would like to impose one condition.”

“What would that be?”

“If we are forced to fight Cuchulainn, do not assist us. Run as if your life depends on it. Do not look back in concern for us. Just survive and hurry straight back to Galway.”

She didn’t like hearing that. She had already fled the Land of Shadows at Scathach’s insistence. To have to potentially do it again when she had trained so hard as a warrior felt incredibly shameful. Yet, she also knew it would be suicide to try and challenge a god in combat. Scathach even warned her as much.

Medb noticed the girl’s dismayed expression and said, “I will allow it. At the very least, one of you has to return to me to make your report. If it’s going to be anyone, it would be the fastest Champion of my roster.”

Connla closed her eyes and contemplated Medb’s suggestion. It certainly made sense. It wouldn’t be prudent for them to leave her unaware of what was happening in Scotland. If Cuchulainn really was invading Scotland, then Medb would have to make drastic decisions to protect Ireland. But she couldn’t make those decisions if she didn’t have the information. Connla decided that that would be her primary role in this mission, and she responded, “I understand. No matter what it takes, I will return as expediently as possible.”

“Don’t worry,” Conall said. “I won’t let anyone harm her as long as I draw breath. If needed, I will function as her personal guard.”

Cu Roi nodded. “Fergus and I can handle our own in battle. Dedicating yourself as the young lady’s sword would be the wisest course of action.”

Medb declared, “Excellent. You four should be sufficient enough. I will leave the particulars of your journey to Fergus. Just come back to me with Scotland’s current status as soon as you can.”

“Will do,” Fergus smirked, then guided his comrades out of the throne room.

A few minutes after the four Champions left, Medb glanced at Cathbad and said with a chillingly blank expression, “There’s something I need to discuss with you.”

“Hmm…” the elderly druid murmured. “I have a strong suspicion of what it could be…”

While the men prepared the horses and chariot, Connla asked if she could go to Culann’s mansion to bid him farewell. Now that she had secured a position as a Champion, she no longer required his hospitality, and she figured it would be right to let him know about it. She explained everything that happened after he fled the coliseum and was brought back home safely thanks to Medb’s Braves, although she omitted certain sensitive details about the meeting.

“I see,” Culann murmured. “So this old man’s role in your little tale has come to an end.”

Connla frowned. “I don’t think so. I’d like to stop by and visit whenever I get the chance. Your guard dogs seem to have warmed up to me a bit too.”

“Only because you’ve been the one bringing out their food and brushing their fur. They’re great protectors, but it’s a pain in the ass to have to groom them. I’d have my usual groomer take care of them, but she’s away on business.”

“Well either way, I don’t want to say this is a permanent farewell. You mentioned that you wanted to chat with me some more about that boy you told me about before… Setanta, was it?”

“I would, but it doesn’t look like you have the time.”

“Uncle Fergus said that they’ll need about three hours to get everything ready. That should be enough, right?”

“Hmph… If you insist,” Culann grunted as he plopped his rear upon his favorite chair. “I think I briefly mentioned how Setanta killed one of my guard dogs a long time ago.”

“Something about how you accidentally locked him out of the house, and he had to fight his way through. Why would he do that, though? Couldn’t he have made some sort of loud noise? Or maybe just cause the dogs to bark wildly? He didn’t need to go that far.”

“It’s because I was entertaining his uncle - the king of Ulster, Conchobhar. I don’t know how familiar you are with Irish custom, but it is courteous for a king and his company to be prompt for their hosts, or else they would be snubbing at the hospitality provided for them. While Conchobhar and I were discussing some matters, Setanta wanted to play with some local kids, but promised to return on time. Obviously, he didn’t. He must have been so worried about making his uncle look bad that he rushed through the gate and had to fight my dogs.

“Of course, he felt even worse for slaying one of my boys, since it really was his own fault for being late. Setanta might have been a careless kid, but he definitely had a sense of responsibility whenever he did something wrong. I guess he just had trouble keeping his wild temper in check, considering he had divine blood within him.”

Connla widened her eyes. “Divine blood?”

“Conchobhar always boasted that his sister Deichtine was the mother for the God of Light’s son, like it was some kind of mark of status for himself. Conchobhar really was a bastard at heart, always seeking praise for others’ accomplishments, and seizing anything and anyone he wanted for himself. Knowing that Deichtine gave birth to a demi-god truly fueled his ego to new heights. It didn’t help that all of Ulster’s men were eager to raise Setanta as their own son in the missing god’s stead.”

“The God of Light… as in Lugh the Long Arm, the member of the Tuatha de Danann known for mastering numerous talents? Scathach told me that he’s called the God of Light because he’s like the ‘new sun’ ushering in the Age of Man, and simultaneously closing the book on the Age of Gods after he destroyed the ‘old sun’ Balor.”

“Looks like you’ve been taught well. That saves me the trouble of explaining it to you,” Culann grinned. “Yeah, that was Setanta’s father. I don’t know the particulars of how Lugh and Deichtine came to conceive Setanta, but the fact remains that the boy was not normal. His stubbornness plus his incredible strength and stamina made for a terrible combination. He literally had no other destiny but to be an unparalleled warrior. That’s why it was so easy for him to defeat my dogs despite him being around your age. Then again, seeing how you fought back in the coliseum, I’m sure you could pull it off as well.”

“I’m not so sure…” Connla murmured half-heartedly. “I could subdue them, sure. But to actually kill them when they’re just doing their job? I don’t think I’d have it in me.”

“Hm… Guess that means you have more common sense than Setanta did. Still, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. At the very least, it means you won’t be calling yourself a new Cuchulainn to atone for anything.”

She stared at him with a dumbfounded look plastered all over her face. “… Huh? What did you just say?”

Culann grew confused with her astonished expression. “I said that you won’t be another Cuchulainn.”

“But… I don’t understand. We were talking about Setanta, not Cuchulainn. How does he fit into this story?”

“… Seriously? Scathach didn’t tell you anything?”

“About what?”

Culann snarled a little as he blurted, “Setanta is Cuchulainn!”

“Bwuh-?”

Connla’s mind became paralyzed. It was exactly the same as when the others told her that Cuchulainn was Taoide Olc. She needed to take a moment to parse what the hell Culann just told her. He became concerned, then asked, “Scathach never told you something as basic as that?”

“I, uh…”

She couldn’t understand it anymore. Setanta became Cuchulainn, and then Cuchulainn became Taoide Olc? What sort of chain of events would lead an energetic and precocious boy beloved by everyone to become the most dangerous being in existence?

“What the hell was that woman thinking, leaving you in the dark like this? No wonder things weren’t adding up for you! You had no clue that Cuchulainn’s boyhood name was Setanta!” Culann blurted.

Connla’s thoughts raced uncontrollably, as she thought about the hooded man with the huge spiked tail she met in the Land of Shadows. She knew he was Cuchulainn – he had introduced himself as such. She also thought about the stories of Setanta’s numerous feats that Culann told her about. But it never occurred to her that they were actually the same person.

Then it dawned on her.

Cuchulainn… means “Hound of Culann”… doesn’t it?

Her jaw dropped in pure realization. How did she miss something so obvious!? She neglected to realize that ‘Cuchulainn’ wasn’t actually a name, but rather a title! Here she was, being given residence by the blacksmith whose own name formed part of the god of destruction’s infamous epithet! She felt so stupid that she mentally kicked herself over and over again, grabbing her hair while gasping under her breath, “I don’t believe it! How did I not notice it before!?”

Culann wasn’t sure what to say. At the very least, he knew that it wasn’t actually Connla’s fault for being ignorant. He didn’t know why Scathach would omit such crucial information from her pupil’s curriculum for 15 whole years, but he had an instinctive feeling that there was a good reason for it, given how dangerous Cuchulainn was now. Still, Scathach should have known better than to allow Connla to feel so dumb and ignorant once the pieces finally fit together. Did Scathach not have any faith in Connla if she knew who Cuchulainn was before he became a god?

He would never know those answers. All he could do was assure to the stressed girl, “If that’s how it is, then so be it. The boy I’ve been calling Setanta changed his name to Cuchulainn after that incident. He wanted to take my dog’s place until I reared a replacement, though I insisted that it wasn’t necessary. All I wished for him was to channel that determination towards protecting Ulster and her people, rather than just one old man. It seemed to do the trick, because he had found his calling and would put his absurd strength towards that goal, rather than beating up every man he met and bedding every woman he fancied. Well it wasn’t exactly a perfect plan, given the hijinks he got into in his later years, but at least I gave him a sense of direction while he was still young.

“… And I would like to do the same for you.”

“For me? What do you mean?” Connla wondered.

“You’re probably feeling a bit lost, not knowing what to do with your strength, just like the same way Setanta once felt. You are a strong warrior, but I could tell during your battle with the Braves that your heart wasn’t truly into it. You could’ve easily killed those brutes, but you chose to either disarm or stymie them. Your spear has so many nicks and notches in it not because you challenged men, but rather struggled to survive against demonic ghosts and savage beasts. You just don’t have it in you to be a killer…”

“…”

“And you know what? That’s perfectly fine.”

She looked a bit surprised by this. “It is?”

“Setanta was not normal. He observed how regular humans behaved, and did his best to mimic them so that he could fit in. At the end of the day though, it was just playing pretend. He was a demigod through and through – a proverbial hand-me-down from the Age of Gods - and there was nothing he could do to change that. His incarnation as Taoide Olc might actually be closer to his true nature as a destructive creature. I don’t see that in you. You are definitely human. You care about those around you, even for your enemies’ survival. Heck, I’m not surprised that you tended to Cuchulainn’s wounds in the Land of Shadows.”

“But I didn’t know who he was at the time.”

“Would you have done anything different if you did?”

“Um…”

“Of course you wouldn’t. You take great care and discretion for those around you, and it is that very humanity that will see you fulfill a different destiny than Setanta’s.”

“A different destiny than his?”

Culann frowned. “What I mean is, you’re not going to become a second Cuchulainn. You’re not going to live the same life and make the same mistakes he did. Whatever life you live, whatever mistakes you make - hell, whatever epithet you decide for yourself - they will all belong to you. Even if your fighting style is the same as his, the feelings behind your strikes are not identical to his. They are yours. They are the thoughts and emotions of someone from the Age of Man, not those of a relic from the Age of Gods. That is the advice I wish to give you before I send you on your way. Do you understand?”

Connla became silent. His words sounded frightfully similar to what Scathach told her before; to preserve her humanity, for it was her greatest strength. If Culann was essentially saying the same thing but in a different way, it meant that she had a better understanding of the expectations everyone had for her:

They didn’t want her to become Cuchulainn’s replacement.

She wasn’t sure why Scathach and Culann would worry about her like this. It wasn’t like she purposefully strived to become a second Cuchulainn. How could she conceivably become strong enough to fight against an entire army by herself? She knew it would be a pure delusion for her to try. The only thing she could surmise was that Scathach and Culann wanted to be absolutely sure that she didn’t pursue a path that would be impossible for her, thus leading to regret and self-loathing in her later years. They wanted her to grow up as a confident young woman who could be proud of her accomplishments.

Connla assumed this was what Culann wanted for her, so she nodded lightly and said, “I understand. I won’t try to imitate Setanta.”

“Excellent. That makes me feel more at ease,” the blacksmith said, then sighed. “Phew… I think I can finally get a good night’s rest now. All of that excitement with the ghost attack really had me on edge for a while. I need to calm myself down if I’m to fulfill my clients’ requests tomorrow.”

“Please don’t push yourself. Once word gets out about the attack, I’m sure everyone would understand if you need some time to rest.”

“If only I was 25 years younger, this kind of thing wouldn’t frazzle me so much. Well, that’s my problem. You’ve got enough to worry about for yourself, kid.”

“I know. It’s almost time for me to leave.”

“You be careful out there. Fergus is right about one thing – if Cuchulainn tries to attack you, run for it. Come straight back here, if you need to.”

“I will.”

With that, Connla packed up the last of her belongings and bid good night to Culann before departing. Once the front gates were locked shut and she vanished from his sight, he grumbled to himself before heading back into his mansion. He went into his room and sat upon his bed, exhaling a deep sigh. Eventually, he turned his gaze toward a painting on the wall. It was an old piece depicting the final royal family of Ulster – Conchobhar mac Nessa, Deichtine, her husband Sualtam mac Roich, their other sister Findchoem,  her husband Amergin mac Eccit, their son Conall Cernach, and Setanta. The king sat on his throne in the center, while the others surrounded him. The thing that caught Culann’s attention the most was Deichtine. Or rather, her physical appearance.

Sure, there were some differences with the hairstyle and the way they carried themselves, but if Connla was about 30 or 35 years older…

She would look nearly identical to Deichtine.

Chapter Text

FATE/CURADH BEAG

“Little Champion”

Chapter 12: Fergus’ Suspicion

Connla returned to the castle in Galway, reuniting with the others in the stables. There was one more man helping them prepare the chariot, stocking it with two weeks’ worth of provisions before hitching it onto two of the three horses they intended to bring with them. This fourth man was a short and stocky fellow with thick red hair and an equally bright-colored scruffy beard. He wore traditional Celtic armor and clothing, even donning a bowl-shaped iron helmet that nearly obscured the top of his face. One would easily think he was out of shape from how bulky his abdomen appeared, but he was actually strong enough to subdue even a bull with his bare hands, never mind taming wild horses through brute force.

“That oughta do it,” the red-haired man said with a thick Irish accent. “Y’all should be saddled up fer the next while.”

Fergus said, “Thanks for the help. I know this was on short notice, given how you’re always so busy.”

“Nay, dun be a lick sorry, mate. I be gettin’ bored outta me skull doin’ nuttin’ but forgin’ ‘orseshoes an’ trimmin’ ‘ooves all day. Been ages since I ‘ad to git a good ol’ fashioned chariot ready fer an ‘portant ‘scursion. ‘Sides, if it be true that Cuchulainn be lurkin’ out there, y’all’re gonna need t’be in tip-top shape, an’ that includes these fellas. I know how nasty that blighter can be when he’s pissed, so y’all gotta be on yer A-game.”

The burly fellow patted a black horse’s flank just as Connla entered the stable. Conall was guiding a copper-colored horse outside when he spotted her, and he called out, “Hey, you’re back! Just in time, too! We’re about to pull out shortly!”

“How many horses are we taking?” she asked.

“Well, Medb was kind enough to award me with my own steed here. This guy’s named Deirg nDruchtaig, or ‘Dripping Red’. His color really caught my eye, so I picked him. Cu Roi has his own girl there – Blathnat, or ‘Little Flower’.”

He pointed over to the opposite side, where the King of Munster was throwing a saddle onto a pure white horse. Conall leaned in and whispered into Connla’s ear, “Rumor is that he named her after his deceased wife. I thought about asking him about it, but Fergus warned me not to say a word. Apparently there’s some history between his wife and Cuchulainn.”

“I see,” she murmured, opting to take that advice to heart.

“Right-o. Fergus and Laeg are hitching the chariot onto Dubh Sainglend there, though I have a gut feeling we’re gonna need one more horse to help us out. Neither Deirg nor Blathnat are fans of pulling carriages, and that load looks pretty heavy for one horse to pull.”

Dubh Sainglend (“Saingliu’s Black”) was a completely onyx steed who appeared much larger than any of the other animals in the stable. Connla tilted her head, then asked Conall, “Is that other man talking to Uncle Fergus supposed to be Laeg?”

“Yeah. He’s another Champion like us. Nowadays he’s an equine specialist known throughout all of Ireland, but back during the Cattle Raid, he was said to be one of Cuchulainn’s best friends and caretakers of his two horses. Dubh is one of them.”

“What about the other horse?”

“Ehhh…” Conall scratched his head. “He’s still around, but he refuses to let anyone ride him. Apparently, he still treats Cuchulainn as his one and only rider, and will throw anyone else off. I almost got kicked in the face just trying to approach him, you know!”

“Why would Queen Medb keep a horse that’s still loyal to someone she regards as an enemy?”

“I guess she only cares that he’s a spoil of war that she can boast about owning. I can’t really blame him though - that sort of humiliation would put me in a bad mood too. He does allow Laeg to take care of him, but at this rate, his violent temper might wind up getting him put down.”

“That’s terrible,” Connla moaned. “I’m kind of curious to see him now.”

“You sure? He’s a dangerous one.”

“I just want to see him from a distance.”

“Well, okay…”

Conall brought her over to the barn’s farthest and darkest corner. Nestled upon a thick bed of hay was a lethargic grey horse that was trying to take a nap, but appeared clearly agitated about his quiet time being interrupted. The pair remained a good distance away, and she leaned in to get as close a look as she could. She noted how thin he looked and remarked, “He doesn’t have a healthy appetite. It’s almost like he’s trying to starve himself to death.”

“That just goes to show you how loyal he is to his former owner,” Conall frowned. “Well, nothing we can do about it. Let’s ask Laeg if we can find another-“

Suddenly, the grey horse exhaled a distinct snort and glanced at Connla with piercing eyes. Without warning, he whinnied and scrambled onto his feet, trotting enthusiastically toward the bewildered girl. Before she could utter anything, he leaned his nose against her face and inhaled a deep sniff. Once he had a good whiff of her scent, he let out a series of enthusiastic cries and leapt onto his back hooves with joy.

“Whoa, boy! What’s gotten into you!?” Conall shouted, pulling Connla away before she could be trampled. “Hey, Laeg! Get your ass in here! We need your help!”

“Aye, I ‘ear ye! What be the commotion so suddenly!?” Laeg shouted as he and Fergus dashed into the barn. “What in tarnation be goin’ on ‘ere!?”

“I don’t know! You’re supposed to be the expert, aren’t you!?”

“Down, Liath! Down, I say!”

The horse obeyed Laeg’s command, but seemed insistent on staying close to Connla. Fergus stroked his chin and murmured, “Well I’ll be damned. Looks like he finally found a friend in the little one.”

“’Ow b’zarre. ‘E nev’r let any other pipsqueak ride ‘im. Why this one alluva sudden?”

“Beats me. But it doesn’t look like he wants to leave her side. Is he well enough to come with us?”

“Aye, ‘e be fitter than a fiddle, but this does bamboozle me, it does. ‘Ey, lassie. Try ridin’ ‘im fer a sec.”

“Sure…” Connla muttered uneasily, then straddled onto the horse’s back. To the others’ combined surprise, he galloped majestically out into the field and ran around in circles without causing his new rider any issues. Not once did he try to buck her off – he was as content as a child in a toy shop.

Fergus put his hands on his hips and asked Laeg in a deeply concerned tone, “What do you think?”

“Hmmm… Quite the stumper, this be. ‘E seems ‘appy t’be wit’ ‘er though, so I ain’t gonna complain.”

“You think there’s an explanation for such a change in behavior?”

“Can’t say I be f’miliar wit’ somethin’ like this. Best I can think of is that the rugrat reminds ‘im o’Cuchulainn fer some reason.”

Fergus’ expression grew even firmer. “Of Setanta, you say…”

Oblivious to their conversation, Connla guided the horse back to the barn, then asked Laeg, “Well? How was he?”

“Aye, that be ex’llent. ‘E’ll do quite nicely as yer steed. Ye rode ‘im wit’ style too. Ye got ‘sperience workin’ wit’ ‘orses?”

“Yes, my mother taught me a lot about caring for them. She was quite the horse aficionado, after all.”

“’Ow convenient! Ye’ll be a perfect fit fer ‘im then!”

“So what’s his name?”

“’E be called Liath Macha, or ‘Macha’s Grey’. ‘E’s Dubh Sainglend’s brutha’, an’ they be both Cuchulainn’s former chariot steeds. It be said that they be born from the pool o’Linn Liaith as a gift from either the Morr’gan or ‘er sister Macha.”

“So Liath and Dubh have magical origins?”

“Can’t really confirm nor deny it. They be possessin’ more vigor than a ‘undred mares though, so I bet there be somethin’ myst’cal goin’ on. Bring ‘im ‘round front an’ I’ll ‘itch ‘im t’the chariot.”

As Laeg, Connla and Liath left, Conall and Fergus remained behind for a few minutes as they pondered this strange development. Conall sighed, then asked, “What do you think?”

“I can’t help but be suspicious. There are just too many coincidences for me to ignore,” Fergus admitted.

“I know. First the incident with Culann’s dogs, and now this.”

“I don’t think she’s lying about not knowing her father’s identity, but I can’t discount the possibility of her being part of Setanta’s family somehow. The trouble is, he’s the only one in his family who went to Scotland to train under Scathach.”

“You’ve got to be kidding. He just turned 16 when he left, and was 17 when he came back. He wouldn’t be stupid enough to knock up Scathach’s sister at such an age, would he?”

“You really believe that?”

“Um…”

“I’ve met Scathach before, and she’s very easy on the eyes, if you get my drift. I doubt that Aife would be much different. Given Setanta’s lust for beautiful women, he definitely wouldn’t miss that kind of opportunity, even if it meant royally pissing off Scathach.”

“C-Come on… there’s just no way,” Conall stammered hesitantly. “You’re saying all of that without any proof. Besides, from all of his other relationships, not one of them produced a child. I even heard gossip about him being infertile due to him possessing divine blood.”

Fergus folded his arms. “You’re right about that. But I can’t ignore this. I’m going to try asking Connla some questions - see if I can get any nuggets of hard info out of her. You keep quiet about this conversation and behave as normal around her, got it?”

“Yeah, I got it. Not like I’m believing your bunk anyway.”

As Conall sauntered away, Fergus had another thought that he didn’t want to share with him;

I doubt he remembers his aunt Deichtine very well since she died a few years after Setanta was born. But when I first saw Connla, I swear I thought I was looking at a child version of that woman…

The team of four Champions finally departed Galway and ventured northeast toward Sgaradh. For Conall and Connla, this was just a simple reverse retread of their previous path. Now that they had horses, it would take them half the time to reach their first checkpoint, which was around the former Lough Neagh’s dried-up perimeter. The weather soon turned dismal as thick grey clouds blanketed the skies and sprinkled a light misty rain for miles on end. They donned heavy leather ponchos to keep themselves dry and continued onward, only stopping to take short scheduled breaks.

Around early evening, they decided to set up camp in an area between Lough Neagh and Belfast. Fergus prepared the tents and hauled some firewood, Conall and Cu Roi went out hunting, and Connla took care of the cooking and horses. She used her Runes to start a fire that wouldn’t be put out even by the rain, then had the steeds come in close so they could warm up.

“Hoh, not too shabby,” Fergus remarked as he crudely dropped some chopped logs on the ground. “They tend to be quite feisty when it comes to grooming, but you got them under control like it’s nothing. You wouldn’t secretly happen to be some horse-whisperer, would you?”

“Not really,” Connla said. “Mother loved horses more than she liked other people, so she always expected me to look after them when she couldn’t. Her teaching style was strict, but the techniques she passed down to me are very handy.”

“Your mother… You said her name was Aife, right?”

“Yes. She was Scathach’s sister.”

“I see. I think I heard rumors of an Aife from Scotland. She was some notorious warrior woman who tried to invade Ulster just over 20 years ago, but Scathach put a stop to that.”

“Mother didn’t like talking about that too much, so I don’t really know the details.”

“What about your father?”

Connla shook her head. “I know even less about him. All I’ve been told is that he was some common warrior from Ulster. Neither Mother nor Teacher ever told me what his name was. They probably thought he wasn’t important enough for me to concern myself with. The only keepsake I have from him is this ring.”

She showed him the golden ring on her right thumb. The crimson gems attached to the metal glistened against the light of the bonfire. Fergus hummed to himself in curiosity, which likewise perplexed Connla.

“These stones…” he murmured and took her hand in his so he could get a closer look. “Do you know what these are?”

“Just red gemstones, right? I tried researching them, but they don’t match any records of existing precious stones that I’m aware of.”

“So Scathach didn’t tell you about them. In fact, these aren’t made naturally. They’re actually manmade.”

“They are?”

“Yeah. I don’t know how popular they are in Scotland, but you see them all the time in Ireland. They’re Runestones coated in a person’s blood and enchanted with a spell so that only a member of the creator’s family can wear them. They’ve come to be known as Bloodstones.”

“Bloodstones…” she whispered and stared at the ring intently. “So this red color is from my father’s blood?”

“No doubt about it. Bloodstones are a popular way to prove one’s lineage to a famed relative. Whoever your father was, he must have wanted to make absolutely sure that you could prove your connection to him despite being raised in Scotland. Maybe he intended for you to go to Ulster and become a member of the Red Branch Army.”

“Probably. Just before Mother died, she prepared me to depart for Ireland by giving me the ring and three geasa to abide by. I couldn’t leave though because Teacher took me to the Land of Shadows.”

“Due to Cuchulainn’s treachery…”

They became silent for a while. It was hard to say how things would have turned out had she left for Ireland as intended. Maybe she would have been slaughtered by Cuchulainn after he made contact with Curruid. Maybe she would have made it to Ulster safely. Maybe she would have been killed by Connacht’s forces. All they could say for sure was that Connla being under Scathach’s care was perhaps the most assured course of action for her long-term survival. Ulster being caught in the flames of war was no place for a young child like her to be venturing to anyway.

Eventually Cu Roi and Conall returned with their spoils, and they prepared a decent feast. While eating, Fergus and Connla told them about her thumb ring, which piqued the others’ curiosity even more, but they said nothing for now. Connla then asked numerous questions about the Cattle Raid, wanting to learn more about what happened during the war. It was a good way for the men to distract her from thoughts about her Irish lineage, though she seemed to grow more forlorn the more she understood how brutal the conflict actually was. On top of the petty skirmishes between then and Dublin’s Fall, it was no wonder the Celtic Isles were so eerily calm on the surface – everyone was just plain tired of fighting for pointless reasons.

Eventually, the discussion died down. Connla languidly poked a stick into the smoldering bonfire. Although the history lesson wasn’t as pleasant as she would have liked, there was a different reason for why she looked so distant. Conall noticed her vapid expression and asked, “What’s the matter?”

After an uncomfortably long pause, she murmured, “… I’ll probably never know who my father is.”

“Oh…”

“If the wars really were as violent as you claim, I doubt he would have survived.”

Conall suddenly felt bad for inflicting such a painful wound on her spirit. However, Fergus reacted differently. He threw his arm around the despondent girl’s shoulder and assured, “Don’t worry about it anymore. You have Uncle Fergus to look after you now. Scathach entrusted your safety to me, so I’ll do my absolute best to not let her down in that regard.”

“Um… I don’t think I need to be taken care of as much as you think.”

“Maybe not as a warrior. But as a child? Most definitely. The wars may be one thing, but your upbringing has to be the most screwed-up thing I’ve ever heard of. If I plan on raising you to be a lovely young woman, I’ve gotta undo the damage that Aife and Scathach caused to your mind.”

She tilted her head, unsure of what he meant. Then she said, “The way you’re saying that, I’m kind of curious to know if you’re familiar with raising children.”

“Sure, I am. I fathered plenty of kids, and I was one of Setanta’s foster fathers.”

“Setanta…” Connla murmured. “Culann always seemed to like discussing him whenever I was around.”

“Of course he would. No child would have been strong enough to kill one of his dogs until he came around. Whether Culann likes it or not, that definitely would’ve left a lasting impression.”

“I guess so.”

Cu Roi then asked, “Was your stay with him a pleasant one?”

“Yes,” Connla replied. “He inspected my weapon, and then compared me to Setanta as a warrior. Oddly enough, his dogs also barked like crazy when Conall and I first arrived at his mansion.”

“Yeah, that’s right,” Conall added. “It was the first time I ever saw them go nuts like that. I thought they were going to tear our heads off or something! As if Liath finally cooperating with us wasn’t enough already.”

Cu Roi was slightly taken aback by this, and he murmured, “You don’t say…”

Connla noticed his reaction and asked worriedly, “Hm? Is something the matter?”

“No, nothing at all,” he stammered, then turned around and glared at Fergus with concern in his eyes. For some reason, the King of Munster was growing more and more uncomfortable with the discussion, so he decided to sit on a nearby boulder and keep watch for the night. Fergus knew why Cu Roi’s demeanor changed so suddenly, but maintained a straight face to not make Connla worry any more.

“So then,” Fergus muttered as he flashed a feigned smile, “what did Culann tell you about Setanta?”

Connla said, “Not much, other than the incident with his dogs. I don’t really know much about his personality or how he lived his life. Then he said that even though we fight the same, my personality is completely different to his.”

“Hah hah hah! Got that right! He was a one-of-a-kind brat. He always did the honorable thing when needed, but boy, his temper and lust for women were nearly impossible to keep tight reigns on. Once he set his eyes on Forgall Monach’s daughter Emer, that was it. The concept of ‘friend’ and ‘enemy’ meant nothing to him as long as he got his hands on the girl. A proper lass like you hardly fits that rowdy image.”

“So it would seem. It seems like everyone had a rough time with him even before he became Cuchulainn, and that was before he became Taoide Olc. I find all of this hard to imagine, since I actually spoke with Cuchulainn before leaving Dun Scaith.”

“What was he like?”

“Well… He was heavily injured and suffering from amnesia, but he just seemed kind of… I don’t know… fatigued? Like he was tired of living, or something like that.”

“…”

“He didn’t say more than necessary, but he did ask me some things about my past. He was most interested in me being another pupil of Scathach’s. I’m not sure what he thinks of what I told him, but I could tell that he wished me no harm. Or maybe he was too injured to even consider posing a threat to me.”

“I see,” Fergus murmured. “So it’s the wounds and amnesia he suffered that helped you survive your encounter with him.”

“But that’s strange,” Conall wondered. “Why would he suddenly have amnesia? Has he forgotten everything about his life as Setanta?”

Connla murmured, “I honestly don’t know. He looked to be in such tremendous pain whenever he tried to recall his past.”

Fergus hummed to himself in contemplation, then thought, I suppose spending 15 years as an unstoppable sea monster destroying the rest of humanity would’ve done something to his sanity. He must’ve let his primal instincts take control for that whole time, which meant sacrificing his memories as a human being.

She shook her head and forlornly admitted, “I don’t know any more than that, I’m afraid. I know that’s not much help, but…”

“That’s all right,” Fergus said, this time with a genuine smile as he rubbed her head. “The important thing is that you obeyed Scathach’s instructions by escaping and seeking me out. I’m not sure how Cuchulainn is going to react should you two meet again, but I’ll be damned if I let him let him lay even a smidgen of a finger on you.”

“That’s assuming we run into him,” Conall grumbled with a labored sigh. “If we’re lucky, he’ll leave us alone.”

“Don’t jinx it. I’m already having enough bad vibes as it is.”

“Hey, don’t blame me for being a realist.”

The following morning, Fergus and Cu Roi requested to make a brief stop in Belfast. Since they heard about the increase in suicides, the territory’s erosion, and the citizens’ forced evacuation, they wanted to make sure the town was officially abandoned and receive confirmation from the nearest magistrate before they moved on. Connla obviously wanted nothing to do with Belfast anymore, so Conall agreed to wait with her in the plains just outside Sgaradh while the two kings conducted their business. It took a couple of hours, so they spent this time reorganizing their provisions and letting the horses rest.

Once they breached Scotland’s border, it would be a nonstop race to the province of Skye before they turned through the entire country in a clockwise motion to visit as many major cities and towns as they could. Aside from Scathach’s welfare check, Fergus and Cu Roi definitely wanted to reach out to Scotland’s kings to spread the word about Cuchulainn’s return and get some sort of countermeasure going. Conall and Connla would have to work overtime as both the kings’ guards and the horses’ caretakers, so there wasn’t going to be many opportunities for them to take breaks such as this.

At least… that was what the plan was.

After Fergus and Cu Roi finished their errands in Belfast, they crossed Sgaradh without incident and entered southwestern Scotland. Glasgow would be their first stop. Since it was tucked neatly within the mainland, meaning there was no risk of it falling into the ocean anytime soon, it was the biggest hub for commerce between the two countries. However, the three men noticed that their young compatriot was appearing more and more distressed the further they ventured into Scotland.

“What’s wrong? You look like you’re going to puke,” Conall asked Connla.

“I… I’m not sure… but something’s… not right…”

“Could you elaborate a bit? I’m not seeing anything out of the ordinary,” Cu Roi wondered. As far as he could tell, the grass was green, the sky was blue, and the tree branches’ leaves swayed in the perfectly normal afternoon breeze.

“I’m sorry… I must not be making any sense. It’s just that… I’m sensing the same cadence I felt when I lived in Dun Scaith.”

“The same cadence? What is that supposed to mean?”

“Well, you know how the Land of Shadows is a separate dimension from this one? It’s a land of death and stagnation, where combat is the only way to make a name for yourself, and even then that glory is short-lived in the unending flow of time that never marches forward. It’s completely different to this world’s atmosphere. It’s way more lively and bright, where growth and possibilities are endless. And yet, I’m feeling that familiar chilly cadence the closer we get to Glasgow.”

“Did you feel it while we were in Ireland?”

“Not at all. The moment we left Sgaradh, it was as if we stepped into the Land of Shadows once more.”

Fergus frowned, then said, “Even so, that’s not much proof of anything. We need to see how the gates are before we can draw any reasonable conclusions. I know this must be difficult for you, but please try to bear with it. You’re the only one who can show us the way, after all.”

“I know,” Connla nodded. “I just thought I’d give you guys a heads up in case anything strange happens.”

“Right. Those ghosts did come from here, so it wouldn’t be unreasonable to run into some stragglers.”

With that, they continued toward Glasgow, reaching the city by the late afternoon. However, Connla’s fears became increasingly justified when they left the horses and chariot by the entrance and walked through the main gates. As if the weather itself was orchestrating a grand guignol play for them, a soupy fog rolled through the horribly silent town to amplify the atmosphere. Without looking through houses and shops, they could tell something catastrophic had happened here, judging by the grotesque displays of blood, guts and severed limbs they were being exposed to. Whatever this calamity was, no one had been spared – men, women, children, elderly, and animals alike had all been torn asunder. The dirt was so saturated with blood that their boots trudged through a quagmire of deep-red muddy soup.

“Cor…” was the only thing that escaped Conall’s lips.

Cu Roi steeled his nerves and kneeled in front of a decapitated farmer. It wasn’t just his body that had been shredded into chunks of meat. The produce he carried in his wooden wheelbarrow – carrots and potatoes – had also been cleanly sliced into thick chunks one could use in a stew. Despite it being blatantly obvious by now, he still reported to Fergus with an empty voice, “He’s been cut apart. Judging by the blank expression on his face, who- or whatever did this to him had to have attacked without him realizing it whatsoever.”

“So it would seem,” Fergus murmured in a quiet tone. “It was a sudden assault. No one had the time to send a distress warning.”

Connla did her best to tear her eyes away from the grisly sight, but no matter where she tried to avert her gaze, she’d just find another body to gape at dumbfoundedly. Conall noticed this and uttered, “Let’s get the hell out of here. The more we stand around, the more we’re gonna traumatize the kid.”

“Yes, of course. There’s nothing we can do for this town.”

The four Champions wisely returned to the main entrance, and Fergus and Cu Roi shut the gates so no one else would inadvertently witness that horrible scene. Connla sat on the grass to catch her breath, and Conall remained with her. After several long and agonizing minutes, he asked, “Are you okay?”

“Mm…” she feebly nodded. “It’s just that… I recognize the way those people were killed.”

“You do?”

“It’s the same as when a horde of spirits would attack wild animals and Demon Boars in the Land of Shadows. They’d mask their presence, practically blending in with the fog, and then spring up from literally out of nowhere. Their talons are sharp enough to rip through even a Demon Boar’s enhanced skeleton.”

He swallowed hard. As far as the Celtic Isles were concerned, a Demon Boar’s bones were the toughest material in the world. Steel did not exist in this time, so it was the next best thing the Celts could use. Once the bones’ curses were cleansed with a druid’s blessings, they would be repurposed into unbreakable knives and weapons.

She moaned, “I’ve seen it plenty of times with wild beasts and Demon Boars, but this is the first time I’ve seen humans being dismembered…”

“Son of a bitch…” Conall gasped under his breath. Then he suddenly raged, “Y’know what!? Screw this! We’re heading straight back to Ireland! If there really are ghosts this far away from Skye, it has to mean they’re pouring in from the Land of Shadows! We’d be wasting our time and energy trying to investigate Scotland when we should be protecting Ireland!”

Connla wasn’t sure what to make of his suggestion. Sure, he was completely right that they needed to worry about Ireland. Yet, she also wanted to see if Scathach was actually still alive or not. However difficult it would be – even if it meant seeing her in the same sorry state as the townspeople – at least it would provide confirmation and closure for her. But how could she be so selfish when they were in such a heightened state of emergency?

In fact… that was when another disturbing thought crossed her mind.

Without warning, she drew some Runes in the air that caused the air to ripple around them. Conall looked bewildered as he asked, “What are you doing?”

“Ngh… The radius is too small… I don’t have enough magical energy to scan the entire area…”

Cu Roi and Fergus ran up to them and noticed what Connla was doing. Cu Roi joined by her side and asked, “Are you trying to flush them out?”

“Yes, but my Runecraft isn’t going to be enough.”

“Then I will assist you.”

The two Runecraft users worked in unison to send pulsating waves of concentrated mana around throughout Glasgow. As Fergus drew Caladbolg from its scabbard, Conall demanded, “What’s going on!? What are you guys trying to do!?”

“Prepare for battle, lad. I think we’ve got company.”

Just as he said this, a brilliant blue rippling effect radiated from the spell Cu Roi and Connla conjured. Then, one by one, the ghosts’ invisibility was dispelled, revealing them to have been lurking around all of Glasgow as they observed their fresh prey enter the city. Connla suspected that they had been tailing the group ever since they left Sgaradh, which explained her uneasy feeling earlier. She was attuned to sensing the undead thanks to her body being more accustomed to Dun Scaith’s cadence rather than the living world’s.

“Holy shit! There’s this many!?” Conall shrieked as he brandished Curaidin Catutchenn and activated its searing light. Acting on pure instinct, he carved through three angry spirits that dove straight for him.

Since Caladbolg was a magical weapon, Fergus could use it to bash some skulls in without resorting to its destructive power – at least, not yet anyway. Cu Roi energized his body tattoos to grant his fists the ability to harm the undead. He crushed multiple ghosts with his mighty punches that distorted the air, and foot stomps that cracked the earth. As for Connla, she resorted to long-range Nauthiz spells, launching blue fireballs that imparted a blessing for the ghosts to leave this world. Living creatures would not be affected, but it was fatal for lower-level undead such as these. She hopped and leapt backwards, even performing some backflips as the spirits swirled in all around and tried to claw her, but were only rewarded with fiery banishment.

As Connla reeled back to catch her breath, her heart suddenly seized up with pure, unadulterated terror. Something was directly behind her, and every hair on her skin pricked as a sort of sixth ‘danger’ sense flared throughout her entire body. She wasn’t sure if it was a genuine reaction she was having, or if her body was simply responding to an external threat, but she whipped her head back to see what was there…

It was him.

Just 20 feet away, the giant man clad in black scales wielding a massive thorny spear stood tall atop a small hill, glaring down at her like an ominous storm cloud. His crimson eyes glowed in the darkness, and they left a distinct a trail as he wordlessly lurched forward and leapt straight for her, stretching his hand out in an obvious attempt to grab her. Her throat dried up and she choked, unable to react in time.

“HRAAAGH!” Fergus’ war cry interrupted them, as the purple-haired swordsman got in between them and swung Caladbolg as hard as he could against Gae Bolg. A distinct clang sound reverberated all around them, knocking Connla onto her butt in astonishment. She remained sitting there watching the two men struggle against each other.

Despite fighting for his life against Cuchulainn, Fergus smirked and retorted, “What’s the matter, Setanta? I know you’re into the ladies and all that, but isn’t this one a tad too young for you? Or did you pick up some disturbing tastes while you were out drowning the rest of the world?”

“Shut your filthy mouth,” the hideous spearman snapped darkly.

Fergus suddenly frowned and thought, Whoa, Connla wasn’t kidding. It’s like I’m talking to a completely different person.

With a growling roar, Cuchulainn slammed Fergus away with Gae Bolg, causing him to skid to a halt in front of Connla. Conall and Cu Roi heard this and joined Fergus in blocking Cuchulainn’s path. She regained her senses enough to stand back up and brandish her weapon, showing her intention to fight if necessary. However, Fergus raised his arm in front of her and urged, “Don’t do it.”

She wanted to argue with him, but remembered what her role was in this mission and stepped back quietly. Fergus stood up and casually asked Cuchulainn, “So what’s with the new getup? I didn’t think you were the type to seek any sort of kingship. Or is all of that godlike power getting to your head, and you now want to rule the very same world you destroyed?”

“You don’t know when to stop chin-wagging, do you, old man?”

“What can I say? I’m a pretty chatty fellow.”

“Hmph. Annoying how some things never change. Well, that’s not going to matter once I’ve killed Medb and taken Ireland as easily as I took Scotland.”

“You… took Scotland?” Connla wondered. “You mean, you’re the king of this entire country now?”

“Damn straight,” Cuchulainn replied. “That includes the Land of Shadows. Once I claimed Scathach’s territory for my own, it didn’t take long for the other impotent kings and rulers to bow to my will.”

“B-But what about Teacher!? Where is she!?”

“What do you think? You should know how rulership of Dun Scaith is passed on.”

Connla immediately became mortified and covered her mouth in total shock. She didn’t want to believe that Scathach was dead. She knew how powerful her mentor was. If he was right about actually killing her, she didn’t want to imagine just how downright unstoppable he was. She wanted to get the hell out of there, but the horror of learning about Scathach’s death rooted her to the spot.

“Tch,” Cu Roi snarled. “Looks like our welfare check isn’t going to be necessary anymore. You know what to do, lass. Just leave this to us and return to Galway posthaste.”

The moment Cuchulainn heard that, the distinct riastrad lines formed all over his face as he growled, “That’s not going to happen. My business is with the kid, and no one’s going to get in my way.”

Conall asked, “Even if she was Scathach’s pupil, I don’t think a girl who hasn’t finished her training is worth this amount of trouble.”

“Yeah, I know. I have a different reason in mind. Why else do you think I sent those ghosts to attack the coliseum when I could’ve launched a direct attack myself?”

“Wha-!?”

“Of course!” Cu Roi snarled in sudden realization. “T’was a trap you laid for the lass!”

Cuchulainn’s shark-like grin crept along his face as he declared, “Bingo. I knew the kid would recognize those abominations, which meant she would want to come back here to see how Scathach was doing. I figured she would bring backup though, considering how she had to look for Fergus, along with how chummy she’s become with Conall. I certainly wasn’t expecting the King of Munster to come along for the ride, but I’m not going to complain. It’s just one less of Medb’s stupid ‘Champions’ I have to deal with later.”

Conall grit his teeth as he demanded, “You mean you’ve been watching us this whole time!?”

“Sure, I have. Once I gained Scathach’s crown, it wasn’t too hard to use her Royal Authority to cloak myself and follow you two all the way to Galway.”

“Cor blimey…”

Fergus pointed Caladbolg in Cuchulainn’s direction and asked, “What do you want with Connla? Why have you gone through so much hassle to isolate her?”

The deformed king became silent as he contemplated the question. He shifted his eyes toward the girl, who was equally silent as she stared back at him with frightened eyes. Then, he said to her, “Don’t be a Champion for Medb. If you slip up in even the slightest, she won’t hesitate to torment you in the most cruel and unimaginable ways possible. You don’t need that in your life anymore. Come back to the Land of Shadows with me.”

“I, uh…” she uttered, and her skin blanched from sheer horror.

The others didn’t know what to make of this turn of events. Conall asked her, “What’s he talking about?”

Cuchulainn snapped, “That’s between me and her. You assholes get the hell out of my way, or I’ll pulverize you.”

“Over our dead bodies!”

“Hmph. Then over your dead bodies it shall be,” the Lostbelt’s king chuckled. He pointed at the group, then made a ‘come hither’ gesture as he arrogantly taunted, “So, which one of you wants to die first?”

Deeper in Scotland’s forests, two children ran as fast as their little legs could carry them. Panic and confusion were written all over their faces as they scurried along, unsure of why they were running or what they were fleeing from. All they knew was that their Auntie demanded they hurry to Ireland without delay. That, coupled with the terrifying man who had passed by them earlier, made them suddenly fearful for their lives.

“F-Fir… I can’t… wun anymowe…” Fial gasped for breath and collapsed onto her hands and knees.

“Just a little further!” her brother insisted. “We’re almost to Sgaradh!”

“My wegs… I can’t… feel my wegs anymowe… Waaa~aaah! I’m scared! Why did Auntie tell us to wun away!?”

“I don’t know. But I trust her. She wants us to be safe. That’s why we have to keep moving.”

“I can’t! I can’t wun! I’m too tired!”

“Then I’ll carry you!” Fir exclaimed and saddled his sobbing sister onto his back piggyback style. “No matter what it takes, I’ll get you to Ireland, even if it kills me!”

“Fir…”

As he trudged along the dirt paths with determination in his eyes, that was when the twins noticed a familiar black bird circling around them. The goddess landed on a nearby tree, and her voice called out to them, “There you are, my children! You’ve come a long way! It’s not much farther now!”

“Fial’s getting tired,” Fir admitted.

“Is she? Then I will carry her.”

“How?”

The bird spread her ebony wings, and a rush of air surrounded Fial’s body as she gently floated off of Fir’s back. Fir realized that she was using a spell to ‘fly’ the semi-conscious Fial around, so he exhaled a sigh of relief. The goddess then asked him, “Do you need me to carry you as well?”

“No, I’m fine. Fial slacked off on her exercise, but I’ve been running every day, just like you told me to.”

“Good boy. Follow me as best you can, but don’t be ashamed if you need my help.”

“I’m a man! I don’t need help!”

“Eh he he he. Even at your age, a boy can still have that masculine stubborn streak, hm? Very well! Try to keep up then!”

Chapter Text

FATE/CURADH BEAG

“Little Champion”

Chapter 13: Blood Connection

AUTHOR’S NOTE: As a little break from form, I’m uploading two chapters today to cover for the time some family members will be visiting from England for the next two weeks. Plus, summer is such a difficult time to do much writing because of the heat wave and other activities I want to do. Hopefully this will keep you guys satisfied for the next while.

Chaldea

The heartbeat monitor began to show a slightly elevated level of stress, as the persistent beeping gradually increased in speed. Inside the sleeping pod, Connla showed signs of strain on her face as she struggled to cope with what she was seeing within her dream.

“Geal…” Aibi moaned, pressing a hand against the glass and staring in deep concern at her younger self.

“What’s happening?” Gilgamesh asked.

“She’s experiencing our Lostbelt counterpart’s grief and fear, and it’s beginning to reflect on her own Spirit Origin.”

“So she has trouble separating herself from a counterpart’s psyche. She becomes so absorbed into their world that she temporarily possesses the same mindset as them. That’s why it becomes especially difficult to wake her up while in this state.”

“More or less.”

“I suppose this is what happens when an inexperienced runt tries to mess around with the Kaleidoscope.”

Aibi shook her head and insisted, “It’s not like it’s Geal’s fault. She… We didn’t ask for this kind of ability.”

“Calm yourself. I was merely speaking off the cuff. It was not meant to be an insult.”

She really didn’t understand how it was supposed to be anything other than an affront. Even so, she always had trouble understanding the Sumerian king’s logic, whether it was in Chaldea or from her originating world. She figured it was pointless trying to prod him for more details, and opted to focus on Connla’s state.

As the two spoke with each other, Cuchulainn Alter remained seated next to the pod staring at his sleeping daughter. He knew she would pull through this, just like with the other vivid dreams she experienced. However, this time felt much different. All the other times, he could only wonder what she was seeing, then read about it in a report later. This time, he was witnessing it on the monitor. The sight of his own Lostbelt counterpart being reduced to some kind of ‘god of destruction’ was enough to thoroughly disgust him. If he was able to go to that world and confront this ‘Taoide Olc’ version of himself, he wouldn’t hesitate to gut him a thousand times over.

Alas, Cuchulainn could do no such thing. He had to content himself with holding Connla’s hand and temporarily connecting his Spirit Origin to hers. Now that they were a single Foreigner Servant, the process was much more automatic compared to when they were separate classes. All he had to do was think about it, and he would be able to directly feel whatever was going through her mind. Now that she was connected to the Lostbelt Connla’s psyche, it meant he could experience whatever she was going through as well. It was as if he needed to sort through two Connlas’ emotions just to keep everything straight.

Damn it. This is just too fucking freaky…

If he was this repulsed over it, he couldn’t imagine how scared and confused she had been this entire time. That was why he needed to keep his wits together and stay with her. If she could brave through these life-like visions over and over again, so could he.

Celtic Lostbelt

“Why, you-!” Conall snarled, growing annoyed with Cuchulainn’s taunting and rushing in to meet him in battle first. Their weapons clashed against each other’s so hard that sparks sprayed all around them like blinding rain. The moment Cuchulainn bashed Conall aside, Fergus took over and forced him against the wall of an abandoned home. Fergus attempted to stab Caladbolg through Cuchulainn’s chest, but he gracefully leapt over the deadly blow and tried to slash open the king’s back upon landing. However, he suddenly felt a large pair of muscular arms wrap around his abdomen, then lost his footing and sailed upside-down. His head and upper back hit the earth with such force that he swore he heard his skull and bones snapping.

Cu Roi scrambled to his knees after performing the German suplex on Cuchulainn, then got on top of him and proceeded to punch him in the face multiple times. Each blow cracked the ground beneath them, and blood sprayed each time a new wound was opened up. Cu Roi even went so far as to power his strikes with Runecraft, giving him the strength to crush even a Fomorian with his strikes. As Cu Roi thrust his fist in for another punch, Cuchulainn suddenly snatched his wrist so hard that his bones started to creak under the strain.

“Gggggh-!” both men snarled at each other. Their glares were ugly and twisted as they struggled to overcome the other for a brief moment. Unfortunately, Cu Roi failed to notice Cuchulainn using his free hand to conjure an Ansuz Rune against his exposed chest. Before the King of Munster could react, the King of Shadows detonated his spell, unceremoniously throwing Cu Roi off of him in a massive arc that covered half of Glasgow. The Runic warrior disappeared from view as he crashed into an empty building in the distance.

While Cuchulainn was busy with Cu Roi, Conall took Connla’s hand and made her run further into the town to provide them with some cover. They hoped that Fergus and Cu Roi would buy them enough time for Conall to escort Connla out of Glasgow so she could return to Ireland unseen. The plan wouldn’t work out as well as they would have liked however, as Cu Roi’s stalling attempt did very little to distract Cuchulainn from the fleeing pair.

“Almost there!” Conall exclaimed as they jumped onto the roof of a small business. “Just a little farther and you’ll be home free!”

Connla noticed movement behind her and glanced back. She suddenly screamed, “Look out!”

Without warning, she shoved him with all her might, causing him to collapse onto his side. He wasn’t sure what was going on, but then a deafening sound exploded near him. Cuchulainn had hurled a huge pile of rubble at the roof to try and knock both warriors back down, decimating the tiles and construction beneath.

“Holy shit!” Conall cried out in surprise from the narrow miss. Connla rolled aside safely before hopping along some platform Runes to face Cuchulainn, much to Conall’s terror.

“Got you!” the corrupted hero cried out and leapt to duel her. However, she had other ideas in mind than a one-on-one. Instead of trying to fight him, she used an advanced combination of wind Runes and a long-lost art reserved for the Celtic gods known as ceo draíochta, or the magic mist, to combine rapid speed and brief moments of invisibility while jumping circles around Cuchulainn. The frustrated king tried to cut her down with mad flails of his spear, but she was way too quick for him to catch. Each time he was so close to butchering her, his blade only sliced through swirling winds and leaves. She got in some cuts to his flesh, then finished with a diving kick directly on his head to throw him face-first back onto the ground.

Cuchulainn, astonished by how agile the little girl was, needed an extra moment to regain his senses before turning back upright. As Connla flipped backwards in the air, Conall took this chance to jump off the roof and point his sword at Cuchulainn’s chest. He rolled away, but the plummeting blade caught about halfway along his tail and diced it off in one blow. He wasn’t too worried about losing part of the tail though – it was mostly comprised of bone and some minor nerve endings anyway. He was more concerned about fending Conall off as the warrior thrust and slashed his sword about in a mad storm of movement.

Out of the corner of his eye, Cuchulainn noticed that Connla was trying to make her escape out of town while he was preoccupied with Conall. She clamored over to a high-rise cliff that used to be a waterfall and hopped onto any outcropping rocks she could find. Cuchulainn raised Gae Bolg and energized it with enough power to decimate 100 men, then hurled it straight at the cliff’s base. Conall had to leap out of the way to avoid being eradicated by the sheer force. He watched in shock as the crimson spear embedded itself into the bedrock and released all of its energy in a fantastic explosion, which was dispersed all throughout the earth.

“Uwah!?” Connla yelped as she lost her footing on the stone she tried to jump off of. Everything crumbled all around her, and she was left helplessly tumbling down the cliff towards Cuchulainn. She noticed him leaping along some falling boulders to catch up to her. Her heart felt like it stopped as their eyes briefly made contact.

All of a sudden, the world rushed around her. Something large had snagged her out of the way before Cuchulainn could catch up to her, and the false god snarled in annoyance from letting his target slip away once again. Connla glanced up and realized she was being carried in Conall’s arms, while he plummeted to safer ground. He landed, then set her down and watched as Cuchulainn fell several yards away from them. Cu Roi, now recovered from his long-distance spill, joined by their side, making sure they were okay before glaring at their enemy.

With a snide smirk, Cuchulainn remarked to Conall, “Not bad, brother.”

“Don’t mind me. Just earning my keep,” the swordsman retorted.

“I may be superior to you in many ways, but your raw power was something I was jealous of even in our youth.”

“Oh, please. I’ve gotta have a little something to help me stand up against a bleedin’ demigod for a brother and training partner. But more than that, what’s with the new digs? Are you ditching your former heroic image and going full Fomorian now?”

“Ditching? No, no, no, that’s hardly the case. I always have been and always will be a hero. My life and reputation might have been dragged through the mud by that twisted harlot Medb, and there isn’t a damn thing I can do about that. Even so, whether I’m fighting against an enemy country or the entire world, I will singlehandedly come out on top, no matter what. Since she perverted me into something possessing a soul as ugly as hers, I figured it would be fair game to pursue a different avenue of obtaining power.”

“I have a feeling that you didn’t obtain that power through genuine means.”

“Think whatever you want,” Cuchulainn stood up and pointed his spear at the trio. “Now that I’m the King of Shadows, I have an obligation to topple any opposing nations – to be the strongest king that ever lived in all of human history. Once there is nowhere left for Medb to run… Once I have squeezed out every ounce of agony from her, and then have her mangled corpse gouged upon this blade, that is when my suffering will finally have greater meaning than giving her a few laughs.”

Connla murmured under her breath, “His suffering…”

Cu Roi grew livid and screamed, “What ‘human history’ are you talking about!? You submerged every other nation on this planet beneath the sea, then came back to conquer Scotland! Even if you win against Connacht, who the hell is going to record your achievements!? There won’t be anyone left to hail you as the strongest king ever! All you want is pure genocide!”

“Strong people don’t need to be celebrated,” Cuchulainn scoffed coldly. “All they need is victory.”

“By the Tuatha… You’ve gone completely insane!” Cu Roi shrieked and charged at his opponent, energizing his Runic tattoos to boost his strength to superhuman levels. They engaged in a man-to-man fistfight that culminated with Cuchulainn knocking Cu Roi out of the way with a roundhouse kick. Conall tried to join the fray, but the false god whirled his body around so that his long spiked tail smashed against his body, batting him aside like a baseball hitting a bat. As he spun, he noticed Connla jump over him and try to smack the soles of her boots upon his face. He raised his arm up to block the stomp, then waved it in an arc to toss her off him before jumping directly over her.

While Cuchulainn was high in the air, he hurled Gae Bolg at Connla. She noticed the crimson flash in time and quickly tumbled out of its path, but it instantly exploded in a destructive blast and scooped her up. She flipped helplessly in midair, and he leapt straight at her. However valiantly she tried to dodge his strikes, he raised his leg and viciously kicked her back to the ground, and she collapsed in an agonizing heap. Cuchulainn landed near her, but made no motion to actually attack her while she was down.

He retrieved Gae Bolg from the ground, then spoke to her in an eerily calm tone, “Stop this already. You don’t need any more fighting in your life.”

“I don’t understand…” she murmured. “Why aren’t you trying to kill me? I’ve become one of Queen Medb’s Champions. Doesn’t that make me an enemy to you?”

“…”

His lack of response felt more unnerving than if he had actually said something. She couldn’t read his stoic expression, and she inched back along the grass as she quietly approached her…

“Caladbolg!”

In that precious moment, a massive streak of multicolored light ripped through the ground and struck Cuchulainn with earth-rending force. Stones and boulders blasted everywhere, pelting and knocking him about so ruthlessly that numerous bones clearly broke inside him. Connla would have been caught in the blast as well had she not conjured her strongest Shield Rune to protect her as she flew backwards. She flipped about like a gymnast to regain her momentum, then looked around for the source of this unusually vibrant attack.

The sight of the muscular, violet-haired man with the unyielding smile brought a tremendous sense of relief to her. She ran to his side and called out, “Uncle Fergus!”

“Yo,” he greeted her. “Made it out in one piece, I see.”

“Many thanks to you.”

Conall and Cu Roi joined them, and the former retorted, “Better not get complacent though. In his current state, that bastard will shrug off that kind of attack like it’s nothing.”

“Feh hah hah hah! Not if I have something to say about it!” Fergus laughed and proudly planted Caladbolg into the dirt. “Aren’t you forgetting about the pact that Setanta and I made!? Now that I’ve used the Spiral Rainbow Sword’s most powerful technique on him, he is destined to die by my hand!”

“What do you mean?” Connla wondered.

“Oh, I guess I didn’t tell you. During the Cattle Raid, Cuchulainn and I made a pledge – a geas, if you would. I was sent to fight Cuchulainn, but neither of us wanted to do battle due to our relationship as foster-father and foster-son. Besides, Caladbolg was stolen from me, so I had to craft a wooden dummy to hide my shame. We decided to yield, but made a promise that he would be defeated by me the next time we meet.”

“Indeed,” Cu Roi said. “That guarantee of Cuchulainn being defeated by Fergus is the only hope we have rested on for all these years. If he were to survive, he would be breaking that geas.”

Conall and Connla didn’t seem to share in their enthusiasm, given how fierce their fight with Cuchulainn was. They gazed at the remnants of the multicolored explosion and hoped that the kings’ confidence would be well-founded. However, the pillars of prismatic light gradually gave way to an inky darkness that bubbled around where Cuchulainn was standing.

“By the gods… What is that!?” Cu Roi stammered.

Fergus’ expression immediately turned dire, and he snatched Caladbolg before thoughtlessly rushing in to confront whatever this smoky substance was. The drill-like sword made contact with Gae Bolg…

No, wait. Was it two spears? Was the sword wedged between multiple spears all of a sudden? The swordsman’s confusion was dispelled when Cuchulainn rushed out of the darkness with his opponent still stuck against him. To Fergus’ shock, the King of Shadows’ head, shoulders and lower arms were fully encased in a demonic carapace comprised of ebony bone and crimson spikes. Most of his face was covered by a horned helmet save for a crack over his face so everyone could see the deranged pleasure in his eyes. Caladbolg had actually been caught between two out of three talons protruding out of one of Cuchulainn’s unwieldy gauntlets.

“Impos-!” Fergus tried to blurt out, but barely got the first two syllables out before Cuchulainn slammed him against the nearest wall with enough force to shatter a Demon Boar’s bones. The reverberations caused Conall and Connla to lose their balance and fall to their knees. They looked up in time and noticed that Cuchulainn was about to jam his talons clean into Fergus’ chest. Connla’s heart pounded with fiery hot blood, yet her body was as frozen as a glacier.

Teacher… Uncle Fergus…

Suddenly, Cu Roi tackled Fergus to the side. Everything happened within mere seconds, yet it felt like an entire lifetime flashed before their eyes. With a sickening crunch sound, the spikes dug through the King of Munster’s chest, puncturing his organs and skeleton with no effort whatsoever. As if that wasn’t horrifying enough, at least a dozen more Gae Bolgs burst through various areas of Cu Roi’s body – his back, legs, arms, throat, skull, and torso. Nothing was spared from the wrath of this bizarre and gruesome attack. To make things much worse, Connla briefly caught a glimpse of Cu Roi’s viscera as they were violently exposed to the outside world. The gory explosion was so potent that thick drops of blood and stuff spattered onto her stunned face.

This can’t be happening…

It was all she could think of as she watched Cu Roi’s mangled corpse collapse to the ground. In a surprising moment of clarity, she realized this was probably what happened to Scathach as well. She certainly wouldn’t have been prepared for this sort of attack. It never would’ve been a technique she’d have taught her students.

But… what was it, exactly?

“Wh… What… What did you just do!?” Conall shrieked that question to Cuchulainn, as if on Connla’s behalf.

The armored god turned to face the surviving trio, then smirked, “Not bad, huh? This is a Noble Phantasm I devised exclusively to destroy Medb and Scathach.”

“A Noble whatsit now?”

“Ah, yes. Those who are still alive wouldn’t know of such a technique. It is a power dedicated solely for Servants such as myself.”

Fergus winced when he heard that, and he asked, “You’re a Servant? You’re not alive like the rest of us?”

“Fifteen years ago, after Medb had her fun torturing me, she fed me to Curruid and melded my consciousness with its body, in the hope that she could use me as a weapon to conquer the world.”

“Lies! You left Ulster behind after you failed to protect it! You made a pact with that monster to try and get back at her for ruining your country!”

“Oh ho. Is that the narrative she’s feeding to the masses? How adorable… To think that I was trying to protect such a naïve bunch of simpletons makes me sick to my stomach. Well, think whatever you like. However it happened, the fact remains that the Heroic Spirit Cuchulainn couldn’t have possibly survived such a transformation. Once he died, he immediately reincarnated as a Servant that could manipulate Curruid. Think of me as the manifestation of that creature’s cerebral cortex. Its brain, if you would. Coupled with Dagda’s Cauldron and the Tree of Emptiness’ power, I’m more than capable of bringing this worthless timeline to its miserable end.”

“Shit…”

“Uh, you’re kinda losing us here, fellas,” Conall interrupted them. “What the hell is this ‘Servant’ thing you’re talking about?”

“I’ll have to save it for later,” Fergus retorted. He grimaced, then prepared to jump back as he shouted, “Here he comes!”

Conall and Connla likewise retreated just before Cuchulainn slammed his claws into the masonry, decimating the area around him in a flurry of chalky smoke. Conall snarled and glared at the mad king. He raised his sword and grunted at Fergus, “Okay, next question: What the fuck do we do now!?”

The King of Connacht snorted, then grumbled, “This is gonna be interesting, don’t you think?”

“’Interesting’ is the last word I’d want to use! The kid and I are winded enough just from stalling him, your so-called ‘geas’ didn’t work, and Cu Roi is dead! I’d say we’re pretty damn screwed right now!”

Cuchulainn heard this, then taunted, “Why not just surrender to me? If you do, I’ll let you be my Champions rather than Medb’s. Even though we’re enemies, I still acknowledge your strength as peerless warriors, and would be saddened if I had to destroy you because you didn’t agree with me. Unlike Medb, I actually don’t mind giving my men second chances. Better than being blown to bits like Cu Roi was, don’t you think?”

“You’ve got to be kidding me! How can you say such crap with a straight face!?” Conall raged as he activated his sword’s blinding light and swung in an arc over his opponent’s head. Cuchulainn was momentarily taken aback when he recognized that light belonging to Curaidin Catutchenn, and understood how dangerous it would be for him if he didn’t take caution. Deep down, he wasn’t too surprised that the blade would be inherited by his cousin after he abandoned Ireland.

Instead of trying to fend himself, he leapt off to the side and swung his talons in an attempt to cut Conall down. The swordsman noticed this and parried with his blade, but wasted not even a moment to get in closer and launch a frenzied attack of seemingly random swings of his shining sword. Even though Cuchulainn was physically blocking Curaidin Catutchenn, the searing energy ignored his huge claws and penetrated his skin beneath the scaly carapace covering his head and shoulders. Numerous long cuts and slashes spontaneously sliced open, and blood leaked from any possible openings in the demonic armor. Conall finished his onslaught with a rising slash that made him sail high and triumphantly into the air.

Cuchulainn did not expect any weapon remaining in this world to be capable of overcoming his unusual Noble Phantasm. Stunned by how badly he was sliced from within his shell, he tumbled onto the ground in sheer agony. The black bone armor and talons dispelled themselves in blood-red particles, revealing him to be coated in a disgusting layer of blood and deep cuts. Connla thought she was going to be ill when she saw that gruesome sight, and her skin visibly blanched a few shades. Her fear was compounded when Cuchulainn hunched into his feet and stared directly at her.

“Oh, no you don’t!” Fergus shouted and charged right at him with Caladbolg pointing horizontally. He stabbed the drill sword through Cuchulainn’s gut and kept running forward until they smashed against a tree, pinning the false god down. Fergus called out to the others, “Now’s your chance! Get out of here while you can!”

“Right! Let’s go!” Conall implored to Connla. Although she was scared out of her mind, she heeded his call and ran alongside him deeper into the forest. This was literally the last shot they had to making it out alive, and they couldn’t waste it worrying about Fergus. As they kept running, Conall exclaimed, “If we can find the horses, he shouldn’t be able to catch up with us!”

Connla didn’t seem so confident about that. During her brief skirmish with Cuchulainn, she could tell that his speed and reaction times were just as impressive as hers. If he really did want to kill her, they could have engaged in a lengthy and blinding duel of snap movements and sudden reactions that she doubted she could win due to her poor endurance levels. She also couldn’t forget about the Imperial Privilege ability he stole from Scathach, so even if they did outrun him, he could still pursue them through other means. Nevertheless, she had to do what she could to make it back to Galway, as she promised Medb.

Meanwhile, Fergus jammed Caladbolg deeper into Cuchulainn’s torso to cause further pain and agony for him. No matter what it took, Fergus was not going to let Cuchulainn break free. He was certain he had to sacrifice himself to unleash the Spiral Rainbow Sword’s full power directly into the King of Shadows’ Spirit Origin, hoping to disintegrate him into vapor.

“Sorry, Setanta,” Fergus murmured, and a small aurora of various colors shimmered around Caladbolg. “Normally I would never do such a thing to you, but you’re not leaving me with any choice.”

“Stop calling me… guh… by that name…” Cuchulainn retorted through blood-soaked chokes. “The boy you knew… is dead. Ungh… all that’s… left… is his… shadow…”

“He might be dead, but he’s not at rest yet. If that’s the final gesture of kindness I have to give to him, then so be it!”

The colorful light gradually more intense, and a terrible pain shot through Cuchulainn’s chest. He roared in sheer agony as all of his nerve endings flared, feeling like he had been thrown into an active volcano and was burning alive. All around the two men, countless ghosts who were obedient to their new king swirled about everywhere and slashed at Fergus’ back, arms and face multiple times. Cuchulainn wasn’t just crying out in pain – he was also unleashing his Madness of the Spirits skill, inspiring fear and terror to his enemies around him. It also doubled as a command for his undead minions to go on the offensive.

Fergus could hold up against the barrage for a short while. However, the onslaught grew more and more intense until it felt like a tidal wave of pure malice and violence was sweeping him clean off his feet. Caladbolg dislodged itself from Cuchulainn’s torso and flew with Fergus within the tornado-like rush of ghosts overwhelming him. The mad warrior gasped for air and clutched his piercing injury tightly, but he couldn’t just stand around and wait to recover. Instead, he held his hand out to materialize Gae Bolg once more, then turned and leapt into the forest where he had seen Conall and Connla escape earlier.

The pair kept running as fast as they could, almost reaching to the edge of the woods that led to Sgaradh. Connla looked around, then shouted, “I don’t see the horses anywhere!”

“They must’ve run off after hearing the commotion!” Conall replied. “I’m sure they’re waiting for us nearby!”

Although Connla could not afford to worry about the animals during the battle, she was now concerned for them since they still had the group’s supplies in the chariot. A bunch of unusual thoughts ran through her mind, such as how she was going to take care of Blathnat now that her owner was dead, or if the steeds had been injured as they made their escape. She really shouldn’t have been thinking about such things, but since she had made plenty of distance from Cuchulainn, she thought everything was going to be okay now.

Her relief was going to be short-lived, unfortunately.

Unbeknownst to the duo, the mad warrior managed to track them down and jumped as high as he could over them while they hadn’t noticed him yet. It was only when Gae Bolg flared that familiar crimson color that they finally caught sight of him just as he hurled the spear toward them like a cannon shell. It impacted the ground just 10 feet behind them, and all of the energy swirling around it detonated in a fantastic red-tinted explosion, blowing any grass and trees away in a wide radius.

BOOM! KA-BOOM!

“Ugah!” Conall grunted as his back violently slammed against a tree that hadn’t been pulled out of its roots.

Connla lost consciousness for a moment as her body went sailing upside-down, causing her to land face-down despite being blown back while upright. Her head throbbing like a jackhammer, she wearily clamored onto her hands and knees and tried to look up. All she could see were a pair of black-scaled feet slowly approaching her, and plumes of dirt-colored smoke curling around them. Her right arm was lifted off the ground, but not by her own volition. Terror overcome her senses as she saw his massive dark-clawed hand wrap around her petite forearm. She widened her eyes, grit her teeth and trembled uncontrollably, unable to think of any way to fight back against this sinister man. She wanted to tear her eyes away from those ruby irises, but her body refused to cooperate with her.

Although her thoughts went blank in that dangerous moment, a rational part of her mind mused, Maybe I should just surrender to him. I’m the one he wants, after all. If it’s the only way to save Uncle Fergus and Conall, then…

Before Connla could finish her thought, that was when Cuchulainn started to act strangely. For some inexplicable reason, distinct riastrad lines formed all over his face as his expressed turned to one of repressed shock. A moment later, she felt the same way as well. She suddenly threw off her right glove and cried out, “M-My hand! It’s getting hot!”

She clenched her wrist to keep the burning sensation from traveling along her arm. At the same time, Fergus recovered after being swarmed by the ghosts and caught up with them. That was when both he Cuchulainn saw the golden ring attached to her thumb. The Bloodstones glittered intensely, and Cuchulainn’s vision blurred before flaring bright white, inadvertently causing him to release his grip on her.

“Aaaagh!?”

The same heat that Connla was experiencing blasted through his entire body, threatening to sear him into a charred pulp. His nerves briefly became visible as the Bloodstones’ energy coursed through him. Images that were once long buried in his subconsciousness forced their way out and assailed him with waking nightmares. His memories returned to him in the most violent way imaginable. Although he was a near-invincible god that could destroy the world, his mind was shockingly fragile, and this sudden meltdown he was experiencing proved it.

One particular memory came back to him though, and it absolutely stunned him. He was inside a cottage, lying in a bed beside a woman who strongly resembled Scathach. He was talking, but he couldn’t make out the words. He didn’t really need to, since the next thing he saw was his past self handing over the very same ring that Connla wore. He knew what it was – a special ring he forged out of his own blood, meant to be worn by his offspring when they were old enough.

This kid… This kid is-! No, no, no, no, no, no, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NOOO~OOO! THIS CAN’T BE HAPPENIII~IIING!

“Gh… Aaaagh…”

He grabbed his throbbing head and stumbled away from the stricken child warrior. He threw his head back and started to shriek. His deafening scream reached a crescendo pitch, becoming loud enough to cause anyone around him to go deaf if they didn’t protect themselves.

“AaaaAaaAAaaaAAAAAaaAaaAAaaAaAAaaaaaAAAAAaaaaaaaaAAAAaaaaAAAAAAAAAGH!”

“Cor blimey! What the hell’s going on here!?” Conall yelped, while grabbing Connla’s shoulders to keep her steady.

Fergus stood guard in front of them and watched Cuchulainn struggle against whatever was ailing him. He thought the corrupted hero would go on a rampage, so he needed to make sure his allies would be safe. However, Cuchulainn stepped further back and kept shrieking before leaping high into the air and swiftly retreating out of sight. Once the noise died down and a terrifying silence surrounded them, Fergus clenched his teeth, clearly confused about what just happened.

Connla’s thumb stopped burning, and she gasped in relief. Conall asked her, “You okay?”

“Yeah… I think so…”

“Holy hell in a handbasket. I thought we were goners. What did you do to make him go crazy like that?”

“I don’t know… I really don’t know…” she murmured and fervently shook her head.

Fergus visibly paled as he kneeled in front of her, then took her hand with the ring and inspected it closely.

I knew it. If the Bloodstones reacted to Cuchulainn’s presence, then…

He shook his head, then blurted, “Never mind that! Now’s our chance to escape!”

He carried the disoriented Connla and took the lead, with Conall following close behind him as they broke through the forest’s edge out into the plains of Sgaradh. To their combined relief, they found Liath Macha, Dubh Sainglend, Deirg nDruchtaig, and Blathnat all safe and sound as they roamed through the grass waiting for their owners to return. The steeds reunited with their riders, but Blathnat appeared rather concerned when she didn’t see Cu Roi among the group of humans.

“Shit… What an embarrassing defeat we’ve been handed,” Fergus cursed to himself. “How am I going to explain this to Medb?”

“Screw what that woman says. The fact that we managed to make it out alive is an accomplishment in itself,” Conall retorted.

“Even so-“

Before either of them could continue this discussion, that was when they heard a young boy’s voice calling out from the forest, “-la! Co… la! Conn… Connla!”

“Huh?” the despondent girl turned around and looked to see who was shouting her name. Finally, she spotted a familiar grey-haired boy carrying his exhausted twin sister on his back piggyback style, accompanied by a black bird that guided them through the woods. Connla gasped and shouted, “Fir! Fial!”

Fial heard their friend’s voice and managed to moan, “Connwa…”

“I thought you two were out exploring Scotland! What are you doing way out here!?”

“The… The scawy man… Auntie towd us to wun away fwom the scawy man… that we’d be safe… in Iwewand…”

“A scary man?” Conall wondered.

He suddenly yelped in surprise when the sentient bird explained in a feminine voice, “She means Cuchulainn. Now that he’s taken Scathach’s place as the Land of Shadows’ ruler, he’s been able to spread his influence across all of Scotland, infesting it with monsters and ghosts from the underworld. I told the twins to turn around and come to Ireland for their safety.”

“Wh-What the-!? That bird can speak!?”

“Of course I can, silly.”

“Well I’ll be damned,” Fergus remarked. “I didn’t expect to bump into you, of all people. Or should I say, of all goddesses? It’s been quite a while, Morrigan.”

Conall couldn’t believe that Fergus was making casual conversation with the infamous goddess of death, war and fate. He was too gobsmacked to say anything about it as she replied, “Likewise, my virile friend. As much as I would like to engage with pleasantries though, I’m afraid our chat is going to have to be cut short. I can sense some powerful Runes being placed upon the ground further ahead.”

“That’s rather worrying. Could it be a trap that Cuchulainn left for us?”

“I don’t think so. Someone else was planting them during your fight with him in Glasgow. If we don’t hurry, we could be caught in something quite nasty.”

“Very well. The twins can borrow Blathnat. Let’s hustle, people!”

Everyone got on their respective horses and commanded them to gallop as fast they could southwest toward the Ireland-Sgaradh border. It took them about 30 minutes to make the crossing, all the while feeling on edge as they feared whatever these Runes were could activate at any moment. Luckily, nothing happened as they made their way closer and closer to Ireland. Eventually, Fergus noticed an older gentleman in druid’s garb riding astride a fifth horse out in the middle of the plains. He used a small Dagaz Rune to fire a glowing flare that alerted everyone’s attention, and they hurried closer to the source.

“Cathbad!” he shouted in astonishment, immediately recognizing the old man’s embellished robes and ever-present smoking pipe. “What are you doing here!?”

“There’s no time for that!” the magician snapped. “We must return to Connacht soil at once!”

Cathbad commanded his horse to charge ahead of the others, leading them back to the northeastern-most border of former Ulster. Along the way, the three Champions noticed that there were a series of Runic circles established along the Ireland-Sgaradh border that they hadn’t seen when they departed before. Once they reached a good distance away from the Runes, everyone dismounted their steeds, and Cathbad stood upon a rising hill as gallant as a leader rallying his troops.

“Interesting,” Morrigan remarked as she inspected the many Runic formulas blanketing the ground. “Those Runes are supposed to represent destruction, aren’t they?”

Cathbad replied, “Indeed. They are designed to break Sgaradh apart and force Scotland away from Ireland.”

“Certainly not taking things in half-measures, are we?”

Conall scowled, then said, “I don’t really know what’s going on here, but it’s the best thing we can do right now. The fact is that Cuchulainn’s bad news all around. If he manages to spread the Land of Shadows’ influence any further, it’ll pervade into Irish territory.”

Cathbad scowled darkly, then raised his hands in a chanting gesture. “Then there is not a moment to lose. All of you stand back. If at possible, find something to grab on to.”

The other humans paled in horror, then ran from the vicinity without saying another word. The High Druid stood tall on his elevated perch and waved his arms around like conductor’s batons. Each time his thrust his hands forth, the many gigantic Runic patterns flared with light and fire. The ground shook tremendously each time a Rune lit up, causing everyone else to crash to the ground. Conall tightly gripped some tall grass, while Fergus held Connla and the twins close to him. The horses collapsed upon the quaking earth and neighed in shock. Morrigan took flight and watched the spectacle unfold from a safe distance.

CRASH! BANG! BOOM! KE-RASH!

Deafening sounds assailed their ears in tune to Cathbad’s destructive orchestra. The druid continued casting, refusing to let the loud sounds disturb his work. Eventually, a most deadly cracking noise vibrated the air itself. The land crunched, practically roaring in pain as a gigantic crevice opened up like a gaping wound. Soon, the earth began to part ways. Everyone watched in total awe as Cathbad commanded his wind-based Runes to push Scotland away from Ireland. Within minutes, Scotland was already kilometers away and shrinking from everyone’s view. Any semblance of Sgaradh was thoroughly wiped out.

Connla’s jaw dropped. All she could utter in sheer stupefaction was, “Amazing…”

“I heard that Cathbad the High Druid was a mage in his own right, but this is just beyond stupid…” Conall agreed with her.

Once Cathbad was finished with his casting, he hopped down from the outcropping of land and casually lit his pipe while approaching the others. He inhaled a puff of burnt herbs, then said to Fergus, “It is done.”

“All right. That should buy us some time while we figure out a way to deal with Cuchulainn.”

“Indeed. Though it is a stopgap measure, it won’t last long. If he really has taken Scathach’s power for himself, then he should be able to make Scotland return here in due time.”

“Which means we need to prepare for an outright war with Scotland, which has now become an extension of the Land of Shadows,” Fergus said. Then his expression quickly turned dire as he said, “But more importantly… I’ve got some questions for you.”

Cathbad remained unflappable as he blew some smoke through his lips, then asked, “Like what?”

“Did Medb tell you to part the Isles after we had left for Scotland?”

“Hmm…” the druid mumbled to himself, realizing that this conversation was going to take an ugly turn. “What makes you suspect such a thing?”

“Your timing was too convenient. If you weren’t already here, we would have returned to Galway and requested for you to do it anyway.”

“…”

“It tells me that Medb ordered you to do it, regardless if we were in Scotland. Am I wrong?”

Everyone else stared intently at Cathbad, waiting in anticipation for his answer. The elderly druid inhaled deeply, then stared at the sky and exhaled for a long moment. Finally, he spoke three simple words that had incredibly dark implications behind them:

“… You’re not wrong.”

Chapter Text

FATE/CURADH BEAG

“Little Champion”

Chapter 14: Guilt By Association

With the combined chaos of battle against an impossible opponent and the destruction of Sgaradh now safely in the past, Connla could finally take a moment to relax her frayed nerves and think about everything that just happened. The brief sense of calm was immediately replaced with intense sorrow and confusion. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from Scotland as it shrunk further and further into the cloudy distance. The trauma of everything she just went through blanked her mind, and she couldn’t think about much else other than Cuchulainn’s twisted face as he saw the thumb ring glowing.

Back when she was first brought to the Land of Shadows, she asked Scathach why the ring would glow strangely like that. Several years later, when she felt her pupil was mature enough to understand, she finally explained what the significance of it was - it represented the bond between parent and child, acting as proof of their lineage. It was what gave Connla some hope that her father was still alive somewhere out there. It provided her with the drive to continue her brutal training, wanting so much to show him what she could do, and that he would be proud of her. Perhaps, in some morbid way, she wanted to destroy the Tree of Emptiness for that very reason. Saving other timelines was nice and all, but she really needed a personal stake in all of this, and she figured it would be her way to get her father to notice her.

Now, though? All of those feelings were being viciously uprooted and stomped on one by one.

Connla didn’t know what to believe in anymore. She had found her father in the worst way imaginable – as an enemy of humanity who destroyed the rest of the world, and was hell-bent on bringing the Celtic Isles to ruin as well. How could she possibly be the offspring of someone so monstrous? What did she do to deserve this? The mere thought made her want to puke up all of her internal organs.

Then again, perhaps it finally explained why Scathach absolutely refused to talk about her father whenever the discussion came up. Connla had asked the question so many times, and Scathach would either sidestep the discussion or say she was too busy to talk about it. It got to a point that she eventually just gave up and quietly mused about it during her free time, sometimes writing her thoughts in a secret diary she kept.

Connla never knew it, but Scathach did feel guilty for leaving her niece ignorant about the truth. However, it was for her own good. The poor girl’s mind would collapse if she knew her father had mutated into a false god capable of ending entire civilizations. Scathach’s greatest desire was that Connla completed her duty without ever meeting Cuchulainn, but she knew that would be just a fantasy. Cuchulainn would never ignore someone trying to go after the Tree of Emptiness, which he was bound to as the Lostbelt’s king. The only question was whether or not the ring would shine to indicate their blood ties.

If Scathach were still alive, she would be just as devastated by this result as Connla was.

As Connla stared with an empty gaze at the greying skies, Liath Macha gently trotted around her, then kneeled beside her and nuzzled his face against her. She barely acknowledged his presence, but did hold him close so she had something to support herself with. Fir and Fial likewise crawled up next to her and saw her vapid expression.

“Connwa…” Fial whimpered sadly.

“Are you okay?” Fir asked in a worried tone.

Connla’s lip quivered as she mumbled, “I’m… fine…”

That didn’t convince the twins whatsoever. Fergus witnessed this, and after looking Connla over to make sure she wasn’t injured, he asked them, “Could you two look after her for a bit? We adults need to talk about some important things.”

“Sure,” Fir replied, and Fial nodded in agreement. The three children rested their backs against Liath’s body to use him as a makeshift pillow, and Fergus covered them with a bear pelt blanket to keep them warm. Connla’s mind was so devoid of rational thought that she didn’t even notice what was going on around her. Fir and Fial sat on either side of her so they could make her feel a little more comfortable.

Once he got them settled in for the night, Fergus returned to the bonfire where the others had assembled. Conall lay on his back with his arms sprawled out, Cathbad smoked his pipe, and Morrigan perched herself on the log that Fergus chose to sit on. The crackling fire, hooting owls, and singing crickets would have made for a wonderful campfire scene where everyone could get together and have a fun time. Unfortunately, merriment was the furthest thing from their minds right now. They had some serious matters they needed to discuss – matters that could potentially shape Ireland’s entire future.

After a long and unnerving silence, Fergus murmured, “Morrigan.”

“What is it?” the goddess asked.

“Can you tell me what happened to Cuchulainn after the Cattle Raid ended?”

“Oh? You don’t want to know about his connection with the little lady?”

“Sure, I do. But, well… Cuchulainn said some things that are bothering me. They aren’t adding up with what Medb told me, and I need an impartial account of everything that occurred back then.”

“And what makes you think I would know everything?”

“Don’t play coy with me. Scathach told me that you followed Cuchulainn around as his accomplice during his rampage against the rest of the world. I also know of how you tried to win his affection during the Cattle Raid, and that he rejected you every time. There’s no way you would ignore him becoming a god who shared an equally twisted mindset as yours.”

“Eh he he. I’ll take that as a compliment,” Morrigan chuckled. “And you’re right about me following him after he became Taoide Olc. But to say I committed the same destruction as him? You humans certainly are in love with rushing to conclusions without concrete evidence.”

“I never said that. If I’m accusing you of anything, it’s not trying to stop him.”

“Ah, the classic ‘inaction is just as sinful as action’ argument. Look at me. I’m but a single goddess. What would you have expected me to do against a demigod bonded with a Phantasmal, powered by Dagda’s Cauldron, and crowned as this cancerous world’s king by the White Tree? The most I could hope to do was to preserve what little of his humanity remained by being someone he could talk to. It’s only due to me that you were able to have a rational conversation with him in the first place.”

Fergus’ face twisted with revulsion, not just at her, but also at himself for thinking she could have done anything against such a behemoth of an enemy.

That was when Conall sat up and said to Morrigan, “I’m more interested in why Cuchulainn ran away when he saw Connla’s ring. What happened to make him go berserk like that?”

“I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about. I was with the twins during your battle with him.”

Conall briefly explained what occurred during the fight, particularly of Cu Roi’s gory death, Fergus’ geas with Cuchulainn failing, and Connla’s ring glowing strangely. Once Morrigan understood the full story, she chuckled and said, “I see, I see. So Scathach’s worst nightmare finally came to pass, just as I predicted.”

“Scathach’s worst nightmare?” Conall wondered.

“That Cuchulainn would be reunited with his beloved child on the field of battle, and that the ring would reveal their lineage to him, causing him to go mad.”

He scowled darkly, “Shit… Who would’ve guessed that Connla was Cuchulainn’s kid this whole time? Yet, that ring of her is the only reason we’re still alive right now. I don’t want to believe it, but it has to be true. Their connection is literally what pulled our asses out of the fire back there.”

“Indeed,” Fergus murmured. “So it is exactly as I suspected. Setanta really did have a physical relationship with Scathach’s sister Aife, which gave birth to Connla. That explains why Culann’s dogs behaved irrationally, and why Liath Macha allowed her to ride him – they must have smelled his blood within her.”

“Blimey… I can’t imagine how much shock Connla must be in right now…”

Neither of them wanted to dwell on it. They knew there was no way she could fight as a warrior when she was in the depths of such a soul-crushing depression. They would have to think about what to do with her before planning their next move. Then the violet-haired king asked the black bird, “Morrigan… Did you know about Connla’s origin this whole time?”

“But of course,” she replied. “There’s nothing I don’t know about the man I became hopelessly infatuated with. All of his battles, all of his affairs, all of the people who loved and hated him… I know aaa~aaall about them. Naturally, I knew about the one and only woman who produced an heir for him, only for him to coldly abandon that child and fight in the Cattle Raid shortly after returning from Scotland. He must’ve had absolutely no idea that he successfully got Aife pregnant, especially considering all of his countless other trysts failed at that. Then again, maybe he had his suspicions, given that he left her a Bloodstone ring when he never did that with any other woman. Of course, none of that mattered when he forgot everything about himself after becoming a god. That ring must’ve given his psyche a good jolt, wouldn’t you say? Oh ho ho ho!”

“If you knew this whole time, does this mean you have your own plans for Connla?”

“Oh, good gracious. What are you accusing me of?”

“If you’re so interested in messing with Cuchulainn’s life, what makes me think you wouldn’t do the same with Connla’s?”

Fergus and Conall glared at Morrigan as she pondered the question in silence. A log in the bonfire popped loudly, spraying tiny embers all around them for a second. All this time, Cathbad listened to them while smoking his pipe. He broke the tension by exhaling deeply and asking, “The bigger question is, what does any of this have to do with our current situation? Fine; Connla is Cuchulainn’s daughter, and her ring saved your lives. That doesn’t mean much in the grand scheme of things.”

“The hell does that mean!?” Conall exclaimed. “Cuchulainn was trying to capture her during our fight! Now that he knows he’s related to her, it’ll make him behave even more irrationally than before! It’s like using Ansuz Runes on a raging wildfire! Who know what he’ll do after a revelation like that!?”

Fergus suddenly raised his hand and urged to the upset swordsman, “No. Cathbad’s got a point. It may be a hard blow for all of us, but it doesn’t do much when we have to plan for Cuchulainn’s retaliation in the near future. We forced the Celtic Isles apart, and he’s not going to take that lying down. His ultimate goal is Medb’s destruction, and he will never stop until he accomplishes it, even if it means forcing Scotland to reunite with Ireland using nothing but sheer willpower.”

“Then why not just throw Medb at him so he’ll leave the rest of us alone? I sure as hell wouldn’t mind.”

Morrigan shook her head. “That’s not going to happen. Think about it; why would Cuchulainn obtain enough power to become a god in the first place? It’s because Medb is in a similar situation.”

“A similar situation? The hell does that mean?”

Cathbad glared at Conall, then muttered, “There is such a thing as naivete, but this is just ridiculous. How could you not know about the vast amount of magical energy Medb has at her disposal?”

“Well excuse me! I don’t keep up with all the comings and goings of the bimbo who ruined Ulster!”

“Hmph…”

“Don’t be too hard on him,” Fergus said to Cathbad. “He and Connla only just joined our ranks as Champions. They aren’t aware of Medb’s true capabilities as a queen.”

“Fine. If you don’t know, then I’ll just have to enlighten you. Although she doesn’t show it, Medb actually is something akin to a goddess in her own right. You know those Red Branch Braves she always has tending to her every whim? They’re not soldiers she recruited; she actually constructed them out of her own blood. Think of them as golems that listen only to her.”

Conall’s jaw dropped, and he gasped, “The hell!? Those brutes are actually part of Medb herself!?”

“Correct. She infuses them with enough magical energy so they can function independently, yet still tethers them to her spirit so they are unable to disobey her. That’s why everyone says they’re like her eyes and ears – anything they see and hear will be transmitted to her. She doesn’t spend much time in the public sphere because she needs to be in a state of rest in order to pick up what the Braves are witnessing.

“Furthermore, her power is directly tied to how much territory she possesses. Since she was already Connacht’s queen and amalgamated Ulster into her province, her magical energy levels increased substantially. Coupled with forcing Munster and Leinster to join her coalition, and securing Galway as the capital city of all of Ireland, you can see how she has the strength to command an entire army of Braves when she could only craft a small handful of them during the Cattle Raid. You could say that Cuchulainn did us all a favor with destroying the rest of the world before Medb could conquer it.”

“Holy shit… That’s just beyond messed up…” Conall murmured in disbelief. He didn’t want to fathom that the world’s destruction wound up being better for humanity compared to what Medb had in mind.

“That’s why she needs us Champions to serve her as well,” Fergus added. “The Braves may be an intimidating force, but with the limited amount of territory Medb possesses, she winds up being incredibly vulnerable to an assault from Cuchulainn. The Braves are also not strong enough to fight him.”

“Well, we sure as fuck aren’t strong enough either! How’re we supposed to explain how badly we screwed up without her delving into some sick fantasy over how to punish us for our failure!? Seriously, we’ve got a demon god and a whore queen breathing down our necks!”

“Settle down. I’ve got a plan in mind.”

“You do?”

“But first, I need to understand something from Cathbad.”

The elderly druid snorted in disdain as he muttered, “Let me guess; you want to know more about the order Medb gave me.”

“Exactly.”

“Well, it happened right after you four left for Scotland.”

Earlier…

Medb glanced at Cathbad and said with a chillingly blank expression, “There’s something I need to discuss with you.”

“Hmm…” the elderly druid murmured. “I have a strong suspicion of what it could be.”

“Oh? If you’re so wise, then tell me what it is I’m thinking.”

“You want me to destroy Sgaradh.”

“You catch on quickly,” Medb complimented the druid, but her narrowed eyes and sly smirk hardly suggested it was a good thing.

“If Cuchulainn really has made his return, then we’re simply not prepared to face him. The best we can do is buy ourselves some time while our forces are being assembled.”

“Even with me creating as many Braves as I can, they would be little more than minor obstacles to slow him down. Hell, that goes for the rest of my soldiers and Champions as well. The truth is, no one is powerful enough to defeat him. Any heroes the rest of the world may have produced were thoroughly stamped out. No one can protect me from Cuchulainn’s wrath…”

“If you understand that, then what’s the point of separating the two nations?”

“Like I said, I have to use every measure to buy myself some time. Whether it’s throwing the entire populace in Cu’s way, or forcing his territory away from mine, the ultimate goal is to stymie him while I make my preparations.”

Cathbad raised an eyebrow. “Preparations for what, exactly?”

“What else? To save myself.”

“Yes, I figured that was the case… But how do you plan on doing so?”

“He he he he. That’s for me to know.”

He grew annoyed with her aversion at answer his questions truthfully, but he suspected she had many grand schemes in her mind that she would never share even with her most trusted advisor. Whatever they were, at least she wasn’t shy about admitting they were all solely for her own benefit. Medb always had been a bold and selfish woman, and nothing was ever going to change that.

Instead, Cathbad attempted to change the discussion by asking, “What of Fergus and his entourage? Did you intentionally send them as a distraction for Cuchulainn?”

“Something like that, I suppose,” she said. “But there’s more to it than that. The Braves have been picking up some odd rumors throughout Connacht of Fergus performing movements that I never ordered him to do. He’s been spotted meeting with people around the other provinces’ borders, particularly around northwestern Leinster and northern Munster. He’s usually with Cu Roi in Munster, but his movements are harder to track in Leinster. Trying to send Braves to spy into into those territories is too strenuous on my Spirit Origin, plus their presence would alert Fergus right away.

“That’s why I decided to take care of two problems at once. If Fergus and Cu Roi are plotting something against me, then it would be prudent for me to use Cu as a means of disposing them. You parting the Isles would provide me with extra assurance that they can’t return to Ireland while fighting Cu in Scotland. Besides, Fergus has been annoying me with his insistence on governing the lower-class peons his way. I let him do so since I couldn’t be bothered to do all of the thinking for people who are only useful as meat shields and taxpayers. Now that Cu is on his way, I don’t have to bother with such pretext anymore since I can conscript everyone as my faithful soldiers.”

“I see… I have to admit, pitting your enemies against each other is a genius strategy,” Cathbad remarked, doing everything he could to repress the bile building up in his throat.

“I know, right? I’m so smart, I scare myself sometimes.”

“So my objective is to destroy Sgaradh. That shouldn’t be too much of a problem, though I will need to delay my travel by a day so as not to alert Fergus’ group.”

“That’s fine. I’ll let you handle the rest at your discretion. The only thing I care about are the results.”

“Very well. By your leave, then.”

The present…

Once Cathbad finished recounting his story, the others became deathly silent. The aura of shock and disbelief was quickly replaced with an atmosphere of fury and revulsion. Although Conall was upset with this turn of events, he couldn’t help but stare at the clearly apoplectic Fergus. The King of Connacht was so outraged that he visibly trembled and inhaled through his nostrils in a futile attempt to calm himself. His cheeks flushed beet red, and his lips were tightly sealed as he struggled to keep himself from shouting crude profanities, fearing he would wake the children with his ranting.

Morrigan was the only one who remained unperturbed with this news. She resisted the urge to giggle, worried that Fergus would smash her beneath his fist if she offended him. She eventually asked him, “So, what are you going to do now? Cu’s return is one thing, but Medb’s self-centered politicking is a whole different bucket of maggots. Can Ireland really afford to be further subjected to her whims during such an impending crisis?”

“Not a chance. Not while I’m around,” Fergus growled. “I thought that getting on her good side and preventing any catastrophes from the inside would be the best course of action for this country. Now I see that it was foolish of me to try and convince Medb to care for anyone besides herself.”

“No shit, man,” Conall retorted. “It took you this long to figure out what was blatantly obvious to everyone else?”

Cathbad said, “There is no doubt that your presence was a beneficial one while it lasted. But now she grows tired of your insistent nagging and wishes death upon you. How do you plan to respond to such provocation?”

Fergus pondered this question for a moment. Then he stood up, cracked his knuckles, and declared, “Fine. If that’s the game she wants to play, then I’m all for it. So long as she believes Conall, Connla and I died during our battle with Setanta, that’ll give me more freedom to get things ready.”

Conall’s eyes widened in surprise. “You want us to fake our deaths?”

“Yes. That means we can’t return to Galway to report to Medb. If we did, she’ll probably cook up some stupid excuse to have us executed.”

“That’s true. There’s also the matter of Medb potentially finding out about Connla being Cuchulainn’s daughter. Who knows how she’ll react if she knew?”

“I know. That is something we absolutely cannot allow to happen. Now I see why Scathach was so determined to keep Connla’s parentage a tight secret from Medb. I have to respect Scathach’s wishes and do the same, or we’ll all be in huge trouble.”

Cathbad smoked his pipe again, then said, “I guess it’s up to me to return to Galway and tell Medb what happened.”

“Please,” Fergus implored. “Please don’t tell her that the three of us survived. The only reason we can have this conversation is because she can’t send Braves out this far into Ulster. Once we part ways, we have to go underground until the time is right.”

“Don’t you worry. I’m a pro when it comes to keeping secrets. Besides, I’ve already cast my lot in with your coup. I’d have everything to lose if I slipped my tongue.”

Conall immediately became astonished and blurted at Fergus, “A coup!? You’re planning to rebel against Medb!?”

“That’s right. I’ve been working with Cu Roi to build up an alliance of people who have grown tired of Medb’s dictatorial regime. She usurped as many resources as she could from Munster and Leinster, especially with funneling their water supplies to the Galway region. She was able to do the same with Ulster more freely since she owned the province, but it involved a lot of coercion, extortion, taxation, and even seduction for the others. That’s why the suicide rates have risen so dramatically ever since Dublin’s Fall.”

“Good god! Is there no depths that woman won’t sink to just to get her way!? If it’s a rebellion you’re planning, then count me in! I’ll do anything to shove my sword into that wench’s black heart!”

“Oh ho ho ho!” Morrigan finally cackled in delight. “What a delightful turn of events! Cu would have a good laugh if he heard of this infighting!”

“You plan on tattling to him, you goddamn bird?”

“That’ll hardly be necessary. He’ll be able to tell that there is inner turmoil brewing within Ireland’s populace. If Scotland was closer, he would’ve gladly launched an assault during such confusion. As things are now, he’ll have to sit back and watch the show while he gets his own preparations ready. Hell, he might actually be glad to see his former countrymen rising up against Medb, practically doing the dirty work for him. If this coup is successful, he might not need to wage a full-on war, since he’s only interested in killing Medb anyway.”

Conall and Fergus glanced at each other uneasily. Then the former wondered, “Would it really be that simple?”

“We can only assume it won’t be,” the latter remarked. “I want to go on the assumption that Cuchulainn is preparing for battle between Ireland and Scotland. Before that happens, I want to topple Medb’s regime and install myself as king in her place, then prepare for defensive measures against Cuchulainn’s undead army.”

“Sounds fair to me,” Cathbad agreed. “Discretion is the better part of valor, and few are as valiant as Fergus mac Roich.”

Conall nodded, but then glanced back at Connla, Fir and Fial as they slept. He asked Fergus, “What’re you going to do about them? I don’t know about you, but I don’t feel comfortable with involving the kids in such a political mess.”

“I know,” he replied. “Connla is especially in no state to help out with a rebellion. I’m going to have her stay with a friend of mine who lives nearby. She’s good with children, so she’ll help her recover from her shock.”

Morrigan then asked, “Do you think I could have Fir and Fial stay with this woman as well? I’m going to be quite busy with monitoring the situation, and I can’t have them getting caught up in this. They’ve become fast friends with Connla too, so I think it makes the most sense for them to stick together.”

“I’m sure she won’t mind. They could also keep Connla company and help her regain her strength.”

“Much appreciated. As much as I would love to stay with my niece and nephew all the time, my power as an earth goddess has greatly dwindled, meaning I can only be in one place at any time, just like you humans. I don’t even have the strength to take on human form anymore.”

Fergus raised an eyebrow and wondered, “Are they really related to you?”

“Of course they are. They’re my sister’s children.”

“Where is your sister now?”

“She died a long time ago.”

“Hmm…” he hummed to himself and glanced at Cathbad. If what Morrigan said was true, they had an inkling of who exactly this ‘sister’ was that she was talking about. He then said, “Fine, I won’t pry for the details. But you still have to tell me what exactly happened between Cuchulainn and Medb at the Cattle Raid’s conclusion. That’s going to be the key in cracking this whole mystery.”

“In due time, good sir. You already have enough dumped onto your lap as it is.”

“Yeah.”

After that, they ironed out a more solid plan for what they would do the following morning. Once they were ready, they extinguished the bonfire and turned in for the night.

While everything was happening in Ireland, Scotland continued to float further and further away from its sister nation. The Celtic Isles were no more – they now existed as two separate countries, one representing life, the other death. Within the Castle of Shadows, the central hub of the Celtic underworld, the being known as Taoide Olc leaned against the throne’s backrest and gripped his head in sheer agony. Despite having fled the battle in Glasgow and run for kilometers back to his domain, the piercing migraine refused to subside. Just like what happened with the Isles, he thought he was being bifurcated straight down the middle into two separate pieces of meat and bone. Blood oozed out of his eyes, nose, mouth, ears, and countless lacerations that spontaneously opened up.

It was everything Cuchulainn could do to prevent himself from exploding into an indescribable mess of blood and guts. Not only was his body threatening to quit on him, his mind raced with thoughts that were frightfully familiar, yet so distant that it felt like they happened in a previous lifetime. His amnesia was clearing, and he recalled all of the memories he had as the boy warrior Setanta – his childhood, all of the people who loved and raised him, the rivalries he formed, the women he loved, the challenges he faced, his defeat at Medb’s hand… All of those thoughts seemed to be condensed into a singular point, then rushed at him as an instantaneous torrent to mentally cripple him.

That’s right… I remember now. I had Dagda’s Cauldron seal my memories as a human away, so I could function more effectively as a god of destruction.

Unfortunately, something had undone that seal. He couldn’t stop thinking about Connla’s thumb ring. It possessed a strange power that reacted to his presence. He knew it was a Bloodstone ring, meaning Connla could never take it off. Furthermore, it was one he made while training in Scotland. He had shed his own blood, soaked some Runestones in it, and bound them to a gold ring. Knowing he was destined to die young, he imparted all of his hopes and dreams into the stones, so that his offspring would live in his place.

Then, he gave it to a certain woman…

A woman who looked eerily similar to Scathach, but had shorter hair and possessed fiercer eyes than his mentor. He passed it on to her… after he had done something so cruel to her body and dignity that he deserved to be called a bastard for it. But he defeated her in battle, and so it was only normal for the victor to enjoy his spoils (even if it earned him Scathach’s absolute worst fury after the deed was done).

“Aife…”

The Scathach-lookalike was ultimately a fling to him. But she was one of many women who represented the hope that he could have a child. He never saw Aife again after that, but he did remember where her cottage was in the Ben Nevis mountains. That must have been why he was so attracted to it despite having lost his memories. He remembered the cut in the wall – he caused it when he cleaved Gae Bolg into it, pinning Aife between it and himself so she had nowhere to go.

Then there was the note that had been written in a child’s hand. Cuchulainn still kept it on him, so he unpocketed it and read the scribbled letters carefully. Before, it hadn’t made sense to him why there was a child living there when he didn’t remember seeing one. Now it was all adding up:

It wasn’t just any child who lived there.

It was his.

Aife had helped him make his dream come true… and he had absolutely no clue this whole time.

Furthermore, it meant that he doomed this child to die young as well. After all, he destroyed the rest of the human world. Medb stole everything from him after the Cattle Raid, so he figured he had nothing left to lose but his humanity. Ireland and Scotland rising off the ground had saved some people, but it was only a temporary solution. Sooner or later, either the ocean would rise enough that he could attack the Celtic Isles directly, or the land would erode so badly that no one could live on it anymore. No matter the outcome, Cuchulainn’s child – the embodiment of his original self’s hopes and dreams - was going to perish along with everyone else.

And it was all his own damn fault.

Cuchulainn slumped against the throne’s backrest and slid into a hunched sitting position. Nothing could describe how much he had royally screwed up. His hatred for Medb had blinded him so much that he completely forgot about everything else.

I didn’t have a choice… Yeah, that’s it. I had to become a god. I had to give myself a chance to fight back against Medb. To do that, I had to destroy anything that she could claim as ‘territory’. It was all to prevent that bitch from expanding her power…

He kept telling himself that over and over again. Yet, he felt like some pathetic loser making excuses the more he kept thinking like that. But he couldn’t forget what Medb showed him… The horrifying sight that made him lose all sense of rationality, plummeting his mind into a state of pure panic and desperation. That thing was his true enemy. There was no question about that. If he couldn’t protect anything, he would at least destroy that monstrosity.

Sadly, now he had something he wanted to protect from the creature living inside Medb.

Is it too late? Have I come too far to make amends with the kid?

What was Cuchulainn going to do now? He couldn’t stop on his destructive path. However, he also didn’t want Connla to wind up as another corpse on that road. There was also the fact that Scathach trained Connla for the last 15 years, and his assumption that she was preparing her to destroy the Tree of Emptiness Circinus. If the Tree could be felled, then all of this Lostbelt’s problems would go away. Yes, he agreed that it was the smartest and safest course of action for Connla. There was just one thing that troubled him:

How was she going to pull it off?

As she was right now, there was no conceivable way she could fight it. He could only guess that Scathach taught Connla some sort of trick that he wasn’t aware of. But for someone so small to challenge something so huge meant it was a strategy that was going to require her sacrificing her life. There was simply no two ways about it. To him, it meant it was a third way that Connla was going to meet a brutal end in this doomed timeline. She had lived under her mother and aunt’s brutal regime for so long, only to have to throw her life away to save other parallel worlds?

Damn you, Medb… Damn you, Aife… Damn you, Scathach…

“Damn you all to hell a thousand times over!”

He screamed this to no one in particular. It was just his way of letting out the built-up stress and fury.

Cuchulainn trembled as he stumbled back onto his feet. The severe bleeding had subsided during his rest, so while he still felt a bit woozy, he wasn’t in danger of dying anymore. Dagda’s Cauldron would heal his wounds in due time anyway, so he had nothing to worry about there. From here, all of his struggles were going to be emotional in nature. He was most frustrated with Connla’s upbringing and ultimate mission, along with how unfair it was that she would be unrewarded for all of her troubles. He knew she was a good kid, and she deserved better than this.

He needed to think of some way he could help her. It was the only way he could live with himself now. The only solace he had was that they shared an enemy in Medb, even if Connla wasn’t aware of it yet…

He shook his head.

No. It would be a terrible idea for Connla to learn about that inhuman creature wriggling around inside Medb. She didn’t need to know about it. Circinus was her goal, not Medb. He could go after the Tree himself, but he was this Lostbelt’s king, which essentially hardwired him into keeping it safe. If he let someone else destroy it though, that could potentially circumvent the rule. After all, nothing said he couldn’t assist that person in accomplishing it. If he could keep Medb and her forces busy with a war, that would conveniently ‘distract’ him enough for Connla to reach Circinus and do her job.

Yeah… that sounds like a good idea. If the Lostbelt is pruned, I don’t have to worry about Medb escaping this world and threatening other ones. Besides, if she escaped, it means I’d have to chase her down and destroy other worlds as well.

That was the worst kind of nightmare Cuchulainn could possibly live through. He had to cull that woman in this Lostbelt. Anyone else would think that Connla was helping him in that goal, but in his mind, it was the opposite. He was going to be the one backing her up.

If the world wasn’t going to reward her for her efforts, she could at least earn the god of destruction’s love and support.

Chapter Text

FATE/CURADH BEAG

“Little Champion”

Chapter 15: A Mysterious Delivery

AUTHOR’S NOTE: All right, I enjoyed my summer break and am getting back into the regular swing of things. I had a couple of other projects to work on as well, which caused this to be delayed a bit. They’re all done now, so I can dedicate more time to writing, at least throughout September. Don’t be surprised if I slow down a tad again in October, since I want to save the content for NaNoWriMo 2023. Either way, let’s keep this thing going, shall we?

The following morning, Cathbad made his return trip to Galway on his own. He promised Fergus and Conall that he would rendezvous with them in Leinster to sort through the details of how to organize their upcoming coup against Medb. Worrying about Cuchulainn was not a luxury they could afford when their own queen could do something reckless now that she was going to be deceived into believing Fergus was dead. The king’s presence acted as something like a safeguard for the last 15 years, keeping the queen’s impulses under control. That was going to be an additional source of great stress for Cathbad, but alas, he suspected that things would come to a head like this at one point or another.

The truth was that Ireland could not survive like this, regardless if the ruler was wicked or just. The planet was completely covered in seawater teeming with aquatic Phantasmals, the Celtic Isles were eroding with each passing year, all usable water was drying up quickly, two god-like beings were glaring at each other from their respective islands, and the people were losing hope. Cathbad wasn’t sure if leading a coup during this time would serve much good in the long run, but if humanity was going to die out like this, it would be better to do so in solidarity under a king who cared for his people, rather than a selfish queen who squashed everyone beneath her heel like mere bugs.

Cathbad’s mind weighed heavily with these thoughts as he eventually made it back to Galway in one and a half days’ time. It was approaching night of the second day, so his report would have to wait until the third. Once the castle was open the next morning, Cathbad was immediately ushered into the throne room to meet with Medb and her three remaining Champions. One man was the charioteer Laeg, who eagerly wanted to find out what happened with Fergus and Cu Roi after they left Galway.

The second fellow standing off to the side was a rather unapproachable-looking man with sharp blue eyes and slightly spiked chestnut brown hair. He wore a pitch-black Celtic bodysuit with a small red mantle wrapped around his left arm, and his demeanor was so crude that those who looked him in the eye felt insulted even when he didn’t say a word.

The third man appeared significantly friendlier than his fellow Champion, but that didn’t make him any less dangerous. He had long, vibrant orange hair slicked back and tied at the base to resemble a dolphin’s tail, a softer facial expression framed with green eyes, and several Runic tattoos etched on his face and torso. His armaments were light, consisting of little more than a weighted kilt, a buckle around his shoulder, and a pair of leather boots. Unlike many soldiers though, this man didn’t need to wear armor. The reason he became a Champion was due to his notorious ‘horn skin’, meaning his flesh was almost impossible to pierce with ordinary weapons. How such a man’s physiology operated was anyone’s guess, but he ate and breathed just as much as any normal person did, so not many paid much attention to it. Even Cathbad wasn’t aware of the particulars behind this man’s inhumanly tough skin.

Seated in the throne at the center was, of course, Medb. She daintily crossed her legs and said, “Welcome back, Cathbad. I take it your assignment was a success.”

“Indeed, it was,” he nodded. “Sgaradh has been destroyed, and the two nations float apart from each other as we speak.”

“Excellent. That should keep Cu at bay until we can figure out a plan.”

“Ach… Quite the ballsy move ye go be pullin’ there,” Laeg grunted and rubbed his head in distress. “The people been all in a tizzy ‘bout what ‘appened in Ulster o’er them few days. I swear, panic’s been sweepin’ in faster than ye can sweep a chimney clean o’soot. ‘Ow we s’pposed t’keep the peace when we got nonsense like this ‘appenin’?”

“Oh, I’m sure I can think of some publicity stunt to quell the masses,” Medb assured. “More importantly, I need to know what happened with Fergus’ group.”

“Aye, that be my question too! ‘Ow they be doin’!? They ‘ad t’be in Scotland when ye did yer thing! They made it back in one piece, no!?”

Cathbad inhaled deeply and pushed his glasses up his nose. After a dramatic pause, he murmured, “… I’m sorry.”

Laeg’s eyes widened in horror. “What be the meanin’ o’that?”

“When I arrived at Sgaradh, I found the young spear-wielding girl bleeding to death.”

“The lassie? Ye mean the one that Liath Macha took a likin’ to?”

“Yes. She barely managed to tell me that they encountered Cuchulainn during their excursion. It was a fierce battle – one which they had no hope of winning. It took everything Fergus, Cu Roi and Conall had just to keep Cuchulainn away from Sgaradh, while Connla desperately tried to make it back here. Once she managed to utter that much, she breathed her last. I committed her to the earth before making my return, which explains the slight delay.”

“Cor blimey…”

Just then, the sharp-eyed man smacked his fist against the wall and blurted, “That has to be a lie!”

Cathbad’s heart nearly leapt out of his throat. Had he caught on to his bluff? He was sure he delivered his story with the most convincing expression possible. He kept calm and asked in a terse tone, “What makes you say that?”

“There’s no conceivable way my father would lose to that bastard! There’s no way! I refuse to believe it!”

The druid closed his eyes and lightly exhaled as he thought, The boy was just upset over his father’s defeat. I was expecting this sort of reaction from him, but to think such an impulsive upstart nearly got the better of me… Damn, these old nerves are getting to me.

The orange-haired man maintained his sense of rationality as he asked Cathbad, “So four of our peers lost our lives out there to buy you time to part the Isles?”

“That is the unfortunate truth, yes,” the High Druid replied.

“That certainly is troubling. Lords Fergus and Cu Roi were two of Ireland’s best warriors. I never got to meet the other two Champions, but I hear their performances during the tournament were exemplary. I’ve been hearing rumors that one of them was Cuchulainn’s foster brother, who possessed a magical sword that grazed Cu Roi.”

“Hmph. Magical sword, my ass,” the dark-haired Champion scoffed. “If he really did win against Father in that match, it was only because of that, not on any merits of his own. Not that I give a shit about any of that anyway. If Father really is dead, that means I have to take over as Munster’s king. Truth be told, I’d rather go hunt that asshole Cuchulainn down and make him pay for everything he’s done. Not just as some crazy-ass god of destruction, but even from the nasty shit he pulled before the Cattle Raid ever happened!”

Suddenly, Medb declared, “Lugaid. Your anger towards Cuchulainn is perfectly understandable, but there are times when you need to think with a cool mind. Your vengeance should be a low priority compared to succeeding Cu Roi as Munster’s next king. Laeg has a point that the people are in a state of mild panic, and both Fergus and Cu Roi’s deaths are only going to add to the problem. If it escalates, it could mean a potential uprising, and who better to go against than a queen they believe isn’t doing anything to solve all of their problems? The people have a right to be worried, but that doesn’t mean they should take it out on me. I mean, there’s fear, and then there’s plain ignorance, am I right?”

Lugaid mac Con Roi, son of Cu Roi mac Daire and formerly the Prince of Munster, exhaled a gruff sigh and muttered, “Yeah, I know. Once I wrap my business up here, I’m gonna head straight back to Cork and deliver the news to my citizens. I just know they’re not gonna like it though, considering that their next king just turned 20, but that ain’t my fault. Far as I care, they can shove their hare-brained opinions back up their asses.”

Laeg scrunched his face a bit when he heard those bitter words, so he turned to the remaining Champion and said, “I be worryin’ that Lugaid’s attitude gonna sour negotiations ‘fore they can git off ground, if ye know what I mean. That be askin’ fer trouble, an’ trouble be the last thing we need right now.”

“I know,” the man with the bright-colored hair shrugged. “I’ll accompany him to help the transition go more smoothly.”

“Do so, Ferdiad,” Medb said. “I need Munster to renew its loyalty to Connacht under its new king as soon as possible, considering that Cuchulainn may figure out a way to steer Scotland back towards us in due time.”

“Talk about a nightmare scenario…” Ferdiad scratched his head. “With Fergus and Cu Roi gone, that means I’m next in line for fighting Cuchulainn in direct combat. Considering I trained with him in the Land of Shadows all those years ago, it’s reasonable to believe I would know how he fights the most out of anyone left alive.”

“Hah! You may have the skills, but I have that and much more!” Lugaid boasted. “I have way too many reasons why I want that sick motherfucker skewered on my spear! That’s why I have first dibs on his life! If I can’t have that, then at least let me cut his head off his worthless neck!”

“Not going to promise anything, mate.”

“All right, all right,” Medb interrupted them. “You have your assignments now. Get to Munster on the double and sort the situation out there.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Ferdiad replied, and both he and Lugaid left the throne room.

All this time, Cathbad was preoccupied with smoking his pipe. Once the two warriors departed, he exhaled a long plume of scented smoke before grumbling, “There’s intense, and then there’s Lugaid… I scarcely can believe someone of such short temper is the son of the great Cu Roi.”

“Ye cannae blame ‘im, though,” Laeg said. “After them shenanigans involvin’ ‘is ma Blathnat’s affair wit’ Cu, Lugaid got ev’ry reason t’be cross wit’ ‘im.”

“Hmph. Even today, Cuchulainn’s womanizing ways are still haunting us… But I digress. Since they’re taking care of Munster, that means I’ll have to inform Leinster’s royalty about the current state of things.”

“Ye need a ‘elpin’ ‘and? I know we be short-‘anded an’ all, but I be sure ‘Er Majesty’s got Connacht under control, meanin’ we jus’ gotta clean up the dust that be shakin’ up in Leinster, an’ that ain’t no easy task fer a fellow o’yer age.”

“If Medb approves of it, then I don’t mind. I could do with less ribbing about my age though. Despite my appearance, I still have plenty of beans in me.”

“Heh, heh! Aye, sorry ‘bout that! Bad ‘abit, bein’ too forthcomin’ an’ such. Cu always did tell me t’keep a lid on that ol’ brutal ‘onesty o’mine.”

“Hmm…” Medb pondered as she listened to their discussion. “All right, I will permit it. I wouldn’t be surprised if you wanted to check out Ulster after your business in Leinster is done, just to keep tabs on how the land around former Sgaradh is doing. The Celtic Isles’ separation may cause more of Ulster’s territory to fall to the ocean, and I will need an accurate report for my cartographers down the line.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Cathbad agreed. “I do have plenty of other errands to run, but they’re of no consequence to you.”

“Do as you will. I will expect all of you Champions to return to me in two weeks’ time, understood?”

“As you wish.”

Twenty-four hours following the battle in Glasgow, the weather turned bleak and grey. Heavy rainstorms drowned all of Ireland, which was certainly welcome for farmers trying to keep their crops irrigated. Unfortunately, the additional grey skies and distant thunder did not provide solace for those who learned the news of Scotland’s sudden separation from Ireland.

Far in the Ulster county of Londonderry – well removed from all of the doom and despair looming over the country - a modest log cabin had been built deep in the woods that looked over Lough Neagh (at least, what remained as a viable lakebed, anyway). Only someone who could afford Connacht’s absurd property taxes could live in such a sought-after location. The cabin had all the amenities that 1st century Ireland could offer; a fireplace, kitchen, living space with shelves full of books, nice beds, a small stable for livestock and a horse, a plot of land for basic gardening, and a pathway leading down to the shallow lake.

The woman who lived here by herself gazed out the window at the rain pelting the lakebed. She was a lady with fair complexion, yet her viridian irises belied both gentleness and firmness. Normally she would keep her long red hair down, but today she wore it back with a bonnet so she could focus on cleaning her study. The earthquake that rocked through northeastern Ireland caused her quite the fright, but she was more irritated by the mess she needed to clean up. Shelves, books, tables, chairs, cooking utensils, and even the stone cooking cauldron had been knocked over. While she didn’t mind housework in general, having to upturn heavy objects by herself proved to be quite the chore.

She stood in the kitchen, uncertain of how to restore her cauldron to its former position. She remembered how it took three strong men to lift it inside, so she was highly doubtful she could do the same. She sighed to herself and shook her head in dismay – she would probably have to go to Emain Macha and request assistance, and that meant going there on horseback through this atrocious weather.

Her thoughts were interrupted when someone knocked on her front door. She called out, “Coming!”

She opened the door and discovered two figures on the other side. She immediately recognized the tall man as Fergus mac Roich, remaining ever so amicable even when completely drenched. He was accompanied by three shorter figures; obviously young children, from their short height and gait. While the grey-haired twins stared up at her with smiles on their faces, she couldn’t get a good look at the final figure since she was fully enrobed in a thick rain poncho and hood that obscured most of her face.

“Pardon the intrusion, Emer,” Fergus greeted the lady.

“Fergus? What might you be doing here at this time?”

“Not much. I just wanted to ask a favor from you.”

“A favor, hm? Come inside then. No point in standing out in the rain like that.”

Emer welcomed her guests inside. She loaned Fergus some towels, then took the rain coats off of the children’s shoulders. She finally got to saw how despondent and exhausted the third child appeared, and she blurted, “Good gracious, look at you! You must not have slept a wink in days!”

“…”

As Fergus dried his hair off, he explained, “She got a little rest on the way here, but sleeping against a guy’s back while on horseback doesn’t really count as a good way to get some shut-eye. The twins are also pretty beat.”

“I can certainly tell,” Emer replied, then took Connla’s hand and implored, “Come this way, kids. I have a spare bed you can sleep in.”

She helped them get dressed in loose nightgowns, then put them down for the night. The lavender-haired girl never said a word during this time, and Emer had a feeling she had no interest in talking anyway. She rejoined Fergus in the kitchen as he gazed at the toppled cauldron. He remarked to her, “Looks like you’ve been having some problems of your own.”

“Indeed. I was planning on leaving for Emain Macha tomorrow and hiring some boys to help me sort this mess out.”

“Ah. Then no need to worry. Allow me to handle this.”

“Are you sure? It took three men to-“

Fergus squatted, scooped his hands beneath the cauldron’s brim, and grunted as he struggled to lift it upright. After a few seconds of using all of his strength, he gradually won against the cauldron’s weight and got it back in its proper place. Once he finished, he flexed his arms and exclaimed, “Phew! There we go!”

“Good grief. You’re always trying to brag, aren’t you?” Emer huffed.

“Nah, it’s nothing like that. When I see a pretty lady in trouble, I do everything I can to make things right. It’s part of my nature, both as a man and as a member of the Red Branch Knights.”

“Right, right. I’m sure you’re trying to extort some sort of ‘physical labor’ out of me as well.”

“Come now, don’t jest like that. Even though it’s been 15 years, I know you still consider yourself to be Cuchulainn’s wife. Not even I am that crass.”

Emer brushed some of her thick bangs around her ear as she scoffed, “That’s right. I know he’s still out there. Even if it takes me the rest of my life, I will wait for his return.”

“Is that so?”

“But I’m sure that’s not what you came out all this way to discuss with me. You said you had a favor to ask of me?”

“Right,” Fergus’ friendly disposition quickly vanished. “A couple, actually. One of them is to obviously look after the kids for a bit. That should be pretty easy for you.”

“Of course. The twins looked lively enough, but it was so unsettling to see the third girl being so dispirited. Who is she, and what in the world happened to her?”

“Yeah, well… There’s so much to talk about that it’ll take the whole night to cover everything.”

“I don’t mind. Now that I have my cauldron back, I can make us some soup.”

As Emer prepared a hearty broth of beef and vegetables, Fergus sat down at the table and detailed everything that happened over the last few days. Once she finished listening to his tale, the lady somberly closed her eyes and murmured, “Connla… Cuchulainn’s offspring that he had with another woman…”

“I’m sorry,” Fergus whispered. “I know you wouldn’t have liked hearing that, considering how devoted you are to waiting for his return.”

“He he he, what are you apologizing about? I’m hardly surprised at all. It always was in his character to go after strong women. I told him before - so long as his heart and soul belonged to me, then he could do whatever he wanted with his body. It was the only way to keep someone as dangerous as him satisfied.”

Fergus coughed and blurted, “Anyway! That’s the situation we’re at right now. Connla needs to take some time off from her role as one of Medb’s Champions. Barely surviving against Cuchulainn only to find out he’s her father has devastated her. Cathbad, Conall and I are keeping this knowledge secret from everyone else, including Medb.”

“A wise move. Knowing that woman’s sheer hatred towards Cuchulainn, she probably would try to use Connla to get back at him somehow. The girl hardly needs that kind of petty drama in her life right now.”

“Precisely. But I figured you had a right to know since you’ve decided to remain independent from Connacht. It would make your job of looking after her much easier, since she doesn’t seem eager to talk to anyone.”

“I don’t blame her. Discovering that her father is Taoide Olc might make her believe she is just as responsible for his actions. If this knowledge were to be misused by others, she might wind up being lynched by a panicked mob. Who knows what kind of effect that would have on Cuchulainn’s already warped state of mind? They may have fought as opponents, but given what I know of his behavior, I don’t think he truly sees her as an enemy.”

“Probably. The fact remains that the kid’s in a precarious emotional state. You think you could snap her out of it somehow? We’re going to need all of the warriors we can get for when Cuchulainn makes his inevitable return, and Connla’s connection to him is the best advantage we have.”

Emer nodded. “I’ll do what I can. If a relaxing environment and some encouragement from me doesn’t help, I always have some medicine she can bring with her.”

“Medicine?”

“Just some concoctions to ease mental fatigue and calm the nerves. Given how weary she looks, I may have to use them anyway.”

“Yeah… Well, do whatever works. I’ve got some important work to take care of in Leinster, so I have to make myself scarce for a while.”

“All right. Once I’m sure that Connla has recovered enough, I’ll send a carrier pigeon for you.”

“Actually, I want you to have Cathbad pick her up.”

“Lord Cathbad? What for?”

Fergus muttered, “He was insistent on having a word with her once she got better. I tried to ask him for details, but he said he just had some important tasks for her to complete.”

Emer stroked her chin and mumbled, “I wonder what that could mean…”

“Official business between Champions, I guess. I wouldn’t worry about it too much. Anyway, as much as I’d love to stay and chat some more, I really should be on my way.”

“All right. Godspeed, Fergus. Make sure you knock that witch Medb down a peg for me.”

“Will do.”

With that, Fergus departed on Dubh Sainglend, leaving Liath Macha behind in the stable since he apparently refused to leave Connla’s side. Emer watched him leave, then dusted herself off and murmured, “Phew… It was good to see him again, but he certainly left a lot of baggage for me to deal with.”

The following 24 hours would see more grey skies and heavy rain. Despite the dreary atmosphere, everyone in Ireland welcomed the rainfall, as they would be able to fill buckets and barrels full of drinkable water to help them survive for the next while. Emer swapped a filled bucket with an empty one so she could dump the water into a small reservoir in her kitchen. As she did this, she heard two pairs of energetic footsteps clamoring down the stairs, and she turned around to find Fir and Fial reaching the bottom of the steps.

“G-Good morning…” Fir stammered, unsure if he was being polite enough.

“Good morning, children. Did you have a good night’s sleep?” Emer asked.

“Yeah! The bed were nice and cozy. Beats camping out awl the time!” Fial exclaimed elatedly.

“Excellent. I was just about to make breakfast. Would you two like to help?”

“Hmm… I’d wike to… but I’m wowwied about Connwa…”

Fir nodded in agreement. “I know what you mean. She didn’t eat a thing whatsoever yesterday. She must be a lot more upset than I realized.”

Emer frowned and asked, “Is she awake?”

“She is, but she didn’t feel like getting out of bed.”

Just as Fir said this however, the door to the spare room creaked open. Connla stepped through, rubbing her weary eyes with a distant expression on her face. She held on tightly to the guardrail as she took one step at a time down the stairs. She had so little energy that something so simple wound up taking a lot out of her.

“Good morning, dear,” Emer spoke in a soft tone. “Did you sleep well?”

A silent nod was the only response. They huddled around the bonfire to warm up while Emer made some porridge topped with berries. Fir and Fial ate their meal properly, but Connla just sat there staring into her bowl for an awkwardly long time. Emer placed a hand on her shoulder and gently implored, “I know things have been difficult for you, but you need to eat if you want to get your strength back.”

“Mm…” the girl mumbled, then reluctantly started scooping portions of soupy food into her mouth. After eating for a bit, she then asked the woman, “Um… so, why did Uncle Fergus leave us here? Who are you supposed to be, anyway?”

“I guess we had no time to introduce ourselves last night. Don’t worry, Fergus told me everything about you.”

“… Everything?”

“Everything.”

“Including… that?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, that… Well… I’m connected with… Cuchulainn…”

Emer closed her eyes and rubbed Connla’s shoulder to calm her. “Yes. I know you’re Cuchulainn’s daughter.”

“…”

“It’s all right. There’s nothing to worry about anymore. If it makes you feel better, I have my own connection with Cuchulainn as well.”

“You do?”

“Sure, I do. I’m his wife, Emer.”

Connla’s eyes widened slightly when she heard this. “His… wife? As in… the woman he married?”

“The very same. You and I both have a connection with him. There no reason for you to be so upset now, is there? His actions have hit me just as hard as they have for you. That’s why you can talk with me about anything you want.”

“Hmm… I wish I could… but I just have so much on my mind…”

“I’m sure you do. Just take it easy. You’re free to stay here as long as you’d like.”

“Sorry for the trouble…”

Emer wagged her finger in a dismissive gesture. “That’s not what we say to a host. You’re supposed to thank them for their hospitality.”

“Oh… um… thank you… for the hospitality…”

“That’s better. Now eat your breakfast before it gets cold.”

Later that afternoon, Emer sat the children in the living room and taught them some basic embroidery to pass the time. Fial didn’t seem particularly talented at it due to her hyperactive nature, but Fir caught on to it and was already designing some charming patterns like flowers, trees and basic animal faces. Emer was worried that Connla would keep poking her fingers with the needles due to her lack of concentration, so she taught her how to do some knitting instead. She had every reason to be concerned, since Connla’s knitted project turned out to have an unsettling number of holes from missing too many stitches. She didn’t seem to care though, as her body went through the monotonous rhythm while her mind drifted off elsewhere.

“I’m bowed!” Fial complained. “Do you have anything to dwaw with?”

“You want to do some drawing? Let me see what I’ve got here…” Emer murmured as she shuffled through her desk.

Just then, a peculiar red glow tickled their vision. Everyone glanced at Connla’s shimmering thumb ring in silence. Emer became perplexed, but Connla’s skin immediately turned pale. She dropped her knitting needles, visibly trembled, and gasped two words under her breath:

“He’s here…”

She looked like she was about to have a severe panic attack. She shook even harder and gasped for air uncontrollably. Fir and Fial knew what this meant and hugged each other while whimpering under their breaths. Emer held Connla steady while glaring at the front door. After a minute, the lady stood up and calmly approached the entrance. Connla reached out and uttered, “W-Where are you-?”

“Stay inside. I’ll talk to him.”

“You can’t! He’s much too dangerous!”

“I know him better than anyone. He won’t do anything to me.”

“Uh…”

Emer gracefully threw her rain hood over her shoulders and stepped outside. Connla tried to follow her, but was so scared that she just stood at the entrance. She watched Emer stand boldly in the middle of her muddy potato field and gaze toward the nearby forest.

“Are you there, Cuchulainn? I know you can hear me,” Emer called out. “Stop hiding from me and come out.”

The sound of rain splashing against deep puddles continued for the most tense minute of their lives. None of them wanted to make any unnecessary sounds. Soon though, another person’s feet hit the mud with a loud splash after they leapt from one of the trees. He stood tall and faced Emer with a tired and apathetic expression. She narrowed her eyes, but said nothing. Connla held onto the side of the entrance door, practically forgetting to breathe as she fixed her eyes on the newcomer. The twins were so scared of the man’s presence that they refused to even look outside.

He glanced over at the red glow emanating from Connla’s ring, then remarked, “Looks like my theory is right. That ring is going to warn others of when I’m nearby. That might wind up being used to Connacht’s tactical advantage.”

“Oh, just look at you,” Emer rebuked and shook her head forlornly. “I don’t recall marrying a monster.”

“Yet you still came out to meet me.”

“What were you thinking? You may have lost the war 15 years ago, but that is no excuse to join forces with a Phantasmal and drown the rest of the world beneath the ocean. Are you that determined to punish Medb for her conquering Ulster? That you would take away any and all other territories on this planet so she can’t overthrow anyone else?”

Cuchulainn raised an eyebrow and frowned harder. “You’re not entirely wrong with my motivation for sinking every other country out there. How else do you stifle a dictator than by forcing them to isolate from the very world they want to conquer?”

“That’s just your black-hearted spite talking. Medb might be strong, but she doesn’t possess the ability to dominate the entire planet.”

“Hmph,” he smirked at her. “That’s where you’re wrong, Emer.”

“Why is that?”

“Medb can conquer the world. She could have as well, had I not intervened.”

“What nonsense is this? One woman should not be capable of something so outlandish.”

“You just have to trust me on this one.”

“Why should I believe you when you’re being deliberately vague with the facts?”

“You’re my wife. That’s more than reason enough.”

Emer grew frustrated, and she demanded, “What would you do if I annulled our union here and now?”

Cuchulainn’s lip twisted into a curt grin. “You’d never do that in the first place. You told Fergus that you’ve been waiting for me this whole time. Annulling our marriage would go against your desire to see me again, wouldn’t it?”

Her throat went dry once she realized that he had somehow listened to her conversation with Fergus last night. She swallowed hard to get her voice back, then retorted, “If you’re not stuck on Scotland, then how come you’re lurking around on my property like some kind of shady character? If you want to waste my time gloating about how powerful you are, then take it somewhere else. In case you haven’t noticed, there are children here, and you are scaring them. If you have no proper business with me, then I must ask you to leave at once.”

Cuchulainn raised an eyebrow, then sighed. “Funny how the unarmed woman is putting up a better fight than most trained warriors I know. No wonder I wanted your hand in marriage… Fine, then. If that’s how it’s going to be, then I’ll cut our happy little reunion short.”

Before Emer could say anything, Cuchulainn suddenly tossed a small burlap satchel in her direction. She fumbled it in her hands, but managed to grab the sack before it could fall into the mud. He turned around as he said, “Give that to Connla.”

She tried to ask a bunch of questions, but the King of Shadows immediately leapt into the thick forest and vanished into the approaching night just as quickly as he appeared. Emer stood there in the rain for what felt like an unnaturally long time, staring at the satchel with a forlorn gaze in her eyes. The adrenaline rushing through her head subsided in an instant, and she suddenly felt like being sick as she toppled onto her knees. She had forced herself to maintain a stoic façade, but in all honesty, she had been terrified beyond comprehension while speaking to her mutated husband. She never, ever expected him to have such a demonic appearance now, which clashed with her memories of him when he was younger and much friendlier.

That’s the Cuchulainn that Connla had to fight against? My word… no wonder she was so traumatized…

“Ms. Emer!” Connla shouted and ran outside. “Are you okay!?”

“Yes… I’m unhurt…” the woman moaned.

“Let’s go back inside. You’ll catch a cold if you stay out here like this.”

“You’re right…”

Connla helped Emer stumble back into the cottage, and prepared a small fire with her magic so they could dry their clothes. Fir and Fial were still huddled together on the bench, and the latter trembled, “I-Is the scawy guy gone, Connwa?”

“I think so. I have a good nose for bloodlust, and I’m not sensing any right now.”

“Weally?”

“Really. I’ll put up some basic barrier Runes later that will warn me if anyone tries to get too close during the night. I probably should’ve done that before, but… well…”

“Well, okay… If you say so…” Fial murmured as she and Fir started to calm down.

Whatever depression Connla had seemed to have been scared out of her system, now that she seemed more alert and prepared than usual. Her thoughts turned to how she could keep the property safe from any further attempts Cuchulainn could make at sneaking up on them like that. She recalled that while he didn’t seem to want to kill her during the battle in Glasgow, he certainly wanted to capture her alive. She couldn’t let that happen, no matter what. But then, a peculiar thought crossed her mind:

Wait a minute… He could’ve snatched me away anytime he wanted just now. Why didn’t he do so? Is it because he didn’t want to fight me in front of Ms. Emer? Or was there some other reason he wanted to come here? More worryingly, how did he get all the way over here when Scotland is floating so far away from Ireland? Can he teleport between the islands somehow?

“Say,” Fir murmured and pointed at the bag Connla had taken from Emer, “what’s in there?”

“Huh?”

“Did the scary guy give that to you?”

“Oh, um… I guess so.”

“What’s inside?”

“I don’t know. It feels really light though. I don’t think it’s any kind of currency.”

“Should you open it? I mean, it was from the scary guy. Who knows if it could be a trap?”

“But the scawy guy is Connwa’s daddy, wight?” Fial wondered. “A daddy wouldn’t be so mean that he’d give his dawtah a bad pwesent.”

“Maybe…”

Emer nodded and said, “I think Fial’s right. No matter how corrupted Cuchulainn may be, I sensed that he still has his kinder side intact, even if it’s reserved only for a select few anymore.”

Connla swallowed as she stared at the satchel with an intense glare. Finally, she declared, “Okay. I’m going to open it.”

With that, she untied the small rope and proceeded to open the bag.

Chapter Text

FATE/CURADH BEAG

“Little Champion”

Chapter 16: Tri Plaigh Uladh

Connla anxiously peeled the bag off over whatever was inside it, finally revealing what its contents were. No one could believe what they were looking at. Everyone was momentarily stunned by what the item was, unable to comprehend how someone as malicious and destructive as Cuchulainn could give something that was so… unusually…

Cute.

“Ahhh! It’s a dowwie!” Fial exclaimed elatedly. “The scawy guy gave you a dowwie!”

Indeed, it was a doll. Not just any doll though. It was the ever-familiar Mini Cu plush that was always associated with Cuchulainn Alter. It sat there on Connla’s lap with that typical grumpy glare framed with a single charming fang, wielding a miniature purple Gae Bolg and dragging its long spiked tail around.

“Um… What’s going on here?” Connla wondered, looking totally stupefied as she carefully inspected the plush from all angles. She simply couldn’t understand why Cuchulainn wanted to deliver this… thing to her.

“I have no idea,” Fir murmured. “Is that what the scary guy is supposed to look like?”

“Yeah, but way, way more frightening than this…”

“Hmmmm,” Emer mumbled curiously to herself. “Could there be something inside it?”

“I don’t think so,” Connla replied as she squeezed it several times to feel for anything suspicious within the stuffing. “I’m not sensing any sort of traps or secret Runes planted on it either. For all intents and purposes, it’s just your average, everyday doll.”

“Why on Earth would Cu give you such a present? Is it your birthday?”

“I don’t even know what my birthday is. Teacher just told me to use the first day of the new year to gauge how old I am. Besides, how would Cuchulainn have found that out when he was gone for so long?”

“True.”

“It’s cute! Maybe a wittle scawy wooking, but still cute!” Fial chirped as she took her turn holding it. “You shouwd keep it!”

“Really?” Connla wondered. She wasn’t sure if it was a good idea or not. It certainly looked harmless, but given who it was that gave it to her, she had her reservations. She faced Emer and asked, “What do you think?”

Emer likewise took a closer look at the plush, then suggested, “Every single one of my instincts is telling me to get rid of it. But I’m also worried about whether or not that will invoke Cu’s anger. I have no idea if we might wind up setting him off if we throw away a gift he went through so much trouble to bring to you.”

“That’s what I figured.”

“Even though it’s against my better judgment, I think you should hang on to it. Just keep it tied to your belt or something during your travels. It shouldn’t be that big of a deal, so long as it makes him happy.”

“I guess so,” Connla mumbled as she took it from Emer.

The woman let out an exhausted huff and said, “Well, now! I think it’s safe to say the excitement’s over now. It’s past dinner, so I should make us some soup before we turn in for the night. Would you children like to help me so we can get it done faster?”

“’Kay!” the twins exclaimed together, and they bounded straight for the kitchen. Connla didn’t respond, but likewise followed them. She left the doll behind on the chair for now, so no one paid it any mind as they worked together to prepare supper.

Unbeknownst to them… it shifted its eyes and twitched its nose a bit.

While Emer and the children were fixated on the strange doll, Cuchulainn retreated into the forest and opened a temporary Gate of Skye to the Land of Shadows. Now that he was the Celtic underworld’s ruler, he possessed the authority to construct one-time gates that he could freely use to travel between the two islands and his own territory. Ireland being parted from Scotland made no difference to him thanks to this ability. That was how he was able to jump between the Isles despite them being forced many kilometers apart.

Now back in the castle, Cuchulainn removed his detached hood and shook it a few times to get some of the rain water out. He sensed the presence of numerous hateful ghosts lurking around within the castle grounds, but his own kingly aura was so potent that they dared not get close, lest they invoke the wrath of the man who killed the previous queen. That’s why he was able to return to the throne room in relative peace, even if the scurrying of countless spirits irritated him to no end.

The King of Shadows sat down upon the throne and boredly rested his chin upon his fist. He already had a mug of beer and some cigars filled with herbs prepared for him on the side table, as he commanded one of his ethereal retainers to make for him earlier. He broke the stem off one of the cigars with his teeth, lit it with a tiny Ansuz Rune, and proceeded to smoke it as much as he could. These weren’t just any ordinary cigars though. They contained a druid’s concoction of herbs and plants designed to help one fall asleep. Their scent was so powerful that Cuchulainn could already feel his eyelids getting heavy.

After downing the entire mug of alcohol in one go, he gradually lost consciousness and drifted into a deep sleep, snoring so loudly that one could mistake it for a monster’s growling. He could practically feel his mind leaving his body, as if he was having an out-of-body experience. He was being deliberately pulled out of the Land of Shadows towards a particular spot on Ireland. It took some time for him to make the journey, but he eventually reached his destination.

Soon, his dreams started to become a bit more vivid and life-like. He shifted his eyes and twitched his nose as he looked around to see where he was. He was sitting on a wooden chair by himself, but there were four people not too far away as they ambled about in the kitchen preparing supper. They sat around the table enjoying some vegetable soup and warm bread, paying Cuchulainn absolutely no mind as they ate and chatted amongst themselves.

Even in his sleep, he smirked to himself.

Good. It’s working…

Suddenly, he forced himself to be as still as possible when he noticed Connla glancing over in his direction. She tilted her head curiously, thinking that something unusual was going on with the Mini Cu plush. Once she thought it was just her imagination, she went back to talking with Emer about something.

Whoa, that was close. Don’t want the kid to notice me until the time is right.

Cuchulainn opted to just stay perfectly still and silent for now. It was almost bedtime for them anyway, so it wouldn’t be long before he could make his move.

That night, Connla had some difficulty getting to sleep. It wasn’t because she was restless. On the contrary, she felt absolutely exhausted after all of the excitement that happened during the day. She didn’t seem to be feeling quite as depressed as before, but she still felt immensely troubled over Cuchulainn’s strange behavior. No, the reason she couldn’t sleep was because she sensed someone shuffling around in the bed, which was getting quite distracting for her. She peeled one eye open and rubbed the other one as she looked around blearily for what was causing the disturbance.

Fir and Fial were passed out on either side of Connla, so she knew it couldn’t be them. She panned her eyes around the room to see if there was an intruder, but nothing seemed unusual. That was when she felt a bizarre shuffling sensation coming from beneath the covers. It was happening directly on her chest too, which made it all the weirder. Growing more nervous as to what was going on, Connla gently pulled the blanket off her upper body and looked down.

“Finally,” a deep grumbling voice growled. “I thought I’d never wake you up.”

It took her a moment to understand what was going on, but she finally put it together:

The Mini Cu doll was moving and talking.

She momentarily lost her mind and let out a flabbergasted squeak of disbelief. The doll hastily planted his stubby arms over her mouth and snapped in a low whisper, “Shhh! Don’t make so much noise!”

“Mm… gh…”

“Calm down. It’s me, Cuchulainn. I’m talking to you through this thing.”

That didn’t exactly inspire her to settle down, now knowing she was talking to the most dangerous being in the entire Lostbelt. Her shuffling around caused Fir to wake up, and he moaned, “Hmmgh… What’s going on?”

Fial likewise woke up from the disturbance and asked, “Did someone scweam?”

“Uh, um…” Connla stammered, but was unable to prevent the twins from noticing Mini Cu moving around. They were equally as freaked out over the sight and gaped their jaws in simultaneous disbelief.

“T-The dowwie… tawked…” Fial yelped.

“It’s… alive…” Fir murmured.

“Dammit,” Mini Cu grunted. “I was hoping no one else would find out about this. Oh well, no use crying over spilled milk. I guess it’d be easier for Connla if all three of you knew what’s going on.”

Connla tilted her head and wondered, “Um… Are you really Cuchulainn? Did you shrink or something?”

“Don’t be absurd. I just told you I’m talking to you through this plushie. I’m still in the Land of Shadows, but I’m transmitting my Spirit Origin into the doll while I sleep.”

“Say, say,” Fial uttered. “Awe you weally the scawy guy that’s been wunning awl awound Scotwand?”

“Huh? I don’t understand what you mean.”

Fir interjected, “There’s been a super scary man causing all kinds of trouble in Scotland. Auntie told us that Taoide Olc made it back and is roaming the land in his human form, and that we need to watch out for him.”

“Ah, I see,” Mini Cu realized what they were talking about. “Yes, I am indeed Taoide Olc in human form, but my exploits for recruiting more soldiers must have caused some unnecessary fear for you two. I apologize for causing any sort of fright. Trust me – I make my presence as terrifying as possible in order to inspire fear in Ireland’s queen. She is my real enemy, and no one else.”

“So then… you’we not gonna gobble us up wike the Demonic Beasts do?” Fial asked as she started to calm down.

“Of course not. I have no business terrorizing random children.”

The twins sighed a combined sigh of relief as they realized the ‘scary guy’ wasn’t as bad as they thought. Mini Cu then said, “I’m impressed your aunt knew so much about me though.”

Connla then explained, “Their aunt is the goddess Morrigan.”

Now it was his turn to be surprised. He glanced at the twins, then murmured, “You don’t say… She followed me around for a while, and not once did she ever say she had a niece and nephew. And if you two are twins, then that means… Hmm… This could be interesting… Now I really gotta see how this pans out…”

“Um, Cuchulainn? What’re you going on about?”

“Never mind. That’s not why I’m going through all this trouble to see you. Listen to me, Connla. I want you to keep this doll close to you at all times. I’m a bit preoccupied in Scotland right now, and I can’t observe what’s going on in Ireland otherwise.”

“B-But you’re Ireland’s enemy… And I’m Queen Medb’s Champion… Wouldn’t that make me a traitor to Ireland if I did that?”

“If anyone’s doing the betraying, it’s Medb. Cathbad was the one who destroyed Sgaradh and parted the Isles, right?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“He wouldn’t do something so extreme unless it was under the queen’s orders. Furthermore, he did it while you, Fergus and the others were in Scotland fighting me. You barely managed to make it back to Ireland through the skin of your teeth. That means she had every intent of stranding you in Scotland in order to save her own skin. You don’t need to be loyal to someone like that.”

“…”

“Besides, you’ve got a much bigger job to fulfill, don’t you? Scathach told you to destroy the Tree of Emptiness, right?”

“Yeah, but…”

“You have no reason to be Medb’s Champion anymore. If you’re going to be anyone’s Champion, it’s Scathach’s, am I right?”

Connla frowned and lowered her head forlornly. “I guess so. I mean, I don’t want to disappoint Teacher after she spent so long training me.”

Mini Cu placed his hand on her shoulder and assured, “Then you’re not betraying anyone. As long as you continue on the path Scathach left for you, you’ll be fine. As for me… Well, you could say I’m a bit curious to see where it takes you. After all, Scathach was my teacher for a while as well. Think of it as a senior being interested in what their junior is getting up to.”

“But you do know what it means for me to destroy the Tree, right?”

“I do.”

“And… you’re fine with it? Even though you’re the king the Tree chose?”

“I am.”

Fir raised an eyebrow and asked, “What are you talking about? What is this Tree of Emptiness supposed to be?”

“Oh, um…” Connla stammered. “It’s nothing. Just a bit of adult talk.”

Fial didn’t seem to be paying attention to any of the heavy conversation as she poked Mini Cu’s stomach and giggled, “He he he! You’re so soft and pwushy! Say, did you actuawwy sit down and sew the dowwie by yoursewf, Mr. Scawy Guy?”

He pouted and grumbled, “Don’t be ridiculous. I had Dagda’s Cauldron make a miniaturized duplicate of myself so I could transfer my consciousness into it. I wasn’t expecting it to make such a butt-ugly doll though. I guess the Tuatha de Danann’s boundless wish granter has as much of a bizarre sense of humor as its creator.”

Fial couldn’t stop chuckling at the thought of Cuchulainn sitting at a table sewing a doll from scratch, and it started to get on Mini Cu’s nerves. Connla sighed deeply, as she started to feel a little worn out from this crazy conversation so late in the night. Before she could say anything though, that was when they heard the sound of footsteps approaching the door, and it creaked open to reveal Emer in her robes. She poked her head through and asked, “Are you all awake?”

Connla hastily shoved Mini Cu beneath the covers to hide him from her, then blurted, “I-I’m sorry. We had trouble sleeping, so we decided to chat for a bit. Were we being too loud?”

“Not at all. I’m just worried that you’re not getting enough rest.”

“It’s okay. We were just about to go back to sleep.”

“All right then. Good night, everyone.”

Emer left them be, and the trio exhaled in relief. Mini Cu crawled out, then said, “Good call. I don’t think Emer would appreciate it if she knew I was pulling such a stunt in her own home.”

“More like she wouldn’t believe that her own husband was taking the form of a doll,” Fir muttered.

“Good point. Listen, could you guys do me a favor and not tell Emer about any of this? I get the feeling she’ll throw me into the fire if she realized I was lurking around like this. Delivering this to you was a real pain in the ass, and I don’t want to have to do it all over again.”

Connla and Fir nodded. Fial raised her hand and cheerily chirped, “Okay! We won’t tewl Miss Emah anything!”

Mini Cu grumpily glared at her and grumbled, “You’re the one I’m most worried about…”

After having breakfast the next morning, Fir and Fial went outside to play with an old soccer ball that Emer had lying around in her shed. Connla took this time to bring Liath Macha outside for some fresh air and to groom him, since he had been confined to the stable for the last few days. The grateful steed kneeled down low so that she could brush his mane and tail much easier. Emer sat on the porch doing some knitting while observing the children as they engaged in their activities.

The morning hours shifted towards the early afternoon without incident. At around 2 PM though, an unexpected visitor strolled around to the backyard astride his horse. Liath whinnied since he noticed the other horse’s scent, and Connla glanced over to see who it was. She widened her eyes and exclaimed, “Lord Cathbad!”

Indeed, it was the elderly High Druid of Connacht. He dismounted his horse and approached the young girl as he said, “Looks like Fergus was right in bringing you here. You seem to be a bit more relaxed than before.”

“Are you here to pick me up?”

“Hmm…” he grumbled as he smoked his pipe. “That was the original plan, but I’ve got different ideas for you.”

“What do you mean? I thought Uncle Fergus wanted me to be by his side once I recovered.”

“I’ve decided that it’s no longer going to be practical for you to be with him, considering how busy he is with planning for his uprising against Medb. He wanted me to convey his apologies, and gave me his blessing to send you on a different assignment.”

“What would that be?”

Cathbad faced Emer and said, “My apologies, madam, but I’m afraid this is confidential business between Champions. We will walk through the lakebed to give ourselves the necessary privacy. Could you keep these petulant twins from running around and disrupting us?”

“Sure,” she replied.

“Aww, we can’t come with Connwa?” Fial complained.

“Don’t be so annoying,” Fir chided. “They have important adult stuff to talk about. Let’s give them the space they need.”

“Phooey.”

Connla waved her hand sheepishly and assured, “Don’t worry. I’ll be back as soon as I can, okay?”

With that, Cathbad and Connla left the cottage and proceeded down the winding pathway to the dried up lakebed, where no one else would be able to find any hiding spots to spy on their conversation. Of course, Connla had snuck Mini Cu into a satchel and affixed it to her belt so he could listen in without Cathbad being aware. Their boots crunched the dried up mud, leaving a distinct trail behind as they walked.

Once they were sufficiently far away from civilization, Connla glanced up at Cathbad and asked, “So what’s the situation with Uncle Fergus and Conall? I don’t really know what’s going on, other than that Uncle Fergus mentioned he’s planning on rebelling against Queen Medb. I didn’t really pay attention to much else than that, since I was so upset over discovering I was Cuchulainn’s daughter.”

“I don’t blame you,” Cathbad admitted. “If I was in your position, I would have been shocked as well. Alas, you must cope with this discovery and move on with the mission Scathach gave you.”

She looked a bit surprised when she heard this. “You know what Teacher wants me to do?”

“Sure I do. We both have the ability to deliver prophecies. We saw the true nature of this Lostbelt and how twisted its human history has become. Our goal is to destroy Circinus and cull the Lostbelt from Proper Human History before the terrors lurking in this timeline can escape to threaten the true history that man is destined to follow. Scathach’s death has been a huge blow in this effort, but I see that she has entrusted everything to you as both her niece and most beloved pupil. That is why I have full confidence in discussing this with you.”

Connla then grew uncomfortable as she asked, “Does anyone else know about this world being a Lostbelt? I mean, did you say anything to Uncle Fergus or any of the other Champions?”

“No. I intend to leave them in ignorance. After all, our goal will ultimately end in the complete destruction of this aberrant timeline. Everyone is already in enough of a panic over the state of the world as it is. Learning that it was not meant to exist in the first place will cause nothing but unwanted chaos for us. It is best for us to give this world the peaceful death it deserves.”

“So that means I can’t say anything to Uncle Fergus either…”

“Precisely. I am the only one you can trust in this matter.”

She glanced away uneasily, knowing that she would have to keep such a huge secret from her own allies. She wasn’t sure if she could handle the stress down the line, since it meant she would be killing everyone she had come to know. Ally and enemy alike would be wiped out, as if they didn’t deserve to exist. She knew the guilt was going to weigh heavily on her, and the anxiety was already starting to bother her.

Cathbad noticed the strained look on Connla’s face, then said, “If it makes you feel any better, the next tasks I have for you will have you journeying through Ulster’s most remote regions. You won’t be seeing Fergus or Conall anytime soon, that is for certain.”

“Really?”

“They don’t want you getting involved in the coup being organized between Munster, Leinster, and Ulster’s remnants. I share the same sentiment, albeit for a different reason.”

“What reason would that be?”

“Scathach and I concocted a contingency plan in case the worst scenario comes to pass. However, now that Scathach is dead, I’m going to require some assistance, and you’re the best person to ask.”

“The worst scenario? Didn’t that already happen with Taoide Olc’s return?”

Cathbad suddenly glanced away to obscure the stress lines growing on his aged face. Connla tried to lean in and get a better look, but he just turned away even more once he noticed her. He blatantly sidestepped the question by asking, “Did Scathach ever teach you about the existence of Servants?”

“Servants?” she murmured and tried to think back. “Hmm… I’m not recognizing the term…”

“They are the spirits of heroes summoned to this world to fight for humanity’s behalf. Those who performed great deeds in both the distant past and far future have been deemed qualified to return to the land of the living in temporary spiritual bodies, summoned under a specific class container in order to bring out their best skills.”

“That sounds amazing,” she remarked, but then realized something. “Wait a minute… If these ‘Servant’ beings are supposed to fight for humanity, why haven’t they done so in this Lostbelt? Shouldn’t they be the ones struggling to destroy the Tree of Emptiness rather than just us two?”

“You are correct in that regard. However, there’s a problem that needs to be fixed before any Servants can be summoned.”

Connla immediately became alert once she heard that. Whatever this ‘problem’ was, it was most likely going to be what Cathbad would want her to resolve.

He continued, “Summoning Servants requires a ritual to be performed over what’s known as a Leyline. Think of them as the planet’s arteries, which are chock full of pure magical energy that can be tapped into. I think you can see the issue with this already.”

“Yeah. We’re on a floating island. Whatever these Leylines are, they’re already submerged beneath hundreds of kilometers of hostile ocean. There’s no way that Servants can be summoned like this.”

“Now don’t be too hasty. Scathach and I did managed to preserve a precious Leyline that’s running beneath Ulster. It’s enough for me and my subordinate druids to summon not just any Servant, but the finest among all of human history’s heroes; a Grand Servant.”

“A… Grand Servant?”

“If an ordinary Servant performed some feat that made them notable, then a Grand Servant is so famous that anyone from any part of the world would know who they are. They didn’t just accomplish any deed of heroism – they’ve become embedded into humanity’s very concepts, to the point that the Grand Servant is practically a part of everyone’s subconsciousness, even if they don’t realize it. Imagine that Grand Assassin’s existence is the reason we have the word ‘assassin’ in the first place, or that Grand Rider’s vessel is the epithet of preserving all life on the planet during a major crisis, or that Grand Saber is the definition of what it means to be a proper and just hero. Grands may very well be the inspiration for others to become Servants in their own right.”

“Whoa…” Connla gasped in admiration. “And you want to summon a Servant like that?”

“It’s the only hope we have left.”

“The only hope? Even though I’m supposed to destroy the Tree of Emptiness? Why summon a Grand Servant if that’s the case?”

Cathbad inhaled a deep puff of his pipe, then exhaled for a long while. Finally, he faced Connla and declared, “Let me be blunt with you. I don’t think you have even a ghost of a chance of felling that thing.”

“…”

“No matter how many tricks or techniques Scathach may have taught you, I simply don’t see you accomplishing anything of such a ridiculous magnitude. It’s like firing a pebble from a slingshot in order to strike a star out of the sky. It’s just not going to happen. I don’t think Scathach truly intended for you to fight the Tree of Emptiness either.”

“She didn’t?” Connla murmured uneasily, and grew despondent. “Then… what am I supposed to do? Why did she train me so much? What battles am I supposed to fight? Who is the enemy I have to face? I just don’t understand anymore…”

“Now, don’t despair. She was preparing you for an important task. It’s just not the one you’ve been led to believe this whole time. That’s the reason I wanted to talk to you – to assign you the mission of purifying Ulster’s Leyline of the blights that leech its magical energy, so that the Grand Servant may be successfully summoned.”

“Um… I’m not sure I follow…”

“It stands to reason that Ulster’s Leyline is a one-of-a-kind resource, right? It’s the only place in the entire world where pure mana can be found anymore. That means that others would be more than happy to usurp it for their own purposes. As you can see, I’m an old man who has his hands tied appeasing Medb’s capricious demands while supporting Fergus’ movements behind her back. You, on the other hand, are more than capable of eliminating these locusts feeding off of Ulster’s Leyline. In essence, you would be the Grand Servant’s protector until the time is right to summon them.”

Connla’s eyes widened with renewed hope. The Leyline’s… nay, the Grand Servant’s guardian? Of course she would want to accept such an important job. It certainly was better than going after the Tree of Emptiness herself when, deep down, she knew it would be a futile suicide mission.

“Ah, I see the flicker of light in your eyes,” Cathbad grinned. “Scathach told me that you always strive to do the right thing, even if it’s difficult for you. I’m certain this task will be much easier on your conscience than trying to eliminate the Lostbelt yourself. Better to leave it to someone who is more qualified. The right people for the right job, as they say.”

“I guess. So you want me to do something about these so-called ‘blights’ feeding off of the Leyline?” she eagerly asked.

“Correct. Specifically, there are three entities threatening to drain the Leyline dry. Let’s address them as Tri Plaigh Uladh, or ‘Ulster’s Three Plagues’. I need you to eliminate them, then make sure that no further threats endanger the Leyline until Fergus’ coup against Medb is over and we prepare for war against Taoide Olc’s forces.”

“That sounds doable. So what are the plagues in question, and how do I go about finding them?”

“They are known as Deirdre of the Sorrows, the Curse of Macha, and Manannan’s Parted Mists. All of them reside within former Ulster – that is, before Connacht amalgamated with it - so there is no need to explore the other three territories. As for their specific locations, I’m afraid I’m short on information regarding them. You will have to investigate on your own from here.”

“I understand,” Connla said as she wrote everything down in a notebook she kept handy with her. “I’m guessing Manannan’s Parted Mists has something to do with the god of the seas Manannan mac Lir, but I have no clue about the others.”

“Excellent. I trust you will set out as soon as you’re ready.”

“Well, I kind of need to figure out which one to tackle first, as well as gauging how dangerous each particular blight is. It’d be kind of dumb to rush headlong into the most difficult challenge first without doing proper research.”

“Well said,” Cathbad agreed. “Then let me give you a hint about one of them. Go to the woods far south of Emain Macha and find an elderly poet named Leabharcham. She will point you in the right direction from there.”

“South of Emain Macha… Leabharcham…” Connla murmured as she scribbled the words down. She glanced at him suspiciously though. If he knew to find this poet to help deal with one of the blights, he could have easily gone there himself. She had a feeling he was being coy with her, but opted not to complain about it since it gave her something productive to do.

The elderly druid proceeded to turn back toward Emer’s cottage as he said, “Very well. Let us return so that I can be on my way.”

“What’re you going to do in the meantime? And how am I supposed to report to you regarding my progress?”

“I need to take care of some boring political stuff that you don’t need to concern yourself with. As for reporting to me, I have arranged for Morrigan to visit you periodically. Give your progress reports to her, then she will forward them to me.”

“I see… Does that mean Uncle Fergus and Conall will be busy too?”

“I’m afraid so. The rest of us Champions have to prepare for the big day when we finally overthrow Medb and install Fergus as Connacht’s king. You’ll have to figure out a way to confront the blights yourself.”

“Understood.”

The Land of Shadows

During Connla and Cathbad’s conversation, Cuchulainn had transmitted his consciousness into Mini Cu and listened in without Cathbad being aware of his presence. Connla had warned him that Cathbad was supposed to be traveling to Emer’s home sometime soon, and Cuchulainn was definitely interested in what the aged druid would have to say to her. He certainly heard everything that they talked about just now, but he made no motion to try to contact Connla about it. It was still daytime, which meant he’d have to wait until nighttime before he could get any semblance of privacy with her.

In the meantime, Cuchulainn was busy discussing military affairs with a stocky fellow clad in heavy armor and animal pelts. The soldier reported to his irritated liege, “The troops you requested from Edinburgh, Dundee, Perth and Inverness have been assembled and await the order to march.”

“What of the Hebrides? I thought Portree and Stornoway’s armies were supposed to recruit men from the former islands.”

“From my understanding, several colonels have been butting heads with each other to determine who the next major general should be to represent the Hebrides after the sudden death of Sir Malcolm of Jura.”

“Ugh, what a pain in the ass,” Cuchulainn snarled. “This sort of trivial infighting is exactly the reason why Ulster lost the war against Connacht. I need a unified force that will obey my commands without question, not a gaggle of squawking opportunists who only care about their careers.”

The warrior seemed unperturbed by his king’s annoyance as he asked, “What would you have me do, sir? If needed, I will have my company march to Portree and hold a conference to remind them of your wishes.”

“That won’t be necessary. I don’t want your men to be tired out from dealing with bureaucratic nonsense when they should be ready for war at a moment’s notice. I’ll go have a nice chat with these so-called ‘colonels’ and remind them who the real man in charge is here. Nothing like a little violence to inspire people to do what you want, right?”

“If that is your decision, then I will have my company stand down for the time being.”

“Good.”

Suddenly, the soldier asked, “If I may, I have a question regarding the logistics of our march into Ireland.”

“What is it?” Cuchulainn wondered.

“If your intention is to reunite Scotland with Ireland, where will the entry point be located? From my understanding, you are having the various armies gradually congregate around the Elgin, Inverness and Wick districts. My assumption is that you want to return Scotland to its original location northeast of Ulster, yet those territories couldn’t be possibly further removed from Ulster if you tried.”

“Of course I know that, you fool. Use your head a little. If I have full control of Scotland’s flight path, what do you think the most efficient area for me to invade Connacht would be?”

The warrior paused for a moment, considering the potential strategy Cuchulainn had in mind. After a moment of thinking, he murmured, “I see… I hadn’t considered that possibility.”

“Exactly. It’s designed to throw Medb completely off her guard, and to make the march for our armies that much easier.”

“But wouldn’t that likewise make it easier for Connacht’s forces to retaliate against us?”

“Medb may be a powerful queen, but she’s no strategist. Most likely, she’ll want to assemble her forces around Ulster to prepare for when I inevitably smash Scotland against Ireland.”

“So it’s an elaborate feint tactic with three goals in mind; to confuse Medb, to reduce the distance our armies need to travel, and to misdirect her forces away from Connacht.”

“That’s right. Amazing what a simple change in geography can do for battle strategies, huh?” Cuchulainn smirked sinisterly, relishing in the thought of stymieing Medb. “Granted, it’s not exactly something that can ever be pulled off in any other kind of war, but since we’re on floating islands that can be maneuvered, why not give it a shot?”

“I understand. I’ll discuss your plans with my superiors and determine where to position our troops so as to avoid the direct impact zone.”

“Excellent.”

The soldier then said, “My apologies, but I have just one more inquiry. Since we have fully lost contact with Ireland, how are we supposed to gather any intel on what their movements may be? We can’t exactly sabotage any efforts they may make if we can’t even reach them in the first place.”

Cuchulainn seemed to appear a bit impish as he assured, “Not to worry. I have a trustworthy informant in Ireland who is reporting to me directly.”

“I see. If it is a confidential matter, then please excuse me for prying too much.”

“No, it is a warranted concern. But I have everything under control with Ireland. There won’t be any surprises under my watch. All I need is for you and your allies to handle those annoying little affairs with the Hebrides once I finish schooling those stupid colonels on who the boss is around here.”

“Understood. Then by your leave.”

“Wait a moment,” Cuchulainn stopped him.

“Yes, sir?”

“Tell me your name and ranking.”

“I am Ewan Aitken, Lieutenant-Colonel of Aviemore, under the direct service of General Cairn Cunningham of Inverness.”

“One of Cunningham’s boys, huh? Makes me wonder why your boss didn’t want to report to me directly.”

“He claimed he was preoccupied with certain military matters, and requested I attend in his stead.”

“Interesting. I think I’ll pop in for a bit and see what sort of ‘military affairs’ are more important than answering his king’s summons. If I don’t like his answer, expect to enjoy a promotion sometime soon, Mr. Aitken. It’s precisely soldiers like you that help me get shit done around here, after all.”

“…”

“All right, get back to your post. If I need you, I will call for you.”

“Yes, sir,” Ewan nodded, then turned on his heel and proceeded through the throne room doors. However, he actually stepped through a miniature Gate of Skye that Cuchulainn had summoned for him to instantly teleport from northern Scotland all the way to the Isle of Skye in the far west.

Once the soldier was gone, Cuchulainn exhaled a small huff and stood from his throne wielding Gae Bolg. He murmured to himself, “Okay then… Guess I better go do some annoying errands before nightfall.”

Chapter Text

FATE/CURADH BEAG

“Little Champion”

Chapter 17: The Gallant Stranger

Once their discussion was over, Connla and Cathbad returned to the cottage. The older druid stayed for lunch, but said he had to return to Leinster as soon as possible. Once he had departed, the rest of the day went by uneventfully. Now that Connla had fully groomed and cared for Liath Macha’s needs, she felt confident that she could take him out for her newest journey. There was the problem of telling Emer and the twins what her plans were, but she figured she could worry about it later.

Right now, all she could think about was getting back into contact with Cuchulainn without alerting the others. She never said a word about what she and Cathbad discussed throughout the afternoon and evening, and soon turned in for the night with Fir and Fial. However, once the twins were fast asleep, Connla slipped out of the room and went down the narrow slope leading to Lough Neagh’s lakebed.

Once Connla was far enough from the cottage, she unpocketed the Mini Cu doll from her waist satchel and held him before her. He didn’t stir in the slightest for a moment, so she asked, “Are you there, Cuchulainn?”

At first, there was no response. After a minute, she felt a peculiar buzzing sensation course through her skin as a small surge of magical energy made its way into the toy. He finally stretched his arms and legs to adjust himself to a body that was much tinier than he was used to.

“Ugh, there we go,” Mini Cu grunted. “It’s not easy trying to squeeze your consciousness into such a confined space. I had to take some extra sedatives just to fall asleep, considering how busy I was today.”

“Did something happen?”

“Just a little reorganization of my higher chain of command. Nothing for you to worry about.”

“Hm…” she murmured, unsure if she wanted to ask him what was going on in Scotland. However, she had a much bigger question on her mind as she asked, “So, did you hear everything that Lord Cathbad and I talked about this morning?”

“Yup. Every word of it.”

“What do you think?”

“Ulster’s Three Plagues, huh? And he’s plotting to summon a Grand Servant to destroy the Tree of Emptiness, all on top of Fergus organizing a rebellion against Medb. This is some interesting news, indeed. It might cause me some headaches with my war plans, but if everything goes smoothly, I can crush Medb’s skull before she has a chance to retaliate against Cathbad’s summoning. I’m certain she’ll take issue with it, considering that Ulster is supposed to be her territory.”

Connla grew concerned, knowing that Cuchulainn was certainly set on having Scotland fight against Ireland during such a precarious time. He immediately noticed her trepidation and assured, “Don’t worry. I have no intention of rushing into things yet. I’m biding my time to see what’s going on with Ireland before making any drastic moves. Perhaps I could forge an alliance with Fergus so we can topple Medb’s forces together, provided that negotiations don’t break down.”

“If you say so…”

“Relax. Just focus on what Cathbad wants you to do. If these plagues are getting in the way of his progress, then you ought to go deal with them to protect the Leyline. Let the dummies duke it out with their little war games.”

“Mm.”

“So he told you to go find Leabharcham, right? I’ve never met her, but I’ve heard the occasional story or two about her.”

“Lord Cathbad wasn’t specific about which blight she’s associated with either,” Connla said, then became visibly frustrated as she grumbled, “I don’t know why, but I’m getting a bit fed up with being left ignorant of everything that’s going on. Everyone expects me to do things for them, but they never tell me the reason why. Teacher never told me that you were my father, no one wants to tell me why Queen Medb is so dangerous, and now even Lord Cathbad is being intentionally vague with which blight he wants me to deal with first. It’s like everyone loves toying with me for being so clueless…”

Mini Cu reached up and patted the distraught girl’s head. “You must’ve had it a lot rougher than I thought. It’s okay - no one is toying with you. They simply wanted to protect you from things that may be too much for you to handle. Scathach had every reason to never tell you about your connection with me. As for Cathbad, he’s just an obnoxious old coot who messes with everyone regardless of who they are. Don’t pay him any mind.”

“What about Queen Medb then? Why won’t anyone say anything about her?”

Mini Cu scrunched his nose and grit his teeth in visible revulsion. “There’s a very good reason for that. Scathach must’ve told you how Taoide Olc came to be, right?”

“Something about how it’s a god that doesn’t exist anywhere other than this Lostbelt. That it’s… Or rather, that you’re a fusion between a man and the Beast of Billows, Curruid.”

“Precisely. Medb was the one who cast my near-lifeless body into Curruid’s maw, forcing me to merge with it so she could control me as her personal weapon.”

“How did she do that? How could she summon a Phantasmal to do her bidding when she’s not supposed to be a goddess? What exactly is she hiding from the rest of the world? Do you know what it is?”

Now Mini Cu was so distraught that he started shaking. His voice lowered into a desperate whisper as he implored, “Connla, please… I’m literally begging you here. Don’t go poking your nose into Medb’s true nature. I guarantee that it will end horribly if you make even so much as one misstep. If she subjected you to the same horrors that she put me through, I don’t know what I’d do. I might lose my mind all over again and just destroy everything in my path, friend or foe be damned.”

Her eyes widened slightly. She never expected the god of destruction to look so… frightened. If it really was as bad as he claimed, maybe she really should stop asking about Medb and mind her own business. She eventually nodded and said, “All right. I guess if Teacher never told me before you came around, then there must be a good reason for it.”

“I’m sorry. I really am. I don’t like leaving you ignorant, but that’s a sleeping Demon Boar you’re better off leaving alone. You understand what I mean?”

“Yes,” she murmured. She started to feel a little better, especially since Cuchulainn was apologizing for it. So long that at least one person acknowledged how frustrated she had been this whole time, then it wouldn’t be so difficult to cope with anymore.

“Good,” Mini Cu smiled, glad that she understood him. “So you want to learn some more about Ulster’s Three Plagues? I might be able to help with a couple of them.”

“Which ones?”

“Let’s not rush into things. If Cathbad is telling you to find Leabharcham, then it means he wants you to purify Deirdre of the Sorrows first.”

“Deirdre of the Sorrows, huh? Anything that has ‘the Sorrows’ as part of its epithet can’t exactly be a good thing.”

“Well said. It’s a tragic story for sure, and it involves the previous king of Ulster, Conchobhar. To make it short, Deirdre was born prophesized to be extraordinarily beautiful, but cursed with causing kings and lords to go to war over that same beauty. Conchobhar heard that prophecy and decided to make Deirdre his wife when she grew up, so he sent her to be raised in seclusion. The wet nurse who cared for her was none other than Leabharcham.”

“Oh…” Connla gasped in realization.

“While Deirdre was growing up, she met a handsome warrior named Naoise, and they fell in love. They, along with Naoise’s two brothers, fled to Scotland to escape Conchobhar’s notice. Furious, Conchobhar sent Fergus and his Red Branch army to track them down, having Fergus promise them an invitation and safe passage home. Conchobhar betrayed Fergus by forcing him to be delayed due to his geas of always accepting an invitation to a feast, which he had one of his agents arrange for.

“While the party went ahead to Emain Macha without Fergus, Conchobhar ordered Leabharcham to spy on them to see if Deirdre was still as beautiful as ever. Leabharcham lied and said she was ugly. He sent a second spy, who reported that she was beautiful. Now insulted by Leabharcham’s deception, he personally brought his men to attack the compound where Deirdre’s party was staying, forcing the Red Branch warriors to evoke their loyalty to him and drag Deirdre to Conchobhar’s side. On top of that, Eogan mac Durthacht murdered Naoise and his brothers before Deirdre’s eyes.”

“That’s awful,” Connla moaned.

“For the following year, Deirdre remained cold and impassive to Conchobhar’s affections. Growing frustrated with her coldness, he asked her who she detested the most. She said Conchobhar himself, as well as Eogan. He then decided to have her wed Eogan, and further insulted her by saying she looked like an ewe between two rams.”

“Um… I’m not exactly sure how that’s supposed to be an insult.”

Mini Cu glanced away uncomfortably. “Think of it as being between a rock and a hard place, except that both the rock and the hard place are conscious beings who compete with each other to make the trapped one’s life as miserable as possible. The only thing the victim can do in such a situation is either suffer or kill themselves. Indeed, Deirdre was so distraught by this that she threw herself from the chariot she was riding in and dashed her head against a rock, smashing her skull into pieces to save herself from any further humiliation.”

“I see. So Deirdre is supposed to be dead, but somehow she’s still around as an entity full of sorrows, and is using the Leyline for her own purposes.”

“Seems that way. Since you trained in Dun Scaith and fought against plenty of vengeful ghosts, this sounds like it’s right up your alley.”

“It does, but something doesn’t feel right…” she murmured with a tinge of doubt in her voice. “She saved herself from Conchobhar’s influence, didn’t she? So what would she have to be vengeful about?”

“Maybe that the old bastard ruined her life even when she was a baby,” Mini Cu said. “That’s certainly within Conchobhar’s character.”

“What was he like, anyway? All I know about him is that he was Ulster’s final king before it fell under Connacht’s rule.”

“To put it bluntly, he was an overentitled ass who wanted everything to go his way. He had absolutely no skill nor charisma that was necessary for being a king.”

“Hm… Hey, wait a minute!” Connla yelped. “Isn’t that your own uncle you’re talking about!?”

“Yeah, so?”

“You shouldn’t say that about your own family!”

“I’ve got the right. Especially after he saw he as nothing more than his sister’s son – a boy born between a union between a human and a god. That essentially made me Conchobhar’s trophy that he could boast about to his inner circle. Treating Deirdre’s beauty as another possession he could take for himself doesn’t surprise me in the least. In fact, his entire kingship was built solely on him taking everything from other people.”

“What does that mean?”

“His mother Ness became one of many targets of Fergus’ affection while he was the King of Ulster. She agreed to marry him on the condition that the seven-year old Conchobhar ruled in Fergus’ stead for a year. It was a total setup to make him a puppet ruler for Ness, allowing him to rule so well that the court wanted him to become king permanently. Conchobhar literally ripped the kingship away from Fergus, and he wound up loving it so much that he gained a mindset that it was fine for him to take anything and anyone he wanted without any other reason than he could. Sure, he was a competent king while Ness was around, but once she died, that was when his true nature as a jester playing the role of a king came to light.”

“Is that why Uncle Fergus decided to leave Ulster and become Connacht’s king during the Cattle Raid?”

“Surprisingly, no. Although Fergus did try to make war with Ulster once it was clear he had lost his kingship, he ultimately made overtures of peace and was given various gifts in return, one of which was being Conchobhar’s successor should anything happen to him.”

“So what pushed Uncle Fergus to abandon Ulster if he got such a good deal?”

“It was Conchobhar’s deception while Fergus was escorting Deirdre and Naoise’s envoy back to Emain Macha. Fergus possesses a geas to never turn down an invitation to a feast, and Conchobhar took advantage of that. Fergus must’ve been so tired of Conchobhar’s pettiness and incompetence that he said ‘screw it, I’m done playing nice with this little piece of shit’ and went over to Connacht’s side. Thus, Deirdre’s fate is directly tied with Fergus becoming Ulster’s enemy during the Cattle Raid. If Conchobhar hadn’t been such a massive idiot, he wouldn’t have caused his allies to turn against him and lead to Ulster’s ultimate downfall.”

Connla paused to ponder the whole story, thinking of how much Fergus had been put through until now. First he had been betrayed by Ness and Conchobhar, and then again by Medb. She couldn’t imagine how disappointed he must’ve been with the various kings and queens who deceived him, and figured it was only the natural course of things for him to plot an outright rebellion to earn back the kingship he lost so long ago. She never would’ve guessed that he’d been mistreated so much, given how friendly and amicable he always was toward her. That also made her wonder just what kind of a king Fergus had been before Ness came to be his lover. Was he a benevolent one, or was he so awful that Conchobhar replacing him was celebrated by the populace?

Mini Cu noticed the distant gaze in her eyes and remarked, “Guess I gave you something to think about, huh? Well, don’t worry about it too much. All of that’s in the past now. You just worry about finding Deirdre and seeing why she’s using the Leyline.”

“Yeah. I really should get back to bed. I want to get a decent head start tomorrow morning.”

“Sounds good. I’ll pop back in when you’re about to meet Leabharcham. I’ve got my own questions I want to ask her.”

“Okay.”

In the northern Leinster province of Meath, Fergus and Conall had reached a remote military training station situated along the Boyne river near the Bog of Allen. It was an outpost that many of Fergus’ most loyal followers sought refuge away from Galway, and thus Medb’s ever-present Red Branch Braves who constantly watched over the populace. Dozens of strapping young men clashed swords, spears and shields with each other to hone their skills. The wives and children of several warriors worked on polishing armor, cooking food, washing clothes, and other menial tasks to help support their families and friends.

Several fighters recognized Conall from the tournament and eagerly dragged him away to test their own skills against him. Fergus would have joined in on the fun, but he was feeling a bit tired from his travels and opted to rest against a tree while eating his dinner. One of the warriors’ daughters brought him a plate of boar meat and a mug of ale.

“Thank you, my dear,” he grinned and took his food. He then patted his palm on the ground next to him. “Why don’t you sit a while, my fair lady? I wouldn’t mind getting to know you a bit better.”

“U-Um…” the nervous teenager stammered and blushed, startled that Connacht’s king was making pleasant conversation with her. “I-I would like to, but Ma needs my help with the dishes…”

“Oh, I’m sure she has plenty of help from the others. One missing pair of hands isn’t going to hurt.”

Before the girl could respond, an older man’s voice broke through the playful conversation like a cracking whip as he snapped, “Sorry to ruin your fun, King of Skirt-Chasers, but I need to talk with you.”

Fergus glanced back to find a stern Cathbad approaching. The girl squealed when she saw the High Druid coming, and quickly regarded him with a bow before running off. Fergus grunted and groaned, “Aw, phooey. Your ugly face scared her away.”

“Don’t give me that. I wouldn’t be so bloody ugly if your incessant antics didn’t give me stress lines. Seriously, I can’t believe you were as nervous as that damsel in your youth.”

“Hey, times change, people change, am I right?” Fergus chuckled as he munched on his meat.

“Whatever. I went to Emer’s place like you asked.”

The king’s joyful mood quickly turned serious as he asked, “Is Connla all right?”

“Physically speaking, she is fit as can be. I explained the situation with the Leyline’s blights, and she is willing to assist me with cleansing them.”

“Was she still upset about Cuchulainn being her father?”

“I don’t know. We only spoke about business. If she was in distress, she didn’t show it to me.”

“I see… I just hope she doesn’t push herself too hard.”

“I don’t think we need to worry about that. Scathach would have taught her everything she needs to know about survival. Other than that, she will have to contend with her emotions on her own terms. Despite having the body of a child, she definitely has the mind of a mature young woman. I’m certain she will pull though somehow.”

“I guess so.”

Cathbad inhaled a long puff of his cigar, then exhaled a thin stream of smoke out of the corner of his mouth. “For the time being, I’ve directed her to meet with Leabharcham. Of the blights, I figured that Deirdre would be the easiest one for her to resolve first.”

“Deirdre, huh?” Fergus whispered under his breath, then sat back against the tree and gazed up emptily at the leaves fluttering on the swaying branches. “God, it’s been ages since then. I’d go out and say on a limb that that was a whole lifetime ago.”

“It’s your own damn fault, you know. If you weren’t such a hopeless ladies’ man, you wouldn’t have surrendered Ulster’s throne to Ness and Conchobhar’s control. Then Conchobhar would never have learned about Deirdre’s existence and obsessed himself with her beauty.”

“Hey, losing the throne, I can understand. But don’t go pegging me for what happened with Deirdre. Besides, I’m pretty sure you were the one who prophesized that she’d be so beautiful that men would wage war over her. In all honesty, you should be the one dealing with that mess, not Connla.”

“I fear I will only be rubbing salt into Deirdre’s wound if I went myself. I figured that someone who is impartial to all of that drama would be a better choice.”

“Hmph. Saddling Connla with such a heavy responsibility… To be perfectly honest, I don’t like it,” Fergus sighed. “But knowing that Deirdre’s spirit is causing so much trouble for the people breaks my heart even further. I can only pray that Connla will get to the bottom of that crisis and find a solution that will put Deirdre at peace.”

“I’m certain she will.”

Connla woke up when the first signs of sunlight began to push away the night darkness. It was chilly at first, but she knew it would warm up a bit during the day. After having a quick bite to eat, she went out into the stable and started to prepare Liath Macha for the journey ahead. As she was adjusting his saddle, she heard the rickety wooden door swing open.

“There you are,” Fir said. He and Fial stepped through as he added, “We were wondering where you were.”

“Sorry about that,” Connla apologized. “It’s just that Lord Cathbad gave me an important assignment yesterday, so I’m getting ready to leave.”

“What!? Just wike that!?” Fial complained, immaturely flailing her arms and stomping her foot. “That no fair! We wanna go too!”

“It’s going to be extremely dangerous. I don’t want you two getting caught up in it.”

“It’ll be okay! Fir and I awe used to wunning away when it gets dangewous!”

“That’s not the problem. These aren’t just your average wild animals I have to deal with. If worst comes to worst, I may have to put down some angry spirits, which means subduing them by force. When a ghost is being threatened like that, they’ll do anything to fight back, including taking hostages. The fewer people I have to take with me, the less likely that’s going to happen, you understand?”

“Well yeah, but…”

“We don’t want you to be fighting such harsh battles alone,” Fir said on his sister’s behalf.

Connla started to become frustrated with their persistence as she retorted, “Look, let me be blunt with you; I can’t babysit you two while having to cleanse Ireland of angry spirits. Fighting even just one of them takes a lot out of me, and it’ll just get much worse if I have to protect you both at the same time. Neither of you have demonstrated any combat abilities, and running away may not always be the best solution. You’re literally just walking targets for an opportunistic ghost.”

Fir felt offended that he thought Connla was ‘babysitting’ him, so he cried out, “We’re not as helpless as you think! Auntie gave us some Runestones that we use in case of emergencies!”

She was a little surprised by this. “Runestones?”

“Yeah, take a look!”

He and Fial fetched several pebble-sized stones from their pockets and showed them to Connla. She carefully inspected them, taking note of the Runic inscriptions on each one. She was impressed by their high quality, particularly with how detailed and intricate each Runic formula was. Connla could craft Runestones herself, but she was only capable of inscribing one Rune per stone at best. These ones had entire poems etched as miniscule font on each stone’s face, which greatly enhanced their power despite being so tiny. She believed that even one of these pebbles was capable of taking out half a dozen lesser spirits at once. The only ones she thought could be capable of such incredible craftsmanship were Scathach, Cathbad, and Morrigan.

I see… Given that their aunt is a goddess, it’d stand to reason that she’d give them a means of protecting themselves…

“Well? What do you think?” Fir demanded.

“Hmm… These certainly are impressive. But no matter how good they may be, Runestones will always be in limited supply. You have to be smart about when and where to use one.”

Fial nodded and said, “Auntie said the same thing. She’s vewy, vewy stwict about how we can use them. But if you’re twying to save Iwewand fwom bad ghosties, I think Fir and I can hewp a bit.”

“Do you two have any experience with proper battle situations? It’s not just enough to have a good weapon. You need to think quickly and react to the opponent’s moves.”

“Yeah, I know. Sometimes we had to fight against wesser spiwits and wild animals in Scotwand. We always wan away fwom the big ones though.”

Connla considered her options, given this new information. If the twins could handle mobs of weaker ghosts on their own, it would free her up considerably to dispatch the stronger ones. It would be a huge benefit for her, although she didn’t feel entirely comfortable with bringing children along who didn’t have much battle experience. Even so, she would feel just as bad about declining their assistance, especially since she needed to think about living off the land for a while as well. Having three people working as a team would make the journey that much easier.

Finally, she relented with a nod and said, “Okay. As long as you guys understand the risks, then we can travel together.”

“Yaaay!” Fial cheered happily. “We get to go camping with Connwa!”

“Today, we camp! Tomorrow, we camp! The day after that, we camp!” Fir chirped in an elated singsong tone.

The young spear user pouted and reminded them, “Remember, this is not a pleasure trip. I’m supposed to be doing some serious business on Lord Cathbad’s behalf.”

The twins didn’t seem to notice her as they pranced around the stable singing their goofy song. Connla shrugged and sighed, then muttered to Liath, “I hope I’m not making a huge mistake here…”

He only responded with a low snort.

Deep in the forest south of Lough Neagh, the leaves were starting to change color from their summery green hue to a variety of autumn reds, oranges, yellows and browns. The sight was utterly breathtaking, almost too beautiful to describe with mere words. One could walk through these woods for hours on end and feel like no time had passed. It was fascinating how a leaf’s death could be so brilliant and colorful, even after falling to the ground and being stepped on. It represented a sort of nobility that humans always strived to emulate.

Sadly, on this particular day, that nobility gave way to pure sadness. The falling leaves now looked like tears slowly falling through the air. The wind swayed a young woman’s body hanging from a noose that was tied to a low-hanging branch. Whatever had happened to her in life must have pushed her far into the brink of despair, for she didn’t even bother changing out of her nightgown despite it being quite chilly. It probably didn’t matter to her anymore since she was going to die anyway.

A handsome young man stood before this grim sight, lowering and shaking his head in remorse. Without a word, he climbed onto the branch and undid the rope so he could lower the body to the ground. He rested her on her back, then checked her pulse in a vain hope that she would still be alive. He felt nothing, which made him sigh in resignation once more.

He glanced away mournfully and whispered, “I’m too late again.”

He stood up and silently headed toward Emain Macha, intent on delivering the news of what would be the fifth suicide this month.

Deirdre… Where are you? How long are you going to keep doing this? Do you intend to swallow all of Emain Macha – nay, all of Ireland – in the same sorrow you had to live with?

Later that morning, the children explained their plans to Emer. Obviously, they had to convince her that everything was going to be fine, which took quite some time considering how deeply worried she was for their safety. Eventually though, they managed to get through to her, and she relented on the condition that they return for regular visits to update her on their status. Now that they finally gained Emer’s blessing, the trio began to set out for their new destination; the forest south of Emain Macha.

Luckily for them, the forest in question wasn’t too far from the cottage. They simply had to travel south through Lough Neagh’s dried-up lakebed and pass by Emain Macha before venturing further. It wouldn’t even be evening by the time they journeyed to the area, meaning they’d have plenty of time to set up camp later. For now, they took a break near the town and split up to do some hunting and foraging. Afterwards, Connla got a bonfire going and dressed a couple of rabbits she caught before cooking the meat.

However, she glanced around curiously when she noticed that Fir and Fial had not returned by their prearranged time. Ten minutes passed, then 15, then 20… Now she was starting to get a bit worried. She left the fire behind and ventured into the woods where she believed the twins would be, hoping to find them safe. She prayed that their reason for being late was because they were playing around.

Unfortunately, Connla’s bad luck streak always seemed to have a way of biting her when she least expected it.

She gasped and stopped in mid-step. It wasn’t from anything she saw or heard. It was more of a feeling of immense dread sucker-punching her in the gut without any warning. She recognized this type of negative pressure – it was the same sensation she had to cope with while living in the Land of Shadows. It was a residual effect of being near wandering spirits who either bore animosity toward the living, or were so confused that they didn’t realize they were dead. It was a terrible feeling that could push a living person into committing immoral or self-harming acts if they weren’t careful.

This isn’t good…

Connla brandished her spear and rushed deeper into the woods, now desperate to find her friends. She shouted at the top of her lungs, “FIII~IIIR! FIAAA~AAAL! WHERE ARE YOU!?”

Suddenly, she heard a high-pitched cry, followed by the sound of frantic footsteps rushing through piles of fallen leaves. Fial burst through some bushes and howled in terror when she found Connla, immediately hugging her and crying over her shoulder. Fir emerged from a different direction soon after he heard his sister’s bawling.

“What in the world happened!? Where were you two!?” Connla exclaimed.

“Ah… Aaaah… It was howwible! Th-Th-They were evewywhewe!” Fial sobbed. “F-F-F-Fir and I… twied to wun away… b-b-but they spwit us up, and then… uuuuh… WAAAAAH!”

“I don’t understand! What was everywhere!?”

“I don’t know!” Fir yelped. “They looked like floating skeletons surrounding us! I tried to hold on to Fial’s hand, but they forced us apart!”

Connla immediately became serious when she heard that description. She gently pushed Fial off of her and implored, “Both of you stay behind me. I’ll take care of this.”

With that, she got into her combat stance and energized her spear with a Nauthiz Rune, granting her the ability to strike the undead directly. That was when they appeared, revealing themselves around tree trunks and bushes. About a dozen lesser ghosts menacingly hovered around the three children, which scared the twins further, but barely fazed Connla.

She panned her eyes around the imminent battlefield, then realized, There aren’t as many as I thought. I assumed it’d be a much larger horde considering how incredible this pressure is. These few people must have died in traumatic ways in such a short period of time for it to be this intense.

Rather than think up some elaborate strategy, she decided to improvise her movements. Although they were dangerous spirits, they were obviously inexperienced with combat due to how recently they died. It was much different in the Land of Shadows, where those ghosts had been dead for untold numbers of years, and thus were acclimated to their ethereal bodies. Other than fighting these beings, her top priority was to keep Fir and Fial safe.

Without warning, Connla reached her hand into Fir’s pocket and blurted, “Sorry, gotta borrow one!”

Before he could ask what was going on, she tossed one of his Runestones into the air, causing it to burst into fragments and detonate an intensely bright white light. It was a Nauthiz Runestone that contained the full Runic poem, which amplified its power considerably compared to just possessing the symbol itself. The pre-emptive attack successfully cleansed two ghosts that had been caught directly in the blast, and pushed back the pressure surrounding them. This startled the other spirits, as they didn’t expect one of these children to be capable of fighting back.

“Ah… phew…” Fial gasped in relief. “I feel bettah awl of a sudden…”

“The Runestone pushed back the negative aura these spirits are emanating,” Connla explained. “I’ll have to be quick in dispatching them though, or else it’ll reconstitute itself. You two go hide somewhere.”

“Okay!” Fir agreed, then took his sister’s hand and lead her away from the scene.

Back in the direction of Emain Macha, the stranger who found the dead woman’s body had already made his report to the authorities and arranged for someone to pick up the corpse. Now that his business was settled, he could continue on his trek through the southern forest. Not even an hour after he left town, that was when he spotted an unusually brilliant light shining in the distance. He too had been feeling the heavy pressure and had been struggling to maintain his sanity, but now he realized that he didn’t have any feelings of depression or grief lingering within him anymore.

He raised an eyebrow and murmured to himself, “That’s odd… The druid shouldn’t be leaving for another couple of hours.”

Fearing that someone else was getting caught up in this mess, he unsheathed his sword and ran as fast as he could toward the direction of the shining light.

Connla deftly backflipped over a ghost’s swiping claw, then slashed her enchanted spear through its gut. Although no blood flowed out from the wound, the confused entity clutched its stomach in pain and made some distance so its compatriots could surround her in a circle. Combat adrenaline took over as she became a flurry of movement, bounding along trees and hopping off of rocks to stymie the ghosts, all while getting in some decent blows that culled their numbers one by one. As she cleansed each soul of its animosity, they would lose the will to fight and fade away. Some were more potent than others, but as long as she maintained this momentum, she would win this battle in no time.

About six of the more stubborn spirits remained, and they let out shrill cries of frustration before ganging up on her all at once. Connla figured this would happen eventually and already had her own Runestones prepared. Although not as powerful as the one she borrowed from Fir, each Nauthiz Runestone exploded with enough force to rival a punch to the face. She engaged in an elegant dance, barely moving from her spot as she performed an elaborate combination of spear swipes, stone throws, and even a couple of kicks to bat away her enemies.

Finally, she was ready to release the best spell she could conjure in this situation. While the ghosts were busy assaulting her, she was getting a Runic circle ready on the ground around them. Once she had a moment to breathe, she chanted, “Óss er algingautr, ok ásgarðs jöfurr, ok valhallar vísi. Ansuz!” †

Before the spirits could react, a large magic circle flared bright red beneath them, with Connla in the very center. Around the edges, massive plumes of flames burst from the sigils and engulfed anything unfortunate enough to be close by. She remained unharmed since the fire exploded around her in a cylinder, but it burned away five of the six surviving spirits. Unfortunately, the final ghost managed to steer clear of the fiery pillar, then turned course in a blind panic toward where Fir and Fial were hiding. Fial’s terrified scream only served to alert it to their presence even more.

Connla’s eyes widened in shock, and she cried out, “Shoot!”

Before she could do anything though, the spirit suddenly shrieked in sheer pain. Some sort of dark figure had rushed in and swiped a Runic broadsword at the ghost, carving into its ethereal form and causing it to split apart horizontally from the torso before fully disappearing. The three children froze in place, unsure of what just happened. They eventually regained their senses and realized that a wandering soldier had saved them.

The child warrior ran up to the twins and cried out, “Are you all right!?”

“Yeah, somehow,” Fir assured. Fial nodded, but was obviously still shaken.

Connla then got a good look at their savior. He was a handsome man in his mid-20s, with short black hair that spiked up a bit, and strands of his bangs fell upon his face in just that delicate way to accentuate his attractiveness. He wore form-fitting black tights and armor that exposed his upper torso, but completely covered his back, arms, waist, and legs. He also possessed some intricate red Celtic tattoos on his chest. What surprised her the most was how strangely pale he looked, as if he had no blood coursing through his body to give him a healthy tint. Despite his pallid skin, his eyes were as deep black as his hair, and his lips were suspiciously cherry red, meaning he wasn’t an albino of any kind.

Nevertheless, Connla wiped her brow of a light amount of sweat, then said to the stranger, “That was a close one. We couldn’t have pulled through without your help. For that, you have my gratitude.”

“Think nothing of it,” the man said. His voice was just the perfect mix of youthfulness and maturity. “It’s natural discourse for me to help others. Especially those being troubled by the spirits that Deirdre’s curse has wrought upon them.”

The three children yelped in astonishment when they heard this. Fial exclaimed, “You know about Deiwdwe?”

“Most certainly, little one. I’ve been trying to find her for the last while.”

“We need to find her too!” Fir remarked.

“Really? What for? Do you not understand that you three could be touched by her unrelenting sorrow and driven mad to suicide?”

The trio glanced at each other uneasily. Finally, Connla asked him, “Who are you, anyway? Why do you know so much about Deirdre of the Sorrows?”

The handsome fellow frowned a bit, then stood tall and introduced himself:

“I’m Deirdre’s husband, Naoise.”

AUTHOR’S NOTE:

† - “God is Odin, Prince of Asgard, Lord of Valhalla.” The Runic poem associated with the Ansuz Rune.

Chapter Text

FATE/CURADH BEAG

“Little Champion”

Chapter 18: Deirdre of Forced Sorrows

AUTHOR’S NOTE: For those of you following along, I decided to take a break through October to get myself ready for NaNoWriMo this year, as it’s pretty much the pattern by now. For some reason, FFNet’s viewer stats and reviews are not working, so if you would like to leave a comment, I suggest going to my uploads on either Archive of Our Own or Wattpad. It’s been going on for a few months now, and I don’t know if FFNet has any plans on fixing it. Thanks for the continued support, everyone.

Tucked away in the deepest reaches of southern Emain Macha, a lone hut stood within the withering autumn forest. Not a vibrant blade of green grass nor any hint of flowers grew around here. There were only the various colors of fallen leaves strewn all about on the dry earth, and those too would lose their hue once winter came around. The air was as chilly as the forest was dull, not just because of the change in seasons, but due to Ireland floating just a bit further northward than what it was normally accustomed to. It was a sad and lonely place that was deliberately removed from human civilization. Not many people would want to have any business with such a secluded abode, but today would be an exception to the norm.

A small hand balled into a fist and knocked on the door several times. About half a minute later, it creaked open to reveal the hut’s lone occupant. It was an elderly woman whose heavy expression was framed by a thick fur hood and cloak embellished with Celtic designs. She struggled to amble about with her crooked cane, and it took some effort for her just to look up at whoever her visitor was.

“Hm… oh?” the old woman murmured, taken aback by the number of people standing at her door. In total, there were three children, a young man, and a grey horse. She stared at the purple-haired girl who knocked on her door and mumbled, “Prithee, may I help thee?”

“Are you Madam Leabharcham, former court poet for King Conchobhar?” Connla asked in an even tone.

“Aye. Doth thou hath business with a withered crone such as myself?”

“I apologize if we have disturbed you. However, we urgently need to speak with you.”

Leabharcham closed her eyes and sighed. She had a strong suspicion as to what the topic of discussion would be. Her weary heart felt even greater pain as she attempted to turn away, while grumbling, “I cannot be of any assistance. I wish only but to live mine final days in solitude. Leave me at once.”

Before she could shut the door on them, the man suddenly said, “Please wait. I understand how difficult this must be for you, but we desperately need your help, Madam.”

“… Huh?” the old woman paused, as she immediately recognized his voice. Her sagging eyes widened with shock when she took a closer look at the man and realized who he was. Her jaw dropped a bit as she uttered, “By the gods… Do mine eyes deceive me? Art thou… Naoise?”

“Yes, Madam. I am the man who took Deirdre’s hand in marriage.”

“How? How is this possible? Why doth thou walk the earth once more? Did Eogan mac Durthacht not slay thee and thine brothers?”

“He did. For all intents and purposes, I should be dead. However, due to the turbulent nature of this world, I have been granted the ability to return to the realm of the living as a being called a Servant.”

“A… Servant, thou says?”

“Yes. Think of me as a temporary entity catered to protect humanity from all manners of threats. Right now, my sworn mission is to end the tragedies surrounding these lands. Deirdre continues to suffer even after her death, and I have vowed to bring peace to her, no matter what it may take. These children are accompanying me on my quest. Do you still wish to refuse hospitality for us?”

Leabharcham paused, taking a moment to consider what Naoise said. Eventually, she opened the door further and mumbled, “Very well. Though mine accommodations be lacking, rest thyselves around the fire and we shalt discuss this matter.”

She welcomed the group inside, with Liath Macha resting outside. She made some hot water for them, then sat at her usual seat and murmured, “So, doth thou wish to know further of Deirdre’s miserable state?”

“If there is anything you can tell us, we would greatly appreciate it,” Naoise said. “Our understanding is that Deirdre is responsible for possessing young women from Emain Macha and driving them to commit suicide. We need to know where she could be hiding, and we figured you would know the most.”

“How presumptuous of thee, to expect myself to know what hath become of that poor child. I hath already mourned thine deaths, and wish to live past such bitter experiences. For thou to return once to mine doorstep is an affront to mine grief enough as it is.”

Naoise lowered his head in shame. “I’m sorry…”

Connla sipped her water and stared at them in silence. She couldn’t fault Leabharcham for feeling so distressed. Even she couldn’t believe that she was talking with the very same man who died trying to protect his wife from a jealous king. Once she heard Naoise’s name, her mind had blanked with astonishment, unable to parse why he had returned. Once she heard his explanation about him being a Rogue Servant, things started to make more sense for her, and she welcomed him as part of her entourage. Despite her surprise however, she and Naoise were still just strangers to each other. She couldn’t imagine how difficult this was for Leabharcham, and to say any words of comfort would just be seen as further insults.

Eventually though, the elderly poet sighed and murmured, “Alas, t’would seem it was an inevitable conclusion, given how Deirdre’s tortured spirit still roams within Emain Macha’s territory. I shalt tell thee what I know, but not for thine benefit. ‘Tis for the children, who by all accounts should not involve themselves with this matter.”

“Please, don’t worry about us,” Connla assured. “I am a pupil of Scathach, the Warrior-Witch of Dun Scaith, and am thus experienced with purifying lost souls. Fir and Fial are likewise trained to handle similar threats.”

“Hmm…” Leabharcham groaned as she took a closer look at the child warrior’s features. “Ah… Could it be? Nay, surely it must be coincidence…”

“Is something the matter?”

“’Tis nothing. Prithee, pay no mind to mine ramblings.”

Connla wasn’t sure what was going on, but decided not to ask. She set her cup down as she recalled something, and she retrieved the Mini Cu doll from her satchel as she said, “By the way, Cuchulainn said he wanted to ask you some questions.”

“I beg thine pardon? Cuchulainn, thou says? The very same Cuchulainn who ravaged unknown lands and drowned them in endless ocean?”

“I know it’s hard to believe, but-“

Suddenly, the doll twitched with life. His arms and legs stretched as his Spirit Origin struggled to adjust to his secondary body. He then muttered, “Someone say my name?”

Leabharcham blinked in repressed surprise. She wasn’t sure what to say at first, but then murmured, “Might this be some rendition of the puca?”

“The puca? Um…” Connla mumbled. She knew what the puca were; essentially, they were shapeshifting goblins capable of beneficial or menacing acts. Folklore surrounding them was vague at best, so it was assumed that their ‘gifts’ depended on the mood and personality of any individual puca.

“Eh, sure. Let’s go with that,” Mini Cu shrugged. He didn’t want to bore her with the actual details, especially considering he was curious to know something else. “I had the kid bring me along because I wanted to ask you something about my uncle, Conchobhar.”

“Thou art his nephew. Thou wouldst know him better than I.”

“As far as his life goes, you’re right about that. But since I was away for so long, I don’t know anything about his death. How did the old man finally bite the dust?”

Naoise folded his arms and said, “I’m kind of curious to know as well, seeing as how that bastard ruined Deirdre’s life from the moment she was born.”

Leabharcham frowned a bit, then closed her eyes. “I see… Mine liege’s passing is inexorably intertwined with Queen Medb’s forced stewardship of the province of Ulster. Thou must assume that she played a part in his assassination.”

“So he was offed, wasn’t he? Can’t say that surprises me,” Mini Cu grumbled.

“Aye, but not by the queen’s hand. In fact, one could say it was a delayed assassination.”

“Meaning?”

“Thou art familiar with the Connacht warrior Cet mac Magach, no? Thine brother Conall was his own nephew.”

“Yeah, I know him. The guy was a battle-hardened brute in his own right. He was so desperate to be seen as number one that he was responsible for distorting Conall’s neck back when he was a small child, fearing that Conall would become a better warrior than him when he grew up.”

“Correct,” Leabharcham nodded. “Cet pilfered one of Conall’s trophy possessions - the liathróidí inchinne of Mesgegra, King of Leinster - and fired it from his sling at Lord Conchobhar’s head, embedding it deep within his skull. Miraculously, the strike did not slay mine liege, but the physician druids were unable to remove it. Thus, they sewed the wound and told him not to overexert himself, lest it burst.”

“Damn, that’s crazy…”

Fir leaned in and whispered into Connla’s ear, “Um, what’s a liathróidí inchinne?”

She told him in a hushed voice, “It’s a ball made from calcified brain matter. A brain-ball, if you would.”

“Eww!” Fial cringed. “That’s gwoss! Why would anyone wanna have something wike that!?”

“Warriors back in the Age of Gods used to preserve the brain-balls of a deadly opponent they defeated as a trophy. It’s gone way out of style by now, but I guess some people still practice it here and there when the slain opponent was a king.”

The twins visibly shuddered at the idea, practically shivering to fend off the heebie-jeebies. Mini Cu quickly hushed them silent, then said to Leabharcham, “Sorry about that. Please continue.”

She nodded and said, “There is little more to say, other than that the liathróidí inchinne inevitably burst from mine liege’s head when he grew stressed from the news of thine defeat during the Cattle Raid. The terror of being rendered fully helpless to Medb’s siege must hath been too much for him to handle, and Cet’s assassination finally came to pass seven years after he sustained his injury.”

“Yeah, I guess knowing that Ulster was going to fall to Connacht would do something to that man’s fragile ego. Not that I had any obligation to protect him from having a freakin’ brain-ball explode out of his skull during the raid. My duty was to defend my home country, not to help him stay alive.”

Naoise appeared smug as he said, “As far as I’m concerned, that’s quite the fitting death for Conchobhar. He had to live out his final years in the same sort of looming fear that he forced Deirdre to endure her whole life. You could say that Conchobhar was the embodiment of a brain-ball for Deirdre herself.”

Leabharcham suddenly shot him a foul glare, and she snapped, “Prithee, spare the foul quibbles in front of such young children!”

“O-Oh...” he uttered as he sheepishly glanced back at the uncomfortable trio.

Connla coughed in a deliberate manner to get the conversation back on track, then said, “I’m not sure why Cuchulainn is so interested in King Conchobhar’s death, but that’s not why we are here. No matter how you may feel about Deirdre, the fact is that innocent people are dying because of her, and we have an obligation to stop it. If there’s anything you can tell us about where she would be, it would be an immense help, Madam Leabharcham.”

The old woman rubbed her forehead to fend off a pulsing headache, then murmured, “Alas... T’would further besmirch Deirdre’s good name if she continues to plague the uninvolved with her endless suffering. Yet, I fear I may betray her if I speak any further...”

“Please. It’s not just for the victims. We want to put her to rest as well.”

Leabharcham paused for a long moment. Eventually though, she said, “... Go to the site of her death.”

Naoise’s excitement grew exponentially as he yelped, “You mean the rock that she used to commit suicide?”

“Aye. The reason Emain Macha’s victims hath been possessed is due to them passing by that rock, where her soul still lingers. She latches upon them, and exposes them to continuous nightmares of mine liege’s jeering and torment, driving them to sheer madness out of grief.”

“Sounds like Deirdre’s got a strong attachment with that rock,” Mini Cu said. “It was responsible for finally freeing her from Conchobhar’s influence, after all.”

Fial wondered, “Where awe we gonna find this wock? There awe, wike, thousands and thousands of wocks evewywhere.”

“Worry not,” Leabharcham assured as she took out a spare scroll and used a piece of charcoal to doodle a basic map. “Follow the path northeast from here, ‘til thou enters the crossroads between Emain Macha and Belfast. T’was the route mine liege sent Deirdre upon when she hath been forcibly bethrothed to Eogan, and where the rock shalt be found. ‘Tis difficult to miss.”

“Oh, Fial and I know this area,” Fir said. “We passed by here several times during our travels. It’s a popular route between Ireland and Scotland... Or rather, it was.”

“Say, Fir,” Fial wondered, “you think it couwd be that big bouwder that Auntie always towd us to stay away fwom?”

“Could be.”

Connla’s eyes widened slightly as she asked, “Do you two know where it is?”

“Sort of. For some reason, Auntie instructed us to go all the way around that path whenever we were in the area. She never said why, other than it was a cursed region. The only thing we know about it is that there’s a huge boulder at an intersection.”

Naoise nodded gravely and said, “That has to be it.”

“All right. No point in sitting around here, so let’s get moving,” Connla said, and the group prepared themselves to depart. “Thank you for the hospitality, Madam Leabharcham. I know this must have been extremely hard for you, but we’ll resolve this case one way or another. We won’t let Deirdre continue to suffer alone, and we’ll prevent further victims from taking their own lives.”

“Alas, t’would be the best course of action, it seems...” the elderly poet murmured in resignation. “I shalt pray for all of thee, including Deirdre.”

With that, the four adventurers left the hut behind. Connla retrieved Liath Macha just as he was waking up from his nap, and they proceeded onward to the northeastern region between Emain Macha and Belfast. Leabharcham watched them from the front doorstep, refusing to take her eyes off of them until their forms vanished into the autumn forest. Soon, all that remained were the ambient sounds of leaves rustling in the breeze and crows cawing in the distance. She closed her eyes in deep contemplation.

Without a word, she went back into her tiny house, fetched a satchel full of basic supplies, then locked the door behind her and left the key beneath the mat.

Three hours later, the group emerged from the dense forest and found themselves on the plains that stretched all around the dried-up Lough Neagh. Connla panned her eyes across the area, then asked, “Which way do we go from here?”

“It’s this way,” Fir said. He and Fial eagerly took the lead, guiding Connla and Naoise through such long and seemingly endless grassland that it would have been easy to get lost without either a map or a local’s guidance. During the trip, Mini Cu had gone back to sleep, since Cuchulainn seemed to have some important business back in Scotland. This left Connla perplxed about why he even bothered to show up in the first place, and Naoise noticed her unusual expression.

“What’s the matter?” he asked her. “Are you not feeling well?”

“No, I’m fine. I’m just a bit confused about why Cuchulainn wanted to ask Madam Leabharcham about King Conchobhar.”

“I’ll admit, that was kind of strange. He’s already dead. He shouldn’t have anything to do with this incident whatsoever. Maybe Cuchulainn just wanted to know what happened to his uncle after being gone for so long.”

While Connla did agree with him, she also didn’t think it was that simple. Maybe there was something more that he suspected, but he didn’t want to elaborate since he didn’t have sufficent proof. Furthermore, there was something else that kept bothering Connla this whole time:

What does any of this have to do with the Leyline?

The whole reason she was doing any of this was to protect the Leyline, and Cathbad did say that Deirdre of the Sorrows was a threat to its stability. So far, she wasn’t seeing any reason why Deirdre was endangering it. So many things were not adding up, and she was getting worried that there was some insignificant detail she missed that would wind up threatening them if she wasn’t careful.

“Hey, what awe you guys doing!? Huwwy up, or we’ll weave you behind!” Fial shouted from several yards away.

“Coming!” Naoise shouted as he and Connla caught up with the twins.

“Just a wittle wonger! We’re awmost there!”

“Yes, I can sense it,” Connla murmured darkly. “The atmosphere already feels heavy.”

Before they could say anything further, that was when they noticed Fir running towards them in obvious distress. He shouted, “Something bad’s going on!”

“What’s the matter?” Naoise asked.

“There’s a lady heading toward the rock with a knife in her hands! I asked her what she was doing, and she said she wanted to kill herself! I couldn’t stop her whatsoever!”

“Damn it!” the warrior cursed and immediately sprung toward the road in question. Connla was quicker however, activating some wind Runes to boost her speed so she could burst off the ground like a rocket and sail towards the path. She landed in the grass nearby, then clamored onto the dirt road and ran towards the woman in question. She didn’t look any older than 18 or 19, appearing severely morose and lethargic. She indeed carried a kitchen knife in one hand while sauntering towards a distinct boulder at the intersection.

“Stop right there!” Connla shouted at her, spreading her arms out wide. “I can’t let you pass any further!”

The teenager moaned, “Ahh... Get out of the way... If I don’t do something... I’m going to have to... marry Eogan...”

“Lady Deirdre, listen to me! You died a long time ago! You already freed yourself from Conchobhar’s control! You don’t need to do this!”

“No... I can’t escape... My nightmares won’t stop... Only death will set me free...”

Connla immediately realized that rationalizing with her was not going to work, so she branished her spear and prepared to strike, hoping to at least knock the dagger out of the victim’s hands. Unfortunately, the girl pointed the knife at her own neck in desperation and shrieked, “STAY BACK! COME ANY CLOSER AND I’LL DO IT!”

The child warrior halted in mid-step and grimaced. What was she supposed to do? If she tried anything, be it with her spear, slingshot, or Runes, she would cause the girl to panic and slit her own throat. Terror gripped her mind as she thought back to Eabha, the woman she saw jump off the edge of the island back in Sgaradh, and of the sight of Declan’s body hanging from the noose. Was she going to watch someone else die? Would she blame herself for not preventing a third tragedy from occurring?

“Please... get out of the way...” the possessed teenager pleaded.

Connla had no choice. She hesitantly took several steps back to clear the road for her, but still kept a firm grip on her spear with both hands. Before the victim could advance any further however, a black-armored figure emerged from behind and punched her in the face before she even knew he was there!

“Whoa!?” Connla cried out, completely caught off guard by this sudden development. It took her a moment to realize that Naoise had used the opportunity to knock out the teenager while she had been distracted with Connla. The knife flew out of her hands and clattered onto the road.

“There. That takes care of that,” he grunted as he quickly retrieved the knife so it wouldn’t cause any further problems.

Just then, a chalky grey aura emanated from the unconscious girl and swirled around the pair. An unfamiliar woman’s cry echoed with a disturbing reverb effect, then part of the cloud materialized into a beautiful red-haired woman who wore a silky green dress layered with white cloth and Celtic-themed jewelry. As much as Connla wanted to get a better look at her, her body felt like it was being pressed down by an immense weight tied directly to her heart, and she collapsed onto one knee.

A bizarre vision played itself out before her eyes. She consciously knew it didn’t belong to her, but the feeling of inescapable depression prevented her from thinking rationally. Moments later, she was forced into the role of Deirdre as she spoke with an older man who wore royal attire.

“I have had enough. If you will not reciprocate my love, then tell me who it is you hate the most,” the man, obviously Conchobhar, demanded to Deirdre.

“Is it not obvious? I loathe every fiber of your detestable being. But... I also despise Eogan mac Durthacht, for he is the one who deprived me of my true love Naoise.”

“Eogan, you say? Very well. As punishment for rejecting your king, I shall have you wed to him instead.”

“What kind of demented joke is this!? What have I done to deserve this!?”

“Fate had decreed that you would be beautiful, and only a king is deserving of possessing such a beautiful woman. Your coldness toward me is an affront to what many see as the natural course of things. If my lineage will not benefit from your beauty, then I would rather have it diminish between you and Eogan. I’m sure he will see this as a reward for his loyalty toward me, but make no mistake; given a few generations, his inherent ugliness will be what destroys your own offspring’s beauty.”

“I did not ask to be beautiful! If I knew I would live such a nightmarish life beneath your oppressive shadow, I would have asked to be born ugly instead!”

“Your opinion is of no consequence to me, bitch! Surrender yourself to Eogan and suffer like the ewe trapped between two rams that you are!”

The two guards that accompanied Conchobhar immediately seized Deirdre before she could flee, and tied her up with ropes before throwing her onto a chariot to be taken away. As the chariot rolled up to the fateful intersection, absolute terror gripped Deirdre’s soul. She could think of nothing other than finding a way to avoid having to marry Eogan as some form of twisted entertainment for Conchobhar. She saw the boulder fast approaching, and while the charioteer wasn’t looking, she leapt out and threw herself headfirst onto the rock at top speed...

“Hyah!?” Connla squealed at the moment of impact. She regained her senses, realizing that she was still fine. She was just a bit shocked from seeing such a grotesque vision, but she knew she wasn’t injured in any way. Normal people would have likely succumbed to sheer insanity, but she had gained some resistance to these effects thanks to Scathach’s teachings plus her time in the Celtic underworld. She shakily got back onto her feet and looked around to see what was happening.

“Deirdre!” she heard Naoise shouting, followed by his running footsteps. She saw him chasing after the murky spirit as it drifted off toward the boulder. Although still woozy from the temporary possession, Connla tried to stumble after him.

“Connwa!” Fial exclaimed, as she and Fir reunited with her and helped her stand upright.

“Wow, you look really pale. Are you going to be okay?” Fir murmured in concern.

“I’m all right,” Connla assured them. “It’s just an aftereffect of witnessing a spirit’s moment of death. It’ll go away shortly.”

“If you say so.”

“I’m more worried about you two getting caught up in this, since you don’t have any protection from spiritual possession. I’m going to go help Sir Naoise deal with Lady Deirdre, but I can’t protect you both at the same time. That’s why you guys absolutely need to stay as far away from her as you can.”

“Okay,” Fial nodded nervously. “Fir and I will stay wight here.”

Now that she didn’t feel so dizzy, Connla wielded her spear and hurried after Naoise. At the intersection, she found the troubled warrior keeping one hand on his sheathed sword, but he clearly refused to draw it against his beloved. All he could do was stare in disbelief as Deirdre hovered over the rock that ended her life, her elegant form drowning in the inky grey clouds that symbolized her endless depression.

“Deirdre...” Naoise shuddered, feeling utterly helpless. “I finally get to see you again, and you hardly even recognize me. What am I supposed to do? How can I save you from your eternal torment?”

“Get it together, Sir Naoise! We still have a chance!” Connla exclaimed.

“Don’t be ridiculous! The only thing we can do is banish her to the next life through force! There’s no way I can strike down the woman I love!”

“We don’t need to resort to violence. If we get her to recognize you, she might wake up.”

“Will that work?” he asked with renewed hope.

“It’s not a guarantee, but it’s worth a shot. I’ll erect some Shield Runes to deflect her attacks, and get in some Nauthiz Runes to dispel that aura surrounding her. You just need to call out to her.”

“Is that going to hurt her?”

“It’s just free-flowing emotions that have escaped her psyche. It might feel like a pin prick to her, but it’s nothing lethal. The more I can dispel it, the more likely she’ll hear your voice.”

Naoise wasn’t entirely satisfied that Deirdre would have to feel any sort of pain, but it was certainly better than having to destroy her with his own blade. With resolve in his voice, he exclaimed, “All right, let’s do it!”

Now that they had a plan, Connla rushed in between Naoise and Deirdre and threw some Runestones into the air the moment she saw some hostile lesser spirits swarming toward her from the grey darkness surrounding the tormented woman. The stones burst and released energy that formed into a series of barriers that blocked the enemy’s advance enough for her to fire some concentrated shots of bright blue flames at them. The Nauthiz projectiles dispersed the spirits and forced them to temporarily retreat.

Looks like my intuition was right - her aura is capable of creating poltergeists. But it doesn’t look like she’s conscious enough to generate them on her own, Connla wondered.

Poltergeists were something like an offshoot of regular spirits. Rather than possessing any free will of their own, poltergeists would spawn from a ghost’s lingering emotions and attachments to the world, manifesting as hostile entities of their own that functioned solely based on whatever emotion it was born from. She suspected that the women who were committing suicide around Emain Macha weren’t actually being possessed by Deirdre herself, but by these poltergeists that ran around rampant. The trouble was that ghosts tended to have full control of their offspring, yet Deirdre’s eyes remained closed and impassive to everything that was happening around her.

“Deirdre! Deirdre, my love! Do you not recognize me!? It is Naoise, your beloved husband!” the warrior cried out at the top of his voice.

“Mm... uuuh...” Deirdre moaned in her sleep.

“I’m right here! Open your eyes and you will see me!”

“Oooh... aaaah!” she suddenly gripped her head and howled in distress. “Leave me be! I can’t stand you anymore!”

“What are you saying, my love!? Even after death did us part, I swore we would be together forever!”

“I can’t do it anymore! I can’t tolerate being your plaything any longer! Just let me die in peace!”

Naoise’s eyes widened in confusion. “Huh? Your... plaything?”

Connla blasted some poltergeists away that got too close, then paused when she heard Deirdre’s unusual cries. All of her doubts regarding this incident started to surface, but it wasn’t because she was perplexed. The moment she heard that, the puzzle was practically solving itself in her head.

Deirdre of the Sorrows... protecting the Leyline... random suicides... Cuchulainn’s curiosity about Conchobhar’s death... poltergeists that she isn’t controlling...

Finally, she reached the solution she was looking for, and she shouted enthusiastically, “That’s it!”

“W-What’s it!? Did you figure something out!?” Naoise cried out.

“I think so. Don’t worry; when she said she didn’t want to be a plaything, she wasn’t talking to you. In fact, I don’t think she realizes we’re standing in front of her.”

“Then who was she speaking to!?”

“I need a little more time to draw them out. She’s regaining consciousness, so just keep encouraging her to fight back.”

“Okay!” he yelped, then turned to Deirdre and screamed, “It’s all right now! My friend and I are here to help you! Whatever may plague your soul, we will fight it together!”

“Aaah... I-Is that... Naoise?” Deirdre whimpered in pain.

“Yes! I’m right in front of you!”

“It... can’t be...” she moaned, then finally opened her eyes. “This isn’t another nightmare? You’re not... a fleeting dream that I cannot grasp?”

“Your eyes do not deceive you! I am as real as the grass swaying in the breeze!”

“Uuuh... aaaahn! It hurts! It hurts so much!”

“What hurts!? What ails you, my love!?”

“M-My head... my body... my heart... everything... I can barely... control myself...”

“You must fight it! Nay, we’ll stand strong and fend this evil off together! It has lost its grip on your consciousness! That means as long as we do not relent, we can be victorious!”

“No, you must stay away! If you don’t, I might wind up destroying you, just as I did to those poor women!”

As Naoise and Deirdre continued talking to each other, Connla burned away more poltergeists that spawned from the darkness. However, the malevolent aura was visibly shrinking. As its size decreased, she activated a pair of tiny Runes directly on her eyes to allow her to see spiritual entities that could not be witnessed with normal sight. Finally, she spotted what she was looking for.

“There they are,” she whispered to herself. She proceeded to draw some Runes on the ground, chanting, “Nauthiz, Uruz, Sowilo, Dagaz…”

She jabbed the non-bladed end of her spear into the center of this magic circle, enchanting it with a special spell Scathach taught her. Naoise wasn’t sure what she was doing… but then panicked when Connla charged straight for Deirdre and prepared to slash her weapon at her!

“STOP!” he shrieked.

However, he soon realized that Deirdre remained unharmed as Connla landed. He noticed that something seemed off when he saw her slash not at his beloved, but rather at the air above her. What was she supposed to be cutting if her blade never hit anything?

“Ah… aaah!” Deirdre gasped and fell forward onto the ground. As if water rushed in and washed away a patch of dirt on clothing, the grey aura surrounding her suddenly vanished. Any poltergeists that remained also disappeared.

“Deirdre!” Naoise cried out and kneeled next to her to help her sit up. “Are you all right!?”

“I… I don’t know why… but I feel so much lighter now…”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s like… a huge weight’s… been lifted off my shoulders. I can actually… breathe fine…”

He grew more and more confused. “You’re… feeling better? Why?”

Connla stood up, then turned around and glared up at the sky above them as she declared, “I knew it. She was being haunted.”

Behind her, Fir and Fial arrived when they saw that the battle was working out in Connla and Naoise’s favor. Fir heard what Connla said and wondered, “Haunted?”

“You mean wike she was being possessed?” Fial added.

“Close, but not quite,” Connla shook her head. “Possession is when the victim completely loses consciousness, allowing the possessor to take over as the dominant personality. Hauntings work a little differently. Instead of directly inhabiting their victim, a haunter will function more like an invisible negative influence that drives their target to do irrational things to escape from their constant turmoil. The method is different, but the principle is still the same – an oppressor forcing their target to do something against their will.

“In Lady Deirdre’s case, her haunter was forcing her to recall the worst moments of her life over and over again, driving her to the point of suicide constantly. But since Lady Deirdre didn’t understand that she was already dead, she unwittingly took over the bodies of women around her age and was going around killing herself to try and escape. That’s the true source behind all of the suicides going on around Emain Macha. But there’s nothing to worry about anymore. I just severed the threads tying both haunter and victim together.”

As Naoise listened to Connla’s explanation, he grew more and more enraged that some sinister force had been manipulating his wife this whole time. His scowl grew harsher by the second as he yelled, “Who!? Who’s the bastard responsible for this!?”

“I would think it’s obvious by this point. He’s materializing as we speak.”

Everyone stared up at the sky, watching as a skeletal ghost wearing tattered king’s garb and donning a shabby crown hovered before them. Rotten flesh clung to his bones, and organs writhed around his ribcage and dangling spine like worms. The revolting sight made Fial squeal and hide behind her brother. Deirdre trembled and clung to Naoise like a frightened child. Connla never turned her eyes away, boldly standing between this hideous ghost and her startled companions.

“Woo~oooh! Who is it!? Who dares to impede on my almighty presence!?” the spirit howled angrily.

Naoise’s eyes practically dropped out of their sockets as pure shock overcame him. He scowled, “That voice… It’s you, isn’t it!?”

He let out the loudest scream of his life as he called out their enemy’s name:

“CONCHOBHAR!”

Chapter Text

FATE/CURADH BEAG

“Little Champion”

Chapter 19: Endless Tragedy’s Resolution

The grotesque spirit of Ulster’s final king loomed above the group like an approaching thunder cloud. Once Naoise identified the name of this vengeful spirit, everyone was immediately on high alert.

“Ooooh… That repulsively brave voice… Naoise! You have some nerve, trying to take my prized possession away again!” the spirit, now identified as Ulster’s final king, seethed at his mortal enemy. “You still don’t understand, do you!? I claimed Deirdre as mine long before you ever came into the picture! Even when she was an infant prophesized to be the most beautiful woman around, I held her fate in my hands! I decided what her future was to be! You have no right to swoop in and take that privilege away from me!”

“SHUT YOUR FILTHY MOUTH, YOU FESTERING PUSTULE!” Naoise howled, nearly on the verge of tears. He wasn’t experiencing sorrow or grief for himself. It was pure, unbridled rage that he had trouble keeping under control. “Deirdre is not a toy for you to play with! She is a human being! A woman with a heart that’s more beautiful than her face! That’s why she is my bride! I’ll never, EVER forgive you for this! Not what you did to her in life, nor what you did to her in death! I’ll rip you into so many shreds, you’ll be begging for death, you useless waste of space!”

“Naoise…” Deirdre shuddered. She had never seen her husband lose his temper so ferociously.

“FWAH HAH HAH HAH HAH! Look at you, being defiant! It’s almost adorable!” Conchobhar laughed. “Did you forget how pitifully you and your brothers lost against Eogan and his troops!? You couldn’t protect Deirdre from my influence then! What makes you think you’ll do it this time!?”

“Joke’s on you, asshole! Eogan and his men aren’t around to do your bidding, are they!?”

“How laughable! I don’t need an army! I have all the power I could ever want at my fingertips!”

“What do you mean!?”

“Now that I am a spirit, I can tap directly into the magical energy that dwells deep within Ireland! The Leyline, and the many souls that Deirdre so graciously sacrificed to it, is my new source of power! Compared to that, you maggots are nothing!”

Connla then stepped forth and pointed her spear at him, declaring, “Yeah, I’m going to have to stop you right there.”

“Hoh? Who has the nerve to interrupt me when I-“ Conchobhar demanded, but then stopped mid-sentence when he took a closer look at her. He became visibly confused as he uttered, “… Deichtine? Is that you?”

She paused, trying to think of where she heard that name before. Then she recalled what Fergus told her when they were traveling to Emer’s home – Deichtine was Conchobhar’s sister, and…

Although it was difficult for her to say it, she nevertheless shook her head and responded, “No. Deichtine is my grandmother.”

“Your grandmother? T-Then you’re… Setanta’s child?”

“Yes.”

Naoise and Deirdre’s throats went dry when they heard this. Conchobhar murmured, “My word… You look so much like her…”

“Conchobhar,” Connla murmured. “I’m sorry to have to do this, but I can’t allow you to usurp the Leyline for your own purposes any further. The way you tricked Lady Deirdre into sacrificing those innocent women to feed the Leyline is also inexcusable.”

“To feed the Leyline? What does that mean?” Deirdre wondered.

“He was haunting you for the express purpose of strengthening the Leyline by feeding it magical energy from human beings. I’m not sure why he wants the Leyline to have so much mana, but it’s clear you were just a pawn in his scheme to gain all of Ireland’s magical energy for himself.”

The distraught woman, now realizing what she had done, sobbed, “That… that’s just… too cruel! I killed so many innocent people for him! I can’t possibly be forgiven for this!”

Conchobhar chuckled, “He he he he… That’s right. It’s your fault those people are-“

Connla immediately swung her enchanted spear at his chest, cutting a deep enough gash that forced him to back away. She seethed in a deep scowl, “Shut it.”

“…”

“Deirdre,” Naoise held his grief-stricken wife close. “She’s right - you didn’t do anything wrong. Conchobhar was using your sorrow against you. But now your nightmare’s over. No matter what it takes, we’re going to put this abomination down and free you.”

“Ah… Is it true?” she moaned.

Connla stood between Conchobhar and her friends, prepared to stave off any assault he would attempt. However, she could tell that the deceased king had gained a great deal of power ever since his passing. Even without haunting Deirdre’s spirit, his wrath against the living had festered exponentially to make him grow to such a dangerous size, meaning it wouldn’t be easy for her to banish him by herself. She wasn’t sure how he could conceal such intense hatred from the local druids, but haunting Deirdre and forcing her to be his scapegoat probably had something to do with it. Nothing was more convenient to an angry ghost than having someone else take the blame for their insidious actions.

“GWOOOOH!” Conchobhar roared and swiped his skeletal talons into an X formation, generating a pair of wind sickles that sliced through the air at Connla. She retaliated by swinging her enchanted spear at the lethal projectile, practically smashing against it with all her might to dissipate it. Although the muscles in her arms and hands reverberated like gelatin from the aftershock, she ignored the sensation and raised her left hand high, drawing a Rune that looked like an hourglass lying on its side. The symbol materialized in front of Conchobhar’s face, and he glared at it perplexedly.

“Dagaz!” Connla shouted. The Rune shimmered for a moment, then burst to release an intense blinding light.

“GWAAA~AAAH! IT HURTS!” Conchobhar shrieked as he struggled to cover his eyes. “CURSE YOU, DEMON CHILD! I’LL DESTROY YOU FOR EMBARRASSING ME LIKE THIS!”

“Fir! Fial!” the girl warrior shouted to the twins while her opponent was distracted.

“What is it?” Fial asked.

“I need you two to do me a huge favor.”

She hurriedly whispered her plan to them, then said, “Do it quick. I’ll buy you some time, but everything’s going to rely on you guys.”

Fir became determined as he replied, “Okay. Leave it to us.”

The twins scurried off in opposite directions, hiding themselves within the tall grass as Conchobhar soon regained his sight. Connla hurtled some small fireballs at him to keep his attention on her, then scampered down the road.

“You dare run away from me!? I won’t let you escape!” the wrathful king shouted and pursued her. Luckily, he didn’t realize that the actual reason she fled wasn’t to escape from him – it was to put some distance between him and Naoise so he could carry Deirdre off to a safer location without Conchobhar noticing.

The ghost effortlessly caught up to Connla and raised his scepter, intent on slamming it upon her head. She generated some wind Runes on the soles of her boots and blasted forth to avoid the blow, which was strong enough to generate a small crater. She deftly vaulted like a gymnast to regain her balance, then crouched as she got a better look at her surroundings.

This should be good enough, she thought.

Conchobhar bellowed an insidious laugh, then declared, “There’s nowhere for you to run now! Once I’m through with you, I’ll spread my influence all across Ulster, dooming all of its citizens to such endless grief and agony that they will commit suicide en masse! Then the Leyline, powered by all of those pitiful souls, will be strong enough for me to exact my revenge against Medb for humiliating me!”

“So that’s what it is,” Connla realized. “You’re trying to take Ulster back from Queen Medb.”

“Naturally! I refuse to be known as the ‘final king’ of Ulster! Now that Ireland is the last remaining country in this entire world, and I have long since shed my worthless mortal shell, I see no reason to deny myself the privilege of becoming Ulster’s eternal king!”

She figured it wasn’t worth pointing out that Scotland was still around, but nevertheless retorted, “I understand your frustration, but I can’t allow the Leyline to be wasted on such a callous goal.”

“Why!? Do you not see the nobility of my conquest!? Medb is evil incarnate! Only I have the power to silence her!”

“Lord Cathbad tasked me with protecting the Leyline, so that we may face an enemy even greater than Queen Medb. Regardless of your intentions, I still made a promise to him, and I’m going to keep it no matter what.”

“Hrrrrgh… Cathbad! No matter where I go or what I do, that ancient fossil always has the nerve to obstruct me! Fine then! If you’re his agent, then I have no choice but to reduce you into an unrecognizable heap of meat and bones!”

With their discussion breaking down so rapidly, violence was going to be the only answer for them. Conchobhar swooped in and batted his scepter against Connla’s spear, forcing them into a stalemate. She struggled against him, but her boots scraped along the dirt as her petite stature proved to be ineffective against the ghost’s massive form. He roared and finally threw her high into the air. She tumbled several times, noticing that he flew after her and was about to carve her into pieces with his claws. Acting on pure instinct, she generated a platform Rune that she landed on for a split second, then hopped off to soar in an arc over him as he attacked nothing but air. As she sailed, she fired dozens of small Nauthiz fireballs at him. The blue flames popped all over Conchobhar’s body like firecrackers, dislodging some of his pulsating viscera off of his skeletal torso.

The assault didn’t faze him much as he whirled around and chased after Connla once more. She kept stymieing him further with more platforms and fireballs as she whipped all around him like a ricocheting bullet. However, she nearly got hit when he raised his fist and punched straight at her. If he had struck her, the strike would have been no different than a full-sized boulder slamming against her entire body. Miraculously, she reacted in time to pommel herself over the bony fist, then dashed along the exposed arm until she bounced off his shoulder and generated the strongest Nauthiz Rune she could in that moment.

BOOM!

“GWAAAAH!” Conchobhar howled as the fireball exploded directly on his face, causing him to collapse to the ground in surprise. Connla fell past him and landed nearby. The angry spirit regained his bearings and floating back into the air, glaring at her with the wrath of a hundred demons.

“Fwah hah hah hah hah! I see! You really are Cuchulainn’s offspring! You fight as monstrously as he did when he was your age!” Conchobhar howled in mirth. “In all honesty, I always was afraid of your father! He was so strong and irrational that he treated friend and foe alike as enemies to be destroyed! But I also saw it as an opportunity to boost my own reputation! How many kings can claim to be related to a genuine demigod, born between the union of a human woman and the most famous warrior of the Tuatha de Danann!?”

“Cuchulainn said something to that effect too. I guess he had every reason to be disgusted with you,” Connla muttered.

“But compared to him, you’re just a regular little whelp who has Deichtine’s face! You’re nowhere near as strong as him, and you’re certainly not capable of stopping me!”

“I know. You’ve grown so powerful as a spirit that it’d have to take someone of Scathach or Cathbad’s caliber to send you to the next life on their own.”

“Honest, aren’t we? Good! Admitting how weak you are in the face of your king is the hallmark of a proper subject! Now be a good girl and let me destroy your mortal shell so I can strengthen the Leyline with your magical energy!”

“I don’t think so,” Connla coolly retorted. Suddenly, she started to run off to the side as she screamed, “FIR! FIAL! DO IT NOW!”

Conchobhar froze in place, wondering what she was up to. That was when he spotted the twins emerging from the grass on opposite sides of the road. They raised their arms simultaneously and began to chant.

“Nauðr gerer næppa koste,” Fir murmured.

“Nøktan kælr í froste,” Fial whispered. †

Then they shouted together, “NAUTHIZ!”

The area around Conchobhar shimmered blue as their spell activated. He was caught within a cylinder of magical energy being generated by a complex Runic circle that the twins created, all while Connla kept Conchobhar occupied. That had been the favor she asked them to do, which they accomplished by using the Runestones that Morrigan gave them for protection against wandering spirits. The magic circle intensified in power once the children finished their spell.

“AAAAAAA~AAAAAAAAA~AAAAAAAGH!”

Although the light pillar was too bright for anyone to see what was going on inside, the trio could hear Conchobhar’s distinctly shrill scream rip through the air all around them. When the spell eventually lost its energy, the pillar vanished to reveal that the large ghost had greatly decreased in size after taking such a fatal hit. The majority of the hatred and vanity he clung so desperately to had been cleansed, reducing him to the level of an average ghost one could find roaming about in the Land of Shadows. Ethereal smoke curled off of his torso, even billowing through his dropped jaw as he glared intensely at the children who defied him.

“Oooogh… You… heathens…” he moaned.

“Give it up, Conchobhar. Your ambitions end here,” Connla told him.

“Never. I won’t… be stopped… here. Not… when I’m… so close… to… reclaiming… Ulster…”

His heavy breathing sounded like a seething snake as he suddenly turned toward Fial on the western side of the road and rushed straight for the startled girl. She was so astonished that she couldn’t scream, and collapsed onto her buttocks in fright.

“Sis!” Fir screamed.

“Damn it!” Connla cursed, futilely trying to intercept him. She wouldn’t make it in time… but luckily, she didn’t need to.

“AGH!?” the ghost yelped as he ceased his advance all of a sudden. Then his outstretched arm severed off from the base of his shoulder and dropped to the ground, disappearing in a murky haze. Conchobhar barely noticed this as his eyes made contact with Naoise’s livid glare. Indeed, the swordsman had rushed in and cleaved his hated enemy’s arm off before he could hurt Fial.

“This… can’t… be happening…” the despairing spirit shuddered.

“Hell isn’t good enough for a piece of shit like you,” Naoise snarled in a deep voice, and his expression twisted into the most hateful glare he could manage. “Only the darkest depths of oblivion will have any room for you. Believe me when I say this… but I’m more than happy to send you straight there right this instant!”

As Naoise raised his sword to exact his long-waited vengeance upon Conchobhar, Connla and Fir helped Fial get back up. They retreated just as Naoise began his rabid onslaught, flailing his sword about in random slashes that hacked through the ghost’s body, carving more and more pieces of his skeleton and viscera off that enveloped the area around Naoise’s feet into pure grey murkiness. Eventually, all that remained of Conchobhar were his skull and portions of his spine and ribcage. He collapsed onto the ground, utterly defeated and unable to speak.

Fir and Fial refused to look back at the carnage unfolding before them. Connla wasn’t as disturbed by the sight, but was still rather surprised by how much rage the handsome swordsman had contained until now. In contrast, Deirdre watched with absolute shock and horror, covering her mouth as she was unable to look away at her husband’s rampage.

“HRAAAAAAGH!” Naoise screamed like a banshee, intent on cracking the skull into pieces with one final stab of his sword.

“Halt, Naoise!”

“Whuh-!?” he stopped when an unexpected voice interrupted him. Everyone turned to look toward the source of this unexpected cry. A cloaked figure donning a heavy hood and carrying a wooden cane sauntered toward the startled group.

“Lower thine sword, Naoise – thine vengeance is complete,” a familiar old woman’s voice murmured. “By thine combined efforts, mine liege’s wrath hath been quelled. He hath not long for this world any longer.”

Deirdre gasped in sheer surprise and blurted, “Leabharcham!? What are you doing here!?”

“Deirdre, mine child…” the elderly poet murmured. “Forgive me for mine weakness and incompetence. Because of mine ineptitude, thou and Naoise hath suffered dearly at the hands of the king I vested so much faith in.”

“Madam…” Naoise whispered.

“After thine deaths, I hath grown deeply conflicted. I did mine best to protect thee both, but it required me to betray mine liege by lying to him. That deception wound up being exposed, yet I was not the one to suffer the consequences for it. I often wondered if t’was something else I could hath done to convince Lord Conchobhar to let thee live happily. I wanted him so badly to understand that thou weren’t a possession for him to claim.”

Leabharcham gazed at the defeated Conchobhar and moaned, “Ah… How mine heart aches to see thee fall so far from grace, mine beloved king. Even if t’was under thine mother’s guidance during thine youth, thou were once a wonderful ruler, loved by the court so much that Fergus mac Roich was pushed out of his kingship. I cannot erase the memory of thine kind visage as thou spoke stern yet compassionate advice to thine subjects. Thou found value even in a worthless cripple of a poet as mineself.

“O, mine king. Where did it all go wrong? How did thou venture the path of selfishness? I scarcely wish to believe I hath been enamored by a puppet ruler manipulated by Ness’ strings, then cut loose to indulge in indolence after her passing. There once hath been an independent sparkle in thine eyes. Where hath that light vanished to? Why doth I gaze upon a hollow monster bent on ruining Deirdre’s life further? I beseech thee; put mine doubts to rest, as thou once did as King of Ulster.”

“Leabharcham…” Conchobhar whispered.

She lowered her heavy hood and slowly approached him as she declared, “I know. Thou art unable to answer. ‘Tis a path I hath had to discover on mine own. T’was found when I observed these children challenge thine corruption in fierce combat. They should be our hope and future, yet they must clean up the mess we hath left behind for them. I hath made only excuses for mineself to avoid the need to confront thee directly, thus forcing our youth to shoulder the burden. In essence, I hath been running away from what needs to be done.”

She rested her withered hand on Connla’s shoulder and murmured, “Especially thou. How painful it must be. Thou must be deeply disappointed in thine ancestry’s blatant debauchery. Thou art the great-niece of a hateful spirit, and the daughter of the god of destruction that besieges us. Yet thou raises thine spear in Deirdre’s defense regardless.”

The child warrior cast her eyes down. Leabharcham had perfectly described the frustration welling within her, which she did her best to hide from the others. She was so struck with emotions that she couldn’t say anything without maintaining her stoic façade. She bit her lower lip and looked away, while Leabharcham kneeled before Conchobhar and cradled his skull upon her lap.

“I remember when thou were first coronated as Ulster’s king. Thou were but a lad, no older than these children. Despite being Ness’ puppet ruler, thine eyes shone bright, and thine words rung true amongst thy subjects. Many hath begged for Fergus mac Roich to be ousted to protect their wives and daughters from his flagrant depravity. Thou did quell that fear with thine guidance in such dark times. Thou did find value even in me, a disabled woman incapable of naught more than spinning words upon parchment. Thou did give me a place in a world that scorns physical imperfection, even granting me a home from which I may practice mine craft in peace.

“Yet, I failed to protect thee from thine own vices. Now, those sins hath twisted thee into a monster. No more, mine liege. Sully thine good name no longer. Cease thine terrorizing of the living, and of Deirdre’s tormented heart. Set thyself free from thine material desires, and let us pass on to the afterlife, where we ghosts of the past belong. The future now belongs to these young souls – let us watch them spread their wings from afar.”

Leabharcham them closed her eyes and raised her head as she proceeded to perform what was known as a caoineadh, or a keening song. It was a type of vocal tradition passed among women; a form of mourning for the deceased that involved singing lyrics that were spontaneously used depending on the life of the deceased. This had been one of Leabharcham’s duties back when she was younger. Conchobhar had asked her to wander the roads to search of unmarked graves and perform keenings for Ireland’s unsung victims. She had gladly accepted the task and spent several years bringing peace for grieving families. Now she would perform one more keening rite for both herself and Conchobhar, so that this terrible incident would finally have the closure it was looking for.

“Ah… wook,” Fial whispered and pointed at the road beneath Leabharcham.

A gentle light shone around the elderly woman, emanating from a small Runic circle she had cast while speaking with Conchobhar. It wasn’t anything fancy; just a much more concentrated version of the giant Nauthiz enchantment the twins had used to weaken Conchobhar. As the light continued to shine, Leabharcham’s body soon slumped onto its side in a heap, and her keening song ceased. The final remnants of Conchobhar’s spirit dissipated as the spell purged any remaining hatred out of his soul. A minute later, the enchantment wore off. All that was left was the heavy silence, accented by the wind blowing through the tall grass.

A few hours later, Naoise rested a headstone upon the grave that everyone worked on to bury Leabharcham’s body within. Connla used some Runes to inscribe the poet’s name upon it, as well as a brief epitaph that read in Irish, “The most loyal subject to her king.”

“There. That should do it,” Naoise said. They stepped back to observe their handiwork. The grave had been dug right next to the stone that Deirdre used to end her own life. It would be impossible for any travelers to miss it, meaning there was a likelihood that someone would discover it and bring attention to Leabharcham’s death.

“Well, that’s that,” Connla murmured. “One of the Three Blights has been resolved.”

“It was a tough battle, but we somehow did it,” Fir said. He then glanced at Fial and added, “I’m glad that Auntie’s Runestones were a big help. I bet she’ll be proud of us for putting them to good use.”

“Yeah. It’s not evewy day that we have to deal with a big bad ghostie wike that.”

Connla shook her head and remarked, “I don’t necessarily think that Conchobhar was bad. In fact, I don’t think this had anything to do with ‘good’ or ‘evil’.”

“What do you mean?”

“Cuchulainn might have been right about Conchobhar’s authority being based on taking from others. But Madam Leabharcham also said that Conchobhar was around our age when he took the throne from Uncle Fergus. That means the concept of taking others’ possessions and dignity were ingrained into him from a young age. In fact, even the Cattle Raid of Cooley was instigated entirely by Queen Medb wanting to take the bull Cuailgne for herself. It’s been the way that all kings and queens assert their authority for generations. Conchobhar didn’t know of any other way to rule. If this incident represents any sort of conflict, it is of the nobility’s established way of life versus the grief and sorrow they cause for their subjects.”

Connla put her hands behind her back and walked away as she continued in a forlorn tone, “It continues even now. Soon, we will be thrust into the throes of a war between Queen Medb and Cuchulainn, all centered on their undying hatred for each other. Our thoughts, feelings, and opinions have meant nothing to them as they ravaged the world around them in their bitter feud.”

Fir frowned and muttered, “I guess so…”

Deirdre approached Connla and asked, “Speaking of Cuchulainn, is it true that you are his daughter?”

“Yes,” she replied and showed her the thumb ring. “This Bloodstone ring I wear proves my lineage with him.”

“So you’re also Conchobhar’s descendant?”

“I am, through his sister Deichtine.”

Naoise grew concerned as he wondered, “Then was Leabharcham right? Was this your way of apologizing to us for Conchobhar’s actions? That you wanted to atone for your great-uncle’s sins when he refused to do so?”

“… Probably.”

“Why? You know there’s no need for that. We might’ve only found out your connection with him just now, but there’s no way Deirdre and I could blame you for it.”

“…”

“Naoise,” Deirdre stopped him. “That’s not what we should be saying to her.”

“It isn’t?” he blurted and grew perplexed.

She smiled, then kneeled before Connla and said, “What we should be saying is ‘thank you’.”

“Oh…”

“Connla, I can’t thank you enough for your assistance. You didn’t have to do all of this, but you did it anyway. No words can express how grateful I am for your efforts. That goes for you two as well, Fir and Fial. You were all so remarkable out there.”

“Eh he he he,” Fir chuckled and scratched his chin sheepishly, while Fial blushed profusely and pressed her hands against her cheeks.

Connla wasn’t so enthralled by Deirdre’s gesture, as she said, “Well, my job really is to protect the Leyline until Lord Cathbad needs it. All of this was kind of… well… what’s the word for it… an unfortunate aside? Or, um… tying a critical loose end? Something like that…”

“I understand. You weren’t expecting any of this to happen,” Deirdre assured. “But it all worked out in the end, didn’t it?”

“I guess so. That’s one of the three blights taken care of, at least. I still have two more to look for.”

“Then Naoise and I will help! Isn’t that right, dear?”

“Whuh-? Oh, right!” Naoise yelped, since she caught him unprepared. “Of course we will! It’s the least we can do for you!”

“But you two really should move on to the afterlife. If my teacher were here, she’d be telling me to perform your final rites for you…” Connla moaned.

“No way. Not when the world is in such a sorry state. Besides, Leabharcham’s right about one thing; I can’t leave you children to clean up such a huge mess by yourselves. To that end, I’ll join you in battle when you need me to.”

“Sorry to say that I don’t have any combat capabilities of my own, but I can at least look after the twins,” Deirdre offered.

Connla murmured, “I see… Well, if Fir and Fial are okay with this arrangement, then there shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Of couwse!” Fial chirped. “The mowe, the mewwier, wight?”

“Mew-weer?”

“She means ‘merrier’,” Fir interjected.

“Oh dear,” Deirdre frowned. “I think you need some help with your speech, Fial. Maybe we should sit down and practice some words tonight.”

“No way! I wike the way I tawk!” the girl objected.

“Now, now, don’t be like that. Wouldn’t it be awkward for you to grow up speaking like that?”

“Phooey! It’s not wike Fir and I can gwow up anyway!”

“… Oh?”

“Shhh! Fial, don’t say too much!” Fir hissed and quickly covered his sister’s mouth, but it was too late. The others had grown too curious to find out what she had meant.

Deirdre leaned in and asked, “What do you mean, you can’t grow up? Is there something wrong with you two?”

“Ah! Well, um… The thing is…” Fir stumbled on his words, unable to think of a good reply.

Connla narrowed her eyes and frowned. Then, she said, “I think I know what’s going on.”

“Huh? You do?”

“I said I think I know. To explain, I’m going to have to confess something.”

“What is it?” Fial wondered.

“Ever since we met back in Scotland, I always thought something seemed ‘off’ about you two. Since I trained in Dun Scaith, I’ve become attuned to the presence of spirits, and can pick them up even in this world. It was obvious from Sir Naoise and Lady Deirdre’s story that they were already dead, but I still picked up on their spiritual aura regardless. However, while I know absolutely nothing about you two other than being Morrigan’s niece and nephew, I’ve been suspicious about something for this whole time. I want you guys to answer me truthfully.”

Connla approached the twins and asked her question in a firm tone:

“Are you two also dead spirits?”

Fir and Fial’s jaws slightly dropped as they balked from Connla’s question. They glanced at each other uneasily, unsure if they should answer her or not. Connla eased her expression when she realized how nervous they were. Was she poking her nose into some kind of business she shouldn’t have?

“Oh ho ho ho! How astute you are!” a shrill woman’s voice suddenly cawed, slicing through the building tension and causing everyone present to yelp in surprise.

“Who’s there!?” Naoise demanded and raised his sword.

However, the twins cried out simultaneously, “Auntie!”

Indeed, a familiar black bird flew through the trees, circled the party, and landed on the lowest branch she could find. The avian gazed down at them, then telepathically said, “Good work on purging Conchobhar from the Leyline, by the way. Cathbad’s going to be pleased when I tell him about it.”

“O-Oh, right. He said you’d act as a liaison between us,” Connla realized.

“I’m sorry, but who might you be?” Deirdre asked the bird. “I don’t believe we’ve made our acquaintance with you.”

“This is Auntie Morrigan,” Fir said.

“Morrigan!? As in the goddess of war, death and fate!?”

“Yeah.”

Naoise and Deirdre were struck dumb by how they were conversing with one of the Tuatha de Danann’s last remaining gods in this world. Morrigan adjusted her wings, then chuckled, “Oh my. I guess I’ve gained quite the reputation, haven’t I? Well, while those two are busy picking their jaws off the ground, let me confirm Connla’s suspicions for you all.”

“Then am I right? Are Fir and Fial supposed to be dead?” the child warrior eagerly asked.

“They are. Their mother had a miscarriage with them. But due to the warped nature of this world, their spirits incarnated as the children you see. They were lost for quite a while until I found them wandering around in Scotland.”

“So they were stillborn… But if you’re their aunt, who’s their mother? And their father, for that matter. Is their mother also a goddess? Are they still alive?”

Morrigan shook her head. “I’m afraid they’re no longer with us. The twins’ stillbirth was so traumatic for my sister’s body and mind that she died giving birth to them. But she did leave a little parting gift behind; a terrible curse that afflicts all those who live in Ulster.”

“A curse?”

Naoise gasped as he realized, “Wait a second! I think I’ve heard of this! During my search for Deirdre, I spoke with several warriors who mentioned a curse that prevents them from fighting against invaders from outside Ulster. Not only do they resent Cuchulainn for losing during the Cattle Raid, they also despise the woman who placed the curse on all of Ulster’s warriors. It’s what prevented Cuchulainn from having any backup during Connacht’s invasion, forcing him to fight that war all alone.”

“Precisely,” Morrigan said. “It was Fir and Fial’s deaths that drove my sister to curse everyone in Ulster.”

“And the name of that woman was…”

“Macha.”

Connla inhaled sharply as she realized where this conversation was going. She had heard that name before, when Cathbad identified the Three Blights she needed to resolve. One of them was indeed…

“The Curse of Macha!” she exclaimed.

Morrigan nodded. “It seems you understand which blight you should deal with next. I should warn you though – this incident is going to be a considerable step up from pacifying Conchobhar. Banishing a wrathful ghost is one thing. Eliminating a curse that bounds the warriors of Ulster will be a significantly more difficult challenge, especially when your opponent is an earth goddess who had been wronged by humanity. But if you are able to overcome it, the rewards will be much greater.”

“So… we have to fight Mama next?” Fial whimpered sadly.

The bird goddess quickly flew onto her niece’s shoulder, then said, “I never said anything about fighting her. All that needs to be done is to rid Ulster of Macha’s curse.”

“Uuh…”

Morrigan rested her wing on Fial’s head and cooed, “Perhaps it is something you should concern yourself with at a later time. It won’t do you any good to worry about your mother when you’re so worn out from that battle.”

“Mm.”

“In the meantime, I will report to Cathbad and Fergus of your success, and of your next objective,” the goddess said to Connla.

“How are the war preparations going, anyway?” the child soldier asked.

“Things have been proceeding smoothly. Medb doesn’t suspect anything, although it will become apparent that something suspicious is going on once more and more of her soldiers start to align themselves with Fergus’ cause. Fergus and Cathbad are bringing Leinster’s warriors together, while Lugaid and Ferdiad are responsible for rallying Munster’s troops.”

“Lugaid and Ferdiad? Who are they?”

“Ah, I believe you didn’t meet them in Galway. They are fellow Champions, just like you are. Lugaid is Cu Roi’s son, and heir to the throne of Munster. Ferdiad is another one of Scathach’s pupils who trained alongside Cuchulainn.”

“I see… But the war efforts will be in vain if we don’t do something about Macha’s curse.”

“Indeed. Your work here is going to matter a lot more to everyone from now on. Don’t let Fergus and the others down.”

“I won’t.”

“Then I will take my leave,” Morrigan said and batted her wings until she ascended high into the sky, vanishing into the distance until she resembled a tiny black dot flying into the early evening sunset.

AUTHOR’S NOTE:

† - “Constraint gives scant choice; a naked man is chilled by the frost.” The Old Norwegian Runic poem associated with the Nauthiz Rune.

Chapter Text

FATE/CURADH BEAG

“Little Champion”  

Chapter 20: Glimpses of Progress

Cork, Munster

During Connla’s quest to quell the first of Ulster’s blights, Ferdiad had been busy assisting Lugaid with informing Munster’s populace of Cu Roi’s death and of the crown’s passing to his son. After the death of Lugaid’s mother Blathnat, he had gained a reputation for his anger issues, even going so far as to crack someone’s skull merely when the topic of Cuchulainn came up. It had thus become a taboo subject to those closest with Lugaid, and now the death of his father, whom he had looked up to with fervent admiration, only further intensified his insatiable bitterness. It didn’t help that Cu Roi had been so brutally murdered by Cuchulainn, so now Lugaid had an even greater reason to despise his most hated enemy.

Unlike Lugaid, who was fully on Connacht’s side, Ferdiad had promised Fergus that he would spread word of the rebellion movement growing in Leinster. Ferdiad said he would look for any dissenters within Munster and redirect them to Leinster should they wish to do so, but he had to keep his activities as much of a secret as possible lest he risk alerting Lugaid. Cathbad had also privately informed him that Fergus, Conall and Connla were still alive, which was a tremendous relief for Ferdiad. However, he also had to keep their survival hidden from Medb’s notice. It was a delicate balancing act for Ferdiad, having to withhold so much information from Connacht’s inner circle, but he didn’t want to disappoint Fergus and Cathbad after being entrusted with such important tasks.

It was approaching sundown when Ferdiad returned from Killarney, in the far western county of Kerry. Many refugees had fled from the towns of Tralee and Listowel after the island’s erosion threatened to cause them to fall to the ocean, just like what was happening in Belfast. They voiced a loud and clear dissatisfaction for Medb’s policies – or lack thereof – and were further outraged by Cu Roi’s death and Lugaid’s ascension as the next king. Ferdiad had gathered any of Killarney’s warriors willing to join the coup efforts and told them to march to Leinster through Limerick and Tipperary counties north of Cork to avoid Lugaid’s notice.

With that business sorted out, Ferdiad returned to Cork to report to Lugaid about his visit. In the city’s main fortress, he found the irate prince feasting on a simple meal of shepherd’s pie, bread, and ale.

Lugaid glanced at his fellow Champion and mumbled through bites of his bread, “Oh, you’re finally back.”

“Sorry for the delay,” Ferdiad apologized as he sat down at the table. A servant girl brought him some food, and he proceeded to eat as he said, “The terrain was a bit rocky, plus I almost got driven out of town when I first got there.”

“I heard that Killarney’s been getting overcrowded due to the loss of Tralee and Listowel.”

“Yeah, it is. The farms can’t keep up with the influx of new citizens, and Medb has yet to approve of the requests for emergency irrigation from the Corrib. I highly doubt she would be able to do much though, considering how far away Killarney is from Galway. The only hope people have now is for the druids to pray to the gods for a good rain storm.”

“Hmph. Gods, my ass…” Lugaid scoffed. “No matter how much we may wish for it, they’re no longer around to protect us. The only one that’s still among us is a monster capable of nothing but total destruction.”

Ferdiad couldn’t help but agree with him. Even if Fergus managed to overthrow Medb somehow, it still didn’t solve the root problem of all of Ireland’s water sources rapidly drying up. Plus, it was inevitable that Taoide Olc would make his return after Scotland was separated from Ireland, meaning that regardless of Fergus’ rebellion, the people were going to have to wage war with the god that ruined the rest of human civilization. Ferdiad rested his chin upon his fist and leaned upon the table while poking at his food as his thoughts wandered.

Is this really such a good idea, Fergus? Wouldn’t it be wise to hold off on the uprising until after our battle with Cuchulainn is over? Assuming that anyone survives in the end…

“What’s wrong?” Lugaid wondered when he saw Ferdiad’s distant expression.

“Hm? Oh, it’s nothing. I just have a lot on my mind.”

“Hah. I bet it’s hardly anything like what I’ve had to put up with lately.”

“Did something happen while I was gone?”

“Can you believe this? Not only are the common rabble accusing me of not being ready to be king, but now I’ve also got the nobility breathing down my neck with similar accusations. It’s obvious that they don’t regard me as the worthy heir of Father’s legacy, and flat out pretend that I don’t exist so they can fill the ‘power vacuum’ themselves.”

“Well, to be fair, you haven’t exactly enforced any respectable policies that improves everyone’s daily lives. Your attitude towards your subjects is not as closeted as you would like to believe, after all.”

Lugaid’s lip twisted into an ugly snarl. “Can you blame me? They’re not willing to give me the chance. Now the nobles are spreading rumors that I’m Medb’s lover as a convenient excuse to explain away their own incompetence for not accepting me as king. If they would just shut up and let me do my job, none of this would be happening in the first place.”

Ferdiad folded his arms in contemplation. “Hmm… Sounds like the nobility is becoming more and more of a thorn in your side with each passing day.”

“No shit. If only I had some legitimate means of taking them out of the picture, then I can be rid of their incessant background noise and concentrate on taking care of my subjects.”

Ferdiad became silent as he thought, I could take advantage of this chaos to send more warriors to Fergus. But it’d be too risky to deplete Cork’s much-needed security when there’s this much political warfare going on. No matter how I slice it, Munster’s upper society is starting to become more and more of a bane for our efforts. They only look at the world through viewpoints of higher power and prestige, and constantly bicker amongst themselves about the ownership of vital water supply points.

He scratched his chin, then said, “I think I have an idea.”

Lugaid looked hopeful as he asked, “You do?”

“If the nobles are indeed plotting against you, then why not turn the situation in your favor?”

“How? It’s obvious that they want me out of the way.”

Ferdiad tsked a couple of times and said, “You’re not thinking big enough, mate. If the crime they want to commit is that blatant, then why not just go ahead and frame them for it?”

The prince of Munster looked aghast as he blurted, “You mean… fake an assassination attempt against me?”

“That’s right. I’m sure they have evidence of their own piling up behind their locked doors just waiting to be exposed in a court of law. All we’d have to do is create a reason for getting it out of their hands.”

“Hmm, I don’t know about this…”

“Come now, it’s not like an actual assassin would be sent to attack you. Our imaginary ‘killer’ would just have to ‘carelessly’ leave a piece of evidence behind that links him with Munster’s nobility as a collective whole. The best thing would be a contract for the nobles hiring his services, although perhaps that might be a little too suspicious. No assassin would be stupid enough to carry such vital evidence on his person.”

Lugaid pondered Ferdiad’s suggestion for a bit, then said, “Well, I’ve heard that the O’Cleirigh merchant family uses special coins minted out of copper to identify themselves whenever they leave Munster on official business.”

“Ah, that’s brilliant! The O’Cleirighs have plenty of clout amongst Munster’s upper echelons! They would be the perfect scapegoats for dragging the rest of the nobles down!”

“But how are we supposed to get one of their coins?”

“Leave it to me. I’ve got some friends who know the younger members well. They’ll be able to pinch one or two of them off for us.”

Lugaid was growing more excited with this plan as they kept ironing out the details. Finally, he decided to commit to the scheme as he declared, “Okay, let’s do this!”

“Remember, you have to act your part out as well,” Ferdiad warned him. “If you let slip that this is a false flag operation, the whole thing will be ruined, and your credibility as Munster’s future king will be destroyed.”

“Oh, believe me, if there’s anything I’m good at, it’s being pissed off with the nobles! Those arrogant bastards will never know what hit them!”

Now that they had finished their meal, the two Champions left the dining hall and headed down the corridors. That was when Lugaid remarked to Ferdiad, “You know, I’m starting to see why Laeg suggested you come with me. I don’t think I could have ever come up with a strategy like that on my own.”

“Ah, it’s nothing,” the orange-haired warrior chuckled sheepishly. “It’s just something I picked up during my time under Scathach’s tutelage. Not only was she a deadly fighter and a talented Runecraft user, she also possessed a keen eye for warfare, regardless if it was on the battlefield or in politics. The key is to know how certain people behave and to utilize their weaknesses against them.”

“Scathach, huh?” Lugaid mumbled darkly, then glanced away and became quiet.

Ferdiad frowned and realized that the conversation would quickly turn towards Cuchulainn. If he wasn’t careful, Lugaid could potentially reveal classified information to the passing soldiers and servants while going on one of his typical tirades about Cuchulainn. Ferdiad had to deflect the conversation elsewhere, so he spontaneously remarked, “Well, that’s all in the past now. Let’s just concentrate on what we need to do to promote Munster’s stability.”

“… Yeah. You’re right.”

“Then I’ll get started with preparations. I’ll let you know when I’m ready.”

“Sure. I’ll just keep on enduring all of the criticism until then,” the prince sighed and reluctantly turned down the hall toward his personal chambers. Ferdiad watched him leave, then continued walking straight until he descended the stone steps and headed for the fortress’ main entrance into town.

The Land of Shadows

Ewan Aitken, the pragmatic lieutenant who had spoken with Cuchulainn once before, emerged from the gate connecting Scotland with the Castle of Shadows. Just as he expected, he found the god-king issuing orders with one of the more sentient ghosts who was given command of the underworld’s vengeful spirits. Ewan knew that Cuchulainn intended to build up two separate armies; one comprising of living, breathing soldiers, the other with hordes of the undead monsters that dwelled in Dun Scaith. Ewan wasn’t sure why his liege would go to such lengths to build up such an insurmountable force when he already possessed the strength to destroy the world, but he believed it was not worth risking his life to ask such a pedantic question.

The ghost growled in acknowledgement of Cuchulainn’s order, then whirled around and phased through the wall just behind Ewan. He watched it leave, then calmly approached Cuchulainn and said, “Lieutenant-Colonel Aitken, reporting in.”

“Ah, there you are,” the Mad King muttered, then flashed a sinister grin. “How do you like your new promotion?”

“I can’t say I was expecting it, but it seems my men have adjusted to the change surprisingly well. They’ve been following my orders expediently, and the other lieutenants have also taken your warning to heart, meaning the issue with the Hebrides will be thoroughly resolved in at least two days’ time.”

“Funny how slaughtering that useless general before their eyes suddenly gets those buffoons to cooperate. Just as I suspected, long-winded negotiations are worthless. Immediately instilling fear and terror into your subjects is all that’s needed to enforce their loyalty.”

“Considering the circumstances, I’m more amazed of how ignorant they were of your capabilities. They thought they could continue their usual politicking despite knowing that you’re the man who drowned the rest of the world. From my perspective, they were practically poking at a sleeping dragon.”

“Is that supposed to be hollow brownnosing?”

“Not at all, sir. It was just a statement of fact regarding the lieutenants’ collective foolishness.”

“Hm… Well, whatever,” Cuchulainn grumbled. “So the conscription efforts are nearly complete. All that’s left is to assemble the troops at the designated point.”

Ewan took some papers from his bag, then read from them while stating, “About 50% of our companies are present and accounted for, and await further instructions. I have told them to maintain their positions, though there has been some lingering dissent regarding the reason for such orders. To be quite frank with you, our forces have been divided between those who seek bloodshed, and those who have no desire to participate in the war.”

“Can’t say I’m surprised. No amount of booze and food will sate a warmonger’s appetite when he’s forced to sit around for long periods of time. As for the unwilling conscripts, I’m sure a few rallies that shift the blame towards Medb for all of these recent events will be enough to inspire them into action.”

“I had been considering that as well, though I’m not sure how much they will believe us when we have no factual evidence to support our claims.”

“Then tell them this; Medb is the one who turned me into the god Taoide Olc.”

Ewan raised an eyebrow out of curiosity. “She did?”

Cuchulainn sat on his throne, then rested his cheek upon his fist and glowered, “Think about it. How else could I, who was once as human as anyone else, suddenly be morphed into an abomination called a god of destruction? That simply isn’t natural, right?”

“Sure, but the details surrounding it are hazy at best…”

“You are aware of Medb’s ability to expand in power depending on the amount of territory she possesses, aren’t you?”

“I have heard the rumors. After she invaded Ulster and amalgamated it with Connacht, she then embarked on a conquest to expand her territory. She forced Leinster and Munster to join with Connacht, then she departed for the southern isles. But for some reason, her venture was an utter failure, and soon the Celtic Isles had to rise to escape from the Evil Tide that suddenly gushed out of the White Tree.”

“That’s a pretty good assessment of the public’s knowledge of the situation. Of course, that’s not the entire story. Medb not only just took Ulster for herself – she also abducted and tortured me for resisting her forces, then fed me to the sea demon Curruid, hoping to break my mind and turn me into her personal destroyer. I would be the weapon she used to dominate the mainland nations. Considering that her level of power is tied to how much land she owns, and she was strong enough to summon a Phantasmal just from having all of Ireland under her control, can you imagine the damage she would have caused if she conquered other countries as well? Given enough time, she would have been impossible to defeat. You can see why drowning the rest of the world beneath the ocean was the best course of action for me after I broke free of her control.”

Ewan fell silent as he listened to Cuchulainn’s unbelievable claims. He wasn’t sure what to think of any of this, but he didn’t want to question the Mad King either. Even if he didn’t fully believe him, how would he corroborate this information? No one in Scotland was involved with what happened in Ireland. He literally had no choice but to trust that Cuchulainn was telling the truth.

After a moment, Ewan murmured, “So that’s how you came to be known as Taoide Olc…”

“Yes,” Cuchulainn closed his eyes. “It wasn’t something I asked for. Hell, if I had it my way, I would’ve wanted nothing to do with Medb. All of this was brought on by her rampant selfishness. If that’s not a reason to take up arms, I don’t know what is.”

“I see. So I assume I have your blessing to recount this story to the conscripts?”

“Not much point in hiding it from them. They have a right to know why this world is as fucked up as it is.”

“I understand. I will not make any guarantees, but I should be able to sway some of the troops to your side. As for those who are eager to wage war, I highly doubt that your backstory is going to do anything to appease them.”

“Hmph. Impatient bastards, aren’t they? War is more than just about raising swords and shouting battle cries. There is an element of preparation that needs to go into it as well. Even though Ireland’s been separated from us for a while now, I’ve been learning of certain developments that are slowing down my intended timing for the assault.”

“Such as?”

“Fergus faked his death and is organizing a coup of his own.”

Ewan’s eyes widened in genuine surprise. “Infighting within Ireland? I never thought it’d be possible, considering Medb’s ironclad grip on her nation. Hardly anything escapes her notice, so how in the world could Fergus plot a rebellion against her?”

“A few things happened, and now Fergus is fed up with Medb’s self-centered methodology. I’ve heard that the water depletion situation is much worse in Ireland compared to Scotland, attributed to her amassing as many viable water sources around Galway as possible. Besides, it’s not like Medb’s grasp on Ireland is complete. Since she lost so much territory after the Celtic Isles rose into the skies, her power has greatly diminished, meaning she can’t observe everything and everyone at once like she used to. Fergus must be using this weakness to dodge out of sight and assemble some ragtag forces of his own.”

“Quite the dramatic development, I must say,” Ewan remarked. “It’s no wonder you want to monitor the situation so closely.”

“That’s not the only thing going on,” Cuchulainn added. “Cathbad is planning to do something about Crann Ban, the White Tree that has been continuously pumping seawater onto the planet.”

“Oh my! The High Druid himself intends to challenge the demonic tree itself!?”

“Indeed. My informant has been involved with those efforts, but she needs some time to dispel three blights that reside within Ulster before Cathbad can do anything. I’ve been keeping tabs on her progress for the last while.”

“So that’s why you completely close off communication with the outside world during the night hours.”

“Yep. She’s gotten rid of one of the blights, but she’s about to move on to resolving the Curse of Macha.”

Ewan grumbled to himself as he pondered, “The Curse of Macha… where have I heard that before?”

“It’s the affliction that forces the men of Ulster to suffer from the pain of childbirth whenever the province is threatened by an outside invader. All thanks to that wench Macha, who was forced to run in a race while heavily pregnant with twins. Although she won the race, she wound up miscarrying her children, and likewise passed away delivering them as stillborns. As she died, she cursed the warriors of Ulster who had put her in such a situation. That’s the whole reason why I had to fight against Medb’s troops by myself during the Cattle Raid.”

“You mean you weren’t born in Ulster, despite being a fervent Ulsterman?”

“My mother delivered me in a faerie mound, which was considered outside of Ulster territory. After all, I’m still a demigod born between the human woman Deichtine and the divine hero of the Tuatha de Danann, Lugh Lamfada.”

“Oh…”

“But that’s not important. What matters is that we need to wait until the remaining two blights are dealt with before invading Connacht.”

Ewan narrowed his eyes when he realized there was a problem with this plan. He voiced his objection by stating, “Wait just a moment, sir. If the Curse of Macha were to be dispelled, wouldn’t that mean that Ireland’s warriors will be capable of retaliating against us? Wouldn’t it be easier to take them out while they still suffer from the curse?”

“Don’t be so narrow-minded,” Cuchulainn retorted. “Think about it for a second. If you were Fergus and you wanted to organize a full-scale insurrection, where would you go about assembling your troops?”

“Well… I certainly wouldn’t do it in Connacht or former Ulster. If the goal is to stay out of Medb’s notice, I’d have no choice but to go to either Munster or Leinster.”

“That’s a good start. We know that Lugaid mac Con Roi, son of Cu Roi mac Daire, is one of Medb’s Champions, and he’s the only one not affiliated with Ulster. Considering how I killed his father, and caused his mother’s death a long time ago, Lugaid must hate me with a passion. Fergus would realize this and not station his soldiers in Munster, fearing that Lugaid would reveal the betrayal to Medb.”

“So that leaves Leinster as his only option.”

“Exactly. Considering that Leinster is directly west of Connacht, all I’d have to do with Scotland is ram it on Connacht’s western borders, essentially sandwiching it between northeastern Scotland and western Leinster. Of course there’s always the potential for backup to arrive from Munster, but they’d have to go through Tipperary and Clare counties to reach Galway first. So long as preparations are made to cull Munster’s reinforcements, storming Galway should be a piece of cake if we have our forces plus Fergus’ troops coming in from both sides.”

Ewan sighed, feeling a bit overwhelmed with all of this new information. All he could do was mutter, “This is a much bigger operation than I could’ve ever imagined…”

Cuchulainn scoffed, “No kidding. That’s why you need to be even more diligent than before with rallying the warriors. Their king is going to expect a lot out of them once the main event starts.”

“I understand. But there’s nothing we can do until the Curse of Macha is eliminated. Not to mention that there’s the remaining blight you haven’t told me about.”

“I’m trying to look into it for my informant. Cathbad told her that it’s called Manannan’s Parted Mists, so it obviously has something to do with the god of the seas, but I haven’t found any worthwhile clues to go on.”

“I don’t know if I can be of any assistance, but if I learn of anything, I will inform you at once.”

“Good. My informant could use anything she can get at this point.”

Ewan then grew curious as he asked, “Since I have been promoted to general, and you are entrusting me with so much information, would you be able to tell me anything about this informant of yours?”

“…”

“I understand that you are acquainted with the goddess Morrigan. Considering the otherworldly nature of these blights, she’d make the most sense for such a delicate role.”

“…”

“… Sir?”

The long paused dragged on awkwardly. Cuchulainn knew Ewan had a point; he really was entitled to know anything and everything relating to the mission. He just wasn’t sure if he felt comfortable with revealing that knowledge to him, or if there was any point in say anything in the first place.

Ewan realized that Cuchulainn was not going to answer him. He decided not to press the question further and bowed slightly before turning to leave. However, that was when he heard the low, throaty reply:

“It’s my daughter.”

“Hm?” the normally unflappable general turned back with widened eyes. “Your daughter… you say?”

“Yeah.”

“I can scarcely believe such a thing. No accounts exist of you ever having a child.”

“Of course they wouldn’t. I only found out about it just recently myself.”

“When did this occur?”

“It had to be while I was training under Scathach. I had a tryst with her sister Aife, but left Scotland shortly afterward. I had no clue if I had left her pregnant or not, but now I’m certain that I did. The kid grew up under Scathach’s tutelage here in the Land of Shadows. That’s why I can trust her to handle the blights.”

“You don’t say…”

“Hmph. Why the hell am I telling you this? Go on, already,” Cuchulainn grumbled bitterly and dismissed Ewan with a languid wave.

“Yes, sir.”

With that, the general finally concluded the meeting by stepping through the gate back into Scotland. As he emerged on the other side, he thought deeply about all of the revelations he had learned. While the majority of it was relevant to his military duties, the fact that Cuchulainn had a daughter didn’t have much bearing for him. It was shocking, to be sure, but hardly worth mulling about too much. So why did Cuchulainn go through the trouble of telling him? There was only one conclusion that Ewan could reach:

It was a sign of the implicit trust his king vested in him.

Emain Macha region, Ulster

The five travelers plus their horse returned to Leabharcham’s hut by the time the sun had fully set. Connla found the key hidden under the entrance mat and unlocked the door, allowing the weary group to escape from the incoming cold night. With a melancholic gaze in her eyes, Deirdre glanced around at their surroundings, then murmured wistfully, “Nothing’s changed… It’s literally like coming back home.”

“You spent most of your life here, didn’t you?” Fir asked.

“I certainly did. Even though it was by that man’s order that I had to stay here, Leabharcham did her best to give me the happiest childhood she could. I will always be grateful to her for that.”

Naoise said, “We should make this our base of operations while we figure out how to contend with Ulster’s remaining two blights.”

“Yes, I agree,” Deirdre remarked. “I shouldn’t get myself wrapped up in nostalgia when we have business to attend to.”

Meanwhile, Fial tossed some wood onto the central fire pit, and Connla used her magic to get a fire going. The child warrior then slumped into a sitting position and moaned, “Phew… I am utterly exhausted…”

Fial sat next to her and asked, “Awe you okay? You wook wike you’we gonna cowwapse.”

“Ugh… I think you’re right. I’m having trouble just barely keeping my eyes open. Maybe the fire is lulling me to sleep somehow.”

Naoise covered the pair with a blanket and said to Connla, “Can’t say I’m surprised. You did most of the work back there.”

“I don’t think I did…”

“Well regardless, we should save our strategy meeting for tomorrow. Tonight, we’ve earned ourselves a well-deserved rest.”

“Mm.”

With that, Connla, Fial and Fir tucked themselves beneath the large thick blanket and bundled together to warm up as they eventually fell asleep. Now that they were out, Naoise and Deirdre could finally have a moment to themselves in front of the soothing fire. Deirdre nuzzled her cheek on Naoise’s shoulder and sipped some water, then murmured, “Ahh… How wonderful. If this is paradise, then I never want to leave.”

“I can’t imagine how awful it must have been for you, love,” Naoise said as he rubbed her opposite shoulder. “Not only did Conchobhar obsess about you during life, he had the gall to treat you like a tool for his ambitions even after death.”

“Please, Naoise. I do not wish to call attention to that man any more than is necessary. He has been banished, and the nightmare is over. To say his name any further would just be an insult.”

“You’re right. Good riddance to him and the sorrows he caused you, I say. From now on, our lives will be filled with nothing but happiness.”

“Yes…”

The couple sat there in silence for a long time, enjoying the warmth of not just the fire, but of each other as well. Once they grew tired enough, they too decided to throw a blanket upon themselves and go to sleep for the night.

The following morning, Naoise and Deirdre woke up to the pleasant scent of vegetable soup being prepared. The children had woken up before them and decided to make a minestrone using whatever ingredients Leabharcham had in her cellar. Connla glanced at the pair while stirring the soup and said, “Good morning.”

“Good morning,” Deirdre replied. “Mm, that smells delicious.”

“It’s almost ready, so just wait a little longer.”

“Where are the twins?”

“They’re looking for berries to have as dessert.”

Just as Connla said this, the door creaked open, revealing Fir and Fial carrying a basket each, filled to the brim with assortments of rose hips, elderberries and hazelnuts. Naoise whistled and said, “Wow, you kids certainly know how to take the initiative.”

“We were having a contest to see who couwd gather mowe,” Fial said as she showed him the contents of her basket. “I think it’s pwainwy obvious that I bwought mowe than Fir did.”

“Nuh-uh! I’m a man, so that means I’m stronger than you! That’s how I’m carrying more in mine!” Fir objected and shoved his sister aside to show Deirdre his basket.

“Being stwong means nothing if you don’t find the best cowwecting spots! I have mowe because I’m smawt enough to know where to wook!”

“Now, now, children. Let’s not get into an argument when we’re so hungry,” Deirdre tried to calm them down. “Besides, from what I can see, you both gathered about the same amount of stuff.”

“Weally?” Fial wondered as the twins looked at each other’s baskets. “Huh… I guess you’we wight…”

“I’m kind of impressed you brought so much, considering you never pay attention to Auntie’s lessons,” Fir said to his sister.

“Hey, what does that mean!? I wisten to Auntie just fine! You’we the one who always wooks like he’s about to fawl asweep!”

Connla yawned, barely interested in the conversation as she taste tested the soup, then said, “All right, the food’s ready.”

“Yay!” the twins cheered, immediately forgetting their petty argument and eagerly filling their bowls with soup to devour. Naoise and Deirdre joined them for the meal, but the mood soon turned serious once they started eating in earnest.

“So, let’s get down to business,” Naoise finally said. “According to Lady Morrigan, the next blight we have to take care of is the Curse of Macha, the affliction that plagues the warriors of Ulster and prevents them from fighting in wars against invading countries.”

Deirdre shook her head and remarked, “First off, I don’t think we should be calling it a blight. Even if it’s referring to the curse rather than the woman who caused it, we’re still talking about Fir and Fial’s mother.”

“Oh…”

Fial appeared despondent as she asked, “Is Mama going to show up as some kind of big scawy ghost wike that Conchobhaw guy?”

“I don’t know…” Fir moaned, looking just as perplexed as his sister. “I sure hope we don’t have to fight her…”

“Let’s not rush to conclusions,” Connla assured them. “All we know for sure is that your mother cursed Ulster’s warriors at the moment of her death. Our primary objective should be finding a way to lift it, not worrying about whether or not she’s going to be our opponent.”

“I sure hope you’re right…”

“Besides, you never know if some other sinister force wants to take advantage of it, just like what happened with Conchobhar. Regardless, Lord Cathbad claimed there’s a connection between the Three Blights and the Leyline, so it’s safe to assume that the curse is somehow related to the Leyline as well.”

Naoise looked like he had an epiphany as he asked, “Wait a minute. Didn’t Lady Morrigan say that Macha was an earth goddess?”

“I distinctly recall that as well,” Deirdre agreed.

“Then it’d make sense that Macha could tap into the Leyline to create the curse. If we could find that connection and sever it, we might be able to free Ulster’s warriors.”

Fir looked uncomfortable as he wondered, “But wouldn’t that mean hurting Mama? She’s the one who created that connection in the first place.”

Connla shook her head and said, “Not necessarily. Your mother could have just left a Runic formula in some secret location. It could just be as easy as undoing it.”

“You think it’s going to be that simple? Mama hates the men of Ulster with a passion. They’re the reason she wound up miscarrying me and Fial, and caused her to die during childbirth. I don’t think she would be dumb enough to risk having her curse be so easily found.”

“I’m just saying that’s a possibility. The problem is that we don’t have enough information, meaning we’d have to go to Emain Macha and ask around for any clues.”

The twins looked at each other uneasily, obviously disturbed by Connla’s suggestion. Deirdre asked them, “Is something wrong?”

“Well… It’s just that… um…” Fial stammered nervously. “Emain Macha is the pwace where… me and Fir… and Mama… died…”

“Oh my… I’m sorry, honey.”

“Me and Fir never ever wanted to go thewe fow that weason... B-But if we have to, then…”

“No, please don’t force yourselves. There’s no need for you two to go there if you don’t have to.”

Connla became determined as she made a decision, then declared, “I’ll go.”

“Are you sure?” Deirdre asked her.

“If it’s just investigating, then it’s not necessary for all of us to go. The rest of you can stay here while I spend a couple of days in Emain Macha looking around.”

“But by yourself? What if something were to happen to you? If you got into a huge battle, you wouldn’t be able to run away on account of your geas.”

“Well… I’ll make it work out somehow.”

Deirdre obviously wasn’t convinced by this. Naoise also looked uncertain, as he said, “I’ll go with you then. You’re going to need someone to protect you, and I’m the best person for the job.”

“Are you sure? Wouldn’t you want to protect Lady Deirdre more than me?” Connla wondered.

“Thanks to the barrier Runes you laid last night, this place is safe from lesser threats. So long as Deirdre and the twins don’t leave, there will be nothing to worry about. On the contrary, I’d never be able to sleep if I knew you were out there contending with such a difficult mission by yourself. It’s clear to me that you need help.”

Connla thought about it for a moment, then shifted her eyes toward Deirdre and asked, “What do you think?”

“I think it’s a great idea. I might not enjoy having to be separated from Naoise, but Fir and Fial will keep me company until you two return.”

“Guess it’s settled then!” Naoise exclaimed. “Emain Macha isn’t too far from here, so we’ll set out in an hour’s time and find an inn to stay at for the night. Tomorrow is when the investigation will begin in earnest.”

Connla agreed to the plan with a nod, then glanced at the twins and asked, “Before we leave, I need to know something very important. I know it’s going to be hard to tell me, but I want to find the exact spot where you two and your mother died in Emain Macha.”

“The… exact spot?” Fial shuddered.

“If Macha really cursed Ulster’s warriors at the moment of her death, then it’s reasonable to think that some residual spiritual energy would still be there. It might not be where the curse actually is, but it should give me something to work with.”

“Well… to be honest, my memowy about my death is weally, weally hazy.”

“Me too,” Fir admitted. “We were just babies inside Mama’s belly when it happened. It’s like we were in a distant dream, and then we suddenly woke up in Scotland’s plains as children.”

“Hmm…” Connla murmured. “I guess it’d make sense that you wouldn’t know, since you were still in the womb when you died.”

“But I do remember seeing a dream of Mama running incredibly fast. She was so quick that she outran the horses that were next to her.”

“You saw it too?” Fial asked her brother. “Mama was in some kind of wong fiewd with white wines on the gwound.”

“Yeah, I did!”

Naoise nodded and said, “What you’re describing must be Emain Macha’s horse racetrack. It’s said that your mother was challenged to race against several horses, so of course it would’ve been held there.”

“So that’s where we need to look,” Connla said.

“Sorry we couldn’t be of more help,” Fir apologized.

“It’s okay. Sir Naoise and I can take it from there. I don’t know how long it’s going to take, but you guys sit tight and wait for us to return, okay?”

“Yeah…”

Chapter Text

FATE/CURADH BEAG

“Little Champion”

Chapter 21: Swallowed by the Earth

Once Connla readied Liath Macha for their trip, she and Naoise set off northward for Emain Macha. It would take them until about early that evening to make the crossing, so it was an uneventful journey through the forest. The only quibble that occurred was Liath misbehaving because he refused to allow anyone besides Connla to ride him. She was worried about Naoise being tired and offered to let him ride Liath, but the steed audibly grunted in objection.

“Now, don’t be stubborn,” Connla chided. “I know we’ve been dragging you around everywhere, but that’s no excuse to be so snippy.”

“Frrrgh!”

“Sir Naoise must be exhausted from having to walk all the time. Can’t you let him ride you for just a little bit?”

“Fweeeee!” Liath neighed, as if in retaliation.

She puffed her cheek as she pouted, “Mmmgh! Do I have to be strict with you now!?”

“Come on, there’s no need to get angry,” Naoise urged. “I’m fine, and it’s not much farther anyway.”

“No, I’ll get him to cooperate. This is a matter of discipline – something which a horse should get familiar with as soon as possible.”

He watched in embarrassment as Connla clamored off of Liath’s back and stood in front of the obstinate horse. She firmly put her hands on her hips and said, “Horses are not supposed to be picky about who gets to ride them. You have an important job to do, and I expect you to perform it without question. Now settle down and let Sir Naoise get on.”

Liath glared away from her in clear disdain.

“What’s the problem? Is it because I don’t weigh much?”

“Ffffmgh!”

“Don’t be ridiculous. You’re strong enough to carry three children, but suddenly you’re all weak and feeble whenever a single man wants to ride you? I think you’re being a little too discriminatory here.”

“Frrrrgh…”

“Ohhh, so you’re saying you don’t want carrots for dessert tonight? You’ll be perfectly fine with just bland leftover silo grain?”

“…”

Finally, Liath approached Naoise and waited for him to get on. The warrior chuckled sheepishly, then accepted the horse’s invitation to climb on his back. Connla patted Liath’s flank and said, “There we go. That wasn’t so hard now, was it?”

“Really, there’s no need to go through so much trouble…” Naoise murmured.

“No, I figured it was something I needed to address. Seriously, I don’t understand why he’s so fussy,” Connla grumbled.

“Hm… If I remember right, Liath Macha was one of Cuchulainn’s two chariot horses, wasn’t he?”

“That’s my understanding. Uncle Fergus owns the other horse, Dubh Sainglend.”

“Do you think Liath misses his former owner?”

Connla gazed into the steed’s dark eyes, then murmured in concern, “Maybe. But it’s not like things can go back to the way they used to be. It may have been 15 years, but he still needs to learn to accept change.”

Naoise stroked Liath’s mane and said, “I know it’s difficult for you, buddy. At least you’ve have a wonderful owner now. Keep taking care of her, will you? Her duty as a Champion has definitely been tough on her, so it’s great to know you’re helping her out.”

“Wrrrgh!” Liath merrily neighed in acknowledgement.

They kept moving forward for the next two hours, eating a simple assortment of bread and fruit they brought with them from the hut as their supper. Eventually, they broke through the edge of the woods and saw the town nearby. Several farms could be seen in the distance, although most of the fields had been completely harvested in time for the incoming winter season. The town itself was nowhere near as grand as Galway, nor as desolate and depressing as Belfast, but it possessed a rustic charm of its own. If Connla was not a Champion, she would have loved to settle in a town like this.

She remarked, “So this is Emain Macha, the village erected in the goddess Macha’s honor.”

“Yes. It can mean either Macha’s Twins, Macha’s Pair, or Macha’s Brooch, in reference to the two features on the hilltop,” Naoise explained as he pointed at the two distinct formations of land dotting the peak of the rolling hills. “Considering that Fir and Fial were Macha’s children though, it could’ve also been named in their honor.”

“I’m not 100% sure, but it could be the townsfolk’s attempt at easing Macha’s enmity toward Ulster. If I wanted to calm a goddess’ rage after she miscarried her children, keeping their memory alive through any means possible is definitely what I would do.”

“I think so too.”

The adventurers strolled through the town’s main gates and found the nearest inn. After enjoying a decent meal in the tavern, they turned in for the night, hoping to begin their investigation at first light.

The Land of Shadows

Cuchulainn returned to the castle after spending a hard day’s work quelling any unrest within his undead army. In simpler terms, he punished any spirits who had any plans of rebelling against him. It was much harder to rally them when they had little reason for fighting on the mortal world’s behalf. Instead of trying to rationalize with them, Cuchulainn used extreme and violent force to destroy any key insurrectionists who were inspiring others to follow their lead. This dissuaded the weaker spirits from taking any further action, and reluctantly surrendered to their king’s absolute authority.

Feeling worn out from all of the fighting, Cuchulainn planted Gae Bolg blade-first into the floor next to the throne and sat down with an exhausted grunt.

“What a pain in the ass,” he grumbled to no one in particular.

There was no point in complaining about it though. He just needed to be patient and formulate his war plans as methodically as possible. He was afraid that if he took even one wrong step, Medb would find a weakness in his strategy and crush him before he knew how to react. He knew that a ‘perfect’ strategy was not humanly possible, but he wanted to at least make it as foolproof as it could be.

Unfortunately, he didn’t feel that he was ready yet. He absolutely needed to make sure that Connla was successful in her mission to dispel the Curse of Macha, or else the pincer strategy he discussed with Ewan would not work. Fergus’ army would be stricken by the curse, giving Medb an opening to fall back to either Ulster or Leinster if needed. Fleeing to Leinster was fine, but if she was able to run away to Ulster, that would put both Cathbad and the Leyline in perilous danger, since the Grand Servant would not be able to be summoned to fell the Tree of Emptiness. Cuchulainn did not want to take that gamble while the curse was still active.

To him, the problem was how Connla was supposed to find the curse’s origin. Other than the legend of Macha’s death, there really was nothing else for her to go on. Even if she scoured the area where Macha and her twins died, what was she supposed to look for in the first place? There weren’t any reports of paranormal activity within the town, meaning the threat was concealing itself far more efficiently than what happened with Deirdre of the Sorrows. After all, this was a goddess they were dealing with. Cuchulainn knew that Macha was one of Morrigan’s two sisters; the other was Badb, the war goddess who could change the tide of battle to whichever side she favored, and was said to shriek like a banshee.

There was one common thread that linked the sisters together though – the fact that they were all related to the earth in some form or another. Macha in particular represented the earth’s fertility, and that it could be vengeful if disrespected. Morrigan’s existence revolved around personifying any given territory and either granting or revoking sovereignty to a king over such land, while Badb oversaw any conflict that involved territorial disputes. Furthermore, the world’s only surviving Leyline was also a vein of pure mana located deep within the ground beneath Ulster.

Hmm… The earth, huh?

Cuchulainn couldn’t be sure, but he had a hunch that he wanted to confirm. Now that he had a plan in mind, he reclined upon the throne and closed his eyes, transferring his consciousness from his body back into the Mini Cu doll.

Emain Macha

Early the following morning, Connla woke up and washed her face before getting ready to leave with Naoise. It was going to be a long day of asking questions and poking around for any clues. Naoise had warned her that the topic of Macha’s death was not one that the citizens would be entirely comfortable with discussing, meaning they would have to exercise a lot more tact and reasoning than usual if they wanted to find answers.

Connla organized her belongings to make sure she had everything, but it quickly became apparent that something was missing. She looked through her satchel again and wondered, “Hm? That’s odd. The plush is missing.”

She knew she never took it out even once the previous day. The bag had been tied shut, yet the small rope was loose. She realized what this potentially meant and sighed, “Oh brother… Did Cuchulainn take it over and wander off on his own?”

She felt a slight migraine coming on as she realized she would have to look around for Mini Cu on top of her inquiring the townsfolk. She rubbed her forehead, then was about to leave the room when she noticed a small figure hopping onto the window sill. She gasped when she recognized it and blurted, “Cuchulainn!”

“Hey there,” the grinning Mini Cu waved his tiny arm at her casually while wielding his miniature Gae Bolg in the other hand. “Finally awake, I see.”

The irate Connla stormed up to him, quickly placed him on the bed so no one else would see them, and then exclaimed, “Don’t you just ‘hey there’ me! Did you seriously run around town looking like that!?”

“Everyone was fast asleep when I left, so no one noticed me. Even if they did, this tiny body makes it easy for me to find hiding spots.”

“That’s not the problem! Why couldn’t you have waited for me to wake up!? It’d be more believable to everyone if I was carrying you around, rather than you lurking about like some mythical creature that’d make anyone panic!”

“Would you calm down already? I had something very important to look into, and I couldn’t wait until morning. Luckily for both of us, I discovered what I was searching for.”

“Does this have anything to do with Macha?”

“Damn straight.”

“Hmph… This had better be good,” Connla folded her arms and huffed.

Mini Cu wanted to tell her to lighten up, but he had a feeling she wasn’t in the mood for it. Instead, he told her, “I found the exact spot where Macha and her kids died inside the race track.”

Her eyes lit up a bit. “Did you?”

“Even for a goddess, it’s impossible to not leave a sort of ‘spiritual stain’ behind after cursing the inhabitants of an entire province. It isn’t noticeable to ordinary people, but druids are able to pick up on it if they apply their Runecraft properly. It’s still rather difficult to pinpoint the precise location it due to how widespread the curse is. Hell, even I had a hard time figuring it out with everything at my disposal. Fortunately, I could also use my nose to sniff for traces of old blood, and found some near one of the goal lines.”

Connla was a little startled at first, and she blurted, “Uh… You used your nose? Like how a dog would?”

“Yeah. Is there a problem with that?”

“No. It’s just… well, I wasn’t expecting that.”

“When you lose a lot of your humanity and regress to that of a carnal beast like I have, your senses become much more heightened than usual. Hell, I could probably eat any kind of animal and know exactly where it was from based on its scent and diet.”

“You don’t say…”

“But we’re getting off topic here. I’ll show you where to go, and you can sort out the rest from there.”

She nodded, then exited the inn and found Naoise waiting a bit impatiently for her on the dirt road. He asked her why she was so late, and she explained everything that Mini Cu told her just now. Naoise was rather surprised with Cuchulainn’s discovery, but still believed it would be a good idea for him to ask around town in case anyone had valuable information. They agreed to split up for now and meet back at the tavern, then went their separate ways. Connla made her way to the horse race track and paid for a pass to go inside.

The track was closed today, but it was a popular form of entertainment for the royalty and nobility to gamble on the outcomes of any given race. On a business day, the high-priced seats would be filled with wealthy tourists from all over Ireland who wanted to forget about the world’s woes for a short while and place bets on their favorite steeds. Many of the common folk were also addicted to these races and scrounged up whatever money they could find, hoping to earn a good profit. In turn, such winnings would be quickly spent on buying barrels of spare rain water that opportunistic merchants would tack hefty prices on.

Barely anyone was around today besides a couple of employees who cleaned the fields every day. This gave Connla and Mini Cu plenty of freedom to walk around without being disturbed too much. He pointed her towards the finish line in question, and as she approached, the hairs on her skin started to prickle.

“Whoa,” she uttered. “I think I’m picking something up.”

“Figured you would,” Mini Cu said. “It’s the residual energy I told you about, where Macha lay dying and cursed Ulster’s warriors.”

She became forlorn as she frowned and thought, So this is where Fir and Fial died…

She shook her head to try and dismiss such dismal musings. She had a job to do, and she needed to concentrate. She kneeled upon the dirt and glided her hand just a few inches off the ground to perform a more detailed scan with her Runes. She closed her eyes, and the Runes showed her what the magical energy deep within the earth looked like. Distinct blue lines ebbed along the rocks, stretching further and further into the bedrock. It was leading her somewhere, but since she was about to reach the depth where the Leyline was, the huge amount of magical energy radiating through the land would make it nearly impossible for her to see anything more than an endless wash of azure light.

“Hmm… I don’t think I can do much with the skills I have,” Connla admitted. “I may know some Runes, but not enough to be considered a high-class druid. The ones I use tend to be tailored more towards battle, rather than practical applications like this. It’s such a difficult challenge, I think that Lord Cathbad may be the only one who can do anything.”

“But at least you know where the entry point is,” Mini Cu said.

“Yes. It’s safe to assume that Macha’s curse is relying on the Leyline to keep it active. It’s almost like a geas that’s been applied to the earth itself, and any Ulsterman who walks upon Ulster soil will suffer its effects once the conditions have been met.”

“Interesting. I had never thought of it that way.”

She then grew perplexed as she murmured, “But there was something else I noticed.”

“What is it?”

“The curse isn’t just contained to Ulster. It’s reaching out all the way to Connacht, Leinster, and even into Munster. All of Ireland is under its effects. Why would that be? All of the tales claim that Macha only afflicted Ulster – nothing has ever been mentioned about the other provinces.”

Mini Cu folded his arms as he thought of a reasonable answer. He whispered to himself, “It could be possible…”

“Did you think of something?”

“Remember that the three Morrigan sisters all relate with the earth, especially with granting territory to reigning lords. Since Ulster lost to Connacht at the Cattle Raid’s conclusion, Medb took possession of Ulster and amalgamated it with Connacht. Then she forced Munster and Leinster to join Connacht as well, effectively turning all of Ireland into a singular province.”

“So you’re saying that the other provinces inherited the curse by virtue of the merger?”

“Most likely. As far as Macha is concerned, if any other territory is conjoined with Ulster, then it too is considered to be Ulster.”

“Wow. This is a lot worse than I thought,” Connla murmured gravely. “Uncle Fergus’ insurrection will be stopped cold if nothing is done about this.”

“Hmph. Leave it to Medb to fuck things up even more than they already are.”

“Not to mention that the curse is sucking up the Leyline’s magical energy to keep it active. Short of diving into the Leyline itself, there’s literally nothing I can do here.”

The doll shrugged and said, “Oh well. At least you can compel that old fart to do something useful for once, besides ruining people’s lives with his ridiculous prophecies.”

“I sure hope this won’t waste too much of his t-“

She stopped in mid-sentence when she thought she felt the ground quiver beneath her feet like gelatin. She gasped, thinking she was slipping on ice for a split second, but then the rumbling subsided as instantly as it occurred. She glanced at him and asked nervously, “Did you feel that?”

“Feel what?”

“I-I thought the ground shook for a second. Was it just my imagination?”

“Oy, lassie!” they heard one of the workers shout from several yards away. He waved at her frantically and exclaimed, “Ye need t’git outta ‘ere pronto! The quakes are ‘appenin’ ‘gain!”

“Quakes?” she asked.

“Aye! Dunno why, but the town’s been gittin’ a case o’the shakes lately, if ye know what I mean! I think this may be the biggest one we got!”

Connla and Mini Cu made eye contact, both realizing in stunned silence what this could mean. She picked the doll up and struggled to flee, but then lost her balance and fell face-first upon the dirt after the ground’s shivering erupted into a full-blown earthquake. Mini Cu blurted, “You okay, kid!?”

“Owww… I think I hit my nose…”

“Come on, get up! I can see cracks forming on the field already!”

“Ah… Ouch!” she screamed when her head accidentally lurched forward against her volition and smacked against the earth.

He grit his teeth and thought, This isn’t good!

The only things she could hear anymore were the persistent rumbling and piercing cracks of solid earth that opened up like the maws of hundreds of hungry animals waiting for their food to fall through. The race track was ruined, and the man who was calling out to her had already bailed by this point. Before Connla could shuffle onto her knees, a horrific and unnatural roar screamed from deep within the bedrock. Now she really was starting to think that there was some kind of gigantic beast lurking in there that had awakened from its slumber. Suddenly, the ground she was on shifted sideways like a pillar that was sliding inward on a muddy foundation, and she started to slip dangerously close to the edge.

“CONNLA!” Mini Cu shrieked.

Unfortunately, it was too late. Before either of them knew what was going on, they both fell off and plummeted into the crevice that opened up. Shock overcame the stricken girl’s senses, preventing her from thinking rationally enough to escape this predicament. There had absolutely been no warning whatsoever, and certainly no reason to suspect something like this would happen. As she watched the fissure rise all around her, and the hole get smaller and smaller with each second, a familiar azure light glowed from behind her peripheral vision. She was unable to do anything as the blue glow grew more and more intense until it overwhelmed her vision, and she completely blacked out.

Back at Leabharcham’s hut, Deirdre read some poetry that her caretaker had left behind to the twins. Most of them were lengthy stories that enthralled the children with tales of emotional adventure, which helped keep their minds off of Macha. They kept a small bonfire going to keep warm as they quietly listened. However, for some peculiar reason, the children were looking more and more uncomfortable.

“Lo, I say!” Deirdre exclaimed as she read from the parchment. “Doth not recognize mine affection for thee? Why doth thou persist in ignoring mine declarations? Hath I been mistaken this whole time? Art I doomed to live with an unrequited heart for the rest of mine days? Answer me, woman of noble heart and wealth! Must social stature control our destinies, and-“

“Um,” Fir suddenly uttered. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but…”

“Hm? What is it? Would you like to take a break?” the young woman asked.

“No, it’s a really good story. But I think… someone’s calling my name.”

“I hear someone saying my name too,” Fial admitted.

“Really?” Deirdre raised an eyebrow and looked around. “I haven’t heard anything of the sort.”

Without warning, the twins got up and hurried outside, which alarmed Deirdre. She scrambled to her feet and chased after them, shouting, “Where are you going!? It’s dangerous at night!”

She lost them momentarily amidst the dense autumn forest and dark evening sky. Dried up leaves crinkled beneath her shoes as she wandered around looking for them. She soon discovered them standing side-by-side in a small clearing near a stream of gently gurgling water. Their expressions were eerily blank as they stared afar at what Deirdre thought was absolutely nothing. She wanted to scold them for running off, but their distant gazes gave her pause.

“What’s the matter, you two?” she asked.

“Fir…” Fial murmured. “Is that who I think it is?”

“I don’t know for sure. But I think it’s him,” Fir responded in an empty voice.

Deirdre struggled to understand what they were going on about, and she uttered, “Come to your senses already! What is it that’s gotten you both in such a fuss!?”

They glanced back at her in concern, and Fial asked, “You don’t see him?”

“See who?”

“Thewe’s a fawmer standing thewe and saying ouw names.”

“Papa was a farmer, so we think it’s him,” Fir added.

“Um…” Deirdre was completely perplexed by this development. “I’m sorry, but I don’t see this fellow that you’re talking about.”

The children looked at each other uneasily. Fial moaned, “But he’s wight thewe. He’s tewwing us to go to Emain Macha.”

“Say, do you think something bad’s going to happen to Connla and Naoise?” Fir wondered worriedly. “Maybe Papa wants us to help them.”

“Yeah. Papa pwobabwy wants us to save Mama befowe she huwts them.”

Deirdre frowned once the conversation turned towards Naoise potentially being in danger. She tightened the shawl around her shoulders, then said, “I’m not sure what’s going on, but if this man you claim is your father wants you to go to Emain Macha, then maybe there’s a good reason for it.”

“I think so too,” Fir nodded in agreement. “Can we go as soon as possible?”

“Papa wants us to huwwy,” Fial uttered. “If we don’t, something weawwy, weawwy bad might happen.”

“All right,” Deirdre relented. “If you’re both claiming to have seen him, then I shouldn’t question it too much. The trip may be dangerous at night though, so let’s wait until morning.”

With that, the trio returned to the hut and gathered whatever supplies they would need for the journey. Once they finished getting ready, it was only a matter of waiting for daybreak to arrive so they could leave without worry of nocturnal monsters attacking them. Since they were all too restless to consider getting some sleep, they sat down around the dimming fire and ate some bread.

Fial grew concerned as she asked her brother, “Say, Fir… Awe we doing the wight thing?”

“What do you mean?”

“We don’t even know what Papa wooks wike, so that might not have been him at awl.”

“But he was definitely saying our names, and Ms. Deirdre couldn’t see him.”

“Hmm… I don’t know. We don’t even know what Mama wooks wike either. Even if we met her, we wouldn’t know if it was her.”

“That’s true…”

Deirdre leaned in and asked, “Do you two know anything about your father?”

Fir faced her and said, “Only what Auntie told us. He was a poor and lonely farmer named Cruinnuic who had lost his first wife. Mama suddenly showed up at his home one day and acted as his wife, doing housekeeping duties without saying a word. Thanks to her presence, Papa’s farm flourished, and he amassed a lot of wealth.”

“So they didn’t have a proper marriage?”

“I don’t think so. But they loved each other anyway, and Mama became pregnant with us. Then one day, Papa brought Mama to the horse races, but Mama told him to never talk about her with anyone. Papa broke that promise by boasting to a king that Mama could run faster than the royal steeds. The insulted king threatened Papa with death if he couldn’t prove his claims, so Mama had to enter the race to save Papa’s life.”

“So that’s how it all happened,” Deirdre murmured. “But the price for your father’s hubris was too steep. Instead of just him being put to death, your mother had to sacrifice both herself and the two of you. Three lives in exchange for one, in other words. It’s no wonder Macha cursed Ulster’s men – it must have been all much too unfair for her to bear without exacting some form of revenge towards the impotence of kings and nobility. By afflicting Ulster’s warriors during their time of need, she would force them to understand the weight of their excessive pride while being trampled upon by an outside invader.”

“I guess so,” Fial said. “But Connwa said that the scawy guy Cuchuwainn is gonna wage war with Iwewand soon. That means Mama’s cuwse is gonna twigger, isn’t it?”

“It sure seems like it. That’s what Naoise and Connla are working to prevent.”

“Then if Papa says thewe’s something we can do, I say we should do it!”

“Yeah,” Fir nodded. “It may be scary, but I don’t want my death to be partly responsible for Ireland’s men being unable to fight when they need to.”

“Me neither! We just gotta be bwave and go!”

Deirdre gently smiled, realizing that the twins truly wanted to contribute in any way they could towards stopping the Curse of Macha. She glanced through the window and noticed that the sky was getting slightly brighter. She shuffled to her feet and said, “All right, I think we can set out now. It’s still pretty cold outside, so make sure to bundle up.”

“’Kay!” the twins replied simultaneously.

Connla gradually regained consciousness, realizing that she was lying on her side.

She opened her eyes and wearily looked around at her surroundings. Her vision was terribly blurry and her head felt like it contained an entire building’s worth of bricks inside it. She managed to make out that she was resting within a grassy field, and the dim sky indicated that it was early morning. The breeze flowed against the grass like water smoothly gliding along a shallow river. However, she couldn’t hear anything resembling a breeze. In fact, everything was totally silent.

Where am I?

That obvious question would not receive an answer. Connla struggled to stand up, but it was pointless to try due to the immense fatigue she was suffering. All she could do was sit there and take in the scenery as she thought about what had happened.

Last I recall, Sir Naoise and I were looking around in Emain Macha’s horse racetrack. Then I found a spot that emanated residual spiritual energy… and then the ground started to shake.

Was she in a dream? Despite her abnormal surroundings, she was acutely aware of being wide awake, so it couldn’t be that. She might not have been sleeping, but this location felt way too distant and abnormal for her to be in the real world. Was she taken to some foreign reality without knowing it? She knew the Land of Shadows wasn’t the only alternate dimension out there, so that was the most probable solution for her. Even so, which one could this possibly be? It was far too still and silent for her liking, so she knew it couldn’t be anything like Emain Ablach, Mag Mell, Tir Tairngire, or even the Reverse Side of the World. Those realms were said to be populated by gods, sidhe, and Phantasmals who had long since left the world to be populated by humans, but this place was clearly devoid of life.

Am I… dead?

Despite how frightening that sounded, Connla knew it was a possibility. Who knew? She could have been suddenly killed while the strange earthquake struck Emain Macha. She might’ve been stuck here for millennia and never realized it until now. A sense of dread started to well up within her chest…

Then, some sort of movement caught her eye.

Something had fallen from the sky and collapsed upon the ground several yards away from her. She couldn’t make out what it was from this distance, so she stumbled onto her feet and ambled toward the object as best as she could. Once she could finally see what it was, she uttered a small gasp of sheer astonishment.

It was herself, lying face-up with a blank expression in her eyes. Her skin was deathly pale and clammy, and her clothes were all torn and bloodied. That wasn’t the worst part of it, though. To Connla’s absolute horror, her heart had been gouged out, leaving behind a gaping hole full of blood and exposed viscera. Furthermore, some sort of strange bluish lines etched themselves throughout portions of her chest and face like an encroaching disease. She knew exactly what it was – she had seen Scathach use this curse plenty of times against her opponents.

Is that… Gae Bolg?

Connla trembled and shook her head in disbelief.

Why was it used on me? Who did this to me?

She looked over to see someone else landing on the ground a little further away. It was a man who appeared to be in his mid-20s. His long blue hair was tied back into a thin ponytail, his ruby eyes shimmered slightly, and he wore a Celtic bodysuit that was the same hue as his hair. To Connla’s dismay, she saw him wielding that all-too familiar spear in one of his hands. Although she didn’t recognize him immediately, she could discern enough of his features to realize who he was.

That’s not the Cuchulainn I know, but it’s definitely him.

That was when the awful truth dawned on her.

Wait a minute… Cuchulainn used Gae Bolg on me? But he’s supposed to be my father, isn’t he? Why would he… No, this can’t be right! This has to be a bad dream! There’s no way he’d do that to me!

She clutched her cranium and shook her head back and forth.

Stop! I don’t want to look anymore!

She tried to turn around and flee. However, some compelling force caused her entire body to feel as heavy as molasses. No matter which direction she darted her eyes, the horrific scene refused to escape from her sight, tormenting her with uncontrollable fear and uncertainty.

It isn’t real! It isn’t real! It isn’t real!

She desperately kept repeating that mantra over and over again in a futile attempt to dismiss this nightmarish scene as someone’s terrible idea of a joke. Although the scene unfolding before her was completely silent, she could see this alternate Cuchulainn suddenly holding the dying Connla in his arms and crying out loud. The stricken girl froze, seeing how anguished and mortified Cuchulainn appeared, and realized that maybe this was something he didn’t want either.

Cuchulainn… What are you to me? Are you supposed to be an ally, or an enemy? I just don’t understand anymore. Someone please tell me…

As despair started to grip Connla’s mind, that was when she heard something breaking the soul-crushing silence.

“-ey! Hey! Conn-! Are you… Answer-!”

“Huh?” she murmured and strained to listen more closely.

“Connla! Where are you, kid!? If you can hear me, say something!”

A tremendous relief swept through her as she heard the man’s cries, but something seemed wrong as she thought, That’s not Sir Naoise’s voice.

Due to this bizarre realm clouding her mind, it took her a moment to recall where she had heard it before. Eventually, she figured out who it belonged to:

“… Cu… chul… ainn?”

“Ah! I heard you just now! Say something again!”

“Um… I-I’m right here…”

“Louder! I can’t see you in this damn fog!”

“I’m right here! I don’t know where I am, and I don’t know how to escape!”

“It’s okay! I’m here to get you!”

A few seconds later, a shadow formed on the opposite side of the blanketing mist surrounding Connla. Soon, a bulky masculine figure with a swishing spiked tail became more and more distinct as he ran toward where he thought he heard her. It didn’t take long for him to burst through the fog and find her sitting in a heap upon the dream-like grass.

“There you are!” Cuchulainn blurted and kneeled before her. “Dammit, it took forever for me to find you!”

“Wh-What are you… doing here?” Connla mumbled almost incoherently. “I thought… you were in Scotland…”

“My body is, remember? I transmitted my mind over to the Mini Cu doll, but that was when the earthquake hit the town.”

“What happened? Why did the ground shake like that?”

“I think the Leyline exploded from beneath the surface, releasing a torrent of magical energy. I sensed that something unnatural was stirring within the earth and tried to warn you, but I was too late.”

“Something unnatural?”

“Yeah. I’m not entirely sure, but given what it is we’re investigating, I have a good hunch that it was Macha. Regardless if it was her or not, the fact is that you fell into the hole that ripped open in the earth, and the stadium was heavily damaged.”

“I fell in?” Connla was shocked to hear this. “So, we’re inside the Leyline right now?”

Cuchulainn nodded. “You’re unconscious, floating within a sea of pure magical energy. I decided to leave the doll and enter your subconsciousness as you were falling, so that I could get you out of here. That black-haired fella you’ve been traveling with must be losing his mind trying to find some way to rescue you himself.”

“Oh…” she murmured as she became worried about Naoise. However, a bigger concern arose as she asked, “Is it particularly dangerous for me to be inside the Leyline?”

“It can be lethal, especially considering how long you’ve been stuck here. I’ve been using Dagda’s Cauldron to protect your body from severe mana intoxication, but the sooner we can escape, the better.”

“I see. Then I guess we should get moving, assuming you have any idea where we are right now. Is this supposed to be a dream, a hallucination, the real world, or something else?”

“The Cauldron may be protecting your body, but your mind’s rapidly breaking down as we speak. You’re not in any condition to try moving about yourself, but I should be able to remotely control your body using the Cauldron as a tether. I just needed to look for you, the last vestiges of your mind, so I knew I wouldn’t be trying to rescue a catatonic vegetable.”

“Um… so, does that mean I have to do anything?”

“No,” Cuchulainn stood tall over Connla, then turned to face toward the mist. “You just sit there and stay as calm as possible. If you panic, it’ll be more likely for your consciousness to break down even further, making it harder for me to control your body.”

“Okay.”

With that, he closed his eyes and concentrated. His form glowed with an eerie mixture of deep red and pitch black, as if accentuating his malevolent nature. Back in the waking world, Connla’s eyes opened, but had changed from their usual soft brown color into a bright and sharp set of crimson irises. Her expression was also a little more fierce than usual as Cuchulainn’s personality took over. She ‘swam’ through the flow of pure magical energy, trying to find some sort of landmark she could use to find her way back to the surface.

Chapter Text

FATE/CURADH BEAG

“Little Champion”  

Chapter 22: The Roles of Children and Adults

The chilly early morning hours gradually gave way to a mild breeze that softly swayed the colorful leaves still clinging to their branches. As Deirdre, Fir and Fial made their way to Emain Macha, they never suspected that the trip would be anything but uneventful. However, as they made it to the edge of the hill where the town resided, the ground violently vibrated beneath their feet and they needed to stumble onto their knees to keep their balance. It only lasted for a few seconds, but it certainly spooked Fial.

“Uwah!? Wh-Wh-What was that!?” the frantic girl exclaimed.

“An earthquake?” Fir wondered. “But that’s strange. I’ve never heard of this area being hit by quakes before.”

Deirdre gasped for breath, still a bit startled by this unexpected occurrence. She soon picked herself up and asked the others, “Are you two all right?”

“We’re fine.”

“Say, is this weawwy a good idea?” the suddenly nervous Fial asked her brother.

He shot her an annoyed look and retorted, “Isn’t it a little too late to be asking that?”

“But what if another one happens while we awe in town?”

“Then we just take it slow and cautious. Besides, Papa’s still pointing us toward Emain Macha. That must mean we’re going in the right way.”

“I know, but…”

Deirdre silently frowned when she heard them talking about their father Cruinnuic. Even after following them for this entire time, she still couldn’t see this ghostly farmer that they were supposedly being guided by. All she could do was trust that they knew what they were doing and make sure they didn’t get into any trouble. Besides, she had her own reason for being here - she couldn’t stand being apart from Naoise any longer. The earthquake only served to heighten her fears and concerns for him, and she worried that he might have been injured just now.

Finally, she said to the twins, “Let’s hurry and catch up with Naoise. I want to make sure that he and Connla are okay.”

At the entrance to the horse race track, pandemonium had ensued amongst the employees and townsfolk. The stadium had been heavily damaged by the seismic tremors, and the horses that lived in the facility’s stables had panicked and wound up fleeing. This forced their owners and some of the town’s men to run after the, while others struggled to keep curious onlookers away from the epicenter until the guardsmen could arrive.

“Everyone, please stand back!” the track’s owner bellowed at the crowd milling around the gates. “We can’t guarantee that another one won’t hit us! For your own safety, please do not breach the front gates!”

“Say, weren’t there those lesser tremors that have been happening in the last few days?” a man asked his friend.

A woman looked at her husband and asked, “Was anyone hurt?”

“It doesn’t look like it. Today is cleaning day, so the place should have been closed.”

“Ahh, what am I going to do!? This is going to cost a fortune to get fixed!” one of the merchants exclaimed. “Knowing Medb, she’s going to use this as an excuse to tax us through the nose!”

“Unbelievable! Is that all you can think about!?” a young man shouted angrily. “Someone could have been killed just now!”

“Shut it, you punk! I can barely meet ends enough as it is!”

“It’s the same for me too, you know!”

The owner could barely get everyone to calm down as they bickered and argued amongst themselves about how these damages were going to affect their livelihoods. Meanwhile, Naoise was off in a separate corner interrogating the worker who had last seen Connla before the quake struck.

“You can’t be serious!” the swordsman raged, his usually pale cheeks flush with incredulity. He grabbed the man’s collar and howled, “You’re telling me you turned tail and left her behind!? Why didn’t you try to rescue her!?”

“Shh! Sir, please keep it down!” the terrified employee urged. “If word got out that a child fell in, there’s going to be panic everywhere!”

“I don’t care about any calm and order, mate! If you’re not going to do a damn thing, then let me inside so I can look for her myself!”

“I can’t! I’ve been ordered to allow no one inside!”

“So that’s it!? You’re just going to abandon her again!? The whole bloody lot of you are worthless! If you won’t allow me to go in, then I’ll just force my way through!”

“The guards will be here soon enough! If you could just be patient and let them-!”

Now having lost his patience, Naoise drew his sword out and pointed it at the frightened worker. Upon seeing the polished blade being shoved in his direction, the poor man collapsed onto his buttocks and yelped, “Heee~eeek! O-O-Okay, do what you want! Just don’t kill me!”

“Hah! Should’ve said so from the start, asshole!” the annoyed warrior retorted, then barged past him into the race track. He immediately saw that the damage was much worse than he anticipated, with massive gaps stretching out along the worn dirt where the horses normally raced. About half of the rafters split apart and collapsed, while other areas simply had broken chairs and stones strewn about everywhere. Naoise had to navigate his way around the dangerous holes in the ground, which opened into chasms that were probably several hundred meters deep.

Somewhere in the furthest corner of his mind, a strangely rational thought crossed his mind as he realized, That’s odd. The rest of the town looks perfectly fine, but this place is a total war zone. Was the earthquake contained to just this one area?

It didn’t make much sense to him, since he had heard stories of seismic attacks affecting much wider stretches of land than this. However, that wasn’t what he was worried about. He cupped his hands around his mouth and screamed at the top of his lungs, “CONNLA, WHERE ARE YOU!? IF YOU’RE THERE, ANSWER ME!”

His cry echoed a couple of times in the silent stadium, but only an eerie stillness followed. He tried calling to her again, with nothing but the wind rushing through his hair as the only response. He soon reached the spot where Connla had last been seen, and he finally got a good look at the gigantic fissure which the worker said he saw the child fall into. He got onto one knee and stared down the seemingly endless pit. In that moment, an uncharacteristic fear welled within his chest, and his breathing became rapid.

“By the gods…” he gasped in desperation.

He had every right to be mortified. Unlike the other holes that had opened up, this one seemed to reach into the very heart of the floating island kilometers below the surface. Another peculiar thing he noticed was the presence of a very faint blue glow ebbing within the otherwise pitch black darkness. Even if he could see it from this distance, he suspected it would take upwards of several minutes to reach it should he choose to jump in.

Any air that was in his lungs escaped from a horrible gasp he uttered. What was he supposed to do? He now understood why the worker he threatened was helpless to do anything for Connla. No one would be insane enough to go after her, while also expecting her to be alive after such a long fall. No coherent thoughts came to mind, and he just kneeled there staring into the abyss in stunned silence.

Inside the Leyline, Cuchulainn controlled Connla’s body to navigate through the torrent of magical energy rushing past her. Trying to find something to use as a foothold was proving to be much harder than the Mad King expected, but he wouldn’t give up until he found something.

Deep in her subconsciousness, Connla sat there and watched Cuchulainn for a short while. However, curiosity won over as she asked him, “By the way, did you see anything else while you were looking for me?”

“Nothing other than endless white mist. Why do you ask?”

“Well, while I was lost, I saw some kind of vision. It was incredibly disturbing, almost to the point of making me go mad. To be honest, I’m still a bit shaken over it.”

This was definitely a concern for Cuchulainn. Without hesitation, he asked, “What did you see?”

She described everything that she witnessed to him. Now he was starting to feel slightly upset as well, and he grit his teeth in disdain. Once she finished, she wondered, “What do you think it was? Some kind of trickery to try and confuse me?”

“I’m not sure. But there’s always that distant possibility…” he murmured, and his voice trailed off.

“A possibility? Of what?”

“Ngh… I don’t want to imagine it… but you have to remember that we exist in a Lostbelt – a timeline that has erred so grievously that it shouldn’t exist anymore, yet is forced to sustain itself due to the Tree of Emptiness.”

“Teacher mentioned that to me too. She wanted me to destroy Circinus so that the Lostbelt could be Pruned from the Greater History of Man, as it should be. I wasn’t expecting to have to help Lord Cathbad summon a Grand Servant to do it instead, but the result is the same regardless.”

“Then think about it for a second. If our timeline is not how human history should have occurred, then it’s reasonable to think that our lives would have played out very differently in the true timeline.”

Connla’s eyes widened in horror. She didn’t want to verbally express what she was thinking, and fell silent with total disbelief. Cuchulainn’s strained expression was likewise a strong enough indicator that they were sharing the same thought right now. Instead of stating what was incredibly obvious to them by this point, Connla blurted, “B-But, why? Why would you do such a thing?”

He frowned hard. “We’re Celts. Anything’s possible with us.”

“That doesn’t explain anything!”

“Look, I really don’t know. I’m only familiar with what goes on in this Lostbelt. As far as we’re concerned, you never met me when you should have, and grew up in the Land of Shadows as Scathach’s pupil. I’m sure my transformation into Taoide Olc played a huge factor in us never meeting, but that doesn’t tell me anything about what happened on your end.”

“On my end?”

“All I know about you is that you’re my kid, you were that woman’s student, and that you have three geasa. Those vows are a particular point of contention for me, considering that me possessing two geasa is harsh enough as it is. Plus you told me before that your mother was quite abusive toward you.”

“Abusive? I always thought that was her method for training me to be as strong as her. Once I turned seven, she put the geasa on me, saying they would give me greater strength as long as I upheld them.”

This was a brand new revelation for him. He glanced back at her in surprise and uttered, “Your mother did that?”

“Yes. Is something wrong with it?”

“Damn it… So that’s what it is…” he glowered to himself, then lividly thought, Aife, you twisted bitch!

Connla tilted her head, wondering what was bothering Cuchulainn. He shook his head to compose himself, lest he risk losing his control over Connla’s body. He inhaled sharply, then asked, “What happened after you received the geasa? Where is Aife right now?”

She became despondent as she replied, “Teacher told me that Mother was maimed to death by a Demon Boar.”

He immediately became suspicious. “Did you ever actually see your mother’s death?”

“No. I just took Teacher’s word for it. Mother’s never appeared again since then, so I’m sure Teacher was telling the truth.”

He narrowed his eyes and pondered, What a load of crap. I saw firsthand how strong Aife was in battle, and there’s no way she would have allowed a Demon Boar to kill her. If Aife was mistreating Connla so harshly, then Scathach would definitely have seen her as an obstacle to her plans for raising the kid on her own. I’d bet all the money in the world that Scathach killed Aife to get her out of the way, thus preventing Connla from going to Ireland to find me. Since the nature of her geasa forbids her from introducing herself to a king, that would have been taken as an affront to Conchobhar’s dignity, and he would have summoned me to fight her.

In other words, due to a sick plot that Aife concocted to get back at me for violating her body… Connla would have died by my hands.

Despite how distressing this knowledge was to him, at least it gave him a much better understanding of how incredibly lucky Connla was to be alive. He then asked, “Do the geasa bother you?”

“Sometimes. Never being able to turn away from a journey isn’t so hard, but having to fight battles that I may not be strong enough to win is always a terrifying possibility. I think not being able to say my name is the most inconvenient though, since I constantly have to apologize for my rudeness and explain what’s going on. Teacher did tattoo my name on my arm, and provided a letter that I have to carry with me wherever I go, so that’s helped a bit.”

“I see,” he murmured, then sighed under his breath. He had to force himself to not dwell on it, but it was impossible for him to not at least think about how unfair Connla’s life would be regardless if it was the Lostbelt or Proper Human History. He was doing what he could to help her achieve her goal, but was it enough? Could he truly do anything to save her from experiencing such a miserable end in this timeline as well?

However, Cuchulainn’s inner musings were interrupted when he spotted something unusual through Connla’s eyes. Within the vivid azure pool of raw magical energy, the intricate details of what looked like an extremely complex Runic circle gradually came into view, glowing an intense white light in contrast to the blue aura surrounding him. Hundreds of thin lines radiated from the sigil and coursed along the bedrock like shining blood vessels.

Connla was also seeing what was going on in her own vision, and she asked in surprise, “What is that?”

“It’s kind of hard to tell from here,” Cuchulainn admitted, then smirked a little. “But I think we’ve hit the jackpot.”

“What do you mean? I thought you were trying to find a way for us to escape.”

“I am. But I can’t pass this up now. If we’re really looking at the source of Macha’s curse, then this is our chance to get rid of it.”

“How? I don’t have anything in my arsenal for dispelling a powerful formula like that.”

She had a point. Even though they had come this far, she really had nothing to help her combat the curse directly. Cuchulainn grit his teeth and wondered, If that’s the case, how the hell did Cathbad expect her to deal with this particular blight?

Then a thought occurred to him:

Or is it that he predicted this would happen?

It wasn’t impossible for him to consider. Cathbad wasn’t only proficient at discerning the future; his prophecies could actually alter the course of reality, so long as he spoke of it to whomever would listen. For instance, Cuchulainn himself had heard Cathbad’s prophecy of him growing up to be a great warrior, yet being destined to die young as a consequence. If Cuchulainn had never heard that prediction, his life would have taken a much different course. It was the same with Cathbad’s prophecy regarding Deirdre’s exquisite beauty, and how kings would wage war over her. If Cathbad had remained silent, Deirdre would probably have lived as an ordinary woman.

Was Cathbad sending Connla on this mission also some form of destiny forcing the world’s logic to bend to its will? Did Cathbad intend all along for Connla to be the guide who would bring the actual person to destroy Macha’s curse? Cuchulainn didn’t want to imagine it. If that was the case, then Cathbad was also using Connla like a disposable tool, just like Aife and Scathach were. Cuchulainn could only guess that Connla’s role was to actually bring him to the curse’s formula so that he would destroy it.

Shit… Every last one of you bastards, making the kid’s life as miserable as possible…

Alas, it meant he had a job to fulfill. Since he was this world’s god of destruction, he certainly possessed the means and ability to accomplish it. Unfortunately, there was a huge problem:

“Tch. If only I had Gae Bolg, I could make short work of this thing,” he grumbled.

“Gae Bolg?” Connla wondered. “How can you possibly use it when it’s with you in Scotland?”

“Hmm…” he closed his eyes and contemplated for a moment. “It might not be entirely impossible… But it’s going to be incredibly tricky.”

“Do you have an idea in mind?”

“I do. But it’s going to require every ounce of my concentration. I need you to be quiet for now.”

“O-Oh, all right…”

He shut his mind to all else except focusing on harnessing the most valuable tool he possessed; Dagda’s Cauldron, the Irish equivalent of the Holy Grail. If he could use it to find the ‘heart’ of Macha’s curse, then fling Gae Bolg from Dun Scaith all the way to Emain Macha to pierce its core, there was a chance that he could destroy it despite physically being hundreds of kilometers away. Of course, the logistics behind such an outrageous plan were shaky at best. He wasn’t too worried about unleashing Gae Bolg’s full destructive capacity – it was more an issue of accuracy, and contending with any potential defenses Macha may have erected that Cuchulainn wasn’t aware of. He was sure that Gae Bolg would ignore any form of resistance and ‘pierce’ Macha’s curse before the spear was even thrown, as was the spear’s horrifying ability to reverse cause and effect.

But it was going to be pointless if he couldn’t make out where exactly to aim. If he energized Gae Bolg too much, he could risk turning it into an explosive weapon that could destroy anything and anyone in its path, including Connla. Hell, he’d probably eradicate his own psyche by accident, since the pair were sharing the same subconsciousness after all. Cuchulainn needed to make the spear as strong as possible, yet precise enough to not hit anything other than the Runic circle.

A beacon… Is there some kind of beacon I could use?

He looked around for anything noteworthy that caught his attention. There was nothing except the persistent azure glow ebbing all around him, making it difficult for him to discern any sort of useful landmark. He searched on Connla’s person to see if she had anything on hand. There wasn’t really anything noteworthy besides a slingshot with some stones, and a few Runestones in her skirt pocket. He initially dismissed her spear as just an ordinary polearm…

But that was when Cuchulainn finally noticed it.

What the-?

Was his mind playing tricks on him? Upon closer examination of the spear, he realized that the wooden pole and steel blade were actually illusions being generated by a series of tiny Runes. He had never spotted them before because their magical readings were way too faint for even the most experienced druids to pick up. Since they were deep inside the Leyline however, any and all forms of Runecraft dwelling within gained a substantial boost to their power. That was the whole reason why Macha planted her curse in here to begin with.

Furthermore, Cuchulainn recognized the latent energy being heavily suppressed by the illusions. The spear’s true power was being sealed on purpose, but he instantly knew what it was. His eyes widened to the size of saucers, and his darkened skin paled as the inevitable thought crossed his mind:

Connla’s… got her own Gae Bolg!?

While Naoise was inside the stadium lamenting on his failure, Deirdre, Fir and Fial discovered the bedlam of townsfolk ambling around the damaged race track. The woman grew concerned as she wondered, “Is that where the quake hit?”

“It must be. Everyone’s going crazy,” Fir murmured.

“But we gotta find a way in!” Fial exclaimed. “Papa’s telling us to go inside!”

“How are we supposed to get in? There must be guards everywhere.”

Deirdre looked around, then suggested, “Most of the soldiers are busy barricading the front entrance. Maybe if we go around the back, we could find another way.”

They snuck past the pell-mell while trying not to draw too much attention to themselves. The damage around the stadium’s perimeter was much worse than they anticipated, making it difficult for them to trudge along the broken roads and hollowed out grass fields. Although the twins were focused on following their invisible father’s trail, Deirdre couldn’t help but notice how surprisingly contained the destruction was.

It's almost like someone just wanted to attack the race track, she mused to herself.

Growing more and more worried, she kept thinking about Naoise and how he would definitely want to come here to investigate as well. She prayed that her husband wasn’t injured. This momentarily sidetracked her from the search, because she jolted when she heard Fir’s voice call out, “Miss Deirdre! I think we found something!”

“Huh? O-Oh… What is it?” she blurted.

“Wook! Thewe’s a big cwack in the wawl!” Fial exclaimed as she pointed to the human-sized gap carving through the masonry. She ran through easily and said, “I think we can make it thwough hewe!”

“All right. Nothing to it, then.”

Deirdre went in first, and the children followed her as they weaved their way through various rooms. Since everyone else had fled the scene during the quake, no one was around to stop them, which made the place much too eerie and silent for their liking. Tiny stones broke off from the walls and clattered everywhere, making Deirdre fearful that something would collapse on them at any moment.

The trio unexpectedly stopped when they heard a bunch of soul-rending cries howling in the distance. Fial trembled and murmured, “W-W-What’s going on? Why is evewyone scweaming awl of a sudden?”

“I don’t know,” Fir replied nervously, the placed his hand next to his ear lobe to listen in more closely. “But… doesn’t it sound like it’s just coming from men?”

“Hmm… Hey, I think you might be wight. I don’t hear any women.”

Deirdre did not like where this conversation was going. If it was just men shouting in agony, and they were investigating Macha’s curse… then, was it possible?

“Naoise!” she shrieked as the horrific realization dawned upon her. Without warning, she barged past the twins and scurried through the wrecked stadium to the nearest entrance where she could find the race track.

“H-Hey, Miss Deirdre! Don’t go off on your own!” Fir cried out, and both he and Fial chased after her. The frantic woman barely paid them much mind as she hurried down the sloping steps as fast as she could, hoping to find any sign of the swordsman. She let out a shrill gasp as she spotted someone in black armor keeled over in sheer pain next to the largest fissure. She dashed with all her might toward the man, and she immediately recognized him as her husband.

“Naoise!” she screamed.

“Deir… dre!” Naoise gasped. “W-Why… are you… here!?”

“Never mind that! What has stricken you!?” his wife exclaimed as she kneeled next to him and held his shoulders.

“Ungh… Aaaagh… Shit! I feel like… I’m being… torn apart!”

“By the gods! This must be Macha’s curse being activated!”

“Aaaagh… Y-You… might be… right!” Naoise heaved. His face and hair were heavily drenched with sweat by this point, and he could barely contain himself as he writhed about helplessly on the ground.

“But why!? We’re not being invaded by an outside army, are we!?”

“Uuuugh… I… don’t know!”

“Where’s Connla!? Is she all right!?”

“Gh… S-She’s… in trouble…”

“Trouble?”

He struggled to point toward the crevice as he gasped, “She… fell… in there…”

Deirdre’s horror intensified, and she covered her mouth to conceal her gaping open jaw. Despite the chaos unfolding around them, Fir and Fial remained oddly calm as they approached the fissure. They glanced at each other, as if they silently understood the entire truth in this moment.

“I get it. Connla and Naoise discovered where Mama’s curse is, and that made Mama angry,” Fir explained.

“So, she’s twying to kiwl evewyone to keep them quiet?” Fial asked.

“I think so. That must be why Papa brought us here – he wants us to stop Mama before she kills all of Ireland’s men.”

“You’we wight. Mama’s awl awone down thewe, hating evewyone who spuwned her wath. We gotta save her fwom her own madness, oh ewse wots of peopwe awe gonna die.”

“This must be why we appeared as unsent spirits, and why Auntie guided us this whole time. She must have been preparing us for this moment.”

“Then what awe we waiting fow? Wet’s just do it!”

“Usually I’d argue with you about how you never think things through, but this time, I totally agree with you. There’s nothing to think about except finding Mama.”

“And wescuing Connwa too!”

“Yeah,” Fir became visibly determined. “Let’s go, Fial!”

“Wight behind you, Fir!” Fial happily chirped.

Deirdre stared at them as they walked toward the very edge in perfect unison. She reached out her hand and uttered, “What are you doing!? Get away from there at once!”

They ignored her, keeping their backs faced toward the couple. Then they spread their arms out wide… and tumbled forward!

“STOP IT!” Naoise howled, but it was no use.

“HYAAAA~AAAH!” Deirdre completely lost her mind to pure terror, pressing her hands against her face as she shrieked.

Inside the Leyline, Cuchulainn reeled at the discovery that Connla had possessed her own Gae Bolg this entire time. He shot his eyes toward the befuddled girl and exclaimed, “Hey! Did Scathach give this to you!?”

“Huh?” she fervently blinked. “What’s gotten you upset all of a sudden?”

“Just answer the question!”

“Uh… Y-Yes, she did.”

“Even though you’re not old enough to use its full power!?”

“Well… she did show me how to use its power to reverse cause and effect, but I never got to use it since I didn’t age past my seventh birthday. She said that I’m physically too young to harness it without my body exploding from the force, but she gave it to me anyway as a last resort. You know, to purge the Lostbelt…”

He turned away and visibly trembled. So many thoughts raced through his stricken mind that he couldn’t think straight for a minute.

This can’t be right! This has to be some kind of demented joke! Aife and Scathach had their own separate plans for what to do with Connla, and both of them involved her dying! If Aife was breeding her for me to slay her in combat… Then Scathach was grooming Connla to be my sacrificial replacement!

He pressed his hand against his forehead in despair. The more he learned of what the two warrior women intended for their progeny, the more repulsed he became by the ridiculous expectations they heaped onto the girl’s shoulders. The most disturbing part was how Connla just accepted this as normal behavior and went along with whatever her mother and aunt wanted, never complaining whenever she was put through years of grueling training and torture sessions to strengthen her body and mind. Her noble intention to never disappoint them was being exploited in such a cruel fashion.

And Cuchulainn had never been there to save her from it. He was just as guilty as them for abandoning her when she needed him the most.

Oh, god…

He gripped Connla’s Gae Bolg tightly, then shifted his weary eyes back toward the confused girl. She merely tilted her head, wondering what was bothering him so much.

Connla… I’m so sorry…

His heart grew heavier with every second. Now he had even more of a reason to make it up to her for being selfish in his own way. How he would do it, he wasn’t sure at the moment. But he would do something, anything, to try and ease the burden as much as he could. It was something he would need to ponder on once this mission was over.

Despite his melancholy, Cuchulainn shook his head to shake out these depressing thoughts and refocus his attention on Macha’s curse. He forced a sharp-toothed grin to hide his shame as he said to Connla, “All right, I think we can make this work.”

“Did you figure something out?” she asked.

“Yeah. Since you have a Gae Bolg, it means that if I pierce the Runic circle with it, I can then turn it into a target that I can aim my Gae Bolg towards. Since one Gae Bolg can’t destroy another Gae Bolg, you should be able to retrieve your spear afterward.”

“But you can’t use my spear’s curse with my body, or else you’ll cause me to self-destruct.”

“Don’t worry - I’m just going to throw it like you would a dart to a board. I’ll then unleash my Gae Bolg’s full power and launch it from Scotland to this very spot.”

“Uh…” Connla paled as something dawned on her. “Are we… going to be okay?”

“It’ll be fine. I’ll get us out of here before I attack. Just trust me, okay?”

She hesitantly nodded and mumbled, “Mm…”

Cuchulainn glared at Macha’s magic circle and grumbled, “The only problem is whether or not Macha’s going to retaliate in some fashion. I’m not exactly in a position to fight a long-distance battle against a goddess while we’re stuck in the Leyline.”

The moment after he said that, they heard a familiar young boy’s voice cry out, “Not to worry!”

“We’we hewe to hewp!” an equally recognizable young girl’s voice exclaimed.

Both Cuchulainn and Connla were shocked to find Fir and Fial plummeting towards the possessed Connla’s body. Once they reached the same depth as their friend, they hovered before her. Fial spread her arms out and exclaimed, “Ta-dah! We came to wescue you, Connwa!”

“Fir!? Fial!? What are you two doing here!?” Connla cried out.

“It’s a bit of a long story,” Fir sheepishly admitted. “We’re short on time, so let’s just say that Papa’s ghost told us to come here. One thing led to another, and here we are.”

“Your father led you to us?”

“Miss Deiwdwe couwdn’t see Papa, but she fowwowed us anyway. She’s with Sir Naoise back on the suwface. But it’s awful! Awl of the men awe suffewing fwom Mama’s cuwse! If we don’t stop Mama, then they’we gonna die! That’s why we gotta tawk with Mama!” Fial implored.

“I see. But since you two are unsent spirits, you’re not going to last long in the Leyline. You’ll dissolve into magical energy and become a part of this vein of pure mana.”

“It’s okay. Fir and I wanna set Mama fwee fwom her hatwed. We wanna give it awl we got.”

“…”

The twins floated past Connla, then Fir said to her, “Thanks for traveling with us. Having you around made it a lot more fun. But I think this is what Auntie wanted us to do, and we don’t want to let her down.”

She lightly nodded and replied, “Yeah. I know what you mean.”

Cuchulainn grit his teeth and narrowed his eyes. The twins’ determination to not disappoint Morrigan was exactly the same as Connla’s desire to appease Aife and Scathach, even if it meant ending their very short lives to make their loved ones proud. He couldn’t deny how wonderful and innocent their aspirations were. Yet, it equally disgusted him at how brazen and irresponsible the adults in their lives (including himself) were toward them. It was as if they were born just to be discarded because the adults were too cowardly to do it themselves.

“Take cawe, okay? We gotta go tawk with Mama now befowe we wind up dissowving,” Fial said, then she and her brother flew towards the center of the huge Runic circle. She called out, “Mama! Can you hear us, Mama!?”

“We’re your unborn children!” Fir shouted. “Please, come to your senses! We don’t want you to kill all of Ulster’s men because of us! We don’t want to be the reason why so many people die all at once!”

The Runes didn’t seem to respond to their pleas, maintaining their haunting glow as Macha spread her curse throughout all of Emain Macha. If she wasn’t stopped here and now, she could potentially spread it across all of Ireland, causing thousands of adult men to die from artificial, and quite excruciating, birthing pains.

Fir started to cry as he begged with all his soul, “Stop it, Mama! You’re making a terrible mistake! Soon, Ireland is going to fight in a huge war against the god of destruction, Taoide Olc! If all of Ireland’s men die, no one will be around to protect this country!”

“Think about it, Mama! If thewe awe no men weft to pwotect Iwewand, it means that the women… Maybe even the childwen will have to take up awms!” Fial exclaimed. “Is that something you want, Mama!? Do you want childwen wike us to be fwontwine sowdiers!? Do you want to watch hundweds of childwen die because you couwdn’t wet go of your hatwed fow the men!?”

“Exactly! It’s not just the men you would be killing! You’d be dooming everyone! Is it really worth sacrificing so many just to calm your vengeance!? It’s true that we might not know anything about you, even of what you look like… But we can’t believe that you would be this petty! That’s not the Mama we want to get to know!”

“So pwease, Mama…”

“For everyone in Ireland, and for us…”

“STOP CURSING THEM!” they screamed together.

The world then became silent. Nothing but the gentle sound of a river flowing all around them ebbed and bubbled, as the mana coursing through the Leyline gushed past them. Then, the brightly shimmering Runes actually dimmed a little. Cuchulainn could now make out what the Runic circle looked like, making it easier for him to target it. Macha’s curse started to get weaker, which meant that the twins’ pleas were getting through to her.

“My… babies…” an unknown woman’s voice echoed within the blue abyss.

“Mama!?” her children blurted.

“Why… are you… here? Who… sent you… here?”

“Papa’s ghost said that you were suffering all alone down here,” Fir explained.

“That’s why we wanna set you fwee. Then evewyone will be happy. As faw as I see it, happy endings awe always the best endings,” Fial added. She tried to reach out her hand, but half of her arm was already gone since her spirit was evaporating into the Leyline. “So wet’s go, Mama. Wet’s go to the big open sky, whewe we can watch over evewyone.”

“… Yes. You may… be right. I guess… it’s time… for me to… let go… of this… grudge…”

“Yeah!” Fir agreed. Most of his body had disappeared, being absorbed into the constant flow of magical energy like salt being stirred in a glass of water.

Then, Macha’s voice murmured, “Cu… chul… ainn. Go ahead… and… destroy me.”

“Hmph. Don’t mind if I do,” he said, and he controlled Connla’s body to raise Gae Bolg in a throwing position. “Consider this as payback for you cursing my allies during the Cattle Raid. If it wasn’t for that, I may have stood a better chance at fighting against Medb’s army. Although, I don’t really hate you for it – I perfectly understand why you can’t stand the idiocy of this country’s kings and nobility.”

“I know…”

Connla watched in forlorn silence as Fir and Fial’s forms fully faded as glittering light particles that twinkled within the bright blue sea of magical energy. She refused to blink, taking in every last moment of the twins’ lives before they were fully extinguished. Macha’s curse likewise dimmed so much that there was barely any energy left within it. The goddess had lost her will to maintain its effect, and quietly detached her essence from it so she could join her children within the Leyline.

Now that he was free to do as he pleased, Cuchulainn finally hurled Connla’s Gae Bolg at the magic sigil’s very center, and it shone a deep crimson to contrast with the overpowering waves of azure. He immediately guided Connla’s body upward, floating in a bubble of bright red energy that safely carried her back to the surface.

In the Land of Shadows, Cuchulainn’s sleeping body started to move a little. He raised his arms, as if issuing a command. His Gae Bolg, which was propped up next to the throne he sat upon, emanated a similar crimson aura and hovered between his hands. Then it pointed itself in the precise direction towards Emain Macha, and launched on its owner’s accord. The energy surrounding it intensified until it was as powerful as a torpedo, as it traveled the tremendous distance between the two separated islands. It took several minutes for Gae Bolg to make the journey, but soon Ireland was within sight.

Then Emain Macha… then the race track… then the crevice… then the Leyline… and it finally found its target; Connla’s Gae Bolg.

KA-BOOOO~OOOOOM!

A fantastic vermillion explosion rocked the land, bursting through the fissure like bright red flames. Everyone outside the race track screamed and huddled together in fright and confusion. It took about ten seconds for the worst of the detonation to subside.

Eventually though, all of Emain Macha fell into an impenetrable and disconcerting silence.

Chapter Text

FATE/CURADH BEAG

“Little Champion”

Chapter 23: An Aftermath and Uncertainty

“Uuuuungh…”

Naoise let out a low moan of agony as he regained consciousness. He was momentarily befuddled as to why he had passed out, but quickly realized he was lying on top of someone. Then he recalled witnessing the ominous red light emanating from Cuchulainn’s Gae Bolg, and knew it could only mean trouble. He had instinctively thrown himself over Deirdre to shield her from the blast, since they were so close to the epicenter of this new disaster. Fortunately, the cursed spear had exploded deeper within the earth’s surface, keeping the damage contained to just more violent rumbling and further wrecking of the race track. The couple remained uninjured, but were understandably stunned by the whole ordeal.

“Aah… N… Nao… ise…” Deirdre mumbled in a half-awake daze.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

“I… think so. What about… you?”

“I’m unharmed. Just take it easy.”

They sat there for a long while, trying to parse what in the world just happened. A few minutes later, they heard numerous footsteps approaching as guardsmen and citizens alike barged in to see the extent of the destruction for themselves.

“Cor blimey…” the stadium’s owner gasped in dismay. “This is much worse than I thought.”

“I guess that means we have to tear it all down and build from scratch,” one of his assistants said.

“You might be right. There’s no way this can be fixed with a few patch jobs.”

“So, no more horse races for a while, huh?” one of the older men moaned dejectedly. “Damn it all. It was all I had to help me keep my mind off of my daughter’s suicide. I guess we’re not allowed to have nice things in this world, are we?”

“Don’t say that,” one of the druids told him. She had been called in along with some colleagues to administer aid to anyone who was potentially injured. She assured the heartbroken fellow, “The stadium is an important place for everyone in Emain Macha, if not all of Ireland. I’m sure they’ll construct a new track that’s even more grand than the previous, especially considering how long ago this one was first built. Maybe it will be even more special for you if you offer to help with the construction.”

“Perhaps…”

The mood was similarly morose for many other townsfolk who saw the race track as their center of culture, and a vital source of income for many families. To Naoise and Deirdre, however, none of that was of their concern. They could only think about Connla, Fir and Fial, who were all still inside the fissure when Gae Bolg struck. They couldn’t imagine any of them surviving such a tremendous blast.

Suddenly, another man pointed to the sky and exclaimed with a deep accent, “Oy! Look up there, y’all! There be somethin’ red an’ glowy comin’ down!”

To the crowd’s astonishment, a bright red bubble descended from above and hovered before them. Inside was the comatose Connla, with her torso and arms slumped forward, one hand clenched around her spear, and the other holding Mini Cu’s tail. Moments prior to Gae Bolg destroying the last of Macha’s curse, Cuchulainn had cast a spell on Connla’s body to quickly fly her out of the blast zone. However, the strain turned out to be too much for him, since he had to do all of this from a remote location kilometers away. Once he accomplished what he wanted to do, he lost mental contact with Connla and slipped into a coma, his magical energy completely exhausted.

“Oh my word!” Deirdre cried out.

The orb gently set her down on the ground several feet away from the crevice, then disappeared as it lost its energy. The concerned onlookers ran up to her, and both Naoise and Deirdre kneeled beside her. The former cradled her head upon his hand and urged, “Hey! Are you okay!? If you’re awake, then open your eyes!”

After a moment of struggling, Connla feebly peeled her eyes open and gazed into the pair’s eyes. Although she was thoroughly exhausted, she managed to utter beneath her breath, “N… ao…”

“Oh, thank the gods! You’re still alive!” Deirdre gasped, nearly on the verge of tears.

“She’s still very weak though,” Naoise said, then called out to the crowd, “Is there a bed we can use for her!?”

“Aye!” the innkeeper exclaimed. It was the owner of the same inn that Naoise and Connla stayed in earlier. “You lot are welcome t’stay at my place fer free ‘til she recovers.”

“You have my gratitude, sir.”

“Bring ‘er this way, mate. My wife will look after ‘er fer the night.”

Boyne River, Leinster

Fergus and several of his top military advisors gathered around in a small tent to discuss the current state of affairs. Of particular note was the bright red light that everyone witnessed flashing in the sky just a couple of hours ago. The explosion was too far away to affect Fergus’ army, but there certainly was growing speculation among the soldiers as to what exactly it was. However, the source of that ominous light was no mystery to the former King of Ulster. Everyone present got to see an uncharacteristically serious and grim expression on the man’s face that they had never witnessed before.

Did Fergus really want to reveal to his aides that it was Gae Bolg? If he did, it would cause pandemonium to sweep among his base, spreading fear and uncertainty about just how powerful Taoide Olc truly was. To be honest, Fergus was quite shaken by the severity of the explosion and how it dyed the sky crimson for several minutes before the world returned to normal. It was true that he had seen firsthand how godlike Cuchulainn had become in battle, but this was on a completely different scale.

“Fergus,” one man uttered, his voice slightly cracking. “As much as you would not like to say anything to us, I believe it is much too obvious who was responsible for that attack.”

“…”

“There’s no denying it – Cuchulainn must have hurled Gae Bolg all the way from Scotland to Ulster.”

Another soldier added, “For what reason, we wouldn’t know. Perhaps he is using this as a preliminary show of how severely outmatched we are against him. This must be his idea of taunting us for our weakness.”

Fergus frowned, then asked, “Where exactly in Ulster did it strike?”

“We’re not certain at the moment. I’ve already sent scouts to investigate. They should report to us within a day’s time.”

“Damn it. This is definitely going to shake the troops’ morale.”

“Lord Fergus, if I may,” a sharp-eyed woman interjected. “Now that we understand the full scale of Taoide Olc’s full might, is it really wise to consider going on the offensive against Scotland? Granted, our current and primary objective is to overthrow Galway and install you as the new ruler. But once that is complete, how would we approach Scotland’s forces?”

Fergus crossed his arms and admitted, “That’s not easy to say right now. Although we are dealing with a god, he is still the Cuchulainn that we remember at heart. Since he is Scotland’s king, and I am to be Ireland’s king soon enough, it would be prudent for us to enter into negotiations to avoid a needless conflict. After all, I’m still not certain what his intentions actually are.”

“Pah! The only thing that monster will want to negotiate is our unconditional surrender!” the first man scoffed. “Hell, he may not even bother with such a formality and send his armies to slaughter us without mercy! At this rate, this world’s very last vestiges of human civilization will be forced to squirm beneath his overshadowing thumb!”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that. Think about where he threw Gae Bolg, and what that implies.”

“Where he threw that accursed weapon? What does that have to do with anything?”

“Quite a bit, actually. If Cuchulainn’s goal is to kill Medb, don’t you think he would have thrown it within Connacht rather than Ulster? Medb wouldn’t have been prepared for it, but now there’s no way she won’t notice it now, meaning she can take appropriate countermeasures to defend against it should he attempt it again.”

“Hm… Now that you put it that way, it certainly is a baffling conundrum. Why would Taoide Olc strike Ulster when he knows Medb always holes herself up in Galway?”

“Did he have a different reason in mind?” the woman wondered.

“The million gold coin question, wouldn’t you say?” Fergus grinned lightly. “Well, who knows how a god thinks? We lowly mortals certainly can’t hope to comprehend the inner workings of a deity’s mind.”

Just then, the tent’s opening flap fluttered in a surprise gust of wind as a black bird effortlessly swooped in and circled just above the startled advisers. Although the others were spooked by this unusual bird’s presence and cried out for it to go away, Fergus remained unperturbed, sitting calmly in his seat with his arms still folded over his chest.

“Oh ho ho ho! Then I’d be happy to answer in exchange for those million gold coins!” Morrigan’s voice exclaimed, instantly quelling the cacophony that her dramatic entrance caused.

“W-What the-!? The bird can talk!?” one of the men exclaimed.

“Save it for later,” Fergus commanded him, then asked Morrigan, “What’s going on in Ulster?”

“It’s exactly as you said; Cuchulainn used Gae Bolg to strike at Emain Macha.”

He became surprised when he heard this news. “Emain Macha?”

“Yes. Precisely the place where Cathbad asked his assistant to investigate the Curse of Macha.”

Fergus gasped in shock as he understood what she meant. He blurted, “That’s one of Ulster’s Three Blights! Are you telling me that Cuchulainn wanted to eliminate that group to preserve the curse for his benefit!?”

“A good guess, but still way off the mark. Don’t forget whom Cathbad asked to look into that matter, and what her relationship with Cuchulainn is.”

He froze as he remembered Connla, and of the thumb ring that linked her with Cuchulainn. He recalled how the warped former Ulster hero had not made any attempts to injure Connla during the fight in Glasgow. In fact, he seemed more interested in capturing her alive. For him to suddenly use Gae Bolg in the city that she was located in seemed unfathomable to Fergus. It just didn’t make sense to him anymore.

“Ah hah hah… You must be hopelessly baffled about Cu’s motives, aren’t you?” Morrigan chuckled. “Well, let’s just keep this nice and simple so I don’t confuse you any further. The fact is that Cuchulainn actually wanted Macha’s curse gone, and so struck down its core with Gae Bolg to destroy it.”

Everyone simultaneously gasped. Fergus uttered, “He… did that?”

“I haven’t been keeping tabs on his latest activities, but suffice to say, he has a vested interest in Cathbad’s project for summoning his Grand Servant. He is aware of the Three Blights and is actually assisting Cathbad’s protégé in her efforts.”

“But, doesn’t that mean he’d be giving Ireland a better chance at fighting back against Scotland? Not only did he eliminate the curse, he’s now improving Cathbad’s chances of summoning the Servant to help him fight Cuchulainn! T-T-This just doesn’t add up! It’s a massive conflict of interest!” one of the aides stammered, no longer able to comprehend this situation.

“I think you’re forgetting something very crucial here, my good sir,” Morrigan calmly replied. “Cu’s goal isn’t to wage war with Ireland. It’s to destroy his most sworn enemy, Medb. He’s doing whatever is necessary not just to improve his country’s odds for victory, but also Ireland’s. After all, Cathbad’s assistant has indeed divulged everything about your rebellion to Cuchulainn.”

“Preposterous!” the female warrior exclaimed. “That’s tantamount to treason! We should have that person dragged back here and put on trial for betraying us!”

Fergus raised his hand to stop her, then said, “I wouldn’t say that’s necessarily treason.”

“Why not!?”

“If Morrigan is right, then it means Cuchulainn may actually be on our side.”

“That’s… That’s just insane…”

“Is it, now? Remember, both sides want Medb taken down. If we treat Cuchulainn destroying the Curse of Macha as an act of goodwill on his part, then it really would be in our best interest to forge an alliance with Scotland to overthrow Connacht. In other words, Cathbad’s subordinate is actually acting as a liaison between us and Cuchulainn while they work together to destroy the Three Blights. In what world would you call that treason, my fair lass?”

“Well… The facts may line up with that theory… But I just think it’s a little too convenient…”

“True. I won’t deny that there must be some kind of thorn with Cuchulainn’s generosity. The problem is that we just don’t know enough about what he is planning.”

“There’s no way he’d tell us. What opposing force would be stupid enough to reveal their strategies to the other side?”

Fergus grunted and sighed in consternation. “Damn it. If only there was some way for me to discuss things with Cuchulainn directly, without putting each of our armies at risk…”

Morrigan giggled again and said, “Don’t forget, Cathbad’s helper is cooperating with him in secret. That means she has the means for you to talk with Cu without Medb noticing.”

“Then pray tell, how are they communicating with each other?”

“Why don’t you go and find out for yourself? The little one’s resting in Emain Macha as we speak, then she has to prepare to look for the final blight.”

“Oh, yeah. She already dealt with Deirdre of the Sorrows, so that just leaves Manannan’s Parted Mists.”

“It’s going to be the hardest one for them to find, so I’m thinking of lending my support to their team. Perhaps you should see this as an opportunity to catch up with her.”

Fergus smiled, visibly showing to everyone that he agreed with the goddess’ idea. He said, “Hm. I suppose a check-up on Cathbad’s group would be a most fruitful endeavor. Conall’s been asking me how she’s been doing lately, and I haven’t been able to tell him anything useful. He must be too worried about her to focus on his training.”

“Then I guess it’s settled. I’ll go on ahead and let them know you’re coming. You and your friend should go to Emain Macha as soon as you can and rendezvous with them. From there, I will have to act as a guide to show the way towards solving Manannan’s Parted Mists.”

His jovial smirk quickly vanished as he wondered, “By the way, I can’t help but wonder exactly what this final blight is supposed to be, and how it threatens Cathbad’s summoning of the Grand Servant.”

“Well…” Morrigan’s voice trailed off. Then she prophetically murmured, “Let’s just say that we’ll be getting acquainted with some unsavory characters real soon.”

Galway, Connacht

It didn’t take long for word of Cuchulainn’s attack on Emain Macha to reach Medb’s ears. It was around early morning when one of her Red Branch Braves informed her of what happened. Her reaction was predictably one of total bewilderment.

“I don’t believe it! Cu used Gae Bolg on a city other than this one?” Medb blurted.

“Yes, my queen,” Maine Faireach replied. “Lasta and Dian have already been dispatched to interview the traveling merchants who made those claims. The other Braves are trying to re-establish order among the citizenry.”

“No kidding. Even from here, I could see that accursed red light illuminating the sky. If Cu really had struck my grand capital of Connacht, then it’s only natural that the lower-class citizens would think the end of the world was coming. But I guess Cu’s aim wasn’t as true as he would have liked. Thank goodness that he still has that human side to him that causes him to make such hilarious mistakes like that. Not like me, who is a bona fide goddess who never makes any poor judgments.”

“Actually, my queen, if I may be so bold as to elaborate,” Faireach interrupted her, holding back the urge to say that he was correcting her. To even mention that a die-hard narcissist like Medb was wrong was tantamount to a death sentence.

“Hm? Is there more?”

“Actually, the witnesses are saying that Gae Bolg appeared to be purposefully thrown at Emain Macha. There’s no indication that it was a misfired shot originally meant for Galway. For now, we’re treating it as an allegation rather than solid proof, but I think it’s fair to assume that Cuchulainn did not intend to attack us. If you may consider it for a moment, the distance between Galway and Emain Macha is approximately 250 kilometers. I can hardly conceive a trained warrior like him to have such abysmal aim, especially if we assume that his motivations are centered on his never-ending feud with you.”

“That is true. Cu may be a brute, but he isn’t stupid. So if we do believe that he attacked Emain Macha, the next question is, why would he do that? He wouldn’t waste an opportunity to launch Gae Bolg as a surprise attack on me, and he definitely knows I only ever remain in Galway at all times. He’s literally warned us of what he’s capable of, and that means I can prepare the necessary defenses for the next time he tries to pull such a stunt.”

“I highly doubt it’s a mere scare tactic, either. He already demonstrated his true power by destroying the rest of the world. Scare tactics would just be redundant to him at this point.”

Medb clenched her teeth and grumbled, “Cuchulainn… Just what is it that you are up to?”

Emain Macha

It was a real struggle for Connla to wake up. Her head still felt incredibly heavy, and her eyelids felt like they had weights pulling them shut. She constantly kept drifting between sleep and wakefulness, unsure if she should get more rest or get up to see what was going on. The gentle sounds of a fire crackling in the fireplace and the warmth it exuded didn’t help matters either, as she was practically melting in pure comfort and relaxation. She could at least try to open her eyes and see where she was, but she didn’t feel like doing much else beyond that.

After fighting against the relentless sensation of wanting to sleep, Connla finally allowed some light to seep into her vision. The first thing she realized was that the sun’s position indicated that it was at least early afternoon, rather than morning like she expected. Normally she would be surprised by how late she had slept in, but after everything that had happened yesterday, she really couldn’t fault herself for needing more rest than usual. Despite it being a sunny afternoon, the cold autumn air justified the fireplace being used. She slowly shuffled into a sitting position and extracted her arms from beneath the blankets so she could feel the warm air on her skin.

For the moment, no one else was in the room with her. She didn’t recognize the place at first, but then noticed some landmarks outside like the tavern and small marketplace across the road, and realized she had been brought back to the same inn she stayed at yesterday. The room wasn’t the same, but the building certainly was. In fact, this one seemed more homey and lived in compared to the much simpler rooms tailored for temporary guests. Connla silently panned her eyes along the room, noticing that it was more of a living room than a bedroom, and that she had been placed on a long sofa.

Since there wasn’t anyone else around, she never said a word as she regained consciousness. She just stared at the gentle flames dancing on the blackening wood while thinking about everything that had happened. A lot of the details were hazy for now, but she at least remembered the gist of it. A sinking feeling gripped her chest as she recalled what Fir and Fial did, and a somber realization dawned upon her:

I’m never going to see them again… am I?

She wanted to be upset. She did have every right to shed some tears for her friends’ sacrifice. But she chose not to. She knew this was how it was meant to be. To cry for them meant that she wanted them back to comfort her somehow, and she knew that was going to be impossible now. She wanted to show the twins that she could be strong and move on from their deaths, so that they could rest without worrying about slowing her down.

Yeah… This is how it should be. They must be a lot happier now that they’ve reunited with their mother. I really should wish them well…

She sighed and closed her eyes, as if meditating to the fire’s soothing ambience. If she didn’t know better, she probably would have fallen back asleep while in this sitting position.

Just then, a familiar voice uttered, “Hey. You’re finally up.”

“Hm?” Connla mumbled and glanced to her side. Nestled atop a wooden chair next to the sofa was Mini Cu, whom she had not noticed during her earlier inspection of the room. She must have been so exhausted that the doll barely registered in her mind.

“How are you doing? Are you feeling sick or anything?” he asked.

“Sick?”

“From falling into the Leyline. Although I managed to shield you from its more harmful effects, you still drifted in there for a few minutes without protection. You should be experiencing some form of mana intoxication.”

“Hmm… I guess my body still feels a bit heavy. It’s almost like I’m alive and dead at the same time…”

“Figures. Don’t move about for today. I’ll stick around and make sure you’re okay.”

“But what about Scotland? Aren’t you preparing for the war?”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ve got capable men handling the grunt work for me. They’ll be fine without me for a day or two.”

Connla relented with a nod and mumbled, “Well, okay…”

Mini Cu grunted in concern, then muttered, “You’re thinking about Fir and Fial, aren’t you?”

“Mm. I know they said good-bye to me, but I don’t really know what happened afterward.”

Mini Cu explained everything to her, and she exhaled a breath of relief as she murmured, “So they convinced Macha to dispel the curse.”

“Yeah. Ireland’s warriors should not be stricken with birthing pains anymore. That means Fergus’ plans can go ahead as scheduled.”

“Wow…” Connla moaned and wiped her forehead of some sweat. “It feels like things are moving so fast that I can’t keep up. Soon, Ulster is going to be overrun with your armies. Am I really going to be safe here, especially when I’m not feeling so well?”

He wasn’t sure what she meant at first, but then put it together and blurted, “Ahh. You think I’m going to rejoin Scotland with Ulster.”

“Hm? You mean you’re not?”

“No. I’m going to maneuver Scotland so that it smashes against western Connacht. Ulster will not be affected by the war whatsoever. You’re actually in the best possible place to stay away from the fighting.”

“I see…” she frowned, then nestled her head back on the pillow and stared at the ceiling.

Despite his assurances, he could tell that something was distressing her. He hopped from the chair onto the blankets, then sat upon her upper chest and asked, “Why so glum? Do you feel like throwing up?”

“No, that’s not it. I just have so much on my mind.”

“You always look like that. Seriously, when are you not worrying about something?”

“I’m sorry.”

He sighed in consternation and told her, “Look, I know it’s difficult for you to fully trust me. For all intents and purposes, I should be your enemy. But I don’t feel the same way about you. You’ve been incredibly valuable to me as a source of information, plus your efforts to quell the blights are a huge benefit for me as well. I bet you noticed that I never tried to kill you back when your group fought me in Glasgow, right?”

“I sort of noticed it…”

“That’s because I wanted to bring you back to Dun Scaith. I didn’t want you getting involved in any of this. But since it’s come this far, I may as well help you in any way I can.”

She became as silent as death for a long moment. She gazed into the doll’s eyes with an empty stare, then mumbled, “Cuchulainn?”

“Yeah?”

“We’re in a Lostbelt – a timeline that has dangerously deviated from its intended course.”

“What about it?”

“If we’re so far off from what should have happened… doesn’t that mean that you and me being allies also qualifies as an error in human history?”

“…”

“For that matter, if what you told me is correct, then the vision I saw of you slaying me with Gae Bolg was what should’ve happened in Proper Human History. That means if history is supposed to stay on its course, we should be enemies.”

“…”

“And that would mean… me being alive for the last 15 years… was a giant mistake as well…”

Suddenly, Mini Cu’s expression twisted into a livid snarl as he howled, “That’s enough!”

“Heek!?” Connla shirked in fear.

“Who cares what happens in Proper Human History!? We’re not in it right now, are we!? We exist in a Lostbelt! Everything is so out of whack that it’s perfectly fine for anything out of the ordinary to happen here anyway! Besides, even if your death by my hands was true, that doesn’t mean you surviving past it has been the only aberration that has occurred in this world! Stop thinking that being alive is some kind of freak accident that shouldn’t have happened, or that it’s even the whole cause of the Lostbelt in the first place! That kind of self-loathing mindset is so ridiculous that I can’t even think straight!”

“Um… but I’m-”

“I don’t want to hear another word of it! Forget what you saw back there and be thankful that you’re alive! No more, no less! If you keep saying such bullshit around me without thinking, then I’m seriously going to get pissed off! Do you understand!?”

“Y-Yes… I understand…”

“Not another words of this, you hear?”

“Okay. I won’t say it again.”

“Good,” he grumbled, then calmed down and exhaled a gruff sigh. “We have more important things to think about anyway. Once you’ve recovered, we need to look for the last blight.”

She nodded meekly. “Mm. Lord Cathbad called it Manannan’s Parted Mists.”

“Since we haven’t found any clues about it, we’ll have to infer on his legend to piece things together. How much do you know about Manannan?”

“He’s the god of the sea, and a member of the Tuatha de Danann, known to possess numerous magical treasures and artifacts. Teacher told me that his wife is the otherworldly sea bird Fand, and that they live together in a realm that is isolated from ours.”

Mini Cu suddenly paused as his mind went blank for a moment. His gaze seemed distant as he murmured, “Fand?”

“Yes. Is something wrong with that?”

“N-No… I just thought that name struck a little memory bone for me or something…”

Connla asked, “Did you know her?”

“I don’t think so. My memory was shot to hell during my rampage as Taoide Olc anyway, so who knows how much I’ve actually forgotten.”

“Hmm… Ah!?” she gasped unexpectedly when she spotted a large black bird perched outside the closed window. “It’s Morrigan!”

“Looks like she wants to be let in,” Mini Cu said. Connla had just enough strength to open the window to allow the avian goddess to fly inside, then she quickly shut it and curled herself beneath the blankets to escape the freezing air.

“Good morning, you two,” Morrigan said. “Congrats on taking care of Macha’s curse. You’re now one big step closer to having Cathbad summon his Grand Servant.”

Connla became forlorn as she murmured, “But Fir and Fial…”

“Not to worry. I already know about them.”

“That’s the part I don’t get,” Mini Cu remarked. “Why were the kids there? Didn’t they stay behind at Leabharcham’s place with Deirdre?”

“Let’s just say I ‘convinced’ the twins to come to Emain Macha.”

“What does that mean?”

“I posed as an invisible specter of their father Cruinnuic, and beckoned them to follow me.”

He became visibly angry as he firmly retorted, “You do realize you led your own niece and nephew to their deaths, right?”

“Don’t be silly. They were already dead. I was just sending them to their proper place with their mother. They’re the only ones that Macha would listen to anyway, so I was doing you a huge favor.”

“A favor that no one asked for.”

“Come now, I’m the goddess of death. It’s a necessary part of evolutionary life for the old to perish so that the new can thrive. That’s the only reason why I still have a strong presence in the mortal world despite none of the other Tuatha de Danann being around.”

“Hmph. Stop giving yourself so much credit. It’s making me sick.”

Connla remained silent during their argument, feeling too tired to contribute to their verbal antics. Morrigan noticed the child’s distant gaze and asked, “What do you think, dear?”

“Think of what?”

“Me essentially manipulating your friends.”

She turned her eyes away from the curious bird, then whispered, “I don’t want to think of it that way. I want to believe they followed me of their own accord, and decided to jump into the Leyline to save their mother. If I start accusing you of anything, that could put a rift in our partnership, and I don’t want that to happen…”

“Quite the forward thinker, aren’t you? Certainly not like your father.”

Mini Cu glowered, “You really don’t know when to stop wagging that beak of yours, woman.”

“I can’t help it if I’m so eloquent. I just love getting my point across, especially when it trounces another’s flimsy argument in a heated debate.”

“Hmph.”

“Anyway,” Morrigan said to Connla, “if that’s what you want to believe, then I won’t stop you. Makes things more convenient for me going forward, now that I’m going to be accompanying your party.”

This came as a surprise to the pair, and the child warrior asked, “You’re coming with us?”

“How else are you supposed to find a member of the Tuatha who has long since left this world? I’m the only one who knows where he is.”

“I see. Actually, Cuchulainn and I were discussing about Manannan when you showed up.”

“Oh, good. Since anyone and their grandmother would know the basics regarding his legend, I can go ahead and say that Manannan’s actually in a spot of trouble.”

This worried Mini Cu, and he asked, “How so?”

“Cathbad referred to this blight as the ‘Parted Mists’, right? Surely you must know of the Cloak of Mists he uses to conceal the boundary between this world and his alternate dimension.”

“The Cloak of Mists? Hmmm… I know he has a lot of different artifacts, but that one’s not ringing a bell to me.”

“Ohh, that’s riii~iiight!” Morrigan exclaimed in mocking surprise. “You and your wife drank a druid’s potion to help you forget about your affair with Manannan’s wife Fand!”

Now he was absolutely astonished. “What? Say that again?”

“Don’t you remember? Oh, who am I kidding? Of course you don’t. Since I know anything and everything about you though, I’m fully aware of what happened during that particularly sordid affair.”

“Pah! Me, drinking a potion of forgetfulness? Quit dreaming this shit up out of thin air. Why should I believe you’re not just lying to me?”

“My, what a conundrum. How can you remember drinking a potion of forgetfulness if you can’t remember drinking it in the first place? You have no way of proving if I’m right or wrong since you’ve forgotten everything.”

“Now you’re starting to tick me off.”

Connla then interjected by asking, “Um, Morrigan? When you said that Cuchulainn and his wife drank the potion, you’re referring to Ms. Emer, right?”

“That is correct,” Morrigan affirmed. “Suffice to say, even if we tried to ask her, she won’t recall any of this either.”

“So if your claims are true, why did they have to do that?”

“Why else? Not only was your father incredibly strong in battle, he was also exceptionally handsome, prone to attracting all of the ladies around him. His obvious advances toward the fairer sex were no mystery to anyone either. Many of Ulster’s men feared his appearance, believing that he would wind up sleeping with their entranced wives and daughters. Fand was no exception. Despite being an otherworldly being, she fell in love with your father despite being married to Manannan.”

“How did they meet?”

“Oh, I believe it was when Cuchulainn was in his later teenaged years, after he had already returned from the Land of Shadows and married Emer. One afternoon, he was practicing hurling stones at a flock of birds. These weren’t any ordinary birds, though – they were a flock of sea birds led by Fand and her sister Li Ban, all linked with each other as pairs with either silver or gold chains. Cuchulainn slung a stone at Fand’s wing, which injured her. Later, the two sisters returned in human form to punish him for his antics, and pummeled him with horsewhips so intensely that he was bedridden for a whole year.”

“Damn, I did that?” Mini Cu wondered as he folded his arms. “With my stamina, I can hardly imagine being kept in bed for a day, never mind a year.”

“That’s just how severe their retribution was. But then Fand decided to forgive you, and aided with your recovery on the condition that you travel to Manannan’s realm to help deal with some insurgents. You did so, and the two of you started to have a relationship, even though both of you were married to others.”

“Manannan must not have liked that.”

“Actually, it was Emer who was incredibly furious with your betrayal. She may be a beautiful lady who possesses the six gifts of womanhood, but she’s also easy to get jealous. She and a group of female companions tried to attack you two, all armed with knives.”

“…”

Morrigan shrugged, then continued, “Ultimately, Fand saw how much Emer loved you and decided to leave you. Manannan facilitated your parting by sealing off the entrance to his realm, then having you, Emer and Fand drink the potions to forget everything. A nice and tidy ending for everyone involved, wouldn’t you say? Honestly, if I were in Manannan’s place, I would’ve spiced things up by having an affair with Emer behind your backs.”

Mini Cu’s eyes shimmered with an eerie red light as he glowered, “You leave Emer out of this.”

“Right… I guess you don’t appreciate my brand of humor.”

Connla listened to Morrigan’s tale, never saying a word so that she could understand everything that had happened. It was also a good opportunity for her to learn more about Cuchulainn’s earlier life before he became Taoide Olc. Despite her misgivings about his womanizing behavior, she had a feeling that he had lived an exciting and fulfilling life before the Cattle Raid occurred, meaning he had lost so much more than she could ever imagine.

However, another thought was starting to creep in the back of her mind. Mini Cu saw this and asked, “What’s the matter? Is there something you’re worried about?”

“I’m not sure. It’s just that with you, Ms. Emer, Fand, and Manannan… Is there any connection between this story and the final blight?”

“How should I know? For all I know, Morrigan’s dumping some pointless exposition on our laps.”

“But I don’t think she would tell us if it wasn’t relevant somehow. Am I wrong, Morrigan?”

The raven tousled her wing feathers, then mumbled, “Well, you’re not too far off. When I said that Manannan’s in a bit of trouble, I’m referring to his Cloak of Mists.”

“Is there something wrong with it?”

“Quite so. The truth is-”

She leaned in close so that her eyes directly met with Connla’s.

“It’s been stolen from him.”

Chapter Text

FATE/CURADH BEAG

“Little Champion”

Chapter 24: Fergus and Conall’s Return

At the same time Connla spoke with Mini Cu and Morrigan, Naoise and Deirdre were resting in another room. Once the excitement of the moment passed over, that was when the young woman started to realize how unusually fatigued she was. Naoise couldn’t blame her; being freed of Conchobhar’s control, then traveling the distance between Leabharcham’s cottage and Emain Macha, combing the town in search of Naoise, and suddenly witnessing Fir and Fial’s deaths certainly would cause a great deal of strain for her.

Naoise helped her lie down in bed first before getting undressed to join her side. However, Deirdre appeared despondent as she stared at the ceiling with a vapid gaze. He immediately knew something was wrong and asked, “What is the matter, love?”

“Naoise… I don’t truly understand why I feel this way,” she murmured. “Perhaps it’s the shock of watching the twins throw themselves into that fissure.”

“Yes, that is understandable. That’s nothing no one should ever have to witness.”

“But I don’t think it’s just that. I just cannot explain it, but… I’m feeling a much greater deal of fatigue than usual.”

“You must be more exhausted than you realize, and only now is it catching up.”

“Maybe,” she replied, then turned her eyes toward him. “We did agree to accompany Connla on her journey to stop the blights, but I’m not so certain if I can keep going on.”

“That is worrying. After all, there is just one more to deal with.”

“Perhaps I should just bear with it so I don’t slow the rest of you down.”

Naoise shook his head in refusal. “I won’t let you do that. What would happen if you collapsed during a critical time? I couldn’t forgive myself if I wasn’t able to protect you a second time. That’s the one thing I’m most afraid of in all this world – enduring a repeat of my failure to keep you safe from a villain’s ambitions.”

“Maybe I should remain in Emain Macha? Or even stay at Leabharcham’s cottage until you return?”

“I can’t leave you alone like that. You had the children before, but it’d be inexcusable for a prophesized beauty such as yourself to be left on her own. I cannot cease my imaginings of you being stolen away by some new ruffian who wants to own you for himself.”

“Yet, I don’t wish to hold you back from helping the others,” Deirdre said in a forlorn voice. “Ah… Perhaps this is the source of my melancholy. I truly cannot decide what to do.”

Naoise leaned in and stared directly into his wife’s eyes as he assured, “Then I will make the choice, and inform everyone of it.”

“Will you? Pray tell, what is it you have decided to do?”

“As far as I am concerned, it is an easy solution.”

Back in the inn’s living room, Connla started to feel unwell the moment she heard about what happened to the Cloak of Mists. An awful migraine caused her to lose her sense of balance, and she thought she was going to be physically ill. Mini Cu told Morrigan to hold off on explaining the details until the child warrior was feeling better. Connla didn’t want to think about the mission for now, so she tucked herself back beneath the covers and closed her eyes to get some sleep.

Mini Cu and Morrigan sat upon the table near the fireplace. They kept their idle chatter as quiet as possible while they played several games of fidchell to pass the time. About an hour after Connla fell asleep, that was when Naoise gently opened the door and stepped through as silently as he could.

“Oh… Is she asleep?” he asked the others.

“The kid’s gonna be out of it for a couple of days. She’s got some mana intoxication, so she can’t move around too much,” Mini Cu explained.

“I see. As long as she can recover, then it is a relief for me.”

“What about you and Deirdre? You guys were right next to the crevice when I threw Gae Bolg into it.”

“Actually, that’s what I wanted to discuss,” Naoise said as he pulled up a chair and sat at the table. “I’m all right, but Deirdre does not seem like she can continue traveling with us. I absolutely refuse to leave her side, but I’d feel similarly guilty for not being able to help Connla when she needs all the assistance she can get.”

“I get it. So you’re torn between your wife and your friends.”

“Yes. Ultimately, I have decided to bring Deirdre back to Leabharcham’s house so we can get away from all of this activity. I just want to know if you guys have enough manpower on hand to contend with the final blight.”

“Oh ho ho ho. That won’t be a problem, my good sir,” Morrigan chuckled while moving her game piece on the board. “While I was giving my report to Fergus, I suggested that he come here to find out what happened with the brouhaha involving Gae Bolg. There’s no way he’d ignore any sort of trouble his foster son was causing, plus he wants to assess the damage to Emain Macha and find out the reason behind it.”

“Fergus? As in the former king of Ulster before Conchobhar ousted him? The man who wields the Spiral Rainbow Sword Caladbolg?”

“The very same.”

“Then that is most reassuring!” Naoise remarked, his dour mood obviously improving. “Lord Fergus is said to have the strength and courage of a hundred men! Few are able to withstand his ground-breaking sword as well!”

“It’s not just Fergus who’s coming. One of the other Champions – Conall Cernach, wielder of Curaidin Catutchenn – will be accompanying him.”

“Well, now. I cannot say I have met this Conall fellow, but I have heard of how that sword won him the championship in his tournament battle against Cu Roi mac Daire. Deirdre will be delighted to hear that such heroes will be happy to take my stead in your journey.”

Mini Cu didn’t seem as enthusiastic as he grumbled, “Hey, Morrigan. Fergus, I can understand. But did you have to drag Conall into this as well?”

“Why, whatever is the problem, Cu?” she wondered. “The more firepower we have, the better, right?”

“Don’t you think that’s a bit overkill, having both Caladbolg and Curaidin Catutchenn on hand? Is Manannan’s Parted Mists really that big of a problem to resolve?”

“Let me be perfectly frank with you - it’s no joking matter when a god has one of his treasures stolen from him. Think of someone being as irresponsible with the Cloak of Mists as you have been with Dagda’s Cauldron.”

“…”

“Furthermore, you have to remember who exactly lives in Manannan’s realm with him. Do you really want humans being spirited away by such troublemakers?”

“… Ugh. Damn it. Why are you always so goddamn good at making a valid point?”

“Because I know when I’m right.”

Naoise interrupted them by uttering, “Um, I don’t want to be a third wheel in this important conversation, so may I assume that everything will be fine with you all from here on out?”

“Yeah, everything’s cool,” Mini Cu said. “Morrigan and I will watch over Connla. Once Fergus and Conall get here, we should be set. I’ll explain everything to the kid so she understands. I’m sure she won’t object, and she would feel bad if Deirdre strained herself on her account.”

“Very well. Then I suppose this is where we part company. Give my regards to the others, will you?”

With that, Naoise got up and left to return to his room.

A full 24 hours after Fergus had heard the news of what happened in Emain Macha, he and Conall were astride their galloping horses heading northward to the town. Although both men were excited to see how Connla was doing, there were a lot more things on their minds. Neither of them spoke about it during the trip, but they shared an equally uneasy feeling in the pits of their stomachs as they passed through the Ulster-Leinster border. Their apprehension only grew when they finally reached Emain Macha’s hilly outskirts, where an envoy who represented the mayor awaited their arrival.

“Are you sure this is going to be okay? We’re taking a huge risk with coming to Ulster when Medb must be on full alert,” Conall asked. “After all, she doesn’t know that you, me and Connla are still alive.”

Fergus assured him, “I’ve already taken precautionary measures. The mayor’s a good friend of mine, and while he cannot directly support my cause, he is sympathetic towards it. We’ll be meeting in a location that only the two of us know about. In the meantime, I want you to rendezvous with Connla’s group and learn what happened from her. We’ll meet back here at this time tomorrow.”

“Got it.”

They split ways, with Conall heading further into town on his own while Fergus followed the representative to a remote hill situated a few kilometers away from the town. Atop one of the smaller grassy mounds was a stone-clad house that one might call a shabby home in the normal world, but was seen as a decent mansion in this world. Fergus met with the mayor Cormac and, after exchanging some pleasantries, ventured downstairs to the cellar where some barrels of wine were stored. Cormac pushed a button in the wall disguised as a stone, clicking something loose inside one of the gigantic barrels that rested on its side. The container was actually empty, disguising another basement door inside the ground that the two men climbed down. Eventually, they reached a single room with nothing more than a candle atop a wooden table, two chairs, and a simple bed. The musty smell of stale air was overpowering, but it was the safest place for them to talk politics without much risk of Medb’s supporters finding them.

Cormac lit the candle, then sat at the table and murmured, “I still can’t believe that you successfully fooled that queen into believing you are deceased. I was dismayed when I heard the news of you and your team perishing during an excursion in Scotland. I am truly relieved to know that is not the case.”

“It’s more like I’m exploiting her hubris for my own ends,” Fergus said, resting his chin atop his interlocked fingers. “She had no issue with trying to sacrifice me and my friends so that the Isles could be parted while we kept Cuchulainn busy. She has no right to complain when I ‘come back from the dead to haunt her’, so to speak.”

“About that,” Cormac replied, “are you certain that your preparations are thorough enough? I have heard the most fearsome rumors of Medb’s strength and cruelty, and they only seem to be escalating in these recent days.”

“What has she been up to?”

“The rate of crime in Galway has been getting significantly worse, which is making it harder to keep criminals imprisoned when there is little room to keep them in. Furthermore, the druids have been complaining of an increasing demand in… ‘certain goods’.”

“Certain goods? What would the druids want that cannot be provided in the markets already?”

“Well… mainly harvested organs for their medicinal brews…”

Fergus clenched his teeth and gasped, “She wouldn’t-!”

“I’m afraid it’s only hearsay on my part, but some good friends of mine have mentioned that their adult sons were imprisoned in Galway for causing trouble, and have not heard even a word from them since. There is some growing hysteria amongst them that the prisoners are being killed off and sold in the dark market for druids’ supplies.”

“That’s absurd! It’s illegal to extract parts from anything other than hunted monsters, and even then they have to go through the required channels!”

Cormac wiped his sweating brow and admitted, “I’m afraid I have little proof of such claims, but I can show you the missive that Medb sent to me several hours ago.”

“A missive? What does it say?”

The mayor rolled open a parchment he had carried with him, then said in a shaky voice, “I’ll just read the part that matters to you. Ahem… ‘In response to the destruction of Emain Macha’s famous horse race track, and of the reconstruction efforts, it has been decided that Galway will not send additional workers to aid with the work. Due to concerns over cost-cutting measures and a growing need to provide entertainment to the distressed masses as soon as possible, our construction workers will be tasked with erecting a newer, more modernized race track within Galway’s city walls to fulfill the demand.’”

Fergus scowled and uttered, “Preposterous! She intends to exploit this crisis to redirect Emain Macha’s biggest revenue producer over to Galway!?”

“Ahh… What am I to do, Fergus? I have not spoken of this missive to anyone yet,” Cormac shuddered and clenched his head. “The people are already in shock from this unexpected attack, and hearing this news will only serve to crush their morale even further! I’ve had many grieving families come to me in search for counsel over their loved ones’ suicides! The stadium was Emain Macha’s only hope for surviving in this era of death and chaos, and now Medb has the audacity to steal that away from us when we need it the most!? Is there no such thing as the lowest of the low that petty woman won’t sink to!?”

“Calm yourself, my friend,” Fergus retorted, trying to remain firm and resolute so that his friend would stop panicking. “To lose yourself to the crisis only gives her another foothold to step upon you and your citizens. You mustn’t allow her domineering ways to get the better of you.”

“But, what should I tell everyone!? I may very well incite a bloodthirsty riot if I tell them they cannot rebuild the race track!”

“Then take this as an order from your king – cast that missive into the fire and announce your plans for Emain Macha’s revitalization project.”

Cormac was both stunned and impressed with Fergus’ bold conviction. He then asked, “Wouldn’t that be seen as betrayal to Medb? Her orders also state that my best workers should be sent to Galway to help her men.”

“It will not be long before my forces are ready to strike. She’ll have a lot more to worry about than punishing you for insubordination.”

“Hmm… To be honest, I’m not so sure if I believe your liberation army will be enough, given how deadly Galway’s Red Branch Braves and the queen’s most die-hard loyalists are. Yet, I cannot help but place every ounce of my faith in you.”

“As you should. While I was King of Connacht, I had spoken to many leaders throughout Ireland. While those closest to Medb obviously sing their praises for their queen, those who live in more remote areas such as yourself have grown tired of her flagrant hoarding of all of this beautiful nation’s bounty. They express frustration at her sitting atop the lap of luxury, while thousands die either from starvation or suicide. Not to mention that she is doing absolutely nothing about the expanding drought and the island’s rapid erosion around the coastlines. The tension is increasing at a dreadfully exponential rate, and if I do nothing to direct the flames of rebellion against her, an even bloodier civil war than what we experienced before Dublin’s Fall will erupt.”

Cormac shook his head, then murmured, “In other words, society as it is can no longer sustain itself like this.”

“No. If humanity is to survive, a most sweeping and rapid change must happen. Those who cling to wealth and power must be eliminated, so that those who wish to offer solutions for stabilizing Ireland’s future will be welcomed. My war is not just an insurrection – it is the symbol of the change that everyone wants. They all wish to be free of Medb’s whims, and I will make that dream come true.”

The mayor shook his head in dismay, then moaned, “How truly dreadful this world has become. Not even ten years have passed since the warring over water sources ceased, and already there is a desire to shed further blood.”

Fergus patted his friend’s back and said, “I don’t want this any more than you do, but I swear to you that this is for a good cause. Ireland’s wealth must be shared if we are to live long and prosper. Besides, a real feast shouldn’t just be enjoyed by one person – it’s far better to have a party with as many guests as possible! Heh hah hah hah hah!”

Meanwhile, Conall found the address for the inn that Connla was staying at and entered. The owner acknowledged him and guided him to the living room where the girl was sleeping. The swordsman entered and kneeled over her to see if she was awake.

“Hmm… she’s out cold,” he whispered to himself.

“Yup, she’s sick as a dog,” he suddenly heard an unusual male voice coming from behind him. “Give her a couple of days and she’ll be fine.”

Conall turned around to see who was talking to him, but he didn’t spot anyone at first. He darted his eyes around the room, wondering if someone was pulling some kind of prank on him.

“Hey, dumbass. Over here,” Mini Cu called from the table near the fireplace, where he and Morrigan were playing their game of fidchell.

Conall had to take a moment to process what the hell he was looking at. No doubt about it, there was a plush miniature of Cuchulainn and a sentient raven casually enjoying a board game. He had no idea if he should be angry or stupefied, so he just stood there rooted to the spot in abject silence.

“Hey. Are you listening?” the doll grumbled.

“Oh ho ho ho,” Morrigan guffawed, covering her beak with her wing. “As amusing as this is, I suggest we give him a moment. He’s not accustomed to being surrounded by supernatural entities.”

“That’s not what I’m worried about. He could very well-“

“Cuchulainn!?” Conall suddenly screeched.

“… lose his shit.”

“What is the meaning of this!?” the swordsman raged and grabbed Mini Cu by the head, picking him up so they were at eye level. “Why are you lurking around in Ireland looking so… so… ridiculous!? And you’re travelling with Connla!? Do you have any idea of the trouble you’ve caused for all of us!? Yet you still have the gall to traipse around like you own the damn place! I have half a mind to cast you into the fire right this instant!”

“Whoa there,” Mini Cu tried to calm his foster brother. “There’s a bit of a story to it, but I can’t explain anything if you’re ranting and raving at top volume like this.”

“What sort of absurd reason could there be for Ireland’s greatest foe to be wandering around in enemy territory!?”

“A good one. If you’d just stop screaming and settle down for five minutes, I could tell you.”

“As if I could! I can barely fathom being in the same room as you for even five seconds!”

“Good to see you’re still the hard-headed moron I once grew up with.”

“Keep talking big, chump! We’ll see if you keep that attitude up after a nice roasting in the fire pit!”

Morrigan blurted, “Gentlemen, this is neither the time nor place for having a heated argument. Pardon the pun, of course.”

“Why not?” Conall glared at her.

She simply pointed her wing to the sofa. The others glanced over when they noticed the blankets shuffling, and a terribly disheveled Connla slowly sat up. Still appearing half-asleep, she rubbed her eyes and moaned, “Hmm? Why is everyone shouting all of a sudden?”

“Uh oh,” Conall realized his mistake, then brusquely tossed Mini Cu aside, pulled up a chair next to her and assured, “Did we wake you up? It was my fault, so I’m sorry.”

“Conall… Why are you here?”

“Morrigan wanted me and Fergus to come help you with figuring out how to resolve the final blight.”

“Uncle Fergus is here too?”

“Yeah. Apparently you’re going to need a stronger team to deal with this one.”

“Haah…” Connla sighed, already exhausted from just thinking about these new developments.

“What happened to you? Your skin is very pale.”

She pressed her hands against her stomach and moaned, “Uuuh… I’m sorry, but… I don’t feel so well…”

“Is it nausea?”

“Yeah…”

Conall remained by her side as she vomited into a waste basket for a couple of minutes. Once she was well enough, he gently laid her back down, placed a cool cloth on her forehead, and said, “Just take it easy, okay? I promise I won’t raise my voice again.”

“Mm.”

Once he was confident that Connla was comfortable, Conall faced toward the table and said to the others, “Looks like she’s been through quite the ordeal. Is she going to be well enough to accompany us?”

“It’ll pass before you know it,” Mini Cu told him. “She’ll be much better by this time tomorrow.”

“If you say so.”

“More importantly, we need to talk about why I’ve been possessing this doll to be with the kid. To make a long story short, she told me that the two of you plus Fergus are faking your deaths to fool Medb. I’ve been acting as a guide for her during her mission, but my ultimate objective is to meet with Fergus without attracting Medb’s notice. I figured that this was the best opportunity and method to accomplish it.”

“You want to see Fergus? What for?” Conall wondered.

“To negotiate an alliance.”

The swordsman’s eyes widened slightly, and he uttered, “You’re kidding…”

“Am I?” Mini Cu flashed a fanged grin. “Even a lummox like you could figure it out. The one thing we got going for all of us is our collective hatred of Medb’s selfishness. My existence revolves entirely around destroying her, and Fergus wants to fill the power vacuum that her death will ultimately cause.”

“Don’t joke with me. Why should I believe that you aren’t after Ireland’s throne yourself?”

“Sure, I could just merge our two countries into one under my rule. But to be honest with you, it’s already enough of a pain in the ass to function as Scotland’s king to begin with. Having to micromanage two countries’ worth of citizens would just piss me off to no end.”

Morrigan added, “You should know more than anyone what your brother thinks about royal status and decorations.”

“Well…” Conall stammered, but remembered perfectly well how Cuchulainn never cared for anything beyond finding his next good fight.

Mini Cu said, “So, I’m going to negotiate with Fergus. As long as he gives me the right to destroy Medb, he gets to keep Ireland for himself.”

“I don’t know… It just seems too convenient – almost like there’s a sting to it somewhere. I’m sure none of Fergus’ top aides will readily agree to such terms.”

“Hmph. Guess my word isn’t going to be enough. I doubt anyone will believe me if I said I already demonstrated my good faith by destroying the Curse of Macha.”

Conall became surprised as he asked, “So that’s the reason you threw Gae Bolg into this city?”

“It was mostly to help Connla with her job, but I can also use it as a bargaining chip.”

“Is that curse really gone? Can our men actually fight at full strength without worrying about being struck with false birthing pains?”

Morrigan nodded. “It certainly is. You have the God of Destruction to thank for that. Ironic, wouldn’t you say?”

“…”

“Hey, I can see steam coming out of your head there. Looks like you’re thinking a little too hard, mate,” Mini Cu joked.

“Shut up,” Conall bitterly snapped.

“Why don’t you leave the hard stuff to Fergus and me, and concentrate on protecting Connla? Swinging your sword around is what you’re good at, not worrying about the fate of entire countries.”

“Hmph. I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but you don’t have to rub it in so much.”

“Heh heh heh. Well, all kidding aside, once this whole business with Manannan gets resolved, things are going to get real busy around here. Let’s enjoy the time off while we can.”

“I guess so.”

“On that note, why not play some fidchell with me like we used to in the old days?”

Conall didn’t seem entirely comfortable with the idea. Granted, the situation was completely different compared to when he last encountered Cuchulainn in Glasgow. It still didn’t make it any easier for him to just drop his guard and relax around the deadliest opponent he had ever faced in his life, regardless of how silly he appeared now. Even if Conall forced himself to remain cordial around his foster brother, he proverbially kept one hand on his sword hilt in case this was some sort of trickery being played on him. As he warily sat down at the table to accept Mini Cu’s challenge, there was only one thing that Conall could think of:

This is going to be the longest 48 hours of my life, isn’t it?

Just as Mini Cu said, it would take two full days for Connla to regain her strength. Fergus remained hidden within the mayor’s residence so he wouldn’t alarm the populace and cause word of his presence to reach Galway. While things had become quiet in Emain Macha, another form of drama was unfolding in Cork, Munster’s capital city.

In the city’s center square, a decent crowd gathered to witness the arrest of a very important figure. This wasn’t just any ordinary arrest though – Lugaid was also present to show everyone the evidence that he and his soldiers found while investigating the nobleman’s home.

“Behold, my citizens!” Lugaid shouted, showing anyone who was nearest to him the coin that bore the O’Cleirigh family crest. “This was found on the corpse of the assassin who attempted to take my life but a fortnight ago! Fortunately, my good friend Ferdiad and I were able to dispatch of that villain before he could cause irreparable harm to Munster’s fragile government, all at the whims of the O’Cleirigh patriarch!”

“What nonsense is this!?” Keegan O’Cleirigh screamed. His wrists were being bound with rope as he shouted his objections. “I never hired anyone to take out the crown prince! The mere thought is inconceivable!”

“Then how do you explain the presence of this coin, good sir?” Lugaid retorted, practically shoving it into the old merchant’s face. “My sources tell me that you distribute these frequently to your workers so that the authenticity of your goods can be validated all across Ireland! The result of my investigation has shown me that this mark also serves a much more sinister purpose – to brand this mark upon the vagabonds who have been employed under you, effectively forcing them to be loyal to your family business, regardless if they wish to or not! If they go against your wishes, they will be seen as a traitor to your cause and put out of commission!

“What is that, if not a criminal empire seeking to sink its foul roots into Munster’s fertile soil!? Nay, even calling this ‘criminal’ would be giving this man’s villainy too much credit! It is a cult of personality, centered around one man’s desire to wrest Munster’s very future into his own hands! Luckily for you, my fair people, his excessive hubris and greed have caused him to slip up, thus exposing him for the emperor without clothes that he is!”

“Lies! Lies, all of them! Do not believe a word this idiot prince has to say!” Keegan raged. “I am being framed for such nonsense! I am the victim here!”

“Pah! Nothing more than the language of narcissists! Close your ears to his pontificating and see the evidence for yourselves in a court of law! I have gathered many witnesses who state that their loved ones died brutal deaths because they outlived their usefulness for this petty man! They were promised good pay for their work, yet were mercilessly executed to avoid having to shell even a single bronze coin for such honest employment! Is that not the trend the nobles have fallen into these days, my people? Is it not common for them to bilk on paying their workers the fair share they deserve? That they treat the poor and downtrodden as nothing more than free labor?”

Several men and woman started murmuring to themselves in agreement, especially those of the more impoverished parts of the city. Lugaid knew this whole thing was a setup, but it was rapidly gaining momentum due to how the nobles had mistreated their commoner brethren for so many years.

“I do no such things to my employees!” Keegan kept shouting as he was being taken to the castle prison. “They are fed and paid, as they should be! I am not running some secret organization behind the scenes, and I sure as hell have no motive for wanting you assassinated!”

“Although motive is indeed an important element of crime,” Lugaid said, “it is but secondary to ponder one’s reasons when the courts ultimately make their rulings based on hard evidence and credible testimony. Worry not, my citizens! Once Keegan O’Cleirigh’s shameful practices have been put on full display for all to see, it will be but a matter of time before the rest of his wealthy co-conspirators fall with him!

“However, as the future King of Munster, I also have an obligation to be as fair and impartial in this investigation as possible, even if it had been my very life that had been targeted. To those co-conspirators who wish to lessen their sentences, I implore you to turn yourselves in and provide assistance for the Crown! Not only will the information you provide be treated with utmost value, you will also be stabilizing Munster’s future by siding with your king! You do not have long to decide – if you do not, those caught within the net of this despicable crime will be subject to the fullest extent of the law, without favor or prejudice! The crime of attempted assassination on Munster’s king will not go unpunished, for to try and murder the king is tantamount to murdering the people as well!”

Lugaid turned on his heel, then declared in a cold tone, “That is all.”

As he followed his guardsmen back toward the castle, a satisfied smile crept on his lips as he heard the raucous cheering of the crowd behind him. He certainly did put on a good performance, although he was fortunate enough to have some solid facts on his side for him to work with. It was no secret that the O’Cleirighs were one of the most powerful merchant families, and thus their high status corrupted them into monopolizing many of Munster’s necessary goods like food, territory, and most especially water. The witnesses he spoke to over the last few days all shared the same frustrations toward the O’Cleirighs and their fellow conspirators.

It was incredibly convenient to Lugaid, but that was all it truly amounted to. Just as he had planned with Ferdiad, there was no actual assassination attempt – just the evidence of one that had been foiled. But the people weren’t so concerned with the political drama that went on behind the castle walls as they were with having policies introduced that could improve their daily lives. Convincing them of Keegan’s guilt in this imaginary crime was so easy for Lugaid, it almost frightened him at how simple-minded the townsfolk were.

Alas, he needed to keep his negative opinions of the citizenry to himself if he wanted to appeal to them. Fortunately for Lugaid, Cu Roi had given him plenty of training on how to deliver impactful speeches, even if they were peppered with half-truths. It certainly served him well here, and Ferdiad let him know it by clapping a few times in applause as they met up with each other back in the castle.

“That was splendid, my friend,” Ferdiad remarked. “Your father’s guidance is starting to bear fruit.”

“Hmph,” Lugaid smirked as he brushed his bangs aside. “Staying calm isn’t exactly my forte, but draining the swamp of its monsters is more than enough incentive for me to keep my cool. If only I could do the same with ousting Medb through political means like that, things would be so much better for Munster.”

Ferdiad’s smile dissipated when he heard the prince’s opinion of Connacht’s queen. It wasn’t that he was upset with his friend. On the contrary, he fully agreed with him. Ferdiad’s conundrum was more personal rather than political – he had been struggling for the last while about whether or not to tell him the full truth. After seeing how well the investigation into the O’Cleirigh family’s corruption was turning out, Ferdiad was seeing fewer and fewer reasons why he should remain silent.

“… Lugaid,” the orange-haired fellow finally murmured.

“Yeah?”

“Do you have a moment? I wish to speak with you in private.”

“Hm?” Lugaid noticed how unusually serious his ally was, and raised an eyebrow as he replied, “You mean, right now?”

“If you’re busy at the moment, I could come another time. I just feel it’s of the utmost importance, at least from a personal standpoint.”

“Well… Since you’re the one who gave me such good advice, I don’t see any reason to not hear you out. If anything, it’s a king’s duty to listen to his people’s concerns.”

“Thanks. I want to discuss this where no one can possibly listen in on us.”

“Father showed me a well-hidden spot we can use. Follow me.”

Lugaid guided Ferdiad through to the study, where rows upon rows of books and sealed scrolls lined the shelves along the grand walls. He tipped the top of a generic-looking encyclopedia, which turned out to be a switch that caused something in the walk-in fireplace to click. One of the side walls popped open like a door, allowing them to slip through and shut it behind them so as not to leave a trace of themselves behind. They circled down a spiraling stone staircase, with the pungent musk of stone and earth nearly overpowering their noses. This secret passage had obviously not seen use for years, but it had been designed as an emergency escape for the royal family ages ago. At the bottom of the stairwell was a long tunnel that would eventually lead to the abandoned fields of Munster’s heartland, but the two men saw no need to go any further than at the base of the stairs.

“All right, we’re here,” Lugaid said. “You better make this worth the while, or else I’ll have to kill you to keep the existence of this path confidential.”

“Ah ha ha ha. No need to be so uppity, good sir,” Ferdiad chuckled, as if finding his friend’s threat almost charming. “I’m sure the suspense is getting on your nerves, so I’ll just get straight to the point.”

He then coughed to himself, leaned his back against the wall, and finally spoke:

“… Fergus is still alive.”

Chapter Text

FATE/CURADH BEAG

“Little Champion”

Chapter 25: The Boundary Between Reality and Folklore

Once Connla had recovered enough that she could get out of bed without being sick, the group gathered their belongings and prepared to set out. The previous day, Naoise and Deirdre informed her of their intention to return to Leabharcham’s home. Just as they expected, Connla understood Deirdre’s condition better than anyone else, and assured them not to worry about her. Although it was difficult for the couple to part ways with their friends, they knew it was for Deirdre’s sake, and that they would be happy to see her again once everything settled down.

Now that their business in Emain Macha had concluded, it was time for Connla, Conall, Mini Cu and Morrigan to reunite with Fergus at the base of the town’s main hill. Connla and Mini Cu got on Liath Macha’s back, while Morrigan hitched a ride on the rump of Conall’s horse Deirg nDruchtaig. As the two steed strode along the roads, Mini Cu implored to Connla, “Now you listen to me good. Even though you’re much better now, I don’t want you doing anything reckless during this mission. Just because you’re healthy enough to walk around doesn’t mean you should take it for granted.”

“Yes, I know,” Connla nodded. “To be honest, I still don’t feel like I’m 100% yet. I doubt I would be of much help should we get into a battle at this very moment.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll be extra sure to look after her,” Conall said.

“You better,” Mini Cu grumbled. “If you don’t, I’ll do something much worse to you than I did to Cu Roi.”

“Ugh… If you’re trying to be funny, then I’m not laughing.”

“I wasn’t. I’m being dead serious here.”

“Oh ho ho ho,” Morrigan chuckled. She then said to Conall, “I bet seeing this side of Cu is quite the surprise for you, isn’t it?”

“W-What side of him!? He’s still the same womanizing brute that I remember!”

“Oh, ho. So you’re not familiar with how much he guards those he cares about with his very life? Why, he changed his birth name to the moniker Cuchulainn, or Culann’s Hound, because he wanted to keep Culann safe while a new guard dog was being reared. What is that, if not a reflection of his overprotective nature?”

“That was because he wanted to make up for the mistake he made…”

“Is that any different now?”

Conall raised an eyebrow as he asked, “What do you mean?”

“Think about it. He was never there for the little one. Instead, he became consumed with his hatred for Medb and destroyed the rest of the world over it. Now even Ireland and Scotland have a limited time before they wither away and condemn the last of humanity to the hostile ocean. It may not happen tomorrow, but I’m willing to bet it will occur before the child can live a full human lifespan. You know what that means to Cu, right?”

“…”

“I’m just saying not to be too hard on him if he’s all foul-mannered and defensive while around her. He realizes how much he screwed up and wants to help her in any way he can. You understand?”

“Well…” Conall murmured solemnly. “Yeah, I kind of get it… It’s hard to imagine, but the pieces do add up. I just find it difficult to believe that he was being generous towards her even before discovering their relationship. I can’t help but wonder when that change occurred in him.”

“This is just an educated guess,” Morrigan said, “but I think it was when Cuchulainn was hunting down Scathach for her authority over the Land of Shadows. Connla said she met him there while he was suffering from amnesia, right?”

“Yeah. She looked after him for a little bit until Scathach returned. I thought he’d be violent towards everyone he met after becoming Taoide Olc, but apparently they just talked for a while. I can’t buy the idea that he was too weak to strike her down whenever he wanted either.”

“Then wouldn’t it be logical to think that a senior student of Scathach’s would be curious about how a junior’s training is coming along?”

“Oh…”

“Especially considering how vicious and strict that woman can be, he definitely would be worried about how a child warrior could survive against such a brutal regimen for 15 years when it was difficult for him during the single year he was under her tutelage. If Connla also told him that her mother was Scathach’s sister, then that’d make him doubly anxious. You have to remember how unhinged Scotland’s warrior women can be when it comes to raising their daughters. Add all of that on top of Cu violating Aife’s physical dignity and forcing her to raise a child she didn’t want, and you can see why he would be genuinely afraid for Connla’s very life.”

“Shit,” Conall gasped a heartbroken sigh, finally realizing Morrigan’s point. It was no wonder Cuchulainn’s behavior was so strange while around Connla. A sobering thought crossed his mind:

Regardless of how much he’s been corrupted, he must’ve realized that he was the first person in her entire life who gave any semblance of a damn about her. For it to be a destructive god rather than a fellow human to finally care about her definitely would’ve disgusted him even more.

Mini Cu glared back at them and uttered, “What the hell are you two whispering about?”

“Nothing important,” Conall replied. He cast his eyes away from his foster brother, and the annoyed doll returned his attention to the road. The swordsman cracked a tiny smile in secret – there was still a modicum of respect he harbored for Cuchulainn, which he thought he had thoroughly discarded so many years ago. He couldn’t say it was an unpleasant feeling either, given their current circumstances. It was going to be a huge help in making this journey easier for him.

As the two horses trotted further and further down Emain Macha’s hills, their riders spotted a familiar black steed approaching from an innocuous animal trail. Dubh Sainglend’s dark features sharply contrasted with the pale reeds swaying in the breeze, just as much as Fergus’ unwavering smile clashed with the gloomy mood surrounding his fellow travelers.

“There you are,” Fergus greeted them. He rubbed Connla’s head, nearly matting her hair as he bellowed, “Good to see you again, my girl! Morrigan’s been keeping me informed about everything you’ve been up to. Seeing you alive and well is all I need to brighten my day.”

“Mm,” Connla nodded meekly.

“Hmm… Are you still under the weather, my dear? Should we consider making camp early today?”

“No, that’s not it. It’s just that… well… I just have a lot on my mind.”

“Such as?”

“Even though two of the blights have been resolved, they both required great sacrifices.”

“I see. Are you afraid it will be the same for this one?”

“Yeah… But I’m also still thinking about those who died. I guess I’m in a bit of shock, if you know what I mean.”

“I understand,” Fergus said. “You would’ve had no opportunity to learn how to cope with the loss of close allies while under Scathach’s tutelage. But don’t forget; no matter how difficult it is to carry those feelings around, you have to keep living for the sake of those who are still with you, such as all of us in this very moment. Keep your chin high and walk forward as best as you can, okay?”

“I will.”

“Good girl,” the king smiled. “Now, as for you…”

He shifted his eyes upon the doll resting on Connla’s lap. Mini Cu had been quietly listening to the conversation, but grunted once he realized Fergus’ attention on him. The swordsman appeared unamused for a second, then said, “Morrigan told me that you’ve been accompanying Connla on her journey, Setanta. I take it that you’ve been using that form as a disguise of some sort?”

“If it’s that obvious to you, then I don’t need to explain myself further,” Mini Cu grumbled. “Can’t say it was the same when Conall saw me for the first time.”

“Heh heh heh. Yes, I bet that would’ve been quite the surprise for him.”

Conall exhaled an exasperated sigh and said, “Oh, great. Am I going to be the butt of all of your jokes now?”

“Come now, it’s all merely good-natured ribbing,” Fergus assured. “If this blight really is as grim as Morrigan claims it is, then we’ll need all the merriment we can get to pull us through.”

“Yeah, whatever.”

“But in all sincerity, this journey’s purpose is not just to find out what’s going on with Lord Manannan.”

“I know,” Mini Cu said. “Conall told me that you’re willing to negotiate with me regarding the war. I’m not adverse to the idea, but we also need to be absolutely careful not to attract Medb’s attention. If she gets wind of any of this, she could very well destroy any chances we have for victory.”

Connla became curious as she asked, “How could she do that? We’re pretty far away from her, and she can’t dispatch her Red Branch Braves outside of Galway due to her limited range of influence.”

“Creating soldiers out of her blood isn’t the only method she uses to control the populace. Speaking from personal experience, she can convert her own aura into a ‘perfume’ of sorts that entrances both men and women into doing and saying what she wants. Her eau de toilette, as she likes to call it, is potent enough to make anyone confess their secrets to her, meaning she could make a witness tell her that they had seen us in Ireland’s outskirts. Of course, the confession has to have merit of its own, since her aura doesn’t force people to lie – its purpose is to extract the wholehearted truth.”

“I guess that makes sense. But what do you mean by ‘personal experience’?”

“How else do you think Medb could’ve captured me during the Cattle Raid? She drugged me with that sickly sweet aura of hers while I was in my duel with Ferdiad.”

“Oh.”

Mini Cu became serious as he said, “What we need is a neutral zone, where we don’t have to worry about Medb and her brainwashing body odor ruining our plans. I would prefer it to be somewhere not in this realm, but given our limited options, just finding some obscure cave or hole in the ground will be enough for me.”

Morrigan’s eyes seemed to light up as she interjected, “Say, I just had an idea, fellas. Why don’t we ask Manannan for help?”

“Manannan?” Conall asked. “How would he be able to do anything?”

“It’s quite simple, my boy. He’s the keeper of the otherworldly dimension known as Emhain of the Apples, or in your human tongue, Emain Ablach. Since it’s detached from the mortal world the same way Dun Scaith is, Medb’s brainwashing would not be able to reach you while you have your top secret negotiations.”

“But we’re going to see Manannan because of the blight.”

“Precisely. If you demonstrate your good faith to him by resolving whatever is going on, he’d be more than happy to lend you some space in Emain Ablach for the war effort.”

“Hmm,” Fergus folded his arms in contemplation. “Not a bad idea. I have heard tales of Lord Manannan’s numerous treasures, but he is more well-known for his boundless generosity, provided that it is within reason. If the rewards will be worth the effort, then I see little reason to ignore Morrigan’s advice.”

Mini Cu narrowed his eyes. “Emain Ablach, huh? I thought that world was completely sealed off somewhere in the Isle of Man. Since that island was located far out in the sea between southeastern Ireland and western Britain, that means it wouldn’t have survived my rampage across the planet because it wasn’t included in the raising of the Celtic Isles.”

“True, the Isle of Man itself is no longer around,” Morrigan agreed with him. “But that doesn’t apply to the gateway between Ireland and Emain Ablach.”

“You mean it’s still around?”

“It is a gateway of mist, controlled by Manannan’s cloak. It isn’t a literal, physical entry to Emain Ablach, but rather a conceptual one. It’s hardly as easy for some unsuspecting human to stumble into that dimension compared to finding Dun Scaith’s entry by accident. That makes it easier for Manannan to decide where to position it so he can maintain his connection with this world.”

Connla’s eyes appeared distant as she whispered, “The stolen Cloak of Mists… Emain Ablach’s gateway… Manannan’s Parted Mists…”

“Oh ho ho,” Morrigan chuckled. “I think you’re starting to see a correlation here, missy.”

“Maybe, but I’m not so sure. From what I can understand, are you saying that Emain Ablach has somehow become accessible when it shouldn’t be?”

“Certainly seems that way. Manannan would never allow this to happen on his watch.”

“And somehow it’s related to the Leyline being usurped for someone else’s purposes.”

The raven shuffled her wings in a shrugging motion and sighed, “Phew. I must say, this is going to get mighty complicated. Emain Ablach is certainly a paradise in its own right, but the citizens who have chosen to isolate themselves from mankind aren’t the brightest of characters, let me tell you.”

Connla tilted her head. “Why do you say that?”

“It’s one of several domains under Manannan’s stewardship, designed to allow the most innocent and naïve creatures of folklore to live there, fully cut off from the humans they once co-existed with. I’m sure Scathach has told you about the Tuatha de Danann’s descendants?”

“Yes. They’re known as the aos si, who live within isolated worlds known as sidhe. I guess Emain Ablach is one of those worlds, but Teacher didn’t really elaborate much more than that.”

“Well…” Morrigan murmured, then glared her beady red eyes practically straight into Connla’s soul. “The aos si, as you known them, are referred to in other languages as fairies.”

Once she said the word ‘fairies’, the three men seemed to grumble in collective disdain, which befuddled Connla. Mini Cu scratched his head and bitterly mumbled, “Can’t believe we’ve gotta deal with fairies, of all things. I’d sooner slit my wrist and bleed out to death than try to rationalize with even one of those freaks.”

Connla frowned and asked, “Are they really that bad? Most stories I’ve heard of portray the aos si as rather whimsical or charming. There have been plenty of tales of creatures like the puca, cait sidhe and leprechaun.”

“You’re thinking of children’s stories. Real fairies are nothing like that.”

“Hmmm… From the way you’re talking, it sounds like you met one or two in your time.”

He shot her a dirty glare. “Are you kidding? In case you’ve forgotten, Morrigan herself can be considered a faerie!”

“But, isn’t she a goddess?”

“Goddess, faerie, aos si, it’s all the same! The point is that she doesn’t think like a human, so she’s thoroughly incompatible with our kind! That’s exactly why they’ve been cut off from the human world!”

“Oh, Cu. The way you’re saying that makes me sound like some kind of delinquent,” Morrigan muttered. “I could forgive you if you decide to annul your marriage with Emer and take my hand instead.”

“Ugh. See what I mean, kid? Faeries love to force irrational conditions on humans for their own entertainment. That whole notion of them being whimsical isn’t too far from the truth, but only because they don’t understand this little concept called ‘consequences’. Those creatures you mentioned before? Puca decide for themselves if they want to bring good or bad fortune to humans, without any semblance of rhyme or reason; cait sidhe will curse cows to not give milk if a saucer of milk is not left for them outside; and leprechauns live only to cause mischief while luring humans in with promises of pots of gold. Do you really want the mortal realm to be overrun with such supernatural beings who serve no purpose other than to toy with human lives unless they are constantly appeased with silly rituals?”

“Um… I suppose not…” Connla sheepishly admitted.

Morrigan then remarked, “But Cu, since you’ve become a god yourself, doesn’t that make you a faerie in your own right? You really shouldn’t be demeaning your own kind like that.”

Mini Cu fiercely glared at the raven and snapped, “Shut up. I never chose to become such a monstrosity. It was Medb who forcefully bonded me with Curruid.”

“Calm down, you irritable hunk of a man - I was just teasing you. Gosh, with that plush body of yours, you’re a thousand times more adorable than you were as a human. Seriously, I could peck those cute beady eyes of yours out dozens of times and never get bored of it.”

“Same goes for me slicing you into millions and millions of pieces of avian meat, wench. Keep goading me like that, and I may just be tempted to do so.”

“Oh ho ho ho!”

Fergus and Conall appeared visibly uncomfortable as they watched the pair bicker with each other. However, Connla seemed to have an epiphany as she asked, “Sorry to interrupt… But speaking of Curruid, I don’t think I’ve heard any explanation for why Queen Medb was able to summon him from the Reverse Side of the World. But now that we’re talking about faeries and isolated dimensions, is it possible that Queen Medb herself is a faerie of some kind?”

The two gods glanced at her, sharing in simultaneous astonishment at her insight. Mini Cu obviously became distressed once the subjected shifted to Medb, but he admitted, “Well… That may not be too farfetched of an idea.”

“You mean she’s not? But her blood-soldier creation and manipulating perfume sound faerie-like to me.”

“That is true…”

Morrigan patted Connla’s shoulder with her wing and told her, “You’re forgetting something important though, dearie. Medb was originally born human, just as much as Cu was. Somewhere along the way, she lost that humanity and became something else.”

“She lost her humanity? You mean in a similar way that Cuchulainn did? But if he’s a god, wouldn’t that make her a goddess instead?”

“My goodness, Cu. You certainly sired a precocious one, didn’t you?”

Mini Cu crossed his arms and pouted, “Be quiet.”

The raven chuckled again, then said to Connla, “That may be a more accurate assessment of what Medb is. I wouldn’t say it’s 100% the same as what happened with Cu, but it’s pretty close.”

The child warrior became pensive as she pondered to herself, So the question is, when and why did Queen Medb lose her humanity? I have a hunch that her secret is the whole crux to this Lostbelt, but no one wants to tell me anything. I get the feeling that Morrigan won’t want to tell me either.

With that thought dwelling in her mind, the group proceeded onward to the far northeastern reaches of Ulster. It took about half a day for the group to venture into the vast glens and hills of Antrim county, now almost all but abandoned by the populace due to the violent separation of Ireland from Scotland, as well as the rapidly deteriorating coastline. This would be the third time that Connla traveled to this area of Ulster, but the eerie silence never made it easier for her to endure.

“You okay, kid? You’re looking a little pale there,” Mini Cu said.

“I’m fine,” she replied in a half-hearted murmur.

Fergus then asked Morrigan, “Why exactly are we coming way out here? There isn’t anyone around for miles.”

“That’s the point, big guy,” she told him. “Manannan wouldn’t want to situate the entrance to Emain Ablach near any sort of human cities.”

“Yes, I figured that. But where are we supposed to find him?”

“I sense him nearby. We just need to go down this hill for a bit.”

They did so, dismounting the horses once the terrain became too rough for them to descend. Once they stood upon some craggy rocks that were once at the bottom of a river, Morrigan unleashed a few shrill cawing sounds that echoed throughout the empty wasteland. The others figured this was some kind of signal she was making for Manannan, so they kept silent and waited for a response.

After several minutes of tense silence, an unfamiliar lady’s voice questioned in a soft-spoken tone, “Are these the ones you’ve brought, Morrigan?”

Everyone glanced around in confusion until they finally spotted their mystery guest emerging from around a series of tumbled rocks. The woman who stood before them was a genuine beauty, donning long dark red hair that flowed down her back like a waterfall. She wore a slightly revealing outfit consisting of a pair of white strips of fabric criss-crossing over her otherwise exposed cleavage, long white gloves, an elegant white dress that showed off her bare legs, and white high heels.

“Oh ho,” Fergus crooned, approaching her without any hesitation and taking her hand not in casual greeting, but as how a gentleman would behave around a beautiful woman he wanted to impress.

Conall rolled his eyes and whispered to Connla, “Oh boy, here we go again.”

“Hm? Is something wrong with Uncle Fergus? Is he under some kind of enchantment that needs to be dispelled?” she wondered.

“Nah, this is how he always behaves around women. Better get used to it, ‘cause you’re going to be seeing this side of him a lot.”

She tilted her head, then asked, “Does that mean he’ll act that way around me when I grow up?”

Mini Cu scowled, “Not if I have something to say about it.”

“Huh…”

“Eh heh heh heh…” Conall forced a nervous chuckle.

Meanwhile, Fergus said to the unknown lady, “What have I done to deserve being around the presence of such a beauty? Is this a reward for my life of bravery and service to the people? Perchance this is a test to judge the worthiness of my character? Or is this the deception of demons? I care not for the answer, so long as I get to be within your company.”

“Oh, you mustn’t flatter a person you’ve only just met, Fergus mac Roich,” the woman remarked. “If you’re not careful, it may very well lose its sincerity.”

“Ahh, so you are aware of my identity. I must admit, while it is good etiquette for both parties to know each other’s names before meeting, I’m afraid I have not been informed of your identity. For that, I must apologize for my rudeness.”

Morrigan landed on his shoulder and chuckled, “You silly cad. This is the one we’ve been looking for – Manannan mac Lir, the god of the sea and keeper of the otherworld Emain Ablach.”

“Bwuh!?” he choked, nearly coughing on his own saliva. Behind him, Mini Cu and Conall couldn’t hold back their chuckling, while Connla just stood there with the same puzzled look on her face. Fergus lost his composure and exclaimed, “T-This is Lord Manannan!?”

“Yes, indeed,” the red-haired woman replied. “I am Manannan. I asked both Morrigan and Cathbad to bring me a group of heroes willing to assist me with the troubles brewing within my realm.”

“W-W-Well now…” Fergus scratched his head sheepishly. “Pardon me if I’m being a little blunt here, but I recall Lord Manannan being male. Can I ask what you are doing inhabiting the body of a woman, when you are a married man yourself?”

“Certainly. Just as with Morrigan, the power of the Tuatha de Danann has been dwindling rapidly even in the few years since the Celtic Isles rose from the sea. To preserve what little power I still possess, I decided to perform the summoning ritual to call forth a Servant body that I could inhabit. The woman I summoned possesses a spiritual wavelength similar to mine, and is of Irish descent herself, so we were compatible enough to unite into one entity known as a Pseudo-Servant.”

“I see. So the situation is that bad even for the few remaining gods, huh?”

“I’m afraid so. If I didn’t know any better, I would say this world is being shaped to fit the ideals of the long-lost Fomorians, rather than one that is suitable for mankind to flourish. Coupled with what is going on in Emain Ablach, and you can see why I had to resort to such drastic measures to make this meeting possible.”

“Well, setting aside the state of the world for the moment, we would like to have a better understanding of what we need to contend with in your realm. Morrigan was rather vague with the details, other than that your Cloak of Mists has been stolen from you.”

“Then I suggest we set camp here so I can explain the details to you all, as well as getting properly acquainted with your allies.”

“All right. But before we do, I really should apologize for being so boorish around you,” Fergus frowned in visible remorse. “I had no idea I was being so rude towards the god of the seas himself.”

Manannan chuckled and said, “It’s all right. It was an honest mistake, and I am already aware of your propensity for unhinged philandering. I fully expected that this would be the greeting I’d receive from you.”

“Ah hah hah hah… I’m really sorry… ‘Unhinged philandering’ really is the most apt description for me, isn’t it?”

“If it’s towards me, then I’ll excuse it. However…” the god suddenly murmured in a low voice, and her eyes quickly changed from a soft wine red hue to a sharp golden glow. “Do not approach my wife with that same attitude. Do you understand?”

Fergus shuddered and replied, “Y-Yes, sir. Duly noted, sir.”

That night, the group worked together to establish a small camp before it got too dark. Manannan had already hunted some animals for them to eat, so they enjoyed a hearty dinner before settling in for what was clearly going to be a serious discussion. During that time, Manannan got to know Conall and Connla better, but she didn’t say much to Mini Cu for the time being. Connla noticed how silent the two seemed to be toward each other, even going so far as to not make eye contact as much as they could. For some inexplicable reason, she was starting to get a bad feeling about all of this.

Finally, the sun started to set as everyone sat around the bonfire and began listening to what Manannan had to say. The chirping of distant crickets felt like raucous clamor as they anticipated what she was going to reveal.

“… I suppose I should start with the theft of my Cloak of Mists,” she eventually said, her stoic features accentuated by the glowing fire. “In all honesty, I already know who the thief is.”

“Well that’s a first,” Morrigan said. “If you already know who it is, why not deal with them yourself?”

“It’s not that simple. The culprit is none other than my wife, Fand.”

“Oh my. Is this some kind of divine-class lover’s quarrel?”

“Don’t joke with me. This is much more serious than you can imagine. Though my affection for Fand is unfaltering and everlasting, I feel she has not been reciprocating my love for her over the last few years. Although she seems reluctant to go against me, I fear it’s culminated in her stealing the Cloak of Mists so she could return to the mortal world.”

“How many years are we talking about here?”

“Ever since the Cattle Raid of Cooley went disastrously awry 15 years ago.”

“Hmm… Yes, that could be a problem…”

Fergus interjected, “I’m afraid the rest of us are a little out of the loop concerning these issues surrounding your wife. Could you please enlighten us as to why Fand would want to come to this world in the first place? More than that though, it seems she had once shown herself in the human realm sometime in the past.”

“You’re right. I really should tell you everything about Fand,” Manannan admitted. “She is a faerie capable of transforming into a sea bird, alongside her sister Li Ban. A long time before the Cattle Raid began, Fand and Li Ban took flight in this world in their sea bird forms, joined together by a golden chain in contrast with similar flocks of birds connected by silver chains. This must have attracted the attention of a certain warrior, for he hurled stones at the birds, one which clipped Fand’s wing. In retaliation, she and Li Ban returned to punish the lad, whipping him so severely that he was bedridden for an entire year.”

“Wait a minute,” Conall blurted. “That sounds a lot like what happened to my brother a long time ago.”

“That’s right. The perpetrator was none other than Setanta… Or rather Cuchulainn, as he had come to be known throughout all of Ireland.”

“Huh!?” Mini Cu yelped in shock. “That’s insane! I don’t remember being confined to bed for a whole year!”

Manannan’s eyes shone bright yellow, and her curt stare practically bore into the astonished doll’s soul. Connla grew uneasy when she saw the Pseudo-Servant’s sharp glare, now realizing that her hunch was proving to be right all along. The child warrior was so nervous that she struggled to maintain a calm façade. It obviously didn’t work, for Manannan realized she was making her upset with her foul gaze, and so softened her eyes a bit.

“Anyway,” the god muttered, “Li Ban and Cuchulainn’s charioteer Laeg negotiated a deal – Fand would heal Cuchulainn, in exchange for his help with resolving a minor conflict amongst the faeries in Emain Ablach. Somewhere along the way however, it seems the two of them fell in love with each other. I was certainly displeased when I found out about the affair, but Cuchulainn’s wife Emer was even more furious about it. She rounded an army of women and threatened to kill the couple with knives and short swords if they didn’t break off the relationship.”

Connla’s eyes widened slightly when she heard this. She couldn’t imagine the gentle-natured woman who had housed her, Fir and Fial to be so vicious as to endanger her own husband like that.

Manannan continued, “Upon seeing how upset she had made Emer, along with understanding how disappointed I was, Fand decided to cease the affair and part ways with Cuchulainn. She returned to Emain Ablach with me, and I used the Cloak of Mists to seal off the path between the two worlds, so that they may never meet again.”

She turned her eyes toward Mini Cu and said, “The reason you don’t remember anything about Fand is because you and Emer drank a druid’s potion designed to make you both forget about the whole thing.”

His jaw dropped a bit, and he wondered, “I really did that?”

“I guess I can’t prove it, since one who drinks a potion of forgetfulness will not remember doing so in the first place. A perplexing paradox, wouldn’t you say?”

“…”

“But it’s true that Cuchulainn was badly beaten by two faerie women,” Conall said. “I remember having to help him walk around and change his bandages for the first few months, before one of those women arrived and offered to help my folks and Emer nurse him back to health. I didn’t get to know her personally since I had left to undergo more training, but I’m guessing she was Fand.”

“That’s right. Your testimony is proof positive that Fand and Cuchulainn encountered each other.”

“Ahhh, I think I see where this is going,” Fergus remarked. “Our little issue with the Cloak of Mists is all because Fand still yearns for Cuchulainn. He and Emer may have consumed the potion of forgetfulness, but she never did, which means her memories of the affair are still intact. Is that an accurate assumption?”

Manannan sighed, then said, “More or less. The only thing I should correct is the notion of Fand still wanting to be with Cuchulainn as his lover.”

“You mean she has a different motive for wanting to see him?”

“Think about it. What would you do if you found out that someone you once had affection for transformed into a god capable of destroying human civilization? Wouldn’t you want to confront him about it? Wouldn’t you want to satisfy your curiosity as to how and why such a thing would occur? Furthermore, wouldn’t you think that there’d be something you could do about it?”

Fergus’ expression became taut and grim as he mumbled, “Hmm… I see. So Fand’s acting irrational due to her concern about Cuchulainn becoming the feared god of destruction Taoide Olc. She stole the Cloak of Mists from you so she could enter this world and confront him about it.”

“Yes. That about sums up the first part of the problem,” Manannan said.

“Uh oh… You mean there’s more?” Conall cringed.

“Sadly, there is. The true reason I need your help is because the Cloak was similarly stolen from Fand before she could leave Emain Ablach.”

Mini Cu couldn’t believe what he was hearing, and he expressed it by uttering, “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“I’m afraid not. One of Emain Ablach’s faeries took it from her after they had gotten her drunk at one of their nightly parties.”

“See, that’s the problem with you generous types - you don’t take care of your possessions the way you should. None of this would be happening if you weren’t so lackadaisical with all of those treasures you keep around.”

“Excuse me, but who was responsible for nearly stealing my most important treasure away from me?” Manannan retorted. “None of this would be happening if you hadn’t slung those stones at Fand’s wings all those years ago.”

“Oh, like I knew any of this was going to happen just from a harmless bit of playing around!”

“All right, all right, I think that’s enough!” Fergus bellowed, standing between the irate gods before their argument could escalate any further. “I understand that you two don’t like each other, but we need to work together if we are to retrieve the Cloak of Mists for Lord Manannan. We still need all the information we can get from him concerning the faeries involved in this so-call party of theirs before we can begin the investigation. Can we at least tolerate each other until we solve this case?”

“Tch, fine,” Mini Cu grunted. “I don’t have a particular beef with Manannan anyway, but I don’t like the way he’s accusing me of things I can’t remember.”

“Very well,” Manannan similarly relented. “If things work out, your presence in Emain Ablach may give Fand little reason to want to leave anyway. This could be an opportunity for her to make peace with you, considering that you’ve become someone that she may no longer recognize.”

“Maybe. It’s true that I’m completely different from who I used to be. The last thing I need is some heartbroken woman getting on my case while I’m busy trying to destroy Medb. Maybe Fand seeing me for the monster I am now will be the dose of reality she needs to snap out of her delusions.”

“…”

“Good enough for me,” Fergus sat back down on the grass and drank some alcohol to calm his nerves. “Now then, Lord Manannan, how exactly do Conall, Connla and I fit into this picture? I’m not sure I understand how us humans should resolve any sort of issue that was started by faeries. From the way you’re picturing it, it seems you want us to act as detectives rather than as warriors.”

She nodded and said, “That’s right. I fear I won’t be able to do much since it was my own property that was stolen from me. However, I think the faeries will lower their guard if they are in the presence of humans who ‘wandered in by accident’, if you get my meaning. They may be more open to your company, meaning the culprit could give themselves away if they brag about the crime enough.”

“You really think it’ll be that easy?”

Mini Cu said, “He’s got a point. Faeries have isolated themselves from humans for so long that they would act like total simpletons if they made contact with a species they hadn’t seen in centuries. Loose lips sink ships, as they say.”

“I guess so,” Fergus said. “Conall and I could handle them if they became dangerous. But what about Connla? She’s still under the weather, no thanks to that whole business in Emain Macha.”

“He he,” Manannan chuckled. “I wouldn’t worry about her too much. If adult humans spark a faerie’s curiosity, then a child would definitely attract their notice. They’d think she’s completely harmless and reveal many secrets to her, not realizing she actually has the mind of an adult due to her training in Dun Scaith.”

“What the hell, man? Are you treating her like a flame so the moths will gather around her?” Mini Cu snapped. “Do you realize that’s my own daughter you’re putting at risk here?”

“Yes, I realize that. I also know it’s the only chance we’ve got at catching the thief. How about it, Connla? Are you willing to help us out?”

Without hesitation, the child warrior said, “I wouldn’t have come with all of you if I didn’t want to. Besides, Lord Cathbad told me that this incident could threaten the Leyline somehow. I don’t understand how that factors in, but I want to do what I can to protect it.”

“The Leyline… Yes, of course. You want the Grand Servant summoning to succeed that much, don’t you?”

“Yeah. Would the faeries endanger it somehow if nothing is done about this?”

“You could say that,” Manannan replied. “With the Cloak of Mists in their possession, there isn’t much stopping them from escaping into the human world and causing all sorts of trouble for your kind. Furthermore, faeries consume magical energy to maintain their existences.”

“Don’t they get enough of it in Emain Ablach?”

“They do, but their innocent and curious nature prevents them from thinking rationally. The moment they escape, they’ll start feeding off of the Leyline until it runs dry, and they would have no choice but to return to Emain Ablach to survive. Considering how precious the mortal realm’s supply of mana is, that would be a death sentence for Cathbad’s endeavors. It’d be a complete waste, all because the faeries just wanted to see some humans.”

“Nothing but a bunch of goddamn leeches,” Mini Cu scoffed. “If it were up to me, I’d go there personally and slaughter every last one of them.”

Manannan retorted, “I’d never let you do that. However different the faeries may be from humans, they still have a right to live.”

“For the god of the seas, you’re way too soft for your own good.”

“I don’t want to hear that from someone who forcefully wrested my dominion of the ocean away from me.”

“Um,” Connla uttered, “so the long and short of it is that you want Uncle Fergus, Conall and I to act as distractions for the faeries while we search for the Cloak of Mists. Once we find it, we get out of there and return it to you.”

Manannan calmed down and told her, “Yes. You could say that if the first two blights involved using brawn, this one’s going to rely more on brains.”

“As long as there isn’t going to be any fighting involved, I can definitely manage that.”

“Excellent. We’ll get an early start tomorrow. I want to get you three to the faerie village before nightfall tomorrow so you can partake in their evening banquet.”

“Mmmm, a faerie banquet in the Land of Apples. I’m getting excited just thinking about it,” Fergus eagerly smiled.

“Oh ho ho,” Morrigan chuckled. “There’s nothing else quite like it, I can assure you. Your drunken merriment should provide the entertainment the faeries have been craving for so long.”

“Guess I better get ready for it, then!”

Chapter Text

FATE/CURADH BEAG

“Little Champion”

Chapter 26: The Land of Apples and Avarice

Morning came, and the group packed up the camp site before following Manannan further into the forest of dead trees. She pointed ahead and told them, “Just keep going straight from here. The mist will thicken as you venture in deeper, and you might feel a little nauseous while passing through to Emain Ablach.”

“Uh oh…” Connla murmured, worried about getting sick again.

“Don’t worry,” Conall assured, then kneeled down to carry her piggyback style. “I’ll make sure you don’t collapse.”

“W-Wait, I don’t really need to-“

“You need to conserve your strength. If the faeries really are as unpredictable as Cuchulainn and Manannan claim, then we need to be prepared to deal with them. Besides, you hardly weigh much at all. Did you ever eat a proper meal while growing up?”

“Um…”

Mini Cu grumbled, “Just give it up, kid. Once Conall sets his mind on something, it’s impossible to convince him otherwise. Besides, I’m kind of curious about that as well.”

Connla tilted her head and wondered, “I’m not sure what you mean by a ‘proper meal’.”

“Well…” Conall said, and they diverged into a menial conversation while journeying further into the woods, following behind Fergus as he took the lead with Liath Macha.

Manannan and Morrigan did not accompany the group though. They were worried that the fairies would panic if they saw two of the Tuatha de Danann’s gods accompanying humans, which would compromise the mission. They offered to take care of Deirg nDruchtaig and Dubh Sainglend until they returned, since Liath Macha refused to leave Connla’s side, and it would be easier to just take one steed anyway. As the trio and their horse ventured further and their forms vanished in the distance, Manannan couldn’t help but feel a little worried.

“What’s with that troubled look?” Morrigan asked. “You think they won’t be up to the task?”

Manannan closed her eyes and murmured, “That’s not it. I just have a lot on my mind.”

“Concerning Fand?”

“I guess it’s that obvious to you, isn’t it?”

“But of course. She’s the one responsible for starting this whole fiasco. She might be so on edge that she could attack at any moment. You do realize that means Fergus and them will have to defend themselves, right?”

“I know. Ultimately, it’s all up to how she reacts. The only thing I can hope for is that Cuchulainn will talk some sense into her.”

Despite Manannan’s belief that everything was going to turn out okay, she just couldn’t fully shake the feeling that something tragic was about to happen. The Pseudo Servant pressed her hand against her chest and gazed into the distance, silently praying for the team’s success. She was especially worried about Connla, given how unwell she looked. She closed her eyes and let her mind wander back to a time that was now lost…

A time when she looked after a certain boy who would grow up to be one of the Tuatha’s greatest heroes.

Lugh… Please keep your granddaughter safe…

Fergus and the others continued onward for around 30 minutes without incident. However, that was about to change very soon. It didn’t take long before their surroundings started to shift. Just as Manannan warned them, the scenery slowly started to get harder and harder to see through due to a soupy thick mist rolling in all around them. Before long, the only thing they could see were their own hands and the very ground they walked upon.

“Damn, I can’t see a thing at all,” Fergus cursed. “Keep a tight grip on Liath’s reins, Conall.”

“Already doing that,” the swordsman assured from the horse’s opposite flank.

Connla’s uneasiness gradually intensified as they ventured further into the mist. For some reason, the atmosphere felt a lot heavier to her, as if there was some kind of invisible pressure pushing down on the core of her body. Her vision blurred and swam, unable to stay focused as she drifted in and out of consciousness.

“You okay?” Mini Cu asked.

“I’m… not sure…” she mumbled.

“Are you going to be sick?”

“No. I just feel… really sleepy…”

“Now that you mention it, I feel like my strength is getting sucked out as well,” Conall remarked.

Fergus frowned and said, “This must be an effect of passing through to a closed-off sidhe. Keep your wits about you. We can’t go collapsing until we find a safe spot to rest.”

Connla turned her eyes toward the back of Conall’s head. Her fatigue must have been so potent that she couldn’t make him out at first. For some reason, she thought someone else was carrying her on his back. As if her eyes were covered in a haze of their own, she perceived Conall as a different man. He looked very similar to Cuchulainn, right down to the style of his ponytail, but his hair was much darker in shade and seemed to spike a little more noticeably.

She struggled to whisper, “Huh? Who… are… you?”

“What’s wrong?” Conall asked. He turned his head back to look at her, and the visage she saw visibly spooked her. Instead of Conall, she saw that the dark-haired man looked incredibly similar to Cuchulainn except for his features appearing a little more mature and refined. His sharp red eyes practically broke through the oppressive mist like a beacon of light.

“Ah… Haven’t I… seen you before?” she gasped.

“Shit,” Mini Cu cursed. “I think she’s hallucinating.”

“Then we better hurry. If we dawdle for too long, we might wind up losing our minds as well,” Fergus implored, and the group did their best to hasten their pace.

A small creek flowed next to a grove of berry bushes, gently trickling water over the partially buried rocks. Kneeled next to one of the bushes was a lone girl with large moth wings that appeared tattered and ripped. Her short cerulean hair wisped over her pale face and long pointy ears, framing her golden eyes like the sky surrounding the sun. She wore a simple white dress with a sash wrapped around her shoulders, pinned together in the front with an arrangement of flowers, and leather brown shoes. Despite her elegant appearance, her eyes appeared fatigued and melancholic.

I have to meet the quota… I have to meet the quota… I have to meet the quota…

She kept repeating that phrase over and over as a mantra, trying to motivate herself to work harder. She seemed almost desperate to overfill her basket with fruit, rather than passionate about it.

If I don’t meet the quota, they’ll rip my wings off and serve them for dinner. I can’t stop… I have to meet the quota…

A few minutes later, the fairy heard some unusual footsteps disrupting the grass near her. She gasped and yelped under her breath, “Oh no… T-They’re going to kill me! They’re going to butcher me and-!”

However, she ceased her incoherent rambling when she spotted a group of unusual people she had never seen before. There were two men, a young girl, and a grey-colored horse, all kneeling on the ground next to the creek gasping for air.

“Gah… I-I think… we’re in the clear,” Fergus moaned.

“Son of a bitch… That was rough…” Conall heaved, practically on the verge of being ill.

Connla had long since lost consciousness, as Conall had set her on the ground to get some proper sleep. Mini Cu pressed his tiny hand against her forehead to feel her temperature, then said, “She should have a fever, but she’s somehow okay. She should come around soon enough. Still, I don’t remember the passage to Emain Ablach being this difficult. It certainly wasn’t for me when I came here all those years ago.”

Fergus surmised, “Probably because Manannan doesn’t have control over the Cloak of Mists right now. Back then, he likely would have made your journey much easier.”

“That’s true.”

“So what do we do now?” Conall asked. “Manannan said we need to find the village by nightfall.”

Fergus declared, “In this very moment, we need to rest. None of us are in shape for battle, and I certainly don’t want to deal with an unpredictable bunch like a fairy enclave while exhausted.”

“Yeah, you’re right. We still have plenty of time, so-“

Just then, the blue-haired fairy approached them from behind when they weren’t looking and asked, “Um? Who are you?”

“Whuh-!?” Fergus yelped, not expecting to be interrupted so suddenly. Everyone turned to look at her, and he uttered, “Oh my! Are you a fairy, young miss?”

“Y-Yeah… Can’t you tell by my wings?”

“Yes, that would be decidedly obvious. Well, this is most fortuitous. Do you think we could ask for your help?”

Her heart fluttered at the prospect of being useful to these folk, and she cried out, “Of course! What can I do for you?”

“We thought we were passing through a misty region of Ulster, but it looks like we wound up in a fairy realm by accident. As you can tell, it’s taken quite a toll on me and my friends here. Is there anywhere safe that we can rest for the time being?”

“Well, I could take you to my place, but it’s not big enough for so many. The next best place would be the village, but… well… I think the other fairies will be mad at me for causing a disturbance…”

“Is your place big enough for at least the little one to sleep in?” Fergus asked as he pointed to Connla.

“Yes. She can use my bed.”

“Good. Don’t worry about the villagers being upset. We’re the ones causing the inconvenience, so we will apologize as much as necessary.”

“Um… okay. My hut is this way,” the fairy said, and she guided the group to a small structure made out of sticks draped with animal furs. Conall tucked Connla into the bed, and both Mini Cu and Liath Macha stayed with her while the others followed the unknown fairy further into the woods. As they ventured further in, the two men introduced their group to her.

“I see… Fergus mac Roich… Conall Cernach… Connla of Dun Scaith… Liath Macha… and Mini Cu…” she murmured. Her eyes shifted about in curiosity as she mumbled under her breath, “Mini Cu… Cu… Cu… have I heard that name somewhere before?”

“Is something wrong?” Conall asked.

“No, it’s nothing. So, um, I want to ask you something myself.”

“What is it?”

“Are you all… humans?”

“Yeah. Can’t you tell?”

“Ah… I guess so. It’s been so, so long since I last saw one… Probably hundreds of years. It’s the same for everyone else. They’re going to be so excited when they meet you.”

Fergus and Conall appeared uncomfortable for a moment when they heard that. Even so, their straightened their faces, and the former said, “I bet they will be. Still, it would be helpful to speak with someone possessing a more level head than the rest.”

“Halobaromia should be able to help you then. Maybe Onpham as well. I don’t know about Douga, but he used to be a top aide in the Fang Clan, so maybe…”

“The Fang Clan?” Conall wondered.

“Oh, right. That’s an old term we fairies used to use to refer to beastmen. Once upon a time, there were enough of us fairies to separate us into clans, like the Wing Clan such as myself, the human-like Wind Clan, the dwarves of the Earth Clan, and the Fang Clan’s werewolves. Our numbers have dwindled so much though that we don’t bother with that anymore. Calling Douga one of the Fang Clan was just a slip of the tongue.”

“I see. So we can expect all sorts of different folk in the village,” Fergus said. “Are there other kinds of fairies, such as leprechauns or cait sidhe?”

“They went extinct a long time ago. Many of us moved here from Britain, and it caused a lot of problems for the native Irish fairies. We kept our conflicts confined to fairy mounds so as not to disturb the humans, but we British fairies fought against the Irish fairies for territory. Due to our greater experience with combat, as well as the Irish fairies being unpopular with humans, it didn’t take much for us to wipe them out within a few years.”

“Hmm…”

“Alas, that’s all in the past now. Soon enough, we’ll be joining the Irish fairies as fellow extinct beings,” the winged girl murmured forlornly. “Lord Manannan was gracious enough to allow the last vestiges of our kind to live here in Emain Ablach, so he could close off all the portals to the other sidhe. I guess he was scared of that hideous god of destruction Taoide Olc taking possession of them.”

“Considering the power he gained after conquering Dun Scaith, that would’ve been a smart move.”

The fairy hummed to herself in contemplation, then wondered, “Say, that girl from Dun Scaith… Connla, was it? Does Taoide Olc know about her?”

“It’s a long story, but she basically had to flee for her life before he could get to her.”

“Oh my… that sounds so terrifying…”

“The fact that she survived such a vicious attack is a miracle in itself. Speaking of which, I’ve got a favor to ask you.”

“Sure. What do you want?”

Fergus explained, “Conall and I might be busy chatting with these folks you mentioned, which could take some time. Could you look after Connla for us? She’s already not feeling well, and passing through that mist only made things worse for her. Given how notoriously curious your kind are, I’m afraid of her being overwhelmed by fairies who want to poke and prod at her. You know what I mean?”

The fairy nodded. “I totally get it. Everyone will be so fascinated to meet humans like you that they won’t care about how sick you are. I’ll take care of her until she gets all better.”

“Thank you. You’ve been most accommodating, Miss… um… I don’t believe I caught your name.”

“Oh,” she murmured, and her expression changed to one of disappointment. “I don’t have one. I lost my purpose, and thus my identity, a long time ago.”

Conall raised an eyebrow. “Your purpose?”

“We fairies are not the same as humans. Unlike your kind, who are flexible enough to adapt their purpose in life, our kind are born with a singular purpose in mind. If we forget what that purpose is, we thus lose our identity and are mocked for it by other fairies. But if we focus too hard on that purpose, we likewise lose ourselves to the point that we can’t maintain our original form. A fairy is then considered ‘evil’, and thus equally reviled as a purposeless fairy would be.”

“So it’s damned if you do, damned if you don’t.”

“Yes. I guess if you put it like that, losing my purpose has helped me avoid becoming something evil.”

“For sure,” Fergus smiled. “A kind fairy is always better than an evil one.”

She shifted her gaze to the side. “I suppose it could be interpreted as ‘kindness’ for a human…”

“Hm? You mean it isn’t?”

“Oh, don’t mind me. I’m just rambling to myself.”

Less than ten minutes later, the telltale signs of a civilized village began to reveal themselves through the densely populated tree trunks. By human standards, it was little more than a hamlet constructed out of wood and stone, with buildings and facilities built so shabbily that it was a wonder they didn’t fall on their occupants’ heads. All of the structures surrounded a large fire pit, as if it was the most important and sacred section of the town. The most impressive sight was of numerous bales of apples being gathered from the nearby orchards that comprised Emain Ablach.

Fergus whistled and remarked, “Oh ho. Pretty impressive, I must say.”

“Stay sharp, old man. I think we’re attracting a crowd,” Conall warned him as he already spotted about 15 fairies approaching.

“Oh my…” an elven woman murmured. “I’ve never seen these people before. Have you?”

“Can’t say I have,” a winged boy said.

“Are they intruders?” a dwarf wondered.

“Maybe. The nameless whelp brought them here, after all. Perhaps she’s plotting to have them destroy us.”

The blue-haired fairy quickly grew pensive and uttered, “Um… Sorry for the trouble, everyone. I’ve brought some lost humans here. Can they speak with Halobaromia or Onpham? Even having them meet Douga would be great.”

All of the fairies’ suspicions instantly vanished when they heard the word ‘humans’, and a wolfman barked, “O-Oh! Humans, you say!? You should’ve said so right away, you idiot! I’ll go get them!”

“Thanks…”

Fergus didn’t seem to mind the attention, but Conall looked more and more agitated as he was surrounded by creatures he had only heard of in fantasies and legends, all poking their fingers at his skin and feeling him like he was made out of a pleasantly squishy substance. He wanted to yell at them to stop, but his annoyed expression only seemed to compel them.

“Ahh, such bliss,” a dwarf sighed in relief. “I haven’t felt this relaxed in years. Humans really are a balm for our souls.”

“A balm, you say?” Fergus wondered.

“That’s right. If a human’s nourishment comes from consuming food, then our kind derives sustenance from just being around humans.”

“If that’s the case, why not co-exist with us?”

The elven woman said, “That’s not so easy. First of all, Lord Manannan forbade us from making contact with humans, and we can’t exactly go against his wishes when he did so much to safeguard us from all of those disasters. Secondly, even if we did allow humans to live with us, they wouldn’t last very long to satisfy us. Your lifespans are just too short to accommodate our appetite.”

“I see,” he murmured, then grimly thought, In other words, the fairies would start fighting each other for control over the human populace. It’s exactly the same as when we humans went to war for control over our dwindling water supplies.

“That’s why I always say we should kidnap humans!” a wolfman blurted. “Especially lost orphans that no one would miss! There were plenty of war babies left after all of Ireland’s men slaughtered each other in those battles before Dublin’s Fall! They’d still be young enough to satisfy us!”

Conall’s eyes widened in fury, and he reached his hand for Curaidin Catutchenn’s hilt. Fergus immediately raised his hand to stop him, then warned the wolfman, “I strongly suggest you keep such opinions to yourself. My friend here has a short temper, so there’s no telling what will happen if you keep instigating him like this.”

“Hmph. I was only stating the truth.”

“Wooof!” another wolfman howled angrily and slammed his fist upon his belligerent kinsman’s head. “Are you asking to get yourself killed, Stanton!? At this rate, you might as well say to them, ‘Please, go ahead and ram your sword through my heart’!”

“Guh… Right. Sorry ‘bout that, Douga.”

After berating the over-opinionated beastman, the fellow named Douga calmed himself and took a good look at Fergus. He circled around him while exclaiming, “Wow! So you’re a human!? Where are your wings!? Your animal ears and tail!? Your skin is so pale, too!”

“Hah hah hah! Calm yourself, my good man!” Fergus bellowed. “You can search us all you want, but we humans possess no such features!”

“Don’t mind him. He’s denser than a rock,” a handsome blonde-haired elven man retorted as he approached. “If you truly were fairies who had lost your wings, you would’ve had wing stumps on your backs. And your limbs are so twiggy, you wouldn’t even make for good firewood. That’s definite proof that you’re humans.”

“Well now. While I can agree about the lack of wings, I do take pride in my musculature, which is the result of years of dedicated training and swordsmanship. Even so, what we humans lack in bulk, we certainly make up for with intellect and ingenuity.”

“So I’ve heard,” a stout dwarven faerie with a thick and bushy grey beard remarked. “You folks were brilliant enough to even raise Ireland and Scotland from the earth to escape Taoide Olc’s eternal flood. That takes guts, let me tell you. That contemptible demon must be seething at being so thoroughly outsmarted.”

Conall said, “Maybe so, but it’s only a temporary measure. Sooner or later, we will have to do something about him. In fact, we’re actually a small band of warriors sent on a mission to find a way to stop the God of Destruction. If we can do that, we think we can halt the flow of seawater drowning the planet.”

“Hm. Pretty bold of you lads,” the dwarf remarked. “So why are you folks traipsing all the way out into Emain Ablach?”

“It wasn’t intentional. We found ourselves caught in some kind of thick mist. Before we knew it, we were here.”

Once Conall said that, the faeries glanced at each other uneasily, as if they were silently accusing each other of something. The humans knew what this meant; they were probably blaming each other for losing the Cloak of Mists and causing the gateway to open for them. Before the tension could get any worse, Fergus said, “Well, not much we can do about it for now. It’s getting dark, and we’re a bit tired. Could we trouble you good folk to allow us a night’s lodging?”

“Lodging? Don’t be silly,” Douga said. “We can’t just give you a free bed and leave you to it.”

“No? Why would that be an issue? Your village seems plenty big enough to allow for two or three more. Or are you asking for some form of payment? I’m not sure what it is you folks accept, but I’d be happy to-”

“That’s not the problem! Don’t you know what our custom is for welcoming new folks into our town!?”

The blonde elf scoffed, “Of course they don’t, you fool. We don’t exactly advertise ourselves to the human world.”

Conall raised an eyebrow and asked, “So what is this custom of yours? Do we have to perform some kind of bizarre ritual for your amusement?”

“What do you take us for, a gaggle of Irish fairies? Your silly fairy tales have misled you into believing we are an uncivilized folk who enjoy cursing humans. No, no, it’s nothing as petty as that. All we ask is that you be the guests of honor for our banquet tonight.”

The two warriors already knew this was coming, due to Manannan mentioning that the fairies always held banquets every night. Even so, they did their best to act surprised, and Fergus exclaimed, “Oh, what a treat! If humans knew they received such a hearty welcome from fairies, we’d have more disappearing incidents on our hands! Personally speaking, I have a geas that forbids me from turning down a feast, so I have no reason to decline your invitation!”

“Then it’s a deal,” the blonde elf said with a smile. “So it’s just you two we have to worry about?”

“No, there’s one more. She’s resting in our nameless friend’s hut, but should come around soon enough.”

“Oh, really?” the elf appeared displeased when he heard that. He faced the blue-haired fairy and demanded, “Speaking of which, where are those berries you said you’d gather for us?”

“I’m sorry, sir!” she frantically apologized. “I got distracted by the humans, so I accidentally left the basket behind!”

“No excuses. Go back and fetch it at once.”

“Yes, sir!”

Conall felt so bad that he said, “I’ll help you out.”

“Don’t bother,” the dwarf retorted. “She needs to learn to take responsibility for the jobs she takes on.”

The swordsman’s expression tightened as he snapped, “I’m helping her because I want to. If there’s a problem with that, I’d be more than happy to challenge you to a duel to defend her honor. I also suggest you stop berating her for every little thing, at least while Fergus and I are within earshot.”

The stout fellow pathetically mumbled, “Er… Well… Fine. Do whatever you want.”

“Hmm,” the blonde elven woman murmured to herself. “Is this what the humans would call a ‘gentleman’?”

“Seems like it,” another elf whispered. “It takes real guts to stand up for a fairy who’s lost her purpose.”

With that, Conall followed the winged girl back through the forest, while Fergus remained behind to chat with the townsfolk.

Day gradually gave way to night. All that time, Connla remained asleep in the nameless fairy’s hut, getting the rest she needed to recover from the double whammy of physical ailments she suffered over the last few days. Mini Cu remained by her side, watching her sleeping face intently as he mulled over many thoughts. There were many things he was worried about, both as the human Cuchulainn and as the demonic god Taoide Olc, but now that he was in Emain Ablach, one concern kept pressing him more than anything else.

Fand… I’m going to have to confront you, aren’t I? I wonder how well it’ll go over, considering the mess we’re in because of you.

Manannan had told the group that Fand was likely on the run from the other fairies, and that it would be difficult for the humans to track her down. Unlike the regular fairies, Fand possessed a lot more wisdom, and thus would be aware that Fergus’ group was here because Manannan sent them to resolve this matter on his behalf. Luckily for them, Cuchulainn was familiar with Fand’s behavior and would know how to look for her. He just had to wait for the others to regain their strength before they could make their next move.

However, Mini Cu was equally as concerned about whether or not Connla should be involved in any of this. He was literally showing his daughter a sordid part of his past that he normally would have never allowed her to witness. Then again, considering how brutal the battle in Glasgow was, maybe dealing with one of his former lovers would be of little concern to her. Or maybe it would be… considering her mother Aife was another one of Cuchulainn’s passing flings, and was the only relationship that produced a child for him. How did Connla feel about it? She never mentioned anything about what it was like growing up as a bastard child.

The vagueness of it all unsettled him. He really wanted to ask her a lot of questions about it, but he knew now was not the time. All he could do was be patient and wait for the right opportunity, when no one else was around to bother them. For now, Mini Cu hopped off the shoddily-made hammock and poked his miniature Gae Bolg into the tiny bonfire that warmed the inside of the hut, trying to reignite a log that was almost going out.

A couple of minutes later, the entrance flap was tossed aside, and the blue-haired fairy entered as she wiped her forehead of sweat. She noticed the doll staring at her, and she asked, “Oh, is the fire dying out? I should get some more twigs.”

“No, it’s fine,” he assured, then activated a small Ansuz Rune on Gae Bolg’s tip to rekindle the flame.

“Oh, how neat. You know Runecraft?”

“Just enough to get by. Are Fergus and Conall talking with the other fairies?”

“Yes. Halobaromia and Onpham are establishing a diplomatic bond with him. Fergus told me that he’s a king in the human world, so they thought it’d be a good idea to make peaceful negotiations.”

“Makes sense. I’m not holding my breath for it lasting long though.”

The fairy frowned. “You don’t trust us?”

Mini Cu scoffed, “Hmph. Let’s just say I’ve had a few bad experiences with your kind before.”

“I see. Um… So… I hope you don’t mind me asking, but… what exactly are you, anyway? You seem to be a human, but I’ve never heard of your race looking so… small. You definitely don’t look like a puca, so…”

“I’m Connla’s guardian. That’s all you need to know.”

“Oh… okay…”

As their awkward conversation trailed into silence, they heard the child warrior stirring beneath the blankets. It took a minute for Connla to come to her senses, but she soon opened her eyes and made eye contact with the duo. She wearily sat up and moaned, “Hmm? Where is this?”

“You’re finally up,” Mini Cu said as he leapt onto the hammock. “We’re in Emain Ablach.”

“You mean we finally made it through?”

“Gh…” he winced, realizing she just said something she shouldn’t have.

“Made it through, you say?” the fairy asked curiously. “Fergus said you humans stumbled upon our realm by accident. You make it sound like you were looking for us though.”

“Oh,” Connla gasped upon noticing her mistake. “Um… I’m sorry.”

“So which is it?”

“Hmm… well…”

“Tch,” Mini Cu cussed under his breath, then asked the blue-haired girl, “We’ll tell you what’s going on, but promise not to say anything to the others? We’re on a very important mission, you see.”

She looked pensive for a moment, but noted the sincerity in their eyes and eventually relented. “Okay. I promise I won’t tell anyone else.”

With that, he proceeded to explain everything about Manannan’s mission to her, especially with how they were trying to find Fand and the Cloak of Mists. The fairy listened intently, then nodded and murmured, “I see… I see… Lord Manannan didn’t want to agitate Lady Fand, so he sent humans here to speak with her.”

“Right,” Mini Cu said. “If at all possible, I would like to avoid a confrontation with her. Our only objective is to restore some semblance of harmony to Emain Ablach by returning the cloak to Manannan. Once that happens, no one will have any reason to fight with each other anymore, and it won’t wind up spilling out into the human world.”

“I guess so. But everyone is so on edge that it might take just one insult before everyone starts killing each other. That’s part of the reason why I live outside the village – to protect myself from such a dangerous environment. I sure hope Fergus and Conall will be okay…”

“I’m sure they’re fine. If there’s any way to effectively distract someone, it’s with a party, and no one parties it up quite like them.”

“Eh he he he. Yes, Fergus said he has a geas that forbids him from turning down a feast. He’ll never have any problem with it while he’s with the others.”

Connla listened quietly, feeling guilty for letting the truth slip so easily. She hung her head low and murmured to Mini Cu, “I’m sorry. I should’ve been more careful.”

“Don’t worry about it,” he assured her. “You’re only half awake, and not fully recovered yet. No one would expect you to think rationally like that.”

“Mm.”

“Come on, enough feeling sorry for yourself. You must be starving. Get some food in you already.”

“Okay.”

“Great!” the fairy exclaimed. “It’s not much, but I have plenty of fruit, bread and fish. You must be too tired to go to the village tonight, so let’s eat together.”

“Sure,” Connla mumbled, and she shuffled toward the bonfire, sitting beside Mini Cu and opposite of the fairy. She roasted some fish on sticks, then nibbled on that and some berries. As she prepared the food, she told the unknown girl, “I don’t believe I’ve heard your name yet.”

“Well… I actually don’t have one.”

“What do you mean?”

“I think I had one, but I don’t really remember it anymore. It must have been so long since anyone called me anything other than ‘you there’. I’m starting to think that’s what my name must be.”

“That won’t do. It’d be difficult to talk with each other if you don’t have a name. If you can’t remember it, then I’ll give you one.”

“Huh? B-But that’s-“

Connla disregarded the fairy’s insistent blubbering as she brainstormed for a moment. She then asked, “How about Mioruilt?”

“Mio… ruilt?”

“It means miracle in Irish. I think it sounds nice for you.”

“Mio… ruilt… Mio… ruilt… Mioruilt…” the blue-haired girl kept murmuring over and over again.

“Do you dislike it?”

“N-No, I don’t dislike it… I’m just not… used to it… that’s all.”

“Maybe we can just stick with Mio until you’re more comfortable with it.”

“Yeah. I guess so… Mio it is, then. So, Connla, what’s it like living in the human world?”

“Huh? Well, it’s just… normal to me. I’ve heard that there have been a lot of hardships for people over the years, especially after Taoide Olc flooded the rest of the world. But from what I’ve seen, everyone seems to be getting by as best as they can. That’s not really saying much, considering I lived in Dun Scaith for 15 years. I was isolated from all of that for so long, so I’m really only seeing the aftermath.”

“Oh yeah, Fergus said you’re from the Land of Shadows! I wanted to ask you something!”

“What is it?”

“He said that the God of Destruction invaded Dun Scaith and took it over as his territory, and that’s where he rules Scotland from. You had to run away from that, didn’t you?”

Connla frowned and shifted her eyes to the side forlornly. “I did.”

“Can you tell me all about it? That sounds like such a fascinating story to me. What was Taoide Olc like? Was he was scary as the stories claim? How did you survive without him catching up to you? What did you do afterward?”

“Um… It’s hard to say. At the very least, it’s nothing short of a miracle that I’m still alive.”

“That’s the part that’s so interesting! Even though you look so young, you’re a real adventurer! Those are the kinds of stories I could only dream about!” Mioruilt exclaimed, then crawled on all fours next to the bewildered Connla. “I want to hear all about it! Can you tell me? Pleee~eeease?”

“W-Well, okay. I wonder where I should begin…”

As the pair talked for the whole night, Mini Cu sat next to Connla, remaining completely silent the entire time. Although he was concerned about Connla getting friendly with a fairy, he was also relieved to see her look so relaxed and comfortable. It was since staying at Emer’s house that Connla was not able to settle down and think about anything other than her missions. It had literally been going from one incident to the next, without much time for her to pause like this. She had also lost Fir and Fial’s companionship along the way, so Mini Cu felt that Connla was sorely lacking in good company to share her joys and tribulations with.

It's good to see the kid letting her hair down for once.

As he thought this with a smile, he closed his eyes in concern.

I just hope this doesn’t come back to bite her in the ass.

Chapter Text

FATE/CURADH BEAG

“Little Champion”

Chapter 27: Difference Between Humans and Faeries

AUTHOR’S NOTE: For those who have been waiting so patiently for the next parts, I sincerely apologize. I’ve been suffering from severe writer’s block, and rather than try to fight it, I said, “screw it” and decided to give myself a break. I needed to do some brainstorming for some particular details anyway, and I think I’ve worked out something that I can be satisfied with. Let’s see how this goes.

As the last signs of daylight faded away into the darkness of night, Fergus and Conall were eagerly guided toward the fire pit in the village’s center square. Surrounding it were several tables packed end to end with food, dishes and cutlery to easily serve a small army, never mind a hamlet of hungry faeries. Fergus was already salivating at the sight of mountains of fruit, vegetables and meat just waiting to be devoured, partly due to his geas of never being able to turn down a feast subconsciously activating within him. It functioned to give him an enormous appetite so he could abide by his vow without issue. Conall wasn’t quite as enthusiastic as Fergus, but at least he didn’t have a geas weighing him down. The only reason he stuck around was to keep the King of Connacht under control in case he tried to get too friendly with any of the female faeries.

As the festivities began, Halobaromia sat next to Fergus and asked, “So, how do you like it?”

“Mm, it’s fantastic!” Fergus bellowed between bites of his meat. “Truly, this is a once-in-a-lifetime meal for me! Not even the castle cooks could come up with food as succulent as this!”

“Glad to hear it. Since we’ve never had humans come here before, the others are singing and dancing much more than I’ve ever seen. I really do have to thank you for picking our spirits up.”

“Naw, you don’t have to go that far! I always say that when things are at their bleakest and there’s nothing you can do about it, it’s best to just cut loose and get merry! You can always worry about the bad things tomorrow!”

“Truer words have never been spoken, good sir. That optimism must be why you are a king among humans.”

Meanwhile, Conall sat at one of the tables beside Onpham, and they conversed about what happened with the Irish faeries. Onpham was more than happy to regale Conall with every sordid detail of how the English faeries essentially invaded the Irish fairy mounds and exterminated the local faeries. In particular, Onpham began to recall how he and his clansmen dispatched the last surviving leprechauns.

“See this?” the dwarf asked as he showed the swordsman a sturdy leather strap he had affixed to his belt. “It’s a little worn, but back in my day, I used to make dozens of these to strike down the little blighters. Hell, I remember when one tried to bite my head off, but I wrapped my belt around its twiggy little neck so hard that I could feel its spine snap! Poor bloke’s eyes popped out like sausages on an iron skillet!”

“You don’t say…”

“Heh hah hah hah! Good times, let me tell you! This was the very strap that saved my life, so I keep it as a memento! Boy, if I could travel back in time and do it all over again, I’d do so in a heartbeat!”

Conall raised an eyebrow and asked, “Hope I’m not being rude here, but couldn’t you have found some way to co-exist with the Irish faeries?”

“Co-exist? You must be joking. Those pesky things lived for nothing more than to cause trouble. We were only defending ourselves from what would have been an imminent and inevitable threat anyway. Besides, the humans were quite thankful to us for eradicating them. It’s a win-win situation, see?”

“Not for the Irish faeries.”

“They don’t count.”

“…”

As the night wore on and the conversations kept flowing, Fergus eventually managed to maneuver the topic towards what he and Conall were actually interested in. It wasn’t too difficult for him to do so, considering that Manannan and the treasures he owned were clearly a hot topic for the faeries. They told him of several treasures such as the self-navigating boat Sguaba Tuinne, the water-treading horse Aonbharr, the ultimate counterattacking sword Fragarach, and the gem-studded helmet Cathbarr. However, when it came to the Cloak of Mists, all it took was Douga slipping it out, and most of the faeries went silent.

“Gh…” Douga grumbled, realizing that he had said too much. He glared around and exclaimed, “D-Don’t look at me! It is one of Manannan’s treasures, after all! It’s only fair that I get to talk about it!”

“Sometimes, I don’t know if you have the capacity to keep your mouth shut,” one of the other faeries muttered bitterly.

Fergus leaned in and asked with a stern gaze, “If you don’t mind me asking, what exactly is this Cloak of Mists you all refer to? That is, if you’re willing to talk about it. I don’t want to force you folks to say anything you don’t want to, especially after all the hospitality you have shown us.”

After a moment of hesitation, Halobaromia said, “Well, I suppose it couldn’t hurt. You humans did wind up here because of the Cloak of Mists. If you’re to make it back home, it would be in your interests as well to help us out with it.”

“Is there something wrong with this so-called ‘cloak’?”

“Hmph,” Onpham snorted derisively. “To tell you the truth, we’ve been having some problems of our own in this village. You humans got caught up in it by accident, so I suppose we have an obligation to tell you. If it’ll help us get back to normal, then all the better.”

With that, the faeries proceeded to tell Fergus and Conall essentially the same story that Manannan told them before – that his wife Fand stole the Cloak of Mists, and it was likewise taken from her. However, while Manannan claimed that Fand lost it after the faeries got her drunk one night, the townsfolk claimed that it had been swiped from her while she merely slept. The duo found it difficult to believe the faeries’ version of events, given that Manannan had little reason to lie to them, yet they had no proof to support either story. Instead, Fergus decided to focus on the most important part of the entire mystery:

“So all of this started with Lord Manannan’s wife, Lady Fand.”

Douga blurted, “That’s right. She’s the one responsible for stealing the Cloak of Mists in the first place. If you ask me, this is all her fault.”

“You could even throw Manannan into the mix as well,” Halobaromia added. “He’s the one who possesses so many treasures. He should know better than to be so careless with them.”

Fergus raised his hand and urged, “Now, now, let’s not play the blame game here. The only thing that matters is that we find the cloak and return it to its rightful owner. Once that’s done, all of our troubles will be over.”

“I guess so.”

“In that case, we’d be glad to aid you in your search. It troubles me to watch you good faeries cast such doubt and suspicion amongst each other, so finding it will help improve your bonds as fellow townsfolk. It’ll benefit us as well, since then Lord Manannan will be able to return us to the human world. A win-win for everyone, wouldn’t you agree?”

“All right,” the elf agreed, and the two men shook hands. “It wouldn’t be all that hard. All we want you to do is to find Fand and punish her for causing all of this.”

“Punish her?” Conall asked.

“Think about it – out of all of Manannan’s treasures, why did she specifically steal the Cloak of Mists? It’s obvious, really. She wanted to go to the human world. I heard rumors that Manannan and Fand had a falling-out some 20 or so years ago because she fell in love with a mortal man. The relationship fell apart, but clearly she still has some feelings for that man.”

“That’s why I always say it’s dangerous for us faeries to love humans,” Onpham shook his head. “It causes us to behave irrationally, and we wind up doing stupid things that we inevitably regret. That’s why we isolated ourselves in Emain Ablach to begin with.”

Fergus murmured, “I see. I can’t guarantee the punishing part, but we would like to have a word with her. Where might we be able to find her?”

“Can’t help you with that one, mate,” Douga admitted. “Ever since she lost the cloak, Fand’s been in hiding. None of us want to leave the village for fear that we might stumble outside into the human world.”

“Then I guess it’s up to us to investigate,” Conall said. “It’s the least we can do for the hospitality we’ve been given. If there’s anything else that Fergus and I need to know about Fand, don’t hesitate to tell us. We need all of the information we can get.”

Night soon gave way to dawn, and the first signs of sunlight started to break through the dark sky. Back in Mioruilt’s hut, Connla let out a huge yawn. She realized that she had talked with the faerie for the remainder of the night, and it was starting to wear her out. She wiped her eyes and moaned, “Phew… I’m exhausted…”

“Oh my, it’s morning already?” Mioruilt wondered. She hurriedly got to her feet and said, “I better get back to the village and start cleaning up. The others get mad at me if I don’t pick up after them.”

“Do you want me to help you out?”

“No, that’s okay. The last time one of the others tried to help me, they were scolded at terribly. Everyone’s afraid of forgetting their purpose like I have, as if it’s a contagious disease.”

“I see…”

With that, the blue-haired faerie rushed out of the hut and back to the village, leaving Connla and Mini Cu to sit in front of the dying bonfire in silence. She used a quick spell to extinguish it, then crawled onto the bed and murmured, “Maybe I should take a quick nap.”

“I’ll go look around for a bit,” Mini Cu told her. “With any luck, I might be able to find clues about Fand’s whereabouts.”

He left her be and wandered out into the forest in blind pursuit of any useful hints. The next few hours were uneventful for him as he hopped along rocks and low-hanging tree branches to get a better view of his surroundings.

“Hmmm…” he hummed to himself and gazed intently into the distance. The seriousness of his expression drastically clashed with the cuteness of his appearance, which anyone would find exceptionally bizarre if they saw him right now. He didn’t care about any of that though. He folded his arms and contemplated.

She’s here. I know it. I’d recognize that scent anywhere.

Mini Cu closed his eyes and inhaled a deep whiff of fresh air, hoping to pinpoint the smell a little better. Unfortunately, it wasn’t as strong as he would have liked.

She must be lurking around somewhere in this general area. She just doesn’t stick around long enough to leave enough traces though. But I know her. Since she’s a faerie who can transform into a bird, she has to have a roost somewhere. Furthermore, it has to be a location that the other faeries wouldn’t dare venture to. Maybe Mio will know something. I ought to ask her when she gets back.

Satisfied with his findings for now, Mini Cu turned back towards the hut. It took him another half hour to return, but when he did, he saw that Connla was still asleep even though a few hours had passed.

So much for a ‘quick nap’, huh? Oh well, can’t blame her. Keeping a faerie entertained would tire anyone out.

He climbed onto the bed and lay next to her on the pillow, opting to get some shut-eye himself.

Back in the village, all of the other faeries had turned in for the day. Fergus and Conall likewise collapsed onto their beds in exhaustion, having spent all night dining and chatting with the curious villagers. This was the typical scene that Mioruilt would arrive to every morning… that, and a massive mess of eaten food and discarded dishes. She sighed in quiet resignation and began her cleaning routine, systematically clearing the trash as she had done so thousands of times before.

Today was different though. She had more pep in her movements as her mind wandered off to the tales that Connla told her. All of the perils the girl had faced until now sounded so fascinating and exciting. Mioruilt always suspected that the human world was a much more fun place than the other faeries believed, and hearing those stories only cemented that belief for her. She wanted to be a part of the action. She desperately wanted to put this miserable life behind her and go on fantastic adventures of her own.

Maybe this was the chance she had been waiting for…

Maybe today was going to be the last day she’d have to be everyone’s thankless errand girl…

Maybe this was the last time she’d have to clean up their messes…

Maybe today was the day she would grasp her own happiness…

But, how was she going to do it? Could she convince Connla and the other two humans to bring her with them when they left Emain Ablach? What if they refused? Would she have to use force? Or perhaps poison one of them, and give the antidote only on the condition that they take her with them? She certainly hoped it wouldn’t come to that. Mioruilt liked Connla a lot, and she didn’t want to do something so cruel in front of her new friend.

Her excitement changed to worry as she wondered how she was going to pull off her grand escape. That worry then escalated to anxiety, fearing that the humans would turn her away just like the other faeries did. She had to take a few deep breaths to calm herself down. It was only morning. She had plenty of time to figure things out.

Several hours later, she finally finished cleaning in the town’s center square. She wiped her hands, satisfied with her work, then began to head back into the forest. She hesitated for a moment though, and glanced back at the central bonfire. If everything went well, this would probably be the last time she’d have to come here. It was only natural for her to feel some semblance of trepidation. However, the lingering thoughts of Douga’s angered shouting over her not cooking his meat just right, or Onpham using her exposed back to test his leather strap as a weapon during one of his stories, or Halobaromia constantly ordering her to fill his mug with booze pushed away any sentiments she might’ve had for the village. She was tired of it all, and now it was time for her to cut ties with the faeries.

Good-bye, you ingrates. Hope you find someone else to pick up the trash for you.

Mioruilt made a mad dash back for her hut, praying that no one would pursue and punish her for having such impure thoughts. It wasn’t like she had anything to worry about with everyone passed out, but the thrill of it all made her feel like some underdog heroine taking her first steps toward the grand adventure she felt she so deserved. She just had to keep it together and think of a plan to escape Emain Ablach with the humans.

About ten minutes later, she returned to the hut. Connla and Mini Cu were still asleep, so she carefully shuffled past them and stood before the collection of baskets she kept in the corner.

Oh, that’s right. I saw that the berries were running low, so I should go get some m-

She stopped herself, realizing that she was falling into the trap of her mundane routines. She scoffed for a moment as she noticed her mistake, then angrily kicked the baskets and exclaimed, “Hmph!”

The thumping and clattering stirred Connla awake. She wearily sat up, her hair messy and unkempt as she wondered in a tired moan, “Hmm? What was that noise?”

“Ah! I’m sorry!” Mioruilt exclaimed. “The baskets fell over before I could stop them!”

“Really? Kind of sounded like you were kicking them.”

“Just your imagination. You’re still half-asleep, right?”

“Hmm… I guess so…”

The young warrior shuffled to her feet and stretched, then murmured, “Ahh… That feels better.”

“Are you still feeling sick?”

“Not as much as yesterday. I should be fine with some exercise. Though in all honesty, I really want to take a bath.”

“Oh! In that case, let’s go to the pond! I always go there to freshen up! Then we can go to the orchard and pick some apples!”

As the two girls conversed, Mini Cu listened in and thought to himself, Orchard, huh? Then again, this *is* Emain Ablach, the Land of Apples. Shouldn’t be surprising to find some apple trees here.

He followed the pair through the woods to a small body of shallow water connected to a series of streams. They didn’t seem to pay him any mind as they undressed and proceeded to dip their toes into the water.

“Ah, that’s cold!” Connla yelped.

“That can’t be helped,” Mioruilt said.

“Not necessarily. I have a method for quickly warming up water.”

Connla raised her hand and traced a medium-sized Ansuz Rune on the ground beneath the pond. It illuminated bright red for a moment, then disappeared. About 30 seconds later, bubbles started to form on the water’s surface like a hot tub’s jets. She hopped in, then sighed in relief and said, “There we go. That’s much better.”

Mioruilt wasn’t sure if it was safe, so she hesitantly dipped her toes in. Once she realized that the water was warm and pleasant to the touch, she wasted no time getting in herself. She closed her eyes in delight and exclaimed, “Wow, this is amazing! You’re so clever!”

“Not really. It’s just a technique that I was taught by my teacher Scathach. It only lasts about 30 minutes, so we should do this quick.”

“Then do you want me to scrub your back?”

Connla tilted her head in curiosity. “My back?”

“You don’t want me to?”

“No, it’s not that. I just never heard of it before.”

“You mean your teacher never did it for you?”

“No. She always insisted that I be as self-reliant as much as possible. My mother was the same way as well.”

“What about when you went to the human world? Surely someone would have done it for you then!”

Connla shook her head in disappointment. “I’m afraid that with the scarcity of water throughout the Isles, there aren’t that many opportunities to care for one’s personal hygiene. Anything that’s still left is reserved for drinking and irrigation. Taking a bath is considered a luxury that only the wealthy can afford.”

“Oh my… It’s that bad, huh?” the faerie murmured. “Then let me be the first to do it for you.”

“If you insist.”

Mioruilt rubbed her hands against Connla’s upper back, simultaneously washing and massaging her heavily scarred skin. The sight of those old injuries unnerved her, and she asked, “Say, Connla? Where did you get all of these cuts and bruises from?”

“Mostly from training. My mother was responsible for the majority of them, while the rest came from battles.”

“I thought human mothers were supposed to be kind and caring. Why would yours do such a thing?”

“She said it was worth my while to learn how to withstand torture.”

Mioruilt looked genuinely shocked as she asked, “What kind of human mother would do that?”

Connla grew perplexed. “Why is that a problem? If that was what my mother wanted, then it was my duty as her child to obey. She was a warrior woman, after all. She always said she had a fearsome reputation to maintain throughout Scotland. I will admit that it was terrifying at first, and I did cry a lot in the first few weeks. But I had to learn to get used to it, or she would just hit me even harder.”

“Goodness… So there really are all kinds of humans out there, aren’t there?”

“Indeed. It’s a mistake to think that every mother is supposed to be kind, or that every warrior is supposed to be strong, or that every leader has their country’s best interests at heart. They’re stereotypes that cloud our perception of each person’s individual character. If you generalize everyone like that, you’re not going to make it far in the real world. At least, that’s what my teacher taught me.”

As the girls talked, Mini Cu listened to Connla’s story and grew disheartened. Hearing how Aife abused her was hard enough – to see her treat it as something totally natural unnerved him to his very core. He knew the real reason why Aife had mistreated Connla so horribly – she was just a substitute for him. The fact that Connla never figured out something so obvious made it all the more difficult for him to listen to her personal history. Even so, he wasn’t going to turn away from it. He had an obligation to learn everything he could, so that he could take steps towards rectifying it as she grew up.

Mioruilt became silent and sat back listlessly. Connla glanced back and, noticing her friend’s upset expression, asked, “What’s the matter? Are you tired?”

“… Connla?”

“Yes?”

“Don’t you ever feel like leaving it all behind?”

“Um… leaving what behind?”

“The pain, the sadness, the loneliness…”

Connla raised an eyebrow. “I’m not sure I understand.”

“Think about it. You and I have something very much in common.”

 “We do?”

Mioruilt’s face hardened as she bitterly muttered, “All of the adults around us are so stupid. They walk all over us like doormats, and expect us to do all of the heavy lifting for them, while they get to run around and be irresponsible jerks. Doesn’t that seem unfair to you?”

“Well, maybe…”

“Right? I always feel like just dropping everything and running away from it all. Don’t you feel the same? Aren’t you tired of your mother and teacher beating you up under the guise of ‘training’? That queen of Connacht sounds like a terrible woman too. Why bother devoting your life in servitude to such selfish people when you can abandon them and be selfish on your own terms?”

Connla frowned hard, then replied, “Even if I could, where would I go to? There are only so many places on the Celtic Isles I could run to. If the rest of the world wasn’t under the ocean, that’d be a different story. Yet even so, I think it’d be difficult to leave behind the people who actually care about me.”

“What if they actually don’t give a damn about you? If you found out that the people you thought cared about you actually hated your guts, wouldn’t you feel like you wasted your life trying to appease them?”

“I don’t know… We’re not capable of reading other people’s minds, so we have no way of knowing such things. The only thing we can really do is have faith in each other, and be strong enough to face the truth if it comes to that.”

Mioruilt huffed in irritation and grumbled, “So that’s what it’s like for you humans, isn’t it? You can’t just drop everything and leave on a whim.”

“I think our lives are too short for that. I’m sure you faeries can do it more easily since you have much longer lifespans. Regardless if they’re good or bad relationships, we humans value the connections we’ve made with others too much to simply discard them like that.”

“I see… That makes a lot of sense.”

Connla then wondered, “Why are you asking such things, anyway? Do the other faeries mistreat you that badly?”

“No, it’s nothing. Don’t worry about it. I just wanted to learn more about how humans think.”

“If you say so…”

Mini Cu narrowed his eyes, growing more and more suspicious of Mioruilt’s strange questions. He had a gut feeling that he knew what she was up to, and he didn’t like it. He kept those opinions to himself as the faerie said, “I think we’ve bathed long enough. Let’s get out and go to the orchard now.”

Inside one of the village’s tents, Fergus snored loudly, his sleeping body splayed all over his bed. Next to him in a separate bed was an irritated Conall, who could barely get any rest due to the cacophony that the king was causing. The swordsman gave up trying to get any sleep and rubbed his eyes before looking through the door, wondering what hour of the day it was. He saw that the sun was out, and the sundial showed it was approaching around the noon hour.

Shit. We wasted so much time getting rowdy with those faeries. We’ve gotta haul ass and look around for Fand before it gets dark again.

He kneeled before Fergus and exclaimed, “Hey, old man! Wake up already!”

“Hmngh… Ahh… You’re so naughty… I can’t wait to…” Fergus moaned in his sleep, cutting himself off with another guttural snore.

Conall grew frustrated and pulled the older man’s ear lobe as hard as he could, shouting with all his might, “HEY! GET UP, YOU LAZY BUM! WE’VE GOT WORK TO DO!”

“Hmm… hm?” Fergus woke up with an unappealing snort. “Huh? Oh, it was just a dream.”

“Crikey. How the hell do you ever run a country when you’re so goddamn carefree?”

“Heh. Charisma, my good lad. Charisma is what allows you to get away with anything you want.”

“Oh, really? Then get your charismatic butt out of bed already. We gotta rendezvous with Connla and get her up to speed with what we’ve discovered.”

Fergus’ expression turned serious, and he mused, “Hmm… You’ve got a point. We left her behind with that blue-haired faerie. Hope she and Setanta haven’t gotten themselves into trouble while we were busy.”

With that, the two men snuck out of the village while the faeries slept, making their way back to the hut. However, what they didn’t realize was that one of the female elves had woken up early and was slowly sneaking towards their tent. She had become enamored with Fergus and hoped that she could get much closer to him as he slept. She blushed profusely at the thought of sharing the same bed as such a handsome human, and any hesitation she had quickly eroded when thoughts of taking him for herself overcame her senses. She quickly hid behind a tarp when she saw the duo leaving, then made quiet pursuit after them, staying as far behind as she could while still keeping them in sight.

Meanwhile, the pair discovered Mioruilt’s hut to be unoccupied, save for Liath Macha sleeping on the ground next to it. Conall grumbled, “Well that’s just great. Now what do we do?”

“Simple. We wait for her,” Fergus said, and he sat down cross-legged next to the extinguished fire pit. Conall shrugged in resignation and joined him for some idle conversation to pass the time.

After the girls got dressed from their bath, Mioruilt showed Connla and Mini Cu the way to a well-hidden grove of apple trees situated near a small river. The scene was positively idyllic, with birds chirping their usual songs, numerous trees bearing thick and ripe red fruit everywhere, layers of moss covering the stones in the river, and the clean blue water gushing downstream.

“Here we are,” Mioruilt declared.

“Wow, this is amazing,” Connla murmured in awe at the peaceful scenery. “You could only dream of such a place in the human world. If it really did exist, I’d definitely build a cottage and live here for the rest of my life.”

“He he. This is my secret spot, in case I want to get away from the others.”

“You mean no one else knows about this place?”

“Nope. The others are too cowardly to explore this realm, so they have me do it. Figured it’d be easier to put some nameless faerie in danger rather than risk their own lives.”

“What sort of risks are out there? I don’t see anything in the way of monsters or dangerous animals.”

“Mostly that we could wander so far away that we’d end up in the human world by mistake. But enough about that. Let’s get picking already. You go over there, and I’ll look around here.”

Connla followed Mioruilt’s instructions and carried her baskets to the opposite side of the orchard. She stared up at the apples dangling on the branches high above her. A normal child would have been daunted by the task of climbing up such a tall tree, but she had an easy workaround for that. She just generated some platform Runes and hopped up them like steps to reach the fruit, bringing each basket with her one at a time so she wouldn’t drop her bounty by accident.

Mini Cu used the springiness of his plush body to bounce up the tree branches to where Connla was harvesting, and he poked his miniature Gae Bolg through an apple before proceeding to munch on it. Between bites, he asked her, “You doin’ okay, kid?”

“I think I’m a lot better now,” she assured him.

“Good, ‘cause you’re gonna need to be on your toes.”

“Why do you say that? Mio hasn’t done anything to threaten me.”

“It’s not her I’m worried about. I went exploring early this morning, and smelled traces of Fand’s scent lingering in the area.”

“Really? So that means she can’t be too far.”

“Yeah. It wasn’t defined enough for me to pinpoint her though, so after we’re done here, we need to go looking around some more.”

“Hmm…” Connla appeared doubtful as she mused, “Even if we did find her, would she really know where the Cloak of Mists is? It was stolen from her after she took it from Lord Manannan, after all. Maybe it’s a wild goose chase to go after her when we should be questioning the other faeries.”

“Even if she doesn’t know, we still have to find her so she doesn’t cause any more trouble for us. Besides, I don’t trust those faeries to tell us the truth.”

“And you expect Lady Fand to be honest with us?”

“I know her. She’s too simple-minded and straightforward to lie.”

“I’m not so sure about this…”

Mini Cu grinned. “Don’t worry. I know the right buttons to push to get her to talk. She ought to know a thing or two about each of the faeries for us to narrow down the suspect list.”

Connla stared directly into his beady red eyes and asked, “So what do you think about Mio? Do you think she’s responsible?”

He shrugged dismissively. “It’s hard to say. I do believe she has the opportunity and motive for it though.”

“The opportunity, I can see. But the motive?”

“She was asking you those strange questions back when you were bathing, right? About how you should just drop everything and run away from your problems? I get the feeling she wants to escape from Emain Ablach due to the oppression she’s been suffering at the other faeries’ hands.”

She contemplated his suggestion for a moment, then murmured, “You may be right… But there’s no proof that she could’ve stolen the cloak either. For all we know, the other faeries could be hoarding it and trying to deflect the blame onto her.”

“That is true. The only way to be certain is to look through the village itself. It’s just really hard to infiltrate the damn place when there are so many of them gathered though. Piss just one of them off and you could find yourself in a battle for your life against all of them.”

“Couldn’t you do the infiltrating while Uncle Fergus, Conall and I keep them busy during the night?”

“It’s a good idea, but how many nights do you think that would take? We don’t have time to screw around like this.”

“You wouldn’t have to look through everyone’s homes. Maybe just those who are considered the elders or superiors of the bunch. They would’ve had to be in on it, so that they would be able to earn Lady Fand’s trust enough to get her drunk.”

“That’s a possibility…”

“Uncle Fergus and Conall should know more about who the head honchos are. Let’s go back and talk to them,” Connla said as she jumped back down to the ground, satisfied that she had picked enough apples. Each basket was heavy, but she used some Runes to carefully make them float on small wind buffets. Any fruit that fell out would gently glide along the air and follow her around as well. When they returned to the clearing that Mioruilt designated as their meeting spot, no one else was there.

“That’s odd,” she muttered curiously. “We were supposed to meet back here at this time.”

After the pair waited five more minutes in silence, Mini Cu huffed, “Hmph. I don’t like this.”

“Why not? Maybe she just got lost.”

“I don’t buy that for a second. She knows these woods like the back of her hand.”

“That’s true,” Connla admitted and glanced around worriedly. “Let’s look for her.”

They left the clearing and made their way through the grove that Mioruilt said she would be working in. It took several minutes of investigation, but Connla eventually spotted the familiar moth wings near the river’s bank.

“There she is!” she exclaimed and began running toward her.

“Hey, stop!” Mini Cu implored, but it was too late.

“Mio! I’ve filled my baskets already! I think it’s time we get back to-!” Connla started to shout, but as she came closer, that was when she noticed that the faerie was not alone.

As she approached, she saw the visage of a tall and slender woman with perfectly straight and silky silver hair, narrow green eyes, and skin as pale as snow. She wore a particularly revealing dress that showed off her cleavage and thighs, adorned with jewelry and baubles so that she resembled a sentient jewel. She was indescribably beautiful, yet at the same time there seemed to be a hint of tragedy and weariness in her heavy eyes. The two faeries saw the young human and grew surprised.

“Who is that, Mio?” Connla wondered. “Is she one of the other faeries from the village?”

“Ah!?” Mioruilt gasped in sudden horror, which perplexed the child even more. “O-Oh no-!”

Mini Cu yelped, nearly losing all of the air in his lungs. The scent he had been chasing this whole time was now at its strongest, and he was caught aback by how sudden it all was. Connla glanced at him and asked, “What’s going on? Did I do something wrong? Why is everyone so upset?”

“Y-You’re…” he blubbered, then pointed at the mystery woman, “You’re Fand!”

Chapter Text

FATE/CURADH BEAG

“Little Champion”

Chapter 28: Breakdown in Relations

Connla’s eyes widened as much as they could, and she inadvertently canceled the spell keeping the apples and baskets afloat, causing them to clatter to the ground behind her. She exclaimed in a shrill tone, “Eh!? That’s Lady Fand!?”

“What is the meaning of this!?” Mini Cu demanded.

Both Mio and the new faerie glanced away uneasily. After a brief pause, the silver-haired woman replied, “Since it’s come to this, I have no choice but to come clean. I am indeed Fand, Manannan’s wife. My friend has told me everything about your entourage.”

“I’m sorry, Connla,” Mioruilt moaned. “I didn’t want you to find out, so that’s why I had you gather apples all the way on the other side of the grove.”

The child warrior raised an eyebrow. “Find out about what?”

“That I’ve been… sheltering Fand from the others…”

“Uh… um… I’m not sure I understand…”

“Hold on a sec,” Mini Cu interrupted them. “As tempting as it is to just stand around asking questions with our jaws agape, it would be better for Fergus and Conall to also hear what she has to say. Let’s save it for when we rendezvous with them, ‘kay?”

“R-Right…”

“In the meantime,” he glowered at Fand, then hopped up and forced her to grab his tiny hand, “you’re coming with us.”

She brusquely snapped her hand away from his and exclaimed, “I am perfectly capable of guiding myself, thank you very much! I certainly don’t need some… some… ‘whatever you are’ bossing me around!”

“Fine by me. If you attempt to flee or try any sort of funny business though, you’re going to regret it very quickly, woman.”

“Pah! As if I have anything to be frightened about from a pint-sized creature like you!”

“Uh, Lady Fand?” Connla murmured. “I don’t think you should get on his bad side. Despite his appearance, he can still be dangerous.”

Fand sighed in resignation, then said, “Oh, very well. If you’re here to take care of Manannan’s problem, then I have to do my part and take some responsibility for it.”

“’Some’ responsibility?” Mini Cu grumbled. “This whole damn thing is your fault, through and through. Seriously, this is why I can’t stand faeries. Even if they show some semblance of goodness, they always wind up half-assing it in the end.”

“Why, I never!”

Connla barked, “That’s enough! No more talking until we meet up with Uncle Fergus, understand!?”

Mioruilt followed behind the others, silently growing more and more anxious about this unexpected turn of events.

Back at Mioruilt’s hut, Fergus and Conall already had a fire going so they could cook some vegetable soup. As Fergus started to pour some drinks for them, that was when the others returned with Fand in tow. The instant he spotted the new faerie, he shot to his feet and exclaimed, “Well, well, well! Took you long enough to return! And what’s this? Who do I have the pleasure of making my acquaintance with?”

He asked that question while gently taking Fand’s hand upon his own. Conall rolled his eyes and muttered, “Oh, boy… Just like the sun rising in the east and setting in the west…”

“Goodness,” Fand smiled. “I’m glad to know that at least one human knows how to treat me with respect, unlike a certain pudgy jerk I’m thinking of.”

“Better get away from her while you can, buddy,” Mini Cu warned Fergus. “That’s Manannan’s wife, Fand. Only the gods know what will happen if Manannan finds out a second human tried to woo the very same woman that I did.”

“O-Oh, dear!” Fergus blurted and backed off. “My apologies! I have a bad habit of approaching beautiful women so carelessly. I hope you can forgive me.”

“He he he, it’s okay,” Fand giggled. “Besides, I think you should be saying that to Manannan, not me.”

“Yes, of course. I’ll extend my apologies to him as well.”

As Fand smiled warmly at Fergus, she cautiously turned her eyes toward Mini Cu as a distressing thought crossed her mind:

Did he just say ‘woo the same woman that ‘I’ did?’

“All right, that’s enough screwing around,” Conall interjected. “What exactly is the instigator of this incident doing waltzing in without a care in the world?”

Connla told him, “Apparently Mio’s been helping Lady Fand hide from the other faeries. I don’t know the details beyond that. We brought them back so we could all hear what they had to say.”

“I see. Well, start explaining yourselves. The more we know, the easier it will be for us to resolve this.”

Everyone sat around the cooking fire and consumed some soup as the humans listened to the faeries’ side of the story. It was mostly the same tale; Fand stole the Cloak of Mists, then the other faeries got her drunk and stole it from her, then it wound up missing a second time. The most important revelation came when Fand finally admitted what her motive was for the theft:

“I wanted to go to the human world and find Cuchulainn.”

“Hmm,” Fergus hummed to himself. “Yeah, I’m not surprised. That about tracks with what Manannan told us.”

“But don’t get me wrong. I have no intention of rekindling my relationship with that man. No, the reason I wish to see him again is to demand an explanation out of him.”

“Let me guess - you want to understand why he turned into a god of destruction and ruined the human world.”

“Precisely. I know it’s because a human queen merged him with the sea monster Curruid, but for him to retain his free will and rebel against her and the entire world makes no sense to me. The Cuchulainn I remember is far more honorable than that. He must have a good reason for going on such a rampage.”

“Hmph,” Mini Cu grunted while cleaning his teeth with a toothpick. “’Honorable’, huh? What a joke.”

“What ever do you mean?” Fand demanded.

“That bastard was a mad dog kept on a short leash. He would have no problem killing his own allies if he didn’t get his way, just as easily as he would slaughter any enemies who threatened Ulster. The way I see it, the moment Medb cut that leash off of him and gave him a huge dose of power, that was the moment he also lost his humanity and became something altogether inhuman. If you’re smart, you’re better off forgetting about it. The damage has been done, and all that’s left is to wait for the Celtic Isles to rot away.”

“The way you speak of Cuchulainn, it’s almost as if you’re intimately familiar with him. Why is that the case?”

The three humans glanced at each other nervously, wondering how Mini Cu was going to respond. Whether or not he told her the truth would dictate how they’d have to behave around her as well.

“Heh. How do I know?” the miniature warrior snidely chuckled, then stood tall before the bewildered faerie. “It’s best that we stop playing dumb now. I know you heard me loud and clear when I told Fergus to stop ‘wooing the same woman that I did’. I deliberately said that for a reason.”

Fand’s already pale skin blanched even further. “T-This can’t be… You’re Cuchulainn!?”

“The one and only.”

“Surely you jest! If this is your idea of a prank, then I am not laughing!”

“Quick-tempered as ever, I see,” Mini Cu said. “This is a conduit I’m using to project my Spirit Origin so I can accompany Connla on her travels. My real body is sleeping within Dun Scaith’s Castle of Shadows.”

“A conduit, huh? So you’re not willing to see me in person.”

“I had no way of knowing you were looking for me. Manannan only told me about it yesterday.”

“…”

Connla’s eyes darted back and forth between the pair, then she shakily asked, “Um… so what do we do now? It doesn’t look like Lady Fand has any new information pertaining to the Cloak of Mists’ location.”

“Guess we’re gonna have to grill the other faeries even harder than before,” Conall said while cracking his knuckles.

“N-Not with violence, I presume?”

“Of course not. We established some trust between us last night. Now it’s time we put that trust to the test with a surprise inspection.”

“Ooh, good idea!” Fergus bellowed. “If they have nothing to hide, then they shouldn’t have any problem allowing us to look through their homes!”

Fand warned them, “That’s not going to be easy. We faeries have a different perspective regarding things like trust, loyalty and betrayal.”

“Even so, I doubt they want this tension between themselves to last any longer. We want to put a resolution to that and bring a sense of calm back to everyone, human and faerie alike. I’m sure they’ll understand that, at the very least.”

“I suppose so.”

Connla asked Fergus, “Should I come along this time? It might be easier if there are three of us searching instead of just two.”

“No, you stay here. The faeries will get sidetracked if they see a new human among us. Besides, I’m worried about what’s going to happen between Setanta and Fand, now that the proverbial jig’s up. I’d feel better if you were here to keep some semblance of calm and civility between them.”

“Okay.”

While the group were having their conversation inside the tent, the female faerie that had followed Fergus outside the village was already running back in a panic. Her previous thoughts of claiming Fergus for herself were instantly swept away the moment she witnessed Fand accompanying Connla’s group. It was approaching early evening, so the other faeries had already woken up and were preparing for the nightly feast.

“Everyone!” the elven girl shouted, obviously out of breath from all of the running.

“Whoa, what are you doing!?” Halobaromia exclaimed. “We were looking for you! What were you doing outside the village!?”

“Never mind that! I saw her! I saw Fand!”

“What!? Seriously!?” Douga barked, both literally and figuratively.

“She was with the useless faerie! They went inside her hut with the humans and started chatting with each other!”

“Are you certain of this?” Onpham wondered.

“Positive! The humans and that stupid kid are in cahoots with Fand! They must be plotting something, I just know it!”

“W-Wait just a second now. Don’t you think you’re rushing to conclusions too hastily?”

“I know what I saw, and what I saw was Fand and the garbage-collecting faerie talking with the humans! They’re going to come here and question every single one of us about where the Cloak of Mists is! I even heard one of them cracking his knuckles! They must be planning to use violence!”

“Well, I can’t deny that’s what the humans are after. They said just as much last night,” Halobaromia admitted. “If it was just them, I would’ve been fine with it. But Fand as well? Could she be angry with us for getting her drunk and losing the cloak? She knew what she was consuming would get her inebriated, so why would she blame us for it? But more importantly, what were you doing following the humans like that? Didn’t you think of the danger you were putting yourself in?”

“I-I was… I was attracted to the bigger human, that’s all,” the female elf replied sheepishly.

“Are you insane!? I thought you and I were in a relationship!”

“Oh, please. I got bored of you a long time ago. I prefer men with more meat on their bones, not twiggy pretty-boys like you.”

“Why, you-!”

“Now just settle down!” Onpham exclaimed. “This isn’t the time for such talk! If what she says is true, then-!”

“Not the time for such talk!? Who the hell do you think you are, pushing your weight around like that!?” Halobaromia yelled. “Just because you’re fat doesn’t mean you can shove others around like you’re the boss of them!”

“F-Fat!? This is muscle, you dim-witted idiot!”

“Sure could’ve fooled me!”

While the two men argued, one of the female winged faeries shouted at the female elf, “Now you hold up, sister! The bigger human was going to be mine!”

“You, with a human!? Hilarious! You’re just an insect not worth even a human’s notice! If you’re that desperate to own a human for yourself, why not claim the other one with the shiny sword?”

“No way! Now that it’s come to this, I suggest we have a duel! Whoever wins gets to keep the bigger human! And whoever loses-“

“DIES!” the elf girl shrieked as she grabbed a kitchen knife on a nearby table and immediately jammed it through the winged faerie’s chest without hesitation.

Once that happened, pure pandemonium spread throughout the other villagers faster than a wildfire burning an entire forest into ashes. Everyone grabbed anything that they could use as a weapon and started brandishing them at each other in self-defense. Halobaromia realized he was in trouble when the murderous female elf approached him and shouted, “I’ve had enough of you telling me what to do! Don’t do this! Don’t go there! Don’t eat that! Don’t sleep in so late! Don’t get in my way! I’m a fully-grown woman, not a goddamn pet! I want that obnoxiously pretty face of yours out of my sight! It’s the only way I’ll feel better about putting up with someone as annoying as you!”

“Seconded!” Onpham exclaimed from behind Halobaromia. Before the male elf knew what was happening, the dwarf wrapped his leather strap around his neck and tightened it with all of his might. A few seconds later, Halobaromia’s neck snapped, instantly killing him.

“Heeek!” the female elf gasped and stepped back as she watched the dead faerie fall limp to the ground. She pointed her bloodied knife at Onpham and squealed, “Get away from me, you freak!”

“Me!? I’m not the only one who’s killed just now! You literally sliced Milis in half without a second thought!”

“Shut up! I was always scared of you, what with how you tortured the Irish faeries with such glee just to test out your weapons!”

“Is that right!? I never could stand how much of a flighty bimbo you were, anyway! No matter what we did, you were never happy! Why bother with such nonsense anymore when we can just kill you and be done with it!?”

“Yeah!” some of the male faeries exclaimed in unison, obviously sharing some distaste for her past mistreatment of them. Once she knew she was seriously outnumbered, she tried to turn and flee. Unfortunately, one of the beastmen raised his axe up high and lowered it upon her head, chopping through her skull clean into her brain.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! This is seriously getting out of hand!” Douga panicked. “Stop it! Stop this at once! Everyone just calm down and-!”

A knife was suddenly jabbed through the nape of his neck, severing his spinal cord. As the chief beastman fell forward dead, his compatriot angrily yelled, “Shut up, Douga! This is finally starting to get good! No one’s gonna interfere with our fun now! At long last, we can cut loose and be the proud warriors we deserve to be! Maybe we should escape to the human world and fight a bunch of battles there to entertain ourselves!”

The situation rapidly spiraled out of control as the faeries started bickering and butchering each other for any incredibly petty reasons they could think of on the spot. Before they knew it, some of the faeries grabbed the celebratory torches and were burning both the increasing number of corpses as well as their own homes in a frantic mixture of fear and delight.

Meanwhile, Fergus and Conall were already on their way back to the village by the time night arrived. Once the two men had left, Connla sat on the floor anxiously staring at the eerily silent Mini Cu and Fand.

Finally Mini Cu snarled, “That does it. I can’t take this tension anymore. Connla, you hold the fort here. Fand and I need to have a private chat.”

“Are you sure? Maybe I should go with you.”

“It’s just talk of the past that doesn’t involve you. Don’t worry, we won’t take long.”

“Okay…”

She and Mioruilt watched Mini Cu and Fand venture further into the forest away from the village. Connla didn’t know if she was doing the right thing, considering that Fergus entrusted her to make sure the situation between them didn’t get any worse. Even so, she knew they were adults who should be able to reason with each other despite their differences. At least, that was what she hoped.

Mioruilt was having completely different thoughts however. Now that the two girls were alone, she believed this was her chance to leave Emain Ablach. With a feigned smile, she said, “Sitting around isn’t going to help you much, is it? How about we go for a walk?”

“That sounds good. I am getting a little worked up,” Connla admitted, and they left the hut together.

Mini Cu and Fand made their way to a creek further in the distance, then put some distance between themselves before facing each other. Once they were ready, Fand demanded, “What do you want to talk about?”

“Me? You’re the one who caused this fiasco because you wanted to talk to me. So, tell me what’s on your mind already.”

“You already know what I’m thinking. I want to know why you’re some false god of destruction that doesn’t exist in any other timeline except this one. What do you gain by destroying all life in this timeline? What is your end goal in all of this?”

“Believe me, I didn’t want to do it either. But Medb had me pushed into a corner. I had no choice but to stand against her. It was the only way I could think of to protect other timelines from her tyranny.”

“Protecting other timelines from her!? The way I see it, you’re the one who needs to be removed from existence!”

“I suppose someone who doesn’t know the full truth would see it that way.”

Fand became increasingly angry as she retorted, “If that’s the case, then why didn’t you come look for me!? Manannan and I… no, I could have done something to help you! Why did you never consider my feelings in any of this!?”

Mini Cu visibly scowled and snarled, “Sorry, lady, but the world doesn’t revolve around you. As far as I’m concerned, you’re at the very bottom of my list. The only reason you were pushed to the top is due to the Cloak of Mists going missing, no thanks to you. Now we’ve got the threat of faeries running amok in Ireland, when we already have enough problems as it is.”

Fand visibly shuddered with rage when she heard that insult. “Must you be so crass toward your former lover? Was our time together naught more than a flight of fancy? Is that why it was so easy for you to forget about me in your darkest hour!?”

“I was immature. I didn’t understand the true value of having a relationship with someone I truly loved. I merely chased after whatever caught my interest, like a dog in hot pursuit of a piece of meat.”

“Hah! I’ll say! Guess my meat wasn’t appetizing enough for you, was it!?”

“No, it wasn’t.”

She was appalled with his blunt response, and she exclaimed, “What nerve! Is that how you address a woman who wishes to see you again!?”

“A woman? You’re just a little girl. But that’s the nice thing about little girls – they can grow up to be women.”

“Wha-!?”

“That’s not surprising, considering you’re a faerie. Now why don’t you run on home and grow up for a change? I’ve got better things to do than to play with whiny brats.”

“You bastard! I’m more of a woman than you’ll ever know, you son of a bitch!” Fand raged, and prepared to draw her whip.

“Oh ho. Interesting,” Mini Cu smirked. “Let’s see if that newfound maturity can withstand a little stress test.”

Before she could react, an ominous black-and-red aura enveloped the doll. The atmosphere around them grew malicious, and she stepped back in shock. Without thinking, she cracked the whip’s tail into the foul murkiness. She tried to pull it back after it struck something, but realized she couldn’t do more than helplessly tug at it. The aura rapidly dissipated, revealing Cuchulainn Alter in his proper Servant form. He had the whip’s business end gripped tightly in his hand, and he glared at Fand with murderous intent.

“Ah… ah… aaah!?” the faerie yelped and collapsed onto her buttocks. She couldn’t believe what she was looking at. The Cuchulainn who stood before her was far too different from the spearman she once knew. She wished she was talking to a complete stranger, but she knew it was him, and there was nothing she could do about it.

“Figures,” he sneered, then crudely tossed the whip back at her. “Take a good long look at me, Fand. This is who I am now. The Cuchulainn you remember is dead.”

“No… This can’t be right…” she shuddered. “How could you have become something so monstrous!? Why have you become the God of Destruction!?”

“Hmph. You want to know how I became like this? Why I’m a cold-blooded misogynist capable of ending entire nations? It’s simple. It was a woman who turned me into this. A selfish, petty, and incorrigible wench not much different from yourself, hell bent on conquering the known world for herself. She turned me into a weapon for her own use, but I rebelled against her and destroyed the very world she wanted to dominate. I’m still not satisfied though. I won’t cease my rampage until I run Gae Bolg through her black heart, and no one will stand in my way – not even a troublesome faerie like yourself.”

“Even if… that faerie… still had feelings for you?”

“Face it, Fand. It’s not affection you harbor for me anymore. It’s disgust. You’re repulsed by the idea that I can easily move on with my life, with no concern for how you feel. But that is the difference between humans and faeries. We humans have priorities, and they constantly change as we live our very short but equally fulfilling lives. You faeries, on the other hand, have such long lifespans that your priorities never change. You’re creatures frozen in one point of time, unwilling to move on and change.

“For me, it is no longer about seeking out enjoyable battles and feminine company. Things have changed so much for me that I can’t afford to behave like that anymore. I have a wife waiting for me, and a world that needs saving from a maniacal queen. But more importantly than that… I have a child that I must look after.”

“A child…” Fand murmured. “You mean that girl who brought you here?”

“Yeah. I wasn’t there for her as she grew up. It’s even worse that I destroyed the world that she has every right to live in. I robbed her of a proper future. I regret it so much that it hurts. I want to do something… anything, to make things right with her. That’s why I can’t waste any more time screwing around with you. Now tell me where the Cloak of Mists is.”

“Gh… ugh… Ah… ah hah hah… Ah hah hah hah hah! AH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH!”

Fand’s shock and horror gave way to manic laughter. The whole thing was so pointless, unfair and ridiculous that all she could do was howl in mirth. Cuchulainn remained firm and tight-lipped as he watched the faerie’s sanity spiral into utter despair.

“I see! I see how it is now! If it’s that easy for you to throw me away, then there’s nothing stopping me from doing the same!” she raged, with tears pouring down her face. “I’ll do it! I’ll singlehandedly save this world from your madness! This will be my final gesture to you, Mad Hound of Ulster! Die! Die as horribly and miserably as you have lived!”

He got into his battle stance and viciously glared at Fand as her body gradually turned black, and she slowly lost her humanoid form. With each passing second, her original form melted into something dark and hideous, sporting nothing but a pair of soulless white eyes that stared directly at him.

“BRRRGUGUGUH!”

“Tch. Figured it would come to this,” Cuchulainn grumbled, then raised Gae Bolg before him. “Sorry, Manannan. Fand’s not giving me much of a choice here.”

The crimson spear glowed with energy in response to its owner’s bloodlust. He got into a javelin throwing stance, then declared, “Your heart is mine!”

He activated his Noble Phantasm at the same time the hideous monstrosity formerly known as Fand lunged at him, bearing some sort of malicious ichor that he could tell was overflowing with curses and hatred for him. He leapt over her and glared daggers at her from high above, his sharpened teeth clenched tight as he forced himself to go through with this terrible choice.

“Gae… BOLG!”

Fergus and Conall couldn’t believe what they were seeing.

The first sign they noticed that something was wrong wasn’t a sight, but rather a scent. Acrid fumes curled their way from the burning village all the way to the woods where they were. No simple bonfire would be strong enough to cause such a strong smell from so far away, so their senses pricked to life the moment they caught a whiff of smoke.

“Shit, I don’t like this,” Conall snarled.

“Be alert. We don’t know what to expect,” Fergus warned them. They each brandished their legendary swords and ran straight for the hamlet, expecting to be met with unprovoked violence. What they found was rather unexpected however. Apparently, there were far fewer fairies still alive than what they anticipated. Those who were still breathing were going around causing chaos for the sake of fueling the pandemonium even further, without any semblance of reasoning or logic behind it. Their biggest worry was the fire raging around them, rather than the murderous faeries that had spotted them.

“There you are, humans!” Onpham jovially exclaimed, his face and clothes soaked in blood. “Are you ready for tonight’s festivities!?”

“Festivities!? You call this carnage festivities!? What the hell is wrong with you!? Why are you all doing this!?” Conall howled in pure rage.

“Oh, you know! Halobaromia’s girlfriend tried tailing Fergus, but then she saw Fand and came straight back here! Needless to say, none of us took the news very well. Still, what’s done is done, right? That just means there’s more meat for me to enjoy! I couldn’t stand sharing it with the others anyway! Hah hah hah!”

Fergus shuddered when he heard this, and grumbled, “Damn it all. I should’ve been more careful…”

“Come now! Let’s sit down and enjoy the fire, shall we!?”

“FUCK NO, WE’RE NOT ENJOYING ANY KIND OF FIRE!” Conall screamed at maximum crescendo, his eyes wide and bloodshot as he pointed Curaidin Catutchenn at the startled Onpham. “What if the Cloak of Mists is inside one of these homes!? You’ve probably destroyed it by now!”

“Why’re you so upset, man? Destroying it is a good thing, isn’t it? It just means there’s one less reason for us to fight with each other. I don’t see what the problem is.”

Conall was beyond livid now. He seethed through his clenched teeth, “You narcissistic piece of-!”

“Hee hee hee hee! Hoo hah hah hah hah! Look, there’s Onpham!” one of the beastmen laughed in mad glee to his compatriots. “The humans are with him! He’s going to run away and take the humans all to himself!”

“AWOOOOOO!” the other beastmen howled like wolves and began converging on the trio.

“Uwaaaah! Fergus, Conall, you have to help me!” Onpham suddenly trembled with fear. Just like with Fand, his skin started to turn dark, and his form was melting into something indescribable. “I only managed to slip past those rabid dogs because they were busy killing the others! I-If you help me get out of Emain Ablach, I promise I’ll treat you like the most precious property I’ve ever own-”

SLASH!

Before Onpham knew it, the stoic Conall sliced his sword through the dwarf’s carotid artery in one clean motion. As much as he didn’t want to do it, he could tell that this bizarre degradation was bad news, and it would only get worse if it escaped into the human world. At the same time, Fergus swung Caladbolg to block an incoming sword swing from one of the beastmen.

He shoved the faerie off, then exclaimed, “Forget about finding the cloak! The village is officially a lost cause! Once we find a chance, we run for it!”

“Don’t gotta tell me twice!” Conall agreed as he cut down a male elf that was transforming into one of the mindless black monsters.

While all of this chaos was brewing around them, Connla and Mioruilt remained completely ignorant as they went for a brisk night walk towards the apple orchard. They didn’t say much, as Connla preferred to listen to the crickets while breathing in the cool fresh air.

“Connla,” Mioruilt finally mumbled in a hushed whisper. Her gaze looked frightfully empty and devoid of passion. “Can I… say something?”

“Hm? What is it?”

“I… I wanted to thank you… for being the first friend I’ve ever had.”

“Um… It’s no problem at all,” the child warrior uttered. The way that Mioruilt said those words with such a hollow tone made her uncomfortable as she asked, “Are you all right?”

“I’ve never felt better. In fact, I feel as free as a butterfly now. I have nothing to worry about anymore, now that I’ll be going outside.”

“Outside? You’re leaving the village?”

“Yes. I’m throwing everyone else away, just like how they always treated me the same as the trash they discard every night. I tried so hard to resist these feelings, but now I wonder what I was thinking. It’s so liberating, just abandoning others to their fate while I leave in search of a better life.”

“Where are you going to go?” Connla wondered, and looked around. “There’s nowhere else in Emain Ablach.”

“Oh, no, you don’t understand,” Mioruilt frowned despondently. “I’m not staying in this realm. I’m going to escape to the human world.”

“But you can’t do that without the Cloak of Mists.”

“… Eh he he he…”

“… Mio?”

“Connla,” the faerie murmured. “Since you’re my precious friend, let me tell you a secret.”

She leaned in close so her lips were next to the girl’s ear, then she whispered, “When the others got Lady Fand drunk that night, they conspired to steal the cloak from her together. Its disappearance was not an accident – it was deliberate.”

Connla narrowed her eyes and asked, “So the entire village was responsible for the theft? Not just one or two faeries?”

“At first, yes. You might not realize it, but everyone wants to leave this stuffy little village.”

“Why? Aren’t you all happy here?”

“We’re so, so tired of having to live shoulder-to-shoulder in such a cramped space, while having a god tell us what we can and can’t do. Our nightly parties are the only way we can get along with each other anymore. You’re human, so you must have been smart enough to notice how we’re so quick to blame each other whenever something goes wrong.”

“I don’t know. I haven’t been to the village yet,” Connla admitted.

“It’s better that you don’t go there. We might look like we’re all smiles, but beneath the surface, everyone’s just a hair’s breath away from killing each other. I’m terrified of them. I don’t want to be slaughtered by those selfish faeries. I want to go outside and have as much fun as I want. So I decided to steal the cloak for myself, right under everyone’s noses while they slept, drunk out of their minds.”

Connla became visibly shocked as she demanded, “So you’re the real culprit?”

Mioruilt appeared wistful, and whimpered, “Don’t say that. I’m the same as everyone else. We all want to leave this world. We all want to go outside.”

“Even if you did, the islands are rapidly deteriorating. At this rate, I can’t imagine them lasting more than 50 years. You wouldn’t be able to do much before everything falls into the ocean. You’d be much safer staying in Emain Ablach.”

“No, no, no, you still don’t get it. When I’m saying ‘outside’, I don’t mean the human world of this timeline.”

Connla’s jaw dropped slightly. “… What?”

“Lady Fand told me. She said that Manannan knows everything about our timeline. We live in something called a ‘Lostbelt’, don’t we? That humans strayed so, so far off from their intended history that this world needed to be cut off from this thing called Proper Human History, right? It’s the humans’ fault that we’re going to be erased. We faeries did nothing wrong, so why do we have to disappear as well? It’s not right.”

“… Mio…” the human girl whispered in terror. “Do the other faeries… know about this?”

“Yes. Lady Fand said those things while they got her drunk. She was so angry that she just kept talking and talking. That’s exactly what the faeries wanted to find out from Lord Manannan, but they knew he would never tell them, so they went after Lady Fand instead. That’s why they plotted to take the Cloak of Mists from her – so they could run to the White Tree keeping this Lostbelt alive, and find a way through to Proper Human History.”

“By the gods…”

“But… eh he he he… I decided to take it aaa~aaall for myself!” she crooned as she revealed a strange blue velvet cloth she had kept hidden within her dress. “I’m going to abandon those pieces of trash and find a happy place for myself in a different timeline! And you’re going to come with me, Connla!”

“Mio, that’s enough!” Connla exclaimed and pushed her away. “This is insanity! You’re just going to get yourself killed if you leave the village!”

“No, I won’t. You’re my best friend, aren’t you? You’ll protect me from the bad guys. We’ll go to the White Tree and escape our fate of disappearing with this timeline.”

“I’ve never heard of such a thing. Even if that were possible, what you call the White Tree is actually a living being. It’s an alien anchoring this Lostbelt to Proper Human History, trying to supplant its history with this one! Don’t you understand!? This Lostbelt needs to be culled, or else it will cause irreparable damage to the true history! No one will have a future if this timeline is what represents the end of humanity!”

“Why is that your problem?” Mioruilt wondered. “Are you saying you want to disappear with this world? You know the opportunity to escape from it exists, so why don’t you take it? Run away from the awful humans with me, just like I’m running away from the awful faeries.”

“Of course I don’t want to disappear. It’s a natural reaction to such an outrageous thing. But at the same time, I know that destroying the White Tree is the right thing to do. I don’t want other timelines to suffer the way that we have in this Lostbelt. Besides, I’m not the only one struggling to cull this Lostbelt. My teacher Scathach, the goddess Morrigan, and the High Druid Cathbad have worked so hard to make things right. I don’t want to let them down by giving up after coming so far.”

The faerie looked utterly disappointed as she whimpered, “So then… you don’t want to come with me?”

“I’m sorry, Mio. My mind is made up. I have to take the Cloak of Mists back from you.”

“Haah… Oh well. I guess it can’t be helped. Just know that even if you’ve refused me, you’re still my dear friend, and I still want you to come with me. I’ll just have to use a different method to make it happen though.”

“A different method?” Connla immediately became serious. “What do you have in mind this time?”

“I… I’m… hungry.”

Once she heard this, Connla immediately knew she was in danger, and she took a few steps back. Indeed, Mioruilt rambled, “This is the first time a human has ever been nice to me. It was so weird… having such a rich and succulent human act so kind toward me. I thought that if we could run away together, I could raise you as a pet, like how you humans raise dogs or cats. But since you’ve turned me down, I’ll have to do the next best thing to keep you close to me.”

Her eyes appeared more crazed and frantic, widening into saucers as she uttered, “I need you to be my nourishment… My sustenance… The mental balm that keeps me happy… You’ll be my food… and thus, an intrinsic part of me… Forever and ever…”

“Mio!” Connla shouted in a panic, brandishing her spear and pointing the blade at her chest.

“Let’s run away, little human! You’ll be safe with me! I’ll chop you up into nice, bite-sized pieces and hide you in my tummy!” Mioruilt raged incoherently, then rushed straight for her as her fingers mutated into large black claws oozing with some kind of foul ichor.

“STOP IT!”

CRUNCH!

The awful sound of steel penetrating flesh resounded throughout the silent forest. It only lasted for a split second, but all movement ceased after that. Connla’s parched throat gasped for air, and she stared at nothing in particular as she slowly realized what she had just done. Her gloves became stained with Mioruilt’s blood, which flowed from her piercing chest injury, down the spear’s wooden shaft, and onto her hands. At the same time, the faerie’s claw had successfully gashed out several distinct lines on the girl’s right cheek, causing blood to gush down her chin and neck, staining her white shawl deep red.

Connla’s knees buckled, and the pair fell down in a heap together. Despite having to fight for her life against the crazed faerie, she still held the dying girl’s head in her arms and stared into her blank eyes.

“C… on… n… la…” Mioruilt gasped.

She couldn’t say anything. She was so devastated about having to kill her friend that she didn’t have the strength to talk. She barely noticed Mioruilt use the last of her energy to kiss her bleeding cheek, licking in as much blood as she could and slowly savoring it.

“Ah… so… yummy…” the faerie croaked, then finally went limp.

Chapter Text

FATE/CURADH BEAG

“Little Champion”

Chapter 29: To Kill a Friend

AUTHOR’S NOTES: Well, I’m not going to mince words – I have serious writer’s block. Ever since joining RetroAchievements and playing some games, my focus on writing has been severely affected. I’ll do the best I can, but I can’t promise that my updates will be as frequent as before. At least NaNoWriMo 2024 is coming, so I’ll be pumping out chapters then. Hopefully it’ll be enough to wrap this story up.

For those of you reading on FFNet, the system seems to be really glitchy, so I’m not getting any messages or story reviews. If you wish to send any private messages to me, I’ll update my profile with contact info and websites I frequent. Reviews really do encourage me to keep writing, whereas things like AO3 kudos or Wattpad favorites kind of don’t. Thank you for your continued patience, and please enjoy the chapter.

Fergus and Conall raced away from the burning village at top speed, refusing to acknowledge the searing pain in their lungs as they commanded their legs to carry them away as fast as possible. Even without saying anything, they had agreed on a destination; Mioruilt’s hut. They were especially afraid that the two girls would wind up getting involved in the chaos somehow. However, the sight that greeted them was as dreadful as their feared, if not worse.

“Connla!” Fergus cried out when he spotted her slumped on her knees in a languid pose, with Mioruilt’s corpse strewn before her.

“Hey! Are you okay!? What happened here!?” Conall shouted, shaking Connla’s shoulders to try and get some kind of response out of her. Unfortunately, she was so traumatized that she didn’t acknowledge him whatsoever. Her vapid gaze genuinely terrified him, and he tightly embraced her without thinking.

Fergus examined the scene, noting the blood on her spear, then said, “Mio must’ve tried to kill her.”

“Shit! Why did this have to happen!? What the fuck is wrong with these godforsaken faeries!?” Conall raged, unable to hold back his tears anymore.

Fergus couldn’t give him an answer. He was just as confused as Conall was. He cast his eyes on the peculiar blue cloth that Connla had on her lap. He retrieved it from her and asked, “Is this the Cloak of Mists?”

“… Yeah,” she finally murmured. “Mio stole it. She was the true culprit. She wanted to escape with me.”

“Don’t try to talk. I can hear the full story from you later. Right now, we need to get the hell away from the village.”

“Yeah… Yeah, you’re right,” Conall gulped, choking back his tears as best he could. He picked up Connla, then followed Fergus as they ran further into the woods. Connla couldn’t keep her eyes off of Mioruilt’s dead body as it vanished in the distance.

Cuchulainn stood over the creature formerly known as Fand, staring down as it wriggled in agony from suddenly having Gae Bolg thrust through whatever remained of its heart. The black monstrosity writhed about like a fish flopping out of water for a few seconds, then lost its energy and twitched uncontrollably before gradually going limp.

“Cu… chul… ainn…” Fand’s voice murmured as her hollow white eyes glared at him. A few moments later, she ceased movement and melted into the dirt as black sludge.

He sighed in resignation, then clenched his hand around Gae Bolg and yanked it out of the ichor, cleaning it off the blade with a single strong swipe. His glare was bitter and somber, but it wasn’t directed at Fand. It was more of a disgust with what he had become – a monster clad in human skin, only capable of destroying everything around him. It had been the same before the Cattle Raid of Cooley, so why should it be any different now? He could only think back to the prophecy that he heard from Cathbad way back when he was known as the energetic boy warrior Setanta.

Becoming a hero, at the cost of dying young? What a fucking joke. All I have is raw power, and absolutely no purpose beyond hating Medb. I’ve done nothing worth being called a hero. All I’ve done is slaughter everyone around me. That whole part about dying young was a lie as well. Otherwise, Medb and her forces would have done everything they could to put an end to me.

I’m practically Scathach’s replacement… unable to die, and unable to stop killing…

As Cuchulainn was lost in his self-reproaching thoughts, he heard clamoring footsteps approaching from the near distance. He glanced over and spotted Fergus and Conall as they reached the creek’s bank and collapsed to their knees in exhaustion. Cuchulainn was worried for a moment because he couldn’t see if Connla was with them in the darkness of night. Fortunately, his fears were allayed when he saw Conall carrying her. The two men didn’t notice him at first since they were occupied with recovering from whatever the hell they were fleeing from. Furthermore, Connla seemed oddly… quiet. She had that distant look in her eyes that Cuchulainn was becoming much too familiar with.

Oh, shit…

Fergus finally saw Cuchulainn standing on the opposite side of the creek, and he called him over with a wave. The spearman hopped over some rocks jutting in the flowing water to join them. He noticed how worn out everyone looked, so he asked, “What happened?”

“The faeries went crazy,” Fergus muttered in a plain tone.

That was all Cuchulainn needed to hear. He had a hunch that the faerie village was destroyed by its own inhabitants by now, and that no one in Emain Ablach, save for the humans, were alive.

“Where’s Fand?” Conall wondered.

“Dead,” was Cuchulainn simple response.

“Damn it all… Was coming here a mistake?”

Fergus rested his hand on Conall’s back and assured, “We accomplished our objective and got the Cloak of Mists back. Manannan said nothing about ensuring the faeries’ survival.”

“I know, but-”

“What’s done is done. You’re too worked up to think straight. Get some rest.”

“… Yeah.”

Cuchulainn kneeled next to Connla, eyeing the pale blue cloth she kept close to her chest. Judging by Mioruilt’s absence plus Connla’s dejected gaze, he could easily assume what transpired between the two girls, and so opted not to ask her any questions. He picked her up and murmured, “Let’s bring it back to Manannan. Then we can call this case closed.”

She nodded in complete silence, but her mind went blank after that. Neither of them spoke as he carried her further into the forest for the next hour. Only the nocturnal sounds of crickets, a cool breeze, swaying trees, and distant trickling water filled the midnight air. Eventually though, Connla started to shake as the gravity of her actions started to catch up to her.

She whispered in a low voice, “I…”

“Hm?” Cuchulainn murmured.

“I… I… killed her…”

“It was self-defense. There’s nothing wrong with protecting yourself from a threat, even if it’s from a friend.”

“S-She’s dead… She’ll never… laugh, or cry, or… do anything again…”

As much as he wanted to console her, the reality was that he was just as upset as her. He hated himself for being such a destructive monster, so he couldn’t blame her for having the same emotions. Even so, he knew he had made his choice, and that when the time came, he would accept full responsibility for it. In contrast, Connla was much too young and inexperienced to understand how heavy such a sin would be on one’s soul. Furthermore, she couldn’t tell the difference between choosing to kill someone versus acting on one’s own instinct to survive. As far as she was concerned, the outcome was the same.

Connla held the Cloak of Mists closer to her chest, as if it was a substitute for the faerie’s embrace. After having to say good-bye to Fir and Fial, and then killing Mioruilt only days later, the loneliness was beginning to become unbearable. Her shaking got worse as her thoughts spiraled out of control. Cuchulainn had no choice but to use a Rune on the back of her neck, delivering a proverbial shot of magic into her brain and spine to get her to calm down. It wasn’t exactly equivalent to a sedative, but it certainly came close, since its effect took hold of her immediately and settled her nerves.

Cuchulainn…

That moment reaffirmed something she had forgotten amidst the chaos; he was there for her. Even if he was simultaneously the Celtic Lostbelt’s King and God of Destruction, he proved over and over again that he wasn’t her enemy. Her mind drifted off to the previous times they encountered each other, and of the time he was with her in the Mini Cu doll. Furthermore, she was also comforted by the fact that he was much too difficult for anyone to kill. Unlike with the others, Connla knew she wasn’t going to lose Cuchulainn anytime soon. Suddenly, she felt a lot safer and relaxed.

As the child warrior’s panic attack subsided, the demonic spearman’s pace immediately ceased. A thick mist gradually rolled around the pair. While he remained stoic and unfazed, she glanced around worriedly and asked, “What’s happening?”

His eyes panned across the forest as he called out, “Come out, Manannan. I know you’re there.”

A long, tense minute of silence followed. Eventually though, the god’s gorgeous form broke through the mist as she approached them with light, purposeful steps. None of them said anything though. Connla stared at the stone-faced Cuchulainn, worrying that something terrible might happen if his temper was stoked during this precarious moment.

However, he finally said to Manannan, “… I’m sorry.”

The god barely responded to his apology. Connla had no idea what she was thinking or feeling in that moment.

Cuchulainn continued, “I took Fand away from you not once, but twice. Even worse is that this time, it’s permanently.”

“…”

“I deserve your hatred. Hell, I don’t want your forgiveness whatsoever. If you forgive me so easily, it’ll only cause me to go mad even further.”

“…”

“The only thing I want is the chance to use this ungodly strength of mine to stop Medb. Once I destroy her, then you, and all of the other Tuatha de Danann, may punish me as you see fit. I just want you to stay your hand until I resolve my feud with her though. Can I ask at least that much of you?”

Manannan closed her eyes, obviously contemplating her answer. It didn’t take her long to eventually respond, “Very well. Though my rage is beyond mortal comprehension at this point, I also acknowledge the threat that Medb poses to all of humanity, and that I have lost too much of my original power to challenge her. Though you may bring everything around you to ruin as naturally as one breathes, right now, that is the kind of power that Proper Human History needs to protect it from this Lostbelt. Actually, I’d wager that you’ve now become a representative for Proper Human History, rather than for the Lostbelt.”

“Hmph. It’s nothing as grandiose as that. I just want that bitch to pay for causing this timeline to follow such a disastrous course.”

“You two truly are opposite sides of the same coin… You embody the constant conflict of Destruction versus Domination. All forces of evil are drawn to either side, yet they cannot co-exist with each other because Domination seeks to command life as much as Destruction seeks to command death, leading to strife between the two sides. Truly… it is much the same as with Lapse and Rapture…”

“That’s enough,” Cuchulainn curtly stopped her.

Manannan wasn’t sure why he spoke so brusquely, but then noticed Connla’s confused expression. The girl then asked, “Lapse and Rapture? What are those supposed to be?”

“Oh… Don’t worry about it, my child. Just the ramblings of an old man… Or, um… a goddess that has been around longer than most.”

Connla’s curiosity grew stronger as she pondered what Manannan meant, and she tilted her head to demonstrate her precociousness. Cuchulainn became annoyed as he grumbled at Manannan, “You talk too much.”

“My apologies,” she said. “That’s not what we’re here to discuss anyway. I see that you have the Cloak of Mists on hand, my dear.”

“Y-Yes…” Connla mumbled and passed the cloth back to its rightful owner.

“Thank you. The passage between the human world and Emain Ablach will be much safer than before, now that I have this back.”

“Mio took it because she wanted to-“

“I’m not concerned with the identity of the thief. All that matters is that I have it back.”

“Oh… I see…”

Manannan smiled. “You performed splendidly. With this matter resolved, that means you have taken care of the Three Blights that Cathbad tasked you to eliminate. Now Ulster’s Leyline is safe, and the Grand Servant can be summoned. I’d say you have earned yourself a well-deserved rest.”

“Really? Is there nothing else I can do to help?”

“You’ve done more than anyone could’ve asked. Just leave the rest to us adults, okay?”

Cuchulainn nodded and said, “She’s right. Your work may be over, but ours is just getting started.”

Connla asked him, “Are you really going to have Scotland go to war with Ireland?”

“Just against Connacht. Fergus has recruited allies from the other three provinces, plus I have amassed as many troops as I could throughout Scotland. As long as Medb doesn’t have any surprises in store for us, the war will not last long. Then Fergus and I can forge a peace treaty between our countries so that everyone can focus on surviving.”

“Leave Ulster’s defenses to me,” Manannan said. “If Medb tries to flee northward Connacht, she will not be able to breach the border. Not unless she wants to get lost in a perpetual blanket of fog so thick that she can’t see her own hand.”

“Hah!” Cuchulainn chuckled. “So that’s why you were in a hurry to retrieve the Cloak of Mists! Clever old bastard!”

“When dealing with entities of your kind, it’s wise to always be thinking ahead. Oh yes, and I will also be loaning Emain Ablach to you and Fergus so you may have your war council without worry of Medb spying on you.”

“Hmph. I suppose with the faeries dead, we don’t have to worry about them being a nuisance.”

As bitter as that statement was for both Manannan and Connla to hear, the former replied, “I suppose so.”

“Then I’ll get everything ready within the next few days. For now, I have some personal preparations of my own that I want to deal with.”

“I understand.”

Longford province, Leinster

Countless soldiers were ambling about in the fields performing various tasks such as sharpening their weapons, dressing game, rolling rain barrels out, or chopping wood. The few women who were present took care of cooking and washing laundry, while children gathered vegetables and even hunted for small animals and birds. The skies were gradually turning dark, as the druids had forecasted a vicious storm heading this way from the south.

Outside one of the military tents, Lugaid glanced around in silence. He had only arrived just yesterday, having traveled all the way from southern Munster to the center of Ireland with a small platoon of Cork’s finest troops. Despite his willingness to venture such a great distance, he couldn’t help but wonder if he was doing the right thing.

After overthrowing the O’Cleirigh family and winning the citizens to his side, Lugaid had listened to Ferdiad’s claims about Fergus faking his death and amassing a small rebel army within Leinster. Somehow, Lugaid didn’t seem all that surprised about Fergus going to such lengths to oppose Medb. He knew that the former Ulster king had become close to Medb in order to mitigate the damage her reign would cause to the populace without resorting to war, but it was obvious that it was far too late for such sentiments now. There were some very dark rumors surrounding Medb’s activities within Galway, and Lugaid had heard some terrible stories from the soldiers, wives, and even widows of men who fell victim to Medb’s wiles.

As much as Lugaid once fully supported Medb’s invasion of Ulster during the Cattle Raid, the situation was much different now compared to then. While Lugaid wasn’t too concerned with what happened to the other provinces, he had an obligation to protect Munster from the threat she posed, especially since the only reason that Munster’s citizens did not experience as much oppression compared to Ulster was due to his family’s good relations with Connacht’s royalty. That, and Cu Roi essentially surrendered Munster to Connacht to avoid needless bloodshed.

Lugaid felt it was long time to reclaim Munster as his own. Even if he acknowledged that it was a selfish and petty reason, the fact remained that he didn’t want his people to cower beneath Medb’s shadow any longer. As the Celtic Isles crumbled all around them from erosion, now was the time for everyone to focus on surviving the coming years.

As Lugaid stared at the darkening sky, he heard Ferdiad approaching from his right. The scaled warrior noticed his friend’s concerned gaze and asked, “What’s wrong? Having second thoughts?”

“Nothing like that,” Lugaid replied. “I’m just wondering how Fergus is going to pull this off. From what I can gather, morale is pretty damn low.”

“Everyone has gone through more suffering than they deserve. I think you’re only starting to realize that, having spent most of your life sheltered from such unrest.”

“Probably. The old man taught me a lot, but I don’t know much about interacting with the common folk. I guess hearing their stories is a lot more upsetting to me than I expected. How can Fergus handle the weight of so many victims at once, and inspire them to engage in a battle they are too tired to fight?”

“That is the mark of a real king,” Ferdiad said as plainly and bluntly as he could.

“…”

“Well, don’t beat yourself up over it too much. It’ll come with experience. Right now, just focus on providing Munster’s support to the cause. Fergus would appreciate it, considering the running around he has to do in Ulster.”

“What is he doing there anyway? Some of the soldiers told me that he’s been gone for well over a week.”

“Apparently there are some critical issues he needs to help deal with so that Cathbad can summon the Grand Servant.”

“Is this Servant supposed to be our secret weapon or something? If that’s the case, why bother gathering an army?”

“I don’t know the details. All I know for sure is that there’s something impeding Cathbad’s progress, so Fergus is there to resolve it with a couple of the other Champions.”

“Damn, be vague as hell, why don’t you?” Lugaid grumbled. He then became visibly annoyed as he asked, “As if that’s not enough, you’re certain that Fergus is going to form an alliance with Cuchulainn?”

“He seems quite serious about it, so it must be true,” Ferdiad replied.

“I get the feeling we’re going to be dancing in that motherfucker’s palm of his hand once this is all over. He’s the one with all the chips in his favor – he’s the ruler of both Scotland and the Land of Shadows, and a fucking god to boot! What the hell are we supposed to do if he decides to turn on us at the last moment?”

“I think you’re rushing to conclusions. There’s no guarantee that Cuchulainn will try to conquer Ireland. I know him well enough, and he’s not the type to put his beloved country in danger for personal gain.”

“He sure has no problem putting the countrymen in danger, though.”

“Look, all I’m saying is that you need to have more faith in Fergus. If the soldiers see you casting doubt on him, they might start to question their role in this and decide to desert. We can’t have that when we’re so close to finalizing our preparations.”

“Tch,” Lugaid spit to the side, then muttered, “Whatever. I’ll keep my opinions to myself and see how this plays out. So long as I never see Cuchulainn in person, I’ll be fine.”

“It’s most likely that Cuchulainn and Fergus will be in the vanguard. Perhaps taking up the rear would be more suitable for you.”

“Probably…”

Even though Lugaid said that, Ferdiad couldn’t help but worry about his friend’s state of mind. He knew Lugaid wasn’t the type to hang back and let someone else hog the action. Although they had no way of knowing this in the Lostbelt, in Proper Human History, it was Lugaid who was ultimately responsible for Cuchulainn’s death, having sliced out the weakened Ulster hero’s innards with his spear. After Cuchulainn tied himself to the great stone Clochafarmore and died, Lugaid also cut off his head to ensure he had well and truly perished. Ironically, the deviation in this Lostbelt’s history also saved Ferdiad’s life, since Cuchulainn would have slain him in a most humiliating fashion otherwise.

That stubborn, hate-filled streak of Lugaid’s definitely persisted in this timeline, but he never had the opportunity to kill Cuchulainn here. It must have left a huge hole in Lugaid’s heart that couldn’t be filled with anything other than vengeance. Hell, it was difficult for Ferdiad to become friends with Lugaid in the first place because he and Cuchulainn regarded each other as brothers during their time in Dun Scaith. It was only due to Ferdiad convincing him that he was steadfastly on Connacht’s side that they were able to put their differences aside.

Lugaid… don’t go doing anything stupid, okay?

Two days following the death of the faeries, the once silent apple orchards of Emain Ablach were turning into a temporary camp. Cuchulainn had already assembled a small group of workers to bring to Emain Ablach so they could get things set up. Now the first soldiers were arriving, with Ewan acting as their leader. Since Cuchulainn was preoccupied, he entrusted Ewan to handle initial negotiations with Fergus. As the general and his troops approached the camp, it didn’t take long for the king to emerge from the strategy tent with several warriors following him as guards.

The ever-calm and collected military man said, “Good day, Lord Fergus. I am Ewan Aitken, General of Aviemore and first aide to Lord Cuchulainn. I have been apprised of the situation, and notified my troops of my liege’s intent to forge an alliance with your forces.”

“Pleasure is mine, General,” Fergus replied, and the two men shook hands. “As much as I’d like to get further acquainted with you, I fear that time is of the essence. We need to discuss the particulars of our strategy as soon as possible.”

“Of course. My men have demonstrated distinct discontent over the current situation, particularly with how Medb intentionally separated the isles to save herself from Lord Cuchulainn, thereby dooming Scotland to fall to his dominion.”

“We of Ireland also express a similar distaste for her methods of ruling. It’s clear that no one will be able to survive unless we cull the lands of her influence once and for all. The greatest point of contention for my people is whether or not Cuchulainn plans on invading Ireland once Medb is out of the picture. As unpleasant as it may sound, I need some form of insurance to prevent that from happening, and a mere peace treaty simply isn’t going to cut it.”

“I am a general, not a diplomat. My job is to iron out our battle plans so that our nations can work in tandem to invade Galway, preferably before Medb can make any attempt to escape. If you wish to discuss a treaty, I’ll have to defer you to either Lord Cuchulainn or one of his druids.”

“Hah hah, right,” Fergus chuckled. “Diplomacy is a luxury reserved for peacetime, isn’t it? Well then, Lord Manannan has graciously offered us some space to conduct our plans. It’s right this way.”

As they went inside the tent, Fergus asked, “Is Cuchulainn going to join these discussions soon?”

“He will,” Ewan said. “He told me that he had some other business to take care of first. I think it might have something to do with his daughter, since she’s been an invaluable informant for him.”

“Yeah, that’s what I thought…” the king murmured to himself. It wasn’t so much his concern over Cuchulainn’s absence. Rather, he had a sneaking suspicion that Cuchulainn knew a lot more than he was comfortable with due to him planting his Spirit Origin inside the Mini Cu doll and traveling around with Connla. Of course, Fergus would never blame Connla for that - she had every right to spend time with him. He was more worried about how much of an upper hand Cuchulainn had, not just as a warrior, but also as a tactician and politician. How much of Ireland’s society was he aware of now, and would he plan to use it as leverage against Fergus in the future?

“Lord Fergus,” one of his aides interrupted him out of his deep musings. “If there is nothing else, we would like to commence our war planning.”

“Oh yes, of course,” Fergus grumbled. He sat down at the head of the table, which had a large map of Ireland and Scotland unfurled on it, and dismissed all other thoughts as he listened to Ewan’s explanation of the strategy.

Back in the forest near the ruined faerie village, a small portal tore open that released a great deal of mist around it. The large tailed figure of Cuchulainn stepped through, having passed through directly from the Castle of Shadows in Dun Scaith. As the mist dissipated, he noticed Manannan leaning her back against a nearby tree.

“So, you’ve finally returned,” the red-haired goddess said. “It’s hard to believe you’re the same person who tried to take Fand away from me all those years ago.”

“Humans change much faster than you gods do,” Cuchulainn muttered.

“Hmm… I must say, I am a bit surprised. Despite your monstrous appearance, you have a much greater degree of maturity compared to back then.”

“My priorities are different. There’s nothing more to it.”

“I’ll say,” Manannan chuckled. “Right now, I bet you’re wondering where Connla is.”

“Yeah.”

She pointed deeper into the woods and said, “She and Liath Macha are at Mio’s grave.”

Cuchulainn appeared visibly concerned as he wondered, “Is she okay?”

“Fortunately, she doesn’t have many physical injuries beyond the wounds on her face. The wounds to her soul, however… I’m afraid they’re going to take much longer to heal. She’s downright inconsolable at this point.”

“No kidding. That faerie was one of the first friends she made, and she had to kill her. Coupled with losing Fir and Fial, no amount of training in the Land of Shadows would’ve prepared her for dealing with loss like that.”

“Yes, indeed. I tried talking to her, but she didn’t want to say much to me. Maybe you’ll have better luck.”

“I will. Since I’ve got your attention, I need to ask a favor from you.”

“Hm? What is it?”

A soft breeze ruffled the leaves on the numerous apple trees bunched together. Bright red fruit dangled from the branches and beautiful apple blossoms dotted the leaves, all working together in visual harmony like ornaments on a holiday tree. Song birds chirped in the distance, giving the scene a gentle and calming atmosphere that Connla so desperately needed in this time of chaos and confusion. She sat in front of a large rock she had erected on the very spot where she killed Mioruilt, hugging her knees to her chest and quietly listening to the birdsong while struggling to cope with the heavy feeling in her chest. Liath Macha rested next to her, refusing to leave her side once he understood how upset his rider was.

Connla held an apple in her hands, which she had picked shortly before returning here. She had been reluctant to eat for a while due to her not liking sweet foods, but she couldn’t forget how enthusiastic Mioruilt was whenever the other faeries allowed her to eat one. It was just like when Connla was still a small child under Aife’s care, and she tried to take a bite of some dried fruit behind her mother’s back. The punishment she received was so severe that it made her terrified of eating anything sweet ever since then.

Nevertheless, Connla worked up the courage to try a bite of the apple, and dug her teeth into the flesh. She cringed when the nectar hit her taste buds, and she bitterly moaned, “Ugh… too sweet…”

She couldn’t do it. Although she managed to swallow what she had consumed, she gave up the remainder to Liath. He gladly accepted the apple and devoured it without a care, which made Connla a little envious. She instead nuzzled her cheek against her knees and closed her eyes, losing herself to the soft sounds of nature as she was gradually lulled to sleep.

She wasn’t sure how long she had passed out, or if she even fell asleep to begin with. All she knew for sure was that someone else seemed to be with her. The same, mysterious dark-haired man from before was kneeling next to her and placing his hand on her upper back. If Liath sensed this fellow’s presence, he didn’t react to it whatsoever.

At the same time, Cuchulainn made his way toward the creek. It didn’t take him long to find Mioruilt’s grave, but as he rounded the bend, he halted mid-step and glared in astonishment at the scene before him.

He thought his eyes were deceiving him, but it looked like there was someone else with Connla. The dark-haired man, garbed in traditional Celtic armor, seemed to blend in with his surroundings like a chameleon. Seeing this stranger next to Connla spooked Cuchulainn so much that he instinctively yelled, “Who’s there!?”

“Bwuh!?” she squeaked, shocked awake by the sudden cry.

Cuchulainn glanced away for a split second as he summoned Gae Bolg in his hand. However, when he looked back, the mystery man had disappeared. He instantly became confused and bewildered, wondering what the hell just happened. Connla and Liath were equally as perplexed, staring at him like he had lost his mind or something.

Cuchulainn shook his head and thought, Shit… was that just my imagination? Or was that some kind of lingering faerie magic playing tricks on my mind?

Connla mumbled to herself, then grew anxious. Did she do something to offend him? She was so nervous that she wanted to scramble to her feet and run away. Cuchulainn realized he was frightening her and made Gae Bolg vanish, showing his intent to not cause any violence. Once she saw that, she calmed down a little. He approached her and said, “Sorry about that. Guess I was just seeing things.”

“Mm…”

“How you doing?”

She shifted her eyes back toward the grave marker, then moaned, “Not well.”

“I bet. You look totally exhausted.”

“I guess so.”

He sat down next to her and said, “Sucks to have to kill a friend.”

“I don’t understand. Why did Mio go crazy like that? Why did she have to force my hand?”

“I already warned you – faeries are not the same as humans. They don’t have the same mindset that we do. You might as well try to make nice with demons, for all the good it does.”

“You mean, it was a mistake for me to befriend her? Even though we were so similar?”

“Of course not. It’s fine for humans and faeries to get along. It’s just that communication always breaks down whenever they try to resolve any differences. Humans are creatures of reason and intellect, who think about the long term for their species. Faeries are gullible and short-sighted, only capable of thinking for themselves in the moment, at the detriment of their species’ survival. Mio must have been so desperate to escape this Lostbelt that any semblance of sanity went out the window for her, as much as it did the other faeries. Even though the villagers abused her, she wound up using the commotion they caused for her own benefit, and that led to this mess that you had to clean up. Now you’re the one stuck dealing with the emotional aftermath.”

After a short and uneasy silence, Connla murmured, “… Cuchulainn?”

“Yeah?”

“Did you ever have to kill any friends?”

He was so taken aback by the question that he heaved an audible sigh. His mind wandered back to his younger days, when he had more friends and foster family than he could ever ask for. Sure, there was nothing he could do to prevent the deaths he caused in his childhood. But the fact that they were in a Lostbelt meant that the Cattle Raid had gone wrong, which in turn meant he had been spared from killing one of his closest friends. After all, it had been during his battle against Ferdiad that Medb interfered and intoxicated Cuchulainn before he could deliver the fatal blow. Since Ferdiad managed to survive that conflict, Cuchulainn had no idea how he would react to seeing him should they ever meet during this war.

Ferdiad…

Eventually, he replied, “Sure I did. Even before the Cattle Raid, I was such a violent and unpredictable upstart that I wound up doing some people in. Hell, I bashed a guy’s skull in with a headbutt just because he woke me up. I was probably a little older than you too.”

“Didn’t that bother you? Or is it part of a warrior’s code to just easily move on from killing friends and family?” Connla asked.

He scratched the back of his head. “Hmm… I wouldn’t say it has anything to do with being a warrior. Even before becoming Taoide Olc, I was a demigod – the son of a god and a human woman. I guess my own mindset has always been different from a regular human’s, ‘cause I never really dwelled on such things too much. Sure, I would feel regret if I felt I did something absolutely terrible, but that didn’t mean I’d let it keep me from living my life. Guess that’s why I made so many enemies in my lifetime – I could just casually commit murder and steal other men’s wives and daughters without batting an eyelash, which appalled everyone around me.”

“Oh. So, it’s not wrong for me to be this upset?”

“Absolutely not,” Cuchulainn assured, planting his hand on Connla’s back. “It’s proof that you’re human. The key is to not let it conquer you, like it did to all of those people committing suicide throughout Ireland.”

“Man… it’s a lot harder than I realized. Teacher never told me anything about this. I have no idea what to do to get rid of this sinking feeling in my chest. I feel so lost right now.”

“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. I had thought about either letting Manannan look after you or bringing you back to the Land of Shadows with me, but I’ve changed my mind. Now that your duty to eliminate the Three Blights is over, you need to retire as a Champion and lay low somewhere safe during the war. The thing is, I don’t want you near this faerie village where you almost got killed, nor do I want to leave you alone in Dun Scaith. That’s why the only option I have left is to let you stay with Emer.”

“With Lady Emer?” Connla wondered.

“It’s far away from Connacht, and you’ll be in good company with her. She’ll show you the ropes on how to behave like a normal person should, since you obviously haven’t had any guidance in that area of your life before.”

“But you two don’t seem to get along. Is it going to be okay?”

“Don’t worry about it. Emer and I will sort through that baggage, like proper adults should. No matter what it takes, I will convince her to look after you.”

“Hmm… if you say so.”

“Good. Let’s get going then,” Cuchulainn said as he shuffled back onto his feet.

Connla uttered in surprise, “W-Wait! You mean, right now?”

“What, were you planning on sitting here forever?”

“No, I just… I wasn’t ready yet. Just let me say good-bye to Mio first.”

“Fine, but hurry it up. I need to join the war summit as soon as I can.”

He left her be for a few minutes, and she kneeled before the grave marker while using a basic Rune to carve a Celtic flower knot design on its face.

I’m sorry, Mio, but I have to go now. Maybe we’ll see each other again once I pass on. We could even meet Fir and Fial in the next life as well. Until then, be patient for me, okay?

Once she was ready, she guided Liath Macha to where Cuchulainn was standing in front of another misty portal. She blinked and asked, “Is Lord Manannan allowing us to leave like this?”

“Yeah. I asked him to do me this quick favor,” Cuchulainn said. He turned toward it and commanded, “Let’s go.”

He went through first. Connla glanced at Liath uneasily for a moment, then they followed him.

Chapter Text

FATE/CURADH BEAG

“Little Champion”

Chapter 30: Grand Servant Conspiracy

Back in the human world, the skies were turning dreadfully dark as a ferocious storm slowly approached from the south. The persistent sound of distant thunder rumbled for the majority of the morning, and it obviously wouldn’t let up as it turned to the afternoon hours. Emer stepped outside to see what the weather was like, and she sighed in resignation.

“Guess I better get the barrels out before it starts pouring,” she muttered to herself.

Despite the gloomy weather, she was glad such a thunderstorm was coming. She was running low on water, and the only consistent source she had was rainwater. There was also the hassle of needing to boil it to make it safe for consumption, but she had grown used to such a chore over the many years. She couldn’t imagine how the cities managed to run what were known as ‘rain farms’, where rows upon rows of barrels were lined up along an empty field to catch thousands of gallons of rainwater. It was the only solution that any town not named Galway could rely on for their continued survival. Some nobles even sold their additional barrels for a tidy profit, which always frustrated Emer. It was that kind of stuck-up attitude even during dire times like these that she decided to live out at the edge of Lough Neagh like a recluse, far away from the negative influences that rotted away the nobility’s sense of common decency.

She struggled to roll out one of the four barrels she owned outside from the kitchen. She exhaled a deep gasp of exhaustion after just bringing out the first one, and was about to start rolling out the second barrel. However, as she made her way through the door, that was when she noticed a strangely thick mist cloaking the first few inches of her feet.

“What in the world?” Emer blurted and looked around.

She soon heard the distinct sound of horse hooves clopping on the dry earth nearby, and she turned to face the source. To her surprise, she spotted a familiar tall man, a grey horse, and a small girl riding said steed as they approached her from the forest. The bizarre mist was coming from their general direction, which meant to her that they had to be using some sort of magic to travel their way here.

“Hey, there,” Cuchulainn greeted Emer with a grin. “Long time no see.”

Her expression tightened as she grumbled, “Cuchulainn…”

“You look like you’re having trouble there. Need a hand?”

Before she could stop him, he effortlessly hauled the barrel over his shoulder and carried it out into the middle of the yard. He did the same for the remaining two, all while Emer watched him in silence with a dissatisfied look on her face. Connla also watched him, but she wasn’t as invested in this encounter like Emer was, so she kept quiet and let her mind wander as she stared at Mini Cu in her hands.

Once Cuchulainn was done, he wiped his hands and approached Emer as he said, “There. Job’s done.”

She put her hand on her hip and replied, “Thanks for the help, even if I didn’t ask for it. Now then, why are you here?”

His attempt at a jovial attitude faded once he realized how unwelcome he was. He frowned and said, “Not messing around, huh? Fine, I’ll get to the point. I need to leave Connla with you from now on.”

Emer was slightly surprised to hear this. “From now on? You mean she’s not going to be traveling anymore?”

“She’s finished the assignments that Cathbad gave her. Now that the Three Blights are gone, things should run a lot more smoothly for him now. I’m going to be too busy preparing for the war against Connacht to look after her, and I sure as hell am not going to leave her alone in the Land of Shadows. That’s why you’re the first and only choice I’ve got.”

She sighed in annoyance, then said, “You’re always popping up here just to dump your problems onto my lap. Seriously, give me three reasons why I should agree to this.”

“You’re my wife, we love each other, and I need your help. Is that good enough?”

“Ngh… You certainly haven’t lost that smarmy streak of yours.”

“And you’re still as strong-willed as ever.”

“Don’t you mean ‘stubborn as a mule’?”

“Tempting as it is to call you that, I feel it would be an insult in this very moment. You might not like what I’ve become, but the fact is that there’s no one else I can entrust Connla with. Things are about to get hectic in Connacht, and I need to keep her as far away from it as possible.”

Emer turned her gaze toward the despondent child warrior. She couldn’t forget how forlorn Connla looked when Fergus brought her here the first time, and she didn’t look much different right now. Emer calmed her nerves and asked Cuchulainn, “Did something happen?”

“A lot. Needless to say, it’s taken a massive toll on the kid.”

She inspected Connla closely, then asked, “How bad is it?”

“She’s lost her appetite, and refuses to do much other than sleep. She has no idea how to cope with such depression.”

“I would imagine so, always being surrounded by battle-hardened freaks like Scathach and Aife. Honestly, that’s no way for a proper young girl to be raised.”

“Yeah. I figured you could help with that.”

Emer put a hand on her hip, then reluctantly said, “All right. Just remember one thing, Cuchulainn. I’m not doing this for you - it’s for her sake. Do you understand?”

“Fine. Hate me all you want, but don’t take it out on her just because she’s my kid. Aife already did enough damage there.”

“I’m a woman of class, not some immature and petty warmonger. I’ll make sure she gets the best care possible.”

“Thanks, Emer. I knew you would come through for me,” Cuchulainn smiled.

Before she could offer Connla to come inside, the girl suddenly asked, “Um… could I go for a horseback ride for a while?”

“Are you kidding me? Don’t you see the huge storm coming?” Emer blurted, pointing at the dark clouds.

“I’ll be fine.”

“I don’t think that’ll be a good idea.”

“I’ll be fine…” Connla repeated in a weary tone.

Emer grew visibly concerned for her safety. That was when Cuchulainn asked Connla, “Did Scathach teach you any Runes to shelter you from the rain?”

“No. Most of the Runes I know are tailored for battle.”

“Figures. Here, I’ll show you a spell I use.”

He took a moment to show her a simple combination of Runes that would create a small barrier above her that more or less functioned like a magical umbrella. Once she got the hang of it, he felt confident that he could let her go, and he rubbed her back as he said, “All right. Go get some fresh air for a while. Emer and I need to talk about your living arrangements. It might take the whole night, so don’t mind us if we’re still chatting in the late hours.”

“Mm,” she nodded, then had Liath turn back toward the forest.

About half an hour later, the rain started to pour all around her. She remained silent for the whole time as she took in hearty breaths of the rain-scented air. Although she didn’t mind being around civilization, there was something indescribably comforting about just being alone and surrounded by nature. It was as if she was returning to where she once belonged untold eons ago when she existed as nothing more than an amoeba… or perhaps not. Either way, the chilly rain and muddy earth didn’t bother either rider or horse as they ventured into the woods.

Maybe I should pay a visit to Sir Naoise and Lady Deirdre. Hopefully they’ve been doing all right ever since we parted ways in Emain Macha.

As Connla guided Liath towards the direction of the remote cottage, they started to go down a slight incline before she stopped the steed in his tracks. Her eyes widened when she noticed a familiar person leaning her back against a thick tree trunk.

“… Lord Manannan? Is that you?” the child warrior blurted.

“Hello again, my child,” the goddess said with a smile.

Meanwhile, after Connla and Liath departed, Cuchulainn and Emer went inside and sat in the living quarters. While Emer warmed up some water for them to drink, he asked her, “So how’s life been treating you?”

“Not too bad,” she said. “It’s a little difficult to live on my own, but at least I don’t have to listen to people accusing me of being the wife of a monster.”

He was disturbed to hear this, and he wondered, “Were you chased away?”

“Not necessarily. Those were mostly just awful rumors that I ignored. The real reason I left was because I couldn’t stand the bickering and fighting anymore. It was so bad, even entire families were offing each other just to claim ownership of a small creek before it dried up. Hell, Medb made an edict that severely limited the number of people who were allowed to live in Ireland. As a result, some of the folks in smaller towns were forced to throw themselves off the edge of the island into the ocean to cull the population. She was even present for those mass suicides, drinking and laughing away while surrounded by loyalists as she watched her own people die.”

“…”

“Those first years after the Celtic Isles rose from the ocean was when I lost a lot of my friends. I couldn’t bear to watch it anymore. You can call it running away if you want, but I completely lost faith in humanity and wanted to get away from it all. Things are better these days, but only just barely.”

Cuchulainn shook his head. “You weren’t running away. It’s understandable to want to distance yourself from such a twisted society.”

Emer gave him his cup of hot water and remarked, “If that’s your idea of consoling me, then it’s not working. You’re the one who drowned the rest of the world beneath the ocean, after all.”

“Yeah, you’re right. I guess any consolation from me would ring hollow, wouldn’t it?”

“Hmph,” she grunted and sat next to him. “I’d rather not discuss that anymore. We’d just wind up going in circles until we devolved into bickering fools.”

“Fine. I’m here to sort things out regarding Connla, after all. No point in dwelling on the past.”

The pair spent some time discussing everything that had happened during Connla’s journey to dispel the Three Blights, with Cuchulainn going into the most concise detail about the girl’s emotional state during each incident. With each tale he told, Emer’s concern for Connla grew and grew until it felt like she had become an intrinsic part of her life. She was frightened of how such harrowing experiences would warp the child’s perspective of the world, not allowing her to enjoy the innocence of childhood she so deserved to enjoy. As she listened to Cuchulainn, she got the sense that he also harbored some regrets over not being there for Connla until now. He seemed rather lost – almost desperate - about what to do to help Connla regain some semblance of normalcy in her life.

Cu… no matter how much you change, you always did love your family first and foremost…

By now, it was almost midnight and the thunderstorm had been roaring all around them for several hours. Neither of them paid much mind to it as Cuchulainn said, “And now we’re here.”

“I see,” Emer murmured. “That was certainly a difficult journey for her. She had to make so many hard choices that it’s no wonder she looks so exhausted.”

That was when a sudden realization dawned upon her, and she shot to her feet as she yelped, “Wait a second… It’s midnight, isn’t it? Shouldn’t she have come back by now?”

“Don’t worry,” Cuchulainn assured her, remaining nonchalant as ever. “If she went in that direction, it must mean she was heading for Leabharcham’s cottage. She probably wants to have a chat with Naoise and Deirdre.”

“Are you certain?”

“Positive. She’s not stupid enough to leave herself out in the rain like that.”

“Well, if you say so…” Emer relented and sat back down uneasily. Cuchulainn took in a deep breath, then unexpectedly wrapped his arm around her upper back. She seemed surprised by this motion and demanded, “What are you doing?”

“Emer…”

“Cu?”

Then to her astonishment, he snatched her shoulders and pushed her back down on the sofa, leaning his entire body over hers. She gasped, but didn’t try to fight back as she stared into his bright crimson eyes. For some reason, she felt strangely calm. Despite the strange tattoos on his face, the darkened hue of his blue hair, and the ominous black hood draped over his head, his eyes remained the same as she remembered.

Memories of the teenaged Setanta flowed in her mind, as she recalled his determination to win her hand in marriage, and no one else’s. He would do anything for her, even if it meant training in the literal hellscape known as the Land of Shadows, under one of the most brutal and unrelenting teachers known in human history. She even remembered the elaborate arguments she had with him, as they used archaic words and language that no one else understood to have heated debates over silly issues. Although Emer was beautiful in her own right, it was that loquaciousness and intelligence that actually won Cuchulainn over. Even if Emer didn’t like what Cuchulainn had become now, she couldn’t forget that side of him. She could tell he was trying his hardest to tightly hold on to what little bit of humanity he had left, and that both she and Connla were his few sources of inspiration remaining in his life.

If Cuchulainn lost both of them…

Emer didn’t want to imagine it. He was a dangerous man for sure, but as long as he had a purpose to strive for, he would be able to keep his fiery temper and monstrous strength in check. She knew that was the reason why he pinned her down so unexpectedly and stared so closely into her eyes:

He simply didn’t want to let her go.

“… Is it okay?” he asked in a quiet whisper, running his clawed fingers up her dress so he could feel her legs. “You can say no if you want.”

She gently wrapped her arms around his neck and said, “It’s fine. Just remove all of that spiked armor, and that hideous tail. I don’t want to worry about being skewered.”

“Right.”

He willed his black spiked tail, armor and hood to vanish, leaving him only in his black tights and long gloves. She pressed her thumb on his chin to force open his mouth, and she remarked, “My, what sharp teeth you have.”

“Sorry ‘bout that. Just part of the transformation that Medb forced me to undergo. I’ll try not to bite you.”

She nodded. With that, husband and wife leaned in close to kiss and embrace each other.

It wouldn’t take them long to go further than that for the next few hours.

Emain Ablach

Fergus sat back in his chair and listened intently to Ewan’s detailed strategy for fighting against Connacht. It took about 90 minutes for the general to go through every minutia of the plan, with Fergus’ aides either offering ideas or asking questions. For his part, Fergus found these tactics both bold and elegant. The overall strategy wasn’t too complicated, and the orders that both armies would have to follow would be surprisingly straightforward. Considering how simple-minded and battle hungry a lot of his men were, keeping things as basic as possible was the best possible idea. There was the matter of coordination between the two forces, but if they were to rendezvous at the entrance to Galway, it wouldn’t be too much of a problem.

“I gotta admit,” Fergus said, “ramming Scotland into Connacht’s western coastline is something I never would have dreamed of. I would accuse Setanta of having a few screws loose, but that’s just how he is, isn’t he? Heh heh heh!”

“It’s not my position to question Lord Cuchulainn’s judgment,” Ewan said. “Even so, this scenario is only possible due to the unusual circumstances we live in. He merely opted to take advantage of it to try and ensnare Medb into a trap.”

“Hm. With Manannan blocking the path to Ulster, and both Munster and Leinster’s territories inaccessible, she will have nowhere to run. Even so, don’t underestimate her. If there is a dirty trick in the book, she will use it to try and gain the upper hand.”

“You mean with Galway’s civilians?”

“Most likely. And if she does try to flee, her only option is northern Connacht, meaning those civilians could be in danger as well.”

“Pardon me if I am sounding ignorant, but what exactly are Medb’s capabilities anyway? As I have personally never met her, all I have been going by is hearsay.”

“Well…” Fergus murmured, thinking back to his time when he was living in Galway. “She is capable of creating soldiers out of her blood, which she calls the Red Branch Braves. Even just a tiny drop is enough to generate five men. Furthermore, she can telepathically communicate with them, and experience anything they do through their senses. Hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting, talking… As long as a Brave is present, nothing will escape her notice.”

“That certainly doesn’t sound natural.”

“Indeed. Even when I was by her side, I could tell that something was rather abnormal with her. Hell, I don’t seem to remember her possessing such powers prior to the Cattle Raid. I think her descent into madness started to occur when she killed Ailill for his fortune.”

“The previous King of Connacht?”

“Yes. The Medb I know would rather compete with him to increase her own wealth, rather than just execute him and take it all for herself. For all I can tell, the Medb I remember is dead. Whoever has taken her place is nothing more than a monster.”

“Then she shall be treated as such,” Ewan said. Despite his even tone of voice, Fergus could tell that the seasoned warrior was dead serious. Ewan then asked, “Is there anything else we need to know?”

“Yes, there is one other ability she possesses. I’m pretty sure you’ve heard of it – her strong pheromones.”

“Ah, yes. A woman’s innate ability to charm, and thus brainwash, any man in her vicinity. A rather primal and basic skill, if you ask me. Unfortunately, there is no denying how powerful the sin of lust can be even on the battlefield. It can turn even the most ordinary of men into slaves of carnal desire, forcing them to commit acts they would otherwise never do. That in turn will lead to some of the most heinous war crimes imaginable, especially towards the fairer sex.”

“…”

“So how potent is this charm ability supposed to be? Does it only affect one man at a time, or can it cover a wide range?”

Fergus frowned and admitted, “I’m not entirely sure. She never used it on me since I was naturally attracted to her. From the testimonies I’ve heard of from her prisoners though, she only seems to use it on a single target. It’s probably more effective if she concentrates it on one victim, rather than trying to spread it over. After all, that’s exactly what defeated Setanta… or rather, Cuchulainn when he about to battle Ferdiad during the Cattle Raid.”

“I see. So I shouldn’t be too concerned about her causing my men to turn on each other.”

“Like I said, I’m not entirely positive. Have your troops be on high alert, just in case.”

“Will do. This would be so much easier if we had a warrior woman to come in and assassinate Medb for us. We could bypass that issue altogether if we recruited someone like that.”

“No point in brooding over what ifs, my good fellow. We just have to rely on what we have at our disposal. Besides, Cuchulainn seems fiercely determined to end Medb by his own hand. I highly doubt her pheromones will work on him, given how much more powerful he has become since 15 years ago.”

Ewan nodded in agreement. “You’re right. The best thing we can do is be vigilant as we advance on Galway’s castle.”

Longford province, Leinster

The following morning, the exceptionally groggy Lugaid awoke in one of the soldiers’ tents. He rubbed his eyes to shake off the sleepiness, then got up and donned his lightweight armor before heading for the mess hall. It was fairly early in the morning, so not that many men were present for breakfast yet. There were some dedicated soldiers training with each other, but he paid them no mind.

As he was about to ask one of the ladies for some food, a page in his early teenaged years ran up to him and shouted, “Lord Lugaid!”

“Hm? What’s the matter?” the prince asked, surprised to see the boy looking rather flustered at this time of day.

“One of your messengers asked me to bring this to you from Galway! It’s a direct summons from Queen Medb!”

“Shit…” Lugaid cursed. It was too early in the morning for him to be dealing with this nonsense. Regardless, he took the sealed scroll and said, “Thanks. I’ll look through it.”

The boy took off, and the warrior sat at a table to read over the edict while waiting for his food. It was fairly standard – Medb wanted him to report to her about the comings and goings within Munster, as she always demanded of him every month. In other words, it was boring, bureaucratic business that he would rather not be bothered with. Normally he would have one of his ministers deal with it, but since he was in northwestern Leinster, he figured it would be much faster for him to make the trip himself and get it over with.

The tent’s entrance flap was pushed aside, and Ferdiad stepped through. He spotted Lugaid nearby and took a seat next to him while muttering, “Mornin’, mate. What you got there?”

“Just a summons to Galway. Nothing important.”

“From Medb?”

“Yeah. She always wants updates on what’s happening in Munster, especially when it comes to the bad things. It’s like she gets some kind of sick thrill over hearing how my people are suffering, as if they’re mere stories to her. Since I got nothing better to do, I’ll just hop on over and get it done quickly.”

Ferdiad appeared skeptical as he asked, “You sure that’s a good idea?”

“It’d be much worse to ignore her, I can tell you that.”

“But we’re in Leinster right now, when she should be expecting you from Cork. That’s way south in Munster, which means it’d be reasonable for her to think you’ll arrive in two or three days, rather than just one day or less.”

Lugaid raised his eyebrow. He hadn’t considered that whatsoever. He was so focused on finishing this task as soon as possible that he failed to notice how unrealistic it would’ve been for him to arrive in Galway so soon. If he hadn’t been careful, Medb would have been suspicious of his movements and had someone follow him, which would have led them to the rebel base camp.

Ferdiad sighed to himself. Lugaid’s stupefied look told him that he obviously hadn’t thought this through. Lugaid noticed his friend’s resignation and snapped, “What do you want from me!? I know I’m not the sharpest sword in the armory, but you don’t have to look so disappointed!”

“No, no, that’s not what I’m implying,” Ferdiad waved his hand dismissively. “I just think you should come talk to me first before attempting to venture to Galway. You always do much better when you’re sticking to a plan, rather than rushing in on your own.”

“If that’s the case, you got any bright ideas in mind, Mr. Strategist?”

“As a matter of fact, I do,” the orange-haired man ran his fingers through his scalp, while donning his typical clever smile. “Those edicts come on a monthly basis, don’t they?”

“Yeah.”

“Then why not say that you were in the area because you were already expecting her message to arrive and wanted to be expedient with your report? You are Munster’s newest king after all, so it’d make sense for you to take the initiative and visit every town in the province to spread the word.”

“… I suppose so,” Lugaid mumbled, unable to refute Ferdiad’s logic.

“Of course, that’s only if she asks you. If she’s not interested, then there’s nothing to worry about.”

“She likely won’t care, but that would be an effective excuse for her.”

“Sounds good. Oh, while you’re there, you might as well get a good look at the situation in Galway.”

“The situation?”

“Particularly with the number of soldiers, with emphasis on how many Braves she has on hand. I’m also interested in knowing where the townsfolk are situated, so that when our troops march into the capital, we won’t be putting them at risk. In other words, I need you to scout out the best places where we can have our skirmishes.”

“Right…” Lugaid said. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“Thanks,” Ferdiad nodded, but then appeared serious as he urged, “and be careful.”

Galway, Connacht

In Galway’s castle, Medb languidly listened to Cathbad as he made his latest report about what was happening in Ulster. She was particularly interested in what happened in Emain Macha, after hearing rumors that Gae Bolg had been launched at the town directly from the Land of Shadows. However, the elderly druid kept assuring her that the attack was aimed at the Leyline, which was being possessed by one of the Three Blights endangering the province.

“Let me see if I’ve got this straight,” Medb muttered, her expression rife with pure displeasure. “You’re telling me that Cuchulainn somehow knew about the Leyline being taken over by Macha’s wrathful spirit, and opted to throw Gae Bolg at her all the way from Scotland - which is many kilometers away, mind you – in order to destroy her and save the Leyline from being used up?”

“That’s my understanding of the situation,” Cathbad said, acknowledging how ridiculous it sounded at face value.

“And because he killed Macha, that means her curse over Ulster’s men has been lifted, allowing them to fight without fear of suffering false birthing pains. Am I right… so far?”

“Yes, that is correct.”

“Furthermore, I’ve heard that someone managed to defeat the lingering spirit of Ulster’s final king Conchobhar, and also resolved the issue with people being whisked away by some strange mist. Are you going to suggest those were also Cuchulainn’s handiwork?”

Cathbad calmly shook his head. “I don’t believe so. During my travels, I learned that a man named Naoise had challenged Conchobhar in order to save his beloved from being held hostage by him.”

“Spare me the sentimental fluff, old man. I don’t care what this warrior’s reasons were. It sounds much too convenient for someone like him to be in Ulster when I’ve never heard of him before. If I had, I would’ve had him scouted out as one of my Champions straight away. Are you suggesting that the earth just spat him out specifically to deal with Conchobhar?”

“I can understand your doubts, my queen. I too had never heard of this man before. Nevertheless, those are the stories I am hearing, and I sincerely doubt that strangers who live in completely different towns would conspire to lie to me.”

“Hmph…” Medb let out a dismissive scoff. “Fine, then. So how about that business with the mist?”

“I investigated that matter myself, and made contact with Manannan.”

The queen’s expression seemed to stiffen a little, as if hearing that name genuinely irritated her. “Manannan? As in the Tuatha’s god of the sea?”

“The very same. He is responsible for the gateway between this world and the Land of Apples, Emain Ablach. Apparently there was some infighting between him and the few remaining fairies he had been hosting in his realm, which resulted in his Cloak of Mists being stolen. I cooperated with him to retrieve it, thus ensuring the sanctity of Ulster’s Leyline.”

“And you say the Leyline is important for your plans to summon the Grand Servant?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Medb became quiet for a moment as she thought about everything Cathbad just told her. She still remained skeptical as she said, “All right. As far as Conchobhar and Manannan are concerned, I’ll bite. But Macha? I’m not buying it.”

“Why not?”

“You’re summoning the Grand Servant specifically to eliminate Cuchulainn on my behalf. So then why would Cuchulainn destroy Macha if she was threatening the Leyline needed to summon the Servant? Wouldn’t it be more beneficial for him to leave it alone?”

Cathbad folded his arms and inhaled deeply. He couldn’t blame Medb for harboring such doubts. Even so, he had an excuse ready:

“If I had to take a wild guess, it’s possible that Macha intended to fight back against Cuchulainn on her own terms. After all, if he was desperate enough to fire Gae Bolg from so far away, wouldn’t it be reasonable to think that he was doing it in retaliation before Macha could launch a similar attack from Emain Macha?”

Medb considered the possibility. She rested her cheek upon her fist and said, “A likely scenario. That’s just a guess, though.”

“It’s the only explanation I can think of.”

“Even so, I don’t recall Cuchulainn having any bad blood with Macha whatsoever. Why would they suddenly have a feud with each other like this?”

“It’s hard to judge how gods think. Perhaps it’s because they’re gods that they wanted to protect their respective territories. You have to remember that Macha was an earth goddess. I wouldn’t think it too farfetched to imagine she would hoard the Leyline in order to defend Ulster from Cuchulainn.”

She rubbed her finger against her lower lip. “It’s plausible… but there’s no proof to back your theory up.”

Cathbad nodded. “I acknowledge that. Therefore, I believe it’s prudent for me to return to Ulster to investigate the matter further. I am aware of how concerned you are about Cuchulainn potentially launching a second Gae Bolg upon Galway at any time he wishes.”

“Hmph. Why bother with wasting precious time investigating when you can just summon the Grand Servant and have them defeat Cuchulainn before it comes to that?”

“We don’t have enough information concerning Cuchulainn’s capabilities after claiming Scathach’s title as Dun Scaith’s ruler. While summoning the Grand Servant, we druids have to be their source of information so that they will understand the full situation before engaging in battle. We fear that if there is any uncertain factor that will concern the Grand Servant, they will not heed our summons, and our efforts will have all been in vain.”

“I see. Summoning a Grand Servant is a much more difficult process than I expected.”

“Naturally. If an ordinary Servant is a cheap multi-purpose familiar summoned to fight common foes, a Grand Servant is a super-being who serves to fight against the world itself. Furthermore, a Grand Servant represents the pinnacle of the class they are being summoned within. They may not be Divine Spirits in themselves, but are so fundamentally important to human history as a whole that they may as well be considered humans who attained divine status. Of course, there are always exceptions to these things, but that is the knowledge I managed to glean from my Imbas Forosnai dreams.”

“So this Servant is the cream of the crop for their class, in other words.”

“Yes. No other Servant can even hope to stand up to Cuchulainn at this point.”

“Very well,” Medb replied and sat upright on her throne. “Though the Three Blights are resolved, we still need to ensure that the Grand Servant is summoned successfully. If acquiring as much information as possible is what’s required, then you have my blessing to investigate further.”

“Thank you, my lady,” Cathbad bowed. “Then by your leave.”

With that, he turned away and headed back through the castle’s halls, eventually making his way back to Galway’s main plaza just outside the front gate. Even though he was well out of Medb’s earshot by now, he still maintained his stoic façade. He knew he was still in serious danger while within Galway’s boundaries. Though he was a top-class druid capable of spotting the magical energy being radiated by Medb’s Red Branch Braves, he didn’t have the combat prowess needed to help him overcome their fearsome strength should he wound up surrounded. Despite this, he doubted Medb would endanger the High Druid anytime soon since he was still needed for the entire Grand Servant plan to work if they had any chance of defeating Cuchulainn.

… At least, that was what Cathbad led Medb to believe this whole time.

Pah. Stupid wench, Cathbad thought to himself. She’s so focused on destroying Cuchulainn that she still doesn’t realize the Grand Servant’s real target is herself.

Indeed, that had been Cathbad’s intention the entire time. Anyone who was involved with this conspiracy was also aware of his real goal. The impending war was ultimately a distraction. The only way Cathbad felt certain that the Celtic Isles would be safe from Medb’s tyranny was if the Grand Servant destroyed her, rather than Cuchulainn going utterly mad with rage and doing the deed himself at the detriment of humanity itself. Furthermore, the whole line about the druids ‘needing more information’ was also a ruse to buy him more time for final preparations.

In truth, there was still one more crucial step he needed to complete.

Morrigan assured me that she and Manannan would prepare the catalyst in my absence, but I’m not so sure about this. Is she right about Scathach’s pupil being the key to summoning the Grand Servant? Such a small girl couldn’t possibly be satisfactory enough…

All he could do was trust that the goddess’ assessment was correct. Cathbad had fed those lies to Medb about the Three Blights’ resolutions precisely to cloak Connla’s involvement in all of them. Medb was still under the belief that Fergus, Conall and Connla died in Scotland before the isles separated, and Cathbad had to maintain that deception for their sake. If she found out that any of them were alive, the entire plot would unravel before his eyes. He feared he didn’t have much of a contingency plan should that dreadful reality come to pass.

Cathbad shook his head, trying to dismiss such negative thoughts.

Nonetheless, it is imperative that I retrieve the child now. I must prepare her as the catalyst while Cuchulainn’s eyes are off of her.

As the druid finalized his plans, that was when his wandering gaze caught sight of Lugaid approaching the castle from the opposite direction. Lugaid likewise spotted Cathbad and called out, “Hey!”

“Well met, Prince of Munster,” Cathbad replied in greeting.

“Don’t call me that. I’m the king now.”

“So long as you possess such a crass attitude, I shall always refer to you as an unrefined buffoon of a prince.”

“Tch. Not one for mincing words, you ancient bastard.”

“Say whatever you like. I only speak the truth. Now then, what business brings you here?”

“Just making my usual update with the whore-queen regarding Munster’s activities. How are things on your end?”

Cathbad’s lips narrowed in displeasure. He darted his eyes around, then uttered, “Come this way.”

The perplexed Lugaid followed him into a nearby alleyway that was derelict and long abandoned by all except the seediest of Galway’s criminals and drunkards. Once he was sure they were in the clear, Cathbad snapped under his breath, “Watch your words, whelp! What would’ve happened had one of the Braves caught you saying that!?”

Lugaid winced as he realized his mistake. “Damn it…”

“Well, I didn’t detect any of them near us, so we should be safe. Regarding how things are going for me, I just told her about how the Three Blights have been resolved - without mentioning anything about Fergus and the two Champions he brought with him, of course.”

“Ferdiad told me that Fergus is hammering out the war plan with Cuchulainn’s men. Once we march upon Galway, that’s your cue to summon the Grand Servant, right?”

“Precisely. How long do you expect the strategy meeting to last?”

“About another day or two.”

“Then I need to hurry up and prepare the catalyst.”

“Catalyst?”

“Yes. The Grand Servant cannot be summoned without an appropriate object that is important to them. Fortunately, Morrigan informed me that she is staying with Lady Emer during the war.”

Lugaid’s eyes widened, and his expression suddenly turned to one of unrepressed horror. “’She’!? You mean you’re going to sacrifice a human for the ritual!?”

“Her blood is vital for the ceremony. Nay, her very death is the trigger required to call forth the Grand Servant.”

“That’s insane! I never heard anything about this!”

“That had been the intention all along. Scathach’s duty was to train the catalyst in the art of combat, then to send her to me for the sacrifice solely for the purpose of functioning as Cuchulainn’s substitute for the ceremony. Cuchulainn’s appearance in Dun Scaith interfered with that original plan, but I managed to guide events to ensure the correct outcome regardless.”

The warrior grit his teeth, and he seethed, “The way you’re saying it makes you sound no less of a monster than Medb!”

“There is no time to argue my methods,” Cathbad declared, clearly not interested in debating about the morality of his actions. “We have two Evils of Humanity knocking on our front door. We cannot afford to answer their provocation without a fitting weapon of our own.”

Without looking back at Lugaid, Cathbad wordlessly abandoned him in the alley. All the young king could do was stand there in disbelief and clench both his teeth and his quivering fist tightly. He murmured to no one in particular, “This is why I fucking hate druids. They’re total scumbags who only see humans as scapegoats and sacrifices.”

He turned back toward the plaza in frustration. This dark revelation gave Lugaid a lot more to ponder than he ever bargained for. What was he going to do, now that he understood that someone had to die in order to summon a powerful warrior? And a female sacrifice at that, too! If it had been a male, he probably wouldn’t have been so furious. He couldn’t forget about the tragedy surrounding his mother Blathnat’s affair with Cuchulainn while still being married to his father Cu Roi against her will. It had been a sordid affair that resulted in Blathnat’s death at the hand of one of Cu Roi’s own servants. Due to this, Lugaid was never able to forgive Cuchulainn, nor could he fully trust Cu Roi due to him treating Blathnat as mere property. Lugaid thus had more respect for women compared to men, so for him to hear that a female was going to be sacrificed was simply inexcusable to him.

Is there anything I can do about this? Should I do anything? Or am I supposed to ignore this and let someone die for the greater good?

Suddenly, Lugaid felt like he needed to talk with Ferdiad more than ever. He felt stupid for not bringing his friend with him on this trip, but Ferdiad insisted on remaining behind at the camp to do some training.

Hmph… first things first. Let’s finish this annoying little errand for Medb. Then I’ll hurry back and ask Ferdiad for advice.

As he approached the castle’s front gates, one of the drunks sitting limp in the alleyway shifted his eyes toward Lugaid's backside. Contrary to a typical drunkard’s sleepy appearance, this fellow’s eyes appeared alert and observant beneath his beret.

His irises shimmered red for a brief moment.

Chapter Text

FATE/CURADH BEAG

“Little Champion”

Chapter 31: No Looking Back

Medb daintily raised her leg and crossed it over the other one. Her miffed expression refused to lighten as she stared at Lugaid entering the throne room. The sharp cadence in her yellow eyes told him that she was not in a good mood, and he suspected that her discussion with Cathbad was the reason. Regardless, he wasn’t here to play jester to cheer her up.

“Well met, my queen,” Lugaid greeted her. “I sense that you are not feeling well. Should this meeting be postponed until you have recovered?”

Medb lightly smiled, amused by his attempt at appeasing her. “No, it’s all right. Hearing some good news about Munster should alleviate my boredom. I hear you have been running yourself ragged trying to balance the province’s internal affairs. It must be tough, coping with both the nobility and the lower classes when they are all selfish for their own reasons.”

“Father taught me well, and I have capable aides at my disposal.”

“Yes, that’s right. Servants exist to do your bidding. Keep them close to you, and ensure they are always useful for your cause. If their utility is insufficient, simply discard them and find someone else. That is the sovereign right of a king… Nay, their very duty – to command the masses toward a singular goal.”

Lugaid couldn’t think of anything to say to this. He shifted his eyes to the side and visibly frowned. Medb noticed his displeasure and said, “The fact that you falter from hearing such language suggests to me that you are still too young and inexperienced to govern Munster. If it is too much, why not fully amalgamate your territory into Connacht? I would gladly handle the burden of ruling over Munster’s people in your stead.”

“N-No, that is all right,” Lugaid immediately yelped. “I’m certain you are quite preoccupied with Connacht’s affairs enough as it is. Please, leave Munster in my capable hands.”

He had every reason to be nervous. He recalled a particular warning that Cu Roi told him as he was growing up:

“No matter what happens… No matter how difficult it may be to be Munster’s king… Never, ever surrender our home to Connacht. Together with Leinster, we are the final bastions of sanity and reason within this ravaged nation. If Medb were to rule Munster with the complete impunity she has toward Connacht and Ulster, our province will no doubt fall to ruin. You must not let that happen, my son.”

Lugaid always took those words to heart, considering that he was one of Medb’s Champions and was thus privy to the inhuman cruelty she was capable of. Sure, it would be easy to have her dispose of the nobles who were troubling him, but she definitely wouldn’t stop there. She would gladly use the suffering of the lower classes as a form of entertainment for herself. He dared not imagine what she would do if she had free reign over his native province.

“I see. Very well,” Medb relented. “Now then, there is something else I wish to ask of you, son of Cu Roi.”

“Certainly.”

To his surprise, the queen rose from her throne and gently treaded the few steps to the floor. It was incredibly rare for her to abandon her favorite seat and stand on the same ground as her subjects during an audience. Their eyes locked with each other’s. Her gaze appeared mildly seductive, but was altogether commanding. In comparison, his astonished staring made him appear nervous.

Finally, she whispered, “… Lugaid.”

The young man’s lips thinned in anxiety as he asked, “Yes, my lady?”

“Would you ever lie to me?”

“Of course not. Why do you doubt me so?”

“I have all the reasons in the world to be dubious of everyone around me. I’m the most beautiful, wealthiest, and powerful woman in existence. You’d have to be a fool not to be jealous of someone as successful as me."

“I suppose so…”

“You understand, don’t you? You know how lonely it can be at the top of society. Even though you’re Munster’s new king, you still have those filthy nobles doing what they can to circumvent your laws for their own gain. Why, if I’m not mistaken, the cost of rain water in Munster is the highest in the land due to all of the tariffs and taxes being imposed by your magistrates.”

“W-Well, that is true. I did snuff out the O’Cleirigh clan’s leader though, so I’m sure the nobles will take me more seriously.”

Medb pressed her body against the nervous Lugaid’s chest and traced her finger over his pectorals, then uttered, “Yet here you are, busy playing war. I’m sure the nobles are enjoying a nice breath of fresh air thanks to your absence.”

“I have a capable minister handling affairs in my absence. He’s been serving my family ever since Grandfather’s reign. I can trust him fully with Munster’s issues while I… while I… I…”

“While you… what?”

In that moment, Lugaid knew he had screwed up. How did Medb know that he was going to partake in a war she never planned? Simply put, she didn’t. He had completely fallen for her bluff without thinking. His horrified expression was all she needed to see to confirm her suspicions.

“He he he he he he…” Medb giggled. Yet, it was not a playful chuckle by any means. It was incredibly sinister, as if she was a spider sneering at the insect she had caught in her web. “I told you – I have no choice but to doubt everyone around me.”

“W-Wait just a second, my queen!” Lugaid objected, forcing himself away from her. “Why would you say I was ‘busy playing war’ in the first place!?”

“Oh, my naïve, inexperienced boy-king. You really don’t have a clue about how wide my net is, do you?”

He drew his sword and pointed it at her, demanding, “Tell me, or I’ll have your head!”

“Threatening me, are you? How adorable. Very well, I’ll play along for now. You know about my Red Branch Braves, right? Well, it’s not just soldiers I can produce. I can also generate certain Braves to function as spies within the city, such as one of the drunkards that you and Cathbad completely disregarded. Through that Brave’s eyes, I saw him have a chat with you…”

Then her eyes eerily widened into saucers.

“As you oh-so casually discussed with him about Fergus’ plans for invading Connacht.”

Lugaid grit his teeth and stepped back.

“You see, my boy?” Medb asked as she slowly approached him. He took a panicked step backward each time she moved forward to keep the distance between them. “I am Galway, and Galway is me. My reign over this small patch of Ireland’s territory is absolute. To discuss overthrowing me within my own city, which is my very life-blood, is tantamount to treason against this entire country’s ruler. Furthermore, I was told that Fergus and his team of Champions died in Glasgow after challenging Cuchulainn. Yet you say that Fergus is plotting a coup against me? If that’s the case, there’s no way he could have survived against Cuchulainn without deciding to cooperate with his feud against me. That means Fergus faked his death to evade my all-encompassing web… and you had to go and bungle it all, didn’t you?”

“S-Stay away from me, witch!” Lugaid trembled.

“Now, now, put that sword away, or you might wind up cutting yourself with it, boy.”

“I’m not a boy!”

“A real man would not be offended by that.”

“Gh…”

“It’s proof of how immature and inexperienced you are as both a king and a human being. But I’ll cut you a little slack, considering that Cathbad is the one who let it slip first. I am a generous woman, after all. I’ve heard that you hate Cuchulainn’s guts as much as I do. Why don’t we put these differences aside and think about dismantling this silly little war effort Fergus has going on? See it as an opportunity to kill Cuchulainn when you were denied the opportunity during the Cattle Raid.”

“I… I do hate that man… I really do…” Lugaid admitted. He yelped in surprise when his back hit the wall, meaning he couldn’t step away from her anymore. “But I hate what you’re doing to this country as well! Why do you think Munster’s nobles are raising the prices on water in the first place!? It’s to afford their national taxes, which go straight into your coffers! You’re just guilty as them of causing such destitution to the common folk!”

“Aww, but I can’t help it. I just love wealth soo~oo much! Unlike humans, possessions will never betray you. You can do whatever you want to them, then throw them away when you grow bored of them, and they will never complain about it. That’s why I can’t stand being around people – they’re too petty, conniving, and free-willed to be worth their value. If I could, I would gladly turn the human populace into a hive mind that listened only to their queen.”

“Damn it all… No wonder Ireland is falling apart at the seams…”

“So then…” Medb murmured darkly as she took another purposeful step toward the frightened warrior. “You won’t help me kill Cuchulainn? I must say, you’ve got guts. No one would dare to betray me right in my face. Maybe you’ll help relieve me of my boredom tonight. I’ve been sorely lacking in male company, and I need a companion… nah, I’ll just drop the fluffy formalities and say I need you as my slave.”

Lugaid immediately knew what that meant. Acting on raw instinct, he rushed to the side toward the double doors leading back into the hall. If he could get away from this inhuman creature of a woman long enough, he could at least send a signal or something to Cathbad. As he approached the doors though, they suddenly slammed open. A group of five Red Branch Braves towered over him, completely blocking his escape. For some reason, he wasn’t too surprised to see them.

“Hraaaagh!” he shouted and thrust his sword at one Brave’s chest. To his astonishment, the muscular behemoth of a man did not make any attempt to move aside. The blade struck his chest, then snapped into two. Lugaid’s expression turned into blank astonishment as he watched the severed blade clatter upon the stone floor, leaving him holding the hilt in dumbfounded silence. Before he could react, one of the other Braves struck his wrist, forcing him to drop the hilt. A third Brave wrapped his bulky arms beneath the much smaller man’s armpits, fully restraining him.

“Gaaaah! L-Let me go!” he shouted. “God damn it all, what the hell are you!? You can’t possibly be human! No one can break a sword with just their toughened flesh!”

“You’re right,” Medb said, standing less than 10 feet away from the trapped warrior. “My Braves are not human.”

“What do you mean!? Aren’t they made out of your blood!?”

“They are. But they simply borrow the human guise to help them blend in easier.”

“B-But if they’re not human, and they’re made out of your blood, wouldn’t that mean-?”

“Exactly. Good to see you’re catching on.”

After saying those ominous words, Medb stared to remove her top, exposing the majority of her shoulders, upper chest and breasts to him. However, what caught Lugaid’s eyes wasn’t her feminine curvature. It was a strange, elongated scar running along her bosom. He never remembered hearing any reports of Medb having a scar. When did she get such a massive injury to her-?

… The scar slowly started to open itself.

Any and all thoughts Lugaid had immediately disappeared, leaving him in a frozen, panicked state. In that moment, he felt like he was staring deep into an abyss he shouldn’t have… and the abyss was staring back at him.

“Perhaps I should reintroduce myself, Prince of Munster,” she murmured in an unusually deep voice. “I am Queen Medb of Connacht, yet not Queen Medb simultaneously. I wear the guise of a human, yet am not fundamentally human. Far from it, actually. I am actually the sin of Domination, wearing this woman as a skinsuit in service of my complete and total control of this world.”

“T-The sin of… Domination?”

“Indeed. You see, boy, if I were to appear in my real form, you humans would either flee in terror or take up arms to resist me. Borrowing the form of an existing ruler who also happens to be a beautiful woman was much more convenient, since humans are easily appeased by the feminine form. My instincts were correct – you humans love the female body so much that you do not mind allowing yourselves to be stepped on by a woman. But since the sin of Destruction has rallied Fergus to his side, it seems that Medb’s utility is quickly coming to its end.”

“The sin of Destruction… Cuchulainn…” Lugaid gasped.

“Well, what can you do? I was starting to grow weary of this world anyway. I think it’s time I went on a little unannounced vacation. But first, for being such a good sport and revealing Fergus’ deception to me, I should give you a most appropriate… reward.”

A sickening sound reverberated from the writhing scar. At the same time, an overwhelming, sickly sweet scent wafted from her body, threatening to knock him unconscious. That was when Lugaid finally saw the truth that Medb hid from the world.

The scar on her chest wasn’t a scar at all… but a giant eye.

The last thing Lugaid could remember was letting out a bloodcurdling scream.

“Ah… Aaahhh… AAA~AAA~AAA~AAAHHHHHH!”

Lough Neagh, Ulster

The afternoon sun bathed its light upon all of Ulster, drying the mud caused by last’s night’s heavy rainfall. After waking up in the forest, Connla rode Liath Macha back to Emer’s home. She was rather exhausted, not just from all the excitement of the last few days, but also from the lengthy conversation she had with Manannan. It was a lot to take in, and Connla wondered if she still had all of the facts straight. The heavy feeling in her chest refused to subside… or perhaps it got a lot worse. She hoped Cuchulainn would not be present at Emer’s house so that she wouldn’t be bombarded with questions from him.

That was when Connla realized she was wearing something unusual around her neck. It was a large silver medallion affixed to a thin chain. She stared at the medal for a short while, appreciating its intricate patterns and Runes. She wasn’t surprised to see it – Manannan had given it to her after their conversation was over and she went to sleep for the night. It hadn’t been the only gift Manannan gave her, but this was the only one she could hold in her hands.

“Liath,” Connla murmured forlornly. “There’s no going back now, is there?”

She stared into the horse’s eyes and asked, “Will you stay with me… until the end?”

The grey steed snorted in affirmation. Though he couldn’t speak, he could express his intentions well enough. Even if her new mission was practically the same as suicide, he would not abandon her.

“Thanks,” she nodded. “I don’t think I can do this without you.”

Liath whinnied, as if begging her to not speak like that anymore.

“You’re right. We should get back before Lady Emer becomes suspicious.”

With that, Liath galloped back toward Lough Neagh. It wouldn’t take them long to return to the cottage. When they did, they found Emer sitting on the porch waiting for them. She stood up and approached the pair, appearing slightly irate as she scolded, “You’re late, young lady.”

“I’m sorry,” Connla apologized. “Did I make you worry?”

“Naturally. You shouldn’t be out when it’s so dark and stormy. You’ll catch a cold if you keep doing that.”

“That’s just an urban myth. Cold weather doesn’t cause sickness. It’s being near people who have the virus.”

“I don’t care. You’ll freeze to death if you keep up such behavior.”

“I guess so,” the child warrior admitted, then glanced around. “Is Cuchulainn not here?”

Emer huffed, then replied, “He left early this morning. We worked out a plan for me to look after you.”

“I see. That’s a relief.”

The woman wondered what the girl meant by that. As Connla dismounted Liath, Emer noticed the medallion around her neck and asked, “Where did you get that?”

“This? Oh, um, I found it in the woods,” Connla lied, doing her best to keep her obvious stammering minimal.

“Hmmm… Looks like an antique,” Emer murmured as she took a closer look at it. “A warrior or a merchant must’ve dropped it during their travels. So how were Naoise and Deirdre?”

“Naoise and-? Oh! Y-Yes, they were doing well!”

“That’s good. Come inside. You must be famished.”

Connla followed Emer, while Liath went into the stables to join Emer’s horse. The girl exhaled quietly and thought, Phew, that was close.

She had promised Manannan that she would not say a word about their meeting to either Cuchulainn or Emer. Thus, being asked about Naoise and Deirdre nearly threw her off guard, but she recovered well enough to convince Emer. She was glad that Cuchulainn wasn’t there as well - she doubted her lies would work as effectively on him. For now, there wasn’t much she could do until she knew the war was underway.

Longford province, Leinster

Ferdiad spent some time going through the chariots and seeing if any of them needed repairs. He did this as a favor for Laeg, since he was busy preparing the dozens of horses for the impending march. Ferdiad found a chariot with a weakened axle and helped its owner by crafting a replacement. He sat on a log just outside the camp, putting the finishing touches to the axle when he noticed a thick plume of mist curling within the woods nearby.

“Hm?” he murmured and stood up.

About a minute later, and to his astonishment, he spotted two men emerging from the mist and approaching the camp. While he didn’t know who the fellow with black-and-blonde hair was, he immediately recognized the muscular violet-haired man with three long scars running along his chest.

“Fergus!” Ferdiad exclaimed.

“Yo!” Connacht’s king waved at his friend exuberantly. “Long time no see!”

“What’s going on here!? I thought you were supposed to be in Ulster! Yet here you are, emerging from the forest in Munster’s direction!”

“You can thank the god of the sea Manannan for that. He granted us passage from Emain Ablach straight here.”

“You mean Lord Manannan is an ally of ours?”

“Absolutely. He has as much of a stake in this as we do.”

“Well I’ll be damned…” Ferdiad murmured in amazement. He then turned his attention toward Fergus’ comrade and asked, “And who might you be?”

“I’m Conall Cernach, the swordsman who won the latest Queen’s Champion tournament. Back in my youth, Cuchulainn was my foster brother.”

“Ahh, so you’re Conall! Cuchulainn told me much about you during our training in the Land of Shadows!” Ferdiad remarked with a beaming smile, and the two men shook hands. “I take it you were assisting Fergus in Ulster?”

“That’s right. We’ve taken care of everything we needed to, and Fergus managed to form a coalition with Scotland’s forces.”

“So the hour of reckoning is at hand. In but a few hours’ time, Ireland’s very future will be decided.”

“Now, now, let’s not take this too seriously,” Fergus assured. “Being all uptight and philosophical detracts from morale. We just stick to the plan and see where it takes us. Nothing more, nothing less.”

“Ever the optimist, I see,” Ferdiad said. “It’s no wonder so many of us wish to see you wrest Connacht’s throne from Medb’s grasp.”

Despite the warrior’s compliment, Fergus took a good long look at the encampment to see what sort of progress was being made. However, his brow furrowed in concern as he asked, “Is Lugaid not with you?”

“No, he was summoned to Galway.”

That news chilled Fergus to his core. “And you didn’t go with him?”

“Laeg asked me to stay and help maintain the chariots. We’re shorthanded enough as it is.”

“Hmm…”

Conall then asked, “What’s the problem? Who is this Lugaid person supposed to be?”

Ferdiad told him, “The next King of Munster, after his father Cu Roi died in combat against Cuchulainn in Glasgow.”

“Oh… That guy’s son, huh?” Conall murmured sullenly, thinking back to Cu Roi being violently massacred and how narrowly he escaped such a brutal fate himself.

“He is passionate, but not exactly what one would call the smartest. I’ve heard all of the insults and rumors being thrown at him behind his back. Essentially, everyone thinks he’s an idiot son who doesn’t deserve to be handed Munster’s throne. As a result, he tends to act impulsively in an effort to prove his detractors wrong.”

“Cor blimey… You’re telling me an insecure guy like that is about to just stroll up to Medb and have a casual chat with her? You might as well feed a lamb to a hungry wolf, for all the good it does!”

Ferdiad’s expression stiffened. He obviously didn’t appreciate Conall’s assessment of Lugaid. “He’s my friend. I have faith that he will hold his own against her.”

Although just as concerned as Conall was, Fergus asked, “When is he supposed to return?”

“Sometime around nightfall,” Ferdiad replied.

“Keep your eyes peeled for him. If he does not return by the designated time, notify me immediately. If worst comes to worst, we’ll have to assume that Medb did something to him.”

“That’s going to affect how Munster’s troops will cooperate with us. They’re expecting him to command them during the invasion.”

“I’ll take his place. You and Conall work together with Laeg to coordinate the remaining forces. Split yourselves into three battalions and wait for my signal.”

“Yes, sir.”

Fergus parted ways with the two men to go speak with Munster’s soldiers about this sudden contingency plan. Ferdiad and Conall went to go look for Laeg, and the orange-haired warrior appeared very concerned. Conall asked him, “You worried about Lugaid?”

“Of course I am. I’ve known him since we were kids. But more than that, I’m starting to feel like I should’ve done more to help him. I dread to think what Medb will do to him when he is not prepared to contend with her on his own.”

“No point in beating yourself up over it. Even if things go to hell, Fergus is here to pick up the pieces. We won’t have to pretend to be loyal to her for much longer anyway. Let’s just do what we can to make this coup a success. The entire country is depending on us to win, and we can’t let anything sway us from that goal.”

“Yeah… you’re right.”

The Land of Shadows

The familiar mist wafted within the Castle of Shadows’ throne room. A few moments later, Cuchulainn, Ewan, and their top advisors stepped through. Once the war council with Fergus was over in Emain Ablach, the two sides returned to their respective countries and got to work on final preparations. According to the strategy, Scotland would have to make the first move against Connacht. This involved Cuchulainn using his authority as Dun Scaith’s King of Shadows to commandeer the entire island past northern Ulster and ram it into northwestern Connacht. No doubt that such a spectacular sight was going to cause widespread panic amongst Ulster’s citizens, but they couldn’t afford to worry about that when their primary goal was cutting Medb off from any avenues of escape.

Cuchulainn sat on his throne and declared to his men, “This is going to require all of my energy and focus. Once we make ram into Connacht, you are to march south toward Galway with all haste. Eliminate anyone who opposes you, and rendezvous with Fergus’ troops at the city’s front gates. Expect heavy resistance from Medb’s Red Branch Braves in the meantime. Exercise extreme caution – one of them is enough to defeat a hundred men. Once I have finished moving Scotland, I will join you in battle.”

“Yes, sir,” Ewan acknowledged, and all of the other soldiers saluted him simultaneously. They turned back toward the mist and vanished, being teleported to their stations in the provinces of Edinburgh and the Scottish Borders.

With that, Cuchulainn was left alone to concentrate on his task. He sat tall on the throne, gripped the arm rests, and inhaled deeply while closing his eyes. His mind drifted in and out of consciousness as he utilized both Dagda’s Cauldron and Scathach’s crown to unite his will with all of the Land of Shadows, spreading his dominance over the underworld far and wide. Every single vengeful spirit, Demon Boar, and savage monster residing in this dimension suddenly froze in place and turned their gazes toward the castle. Even the tiniest of insects couldn’t resist responding to the king’s incredible will.

Cuchulainn’s authority soon penetrated Dun Scaith’s borders and spread itself throughout all of Scotland like an invisible wave. More and more wildlife started to react to this tremendous presence, scampering away to find any suitable hiding place they could. The malevolent aura eventually reached civilized towns scattered throughout the country’s far eastern territories. The people living in these remote hamlets all immediately felt a terrible chill running through their spines.

“That is… the king’s war cry…” a stunned woman murmured.

“Th’ time haes come. We ur at war wi’ Connacht,” a man in a completely different town gasped in a thick Scottish accent.

There really was no better way to describe this ominous feeling. Though it was not an audible roar, Cuchulainn’s silent command certainly could be equated to a battle scream. Eventually, his energy extended to every last inch of Scottish soil, meaning the entire island was now under his control. Once he was ready, he plotted a course for the island to follow, and it slowly began to move on this path toward Ireland in the far southwest.

A demonic smile crept along Cuchulainn’s face, baring as many sharp teeth as he could. Distinct riastrad lines formed all over his skin as an untold excitement gripped his very soul.

I’m coming for you, Medb. There’s nowhere left for you to run now.

Lough Neagh, Ulster

After Connla returned to Emer’s cottage, the two of them spent the day harvesting some potatoes and gourd vegetables in the garden, preparing and storing them in the cellar for the coming winter months. All the while, Connla kept glancing at the white-colored Tree of Emptiness far in the northern distance. It served as a constant reminder that its destruction was her ultimate mission, and she didn’t want to forget it. Yet, she also couldn’t disregard Emer’s deep concern for her, especially after everything Cuchulainn told her. She felt conflicted as to whether or not she should challenge the Tree and make Emer worry, or let the others deal with it. Her conscience made it extremely difficult to decide either way.

Emer realized that Connla was not paying attention to her tasks, and asked, “What’s the matter? Are you feeling all right?”

“Yes, I’m fine,” the girl murmured.

“I’m not so sure about that. You’ve been looking at Crann Ban for the last while. Does it bother you for some reason?”

“Crann Ban… the White Tree…”

Emer rested her hands on Connla’s shoulders and stared at the alien structure, then remarked, “It’s a strange thing, isn’t it? It showed up right around when the Cattle Raid of Cooley ended, and has been responsible for flooding the world at Cuchulainn’s command. Nowadays it’s become part of the background, but it really makes you wonder. What is it supposed to be? How is it generating so much sea water that it could drown the entire world? Most importantly, how is Cuchulainn connected to it? He’s the one benefiting from it, after all.”

Connla remained silent. She didn’t have the heart to reveal anything about the tree’s true nature. The truth would have been much too shocking for an ordinary woman like Emer.

“Oh, what’s the point? No point in dwelling on it, so let’s just get back to work. There’s still a lot we need to do before it gets dark,” Emer muttered and ushered the morose Connla into the cellar. They organized their harvest for the remainder of the afternoon, then went to the kitchen to prepare a special minestrone soup that Emer liked to make whenever she had guests over.

As Connla sat at the table with her usual distant gaze in her eyes, Emer placed a bowl of soup before her and implored, “Honey, please. Try to cheer up a little.”

“Hm?” she mumbled, apparently interrupted out of her daze.

“I know you’ve been through a lot. You had to fight some huge battles, and you lost friends along the way. But think of all the people you have met, and the things you have accomplished. Not many can boast to have gone on the kinds of adventures you have. If they were to be chronicled in a book, I’m certain it would become immensely popular.”

“I don’t know about that. I was just doing what I could to make things better in Ulster.”

“I’m sure you were. However, I’m afraid that’s all come to an end. If you’re thinking of doing more fighting like that, then forget it. You’re simply too exhausted. Cuchulainn and I fear of what will happen if you keep pushing yourself like this.”

Connla stared at her thumb ring and muttered, “I still find it hard to believe that he’s supposed to be my father. All this time, I’ve been regarding him as little more than a senior apprentice, or a guide of some kind. I find it too difficult to acknowledge him as my family… at least, not right now.”

Emer sat next to her and said, “That ring is proof of your lineage with him though. It snapped him out of his rampage and awakened his humanity, which he thought he had lost when he became Taoide Olc. Even when I spoke with him last night, I could tell he was struggling to maintain his sanity. The fact is that you and I are the few remaining sources of inspiration for him. Everyone else in Ireland sees him as nothing more than a traitor, a monster, or even a demon.”

“Even though he fought for his country in the Cattle Raid?”

“His defeat was an indelible stain on his reputation. Even if it was all Medb’s fault, there’s no getting around that Ulster fell to Connacht due to Cuchulainn’s loss. Being blamed for the whole thing must have torn his spirit to shreds, and led him down his destructive path. After all, if the entire world shunned him for something beyond his control, then he must have felt that he had nothing left to lose anymore.”

“Until he met me…”

“Exactly,” Emer nodded. “That’s precisely why I can’t let you go on any more adventures. Cuchulainn would be devastated if he found out something terrible happened to you.”

Connla closed her eyes and thought about Cuchulainn. She couldn’t deny what Emer was telling her. It truly would be much safer to just stay here and be raised by her. Yet deep down, something was telling her that she couldn’t do it. The Tree of Emptiness, Circinus, would serve as a constant reminder that they lived in an aberrant world, and that whatever life she lived here was not what was ever intended in Proper Human History. Her sense of duty was too strong for her to disregard, though she certainly wouldn’t say anything about it to Emer.

That was when she had an epiphany.

Both Cuchulainn’s sanity and Circinus’ destruction are important to me. If that’s the case, then I’m fearful of Circinus affecting Cuchulainn’s mind in some way that I might not know about. Teacher told me that it’s an alien being, and that he is connected to it as this Lostbelt’s king. If he does something that would threaten this timeline’s existence, the Tree of Emptiness can very well ravage his mind and drag him back into the throes of insanity. If I could protect him from Circinus’ influence somehow, then it would definitely be worth it. Teacher instructed me to protect Proper Human History, but that’s starting to feel like a small bonus compared to this.

“Are you listening to me?” Emer’s voice snapped Connla out of her reverie.

“Huh? Oh, um… What did you just say?”

“Good gracious, you’re a lot more tired than you realize, young lady. Never mind, just go to bed. I’ll clean up in here.”

“Okay. Good night, Lady Emer.”

“Drop the formalities. I’m your stepmother now.”

“Right…”

Connla left Emer in the kitchen and went upstairs to her room. She got dressed in her nightgown and tucked herself under the bed covers, hoping to at least get a short nap in. Emer watched her leave, then sighed in exasperation. She turned her gaze toward the Mini Cu doll sitting lifeless on the nearby dresser.

“She may be a lot calmer, but she’s just as hard-headed as you, isn’t she?” she muttered to it. She pressed one hand against her tightening chest and whispered, “I don’t know why… but I’m starting to become afraid…”

The late night hours eventually came. The moon shone bright outside Connla’s window, and not a cloud was in sight to disrupt its pale light. She had passed out for a couple of hours, but woke up at around one in the morning. She felt a little more refreshed, and believed it was a good time to make her move. She got dressed in her adventurer’s outfit, gathered her belongings, extinguished the candle on the nightstand, and gently closed the door. Then she cautiously approached the opened door to Emer’s room and found the woman fast asleep in her bed. Connla made sure her footsteps were silent as she approached her from behind.

Her lips thinned with determination. She spotted the nape of Emer’s neck and raised her hand before it. A pair of Runes, specifically Isaz and Ingwaz, materialized and combined to create the old Norse Rune named Svefnthorn, or the ‘sleep thorn’.

“ᛁ Ís kǫllum brú bræiða; blindan þarf at læiða… ᛝ Ing ƿæs ærest mid Eástdenum, geseƿen secgum, oð he síððan eást ofer ƿæg geƿát; ƿæn æfter ran. þus Heardingas þone hæle nemdon…” she whispered in a breathy voice barely perceptible to the human ear. †

Svefnthorn embedded itself on Emer’s neck, then vanished. The lady barely stirred, seeming to fall into a deeper sleep than usual.

That should do it, Connla thought. Even if I make a little too much noise, she won’t hear it. By the time she wakes up, I’ll be long gone.

Now that she was ready, she hurried downstairs and to the stable where Liath was resting. He noticed her coming and raised his head.

“Sorry for waking you up so late,” she apologized to the horse, hurriedly throwing on his reigns and saddle. “But we need to leave right away.”

He didn’t seem to mind the disruption, as if he was expecting this to happen. He stood up and trotted out of the stables before Connla got on his back. She made one last check to make sure she had everything – most importantly the Runic medallion around her neck – then shook the reigns and commanded Liath to gallop northward along Lough Neagh’s dry lakebed. Connla never spared a glance back at the cottage, instead keeping her gaze focused on the Tree of Emptiness that was gently reflecting the moon’s light.

AUTHOR’S NOTE:

† - The first verse is, “Ice is called the broad bridge; the blind man must be led,” attached to the Isaz Rune, which means ‘ice’. The second verse is, “Ing (or Yngvi/Frey) was first amidst the East Danes seen by men, until he eastward over the sea departed; his wagon ran after. Thus the Heardings named that hero." This is attached to the Ingwaz Rune, representing ‘growth and development’.

Chapter Text

FATE/CURADH BEAG

“Little Champion”

Chapter 32: Connacht Reclamation War

Galway, Connacht

Sunlight dappled through the sheer curtains draping the windows in the queen’s royal suite. Medb sat up in her bed, completely nude. She stared in sheer disappointment at the comatose Lugaid who lay next to her in the same bed, his arms and legs splayed outward in exhaustion. His skin was pale, and sweat drenched him so much that it stained the sheets.

“Hmph. Guess it was too much for a little boy like you to handle,” Medb scoffed. “It’d take a hundred weaklings of your caliber to satisfy me.”

She got up and started to get dressed, as she continued murmuring, “But that’s fine. Thanks to that, you told me everything I wanted to know. Honestly… you humans truly are fragile creatures when pushed to the brink, aren’t you?”

She left Lugaid sleeping in her quarters and strode to the throne room. She had already summoned several of her Red Branch Braves through a psychic signal, and they stood at the ready to greet her. They simultaneously genuflected as she made her entrance, and she gazed upon her loyal followers with a delighted smile.

“You may rise, my sons,” Medb commanded, and they stood back up. “I have called you here for a very important reason – I have attained valuable information that suggests Fergus and Cuchulainn are about to wage war upon this country.”

“Lord Fergus, my queen?” Maine Lasta wondered.

“Yes. We were led to believe he and his companions died during the parting of Sgaradh, but not only did they survive, they also formed a coalition with the God of Destruction. That is nothing short of high treason, and thus a suitable punishment is most appropriate for these circumstances.”

Maine Faireach seemed genuinely surprised as he said, “Even if you were to decree a punishment, both Fergus and Cuchulainn would likely have had enough time to rally sizeable armies of their own. Remiss as I am to say this, the political situation throughout Ireland has not been favorable for you, and discontent amongst the citizenry has grown exponentially just within the last few years. In contrast, we have only enough time to gather the other Braves and the guards stationed throughout the city. I see little point in defending Galway if the numbers are heavily skewed in the enemy’s favor.”

“Defend Galway?” Medb frowned for a moment. Then she started laughing. “Ah ha ha ha! Who said anything about protecting this dump? I fear you are rushing to conclusions too soon, my darling Faireach.”

“Then do you have a different strategy in mind, my lady?”

“But of course! If you cannot win through brute force, strike their morale as hard as you can instead!”

“Their morale, hm?” Maine Dian murmured. “I see… So that’s what you have in mind.”

“Precisely. I knew you’d understand the first of any of my sons.”

“Understood. I will deal with the guards. They won’t know what hit them.”

“Oooooh!” Maine Glorach shouted uncontrollably and shot onto his feet. “Take me with you, Dian! I have thirsted for blood, but I fear I have reached my limit! I cannot control these murderous urges any longer! If only I had been allowed to partake in the Queen’s Champion tournament, I would have been able to sate my hunger a good while longer!”

“Patience, my brother. First we must summon them to the execution square, so that they are isolated from the citizens.”

“Why bother!? Their screams shall pierce the air and resound throughout the entire city! Fear, uncertainty, and panic will set in! Oooooh! Surrounded by an enemy army, betrayed by their own kin! I could not ask for a more exhilarating thrill!”

“That is a fair point. Perhaps bringing them to the dungeons will be more appropriate. That way their screams will be silenced long enough for the other Maines to barricade the city before proceeding with the cleanup.”

“Ah hah hah hah hah hah hah! I like how you think, brother!”

The stoic Dian and the frenzied Glorach left the throne room, their plan set as they headed for the guard tower. Faireach watched them depart in silence. At the same time, Maine Matan asked Medb, “What shall you be doing in the meantime, my queen?”

She strode towards a statue of a thorny dragon behind the throne, and she pushed her fingers into its eye sockets to press a concealed button. A camouflaged door slid open within the nearby stone wall, and she replied, “Galway was a lost cause even before I took complete control of it from Ailill. Crime and corruption is so rife in this fetid cesspool of a city that it’s a wonder I called it home for 15 whole years. Fergus and Cuchulainn aren’t really interested in the town anyway – their goal is to kill me. I can’t let that happen. Not when I’m so close!”

“Then it is time for you to depart?”

“Yes. They can have this useless Lostbelt for all I care. My eyes are on bigger prizes. The lot of you can handle the rest in my absence.”

“As you wish, my queen.”

With that, Medb headed through the secret passage, the previously hidden door sliding back shut and disguising itself as a stone wall once again. Once their liege was gone, Matan asked Lasta, “What do you propose we do? Dian and Glorach have the soldiers taken care of, so that leaves the citizens. No doubt, once it begins, many people will begin rushing for the exits.”

“We should use the fort’s arrows and catapults to snipe as many as we can when they least expect it, then swarm the exits. If needed, we can always assume our true forms for greater destructive output. From there, it would just be a matter of killing the stragglers.”

Faireach stood up and said, “I will watch over the front gates.”

“Staying far away from the action?” Lasta taunted. “You always were the most passive of us Maines.”

“I am the Watchful Maine. Medb created me for the sole purpose of observation. I will not hinder your efforts, but I will not assist with them either.”

“You’re sounding almost traitorous there, brother.”

“I am merely performing to my specifications.”

Matan shrugged as he watched Faireach leave, then said to Lasta, “Forget about him. At the very least, no one will be getting past him. Come, let us summon the other Maines at once.”

Lasta nodded and muttered, “Very well.”

Northern Ulster

Liath Macha galloped along Lough Neagh’s dried up lakebed and about halfway through Antrim county for the remainder of the night, only pausing to get some rest at the former lake’s northernmost coast once the first signs of sunlight started to brighten the sky. Connla dismounted and inspected the horse to make sure he wasn’t sick or injured, feeding him some food she brought with her.

“How are you holding up?” she asked.

Liath neighed a little, signifying he was okay. She examined his hooves and remarked, “It looks like Lord Manannan’s Runes are working just fine. At this rate, you have more than enough stamina to reach the Tree. All I’d have to worry about is the timing.”

As she sat on the grass and ate some bread, she pondered, Cuchulainn should be moving Scotland past here anytime soon. I do want to hurry, but if he catches sight of me at Ulster’s northern coast, he might try to interfere. At the same time though, once Emer wakes up, she’ll realize I’m gone and try to look for me. I’m sure Cuchulainn left some means to communicate with her should anything happen to me.

It was certainly troubling for her. She wanted to complete the mission Scathach left for her, but she also felt guilty for going against Cuchulainn and Emer’s wishes. Nevertheless, her heart was set. Even though everyone had their own intentions for her, she also had to be true to herself. Otherwise, she doubted she would be able to live a fulfilling life if she didn’t stand up for herself like this.

Suddenly, Liath made an unusual yelping noise. Connla widened her eyes and asked, “What’s wrong?”

He stood up and stared in the northeastern distance. She did so as well, and exhaled a startled cry.

“Whoa!?”

It had been hard to see at first due to the dark sky, but as the morning sun lit the world up, the duo were finally able to see something most unbelievable. The floating island of Scotland was fast approaching from the northeast and barreling towards Ireland’s northern coastline. Fortunately, the incoming landmass made plenty of space between its southern border and Ireland, intent on passing by Ulster on its way to northwestern Connacht. Despite the distance between the two islands, the ground rumbled a little, forcing both girl and horse to buckle down on their knees.

“Incredible… Cuchulainn is moving it all by himself?” Connla breathed in astonishment. For the first time, she was finally starting to understand just how unbelievably powerful he was as a god. He wasn’t just an unstoppable warrior boasting multiple layers of strength and invincibility; he could command the very elements themselves, shaping the very planet to suit his desires. Suddenly, she didn’t feel so bad for losing against him back when they fought in Glasgow.

She and Liath watched in stunned silence as Scotland gradually moved past Ulster. The child warrior held her breath, daring to not so much as gasp. As she watched this unusual spectacle, she was also nervous about Cuchulainn being able to see her, hoping that he wouldn’t stop and suddenly show up to chastise her for leaving Emer behind. It took about ten minutes for the passing island to move a far enough distance that she was certain she wouldn’t be within the god’s influence.

As the ground stopped shaking and the world returned to its silent morning routine, Connla closed her eyes and exhaled the long breath she had been holding in.

“Haaa~aaah… Wow. That was something.”

That was really the only thing she could say about such an outrageous phenomenon. Even so, she knew it was time for her to move on. Now that she was certain the war in Connacht was about to begin, everyone’s attention would be focused away from her. More than ever, she had to be quick and decisive. She mounted on Liath’s back and said, “Let’s go.”

The grey steed acknowledged his owner’s command and resuming galloping northward. The trip was uneventful for the next few hours, and morning gradually turned into early afternoon. All the while, she couldn’t stop glancing at the Tree of Emptiness looming far in the distance of the ocean. Even though she made a lot of progress in the last 12 hours, it still felt like it wasn’t getting any closer. She really had no idea how far away it was, so it was difficult to judge how long the journey would take before even getting to fight it. Manannan did give her and Liath plenty of Runes to boost their strength and endurance, but it still worried Connla.

Maybe I should’ve asked Lord Manannan how far Circinus is from here…

It was too late for such regrets though, so she just pressed on and hoped for the best. As the pair reached the desolate area where the town of Ballycastle normally would be, she decided to have Liath take another break. This would be the last time they’d get to rest before venturing out into the wild ocean, and she knew the Oillipheist lurking beneath the waves would not allow them to slow down for even a moment. She decided for them to eat every last scrap of food and discard any unnecessary items so they wouldn’t be weighed down.

As she guzzled some water from a clay bottle, she noticed a familiar black bird circling around her. The avian made its descent in a careful spiraling motion before gliding along the ground and landing in front of her.

“Lady Morrigan…” Connla murmured.

“Hello again, my dear. Has life been treating you well?”

“It could be better, but at least things have calmed down… Well, other than seeing Scotland rushing past us.”

“That’s good,” the raven said, then noticed the medallion around the girl’s neck. “I see. So Manannan managed to deliver his gifts to you without Cuchulainn noticing.”

She glanced away uneasily. “I just know Cuchulainn’s going to be extremely upset with me if he found out I was doing this.”

“He certainly will be. But you have a right to decide what to do with your life.”

“Yeah,” Connla agreed. She stared at the Tree of Emptiness, then said, “The fact is that this world has no future. But it is also a cancer threatening the sanctity of other worlds. I just want to do what’s right for everyone, even if it’s hard to do so…”

“Scathach would be proud of you.”

“…”

“Connla, my child,” Morrigan suddenly spoke in an urging voice. “Give me your armor.”

“My armor? What for?”

“I would like to polish it.”

The girl appeared perplexed, but nevertheless took off her small breastplate and placed it on the ground before the crow. She raised one of her wings and used some form of Runecraft to make it glow bright white. When the light dissipated, the armor was now gleaming and free of nicks, as if it was just brand new in the blacksmith’s hands. It also seemed to be fortified with a new layer of magic, and Connla noticed that it barely felt like she was wearing anything.

“That is the most I can offer you,” Morrigan admitted. “Go forth bravely, and know that you have the full support of the goddess of war, death and fate.”

Connla appeared resolute, and said, “I’ll do my best not to let you down.”

“Good. You should get going now. It won’t be long before Scotland reaches Connacht. Once they make contact, that is your time to move.”

Connla got back on Liath’s back and commanded him to gallop forth, leaving Morrigan behind to watch their departure. The goddess remained silent, but she wasn’t feeling any semblance of grief. If anything, a new kind of excitement started to well within her.

“… Ha ha ha,” she chuckled bitterly. “Though it may be for the greater good, I also have my own lingering grudge against you, Cuchulainn. This is what you get for rejecting my affection all those years ago.”

Morrigan’s offering to polish Connla’s armor wasn’t just out of goodwill. Unbeknownst to the child warrior, it was the goddess exercising her power over one’s fate. By cleaning a warrior’s own armor, she was ensuring that an omen of death on the battlefield would be guaranteed to occur. In Proper Human History, she had done this with Cuchulainn’s armor shortly before Medb’s forces killed him. In the Lostbelt however, Morrigan decided to be more indirect with fulfilling her grudge toward the man she tried so many times to court. She truly harbored no ill will towards Connla, but the child was practically born to be a convenient tool for Cuchulainn’s enemies to use against him.

There was more than that reason for it though. Morrigan also derived an uncanny sort of pleasure from watching great warriors fight near-impossible battles with all their might. The situation that this Lostbelt presented was a once in a billion chance for her to witness what would perhaps be humanity’s greatest battle before its light flickered out of existence. She knew that the greatest men of the sword always shone the brightest when they had little to lose except their lives, and Connla was precisely in the sort of situation that Morrigan favored the most. At the very least, even though Morrigan bestowed certain doom upon Connla, she would ensure her death was a peaceful one as a reward for all of her hard work.

Northern Connacht

Far in the remote reaches of northeastern Roscommon county, near the border of southern Sligo, an old woman clad in heavy robes and a hood sauntered along the disused dirt road. Her elongated walking stick smacked the ground each time she needed to take a step, yet her gait seemed unusually brisk and healthy for someone of her hunched stature. If anyone had been accompanying her, they would have been shocked by how quickly she had traveled all the way through Galway and Roscommon within a single day, without even relying on a horse or carriage for assistance.

That… or they would have been incredibly suspicious of her.

That was precisely the reason why the elderly crone ventured along abandoned highways and withered stone roads disappearing beneath years upon years of rain and mud. The farther away she was from society, the better. As she no doubt learned back in Galway, Scotland would soon be arriving at northwestern Connacht, initiating the first war since Dublin’s Fall put an end to all of the infighting eight years ago. She had chosen this path much further east in Connacht to hopefully slip past the imminent chaos and confusion.

As she was crossing over from Roscommon into Sligo, she spotted two men riding on horses in the opposite direction. One was older while the other was noticeably younger, and from their similar features, she could assume they were father and son. They noticed her as well and approached.

“Well met, madam!” the father exclaimed. “Are you on your way to Sligo?”

“Why yes, my good man,” the old woman remarked in a hoarse but friendly tone. “I have family in Collooney, and they were urging me to visit.”

His expression turned dire, and he murmured, “Hmm… I’d hate to say this, but I strongly suggest you turn back, or at least stay in Tubbercurry for a while.”

“Oh? Why is that?”

“My son was out plowing the fields this morning, and he saw something most unbelievable. When I saw it for myself, I knew I had to hurry to Galway and warn the queen.”

“And what exactly is this ‘unbelievable’ thing you speak of?”

“It’s the island of Scotland!” the younger man exclaimed. “It’s moving past Ulster and making its way around northwestern Connacht!”

“Oh ho ho ho!” the woman seemed more amused than distraught by this news. “Quite the world we live in, isn’t it?”

“This is no laughing matter! Don’t you know what that means!? It is nothing short of Cuchulainn declaring war on us!”

“So it would seem. That blasphemous cur who calls himself the God of Destruction is not satisfied with submerging the rest of the world. He wants this entire planet to fall into eternal silence. My word… it is as though he derives pleasure from taking away humanity’s hope for survival.”

The father declared, “We won’t let it come to that. Queen Medb will protect us from Taoide Olc’s wrath and lead us into the future. That is why we must hurry and inform her before it is too late.”

“I see,” the woman murmured. “Then do not trouble yourselves with me further. I shall heed your advice and seek refuge in Tubbercurry.”

“Very good. But before we leave, may I have the pleasure of learning your name? Once we are finished in Galway, perhaps we will stop by and do a welfare check on you before returning home.”

“My name?”

She asked this, then paused for an unusually long time. They thought she was having some kind of memory lapse, but she then smiled a little and replied, “You may refer to me as… Cnoc na Riabh.”

“Madam Cnoc na Riabh? All right. Take care now, and wait for us in Tubbercurry.”

Satisfied, the two men commanded their steeds to gallop onward, while the woman continued walking further into the county. As the duo ventured closer to Galway, the son seemed to have a realization as he asked, “Wait a minute… Wasn’t there something strange about that woman?”

“What about her?” the father asked.

“Her name, Cnoc na Riabh. Haven’t I heard it somewhere before?”

“Hmm… Now that you mention it, I think I have.”

“So it’s not just me. Where did you hear of it?”

The older man pondered his son’s question for a moment, then realized, “Oh! That’s it! It’s the name of the hill where Queen Medb’s sacred cairn is!”

At the same time they noticed this discrepancy, the old woman was already climbing up that very same hill she named herself after. Although it would be an arduous journey for any regular woman her age, this lady was obviously not normal, as she climbed the steady incline with incredible ease. Soon, she reached Cnoc na Riabh’s peak and approached the ancient tomb. Her feet hovered off the ground, and she floated high enough that her boots landed upon the top of the massive mound of stones, allowing her a magnificent view of the surrounding county and the white alien tree in the horizon.

“The Tree of Emptiness, Circinus,” she murmured.

She lowered her hood to finally reveal herself as Medb. Her long rose-colored hair fluttered in the hollow breeze as she stared in excitement at the foreign structure.

“You’re all I have left now. You’re my one and only ticket to getting out of this worthless Lostbelt.”

The Scottish Borders, Scotland

Even though the island of Scotland was practically hurtling itself past Ulster and into Connacht, the air felt incredibly still and tense. Ewan, his fellow generals from different Scottish territories, and all of their soldiers waited with bated breath for the right moment to make their advance. Everyone’s eyes were transfixed on Ireland’s northern lands as they passed by like scenery witnessed from within a rushing train. Many of Scotland’s most gallant men were enthralled by this godly display of power that their king was capable of, hardly believing they were being ruled by someone who could shape and move the very land they stood on.

Gradually, Scotland began to turn itself southward toward Connacht’s northwestern boundary. It took several anxious minutes for the island to change course, but once it did, it wouldn’t even be an hour before the moment of impact.

“Brace yourselves, everyone!” Ewan called out. “Keep a firm grasp on your steeds, and ensure your chariots will not be damaged! The moment the islands settle, that is when we march!”

Hundreds of armored men grunted in acknowledgement and followed his instructions, scrambling around to spread the word to their allies. Any druids participating in the battle erected small Runic fields around their most important animals and cargo to protect them. Ewan observed Ireland’s coastline as it rapidly inched closer and closer to Scotland’s.

50 kilometers…

25 kilometers…

10 kilometers…

5 kilometers…

SLAAA~AAA~AAAMMM!

The earth buckled uncontrollably. Countless soldiers cried out in shock as they lost their footing, and the horses and oxen brayed in fear from the startling tremors. Ewan collapsed to one knee and squeezed his eyes shut, praying that the incredible collision would not jeopardize the structural integrity of the earth beneath their feet. The cacophony lasted for about three minutes, but it soon calmed down and returned to silence. He looked around and saw that no one was seriously injured beyond some scrapes and bruises.

With that, Scotland’s invasion of Ireland had officially begun. The southern regions of Edinburgh, the Borders, and the South Province were now merged with western Connacht, primarily squeezing in the empty space where Clew Bay and Clare Island formerly were. The space between the two countries meshed together to form a brand new Sgaradh. Thanks to this new geographical formation, all the Scottish forces had to do was advance southeast for a short while past the two loughs Mask and Corrib before reaching Galway proper.

Satisfied that everyone was safe and the lands were secure enough to march on, Ewan finally blew into his war horn to signify that it was time to move out. Thousands of pairs of feet mingled with the distinct galloping of hooves and the groaning of chariot wheels. He remained stationed at his post though, since he was responsible for carting the king’s chariot in the rear guard. He waited anxiously, until his patience was rewarded when the air seemed to ripple on its own volition. Some mist spontaneously poured through the immediate vicinity, and a familiar tall man with a long spiked tail sauntered toward his general.

Ewan didn’t need to ask who it was, as he said to the figure, “Well done, sir.”

Cuchulainn nodded, then asked, “Has the vanguard gone on ahead?”

“Without a moment’s hesitation.”

“Good. So long as we get the drop on Medb, we shouldn’t expect much resistance beyond dealing with her Braves. Beyond that, she’ll have no time to organize her forces.”

“Has Lord Fergus been notified?”

“I would think the impact caused some minor earthquakes in Leinster. He’ll know just from that alone.”

Ewan was about to acknowledge him, but Cuchulainn suddenly lost his balance for a moment and firmly grasped the chariot’s wheel to steady himself. The general asked, “Are you all right, sir?”

“Ugh… Damn it. That took more out of me than I thought…”

“You should take this time to rest. I will personally escort you to Galway in the meantime.”

“Right,” the exhausted king murmured and took his seat in the carriage. “I’m going to need all the strength I can muster if I am to challenge Medb directly. I’ll leave it in your hands until then.”

“Roger,” Ewan replied, then snapped the reigns and commanded his horses to gallop forth.

Longford province, Leinster

Just as Cuchulainn predicted, Fergus and his troops felt slight tremors ebbing under their feet. Rather than be surprised, the king jubilantly grinned and declared, “He did it.”

“It be time to advance?” Laeg asked, with Conall and Ferdiad standing next to him.

“Damn straight it is. All right, you boys know the plan. Since Lugaid’s currently absent, I’ll take command of Munster’s battalion. Conall, you’re responsible for Ulster’s. Ferdiad and Laeg, you two handle Leinster’s since it’s the largest group. We’re going to rendezvous with Setanta’s army and bust into Galway! No detours, you hear!?”

“All right! Time for some real action!” Conall exclaimed, punching his fist in excitement.

“Aye!” Laeg agreed. “If all goes well, we may even be enjoyin’ dinner in the castle by nightfall!”

Ferdiad didn’t seem as enthusiastic as the others, still deeply concerned with Lugaid’s safety. Even so, he kept his concerns to himself and ran off to gather his battalion. Once everyone was ready, Ireland’s army proceeded southwest through southern Roscommon territory before reaching the Galway province proper. The two armies were essentially forming a V-shaped pincer attack from the north, barely giving any room for either Medb or Galway’s citizens to flee before they were surrounded. Since both sides were well-prepared and unimpeded by any enemy forces, it wouldn’t take them even half a day to reach their destination.

Sligo province, Connacht

From atop the hilltop Cnoc na Riabh, Medb turned her sight south as she noticed peculiar movement. Unbeknownst to many other than her most trusted advisors, she had such impeccable eyesight that she could focus on a particular point and zoom in on it like a telescope. This wasn’t an ability she had been born with, however. It was something she gained after becoming what Manannan referred to as the entity representing Domination.

“My, my, my, my. Look at them go,” she remarked to herself, then laughed. “Ha ha ha ha! It’s almost hilarious that they think such a paltry force would be enough to defeat my Braves. Well, there’s nothing wrong with humoring an enemy’s delusion, especially since I’m somewhere nice and safe to enjoy the show from.”

Despite her bemused attitude, she turned away and murmured, “Still, I shouldn’t dawdle for too long. Once Cu finds out I’m gone, he’s going to be tearing the islands themselves apart to get to me. I better make myself scarce before that happens.”

Medb tapped her heel on the ground, generating a series of pink-colored Runic glyphs that shimmered for a few seconds. Then they extended themselves into the sky, forming a very long bridge that curved and undulated. Its path stretched on for miles and miles, with its final destination being the Tree of Emptiness. She didn’t have to walk that entire distance though. The magical path allowed her to float just a couple of inches off the ground so she could fly all the way there. She smiled wickedly and let the energy carry her away.

Not once did she even have an inkling to look back at Ireland as it grew smaller and smaller behind her.

Antrim province, Ulster

Connla and Liath finally reached the edge of the county’s northernmost coast. What was once beach and reefs were now eroding rocks and crumbling sand. Despite being so close to her goal, Connla couldn’t help but think about when she first arrived in Ireland and witnessed the woman Eabha jumping off of the island’s edge to her death. She couldn’t believe she was in the same position as her now. Even so, she hadn’t come all this way to die.

Besides, Connla had a valuable tool in her arsenal to help her and Liath survive the jump into the ocean. She thought back to when she encountered Manannan near Emer’s cottage.

Two days ago…

After Manannan intercepted Connla in the forest, they had set up camp and ate supper there for the night. The goddess erected a much larger Runic cover over the immediate vicinity to protect them from the vicious rainfall, giving them a chance to relax and talk about various things. One such topic that came up genuinely surprised the child warrior.

“Eh? What did you say?” Connla uttered. “You’re giving me something?”

“Multiple ‘somethings’, actually,” Manannan replied with an impish smile. “They’re gifts of mine. Rewards, you could say, for all of the work you put into resolving the Three Blights for Cathbad.”

“Oh no, I couldn’t take anything valuable from you. I was doing it because I wanted the Grand Servant summoning to be successful.”

“Now, now, this is not the time to be shy. They’re not just ordinary baubles or trinkets. They are actual weapons and tools you can use when it is time for you to challenge Circinus.”

Connla’s trepidation settled as she asked, “Weapons and tools?”

“Yes, indeed. There’s no way you can fight such an important battle with the skills and weapons you currently have at your disposal. I’m going to bolster your armaments both as my personal thanks for your efforts, and for you to meet Scathach’s expectations. Besides, this was a request she made of me a long time ago in exchange for an unrelated favor from her. I’m simply fulfilling my end of the deal.”

“I see…”

Manannan stood up and approached Liath as she said, “First off is your transportation. I cannot loan you my horse Aonbharr nor my currach Sguaba Tuinne, as both are lost to me. What I can do is have this fella here function as a substitute Aonbharr.”

“You mean the legendary horse that can run atop the sea as swiftly as he can on land?”

“That’s right. All I have to do is slap a bunch of Runes on his hooves, and he’ll have all the speed and stamina in the world to rush along the waves. The very ocean will continuously be converted into energy every time he gallops on its surface, feeding him with limitless amounts of mana.”

Connla watched as Manannan weaved an incredibly intricate series of Runic formulas onto Liath’s hooves, enchanting him with a tremendous quantity of mana. She was awestruck by how complicated the glyphs appeared – there was no way she could replicate such an inscription with the rudimentary level of knowledge she possessed.

“There we go,” Manannan said as she finished her work. “That’s Liath’s gift. Now then, this one is yours.”

She reached into her satchel and revealed a silver medallion affixed to a long chain so it could be worn as a pendant. She draped the chain around Connla’s neck, and the girl examined the bizarre medal. She looked a little annoyed while muttering, “I thought you weren’t going to give me baubles or trinkets. I’m pretty sure this qualifies as one.”

“Don’t you worry. It’s not just some meaningless decoration.”

“No? Then what is it?”

“Well…” the goddess put a finger to her lips in contemplation. “Think of it as a catalyst for a summoning.”

Connla’s eyes widened. “A… catalyst?”

“More or less. This is actually one of a pair, but I lost the other medallion a while back.”

“I think I’m starting to see why Cuchulainn was irritated with you being so careless with your treasures.”

“Oh, don’t be like that! It’s not my fault I lost it! Before I realized it, Medb had it stolen from me! I tell you, that little mishap caused me a lot of problems!”

“Just like how Lady Fand stole the Cloak of Mists, which also caused a lot of problems?”

“Ooooh… Okay, I’ll admit that I’m a bit of a klutz with my possessions… But really! This time, I can trust you to use my gifts for the sake of good!”

“If you say so,” Connla shot a flat gaze at the goddess and grumbled. “So what exactly am I supposed to be summoning with this thing? Is it a Servant, like what Lord Cathbad is doing?”

“Close, but not quite,” Manannan waved her finger dismissively. “The truth is that there isn’t enough magical energy within the Leyline to summon any Servants other than the one Cathbad has in mind. If you tried to use your own body’s mana as a source of magical energy, you’ll be too drained to fight Circinus at the same time. However, if you summon a different being and command it to fight alongside you, then you’ll have a much fairer shot at destroying the Tree of Emptiness.”

“So this medal and the missing one were both capable of calling forth this type of being?”

“Right. This one is the Medallion of Swells, while the one I lost was the Medallion of Billows.”

Connla paused for a moment. “Swells… Billows… I think I’ve heard those terms before. If Queen Medb used the Medallion of Billows to summon something, and I used this Medallion of Swells to summon something similar…”

“Exactly. I think you understand where I’m getting at.”

“…”

The present…

The child warrior rubbed the silver medal between her fingers, pondering long and hard on what it meant to be given possession of such an important object. Could she really do it? Could she really be entrusted to handle an impromptu summoning of such magnitude? Furthermore, why was it necessary for Manannan to give this to her in the first place?

“Ugh. No point in dwelling too hard on it,” Connla uttered. “Come on, Liath. We’ve got a job to do. Are you ready?”

The horse responded with an enthusiastic neigh.

“All right, then…” she murmured, then brandished her spear in her right hand. “Let’s go!”

Upon her command, Liath loudly whinnied and leapt off the edge without hesitation. As the pair plummeted to the harsh ocean far below, a plethora of glowing blue platform Runes generated beneath the steed’s hooves, allowing him to land and gallop forth safely in midair. The Runes formed a shallow but gradual incline down for him to run along. With each step forward, the deep blue sea and crashing white waves grew larger and larger in their sights. During their advance, any Runes that had been run on quickly disappeared, meaning there was no way for them to return to the Celtic Isles.

The only thing they could do now was push their fears aside and press on toward the Tree of Emptiness.

Galway, Connacht

As the two armies began to unite and encroach on Galway’s sealed gates, both kings commanded their generals to halt the troops. Cuchulainn clenched his teeth and widened his eyes. Ewan noticed the dramatic change in his sovereign’s expression and realized something was wrong. He asked him, “Is something the matter, sir?”

“… I don’t like this,” Cuchulainn growled in a deep voice. “It’s too quiet.”

“How true. There doesn’t seem to be any semblance of resistance from Medb’s forces. Even if she didn’t have time to prepare an offensive strategy, she could’ve at least bolstered Galway’s defenses. Or could this possibly be a trap?”

“Yeah, I think so. But that can’t be right. Medb should have no idea that we were coming.”

Before they could wonder what was happening, that was when they started hearing the first signs of distress emanating from within Galway’s walls. To everyone’s unexpected shock, terrified screams and panicked wails resounded throughout the area.

Fergus’ heart clenched with terror as he yelped, “What’s going on in there?”

“I don’t know, but it sounds bad,” Conall grimaced.

Ferdiad’s eyes widened in horror as he blurted, “Lugaid! I have to find him at once!”

“’Old yer ‘orses, lad!” Laeg exclaimed, grabbing Ferdiad’s arm before he could run off. “Can’t ye ‘ear dem screams!? Tuatha knows what genuine ‘ell be goin’ on in dere! Dun go riskin’ yer life so callously, mate!”

“Don’t try to stop me! I can’t begin to imagine what Medb must have done to him! I have to make sure he’s safe, or else I will never be able to face Lord Cu Roi and his predecessors ever again!”

“Dun be a fool! Ye need t’calm yerself!”

“Tch…” Fergus clenched his teeth. “Nevertheless, someone needs to get in there and scout the area. Until we have an understanding of what’s happening, we cannot step foot inside Galway.”

“Then I’ll go!” Ferdiad eagerly volunteered himself.

“Don’t be insane! At least let me accompany you!” Conall offered.

Before their argument could escalate beyond Fergus’ control, that was when they heard an unfamiliar man’s voice bellow from the other side of the front gates, “That won’t be necessary. As you no doubt can hear, you have arrived too late.”

Everyone stared agape as the heavy wooden doors cracked open and parted ways to reveal the entrance to Galway’s marketplace. A single burly man garbed in bright red Celtic armor stood between them, but his calm expression suggested that he did not pose an immediate threat to them.

Fergus exclaimed, “You’re one of the Maines! If I recall correctly, your individual name is Maine Faireach, correct?”

“Yes, sir,” Faireach acknowledged.

“What’s the situation? Why are we hearing so many bloodcurdling screams?”

“About half a day ago, Queen Medb commanded us Maines to turn our blades on Galway’s citizenry.”

No one could believe what they were hearing. Many of the soldiers cried out in anguish as they realized they were hearing the cries of their friends and loved ones being mercilessly slaughtered by their own allies. The news was so devastating, even the usually amicable Fergus seethed with rage. Cuchulainn likewise heard this, and his fury intensified so exponentially that it was beyond mortal comprehension. His expression twisted so hard that it looked like blood vessels would erupt at any moment.

“MEEE~EEE~EEE~EEEDB!” he screamed and charged into the city at top speed.

Ferdiad saw this and blurted to Fergus, “Sorry, but I’m going after him!”

“So am I!” Conall followed them.

Fergus could only stand there with his jaw dropped. How did everything go so horribly wrong this rapidly? He was certain that Medb had been tipped off about the coup, yet this was her response? He ominously snarled at Faireach, “What is the meaning of this? Explain yourself at once.”

“Certainly,” the Brave replied. “Sir Lugaid arrived to make his report, but Queen Medb managed to coerce some intel out of him regarding your alliance with Cuchulainn.”

“Shit… I knew it. She used her pheromones on him.”

“Not just that. One of my brothers overheard him speaking with Lord Cathbad regarding your war efforts. Needless to say, it didn’t take much for the queen to torture the info out of Sir Lugaid.”

“Damn it all to Tuatha… How could Cathbad and Lugaid mess this up so badly!? They should have waited to leave the city before discussing anything about the coup!”

“Nonetheless, that is what transpired with Sir Lugaid. Once she learned of your plans, Queen Medb gathered us Braves together and commanded us to execute the soldiers and townsfolk before your forces arrived.”

“Why!? What would she gain from doing something so cruel!?”

“Nothing more than to spite you and Cuchulainn for taking up arms against her.”

Fergus wanted to curse a blue streak at how insidious and inhumane this whole thing was. This was definitely not what he wanted. He wished to free all of Connacht’s citizens from Medb’s oppressive rule, yet all he accomplished was a pyrrhic victory. Even if he claimed Galway as his own, the stain of allowing so many people to die would never be washed away from his soul. Forcing him to carry such shame was precisely the kind of blow to his morale that Medb sought, and it was definitely working. Who knew how the rest of Ireland would react if the people learned that everyone in the nation’s most wealthiest city had been slaughtered at their own ruler’s behest? The weight of such a betrayal would cause so many spirits to break under the weight of such hopelessness.

Despite all of these concerns welling up within him, there was one crucial question that Fergus had to ask:

“What about Medb!? Where is she right now!?”

Faireach shook his head. “After issuing that order to us Braves, the queen abandoned the city.”

“Shit! Which way was she headed!?”

“I’m not certain. However, I strongly suspect she is venturing toward Crann Ban, far to the north of the Celtic Isles.”

Laeg heard this and looked over at the Tree of Emptiness as he asked, “The White Tree? Why she be goin’ dere, of all places? ‘Ell, ‘ow she gonna git dere when it be in the midst o’the ocean?”

The Brave shifted his eyes to the side and murmured, “I doubt you would be able to understand. This world is far past salvation, after all. She believes it’s better to cut her losses and run while she can.”

“What that s’posed t’mean?”

Fergus growled, “Fuck it! We’re wasting time asking questions! Ewan!”

The Scottish general ran up to him and said, “I’m here, sir. I have my troops on standby.”

“I’m going to take Laeg and a battalion of my best men into the city to investigate. You take the rest of my soldiers and have them join your forces to surround the entire perimeter. If you see any of Medb’s Red Branch Braves escaping the city, kill them on sight! Otherwise, no one comes in or leaves without my say so!”

“What about that Brave?” Ewan asked, gesturing to Faireach.

“Don’t worry, he’s not hostile. He will accompany me.”

“Understood, sir.”

Now that he had issued his orders, Fergus took Laeg, Faireach, and several of his best warriors into the city. Several men retched at the sight of countless women and children, including babies, lying dead all along the dusty streets. Laeg noticed their looks of displeasure and exclaimed, “Stay strong, lads! If dere be survivors, dey be countin’ on us t’save ‘em! Dun lose ‘ope when we only just take one step into the monster’s lair!”

“Sir!” the soldiers barked resolutely and scattered about, searching through homes and shops for any signs of life.

Fergus turned his gaze toward the castle and murmured, “Crann Ban… What is the truth regarding the White Tree’s existence? And why is Medb in such a hurry to reach it?”

Faireach said nothing. Connacht’s king sighed, then murmured in an angry tone, “I’m going to catch up with Setanta. He’s got a lot of explaining to do.”

Chapter Text

FATE/CURADH BEAG

“Little Champion”

Chapter 33: Cuchulainn’s Worst Nightmare

Lough Neagh, Ulster

After leaving Galway, Cathbad spent the next two days riding his horse back to Ulster. As he told Lugaid, his intent was to retrieve Connla from Emer’s cottage and bring her to the site of the Grand Servant summoning. As far as he was concerned, it was a straightforward plan, but what he encountered turned out to be much further from an ideal scenario than he expected. Upon arriving at Emer’s home, the first thing Cathbad noticed was that only one horse was in the stable, and it wasn’t Liath Macha. The front entrance also appeared to be slightly ajar, which he knew Emer would never allow to happen.

Growing concerned, Cathbad entered and searched the house for any signs of life. His initial fear was that Emer and Connla had been attacked by someone, but those worries were quickly dispelled as he discovered no signs of forced entry or a battle occurring. Everything remained pristine and organized, like any ordinary house would be. He went upstairs and looked through those rooms, and that was when he found Emer still fast asleep in her bed.

“Emer! Wake up at once!” the elderly druid commanded. She didn’t even so much as stir. He detected a faint hint of magical energy emanating from her. He became more and more suspicious as he turned her over to examine the nape of her neck. That was when he spotted the glyph that Connla planted on Emer.

“I knew it. A Svefnthorn Rune…”

Wasting no time, Cathbad chanted a few words, then commanded, “Eihwaz!”

An I-shaped symbol shone over the first Rune and forced it to cancel its effects. It didn’t take long for both Runes to vanish, allowing Emer to rouse from her forced slumber.

“Hmmnn…” she groaned, turning on her bed in complete exhaustion. “Oh my… I can’t see straight…”

“Are you all right?” Cathbad asked.

“Huh? Who’s there?”

“It’s me, Cathbad.”

“L-Lord Cathbad? The High Druid himself?”

“The very same.”

She struggled to sit up, but he implored, “Take it slow. You had a sleeping Rune planted on you.”

“A sleeping Rune?” she murmured in bewilderment. Suddenly, all of the dreariness seemed to be shocked out of her system as she realized what this possibly meant, and her eyes bolted wide open. “Oh no!”

“What’s the matter?”

“Connla! Where’s Connla!?”

“I couldn’t find her anywhere. I believe she took off with her horse.”

Despite still feeling terribly drowsy, Emer rushed off the bed and pressed her hands against the window facing the Tree of Emptiness. She clenched her hands and cried out, “I knew it! I knew she was going to run off on me!”

Cathbad became frustrated as he demanded, “Start talking sense, woman! Where has she gone!?”

“I think she’s going towards Crann Ban.”

The druid’s skin paled in horror. He was one of the few people who knew what the white tree actually was, and it deeply troubled him that the child warrior would go there all by herself. He asked her, “What makes you so sure of this?”

“After Cuchulainn dropped her off with me, we harvested some crops in my garden. The whole time, I noticed that her gaze was always focused on Crann Ban, like she was being drawn to it for some reason.”

“I see. The fact that she slapped that Svefnthorn Rune on you indicates that she didn’t want you to stop her.”

Emer shot her desperate eyes toward Cathbad and yelped, “I went to bed the moment the sun’s light disappeared last night. What time is it now?”

“Well into the dinner hours.”

“Good gods! It’s almost been a full day!”

Cathbad cursed some profanity under his breath and shouted, “Bloody hell! There’s no way we can catch up to her now! Why did you have to go and put such a major crimp in my plans, you stupid brat!?”

Emer became curious as she asked him, “Your plans? You needed Connla for something? Uh… speaking of which, why are you here to begin with?”

“Not much point in explaining that if the girl isn’t here. Tell me, Emer – do you have some means of communicating with Cuchulainn?”

He wasn’t expecting much, but to his surprise, she replied, “When Cu left Connla with me, he also gave me the doll that she had been traveling with to help him communicate with her during her missions. He told me that if anything happened, I was to use it to notify him at once.”

“Perfect! We must have him stop Connla before something terrible can happen to her!”

The duo hurried back downstairs, and Emer found the Mini Cu plush sitting on the table between two vases. She snatched it and pressed her hands on the symbol emblazoned upon the doll’s stomach. It lit up, and she cried out, “Cu! Cu, can you hear me!? It’s Emer!”

Galway

Cuchulainn, Conall and Ferdiad ran through the town square straight for the castle’s gates. Along the way, they discovered more blood-soaked bodies littered about everywhere, indicating the incredible scale of the Braves’ onslaught against the people they used to defend. Although the gates were sealed shut, Cuchulainn used Gae Bolg’s piercing blade plus his incredible strength to punch a hole through the lock as if it were tissue paper.

“MEEE~EEEDB!” he roared and barged through the courtyard towards the back entrance.

“Shit, he’s really fired up, isn’t he?” Conall winced.

“Can you blame him? He’s been waiting 15 years for this encounter,” Ferdiad said. “Guess we’ll leave the throne room and queen’s chambers to him. You and I should split up and see if there are any survivors. Wouldn’t want to get anyone caught up in the scuffle, would we?”

“Right. I’ll take the servants’ quarters, while you look in the garrison. We’ll meet up in the throne room.”

“If you find Lugaid, let me know at once. I’m terrified of what Medb could’ve done to him.”

“Will do.”

The two warriors went in opposite directions and spent the next half hour combing through all of the rooms they could find. Unfortunately, the sights that greeted them were very much the same as what they saw outside. Despite their best efforts, calling out at the tops of their lungs for any semblance of a response, both men started to lose hope of finding anyone alive. It was evident that the Braves spared absolutely no one, regardless of their age, gender, or social status. Seeing trainees as young as five or six lying dead next to their mentors, the walls and floors coated in their blood and viscera, thoroughly sickened the hardened warriors. They couldn’t fathom the lengths that Medb would go to just to spite Cuchulainn and Fergus, which made them question if she was even human to begin with. The only relief Ferdiad could find was that Lugaid was not among the dead.

Alas, they called off their respective searches and rendezvoused in the throne room as suggested. While they had been split up however, they had heard a distinct boom sound coming from the royal chamber. Upon arriving, they discovered a large hole in the wall where a painting of Medb had been before. The smoke was still curling off the crumbling stone masonry. Conall cringed, “Cor blimey. Not even the walls are safe, huh?”

“Hmm? Hold on,” Ferdiad murmured as he took a closer look. “There are stairs going down.”

“Really? Is it some kind of secret entrance?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never seen this before.”

The two men glanced at each other, then nodded resolutely as they came to the same conclusion – they needed to investigate. Ferdiad went first, and they took each step down carefully in the off chance there were traps lying in wait. Fortunately, if any had been active, Cuchulainn would have triggered and barged right through them anyway. They didn’t see much reason to worry as they made their way further down until they reached the bottom. The room they entered was surprisingly spacious, even if they couldn’t make anything out in the darkness.

“I think we’re well below the ground by now,” Ferdiad remarked.

“Guess this is supposed to be a dungeon,” Conall said. “Pretty freakin’ huge though. Let’s see if my sword can light things up a little.”

He withdrew Curaidin Catutchenn from its scabbard and focused his thoughts on the blade. It seemed to respond as the sword started to glow, illuminating their surroundings. What they saw disturbed them just as much as the corpses they found upstairs. Dozens of various torture devices – chains, racks, crucifixes, thumbscrews, wicker men, and anything else available in this period – littered the dark chamber like a child’s toys scattered about in a playroom. The distinct stench of abandoned bodies, blood, and other stale bodily fluids practically sucker punched their olfactory senses. Nearby was a well-used fire pit covered in ashes and bones.

While Conall was busy imagining the kind of agony that must have occurred for countless victims here, Ferdiad noticed Cuchulainn standing at the far end of the dungeon next to a bed. For some reason though, he wasn’t doing anything. He just stood there, Gae Bolg in hand, staring at the figure lying beneath the crumpled sheets. Ferdiad ran up to him to see what was wrong, and that was when he finally spotted the person he had been looking for.

“Lugaid!” Ferdiad cried out and shook his friend’s shoulders to try and rouse him out of his slumber. “Hey, wake up! Open your eyes already, dammit!”

Conall saw what the unconscious prince’s physical state was and retched in disgust, “Uuugh… What the hell did that conniving slut do to him!?”

Cuchulainn muttered, “He’s in bad shape, but at least he’s alive. The main question is, where did Medb run off to? She should still be somewhere in the castle.”

“I didn’t see anyone when I checked through the galley and dining hall. At least, no one alive, that is.”

“Even her own retainers were killed?”

“Cooks, servers, errand boys, maids… All of them.”

The Mad King’s eyes widened, and he clenched his teeth as he growled to himself, “What in Tuatha’s name are you up to, you two-faced bitch?”

Right after he wondered this, the trio suddenly heard a low groan emanating from the bed. They all darted their eyes at Lugaid as he stirred awake, struggling to even move one of his arms over his weary face.

“Uuuungh… Oh, gods… My head’s… killing me…”

“Lugaid!” Ferdiad yelped.

“Ooogh… That voice… Is that… Ferdiad?”

“Yeah, it’s me!”

“Huh? Wh… What are you… doing here?”

“Don’t be dense, mate! Fergus ordered everyone to advance on Galway! The war’s been underway while you were knocked out!”

“What? Seriously?” Lugaid yelped, struggling to get up but barely having the strength to do more than stare blankly at the ceiling. “Damn it all… I screwed up…”

Before Ferdiad could console him, Cuchulainn immediately stormed up to him and snatched his shoulders, forcing him to stand up while still completely nude and injured from Medb’s torture. He was absolutely irate as he yelled directly into Lugaid’s face, “Where the hell is Medb!? Where did you hide her, you worthless piece of scum!?”

“Whoa, man! He’s hurt! Take it easy on him!” Conall tried to urge his foster brother, but Cuchulainn snarled as loudly as he could, indicating that he would not tolerate any interruptions.

In that same moment, all of the air escaped from Lugaid’s lungs once he recognized the ruby-eyed warrior thrashing him about. The only thing he could utter was, “C… Cu… chulainn!?”

“Damn right, it’s me in the flesh! I don’t give two shits if she beat, abused and raped you within an inch of your life! You better start talking, or you’re going to wish she had killed you!”

Lugaid cast his eyes to the side in shame and gasped, “Ugh… urgh… I… I messed up. Cathbad and I let slip to her Braves… about Fergus’ coup…”

“I take it she interrogated you after that. With extreme prejudice too, judging by those wounds.”

“Y-Yeah…” the injured prince wheezed and coughed several times. “She forced me… to tell her… anything I knew.”

“And then what?”

“I don’t know. I really don’t… I couldn’t handle it. My mind went numb. It was just… too cruel. The way she straddled me and… Ooooogh… I think I’m gonna hurl!”

“That’s enough, Cu!” Ferdiad implored and ripped Lugaid off of the furious warrior. “With these kinds of injuries, there’s no way he could have assisted in her escape! She must have fled the city after getting all the information she wanted out of him, and told the Braves to kill everyone else.”

Cuchulainn watched as Lugaid violently vomited on the floor, with Ferdiad and Conall staying by his side. As much as he wanted to get angry with him for tipping Medb off, he couldn’t blame him for looking so helpless in that moment. It was exactly the same sort of cruelty he endured at Medb’s hands so long ago, so to judge him for showing such weakness to him would have been purely hypocritical.

“Tch. Fine,” he grunted. “So where did she run off to?”

“I think the real question is, where can she run off to?” Conall wondered. “Our forces are blocking off Munster and Leinster, and Manannan is shrouding Ulster’s border with that weird mist of his. She can only go somewhere in Connacht.”

“Maybe to her burial tomb in Sligo?” Ferdiad suggested.

“No, I know Medb,” Cuchulainn shook his head. “That’s way too obvious for her. It’d have to be the last place in all of the Celtic Isles that we can think of.”

As they contemplated this mystery, they heard Fergus and Faireach entering through the dungeon’s door. The former appeared uncharacteristically serious as he glared directly at Cuchulainn and said, “If you’re wondering where Medb is, Faireach just told me.”

“What!? Where is she!?”

“Heading towards Crann Ban.”

While the other three men looked confused, Cuchulainn’s rage instantly changed into horror. His darkened skin seemed to pale a few shades.

“Setanta,” Fergus glowered. “You and Medb know what the White Tree is, don’t you? Tell me at once. What is its significance, and why is she so interested in it all of a sudden?”

The King of Shadows grit his teeth and snarled under his breath. After a lengthy pause, he replied, “It’s not just an ordinary tree. It’s the very reason why this world’s history has been warped beyond recognition.”

“I thought everything went to hell because you destroyed the rest of civilization. Or is there some connection between it and you that we don’t know about?”

“Yeah. You might think that it’s just the combination of me being combined with Curruid and having our power amplified by Dagda’s Cauldron that transformed me into Taoide Olc. But there’s actually a third factor also involved here – the Tree of Emptiness, Circinus… Or rather, what you all know as the White Tree, Crann Ban.”

Aside from Faireach, who was already privy to this knowledge, the others weren’t sure if they were even understanding Cuchulainn correctly. However, Fergus could tell it was bad news, as he asked, “So whatever power the White Tree is giving you, Medb wants it for herself?”

“It’s not quite that simple,” the demonic spearman muttered with uncertainty. “The Tree isn’t just a source of power – its true purpose is to be an anchor connecting us to another world.”

“Another… world?”

“The timeline known as Proper Human History.”

Fergus’ eyebrows raised. “Proper Human History, you say? You’re saying our world is some kind of aberration?”

“Exactly. The timeline we live in is known as a Lostbelt; an era that has strayed so severely from the intended course of human history that it is past salvaging. Normally, a worthless timeline like this would be erased. However, the Tree of Emptiness is instead anchoring us to a timeline not yet affected by this world’s abnormalities, in an effort to overwrite that timeline’s history with this one. The Tree then chooses someone to protect it, who then becomes the Lostbelt’s king. I was the one chosen for that role. My duty was to keep Medb away from Circinus by destroying her, even if it meant ruining everything and everyone else.”

“Cor blimey…” was the only thing Conall could utter. Even though he didn’t quite understand what Cuchulainn was explaining, he could tell that it was serious enough to affect the future of every single human life living in the Celtic Isles.

Fergus frowned and asked, “I take it that Medb knows all about this?”

“Know about it?” Cuchulainn scoffed. “She… Or rather, the creature inside her is the very reason why this world is a Lostbelt. And now, that creature is making its way toward Circinus. If I don’t stop it in time, it’s going to use the Tree for its own purposes.”

“You mean stealing your role as some false king from you, so that she can fight you on an even playing field?” Ferdiad wondered.

He stared at his former training partner in terror and uttered, “I think it’s going to be even worse.”

“How?”

Cuchulainn narrowed his eyes, then said something that made everyone’s very blood freeze in their bodies:

“She had no problem abandoning Galway, right? Who’s to say she won’t abandon this Lostbelt either?”

They wondered what he meant for a second, but Fergus figured it out before the others could. He replied, “You said that Crann Ban, or whatever it is, is supposed to be an anchor to some Proper Human History or whatever you called it. Does that mean she wants to travel to that other world using the Tree as some kind of pathway?”

“Precisely. I’m guessing that once she escapes, she’ll destroy Circinus to cut off any form of pursuit from this side. If she does that, this Lostbelt and everyone in it disappears, as if it were little more than a bad dream.”

“Shit. Is there anything we can do?”

“As far as our world is concerned, no. Think about it. Do you seriously think the Celtic Isles can last much longer? The planet’s surface level is submerged beneath kilometers of ocean, there’s no viable drinking water left, and the land is crumbling with each passing year.”

“…”

“Simply put, there is no future left for humanity in this timeline. The only reason the Isles exist is because Medb and Scathach worked in tandem to raise Ireland and Scotland. For Scathach, she wanted to protect humanity in any way she could. For Medb though, she was just buying herself some time so she could figure out a way to infiltrate the Tree of Emptiness and escape this Lostbelt. Circinus chose me to be the Lostbelt’s king in order to safeguard it from her, but it seems she found a way to breach its defenses.”

Fergus frowned hard. “So it’s not a matter of saving ourselves. It’s to prevent this world’s Medb from terrorizing a different world’s people.”

“Right,” Cuchulainn nodded. “Myself, Cathbad, Morrigan, Manannan and Scathach were the only ones who knew the truth.”

“Hm? Hold on…” the purple-haired swordsman murmured. “If Scathach knew, would she have told Connla about any of this? She was her pupil for a long time, after all.”

The sinister spearman sighed forlornly, then said, “Yeah. She was instructed to keep it secret from anyone other than us five.”

Conall was mortified to hear this. He couldn’t imagine the kind of stress Connla had to endure to hide this information from allies like him. That was all on top of the adventures and battles she went through, as well as the dark revelation of her being Cuchulainn’s daughter. Now, he finally understood the real reason why Connla always looked so depressed and fatigued, even during moments of calm and rest. It was far too heartbreaking for him to fathom.

Son of a bitch… Did she think that befriending anyone was pointless if this world was doomed anyway?

As Conall pondered this difficult question, Ferdiad asked Cuchulainn, “So what do we do now?”

“Isn’t it obvious? If we can’t find Medb, we cut Circinus down.”

“But that will end this world as we know it!”

“Better for it to be just us, than both us and another world being grinded to dust beneath Medb’s heel as well.”

“Guh… Now I see why you’re the God of Destruction. You don’t care about the consequences of your rampaging, so long as you oppose Medb’s conquest.”

“Heh. You’re only figuring that out just now?”

Before Ferdiad could retort however, they heard Faireach utter in a strange tone, “Nuh-uh-uh. I’m afraid I can’t let you do that, Cu.”

The men gasped and turned to face him. Lugaid’s skin prickled with thousands of goose bumps as he shuddered in terror, “That voice…”

“MEDB!” Cuchulainn growled, his eyes constricting and becoming bloodshot with rage. “You think I’ll let you escape!? You’re going down with this Lostbelt, whether you like it or not!”

“Ah hah hah hah! You’re a funny man! But you’re too late! I already have one foot out the proverbial back door, so to speak!”

“Hah! Big mistake announcing that to me! This might be a setback, but all that’s changed is the location of your death!”

“I’d love to rile you up even more, but I grow weary of your tired comebacks. I think it’s time you well and truly died so that I may be finally rid of you from my life, Fallen Child of Light. Faireach, if you would please.”

Upon Medb’s command, the Brave’s body twisted and undulated in such a visually agonizing manner that it made Conall and Lugaid cringe with revulsion. The others weren’t so disturbed, but they remained alert as they watched Faireach’s skin change to a deathly grey hue, his limbs contort so badly that elongated bone protruded through the flesh, and bone marrow grow over his skull so it resembled a horned helmet. When the transformation was complete, Faireach’s size grew to rival four stout men, and he glared his glowing red eyes at the appalled warriors.

“By the Tuatha…” Fergus gasped and stepped back. “I didn’t think they were still around…”

Conall pointed Curaidin Catutchenn at the beast and demanded, “What the hell is that!?”

“The monstrous invaders of Ireland’s ancient seas, and the Tuatha de Danann’s sworn enemies.”

“You’re kidding me!”

“No, my boy,” the King of Connacht replied and swung Caladbolg in his hands. “That is a genuine, bona fide Fomorian!”

Faireach let out a guttural roar and swung his gargantuan fist upon the astonished crowd. Ferdiad dashed towards Lugaid and grabbed him out of the way, while Fergus and Conall leapt aside simultaneously. Cuchulainn maintained his ground and used all of his strength to hold back the Fomorian’s fist with both hands. He then sunk his talons into the monster’s flesh and channeled his destructive energy to create a series of crimson thorns that coursed through Faireach’s arm and violently broke through as vine-like blood vessels, akin to rose vines snaking around a trellis. The pain only seemed to anger Faireach further as he swatted Cuchulainn aside with his other hand, causing him to slam back-first against the opposite wall.

Before Faireach could try to flatten Cuchulainn with a massive punch, Ferdiad snatched his damaged arm and summoned all of his inhuman strength to throw him off-balance. Of any of Ireland’s finest warriors, Ferdiad was known for possessing a hard hide that was impervious to weapons – possibly a remnant of some ancient lineage with a Fomorian who had such a similar hide, like a turtle- or crab-themed monster. This made him an ideal rival for the original Cuchulainn when they trained in the Land of Shadows – the Ulsterman was better with offense and agility, whereas the man from Connacht was all about defense and tenacity.

Once Faireach was thrown onto his buttocks, Ferdiad jumped upon his exposed chest, ruthlessly clamped his mutated, clawed hand around the beast’s throat and squeezed his fingers around it harder than any mortal man could. It took a little effort, but the inevitable snap sound pierced the air as the Fomorian’s spine broke under the pressure.

Lugaid breathed hard for a moment. Soon, he gasped under his breath, “Is it over?”

Ferdiad bounded off the dead Fomorian and made his steel-like scales vanish. Before he could walk away though, the presumably dead creature reached his hand out and snatched the stunned warrior before he could react! Faireach lifted Ferdiad several feet off the ground, then slammed him straight into the stone floor, cratering the ground around him.

“Light, come forth!” Conall screamed, activating his sword’s blistering light and carving through Faireach’s shoulder with alarming ease. The limb was severed clean off, freeing Ferdiad from its grasp. At the same time, Fergus rushed in with a fierce battle cry and stabbed Caladbolg through the Fomorian’s chest into his heart. He made the drill sword start its spinning sequence at full speed, further decimating the monster’s innards until there wasn’t much left of its viscera aside from blood and raw offal. There was no chance of Faireach surviving this, and his body eventually melted into a puddle of dark blood.

Conall glanced away in disgust and cursed, “Filthy motherfucker…”

Cuchulainn got up and cracked his knuckles, then replied, “That’s only one of them. Medb created several Braves like him.”

“That can’t be right! How the hell did that wench give birth to something so dangerous with only her blood!? Isn’t she supposed to be a human like the rest of us!?”

“That’s only the impression that the monster inhabiting her skin wanted you to believe. In reality, she’s a Fomorian many magnitudes more powerful than what we just fought.”

“Why is this happening?” Fergus wondered. “I thought the Fomorians went extinct ages ago.”

Cuchulainn nodded. “That is true… except one of them survived and went into hiding this whole time, waiting for his opportunity to seize a human ruler’s body and take over the world as the tyrant he always dreamed of being. Medb just happened to be the ruler he chose to be his vessel, due to them being very compatible in the domination department.”

As the others realized what this meant, Lugaid’s throat dried up as he cried out in panic, “Wait, what about the other Braves!? What are they doing right now!?”

Just as Lugaid feared, it was absolute pandemonium all throughout the streets of Galway.

“GUOOO~OOOGH!”

“AAAAHH HAH HAH HAH HAH!”

“PERIII~IIISSSHHH!”

The terrified screams of hundreds of seasoned warriors echoed throughout the silent city. At the same time Fergus and the others fought Faireach, the Fomorian’s brethren approached the bewildered fighters and discarded their human guises the same way their brother did. One by one, they mutated into misshapen sea monsters and tore through the ranks with frightening ease. Morale immediately plummeted like a stone in water, as even the best of Fergus’ soldiers realized they were severely outclassed and started to flee the doomed city.

Laeg stared around at the dead bodies of his comrades, mortified that the situation had turned dire so quickly. He and five fellow warriors were trapped in an alleyway that was blocked by one of the transformed Braves. The monster had suffered some damage while fighting the soldiers, evidenced by all of the swords still protruding in its skin, but it didn’t seem to have much effect on its movement as it lumbered closer and closer to the trapped men.

“Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit, what the hell do we do!?” one of the frightened soldiers panicked.

Laeg darted his eyes around to examine his narrow surroundings. He noticed that the Fomorian wasn’t paying attention to the walls, being more focused on its prey. Laeg leaned in and whispered in one of his friends’ ears, “Oy, lad. Ye be knowed in the way o’Runecraft, right?”

“Just a little. Ansuz and Dagaz, mostly.”

“Splendid. Do what I say, and we be scrapin’ outta this one wit’ our ‘ides intact.”

“Y-Yes, sir…”

Laeg quickly gave some instructions in a hushed tone into the young man’s ear, then rushed toward the Fomorian with an incensed battle cry while brandishing his spear. Right when it swiped its elongated claws at him, he suddenly darted to the side and ran diagonally along the wall before leaping off and sailing toward his opponent’s exposed backside.

“Ansuz!” the soldier shouted, launching a small fireball from his hand at the base of the dilapidated wall Laeg just jumped off. The explosion caused the stone wall to collapse upon the monster, crushing it beneath several hundred pounds of weight that it tried to wriggle out of.

This was when Laeg began to descend upon the creature with his spear pointed at its gaping open mouth. He screamed at the top of his lungs, “EAT THIS, YE FOUL MONSTROSITY!”

*crunch!*

His blade easily shot into his enemy’s mouth and pierced through its brain stem, killing it instantly. Once he ensured his kill, Laeg pulled his weapon out of the dead beast and exclaimed to the soldier, “Good work, mate! Ye ‘ave the makin’s of a real soldier!”

“I don’t think so…” the shuddering young man quivered. “I couldn’t have done anything crazy like what you just did…”

“Much as I be ‘appy t’prove ye otherwise, I still gotta get y’all t’safety. Stay sharp, fellas – there may be more whence that barbarian came.”

Back in the castle, Fergus responded to Lugaid’s question with, “Laeg’s with them. So long as they hold out, he’ll get as many of our allies out as he can.”

“Not by himself, that’s for sure,” Ferdiad winced, prepared to run back to town.

“Tch,” Cuchulainn cursed. “I don’t have time for this. I need to look for Medb as soon as I can. Once I get rid of her, the other Fomorians should die out without their master around.”

Just then, a sudden buzzing sensation reverberated through Cuchulainn’s skull. His vision went cloudy for a second, as he swore he could see the interior of Emer’s house for a split second. As much as he wanted to curse in frustration at all of these turns of events, intense panic gripped his heart.

“What’s wrong? You’re acting strange all of a sudden,” Conall asked.

“Emer’s trying to contact me through the doll I had Connla carrying around,” Cuchulainn said, then closed his eyes to concentrate.

That was when everyone clearly heard the frantic woman’s voice crying out, “Cu! Cu, can you hear me!? It’s Emer!”

“I’m here,” he replied. “What’s going on?”

“Lord Cathbad’s with me, and we can’t find Connla anywhere!”

Upon hearing those words, the Mad King’s anxiety instantly went from mere concern to full-blown terror. Riastrad lines formed all over his face as he shouted, “She’s missing!?”

“Neither she nor her horse are here, and Cathbad had to remove some kind of sleeping Rune from me! I’m not entirely sure, but I think she’s headed in the direction of Crann Ban!”

The horror that Cuchulainn felt in that moment could not be described with any words in any language. It was the type of despair any father would experience when he found out his beloved daughter had been brutally beaten and/or killed by a lunatic murderer. Coupled with Medb’s admission of heading towards Circinus as well, and the whole thing was evolving into the absolute worst case scenario that Cuchulainn never, ever wanted to have happen.

Standing there with a horribly malformed expression, his only response was a raspy, “Nooooooo-!”

Fergus and the others could hear this conversation as well, and they knew the situation couldn’t be more dire than this.

“Steady yourself, lad!” Cathbad called out. “You need to stop Connla in her tracks and drag her back here!”

“As if I needed to be told that!”

“Hold it right there, you old goat!” Lugaid suddenly shouted from behind Cuchulainn.

“Is that you, Lugaid?” the elderly druid asked.

“Yeah! Are you really at Emer’s house, like you said you would be!?”

“Naturally. I came here to pick up Connla.”

“Is that the girl you were talking about before?”

Cathbad realized what Lugaid was talking about, then sighed in resignation and replied, “Yes, she is.”

“You sick bastard! Even if you had Cuchulainn rescue this girl, you still intend to sacrifice her for the Grand Servant summoning!”

“…”

Fergus, Conall and Ferdiad’s jaws collectively dropped in astonishment. As for Cuchulainn, he was so incensed with this revelation that he seemed to come all the way around back to being unusually placid. He glowered in a deep, emotionless tone, “Is that true, Cathbad?”

“… It is.”

A heavy silence followed. A few moments later, a distinct piercing sound echoed around them. Cathbad seemed to collapse off his feet before grunting, “Ungh! Damn it, woman!”

“What was that?” Ferdiad wondered.

“Don’t worry, Cu,” Emer interjected. “I gave Cathbad the hardest slap to the face I could muster.”

As much as Cuchulainn wanted to do much worse to the druid, he had to be satisfied with that for now. He grinned and replied, “Thanks, Emer.”

“Never mind me. Just go to her. She needs you now more than ever.”

“Yeah. I’m on my way.”

Fergus added, “Leave the Fomorians to us. We’ll evacuate Connacht’s citizens to Munster and Leinster.”

When Lugaid heard this, he grew determined and urged, “Please, let me handle the evacuation.”

“Are you sure? You don’t look all that well.”

“Now’s not the time for me to be licking my wounds. As Munster’s king, I need to take responsibility for its citizens. That includes anyone who seeks refuge – I’ll welcome them all without prejudice. It’s the least I can do for ruining the war effort with my stupidity.”

Ferdiad was surprised to see Lugaid being so mature all of a sudden. The pain he endured at Medb’s hand likely destroyed his immature self and left him so broken that he had no choice but to become much wiser in response to the threat she posed to all of human life. He approached his friend and said, “I’ll help you.”

“No,” was the startling reply. “I want you to help Fergus defeat the Fomorians.”

“But-“

“We don’t have time to argue. I know I’m not strong enough to fight them. The skills you gained in the Land of Shadows will be put to better use against those freaks. Instead of me trying to do something foolish again, I want you to destroy them on my behalf. Got it?”

A proud smile beamed across Ferdiad’s lips. He snatched his friend’s shoulder and declared, “You got it.”

“Cuchulainn,” Lugaid suddenly spoke to the Mad King. “I know I’m not in the right to say this, since I want to see you dead as much as Medb does. But when I heard Cathbad saying he wanted to sacrifice a girl to summon the Grand Servant, that’s when I realized how fucked up this world is. Forget Lostbelts or Proper Human History or any of that crap. What good is a world’s future if it has to be sustained with the sacrifice of our children? If that’s how far we have fallen as human beings, then there’s no point in sticking around, right?”

“…”

“If you’re going to live up to your moniker as the God of Destruction, then you better damn well find a way to destroy that very mindset itself, even if it costs us everything. Screw this one up, and I’ll take your godforsaken head if it’s the last thing I do. You hear me?”

Cuchulainn’s lips widened into a fanged grin. “Loud and clear.”

“Good. Get your sorry ass out of my sight already.”

The King of Shadows didn’t need to be told twice. He barged up the dungeon’s stone steps at record pace, emerging back in the throne room and leaping out the nearest window.

Wait for me, Connla! Don’t do anything stupid until I get there!

Chapter Text

FATE/CURADH BEAG

“Little Champion”

Chapter 34: Turbulent Seas

Way out in the ocean, somewhere halfway between the Celtic Isles and the Tree of Emptiness, Medb used a series of platform Runes to confidently strut along like she was doing the catwalk. A glyph would appear a few feet ahead of her, while one she had already walked on vanished, providing a consistent pathway for her to make her march upon the alien tree. Having already taunted Cuchulainn and the others by controlling Faireach, she was certain that her sworn rival had informed everyone of Circinus’ true nature and what her intentions were. The prospect of Cuchulainn storming on his way to intercept Medb right now prompted her to hurry a bit, but she still wouldn’t deny herself the thrill of having just a little bit of fun at his desperation.

The white tree constantly loomed in the distance, and Medb rarely took her eyes off of it. The Celtic Isles were so meaningless to her now that she never even spared a glance back at the land and all the people she caused to suffer. However, there was something that made her pause mid-step.

Hm?

Medb narrowed her eyes and glanced back when she noticed something approaching from far in the distance. A normal human would not have been perceptive enough to detect the presence of another so many kilometers away, but she possessed the extraordinary powers of a Fomorian and was highly familiar with the seas due to their ancestry as mindless sea monsters. Her usually bright gold eyes lost their luster and turned an eerie shade of red as she enhanced her vision to superhuman levels to see what had caught her curiosity.

To her bewilderment, there was a warrior girl astride a grey horse that trotted along the water like it was solid ground thanks to bright blue Runes embedded on its hooves. Medb needed to take a moment to think about where she had seen the child soldier before, and it only registered once she recalled how she sent Fergus and a small team of warriors to Scotland to find Scathach. The girl was one of those warriors, and had been the one to warn the queen about Cuchulainn’s return to the Celtic Isles.

Oh yes, I remember now. That was Scathach’s pupil, right? The one who took part in that special event during the tournament? Curses, what was her name again? I always have such a hard time keeping so many faces straight…

The event was so insignificant to Medb that she couldn’t be bothered to remember the girl’s name. From her perspective, it was like attributing unique names to a mound of ants. She even failed to remember that Connla was reported to have died when Ireland and Scotland separated. Of course, now that she knew Fergus was alive and siding with Cuchulainn, Connla and Conall’s deaths wouldn’t have meant anything anyway. She quickly gave up trying and shrugged, concerning herself with more pressing issues.

Anyway, from the way that horse is running along the water like Aonbharr, it looks like Manannan’s getting himself involved as well. No one else alive in this entire world can grant such a gift to a steed, after all. Since Manannan is obviously against me, it must mean he’s coerced this whelp to stand against me as well. Or rather… her path doesn’t seem to be heading toward me, but at Circinus instead.

Medb frowned a little.

Does she seriously intend to challenge the Tree of Emptiness itself? There’s no way she can survive. I really shouldn’t concern myself with this, but… well, she was Scathach’s pupil, wasn’t she? Perhaps that woman might have taught something to help her destroy it. If that’s the case, then I should nip this little problem in the bud while I have the chance, rather than underestimate her like a typical villain of my caliber would.

She smiled and chuckled a little as she raised her hands before her and performed a complex series of hand motions while conjuring some foreign Runecraft.

And I know just the perfect thing.

Northern Connacht

Cuchulainn was already well on his way towards the northern shores of the province. He made sure to make a wide berth around the soldiers approaching from the new Scotland-Ireland border he created from smashing the two islands together. Thanks to a combination of his superhuman strength, a series of wind Runes to enhance his speed, and the blessings from Dadga’s Cauldron within his Spirit Origin, he dashed along the plains at record pace, appearing to anyone who would’ve witnessed him as little more than a fierce ‘dark wind’ that effortlessly shred through grass and tree branches. He barreled through Galway, Mayo and Roscommon, and had just arrived in the very southern border of Sligo when something incredibly unusual happened to him.

As a nearly exhausted Cuchulainn took another mighty leap along the ground, an intense migraine gripped his entire head and caused his vision to blur in and out.

“GAAA~AAAGH!?” he screamed and lost his balance, sliding many meters along the dirt while gripping his entire cranium in agony. Once he eventually came to a full stop and the dust settled, he crawled onto his knees and let out a spine-chillingly guttural growl of frustration.

Shit… Shit, shit, shit, shit, SHIT!

He desperately tried to get back onto his feet, but the pain was so incredible that he felt like his brain would split into two if he didn’t keep his hands firmly pressed on both sides of his skull.

Medb, you godforsaken cu-!

The Mad King couldn’t even finish cursing his mortal enemy as his vision was altered from a view of the plains and forests he was running through to the sight of the deep ocean and numerous fish swimming all around him.

“STOP IT, STOP IT, STOP IT, STOP IIII~IIII~IIIT!” he shrieked for dear life. Blood vessels broke along his face, and streams of blood covered his upper body as he struggled to heal all of these surprise injuries he was suffering.

He knew what was happening, and he was powerless to stop it. Fifteen years ago, Medb had gained complete control of Cuchulainn’s body, mind and soul, allowing her to reduce him to a broken heap of a man before tossing him into Curruid’s maw. He strongly suspected that Medb’s Fomorian blood had allowed her to seize Curruid some time in the past, reigning the ancient monster the same way a tamer would capture a lion. Once Cuchulainn was granted the right to be the Lostbelt’s king, he could break away from Medb’s grip and take Curruid with him as his ‘other half’ to destroy the rest of the world. Unfortunately, he was only now realizing a huge oversight to this plan;

He had never severed Medb’s control over Curruid.

By abducting the monster for his own purposes, Cuchulainn falsely believed that he had automatically also saved it from being Medb’s servant. It was only now, as he kneeled there in sheer agony, that he realized how horribly wrong he was this entire time. Thanks to Cuchulainn failing to cut this connection, Medb could indirectly torment him through Curruid, forcing the monster to act against his will. She was probably saving this as a last resort in case he ever caught up to her, but for her to utilize this weakness of his so suddenly meant there probably was another threat that she wanted to have neutralized while she fled to the Tree of Emptiness.

There was only one thing Cuchulainn could think of:

Medb had most likely seen Connla coming.

OH, GODS!

Cuchulainn’s fear escalated to levels he had never experienced before, to the point that it was pure despair. He was pretty sure that Medb didn’t know Connla was Cuchulainn’s daughter, but that didn’t matter anymore. The situation had spiraled so out of control that he felt like he in a living nightmare. Curruid was about to fight Connla, and there wasn’t a damn thing Cuchulainn could do about it.

He wanted to break his vision away from Curruid’s, but Medb was probably forcing him to see everything the sea creature was witnessing in order to torment him. Granted she didn’t know about their relationship, but she was acutely aware of Cuchulainn’s love for his fellow Ulstermen and wanted him to suffer by having him witness a countryman’s death. Schools of fish darted away as his ‘other half’ started to rise to the surface from its resting spot at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. Rays of sunlight dappled within the deep water, and Cuchulainn somehow made out the rhythmic galloping pattern of bright blue Runes sparkling way on the ocean’s surface.

“C… Co… nnla!” he gasped in sheer desperation, practically breaking into tears. “G-Get… out of there! Run… away!”

Eventually, Curruid breached through the ocean and made itself known to Connla and Medb. Intense sunlight blinded Cuchulainn, but his eyes quickly adjusted to the brightness as he tried to spot the girl and her horse. The trail of shimmering Runes drew his attention toward Connla and Liath Macha, and he zoomed in to be sure.

Liath is running like Aonbharr!? How!? There’s no way I’d allow Manannan to do such a thing! When could he have-!?

That was when it hit Cuchulainn with the force of a falling building. There had been a chance for Connla and Manannan to meet when he wasn’t around – while Cuchulainn spent that fiercely raining night sleeping with Emer. That was the only conceivable opportunity he could think of. His jaw dropped once he realized his mistake, and an indescribable fury boiled within his soul, wanting to erupt like a violent volcano.

It wasn’t just Medb’s torment, nor Manannan’s interference, nor his own stupid mistakes he wanted to lash out at. There was also Aife’s brutal upbringing of Connla in her childhood years, Scathach’s relentless teaching during Connla’s early adult years, her numerous difficult struggles during her journey, and how Cathbad intended to sacrifice her at the end of it all. Cuchulainn’s frustration reached its peak, and he momentarily lost his mind to a savage warp spasm as he unleashed the loudest scream of his life.

“M… MA… MANA… MAAANAAA~AAANNAAA~AAA~AAA~AAA~AAAAAAANNN~NNN!”

Completely oblivious to both Cuchulainn and Medb’s presences, Connla continued along the ocean with Liath. There wasn’t much for her to do, but she needed to conserve her energy for the inevitable battle against Circinus. Thus, the only thing she could really do was allow her mind to wander back to when she met with Manannan.

That stormy night…

In the far northeastern forests of Ulster, Connla’s eyes widened when she noticed Manannan leaning her back against a thick tree trunk.

“… Lord Manannan? Is that you?” the child warrior blurted.

“Hello again, my child,” the goddess said with a smile.

She dismounted Liath and asked, “What are you doing here?”

“Why else? To intercept you.”

“Me? Why?”

“Come now, why not take a break and have a fireside chat with me?”

“About what?”

“Just some things I wanted to ask you, but couldn’t find the time to do so. Furthermore, I couldn’t very well ask these questions while Cuchulainn and the others were around. Let’s just say they’re inquiries of a more personal nature, and I didn’t want any of them interfering.”

Manannan pointed to a spot she already had prepared beneath a much larger magic field than the one Connla used to guard herself from the rain. The girl’s curiosity was piqued so much that she couldn’t resist joining the goddess around the bonfire she prepared. Liath rested next to Connla as she asked Manannan, “So what did you want to ask me?”

“First of all, are you doing all right? It isn’t exactly natural for a girl your age to be wandering around in such a storm at these hours.”

“Well… I suppose I’m still in shock from killing Mio. But I also know Cuchulainn’s doing what he can to help me, so I feel like it’d be a disservice to him for me to be depressed all the time.”

“You don’t need to be so considerate that it hurts yourself. If you’re upset, then you can spend all the time you need to care for your own wellbeing. He’ll understand – it’s part of his duty as your father.”

“My father, huh?” Connla mumbled in a distant tone. “You know, now that I think about it, I almost kind of forgot about that. It still doesn’t feel real, like it’s some kind of ridiculous plot twist from a chaotic story rather than a fact.”

“How have you been regarding him as, then?”

“Hmm… More like my senior apprentice, since we trained under Scathach. Or maybe an older brother…”

“I suppose that is an accurate way of describing it,” Manannan agreed. “Regardless of how you see each other, the fact remains that you’re important to each other. Keep that relationship with him near and dear to your heart, understand? The last vestiges of his humanity depend on it.”

“I will.”

“Good. Now, let me switch topics for a bit. This has more to do with your business as Scathach’s pupil and the knowledge you possess of the Lostbelt.”

Connla knew the conversation was about to get serious, so she visibly sat at attention and asked, “What do you wish to know?”

Manannan poked a stick into the fire to rekindle it, then asked, “How much did Scathach, Cathbad, Cuchulainn and Morrigan tell you about the nature of this timeline?”

“Pretty much that it needs to be culled from Proper Human History.”

“Did they explain why?”

“Nothing beyond something with the events of the Cattle Raid of Cooley not playing out as intended, which caused Cuchulainn to become corrupted into Taoide Olc.”

“Have they elaborated about Medb’s true nature?”

“No. In fact, everyone seems unusually evasive about it. It’s almost like they’re scared of telling me the truth. I have a feeling that Queen Medb’s secret is the crux to this entire Lostbelt, but I have no idea what it is. I’ve pretty much given up on asking everyone about her though.”

“I see,” Manannan frowned. “I suppose they are in the right to keep you ignorant of the truth. Still, I feel it’s rather unfair for you to remain uninformed when you’ve done so much to further their efforts without understanding the full picture.”

“Is Queen Medb really that dangerous? Does she really have the power to cause the same level of devastation that Cuchulainn has?”

“Needless to say, yes, she does. The whole thing with the rest of the world sinking into the ocean was essentially Cuchulainn’s way of beating Medb to the punch. If he didn’t do so, she probably would have done something much worse in comparison.”

Connla mumbled to herself in contemplation for a moment. Then she wondered, “You said that they’re opposite sides of the same coin. Domination versus Destruction, right?”

“Yes. They are the sins that they represent, and are both diametrically and eternally opposed to each other.”

“Sins? So they’re like demons?”

“Not necessarily. They are powerful entities that symbolize certain sins that are always associated with humanity’s progression as a species. In this Lostbelt’s case, the sins of Domination and Destruction engulfed the world in their bitter feud, when normally they remain dormant. However, that doesn’t mean both of them seek for humanity’s extinction – it always winds up being one or the other. For this world, the sin of Domination was supposed to have fallen many centuries ago, yet survived when it shouldn’t have. As a result, Cuchulainn allowed the sin of Destruction to manifest within him so that he could defend humanity from Domination’s tyrannical grasp. If it was some other world where Destruction manifested first to bring everything to ruin, then Domination would have risen to gather humanity under their banner and challenge Destruction’s wrath.”

Connla was astonished to hear something so profound. No one else had ever told her of such lofty concepts. She never could’ve imagined there were actually powerful beings dragging the rest of the world down in their endless rivalry. But now, things were starting to make more sense for her. If these sins were so powerful that they manifested as gods, or whatever ‘entities’ they were, then she definitely stood no chance of surviving against either one. If anyone had been foolish enough to tell her the truth beforehand, she likely would have done something extremely reckless in an attempt to help. Everyone must have been afraid of that happening.

Once she parsed through this information, she asked Manannan, “So are you saying that the sin of Domination manifested during the Cattle Raid of Cooley and corrupted Cuchulainn?”

The goddess shook her head. “Weren’t you listening to me? Domination was supposed to have perished ages ago.”

“You mean, even before the Cattle Raid?”

“Many years before that.”

“Wha…” Connla gasped. “But I thought the reason this timeline is a Lostbelt is because of the Cattle Raid!”

“No, my child. Human history was already warped well before that conflict. The Cattle Raid was merely the result of Domination biding its time until it was ready to claim Ireland for itself, then moving on to take over the rest of the world. Medb was the host that Domination needed to inhabit so it could assert its authority.”

“Then when did it happen? When did Domination survive its intended downfall?”

Manannan sighed, then glanced away and murmured, “… The Second Battle of Mag Tuired.”

Connla’s eyes widened. She had studied the lore behind that war while under Scathach’s tutelage. Before she could utter anything though, Manannan blurted, “Before you ask, the literature you may have read about that conflict is not entirely correct. Yes, most of it is accurate, but its final outcome is not the entire truth.”

“Why? Was the information falsified?”

“No. It’s because we discovered Domination’s survival far too late to do anything about it. As you can see, many of the Tuatha de Danann are no longer with us, and the few of us that are have lost a great deal of our power. This is precisely the scenario that Domination waited for so long to see to fruition – for its Tuatha rivals to either die off or be severely weakened, so that it could return without anyone challenging it. I suppose it wasn’t expecting to be the cause of Destruction’s awakening within Cuchulainn though, so it’s been waiting to see what will happen before making its next move. If I was in Domination’s position, I wouldn’t want to make such an inadvertent mistake again either.”

“Tuatha rivals…” Connla murmured in understanding and closed her eyes as she thought about what this meant. The more Manannan explained to her, the clearer everything started to become.

“In any case,” Manannan continued, “now that you have a good idea of what’s going on, there’s something I need you to do.”

“What is it?”

“Since Cuchulainn will be keeping Medb occupied with the war, and I will be concentrating on barring Medb’s passage into Ulster, this will leave the Tree of Emptiness highly unguarded. Scathach did train you to specifically combat the Tree, after all. All of this business with Domination versus Destruction is simply leagues beyond anything you can deal with.”

“So you want me to destroy the Tree of Emptiness when no one is looking?”

“No, not you. You’re far too weak for that. Instead, I want you to provide support for the Grand Servant.”

“Oh… I had almost forgotten about that. Successfully summoning them was the whole reason Lord Cathbad asked me to deal with the Three Blights. I thought the Grand Servant would be taking part in the war, but I guess that isn’t the case.”

“That’s right. The Servant’s purpose is to cut down the Tree of Emptiness. Your job is to provide them with backup.”

“I see,” Connla murmured and nodded. “If it’s just backup, then I could definitely do that. But how do I know who this Servant is supposed to be?”

Manannan suppressed a chuckle, then said, “It won’t be a huge mystery to you. Besides, you should have seen him already.”

“Huh? I have?”

“While in Emain Ablach. He wasn’t there in person, but you must have sensed a stranger’s presence lurking near you.”

Connla thought back to her time in the faerie realm, and realized that Manannan was right. During the times when she was either extremely fatigued or depressed, there was an unknown man keeping her company. She even remembered him having bright red eyes and facial features that were eerily similar to Cuchulainn’s. He seemed as distant and intangible as a ghost, yet incredibly real enough to hold her up when she needed it the most.

“That man is the Grand Servant!?” she uttered in surprise.

“That’s right. Some residual part of his Spirit Origin must still be attached to Emain Ablach, since that’s the place where I raised him. You’re the only one who was able to perceive it, and only during times of extreme duress. I’m sure Cuchulainn would have been able to see him as well though.”

Connla recalled when Cuchulainn had randomly gotten angry and shouted at someone who was next to her, yet they had vanished before he could do anything. She frowned and moaned, “I… I don’t get it. How come Cuchulainn and I were the only ones who could see him?”

Manannan’s smile turned slightly impish as she finally told Connla the truth:

“He is Cuchulainn’s father – the god of light, the sun, and the harvest, Lugh. By extension, that makes him your grandfather.”

The girl paused for a moment. She had heard plenty about the most famous god of the Tuatha de Danann, but she never imagined she would be so closely related to him. She murmured, “Lord Lugh… the Grand Servant is… my grandfather?”

“Yes. He’s been watching over you this whole time. He wants to help you as much as you want to help him. He’s unable to do so directly since he has long since departed this world, but the blood that flows within you is unmistakably the same as his. That blood is key to our victory over Domination’s tyranny. It is the very reason why Scathach trained you in the art of combat.”

“…”

Manannan closed her eyes and raised her hand before her while declaring, “There isn’t much time. If Cuchulainn finds out you and I met, he will kill me. He is determined to keep you away from the conflict, but your geasa will not allow it. No matter how insurmountable it may seem, you must see your battle through. It is for everyone’s sake – mine, Scathach’s, Cathbad’s, Morrigan’s, Fergus’, Conall’s, Emer’s, and especially Cuchulainn’s. We are all counting on you to support Lugh so he can be summoned as the Grand Archer and destroy Domination once and for all.”

Connla looked unsure. Although her mission was clear and concise, she still didn’t understand what she was supposed to do to help with the summoning.

“To that end,” Manannan continued, “I will impart two very necessary gifts to aid you in your quest. This is the first one.”

In a momentary flash of light a peculiar silver medal attached to a thin chain necklace materialized in her hand. She handed it to the girl, and she asked, “What is this supposed to be?”

“A catalyst for summoning.”

“You mean like a Servant?”

“Not a Servant. You know how Cuchulainn is bound to the sea demon Curruid? Well, he was known to have a rival in ancient times, known as Coinchenn. That medal looks like it’s made out of silver, but it is actually made out of Coinchenn’s bones. If Curruid is to threaten you during your travels to Circinus, just toss this into the sea. I already have a summoning ritual inscribed on it to allow you to call Coinchenn from the Reverse Side of the World as an ally. He will acknowledge you as his Master, and will gladly fight Curruid so you can focus on your task.”

“Oh my,” Connla gasped. “Are you sure I’m going to need something so… powerful?”

“Without a doubt. Many years ago, Medb had stolen a similar medal used to summon Curruid and bind it to her will. I could have summoned Coinchenn to battle Curruid back then, but Cathbad warned me that he prophesized the world’s inevitable destruction, and to save this for a more meaningful moment. I had my reservations about trusting his prophecy, but I also knew they always came true no matter what. If I couldn’t use it to save this world, then I would do as he said and wait for the right time. I believe that time is now.”

“I see… So I suppose using it is at my discretion.”

“I trust you to make the right decision.”

Connla became silent, feeling the immense weight of her responsibilities bearing down on her. She held the medal close to her as she asked, “So what is the second gift?”

Manannan turned her attention toward Liath as the horse rested nearby. She placed her hands on one of his hooves and said, “This one is for him. They’re Runes meant to imitate my horse Aonbharr’s ability to run on water. You’re going to need this if you want to even reach Circinus in the first place.”

“Yes, I suppose so,” Connla agreed.

Once the goddess finished enchanting Liath’s hooves, she sat back and sternly told Connla, “Now remember – don’t tell Cuchulainn that we’ve met. For that matter, you probably shouldn’t tell Emer either. Neither of them would want you to do this, but I know that your heart is telling you to do the right thing. I wouldn’t want them to meddle with your decision, especially when there’s so much at stake.”

“Okay. I won’t say anything to them.”

“Excellent. You should get some sleep now. Once the storm passes by in the morning, go back to Emer’s and wait for Cuchulainn to leave before heading out.”

“I will,” Connla replied, then nestled her upper body upon Liath’s back and covered herself in a boar-skin blanket. It didn’t take long for both of them to pass out, lulled to sleep by the sound of the pelting rain and distant thunder. Manannan remained sitting near the fire, her gaze deeply absorbed into the tickling light of the flames.

Is this really the only way to summon Lugh, Cathbad? To have his granddaughter lose her life as the catalyst for your ritual?

Deep down though, she knew there wasn’t any other choice. Cuchulainn’s blood was far too tainted to use, and Connla was the only surviving heir of Lugh’s legacy with uncorrupted blood. There was another reason Cathbad intended to use Connla, and it was what made Manannan feel most uneasy about all of this.

Lugh… I know you’re watching all of this. I’m sure your rage over your granddaughter’s death will be palpable. You have every right to be furious with me for deliberately leading her on this path. But if there’s anyone to be angry with, it is the monster that your son has been struggling against this whole time. Condemn this world as you wish, but I beseech you, Lugh… turn that anger toward that creature before he can threaten Proper Human History.

She somberly closed her eyes.

That’s all I ask of you.

The present…

As Connla’s thoughts wandered to that conversation, Liath cried out in uncharacteristic shock. She returned her attention to the present and exclaimed, “What’s wrong!?”

That was when she noticed the water’s hue turning an ominous shade of black as something gigantic was making its way to the surface. Both rider and steed were stunned silent as the monstrosity burst through the water in a most fantastic and epic spray that thoroughly drenched them. Once the torrent settled enough, Connla lowered her arm from her face to get a better look. All of the breath was exhaled from her lungs in a single horrified gasp.

What towered over her like a giant of Norse legend was an aquatic creature akin to a turtle that, instead of having a shell on its back, possessed a carapace of thorny black scales that encased its entire body. If someone from Japan were to witness this, they would have compared it to the sea god Watatsumi in terms of sheer might and majesty. A pair of beady blue eyes glowed within the exoskeleton’s skull, and they were directed at Connla and Liath.

“C…Cu… Curruid!?” she yelped, her throat parched from shock.

There was no time for her to think about how or why this was happening. Medb had overridden Cuchulainn’s control of Curruid and had ordered it to attack the child warrior. The monster was forced to obey this command by lunging at them with such terrifying speed that the ocean looked to be cleanly bifurcated in its wake. Liath didn’t need to be told to gallop with all his might out of range of the attack, and Curruid just missed them by about 50 meters. Connla noticed that Curruid was about to swipe at them with its claw, so she squatted on Liath’s saddle and leapt off with the help of some wind Runes, also using a series of platform Runes to hop along and get in closer. She rocketed at the claw and bashed her entire body against it, using her spear to block its attack.

“Hyah!?” Connla squealed, suddenly being sent flying in a wide arc after Curruid’s other clawed hand slammed against her petite body at full force. She blacked out for a few seconds, but immediately regained consciousness and twisted herself around. She spotted Liath rushing along the crashing waves directly beneath her, and she instinctively spread her arms and legs out to slow her fall a little bit. Liath performed a spectacular leap off of a large wave, and Connla angled herself to grab the reins and rest safely upon the saddle moments before he landed back on the water and continued running.

“GWOOO~OOO~OOOHHH!” Curruid roared and swam toward them in fierce pursuit. Connla was so terrified of this outrageous spectacle that she needed to use some Runes to calm her throbbing heart and shaking nerves, as well as to improve her concentration. Water splashed all around her and Liath as Curruid came in close and started swimming parallel to them, never taking his glowing blue eyes off of his quarry.

“Gh… I should’ve used this sooner,” she murmured to herself as she snatched the silver medallion around her neck and literally ripped the chain off. According to Manannan, all she had to do was throw it into the ocean. The engraved Runes would take care of the summoning on their own, but it needed a few minutes to complete before she could gain a valuable ally in this lopsided battle. With that proviso in mind, Connla hurled the medal with all her strength, watching it plop into the sea before returning her attention to Curruid.

“Liath,” Connla gasped between breaths, “we’re gonna need to hold out for a bit. Can you manage it?”

Although the steed didn’t audibly reply, his harried galloping never wavered, which was a good sign. He maintained a decent lead ahead of Curruid, and Connla acted as Liath’s eyes, giving him instructions in response to any of the monster’s attacks.

“Jump!” she shouted. Liath deftly leapt over Curruid’s bone-covered arm as he swiped in low at the pair, striking nothing but seawater. Connla found an opening to launch a flurry of fireballs at Curruid’s face. Some of them struck him, but he made no effort to actually dodge them since he believed they would just be harmless scratches. However, what he wasn’t counting on was her sneaking in a Dagaz Rune as the final shot.

Once it was set, she chanted, “ᛞ Dæg bẏþ drihtnes sond, deore mannum; mære metodes leoht, mẏrgþ and tohiht eadgum and earmum, eallum brice!” †

The butterfly-shaped Rune illuminated directly in front of Curruid’s eyes, blinding him with an intense burst of light that shimmered with countless glittering particles. He unleashed a guttural snarl and submerged beneath the waves to recover for a short while. Connla yelped when she noticed the aquatic titan’s shadow swimming right beneath her and Liath, and realized he was going to tackle them into the air just by surfacing at top speed.

“Hard right, hard right, HARD RIII~IIIGHT!” she shrieked at Liath, and the horse instantly veered in that direction. She conjured some Shield Runes to protect them just in case, and they performed as expected, blocking both rider and horse from a colossal impact as Curruid resurfaced in another gigantic spray of water. Liath neighed in astonishment and almost lost his balance, but somehow remained upright and kept trotting along. Unbeknownst to Curruid, he was so focused on attacking his opponent that he failed to notice he was fast approaching the Tree of Emptiness.

SLAAA~AAAM!

The air viciously reverberated as the monster accidentally collided with the alien tree. The ocean churned around the stunned beast while he regained his senses. If the battle hadn’t been so lethal, the sight would probably have been comical. Alas, Connla didn’t have it in her to laugh at Curruid’s predicament. On the contrary, she had a feeling he was going to be even angrier than before, believing she had tricked him into striking Circinus. That hadn’t been the intent, but she needed to be prepared for his full wrath nonetheless.

“Look sharp, Liath! We’re going in!” Connla commanded. She figured this was the best chance she had to land at least one good blow on Curruid. The horse did a 180 degree turn so they were charging straight back at the monster, and the behemoth noticed them coming. He summoned a barrage of liquid orbs around him, then fired them at the pair like bullets. They splashed all around them, and Liath did a mighty leap over a shot aimed directly at them, propelling them straight for Circinus’ white bark. Although the tree’s surface was more vertical than horizontal, there was enough of an angle for Liath to jump and run along.

“Here we go…” the child warrior whispered, trying to encourage herself to fight back against such an impossible enemy. She brandished her spear and raised it high, sending a small wave of magic through it that peeled the artificial layer off, revealing it as Gae Bolg with a sleek curved blade akin to a naginata, rather than a thin piercing lance like with Cuchulainn and Scathach’s versions. The furious Curruid noticed this and hurled another large water orb at them, which Liath expertly dodged.

“RRR~RRRAAAGH!” Curruid snarled and lunged its torso high out of the water, striking with the speed of a crocodile while attempting to slam its claws together, intent on squashing Connla and Liath to death. In a surprise move, she actually squatted atop the saddle and waited for the horse to jump over the attack. At the right moment, she also leapt straight for the surprised monster’s face.

“TEYAAA~AAAH!” she let out an impressive battle cry and swiped Gae Bolg upwards in a clean, uninterrupted motion. The blade struck its left eye, instantly destroying it and causing black blood to gush everywhere!

At the border between northeastern Connacht and southwestern Ulster, Manannan was already in position erecting an invisible field made out of a series of Runic glyphs that connected with each other. If Medb ever tried to head toward Ulster, the barrier would have prevented her from doing so. Manannan would have then alerted the rebel forces to the fleeing queen’s location and surrounded her. At least, that was the best case scenario she had been hoping for. Unfortunately, Manannan never sensed Medb attempting to breach the Bounded Field. She had to assume that the queen fled elsewhere, but wasn’t entirely sure where.

The Pseudo-Servant frowned hard and wondered, Just where could she have run off to? She doesn’t have anywhere else to go except for Ulster. Unless…

A peculiar sensation prickled her skin as she sensed a powerful force rushing toward Connacht’s northern shores. However, it wasn’t Medb that she detected – it was Cuchulainn. Manannan had no idea what was going on anymore, but if he was in such a hurry, then something had to be amiss. She decided to leave the Bounded Field and go intercept him to find out what he knew. As she dashed forth, she eventually found him just after he had collapsed and started suffering from his deathly migraine.

“Hey, what’s the matter!?” Manannan cried out and kneeled next to him. She was stunned to see so much blood oozing down his face despite not being engaged in any sort of battle.

“Ma… Mana… nnan!? Is that… you!?” he desperately snarled.

She proceeded to heal him as best as she could while demanding, “What the hell is this!? Why are you bleeding out so much!?”

“Muh… aaagh… M-Medb is… controlling… Curruid! Gwaaaa~aaagh!”

“Why!? Aren’t you supposed to be its Master!?”

“I… I screwed up. She still… has her connection… with it. I didn’t… think… this could happen!”

“Where is she now!?”

“Ugh… ngh… n-near… Cir…cinus!”

Manannan became mortified when she heard this. At this moment, she knew Connla would have to fight the monster by herself, without anyone to help her. That explained why Cuchulainn was in such a dire hurry. What was more puzzling was why Medb was heading toward the Tree of Emptiness. What could Manannan do to turn this crisis around!? The only thing she could think of was helping Cuchulainn restore his dominance over Curruid’s Spirit Origin, but she didn’t know if it would cause so much anguish for him that it would ultimately kill him.

She clenched her teeth and thought, Perhaps if I could convince him to lend me the power of Dagda’s Cauldron, I could do something about this. But-

“AAAAAA~AAAA~AAAAGH!” Cuchulainn suddenly screamed and threw his head back. Blood spontaneously exploded from the left side of his face, and he collapsed onto his back in agony! It happened at the exact same moment Connla struck Curruid, catching Manannan completely off guard.

“Cuchulainn!” she yelped in shock. She kneeled over him and tried to heal the damage as quickly as she could, but she couldn’t restore his lost eye unless she had a lot more time.

“Haaah… haaah… haaah…” the livid warrior seethed, struggling to regain his senses. He had a lot of trouble seeing properly now that he had permanently lost half of his vision. However, he also realized that his head-splitting migraine was actually gone. He hunched back onto his knees and smirked, “Damn it… kid’s got guts. But that’s exactly what I needed to regain control.”

“What happened?” Manannan asked.

“Connla gouged out Curruid’s eye. Luckily, the shock was enough to knock it back to its senses.”

“By the gods…”

He sauntered to his feet, then coldly declared, “I’m going.”

She closed her eyes and murmured in a somber tone, “I’m sorry.”

“Damn right you better be. Connla may be strong, but she’s not powerful enough to take on such an impossible challenge all by herself. Or is her dying the entire point of this? Is that why Scathach taught her how to use Gae Bolg even though it will kill her? Is that why you gave Liath the ability to run on water? Were you bastards all plotting to send her on a suicide mission this whole time?”

“… Her death is the catalyst to summon your father.”

Without warning, Cuchulainn whirled around and punched Manannan on the face as hard as he could. The God of the Seas tumbled clumsily onto the ground and lay there in stunned silence, with the enraged God of Destruction looming over her. His expression was ugly as he grumbled, “I’d do more than that to you, but I don’t have time for this.”

“Please… you have to understand… only Lugh can defeat-”

“I don’t give a flying fuck about any of that. Only Grand Servants can kill our kind? Don’t be so full of shit. I’ll destroy Medb myself, if that’s what it’ll take to save Connla’s life. The old man can go die in a ditch, for all I care.”

“…”

No longer interested in speaking with her, Cuchulainn performed an impressive leap over the island’s edge and dove headfirst for a while until he plunged into the water. Once silence returned, Manannan stood up and stared at the crashing waves for a long while. There was nothing more she could think of or say. The Lostbelt’s end was coming, and she needed to gracefully accept it.

Just then, a familiar female’s voice cawed, “Oh ho ho ho! My, he certainly let you have it, didn’t he?”

Manannan didn’t need to look back to see who it was. She felt a raven’s feet land on her shoulder, but didn’t bother to look at her fellow goddess as she laughed. Instead, Manannan asked, “Are Cathbad’s preparations underway?”

“He and his best druids are conjuring the summoning circle in northern Ulster as we speak,” Morrigan replied. “I think Emer’s with him to watch the whole thing.”

“I see.”

“All that’s left is for the little one to shuffle off her mortal coil to incite Lugh’s indignation.”

“As if we haven’t incited Cuchulainn’s indignation enough as it is.”

“Well, what are you going to do? He and Medb may be Evils of Humanity, but they’re only like that because they love humans so much. For Medb, she loves humans on the whole the same way a child loves their toys. For Cuchulainn, he concentrates all of his love on one or two people while ignoring the rest. Even if they settle their feud somehow, Lugh will finish off the survivor anyway. Problem solved, Proper Human History saved. A nice and neat ending to this sorry tale, wouldn’t you say?”

Manannan’s expression seemed strained as she asked, “Are you sure Connla is going to die during this battle? What if that doesn’t happen?”

“I’ve made sure it will. I even polished her armor for her.”

“Did Cathbad put you up to it?”

“Not really,” Morrigan casually shuffled her wings a bit. “I just want to see my beloved Cuchulainn succumb to sheer madness as he fights the greatest battle of his life. What better way to draw out his beastly side than to guarantee his child’s death while the apocalypse is upon us?”

“… You’ve got some seriously messed up taste in men, you know that?”

“I’m a goddess. What else do you expect?”

AUTHOR’S NOTE:

†  - “Day, the glorious light of the Creator, is sent by the Lord; it is beloved of men, a source of hope and happiness to rich and poor, and of service to all.” The poem associated with the Dagaz Rune, representing day or dawn.

Chapter Text

FATE/CURADH BEAG

“Little Champion”

Chapter 35: Destruction vs. Domination

As Connla tumbled about in mid-air, Curruid collapsed back-first into the ocean, still reeling from losing its eye. She landed back on Liath’s saddle while the horse leapt back down to sea level, and they glared at the monster to see what it would do next. A few moments later, Curruid resurfaced and glared at them through its remaining eye. However, none of them dared to make any movements. Despite their differences in size, species, and capabilities, both sides knew this was going to be a battle of attrition. Connla didn’t want to waste her strength fighting Curruid when she still had to contend with Circinus. She needed to think of something…

Just then, the sea started to undulate in an unnatural manner. The waves closed in on each other and swirled around in a gigantic whirlpool. Connla looked over and realized that the epicenter was exactly where she had thrown the silver medal several minutes ago. A bright white light began shining in the center, gradually intensifying by the second.

Her eyes widened as she realized, Ah! Is the summoning complete!?

Liath neighed in surprise and trotted a few steps back to avoid getting sucked in. Curruid clenched its spiky teeth, as if immediately recognizing what this phenomenon was. A second gigantic shadow was rising to the surface, and soon emerged in as equally a majestic and dignified display as Curruid’s entrance was. Unlike the black monster though, this one had pure white scales wrapping around its body like sloppily-dressed gauze, and an array of thick pseudopodia dangled through the gaps like a jellyfish’s arms.

“SHAAA~AAAAAA~AAAAHHH!” the new sea monster cried out in a far more shrill tone than Curruid’s deep baritone growling. A pair of shimmering red eyes glowed within its exoskeletal skull, fixated only on its mortal rival from ancient ages.

“MRRROOOO~OOOOGH!” Curruid howled in response to its enemy’s taunt.

The pair stared each other down, their eyes full of intense malice and hatred for the other. Before Connla could do anything, a strange voice echoed from the white creature, “Tell me – are you my Master?”

“Uh…”

“I am not a Servant in the traditional sense, but I have responded to your summons nonetheless. I am the Beast of Swells, the antithesis to the Beast of Billows - Coinchenn. As per our pact, I shall stand against this mindless fool whilst you challenge your true opponent.”

Curruid seemed to take offense to Coinchenn’s retort, because it rushed up to its rival and slammed its full weight against the white-scaled monster. Connla squeezed her eyes shut and held tight to the reins to avoid being blown off.

“Go, Master! You must hurry!” Coinchenn implored as it wrapped its tentacles around Curruid’s spikes to immobilize it.

“Y-Yeah!” she uttered and commanded Liath to gallop away from the battle.

Coinchenn struggled to keep Curruid pinned down, and the latter roared while trying to break free in a crazed frenzy. Coinchenn shouted, “Come to your senses already! You are not meant to be a tool for another’s purposes! Where is that pride as ruler of the seas you so clung to back in our days of endless battle!?”

“MUUUOOOHHH! AAAAAGH! AH… YOU… YOU’RE-!”

“Come on! Say my name! Tell me who I am!”

“YOU’RE… You’re… You can’t be! Is that you, Coinchenn!?” Curruid’s own voice eventually took shape and spoke coherently.

“About time you came to, you plebeian! Look at you, losing your eye to a little girl like that! You clearly have no shame!”

“Shut it, you mangy cur! That tyrant’s curse had come over me!”

“You’re pathetic! Allowing some mere Fomorian to dominate you! We’re supposed to be greater in strength and dignity than those lesser creatures!”

“Oh, like you could’ve done any better, you tentacled freak of nature! Why don’t you go back to the bottom of the sea where you belong and become barnacle bait already!?”

“That’s my line, you ostentatious oaf! You should have been chum for the sharks ages ago!”

“Wretch!”

“Coward!”

“Bastard!”

“Asshole!”

It didn’t take long for their argument to devolve into pointless bickering, followed by wasteful thrashing and splashing around. Connla watched them in bewildered silence, then asked Liath, “Uhh… Are they really fighting, or are they just quarreling with each other?”

The horse merely snorted in disinterest.

Before Connla could do anything to break up the duo’s epic disagreement, that was when the distinct sound of a person clapping their hands in applause resounded behind her. This was followed by a woman’s voice declaring, “Oh, my, my, my, my! I didn’t think you had it in you to challenge an ancient sea monster by yourself! Bravo, my dear, bravo! What a truly splendid show that was! Certainly tops what you pulled off back in the tournament! Plus you were able to summon Coinchenn? I’d say that’s quite the miracle, but I’m certain Manannan must’ve had a hand in this.”

Connla whirled her head around to face the Tree of Emptiness and spotted the pink-haired Queen of Connacht. She exclaimed in surprise, “Queen Medb!”

“Eh he he he. Now I know for sure – you’re just as inhuman as Scathach was. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re another Cuchulainn in the flesh. You wouldn’t happen to be related to him, would you? I don’t think that wench would take in such a dainty-looking little whelp unless you had some sort of lineage with her most famous pupil.”

“I’m her niece, at the very least.”

“Perhaps, but I doubt that’s all there is. Well, that’s okay. You don’t need to say anything else. Your battle scent tells me everything I need to know.”

Connla became bewildered. “My battle scent?”

“A scent that warriors only emanate when they are in the throes of heated combat. It is a musk that the original Medb loved, and what attracted her to sleep with so many strong men. Back in the days of yore, my kind were able to differentiate you humans based on that scent. Yours is the same as Lugh’s… and Cuchulainn’s, for that matter. A pity I had not detected it back when we met the first time. If I had, I would’ve taken your head and shoved it in Cuchulainn’s face without a second thought.”

The girl narrowed her eyes once she realized Medb wasn’t talking like her usual self. She recalled what Manannan told her about the queen’s true nature, then declared, “You’re not Queen Medb at all. You’re the entity that Lord Manannan called Domination.”

Medb paused. After a moment of unsettling silence, her lips curved into a hideous sneer, and she started laughing in sheer mirth.

“Ah ha… Ah hah hah hah! Ah hah hah hah hah hah HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH!”

Connla brandished her spear and shouted in a feral tone, “Who are you!?”

“Hah hah hah… Who am I? Who AM I, inDEED…”

The queen’s voice began to distort into a hideous sound that would make gods beg for mercy. It was deep and terrifying, reverberating so much that one’s entire body could be liquefied into jelly from the vibrations. Medb’s top tore itself apart, followed by the rest of her one-piece black bodysuit so that she was fully nude. That was when Connla finally got a good look at the third eye and the countless veins nestled between the wicked queen’s breasts like some sort of unspeakable parasite. The elated woman’s expression was dark and sinister as she continued laughing, spreading her arms out in sheer joy.

“Finally… FINALLY… I am FREE! I no LONGER… have to PREtend… to be a… HUMAN!”

The blood vessels around the third eye suddenly sprung from Medb’s chest like tentacles and began latching themselves to Circinus’ white bark, worming their way through in a disgusting display of wriggling and writhing. Connla’s jaw dropped in revulsion, but she couldn’t tear her eyes away from this unholy spectacle. Medb’s third eye was sucked out of her body into the alien tree, and her lifeless husk plummeted into the sea to dissolve into froth. As the mutant eye merged with the tree, the grotesque voice began to speak so loudly that it reached all the way to the southernmost reaches of Munster:

“Hear me… MAGGOTS of the… Celtic ISLES! I am… the hellfire SUN itself! I scorch ALL… and command FEALTY… from EVERY living being… in EXISTENCE! I am… your WORST nightmares… incarNATE! I am… the ONE-Eyed… Fomorian TYRANT… and Beast V/L… the BEAST of… DomiNATION! Prostrate before ME… and TREMBLE… at the sound of… my NAME!”

Countless slits spontaneously creased along Circinus’ shell. Then, one by one, they opened up as red-colored eyeballs. As they did so, a much larger crease formed until its eyelids likewise parted to reveal the primary eye – a monstrosity of multiple pupils framed by a soupy mixture of garnet, chartreuse and aubergine within its irises, with some sort of undefined substance leaking from its sides and running down the Tree of Emptiness. The distinct pupils seemed to move independently of each other as they all focused on Connla. Every single eye dilated in distinct umbrage as the voice behind them let out a horrible roar:

“B… BA… BAAA~AAALLLOOO~OOO~OOORRR~RRRR!”

Galway

After Cuchulainn left, Fergus, Ferdiad, Conall and Lugaid hurried back outside to see what the situation was with the berserk Braves. The sight that greeted them was nothing short of horrific. No one was spared their wrath. Blood and body parts stained the once-pristine streets bright red. Some sections of the city were deathly silent, while others were filled with the clamoring and shrieking of citizens and soldiers as they did their utmost to survive against this unwarranted chaos. Fergus and Conall split up to see if they could assist, while Ferdiad guided Lugaid to the town’s entrance where several people had managed to flee to.

As they approached the crowd of stunned survivors, a large piece of rubble was hurled at them from the side. Ferdiad pushed Lugaid out of the way just in time for both of them to avoid being struck. A woman let out a horrified scream as she spotted one of the mutated Braves lumbering toward the group. The inhuman creature let out a chilling laugh and launched himself at the frightened people, thoroughly intent on reducing them into bloody paste.

“I DON’T THINK SO!” Ferdiad shouted and blocked the Brave’s path, locking their hands together and forcing each other into a struggle not unlike sumo wrestling. The impervious scales lining Ferdiad’s flesh started to steam up as he activated their ability to resist any and all penetrating attacks. In Proper Human History, these scales were the reason why Cuchulainn couldn’t easily use Gae Bolg on Ferdiad during their duel – they were powerful enough to even defy the cursed spear’s reversal of causality, much like the paradox with the sword that cut through anything versus the shield that defended from everything. In the Lostbelt though, they could be put to good use protecting his countrymen from this monster’s wrath, bolstering Ferdiad’s strength to god-like levels if only temporarily.

Unfortunately, holding the Brave back was the best Ferdiad could manage in this state. He didn’t want to risk getting into a full-blown fight if it meant getting the citizens caught up in it. Ferdiad glared at Lugaid and cried out, “H-Hurry! Get everyone… out!”

The stunned Prince of Munster shook his head to regain his senses and nodded, shouting to the survivors, “We must leave at once! I will offer you all refuge in Munster!”

“But my husband!” another woman bawled. “I-I lost my husband along the way! I can’t possibly leave without him!”

“What about my son!? He was supposed to be at work in the castle!” a desperate father shouted.

Lugaid placed his hand upon his chest and implored, “I understand your feelings! Truly, I do! But we must allow the soldiers to fight these monsters without threat to your lives! Your duty right now is to live, for their sake! I promise that we will send a search party to find your loved ones once this battle concludes!”

Everyone glanced at each other, unsure of what to make of the prince’s claims. They had heard the rumors about Lugaid mac Con Roi’s penchant for looking down upon the citizenry, so how could they be sure he wasn’t lying to them now? As the people wondered how to respond, they suddenly gasped when they saw Ferdiad being tossed to the ground. Although he fought with every ounce of strength he possessed, he was still getting overwhelmed by the Brave’s sheer weight and size.

“GHHH~HHHH!” the warrior snarled, his eyes so wide open that they could pop out of their sockets.

“MWA HA HA HA HA! DIE, DIE, DIE, DIE, DIII~IIIEEE!” the lunatic Brave squealed in delight at his opponent’s desperation.

“S-Shit… So this is… a Fomorian’s… true power!”

A woman uttered, “Did he just say a Fomorian!? As in the monsters of ancient legend!?”

“Preposterous! The Braves are supposed to be Medb’s most loyal soldiers! How can they be Fomorians!?” a man demanded in an incredulous tone. “Are you telling me she actually had monsters at her beck and call!? What does that say about Medb herself!?”

Lugaid tried to calm everyone by exclaiming, “That is not important right now! We must leave, and fast!”

“Lies! I won’t believe anything you say, you idiot prince! You were one of Medb’s biggest supporters during Ulster’s fall! You and that worthless wench must’ve been in cahoots with those godforsaken Fomorians to defeat Cuchulainn and usurp Ulster!”

“That’s not true! I’m only discovering all of this myself!”

“Typical!” an older woman retorted. “Throw the queen under the chariot to save your own skin! You royals are all the damn same! Screw Munster! I’m taking my family to Leinster! Maybe there we’ll finally enjoy some semblance of peace and quiet without you overprivileged freaks making our lives any worse than they already are!”

“Yeah, that’s right! Let’s go to Leinster!”

“Forget this trash and run for Leinster!”

“Connacht and Munster can rot for all I care!”

Lugaid’s jaw dropped in horror. He thought the populace would see his newfound commitment to protecting them and rally behind him, but his past disdain for them was catching up to him at the worst possible time. His heart sunk as he realized that he would likely need to spend the rest of his life restoring the people’s trust in him, and the prospect frightened him.

“HNNGH… GH… Wh-What are you doing, Lugaid!? Hurry it up already!” Ferdiad roared while being crushed beneath the Brave’s elephant-like weight.

“Hee hee hee hee! Be crushed, you insignificant bug! I wanna see your blood and guts splatter all over the place!” the Brave giggled in delight.

As much as Ferdiad wanted to resist, he was losing his strength. Although his impervious skin and muscles would not be broken so easily, he felt like his internal organs were going to explode at a moment’s notice. Just as he was about to lose consciousness, the monster let out an unusual gasp and jerked its head back, relieving some of the pressure off of Ferdiad. The warrior looked up and noticed some sort of thick rope tightly coiled around the Brave’s neck and getting tighter with each second.

Before Ferdiad could ask what was going on, he heard Lugaid call out, “Laeg!”

Indeed, the red-haired charioteer was the one responsible for lashing his whip around the enemy’s throat in an effort to rescue Ferdiad. It worked, because the stricken warrior was about to get back up and wrap his own fingers around the Brave’s throat as well, adding his own strength to Laeg’s. It didn’t take long for a sickening CRUNCH sound to be heard, followed by the monster collapsing upon the dirt, dead as could be.

Laeg retrieved the tip of his whip and declared, “Thousand pardons fer me tardiness, mate.”

“Hey, better late than never,” Ferdiad smirked, overwhelmed with joy to see his fellow Champion. “What’s the situation in the city?”

“Couldn’t tell ye. Took everythin’ I ‘ad just t’git me men an’ some folks outta there wit’ our ‘ides intact. ‘Fraid it’s purty much a lost cause.”

“I wouldn’t be so quick to conclusions. Fergus and Conall are helping out where they can. At most, we should be able to destroy the Braves so they don’t follow the survivors.”

“Dun be daft, lad! Y’nearly got flattened into an ‘otcake there!”

“I’ll be fine,” Ferdiad gasped as he stumbled back to his feet. “I’ll keep the gates guarded, if you and Lugaid can get everyone out of here. Trouble is, most of the townsfolk don’t seem too keen on following Lugaid. Some would rather escape to Leinster.”

“Aye, that be a thorn in our craw,” Laeg admitted. “Alas, we cannae force all to flee to Munster if they bear ill-tidings towards its leader. T’would be asking fer even more needless hardship. Lugaid, what say ye guide those willin’ t’follow ye t’Munster, whilst I escort the rest t’Leinster?”

Lugaid nodded and said, “That sounds like a fine pl-“

Before he could finishing speaking though, a horrendous roar bellowed throughout the air all around them, forcing everyone to cover their ears. As the vicious reverberations died down, the entire crowd eventually made out a single name being bellowed through the cacophony.

Inside Galway

“BALOOO~OOORRR~RRR!”

As Fergus withdrew the spinning Caladbolg out of a Brave’s skewered chest, he whirled around in astonishment after hearing that name echoing all around him. He clenched his teeth and immediately looked toward the Tree of Emptiness. His worst fears were realized when he noticed the gigantic red eye plastered all over the side of the alien white tree.

“I don’t believe this,” he gasped in sheer horror.

He heard the distinct stomping of someone’s huge feet as they lumbered toward him. He glared at another hideously mutated Brave that was approaching him, and the beast chuckled, “That’s right! Believe it! Our leader has finally revived!”

“Well, well, well… I didn’t think you brutes were capable of such an insidious conspiracy. I suppose I’ve given your intellect too little credit - when it comes to terrorizing humans, you creatures sure know how to put your heads together.”

“We Fomorians will return to claim this land as our own! Not this particular hunk of deteriorating earth, mind you! No, what Lord Balor seeks is an Ireland to seize as his own! One where all will bow to his will, regardless if they be human, mage, god, beast, or anything else! Not even the monsters who dwell within the cosmos are exempt from his rule! Taoide Olc stood in his way for the last 15 years, but that all ends today! Lord Balor’s only purpose is to dominate, and to crush anyone who opposes him! You, your fellow humans, and even Taoide Olc are naught but mere bugs for Lord Balor to swat away!”

“My, my. While your little spiel is quite entertaining in its own right, I’ve got no time to listen to your bellowing,” Fergus muttered as he plunged Caladbolg’s tip into the ground. “One destructive rainbow, coming right up.”

“I think not!” the Fomorian retorted and tried to rush him down. Before the monster could reach him though, a streak of pure white light gouged out one of its arms with no effort whatsoever, alarming it so much that it halted in mid-step. Fergus didn’t need to look back to know who was responsible for the blindside, and grinned in satisfaction.

“Caladbolg!” he called out.

The earth beneath the Fomorian’s feet rose, then burst like a bubble, releasing a destructive wave of multicolored light that tore through its body with terrifying ease. It didn’t last a minute, but when the energy settled down, there was nothing left of the monster. Once everything returned to silence, Fergus heard a pair of regular feet landing behind him, and he remarked, “Nice save there, Conall.”

The swordsman deactivated Curaidin Catutchenn’s searing light and sheathed it, then said, “Is it just me, or are you getting a little sloppy, old man?”

“Nah, I’m as sharp as ever. I’m just caught off guard by hearing Balor’s name.”

“No shit,” Conall grumbled. “If that’s who Medb really was, then I can’t believe he managed to survive Lugh’s attack all those years ago. Maybe I was wrong to hate Medb this whole time when it should’ve been Balor.”

“Don’t worry about it. Medb wasn’t too different from what you’ve seen, although she still loved her people far more than Balor ever could. He probably had to keep up the act to be as convincing as possible, but he couldn’t completely cloak his more sadistic tendencies. That’s why some of us started to suspect that something was wrong with her.”

“Well, whatever. Now that we know who we’re dealing with, shouldn’t we go help Cuchulainn fight him?”

Fergus shook his head. “There’s no way for us to reach them from so far away. We have to leave it to Cathbad and Cuchulainn, and concentrate on getting the survivors to safety.”

“Good gods…” Conall gasped and stared at the possessed Circinus. He knew Connla was all alone out there, potentially face-to-face with one of the Lostbelt’s two biggest threats. He despised himself for not being able to do anything, but he knew he had no choice. He clenched his teeth and tore his eyes away from the sight, following Fergus back to Galway’s entrance.

Cuchulainn… you better take that monstrosity down, even if it’s just for Connla’s sake. If you don’t, I’ll never, EVER forgive you.

Outskirts of Galway

Lugaid’s eyes widened in sheer desperation. His throat was dry, and his mouth was agape as he uttered, “Uh… A-Am I just imagining things… or did that voice just say ‘Balor’?”

“Nay, yer not ‘maginin’ things, mate. I ‘eard it loud an’ clear too,” Laeg said.

Ferdiad looked confused as he struggled to figure out where the source of that horrible noise came from. Suddenly, he heard one of the children cry out, “Look! Crann Ban is all glowy!”

An unidentifiable horror washed over the warrior’s mind as he and everyone else turned their focus toward the strange white tree out in the middle of the ocean. After hearing Cuchulainn and Medb’s revelations, Ferdiad didn’t want to consider the possibility… but it had to be true. If Medb had been disguising Fomorians to be her Red Branch Braves, the only explanation was that she had to be a powerful Fomorian herself to be able to command them in the first place. Ferdiad couldn’t fathom what her true identity was at first, but after hearing that dreaded name, it all finally made sense.

All he could do was whisper a few mortified words under his breath:

“Gods, have mercy on us…”

Northern Ulster

The many druids who surrounded the summoning circle alongside Cathbad started to tremble as they too heard Balor’s name. The elderly druid’s heart pounded and visible beads of sweat rolled down his cheek, but he remained resolute for his vassals’ sake.

“It’s hopeless! There’s no way we can fight against something like that!” one druid panicked, losing his focus on the summoning ritual.

“Do not falter, you louts!” Cathbad shouted at the top of his voice. “You knew this day would come, as I foretold! Besides, we’re not the ones challenging the Fomorian Tyrant! That is what Lord Lugh shall do on our behalf!”

“But no matter how much we perform the ritual, he will not be summoned unless his descendant dies!”

“Worry not. I asked Morrigan to ensure that Lugh’s granddaughter will perish in her battle against the Tree of Emptiness. Scathach’s preparations were all for this moment as well. Everything is in place. Since Lugh’s progeny is already on her way to the battle, it shall not take much longer. We must continue to do our part until then.”

“Ngh… I-I trust you, Lord Cathbad. But…”

“Make that trust more implicit, you fool. My plan is perfect. As long as you all remain vigilant, Balor shall not escape us. We shall drag him down into Hell with us, if that’s what it takes to finally eradicate him.”

“… Yes, sir.”

Nearby, Emer stood atop the highest boulder she could find and stared longingly at the Tree of Emptiness, keeping her back turned to the crowd of druids casting their spells. She held the Mini Cu doll close to her chest, using her thoughts for Cuchulainn and Connla as a source of strength so she didn’t break down in a fit of crying. After learning the truth from Cathbad back at her cottage, she refused to leave his side. She wanted to be there to witness everything, and so followed him to the site of the summoning. As much as Emer wanted to argue with Cathbad for using Connla as a disposable tool, she knew the situation had spiraled so far out of her control that no amount of debating on her part would change anything.

Thus, she decided to not get in Cathbad’s way. She would watch everything unfold and accept whatever the outcome was. Her biggest hope was that Cuchulainn would resolve everything before Connla would have to die, but after seeing how powerful Balor truly was, Emer was rapidly losing faith in that scenario. It was a cruel reality, but sacrifices needed to be made to defeat a bona fide Evil of Humanity. Emer hated how she couldn’t do anything about it. The only thing which consoled her was how Cathbad guaranteed that Connla did not know the truth whatsoever. It had been her own choice to challenge Circinus, so Emer needed to accept that.

Cuchulainn… Connla… Do your best. We’re all counting on you… even Lugh himself.

Northern Atlantic Ocean

The very air trembled in response to the monster’s declaration. The ocean all around Circinus looked as though it wanted to retreat from this inhuman creature, violently radiating around it as an array of huge tsunamis. The scream was so loud that every entity that lived on the Celtic Isles, humans and ghosts alike, heard it.

All rational thought escaped Connla. She was no longer able to understand what was going on, other than that she was all alone with a vile atrocity that was believed to be long dead.

This… can’t be. That thing is… Balor?

Her mind froze precisely because she knew who the self-styled Fomorian Tyrant was. She learned it from her history lessons – that the Celtic regions once suffered from constant chaos, war, and suffering at the hands of the unholy sea monsters known as the Fomorians. They were the enemies of Ireland’s first settlers, and the mortal rivals of the Celtic pantheon, the Tuatha de Danann. The Fomorians were vicious plunderers and usurpers, said to represent the more wild and destructive powers of nature, whereas the Tuatha represented nature’s more benevolent side. The two sides were locked in mortal combat for ages, until the Fomorians were eventually driven to extinction so that the Tuatha and humans could live there in peace.

One of the most notorious leaders of the Fomorians was Balor, a warmongering giant who possessed a cursed eye that could wreck total destruction upon anything it looked at, and thus needed to be sealed by a ring that was so heavy that it took four of the strongest men to open it. Balor wasn’t the king of the Fomorians, but he certainly was feared for his unhinged personality, sheer cruelty, and lust for causing devastation upon others. He was often called the personification of the scorching sun, unable and unwilling to keep his power in check as he battled the Tuatha with sheer ferocity, even so much as sacrificing his own troops if it meant giving him an advantage.

In Proper Human History, Balor’s downfall began when his wife Cethlenn prophesized that he would be slain in battle by his grandson. His imprisoned daughter Ethniu eloped with the Tuatha hero Cian, and they gave birth to triplet sons. Balor had the babies drowned in a whirlpool to avert the prophecy. However, one of the children survived and was raised in secrecy by Manannan mac Lir. This son was given the name Lugh Lamfada, and grew up to be talented in numerous disciplines so he could join the Tuatha. In adulthood, Lugh met Balor in battle during the Second Battle of Mag Tuired, where he fired a tremendous shot from his sling – powerful enough to burst through the back of Balor’s head and misfire his deadly eye at his own Fomorian troops as he fell to the ground dead. This was the reason why Lugh was a candidate for the status of Grand Archer.

But this was not Proper Human History - this was a Lostbelt. In a surprising moment of clarity, Connla imagined what Cuchulainn’s position would have been like when he saw that eye opening on Medb’s chest 15 years ago. It was a miniature version of the very same abhorrent eyeball she was looking at, but it nonetheless provoked the same terror in him. In that moment, he fully understood that Balor was still alive, and was using Medb’s corpse as a skinsuit to conceal his true identity. The despair that Cuchulainn felt must have been indescribable, to the point that he gladly discarded his humanity and became Taoide Olc to be the final bastion against Balor.

Connla was certainly experiencing that very same dread right now, if not even worse than that. Balor had merged himself with Circinus, meaning he had a method of escaping the Lostbelt before it was to be Pruned. She wasn’t sure how it worked, but Balor could probably make his way through the Tree of Emptiness’ anchor to Proper Human History and find another timeline that he could unexpectedly manifest in to oppress its unsuspecting inhabitants. This was the scenario that everyone involved – Scathach, Cuchulainn, Cathbad, Morrigan and Manannan – were all afraid of. None of them wanted Connla to get involved any further than assisting them with various tasks, but it was far too late for such sentiment now.

“Ooooogggh! Such… POW… ER! In… CRED… ible!” Balor trembled with excitement. “The TREE… of… EMPTI… ness! It is… NOTHING… like I… IMA… gined! NOW… I can… ESCAPE… this USE… less… time… LINE!”

Connla stepped back and trembled in terror. She wanted to run away. But she couldn’t tear her gaze away from Balor’s numerous eyes, still transfixed on her in unison.

“That… AURA. That… DESPIC… able… STENCH! It is… the SAME! You have… the SAME… blood… as THEM! You are… CU… CHULAINN’S… child! He is… that BASTARD’S… child! That BASATRD… is Ethniu’s… child! Ethniu is… MY child! Ergo… you are… MY DES… CENDANT!” Balor ranted almost incoherently, his rage escalating with each word he struggled to utter.

“I… I’m…” she shuddered. She realized what Balor was going on about, and understood that she was in serious danger.

“Then… it still… STANDS! Cethlenn’s… PROPH… ecy… still STANDS! AAAAAAGH! How… INFURI… ATING! Even after… SURVIVING… the IM… possible! That accursed… P-PR-PROPHECY… STILL HAUNTS ME! I refuse… to be SLAIN… by my… G-G-GRAND… CHILD! I… REFUSE IT! Not when… I am so CLOSE… to finding… a new Ireland… nay… a new WORLD… to trample… beneath my FOOT! Wretched CHILD! You will NOT… stand… in MY way! STAND THERE… and be ERADI… cated… by my un… unf-f-fathoma-able… POWER!”

Before Connla could do anything, Balor’s eyes began to glow simultaneously. Bright red energy gathered before each one, granting them firepower equivalent to a modern-day naval cannon. The primary eye widened and concentrated enough energy to rival a nuclear bomb. If Connla still had her senses intact, she could flee from the scene with all the speed she could muster and outmaneuver the deadly gaze. Unfortunately, she was so scared that she couldn’t even think, never mind move her legs.

Balor narrowed his eye, seemingly to concentrate his power upon Connla, as he declared, “Your DEATH… will be… an example… to CUCHULAINN! If he… has any… AFFECTION… for you… then he will SUFFER… the consequences… DEARLY… for DEFYING me!”

She could only watch as the blood-red lights intensified until they turned pure white. Then, a shrill scream overwhelmed the world around her.

“NOOO~OOOOOO~OOOOO~OOOOOO~OOOO!”

An instant before Balor’s destructive beams fired off, a large shadowy figure unleashed the loudest scream of his life as he snatched the dumbfounded Connla in his arms and tackled her away from the blast. The explosion harmlessly detonated along the ocean, causing a massive geyser of seawater to erupt all around them. The piercing sound of space itself being torn apart made Connla faint from terror as she and her savior crashed into the ocean.

Several long minutes of peaceful silence passed by…

“Master! Are you all right!? Pray, open your eyes, Master!”

A deep voice called out within Connla’s psyche, desperate to rouse her awake. Her eyes cracked open, and she found herself deep underwater with a large man holding her close to him in a tight embrace. He seemed to be momentarily unconscious as well, but his heartbeat proved he was alive. She recognized the tattoos on his chest, and immediately realized it was Cuchulainn who saved her. Yet, he wasn’t the one calling out to her.

“Master!” the voice exclaimed. “You’re alive!”

She spotted a huge sea monster circling around them, its white scales glistening with the rays of light dancing from the ocean’s surface. She soon recognized the monster as Coinchenn, but was too weak to respond to him. He understood that his summoner was exhausted, and so positioned himself so that the duo were on his back before he resurfaced with them. Curruid likewise swam up to them, apparently having ceased his argument with Coinchenn once they saw their masters were in peril.

“Ngh… guuuh…” Cuchulainn groaned in sheer agony. He struggled to get on his knees, only able to hunch forward and gasp for air. Connla noticed that the majority of his spiked tail was gone, having been seared into nothing from Balor’s attack. If he hadn’t rescued her, there literally would have been nothing remaining of her as well. Suddenly, she was terrified of what would’ve happened if Balor had directed that attack at the Celtic Isles.

“Shit… was I too late?” Cuchulainn grumbled.

Too late? For what, exactly? Before she could ask him, he glared in the direction of the floating islands, and she likewise looked to see what was going on. Her heart sunk like a stone in water. The area around the war zone had either been obliterated or reduced to smoldering rock. The land itself strained from the damage of suddenly being cut into pieces by such an intense attack, with a great portion of northern Connacht plunging into the sea below. Anyone unfortunate enough to be caught in the blast had been painlessly reduced to ashes before they knew what had happened.

Uncle Fergus… Conall… Lord Cathbad…

“Oh gods…” Connla trembled and wept, believing that everyone was dead.

“Damn it,” Cuchulainn cursed. However, he would not be caught up in grief and panic like she was. He inspected her and said, “Looks like you’re still in one piece.”

“I-I’m sorry… I-I sh-shouldn’t have… come here. B-But I saw that… something was wrong with… C-C-Circ-c-cinus… so I wanted to… i-i-investigate…” she blubbered.

“I know. I saw it too. Medb… Or should I say, Balor was shedding his human guise and merging with the Tree of Emptiness. He also caused Curruid to go insane for a while before I regained control. Manannan told me that you were on your way here, so I hurried to catch up to you.”

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry… I caused so much trouble for you…”

“Enough. I’m not mad at you. You didn’t know this was going to happen. I’m the one who was afraid to tell you everything.”

She looked around, then asked, “Where’s Liath?”

She couldn’t find the grey horse anywhere. Cuchulainn shook his head and replied, “He jumped in front of us to shield you.”

Connla became deathly silent. She knew there was no way the steed could survive such an onslaught. He was likely reduced to particles floating in the sea by now. Her mind was so numb that she couldn’t contemplate grieving for his loss right now.

“Just get the hell out of here,” Cuchulainn commanded while standing up to glare intensely at Balor, summoning Gae Bolg in his hand. “This moment is the very reason I became the God of Destruction, Taoide Olc. I’m the only one in this world who has any chance of defeating Balor now. Have Manannan hide you in Emain Ablach until all of this blows over.”

She stared up at his monstrous yet gallant form as he stood between her and Balor, hunched in a battle stance in preparation to fight the Fomorian tyrant. Connla knew that Cuchulainn wanted to protect her… but she didn’t like this scenario whatsoever. She was terrified of it being a repeat of when Scathach told her to flee from the Land of Shadows. If Scathach died then, how would Connla feel if Cuchulainn perished here in a similar manner, both times to protect her as she ran away? Living with such shame once was bad enough. Having to do it all over again would probably crush her spirit.

She shook her head, then unsteadily got onto her feet and murmured, “I… refuse.”

Now Cuchulainn was upset with Connla, and he barked, “Don’t be insane! You can’t fight Balor like this!”

“I can, if I’m with you.”

“But-!”

“Or are you saying I’ll just get in the way? That you’d prefer to do it all by yourself? I thought you told me many times that I shouldn’t do everything by myself, yet look at you now.”

He exhaled a flabbergasted gasp. She was right to an extent, but he didn’t want to admit it. He uttered, “That’s not it! You don’t have the strength to challenge him!”

“Maybe I can’t do anything about his main eye. But perhaps I can distract the smaller ones so you can focus on the primary one. Besides, have you forgotten?” Connla asked as she wielded her spear. Many cracks formed on the surface, and the paint disintegrated to reveal her smaller Gae Bolg. “Teacher gave this to me for such an occasion.”

Cuchulainn widened his eyes and clenched his teeth. He really had forgotten about her hidden weapon. After a brief moment of consideration, he sighed in resignation and said, “Once we start, there’s no going back. No time for regrets, got it?”

“Yes. If there’s anything I want to accomplish, it’s giving Lord Cathbad enough time.”

“Right… the Grand Servant…” he murmured. He smirked and muttered, “Given the circumstances, I’m pretty certain of who’s going to be summoned.”

“Lord Manannan told me everything. But we can’t have Balor destroy the Celtic Isles until the summoning is finished.”

“So we direct his attention away from the island. No problem,” his fanged grin grew even wider.

The duo leapt off of Coinchenn’s back, and Cuchulainn used some Runes to help them stand atop the water in front of the two sea monsters. Although Connla wanted to stand side-by-side with Cuchulainn, he brusquely got in front of her, indicating that he wanted her behind him at all times. All of them stared up at the blood-red eye as it turned its gaze down upon them.

“Cu… CHULAINN…” Balor growled. “Or should I CALL you… the OTHER half of Beast V?”

Cuchulainn’s smirk was both ugly and defiant. “Fine by me.”

“Huh? What is this Beast V thing about?” Connla wondered.

He frowned a bit, then said, “The Beasts are the penultimate Evils of Humanity, each representing a sin that is intrinsically tied with human growth itself. There are seven of them, and Balor and I are two aspects of the fifth Beast. We represent the constant struggle between Domination and Destruction –opposing sides of the same coin, or the two different outcomes that humanity ultimate strives for. If Balor is Beast V/L, or Liege, then I am Beast V/R, or Ravage.”

She widened her eyes and thought, It’s just like what Lord Manannan told me…

“INDEED…” Balor replied. “Destruction… and Dominance… CANNOT co-exist. One must be SUPERIOR. If ONE of us awakens, the OTHER will at the SAME TIME… and we COMPETE… to decide the ultimate END of humanity.”

Connla widened her eyes in astonishment. This was the real truth behind Cuchulainn and Medb’s feud? It was all over two Beasts competing to decide this world’s future?

The Fomorian god continued, “Of course, humanity NEVER seeks Destruction. It wants to live, FOREVER. That is why Dominance will ALWAYS win. Unchanging, PERPETUAL continuity is the goal for ALL humans. Admit it, Beast V/R – you LOST before you EVER had the chance. I am the ONE and ONLY Beast V humanity ever NEEDS!”

Cuchulainn licked some blood off of his face and growled, “I don’t think so. Though humans may fear Destruction, the rebirth that comes after it gives them hope. Dominance takes it away, content on losing itself to depravity while burying the repercussions. Hell, Dominance is the very foundation that the incarnations of Beast VI feed upon, and which Beast VII wholly embodies. That’s why I became the Beast of Destruction, Taoide Olc – to give Proper Human History back the hope that you’re trying to snatch for yourself.”

“PAH! NONSENSE! You’re BUTTERING yourself up so much that it makes me SICK! Begone from my sight, FOUL MONSTROSITY!”