Episode 29: Part 2
Morgana swept her blade around and unleashed a powerful wave of dark energy which surged toward its target but it was deflected away as the five knights brandished their rings in unified response to call upon their powers. The area lit up as colorful elemental light radiated out and shielded the young heroes while Morgana's opening attack harmlessly exploded along the ground. The five drew their weapons and raised them together, "Five swords, one heart! Hibernian Knights to arms!"
As they parted and fanned out to do battle, Morgana sprinted forward to meet them. Connor was the first to lock swords with her while Laura and Quinton followed up, trying to flank attack the witch in turn. While the three clashed with Morgana, Stephen circled around and tried to line up a shot with his bow while Noelle broke off and charged toward their two Druid allies choking to death on the vine gallows. As she rushed forward, Noelle charged up a bit of orange wind energy and threw her curved blade in a sidearm motion towards the vines themselves. The whirling boomerang blade arced upward and sliced through the thick vine ropes freeing Kristen and O'Doyle from their predicament. Before either of them could hit the ground, Noelle had called her faerie horse and swept in to catch them both.
As they galloped just clear of the battlefield, Noelle set them both down and cut their bonds. "Thank goodness! Are you two okay?"
Kristen gave a gasp and rubbed at her raw neck. She nodded while sucking in a few breaths, "Noelle… thank you… I thought we were goners."
The Autumn Knight placed a reassuring hand on her mentor's shoulder, "Everything is going to be alright. I need to get back to the fight and help the others."
O'Doyle took a moment to catch his own breath before wheezing, "Be careful. Morgana is completely unhinged now. There's no telling how far she'll go to take you guys down."
"That's not going to happen," Noelle replied firmly before turning to Scratch and Yum-Yum who had followed her and waited nearby, "I want you two to look after Kristen and Mr. O. Think you can do that for me?"
The two little creatures saluted and stood guard over the Druids while Noelle spurred her horse back to join the battle. Across the field, Stephen fired a hail of Silver Starburst arrows which Morgana easily deflected away before locking swords with Laura again. She laughed scornfully as she parried the rapier away and kicked Quinton aside before dodging another sweeping slash from Connor, "Do you stupid children really think you can stand up to me?"
She charged her weapon and lashed it out like a bladed whip and slashed Connor, Quinton, and Laura, knocking them all over. No sooner did she recover her blade, she turned and snatched another arrow out the air which Stephen had just fired. The Silver Knight paused in shock at the sight while Morgana sniffed and snapped the arrow in two. Had she not caught the arrow, it would have gone straight through her skull, but she didn't seem perturbed at all.
"And you... you want to be a cowardly archer? I know how to deal with you."
She swept her hand out and blasted Stephen backward with a smokey jet of dark purple magic. Stephen slammed into a tree and fell over as his armor dispelled. As Morgana gloated for a minute, she turned to see Noelle charge back into the battle leveling her sword in a cavalry charge. The witch stood passively watching as the Autumn Knight neared and the subconscious voice of Leanansidhe pleaded from within, "Please stop this Morgana! Enough! You don't have to fight them anymore... just please, stay your sword."
"Very well," Morgana replied to herself while she lowered her weapon and drew upon her dark sorcery again. Just as Noelle neared to try to take Morgana's head off in a passing slash, the ground erupted from underneath, bursting up in a high uneven mound of rocks and soil. The faerie mount cried out in fear as it stumbled sideways and threw Noelle off its back. The other three rushed to their comrade's side as Quinton and Laura helped her rise again, "Are you okay?"
"Damn! I was this close," Noelle growled in frustration before nodding. As they regrouped, Connor gripped his sword and leveled it.
"Okay everyone... I think it's time we use that handy little gift Queen Titania gave us."
Each of the four friends raised their blades and focused their wills to call upon the power that the Summer Queen had granted them from her golden life apple. From where she stood, Morgana was blinded by a bright golden light which engulfed the knights and reinvigorated them with renewed power. Like before, their armor had took on a more antiquated and impressive look with golden trim, Elvish script, and colorful twinkling auras surrounding them.
"Sidhe Armor..." Morgana smiled menacingly while sizing up her adversaries, "Impressive. Titania has given you power worthy of the Elven lords, but it won't be enough. You children still don't know how to wield such might."
The witch sprung forward and gasped in surprise as the four engaged her together and used teamwork to block her attacks. Each time she tried to force her way through, the knights hammered at her guard and forced her back on defense. As they moved to encircle her, Morgana snarled, "I've had enough of this. If force of arms won't work, I'll do the next best thing."
She raised her arms and called forth a powerful twister of dark debilitating magic and punishing wind which was centered upon her. The knights staggered in surprise under the weakening effects of the powerful sorcery and tried to keep their balance, but it was no use. The ancient witch's mastery of spellcraft was too much and the cyclone of evil magic overpowered them. All four were hurled to the ground and scattered as the cyclone subsided. Laura, Quinton, and Noelle rolled over limply as their armor dispelled.
Morgana levitated backward into the air and swooped down upon the vulnerable heroes, preparing run them through with her sword. Just as she neared, her sword was deflected aside as Connor darted in from the side and parried the strike with his own sword. Using the momentum of his charge, he put his shoulder into the witch and sent them both tumbling over into the ground.
Morgana screeched in rage and spun to her feet, exchanging a few more blows with the Summer Knight, trying to drive him back with her dark magic. Instead, she gasped as Connor used the last of his Sidhe power to push through the dark rippling waves of debilitating magic and cut through her final ward. As the golden power flared and winked out, the Summer Knight channeled it into one great cut that knocked Morgana's weapon aside and blasted her backwards. While the weakened witch struggled to rise, Connor fell in exhaustion to one knee and leaned on his sword to prop him up while his armor dispelled.
Morgana slowly picked herself up and gave a murderous look to the knight who had dealt that blow. "You will pay for that Summer Knight... now that you're defenseless, I'm going to..."
She halted and convulsed for a moment while holding her sides and swaying slightly. She head heard growling quietly, "No... no! What do you think you're doing you stupid girl?
She staggered again before lowering her arms and taking several deep breaths. As she brushed back her flowing red hair, the witch slowly approached Connor speaking with a a softer voice, "Something I should have done a long time ago."
From where they lay on the ground, the other knights watched in wonder as Morgana's ego temporarily retreated and the consciousness of Leanansidhe regained control of her body. Connor panted tiredly and looked up as she came closer, seeming to fight every step of the way against the malicious spirit of Morgana inside her. "Leanne? Is that... is that you?"
She drew closer before slowly kneeling down in front of him, face to face. Her features were worn and exhausted, and though she looked anguished, she graced him with a smile and a nod, "Yes Connor... it's me. I don't have long, and I'm going to need your help."
"I don't understand," he said shaking his head, "What happened to Morgana? Why..."
He was silenced as she gently placed a finger on his lips, "It is taking every ounce of my strength to force Morgana down and keep control of my body. I should never have trusted her, and let her try to regain her strength within me. I've done really horrible things. I've given up everything. I've hurt your friends, and what's worse... I almost let her kill you. I couldn't let that happen. I won't let it happen anymore."
"What are you saying Leanne?"
She took several deep breaths, focusing on mentally warding off Morgana before speaking again, "Connor, I need you to stop Morgana. I need you to free us both from all this."
She reached down and turned the tip of his blade so that it was aimed right at her torso, "I don't have long Connor. You need to strike now and defeat Morgana while I can still contain her. Please... I'm begging you."
"No! I won't do this!" he cried in horrified outrage while trying to drop his weapon, "I won't let you sacrifice yourself like this! There has to be another way!"
She gripped his wrist and held it firm as the sword remained in place, "There isn't, and you know it. We don't have time to find another way. It's too late for me... and this is the least I can do to help make things right."
Connor turned his head in anguish, "We were friends Leanne! We still are! I spent all this time struggling to try and find you... to bring you home from all this!"
"And you will," she said gently reaching out and touching his cheek, "You are my friend too. I'm ready to do what I have to in order to protect you. I'm ready to make up for all the evil I've done... and I'm ready to try and find my way home."
The Summer Knight sat holding his blade, unable to follow through as hot tears began stinging his eyes. Leanansidhe fought off one more mental assault from Morgana before giving a serene nod and taking matters into her own hands. She fell on the blade instead. The other knights' eyes went wide in shock while Connor gave a horrified cry. As they knelt transfixed in place, a terrible dark smoke erupted from Leanansidhe's body and swirled around violently giving an enraged scream that she had been deprived of her physical vessel. Morgana's essence violently swept around the area before twisting skyward and disappearing from sight, deciding to flee the warzone of Somerset Valley for good.
Once Morgana's malevolent spirit had departed, Connor caught his mortally wounded friend as she slowly sunk forward into his arms and slumped over. As the other knights slowly regained control of their bodies and recovered enough, they sat up and made their way over to where Connor knelt holding the dying fey girl who had once been their enemy. As a pool of blood stained her green dress and continued to grow, Leanansidhe gave a weak smile to Connor while he brushed aside some of her hair and touched her cheek. "Is it over? Is Morgana finally gone?"
He nodded sadly, "Yeah... everyone is safe again... thank you."
"I'm glad then," she sighed tiredly as she struggled to keep her eyes focused on the Summer Knight, "Connor... I wanted to thank you too."
"For what?"
"For not giving up on me," she said as the other knights solemnly gathered around nearby, "You still believed there was good in me, even when no one else did... including myself."
"I guess I knew you better than you thought, huh?" he sniffled as he tried his best to keep a steady face.
Leanansidhe smiled at that as her eyes grew heavier, "Make me one last promise Connor... I want you and the other knights to end this war with Balor. Bring peace to our home and to the Faerie Realm for good."
"I will," he replied with conviction.
When she heard that, Leanansidhe smiled and closed her eyes while leaning her cheek into his hand. Everyone remained quiet as the former Fomorian general took one last breath and lay in peaceful stillness on the grassy ground. Connor hugged her for a long moment before gently kissing her forehead and laying her back down. Moments later, Leanansidhe's body began to shimmer and glow with light before dispersing in a cloud of golden light motes that faded away on the wind. Connor lowered his head and covered his face. As Quinton and Noelle both knelt down and put comforting arms around his shoulders, he trembled and began to weep bitterly while choking back a few sobs. "Balor is going to pay for this... I swear it!"
By now, Kristen and Mr. O'Doyle had recovered their senses and quietly approached the somber scene while holding the two little gargoyles. Stephen nodded toward them and then back to the scene, "Everyone... it's time to go. The Fomorian patrols will be on their way. If we're going to have any hope of retaking our town, we have to retreat back to the Faerie Realm and regroup."
Connor took a moment to wipe his eyes and compose himself before looking up. To his surprise, he saw Laura standing over him extending a hand to help him up. "I know how you're feeling. You want to grieve for your friend, and we will... but now is not the time."
He reluctantly nodded and took her hand before rising, "All right..."
For the moment, Laura took charge and gave a nod to the rest of the party, "Okay, let's get on with it then! We've got a major battle to plan. If the Elves can get their acts together, they're going to need our help."
"Getting captured by Fomorians again isn't exactly on my To Do list either," Kristen nodded as she took up her staff and pointed to an escape route out of town, "There's no more time to lose. Let's get a move on!"
As the group fled from the battlefield before the spriggan patrols came to investigate, Connor took one more fleeting glance backwards. Whatever lay in store for these final upcoming battles with the Fomorians, he would be certain that Balor would be brought to justice for this tragic crime.
A/N:
To the Guest reader comments in the previous chapters, I've already decided on my next series after Hibernian Knights and it won't use either theme. The Greco-Roman theme has already been used by a lot of other writers but I still like the idea of Egyptian mythology. There's a lot of unique ideas to play with. Unless someone beats me to it, I may figure out a way to make that work in the far future. Thanks for the suggestion though!