Episode 21: Part 2
The air remained still as Connor Walsh and Leananside took a short walk up the grassy parkway path to a small out of the way clearing by a gazebo. As they approached, the Summer Knight turned to his adversary, "Is that really you Leanne?"
For a moment, the young fey witch that the knights had done battle with on so many occasions looked like a regular scared and confused girl. She looked startlingly vulnerable, "Yes Connor... I'm in control right now. I brought you here because I wanted to speak to you. I don't know if it was Morgana's return that brought it on, but I've begun to remember things... things about the past... and things about you."
Connor bit his lip before nodding, "What happened?"
He remained quiet while the witch paced thoughtfully around him, "I remember when we were kids. We lived across the street from each other and we'd play all the time. We'd explore the edges of the woods but you were always a little scared."
"For good reason... in retrospect," Connor quipped darkly, "Where did you go Leanne? Everybody was worried about you. Your parents missed you. I missed you."
The witch turned away, "I was poking around the woods again one day and I almost became a victim of that demon tithe that you and the others stopped several months ago. I got caught up and taken to the hinterlands... but I escaped. I came upon a gateway to the Faerie Realm and that's where I met Morgana."
"She's possessing you right now?" Connor asked, "Has she done this before?"
Leanne raised a calming hand, "She is... but she used to be more corporeal when she was stronger. She was in need of an apprentice and I needed her. I was lost in Faerie and had nowhere else to go."
"But your powers? How did you learn how to cast spells and fight?" the Summer Knight asked.
"According to Morgana, she was able to sense something unique about me. She chose me because I was special... because I was a Changeling."
"You have fey heritage too?" Connor gasped in shock, "How? Unless one of your parents unwittingly had some Faerie ancestry too..."
"Whatever the case, I still had it in my blood. I am a Summer fey and I didn't become a fully fledged one until I came of age. Morgana raised me and taught me. I chose the path of Faerie and became Leanansidhe."
Connor took a few steps and shook his head in disbelief, "To think... all this time. You were lost, but not really. You fell in with Balor and the Fomorians?"
Leanne turned away with a hint of shame, "After Morgana left me and was defeated by the Mythos Rangers, I had to find a way though the wilds of the realm. The Fomorians weren't ideal, but they were strong and they offered protection."
"That still doesn't explain why you forgot all this until now," Connor pointed out with a raised eyebrow.
The witch nodded quietly and looked to the sunny skies, "I had been speaking to Morgana and if her words to me were true, then Balor must have placed an enchantment on me when I joined him. It must have been a spell to block my memories and make me more focused on serving him loyally. I can only guess that Morgana's presence has helped to lift that curse."
A silence fell over the meadows as the Summer Knight considered his friend's candid words. He took a deep breath and turned back to her with a steady look.
"You don't have to serve Lord Balor," Connor insisted, "Come on Leanne. Come home. Let us help you. Let me help you."
"I can't. It's not that simple. And what about Morgana? What am I supposed to do about her?" Leanne said sadly.
Connor grimaced but kept his chin up, "I don't know about at right now, but maybe my friends can help think of something. I promise I'm not going to leave you alone. You're my friend and I'm not going to give up on you."
He slowly extended his hand, hopeful that he could sway her to the knights' cause. Leanne stared at the hand and hesitated for a long moment, unsure of what to do at the moment. Little did she know that those next seconds might have costed her everything.
Meanwhile, back near the plaza Noelle blinked and looked around as she realized she was standing alone on the parkways. Connor had disappeared and the few other people that they had passed continued to make their way unconcerned. There was something very strange going on here and she knew the fey must have been meddling again. She turned on her heel and began hurrying up the path toward the next relatively secluded spot that she knew of by a wooded clearing near a gazebo. While she ran, she grabbed her phone and called her friends. If Connor was in danger, the other knights had to be ready for a fight.
Unbeknownst to the others, the redcap Seamus had also quietly entered the edge of the wooded glade and gripped his spear. Before he had left the underground caverns, Lord Balor had told him about the spear he was given for the task at hand. The Scorpion's Spear was a powerful enchanted weapon with a one time ability. With it was the power to fire a concentrated bolt of lethal magic energy which could penetrate almost any defense and create a terrible wound. In turn, the injury would be infected with a poison that prevented the victim's wound from clotting and hopefully causing the target to bleed to death. With a grim smile, the redcap emerged from the brush near the gazebo and surprised his new victims.
"Morgana! I'm here for you!" Seamus cried as he neared and threateningly lowered the Scorpion Spear, "I'm not going to let you meddle in the business of Lord Balor!"
Leanansidhe convulsed for a moment as the spirit of Morgana took over and forcefully assumed control of the body, "Don't be a fool Seamus! You'd best walk away now because you can't kill me!"
"We'll just see about that," the redcap said with a malicious grin as he took on his troll form and ignited the tip of the weapon. He knew he only had one shot so he was going to make it count. He lowered the spearhead and braced himself as if firing a bazooka from the hip.
Although he didn't understand what danger was happening next, Connor felt spurred to at least try and help protect the body of his friend. He quickly interposed himself between Leanansidhe and the troll trying to shield her from whatever magic effect was going to happen. "Oh no you don't!"
Seamus gasped and tried to ease his grip but it was too late. The lethal blast from the Scorpion Spear fired from the weapon's head in a bolt of bluish purple energy. It was at that moment that Noelle hurried over into the clearing to watch in horror as the bolt of spearhead energy surged forward and struck the Summer Knight in the torso. A cloud of sparks and shards of metal erupted as the bolt tore through the defenses of Connor's Faerie armor and punched a hole in the knight's side just under the ribs.
Everyone froze in surprise as Connor gave a wide eyed gasp and collapsed to the ground while his armor dispelled. Seamus blinked in surprised dismay while Noelle gave a fearful shout and rushed over to her fallen comrade's side. Morgana watched as red blood began to soak the shirt of the mortally wounded Summer Knight and she felt the shock and fury of Leanne inside her, having witnessed such an act. Spurred by her student's rage, Morgana summoned a sword to her hand and surged forward to attack the redcap.
Seamus continued to stare dumbly at the sight until he saw the witch rush toward him with a magically charged blade of her own. Unfortunately, the hulking monster was too slow and barely raised the spear up just in time to block Morgana's onslaught. She split the spear in half with one powerful swing and forced the redcap back with her momentum. As Seamus brought around the remaining shaft of his weapon to try and defend himself, Morgana turned her grip and slashed down again striking a critical blow against the monster.
In a flash of charged energy, Morgana hacked off the entire forearm of the troll with one furious slash. Seamus roared and stumbled back in blind pain while clutching the horrific wound that had been inflicted upon him. While that battle raged, the Autumn Knight paid no attention and focused on her own wounded friend.
Noelle stared in horror as she shifted Connor's weight and saw more red blood pooling on the ground. She didn't know first aid and she didn't have any training in the Druid's healing magic either. All she could do was to press her hands over the wound and desperately try to stop any more profuse bleeding. Without anything to use as a bandage or sponge, the Autumn Knight feared her efforts would be futile and she'd helplessly watch her friend quickly bleed to death in front of her.
Nearby, Seamus screamed in pain again and continued holding the remaining stump of his forearm, "You bitch! My bloody arm! Look what you've done!"
The witch kept a firm grip on her blade while she stared down the redcap, "You're a troll. Your arm will regenerate in time."
Seamus staggered blindly and glanced up with venom in his eyes, "You'll pay for this! I swear it! You will be an outcast from the Fomorian Host! Balor will have you killed!"
"If his best effort to do it was by a worthless redcap like you, then I will take my chances."
Morgana raised her sword again and advanced slowly on the wounded troll causing him to back off and give a snarl while retreating. She lowered her blade as Seamus disappeared into a cloud of red dust and dissipated into the air. No sooner had she put her weapon away, she turned back to see a frantic Noelle kneeling over Connor and clutching his wound, begging him not to die.
The Autumn Knight wiped one hand on the grass and patted his cheek trying to get a response but he remained unconscious. If it was because of shock or the loss of blood she couldn't be sure. By now, he had lost some color in his face had become worryingly pale. "Come on Connor. Just hold on okay? The others will be here soon and we'll get you help."
Morgana continued to watch the younger girl pleading with an almost amused look. Noelle ignored her and continued trying to rouse Connor putting her forehead to his, "Please... don't go. Quinton will be upset you know? Laura won't have anyone to argue with. She'll be furious. Please... you can't die here, especially on me."
"He can't hear you girl," Morgana said with a sigh of boredom as she stood over Noelle, "With a wound like that, he's going to be on death's doorstep very soon."
The Autumn Knight turned and used herself to shield the body of her fallen friend, "Don't touch him you witch! I won't let you near him!"
Morgana's lips curled into a devious grin, "Not even to save his life? I can do that you know."
Within Leanansidhe's mind, the younger girl argued with her mentor who had taken control, "Mistress! What are you doing?"
"I'm keeping my promise not to harm him, child. I'm also capitalizing on the situation," Morgana replied inwardly while reasserting her will.
Noelle gasped and stared incredulously at the witch, "You can? I... why would you?"
"Because you knights are useful to me for now," Morgana said as she knelt down, "But if you wish for me to save his life, you will have to repay me. The fey have laws of fair exchange you know."
Noelle fell silent and cast a venomous look toward the witch. Morgana laughed again, "Time is running out child. How much do you value this boy's life? Do you want my help or not?"
"What's your price?" Noelle finally asked through clenched teeth.
Morgana gave an angelic smile and extended a hand, "I will ask you to do one simple favor for me at the time and place of my choosing. No matter what I ask, you must do it for me. Most importantly, you will not tell any of your friends about this. Until you fulfill your duty, only you and I are to know about this arrangement. Do you understand?"
The Autumn Knight grimaced and stared at the witch's outstretched hand. There was no way around this. She was out of time and she had no choice but to accept the offer if Connor was going to live. She looked once more at the ashen face of Connor before she clasped Morgana's hand and felt a tingling of fey magic binding their words into a faerie contract. "I accept."
Once the deal was sealed, Morgana reached out and placed a hand over the Summer Knight's wounded side. The witch closed her eyes and began to chant a powerful ancient Gaelic spell making her hand glow with a warm gentle light. As Noelle continued to watch in awe, she saw the healing light suffuse the wound and mend it instantly. The blood around them receded and evaporated while the color slowly returned to the Summer Knight's complexion. As Morgana finished her spell, Connor shuddered and took a great breath of air as he was restored to complete health.
Inwardly, Leanansidhe watched the events unfold. She was relieved and grateful that Connor's life had been saved, but it troubled her that she was now a renegade Fomorian and that Noelle had been forced into a binding oath to serve Morgana. Whatever her mentor was planning, Leanansidhe still had trust, but it was beginning to falter.
Noelle gave a deep sigh of relief and turned to look at the fey witch one more time, "Thank you for saving him."
Morgana continued to eye the girl before giving one last haughty smirk and disappearing in a cloud of green smoke. Once she had disappeared, Connor stirred again and cracked his eyes open. He sat up slowly in a daze and shook his head, "Noelle? What... what happened? Where are the Fomorians?"
She sat back and took a breath, "I... they retreated. I um... bluffed and made them think the other knights were coming and they took off."
"Oh... well, I must have blacked out for a moment after that spear blast. I don't remember a thing after that."
The Autumn Knight shook her head tiredly and simply gave his hand a quick squeeze, "Don't worry. The important thing is you're safe and the Fomorians are gone."
He smiled faintly and nodded, "Yeah... I guess I should be thanking you again today, huh? I'm sorry I almost ditched you back there. Leanne wanted to speak to me and she said some interesting things."
Before she could reply, the other three knights rushed on to the scene armed and girded for combat upon their mounts. As they cantered forward, Stephen looked around in confusion, "Connor. Noelle. Is everything okay? Where are the Fomorians?"
Noelle rose to her feet and gestured for everyone to calm down, "It's okay everyone. The bad guys ran away. Let's head back into town and I'll try to explain what happened."
Later that day, the knights reconvened in the shop and listened as Noelle gave her creatively edited account of what happened. To her relief, no one seemed to doubt her words and they took the story at face value. She hated having to lie, but she had made a desperate deal... more specifically, a magically binding one and if she broke it she risked terrible curses.
"Well, I'm just glad everyone is safe and the town isn't under attack," Kristen sighed as she rose to her feet and dusted off her hands, "If that's all, I guess I'll be closing up shop soon."
The others nodded and watched for a moment as Laura continued to play a little game of fetch with the gargoyle Scratch. She gently tossed a tennis ball across the room and watched in amusement as the little creature scampered off to try and run it down.
"By the way Laura, how was your tennis match going?" Connor asked, "I'm sorry we had to pull you from your tournament."
She shrugged, "It's all right. Based on the brackets, we weren't going to win anyway."
"I think Stephen needs to work on his backhands and returns a little," Quinton supplied earning a mild scowl from the Silver Knight.
"Oh come on, I wasn't that bad... was I?"
Laura sighed as she led the others out the door, "Stephen, if you really want to excel in the next local tourney, you should probably let me coach you some more. Say tomorrow afternoon at two?"
He stopped and thought for a moment about the prospect of a tennis date with Laura before following along, "Sure. That sounds... great."
Quinton and Connor exchanged a smile and chuckle between themselves before they headed out the door too. While the others began to depart, Noelle remained sitting on the couch, lost in thought and worry about what lay in store for the future and what sort of sinister favor Morgana might request. Her dark thoughts were interrupted as she heard the others call, "Hey Noelle, we're headed over to Quinton's house for a bonfire tonight. You coming or what?"
She masked her worry with a pleasant smile and stood up, "Yeah... I wouldn't miss it. Wait up okay?"
She waited until the others stepped outside before she felt her smile falter again. She took a deep breath, cleared her mind, and followed her friends outside hoping it would be enough to keep her new fears and doubts at bay.