Episode 13: Part 2
The next day, everyone gathered in the pub to meet with the elder Druid Sean O'Doyle. He idly worked while the others sat down at the bar counter waiting for him to speak after relating their troubles. Mr. O'Doyle frowned and gave a deep sigh while wiping down a beer mug. "When I heard of a leprechaun attack the other day, I was hoping that it wouldn't be that McGillicutty character."
"Then you do know about him?" Stephen asked curiously.
O'Doyle grimaced, "I admit that I have heard about him... when I was younger, there were old stories among the Elder Druids about a leprechaun who had once gone evil and terrorized this region during the colonial days. A group of colonists who belonged to our order sealed McGillicutty in a runic stone and hid it away... not well enough it seems."
"What does he want?" Noelle asked, "Why would he still be attacking our town?"
O'Doyle put down the mug and sighed before walking over to a corner of the room, "I imagine he'd be after what most of his kind seek... gold. It was said Patches had amassed a fair fortune in gold coins that he kept in this magic pot."
He picked up a small brass urn that had been resting on a decorative display ledge. He paced back over and placed it on the counter, "After the Druids trapped the leprechaun, they used his fortune to help feed the poor and the hungry among the settlers. That's why I doubt he's going to find his gold and he'll no doubt be unhappy."
Quinton reached out to look at the urn but fumbled it a moment before Connor caught it and placed it back on the counter, "All right... so we know who he is and why he's here, but the question becomes how do we stop him?"
Kristen turned in her seat, "Leprechauns can be notoriously tricky and slippery. The trick is to try not to blink as it gives them an opening to teleport around the place."
"We can try to slow him down and hold him in place," Laura suggested, "If I can get a clean shot, I may be able to stop him with a burst of Winter Ice."
"It's worth a shot," Connor agreed, "What about Quinton? It might not be safe to take him into battle as long as he's cursed."
At that moment, a professor from the college burst into the pub huffing and puffing out of breath, "Everyone... the campus is under attack from that little green man again! We've got to take cover here!"
The knights looked to each other and quickly headed for the door. Before they left, Noelle gave Quinton a sympathetic pat on the back, "Just sit tight Quinton. We'll lift that curse on you in no time."
After the others hurried outside and began sprinting back toward the school, Quinton glumly slumped down on the counter of the bar while Kristen put a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. She gave a discouraged look to the older pub owner and stopped when she saw him scratch his chin and give a small wink. "Don't worry Quinton... I think I just might be able to help you."
Kristen and Quinton exchanged a puzzled look while the older Druid stepped in the rear kitchen of the pub and began to rummage around. After several minutes, he emerged with a small clear glass potion bottle sealed with a cork. Inside was a sparkling bubbly green liquid. Mr. O'Doyle pulled off the cork and handed it to Quinton.
"Take big swig of this," the older Druid instructed him, "It's a potion that my own mentor taught me a long time ago. Not many people know of it, but I was told that it grants temporary luck and good fortune to those who drink it ."
Kristen immediately narrowed her eyes but O'Doyle quickly raised a hand to silence her.
"Wow! Do you think it'll actually work?" Quinton asked as he sat up in wonder and examined the small bottle. "Like... would it really be able to counteract that leprechaun's curse?"
Mr. O'Doyle shrugged, "No idea. Only one way to find out, right?"
Quinton took a deep breath and put the round bottle to his lips, taking a big gulp of the liquid. After he swallowed, he glanced to the older Druid and gave a hopeful look. "Well... is it working?"
O'Doyle smiled, "Why don't you toss that bottle in the air and catch it."
Quinton gave the bottle a little toss in the air and to his surprise, deftly caught it in his hands. "I'll be damned! It really does work! Thanks Mr. O'Doyle!"
The older Druid nodded as the Spring Knight gathered the magic urn and quickly hopped off the barstool, "Now, if you guys will excuse me I've got to get to the battlefield and help the others."
After Quinton left, Kristen took the bottle in awe and examined its contents. She gave the remains of the liquid a sniff and frowned, "This can't be right. Is this really a secret your master taught you? I've never heard of a good luck potion."
"That's because there isn't one," O'Doyle chuckled while wiping down a few beer glasses. "You see that green liquid? Lime soda."
Kristen stared in shock, "You made all that up and tricked him? Why?"
The older Druid smiled, "If Quinton is going into battle, he's going to need his confidence back… to know that he can fight. If he believes that magic potion will help him and spur him to act, then all the better."
Kristen frowned, "But he's still jinxed. The longer the battle goes on, there's sure to be some bad things that happen."
O'Doyle calmly wiped his bar down and maintained his serene expression, "Have a little faith Kristen. I have a feeling Quinton will turn things around in his favor without even knowing it."
Meanwhile, on the college campus Patches McGillicutty strolled down the lawns while casually smoking his pipe. He twirled his little cane and blasted the ground near some fleeing students to injure them before turning to watch a stone statue of a lion he had animated chase away more terrified coeds.
"I'm runnin' outta patience people," he said aloud in growing annoyance, "I want to know where me gold is and I want to know right now!"
A silver arrow that was fired by Stephen suddenly sliced the air and struck the stone lion, reducing it to rubble. The devilish leprechaun calmly turned and saw four armed knights approach him from the opposite end of the field. "Well now… what have we here? Come back to spoil me fun now have ye?"
"We're going to do more than that if you don't stop attacking this town," Connor called while leveling his sword on the little monster.
"Tis a shame cause it ain't happnin," Patches snorted indignantly while leaning on his cane. "Unless the four of you think you can catch me."
"Remember to keep your eyes on him," Laura said to the others, "We can't blink or it gives him an out."
"Let's get him!" Nolle called hurling her boomerang blade while Stephen fired an arrow from his bow.
Patches deftly evaded the projectiles and tumbled out of the way as Connor took a passing slash and Laura channeled some Winter Ice through her rapier to try and freeze the monster in place. Everyone watched as a burst of ice engulfed Patches and flash froze him in place. After several moments, the knights gave a sigh of relief but their victory was quickly reversed when they saw the leprechaun give a malicious grin and then wink his eye inside the ice.
The ice burst apart causing everyone to shield their eyes then panic when they saw that the leprechaun had disappeared again.
"Yoo hoo, too slow!" Patches cackled from behind Stephen as he whacked him behind the knees with his cane.
As the Silver Knight fell over in surprise, Connor tried a diving football tackle to grab Patches, but the leprechaun slipped free and caused the Summer Knight to collide with Stephen. Noelle readied her sword again and looked around, only to see the leprechaun had teleported right beside her. He swiftly hooked his cane around her ankle and tripped her to the ground. As Laura moved to try and thrust her rapier into the leprechaun, he slipped under her guard and grabbed her forearm. With surprising strength, Patches tossed her aside right on top of Noelle who was just attempting to rise back up to her feet.
Patches gave another cackle and swung his cane on the ground like a golf club, "Shouldn't of got in me way mortals! Fore!"
As he finished his swing, he blasted the four backward with a powerful cloud of faerie magic underneath them. As they lay on the ground in a stunned heap, they heard his devilish laughter "Well look at that, a hole in one. Now... perhaps the four of ye will tell me where me gold is?"
"It's gone you little creep and you're not getting back," came the loud voice of Quinton as he strode forward from the smoke to join the battle. He had armored up and drawn his weapons while approaching. "The Druids who captured you years ago took your gold to feed the poor of the colony... the same people you terrorized."
The leprechaun snarled, "Now that's a nasty lie Sir Knight. Yer gonna have to do better than tryin' to frighten me if ye want to stop me... especially given the jinx I put on ye."
"I will do better than that," Quinton said as his stunned teammates watched the exchange on the ground, "I'm gonna trap you again just like the Druids of old did."
Patches ground his teeth and became even more enraged at the Spring Knight's challenge.
"Looks like you're out of dirty tricks there boy-o," Quinton taunted with a grim smile, "It's time I put you away for good!"
Patches stopped and smirked before readying his cane, "I tried to be reasonable lad, but now I'm afraid you're gonna have to pay the piper."
The Spring Knight charged forward and took several big cuts at the faerie with his short sword and sickle. Patches danced around the slashes and cackled in glee, "You're gonna have to do better than that boy-o. You can't hit me if you can't keep your eyes on me!"
Quinton growled and swept his sword upward, calling down a forking bolt of Spring Thunder. When the lightning blast dissipated, Quinton looked around to see Patches reclining on the pavement behind him giving a yawn. The leprechaun was completely unharmed, having dodged the lightning easily. "Tis a cryin' shame! Ye couldn't hit the broadside of a barnhouse!"
Quinton glanced over and saw a nearby lamppost which had been hit with the arc lightning shudder, "Maybe not. Maybe I just need the barnhouse to hit you."
The Spring Knight drove clear as the lamp post fell right on top of the surprised leprechaun in a great crash.
Quinton rolled to his feet and readied another thunder blast from his sickle as Patches angrily shoved the post off of him. "A very lucky shot me boy, but next time you won't be so fortunate."
"Too bad… I don't believe in luck!" Quinton chuckled as he slashed his weapons and fired a searing bolt of magic at his enemy. Patches ducked the bolt and gave a sniff but didn't pay any attention as the bolt ricochet back off the large polished glass windows of one of the school buildings behind him. The glass window shattered but the lightning bolt reflected back and struck the unsuspecting leprechaun in the rump, sending Patches flying and landing headfirst into the pavement of the walkway.
Even Quinton couldn't believe his own good fortune, unaware that he was still cursed and actually using the proximity of his bad luck to defeat the leprechaun. As long as he believed he wasn't unlucky, he could keep taking the fight to the enemy.
"Oh that's it... I've had quite enough of this tomfoolery," Patches snarled as he readjusted his neck bones and glanced at the scorched rear end of his trousers. "I may be a Spring faerie, but yer not gettin' the best of me!"
The leprechaun reared back and fired another powerful jet of magic from his cane but this time Quinton was ready for him. The knight raised his sword just in time to halt the stream of magic before reaching to his side and producing the small urn that he took with him. The moment he raised the leprechaun's pot up, the urn began to absorb the magic of and sucked Patches in like a vacuum.
"No! What are ye doin' to me? With me own pot? Ye cannot do this!" the furious faerie screamed as he tugged back against the power of the urn which drew him in ever closer.
Quinton advanced while continuing to hold the pot, "Oh yes I can Patches. You could have been like the other leprechauns of Spring, but you let your own greed get the best of you. Now your own vice is going to consume you."
Patches shouted again as he was sucked into the urn, but resisted for several moments more, "This can't be! I cursed you! I cursed you with ill luck!"
Quinton took the lid and closed it firmly over the visage of Patches, "You did, but looks like your own luck just ran out."
With the small leprechaun pot sealed and secure, Quinton tossed it up high in the air before raising his sword and charging it with elemental lightning. With one great slash, he struck the pot and vaporized it completely, along with the evil leprechaun inside. As the magic dust and ashes sprinkled down, the leprechaun's curses and enchantments wore off, freeing the stricken townsfolk and students while allowing the other knights to rejoin Quinton.
"Well done Quinton! That was a brilliant show of bravery," Laura exclaimed in relief.
"Not to mention a pretty badass one-liner too," Connor laughed while patting his friend on the back.
Stephen watched the remains of the urn sprinkle down before giving a small frown and turning to Quinton. "I thought Patches had cursed you with bad luck Quinton. I'm glad you came to help, but I didn't expect you to join the battle after what Kristen had said."
The Spring Knight shrugged and gave a smile, "She and Mr. O'Doyle cooked up a good luck potion and I guess it must have worked. I have no idea how they did it, especially on such short notice. I guess we'll never know, huh?"
"This coming from the guy who didn't believe in luck?" Noelle laughed while gently teasing him.
Quinton shrugged again, "Well, whatever it was... I feel great now. Like I can take on the whole world."
"All right... easy does it there Quin," Connor said while gesturing for the others to follow him, "First thing's first. We should try to go check up on all the cursed people and make sure the spell was broken, starting with Eliza. I'm sure she'll be thrilled to have her singing voice back."
Quinton gave a satisfied nod and quietly smiled to himself while following the others. It was a bit of an unusual feeling of being so confident and self assured. Whether it was the "potion" or his own sense of pride, he couldn't be sure but he knew he could certainly start getting used to this feeling.
A few days later, evening set in over Somerset Valley as the knights returned to their dormitory from the St. Patrick's Day festival and the big house party that they had been invited to. Eliza along with the other cursed students and townsfolk had been cured of their ailments and Eliza's house party had gone off without a hitch too. As Connor, Quinton, and Noelle stumbled past the front lobby of the dorm and into a nearby lounge room, Laura and Stephen moved to deposit their three elder friends on the couch where they sat in a very giddy but inebriated state.
The stone cold sober Winter and Silver Knights exchanged a bemused look while Connor, Quinton, and Noelle belted out a verse of a funny drinking song then erupted into another gale of drunken laughter. They were all wearing green colored shirts and sweaters making them look more like they had been taking fashion advice from Quinton.
"You know, after all we've been through lately I understand why they'd want to cut loose... but it's still pretty unusual seeing them like this," Stephen said as he crossed his arms and continued to watch his three comrades continue bantering on the couch.
"Yes… quite," Laura agreed with a sigh, "To be honest, I'm a little terrified right now too."
From where she sat between the boys on the couch, a very tipsy Noelle gave a giggle, "You know, today was a lot of fun but I almost forgot to do something very important."
She quickly reached up and gave Connor a kiss on the cheek making him blink in surprise, "Noelle? What was that all about?"
"It's St. Patrick's Day silly!" she giggled again, "Aren't we all supposed to kiss you today... cause you're Irish?"
"Well luckily for me, I'm Scottish so it doesn't apply," Quinton smirked.
The Autumn Knight shook her head and gave Quinton a friendly kiss on the cheek too, "Well, then that's for being a hero earlier this week and saving us from that leprechaun."
"Ah geez," Quinton said sheepishly as he blushed a little.
Laura rolled her eyes and glanced to her fellow freshman, "I think our friends are idiots."
"Well, I think our friends are passing out," Stephen chuckled as he pointed back to the knights on the couch who now put their heads back and began falling asleep while leaning against each other.
The Winter Knight watched as her three drunken sophomore friends began to fall asleep together while sitting up before shaking her head, "Well… I suppose it'll be okay if we just leave them to sober up. They won't be causing any trouble here."
"I guess… so what now?"
Laura shrugged, "Well, we could always go to that late night pizzeria on the east side of campus and grab a slice. I'm starving and I refuse to eat any corned beef and cabbage today."
Stephen nodded and made his way toward the door, "All right then. Pizza it is. Shall we?"
He held out his arm chivalrously only for Laura to walk by with a smile and give him a clap in the shoulder before heading out the door. The Silver Knight sighed and shrugged, giving his passed out friends one last nod before heading out of the room to join Laura for a late night meal.
Late that night as the last of the carousing students filtered out of the pub at closing time, Mr. O'Doyle stood wiping down the counter while Kristen sat at the empty bar nursing a tumbler of Irish whiskey. The two Druids took several long minutes enjoying the relative peace and quiet of the empty pub before the bar owner cast an uneasy glance at the calendar and cleared his throat, "You know what day is coming up, right?"
Kristen grimaced as she sloshed some of the liquor around in her glass, "I know Sean… I'm worried about it too. Has it really been seven years?"
O'Doyle frowned at the calendar on the wall and continued wiping the bar counter, "Now that the fey are much more active here, who knows what will happen? The student body will be in even greater danger and we'll have no idea what the Underworlders will be playing at either. I doubt your knights will even know how to deal with the new possible threat of demons too."
Kristen took a slow sip of her drink and nodded, "Yes… but this time, I'm going to do something about it. I called in the help from some of my old friends who live out west in Hyperion Falls, Colorado."
O'Doyle raised a curious eyebrow, "Oh? I don't suppose they know anything about actually dealing with demons and hellspawn, do they?"
Kristen looked to her fellow Druid and gave a small grim smile, "As a matter of fact… they do."
A/N:
That's right everyone, we've got another special crossover coming up next with a couple familiar faces. Why would demons and faeries now be dealing with each other you might ask? All will be explained very soon.
Also, I had failed to mention before that Quinton does in fact have some Scottish ancestry. With a last name of Wallace, for all we know he could have been descended from the great Scottish warrior hero William Wallace. Regardless, I think the surname suits him just fine. :)