Disclaimer: "Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog" and its characters are owned by Saban as well as whomever else was involved with the creation and production of this show. Any new characters and story lines that come into play are of my own creation. No copyright infringement is intended. This is a fanfiction intended for entertainment purposes only and no money is being made off of it.

Chapter 14: Brothers Bound by Battle

Griffin was angry but also knew that Nemain didn't want what was best for Kells or Temra or anywhere. All she wanted was to cause destruction and despair, to control others and have power. He knew that if he hadn't been so misguided, he would have known Nemain's true intentions. He had allowed his own feelings, his own beliefs corrupt himself. He had to make things right.

"Brother," Garrett said, looking at Griffin, "we need to stop her."

Griffin's gaze looked beyond what was right in front of him. He had become what he had always fought against and that was someone who put themselves before their kingdom and their people. He had aligned himself with Nemain to gain the Rod of Enchantment so he could stop the Mystic Knights by fighting magic weapons with a magical tool.

He had seen the failures and the flaws in each one of them, but he had failed to see the failures and flaws in himself.

"I shall destroy you and your friends," Nemain called out as she held the Rod before her, walking among the statues. "It shall be simple since Griffin has turned them into stone." She stopped at Aderyn and placed the point of the Rod on Aderyn's heart. "So simple."

"I need my Mystic Weapon to call upon my armor," Garrett hissed.

Griffin could hear the fear in his brother's voice but knew that Nemain would take her time so he didn't answer. Instead, he thought of a way to stop Nemain, but he knew that Garrett wouldn't go along with it. He looked over at the Mystic Knight of Forest, knowing what he had to do.

"Garrett," he said firmly, yet with ease, "I need you to go over there." He pointed to the far left. "Follow this line of stones and shrubs. I will distract her while you go behind that boulder. Then you need to wait for my signal so you can rush out and grab your weapons." He watched his brother's face out of the corner of his eye, wondering if the younger man suspected anything. Thankfully, Garrett had fallen into the old pattern of following and obeying his older brother without asking any questions as he responded by nodding his head.

Griffin gathered himself and scooted out from behind the little wall. He stood and faced Nemain, who had been pointing the Rod at each of the statues in turn. "Nemain, we had a deal."

She scoffed as she turned towards him, holding the Rod aloft, her dark eyes blazing like black pitch. "Deal, Prince Griffin? There is no deal." She sent a blast towards him, but he dove to the left, the blast leaving blackened earth and smoldering grass where he had been standing.

He bounded to his feet, his eyes watching Nemain warily but he knew he had to give Garrett time. "I was to take over Kells and Temra, not you. I was to teach them," he said as he waved his hand over at the statues, "what ruling a kingdom truly meant."

"You are swift on your feet and you did retrieve the Rod of Enchantment from that Hag for me. I never had any intention for you to teach the Mystic Knights and their little friends a lesson." She sent two blasts at him, but he dodged them.

She tilted her head back and cackled. "I am rather entertained with the dance, but I think it is time that it is ended." She sent two more blasts towards him, which he nearly avoided, but he couldn't avoid a third one that struck him on his chest. Griffin stumbled a few steps before falling to the ground and didn't move.

Garrett had accepted Griffin's plan and when his brother had stood up and began talking to Nemain; he had stealthy been moving away while Griffin had gotten to his feet to distract Nemain. He knew that Griffin wouldn't be able to keep Nemain distracted for long.

He focused on his weapons, taking glances over at Nemain and Griffin, having seen the blasts that the evil sorceress had sent at Griffin.

He saw his brother out of the corner of his eye and gave him a slight nod of his head, telling him that he was all right. He raised his right hand and sent him the signal that they had come up with when they were little.

While Griffin continued to distract Nemain, Garrett retrieved his Twin Timber Axes. When he looked over, he saw Nemain send out two blasts and then a third, which struck Griffin in his chest.

He knew that he had to help his brother as he held his right-handed axe aloft and called upon his brown and gold armor.

The Mystic Knight sent a series of blasts from his weapons, which Nemain deflected. He sent several more as he ran from right to left and then right again. When he reached his fallen brother, he sent out some more blasts at Nemain giving him a chance to put his hands under his brother's arms and pulled him out of harm's way. Once safe behind the boulder, he turned his brother over onto his back. He was relieved to see that Griffin opened his eyes. "Griffin," he said softly.

"Brother, I was wrong. I have come to learn that a king or queen have flaws but what makes them true leaders is the desire to try his or her best to help people, even though, sometimes, they fail. They are only human after all." He coughed and Garrett squeezed his brother's hand. "It is the heart that makes them strong, not how they wield a sword."

Griffin pulled Garrett closer to him and whispered in his ear. The Mystic Knight of Forest shook his head, but Griffin held firmly onto his brother. Reluctantly, Garrett nodded his head and accepted his brother's plan as he helped his brother up to his feet, and tried not to look at the wound on his brother's chest.

The Mystic Knight of Forest stood up and sent blast after blast from his Mystical weapons giving his brother time to get closer to Nemain.

Griffin took step after step as he closed in on his target and when one of the wayward energy bolts from the Rod had grazed his arm, he held onto that arm and continued on.

Griffin grabbed Nemain's wrist that held the Rod of Enchantment. He used his free hand to pull the Gorgon Medallion from around his neck and held it before Nemain.

Nemain sneered at him and used her free hand to grab onto his wrist and dug her talon-sharp nails deep into his skin.

Griffin grimaced in pain, but ignored the blood flowing from the wound, and continued to hold on.

Garrett had second thoughts as he rushed towards the struggling prince and the sorceress. "Griffin, there must be another way," he called out, knowing that there was always hope.

Griffin met his brother's eyes, stopping the Mystic Knight in his tracks. "There is no other way. I am undoing the evil that I have done."

He brought the Gorgon Medallion to his lips. Unknown words of an ancient language flowed from his lips.

Garrett could only watch as a dark, green light from the two stones of the medallion encircled Nemain and Griffin. Tendrils of lights shot out and wrapped around each of the statues. The tendrils pulsated with energy, going from the statues to the two where the magical energy flowed.

Bright, blinding flashes of light caused Garrett to look away and shield his eyes with his arm. He felt his skin tingling as a surge of magical energy permeated the air and suddenly the light vanished like a torch being dowsed in a bucket of water.

Garrett lowered his arm and opened his eyes. He could feel the magic ebbing way as he saw that Nemain and Griffin where standing exactly where they had been when he had closed his eyes, but he saw that they both had been turned into stone; dark stone that seemed to absorb the light around them and made them lifeless.

He looked over at his friends and was glad to see that they all had been returned to flesh and blood and when his gaze locked onto Aderyn, he ran over to her, sending his armor away, and pulled her into his arms.