Episode 10: Part 2
Stephen stood in a large hallway resembling that of some medieval manor. He still couldn't be quite sure where he was after following Gwydion and Sigurd through a glowing portal, but wherever it was, it could not have been anywhere near Somerset Valley. Before him were four great stone chairs with powerful Elvish Dukes sitting in them. While they all shared a similar noble appearance and bearing, they wore different colors: red, blue, orange, and green. Lining the hall were what looked to be their attendants, servants, and a few heavily armed warriors in armor. Hanging above the servants and soldiers were four large blue banners with a white north star symbol upon them.
After listening to the Elven Dukes speak, Stephen finally took a deep breath and nodded, "I see… so this warlord Balor and his Fomorian army want to attack our worlds, starting with mine. I understand your kings and queens convened this council to start unifying the Four Courts... but there's something I still don't understand. Why me? I don't know anything about magic, or faeries, or any of this. Up until recently, I had no idea this was even real or that the fey existed alongside us humans."
"Ah… but that is where you're wrong child," the Duke of Autumn said gently, "You know much more about our magic than you're aware. You are naturally attuned to faerie magic… it's in your very blood."
"What? No! That's impossible!" Stephen protested. "I grew up like every other normal kid. I may have been adopted, but I was still raised by two mothers and they were never into any of that crazy witchcraft stuff."
The Duke of Spring spoke next, "That may be, but neither of them were ever aware of your true heritage."
"You keep saying that," Stephen stated, "What are you talking about? Are you people spying on me for some reason? What do you know that I don't?"
The four remained silent before the Duke of Winter answered, "We watch over our own and try to protect them… even those who find themselves caught between two worlds. Tell me Stephen, have you ever heard of a Changeling?"
The young man shook his head prompting the Duke of Winter to speak again, "In our world, Changelings are the product of a union between a fey parent and a mortal one. Whether or not they are aware of it, they make a choice when they reach a certain age… usually in early adolescence. Does one become fey like us, or do they become a mortal human?"
Stephen stood frozen in shock while his stomach dropped, "Wait… are you saying I'm part fey? One who unconsciously decided to become human? That's impossible! That means my original mom or dad was a…"
"An Elf? Yes," the Duke of Winter nodded, "In fact it was your father. Surely you've always felt a bit different while growing up? Plagued by a feeling of uncertainty or struggling to find a place in which you could belong?"
Stephen staggered backward, now overcome with questions and confusion about who he was, where he was, and why. Before he could ask another question, the Duke of Summer spoke.
"We have word that Lord Balor has gotten his hands on a terrible artifact that could be used as a weapon and we fear the four knights who defend your town will not be enough to stand against its necromantic power. That is why this Court of Stars wishes to empower you with the means to render them aid. With our sanction comes great authority and responsibility as you wield a combined fraction of our Courts' might."
Stephen blinked, "Wait… you're making me a knight too? How?"
The Duke of Summer gestured to a servant who stepped forward bearing a small wooden box. Inside was a magnificent archer's bracer for the forearm. It was made of silver steel and adorned with ancient Celtic script and decorative star patterns. "With this bracer, you will command the powers of the stars and use them to strike down our enemies."
Stephen took the bracer and hesitantly slipped it on over his forearm. Naturally, it was a perfect fit. He couldn't be entirely certain if there was some coincidence that his own hobby in a martial art was that of archery. But if it meant that he was granted power… power that he could use to achieve even more greatness, well… that sounded like an intriguing proposition.
As he flexed his wrist, Stephen heard the Duke of Winter speak, "Be aware mortal that every exchange with our kind involves a contract or bargain of fair exchange. With the power and authority that we grant you, we expect you to swear commitment to the cause of ridding the world of Balor for us. Is that understood?"
Stephen stopped and tried to calm his breathing. He waited a long moment before slowly nodding, "Yes… I understand."
The Duke of Autumn gestured to the other end of the hallway where he opened a shimmering portal, "Then rise Sir Stephen, Knight of the Silver Stars. Go forth and aid the other Knights in their time of need."
Stephen's face hardened and he turned on his heel walking toward the portal. Wherever he was going now, he had to be ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead and he was going to rely on only himself.
Meanwhile, a fierce battle was already raging in the northern cemetery of Somerset Valley. The four knights clashed weapons against those of the undead zombie warriors created by Leanansidhe and her cauldron of vile magic.
Amid the ringing sounds of steel, Connor pushed through the undead warriors and slashed his way to Leanansidhe. As he vaulted over a few low standing gravestones, he finally reached the general and locked blades with her. As they pushed against each other's weapons, the Summer Knight intensified the flames that radiated from his blade, "Give it up Leanansidhe. We're going to wipe out your zombies just like we did your spriggan troops."
The General sniffed and pushed him aside to put some distance between them, "You make great boasts Summer Knight, yet you understand so little."
As she said that, the other knights combined their attacks to halt the rest of the enemy infantry. Using the increased ambient power of the Winter season, Laura whipped her blade around and called upon the snow underfoot to solidify and trap the Cauldron-Born in place. Quinton and Noelle immediately took the initiative and charged their weapons to unleash several great cleaving blows upon the vulnerable zombie warriors.
In a final burst of frost and ice from the Winter Knight, the three cut their way through the final Cauldron-Born and regrouped to face the Fomorian commander. While the Cauldron-Born had been more heavily armed and skilled than the average spriggan warrior, they had not been especially difficult to defeat in combat either.
"Is that all your boneheads have got Leanansidhe?" Quinton called out with rising confidence, "They weren't that much better than your usual minions."
Leanansidhe smiled, "True enough Spring Knight, but can the spriggans do this?"
She snapped her fingers and to the knights' astonishment, all the undead warriors they had slashed apart began to reassemble themselves and quickly regenerate until they were back to full fighting form.
"Like I said, you will tire long before the Cauldron-Born and when they have slain you, I'll make sure to have you join their ranks."
While the recovered zombie warriors began to encircle the knights and close in, Noelle turned her blade toward the general, "Then I guess that just means we'll have to cut off the head of the snake first. Come on everyone!"
Leanansidhe shrieked as she clashed again with all four knights and deftly swept aside each of their passing strikes. While the knights tried to regroup, the zombies were already upon them attacking from all sides. Connor and Laura tried to make another push toward Leanansidhe but found themselves momentarily blocked by several undead combatants.
"Come on Noelle, we can take her!" Quinton shouted as he rushed forward with his electrically charged weapons.
From nearby, the Autumn Knight hurled her curved blade in her signature boomerang attack to lead Quinton but gasped in dismay as a Cauldron-Born stepped in the way and took the hit for Leanansidhe instead.
Having had their joint attack thrown off, the Spring Knight faltered a moment and brought his weapons around in a wild swing which the fey woman easily deflected. She immediately lashed back and struck Quinton aside with a punishing sword blow before whipping another powerful bolt of magic at Noelle who was tangling with several more minions.
The blast exploded and blew apart several of the skeletal warriors while also throwing Noelle sideways into the cold hard icy ground.
"You'll pay for that!" Laura shouted as she saw her fellow female comrade fall to the turf in a stunned heap. The Winter Knight broke free and assaulted Leanansidhe with a flurry of icy rapier thrusts and slashes which momentarily put the Fomorian leader on the defensive. While Laura was so focused on pressing her attack, she failed to notice a Cauldron-Born sneaking up from behind to strike with a hand axe.
"Look out!" Connor cried as he rushed in beside Laura and blocked the strike from behind. With a flick of his sword, Connor deftly decapitated the skeletal warrior in a counter slash. Laura turned a moment to give him an appreciative nod but the distraction and interference from the other Cauldron-Born troops cost them as Leanansidhe surprised the two knights with a charged counter slash of her own. The brutal strike hurled the two heroes backward to the ground and caused their armor to dispel. As Connor and Laura struggled to regain their senses and help each other rise to their knees, Leanansidhe and her Cauldron-Born closed in for the kill.
"You thought you could best me, did you?" the fey woman said with a cruel laugh, "When I reanimate you, I will make you my personal manservant Summer Knight."
The general raised her blade but gasped as a bright silver bolt of light whizzed by and knocked it from her hand. Both the knights and the Fomorians all stopped and turned in the direction of the bolt to see another knight clad in shining silver armor.
His immaculate silver steel armor bore a passing semblance to the others knights but it was accented further with ornate Celtic script and motifs of star patterns embossed on the plates. Under the mysterious warrior's armor plates was a dark colored hauberk giving him some contrast while in his hand, he hefted a magnificent bow.
"What the hell is going on? Another knight?" Quinton gasped in shock while Noelle staggered over to help him up.
"What is going on here?" Connor muttered as he pulled Laura to her feet but the Winter Knight simply shrugged.
"I haven't the slightest clue."
The silver knight stepped forward and leveled his bow again, "Stand aside monster... unless you want to be brought to justice."
Leanansidhe snarled, "What arrogance! How dare you talk to me like that! Who are you?"
The knight reached to his bow and drew back an enchanted bowstring causing a glowing arrow to materialize, "I am the Silver Knight... chosen champion of the Court of Stars."
The general paused and gasped, "Court of Stars? Then that must mean the Four Courts are beginning to unify."
She turned to her remaining troops and waved them forward, "Kill him!"
The knight released his arrow and the brilliant bolt struck a Cauldron-Born next to her, completely blasting it apart.
The knights watched as the undead zombies charged toward their new ally but the knight was ready for them. He turned his bow and used it as a melee weapon, batting several away and parrying aside a few of their attacks before firing another arrow directly overhead. To everyone's surprise, the silver arrow exploded like a firework in the shape of a brilliant starburst before raining down a slew of smaller bolts upon the zombies in a ring around the knight. As the smoke cleared and the shredded undead soldiers collapsed, the four Hibernian Knights turned to see Leanansidhe had retreated back toward the Tenebrous Cauldron and prepared to make a getaway.
"Hey! Whoever you are, aim for the kettle! Take that thing out!" Laura shouted.
The Silver Knight glanced over and nodded before readying another charged arrow.
Leanansidhe growled and waved her arm, "Fools! We'll finish this another day!"
In a flash, she and the cauldron dematerialized into a jet of dark green smoke which quickly swept over the battlefield and scooped up all the remains of the Cauldron-Born before blowing away in the wind.
Having witnessed the Fomorian retreat, the remaining knights powered down and stood dumbfounded at the newest arrival as he lowered his weapon and walked over to them. As he approached, the archer stopped when he saw Quinton, "Wait… I recognize you. You're one of the other knights?"
Quinton blinked with a flash of surprise and a little bit of apprehension, "Sorry? Do I know you?"
The archer glanced over and saw Laura before giving a nod and removing his helmet. "Stephen Gentum-Smith, at your service."
"You… you're that crazy guy with the bow who tried taking on the demon horse a few months ago," the Winter Knight exclaimed.
Stephen looked to her and tried to give a gallant smile, "You're welcome. I have to say that it all makes sense now why you were there at that battle too."
Stephen was cut off as Connor stepped in, "Listen... we appreciate the help back there but who are you and what is going on? We didn't get word from any of our allies that there was going to be another knight joining the battle."
"Then I'm afraid you've been out of the loop," Stephen said bluntly as he dispelled his own armor leaving his magic archer's bracer on his wrist, "The Court of Stars has sent me to help you because they said you wouldn't be able to handle this new threat on your own."
"Leave it to the fey to act without us when we're the ones fighting their war," Connor muttered sourly.
"Everyone… I don't know what this Court of Stars is, but we should probably go talk to Kristen. She might be able to tell us what's going on or to contact her fellow Druids," said Noelle with a tired sigh.
"Yes," Stephen nodded, "I was told you four have allied yourselves with a Druid of some sort. The Court said your mentor might be able to help and give me more answers."
"No offense Stephen, but we barely know you... or have reason to trust you," Quinton said carefully.
"I'm not looking for it," Stephen replied bluntly, "Honestly, it doesn't really matter to me whether or not I have your trust. The fact of the matter is, we're both fighting the Fomorians together, so you'll just have to consider me an ally… at least for now."
As joint leaders of the team, both Connor and Laura exchanged an uneasy look with each other before the Winter Knight sighed, "We might as well use this time to regroup and figure things out while Leanansidhe is away."
Stephen tightened his features before looking expectantly toward the two knights, "Well then… what are we waiting for?"