Hi there! The idea for this story started somewhere with an image of Diarmuid as a child and Cu taking care of him. And I never meant to take it so far, but I got some good support from my friends, saying I should continue writing.
I usually update the chapters on the weekend. I had to merge some of them, as they were short. I originally posted this on FB and dA with pictures included. You are very welcome to look them up.
( MannaAngel. deviantArt. com)
The story is situated in a parallel verse in the past. With my OC included.
The themes may be shocking and indicate abuse, so take care before you read.
It's not necessarily a happy story, but I hope you will enjoy it. Reviews are always appreciated.
The battles of the Caster-type warriors were always a struggle.
And when the last Healer was injured beyond self-help, then the battle would soon be over.
So here we are, a few centuries back in an epic battle. Where different races would still fight in territorial wars.
Some members though would switch sides or work in secret for another nation. Such a case was Manna. The young lady from the Catian Clan, specializing as a Magic Healer. The knights of the order that she had joined wore hoods, so her appearance could be well hidden. And furthermore it was outshined by the dazzling Hound of Chulainn, who would dash through the battlefield like a blue lightning.
He was always on the frontlines, so was Manna. With her enhanced agility she would have no problems keeping up with the rush of the first wave, even to stop to heal a fellow warrior in between.
Yet this battle was nothing but an all-out slaughter. The sides evenly matched, the corpses soon covered the vast grounds, and the masses of warriors would cease their advance; till only he and she would stay standing, facing three dozens of enemy warriors who had begun to fight the remnants with fire.
Manna had picked up a child along the years of service...
She would not take him to the battle, but the little one was quite clingy and had followed her, riding alongside another warrior on his horse. Tho when most of the warriors had fallen, the child stayed stranded upon the pool of corpses. Cu Chulainn had already been giving up. There was no sense in trying to win this lost battle. He would just struggle ahead to find a gate to escape. Manna had been falling behind, with pain in her chest, searching for any survivors. There was where she felt a lively presence and rushed to pull out the child.
With the extra weight in her arms slowing her down she gave her best to catch up with Cu.
There was a bond of friendship between the two, and Cu was relieved to see her running after him, when he glanced behind his back for a moment.
Tho the happiness was short-timed as the remaining enemy soldiers would not cease their frenzied pursuit until they had killed every last one standing.
Cu finally reached the top of the slope, breathing heavily. Below he could see a forest in a valley. Finally, a way out.
The pit-pat of footsteps had not caught up to him, he noticed.
His hearing was numbed to the long exposure to cries of war and clashing of metal.
He turned again only to see his comrade getting her chest holed out by a swordsman and a halberd user. Her choked cries were almost unheard, but she had finished off the enemies with lightning shock from her now exposed cat tail.
She coughed up blood, eyes murky, she touched her away across the ground to the unconscious child she had dropped before. She would walk on, feet staggering, her torso glowing irregularly under her robe. She was far to exhausted to heal herself. Also her mind was in disarray.
When she looked up, breathing in rasps, choking on her own blood, she saw Cu had approached her. How unusual for him to go back in his tracks, she thought. A moment of intense dizziness came over her and she fell to her knees. Cu stopped like suddenly turning to stone. She wouldn't make it, he realized. He would be the only one.
She coughed, then screamed, shocking the blue warrior "Cu! Please! Take him and run!" she held out the child in her shivering arms.
The child must still be alive, Cu reasoned, tho it's body was limp.
He took the child from her arms.
"What about you?" Cu asked and put a hand on her shoulder. He could not see her eyes, as the large hood was covering half of her face. But he could see blood flowing from her mouth and a gashing hole in her chest and stomach, her insides ready to spill on the ground.
She covered her front with her cape, trembling.
"T-Thank you..." she somehow smiled, already feeling delirious. "I won't make it..."
For a moment...Cu saw her arms finally slide down to the ground, her insides between her knees on the ground, until her body gave in completely and slowly laid itself upon the ground.
With a tortured mind he stood up, looking at the child with uncertainty. The little one's body was definitely still warm and faintly breathing.
Wasting more time was no option.
He turned on his heels swiftly and ran...ran...ran.
