Chapter 10 – Interlude 1
It was a warm autumn day, an unusual occurrence at this late into the year, and so, Queen of Skye took the opportunity to leave the confines of her castle – and an unreasonable amount of paperwork therein – to train her disciples by the shores of her isle. And no, Scathach wasn't avoiding her responsibilities, no matter how much the thought of spending endless hours on the never-shrinking mountain of parchment filled her with dread. She had her reputation to uphold and disciples to oversee. It was as crucial as managing her kingdom.
Yes, definitely, she nodded to herself as she leaned on her training spear.
She watched the warriors under her tutelage mingle. Twenty men of various ages, from young boys, barely into adulthood, to experienced veterans, with silver in their beards, exercised and conversed in small groups.
It was a break time, after all, a time for rest after hours of intense training.
Some spent that time reviewing what they had learned, practicing stances and techniques. Others simply talked with their friends, joking and laughing, allowing the sunny day to soothe their aching muscles.
The sound of conversations and waves gently lapping the shores of Skye on a pleasant autumn afternoon filled the air with a serene ambiance. It made her feel nostalgic for some reason. Vague impressions of happier times drifted through the back of her head, half-forgotten memories, making her chest tighten as if an invisible hand was squeezing her heart.
Scathach sighed, her eyes panning over the resting warriors. None of them approached her, kept away by an aura of wistfulness hanging about her shoulders. She wasn't tired, she could go days on end without rest, and this small amount of exercise didn't bother her at all, but she knew she wasn't a normal human.
With magic in her veins and a blessing of the fae upon her, she could consider herself special, for not many could boast of the same.
She was gifted, both by the circumstances of her birth and by various people throughout her life. She was royalty, and that alone put her above almost all other humans. Her talent with a spear was already considered legendary, even if she thought she worked just as hard as any other warrior for her skills. She received gifts from mortals and fairies alike.
A cherished princess.
Yet, for all her luck, tragedy always seemed to follow her. Good and bad in equal measure. She refused to believe in fate, but sometimes she wondered if the world was ruled by its unseen hand.
From the days of her childhood, when she lost her family and gained her teacher, to the wartorn days of her early rule. Again and again, she avoided death by the smallest of margins, always moving forward, battle after battle. Alone and with the help of others until Skye's shores turned red with blood, and none dared to challenge her anymore.
Even if some decisions haunted her to this day.
She glanced to the side, toward a cliff in the distance. A towering vertical wall of dark stone, overlooking the sea since ages past and casting a shadow at the gravel beach beneath.
But the shadow there was more than simple shade. A dark patch of wispy darkness lay there, like black oil seeping out of the earth. It hid from the sun, in dark places, in deep crevices, but she didn't need her eyes to see it.
Scathach could feel it.
A faint connection, barely noticeable. But that 'shadow' wasn't alone. All across Skye, shadows gathered, trickling down from the rest of the isles. Less now than in the darkest days of the war, but never stopping. An endless river of darkness, and she could feel them all. Their resentment and pain, hatred and fear.
Wraiths of the past, mere 'shadows' of dead warriors. Ghosts full of regrets and grudges. So weak that normal humans couldn't even sense them, bar an unusually large concentration.
But more arrived each day, pooling into Skye.
She could still remember that night, the thing that answered her prayers.
A figure shrouded in shadows floated before a young purple-haired girl. A vague outline of a robed human, obscured by a dark haze. She couldn't tell if it was male or female; the only visible part of their body was an eerie smile, a cruel smirk mocking and reassuring her at the same time.
Scathach could only stare at it, fear gripping her heart.
She knew it wasn't a fairy like her Teacher, but something much more dangerous. Despite its suffocating presence, she couldn't sense it at all, as if her tired eyes were playing tricks on her. Her small bedroom seemed to expand into infinity behind it, an abyss of shadows without end.
"What a poor child," The figure said, its voice soft yet piercing like the sound of steel clashing on steel. "You beg and beg, yet your guardian won't answer you. Tell me, do you seek power to smite your enemies? Magic to melt flesh from bone? Strength of arms to render limb from limb?" the figure paused, tilting its head slightly. "Even if he could hear you, he won't grant it to you; his gifts are more of a curse than mine. I, at least, can offer you knowledge that will save your people right now."
She gulped, hope mixing with dread like a bitter bile on her tongue, "A-And what I would've to give in return?"
The figure's smile didn't change, and yet a shiver went down Scathach's spine.
"Give? Nothing. Simply … guard something for me. For a short time. And when your story is over, I will welcome you into my lands, warrior of Skye."
She made a deal with that thing then, bound herself in service to guard the Gate of Shadows, an entrance to its realm, she supposed. Yet, the wraiths, the shadows creeping into Skye, accumulated, never reaching these Gates.
She wondered if it would be like that until she died and opened the gates to cross to the other side.
The shouting of rowdy youngsters drew her attention, dispelling her dark thoughts. Three of her disciples trod the shore, knee-deep in the water, each one with a spear in hand. The fourth one was the source of the commotion, having lost his footing on the loose gravel and fallen into the waves to the laughter of his comrades. He struggled to get up, cursing the laughing men but with no heat in his voice.
It appeared they were attempting to catch a fish, but clearly, none of them were fishermen, their attempts with their spears utilizing skills meant to kill other humans on a battlefield, not fish underwater.
But their good cheer seemed to infect her other disciples as more men gathered to try their luck.
Soon, it turned into a competition.
A line of warriors was throwing spears into the waves, trying to spear the elusive animals. They weren't having much luck, and Scathach was sure that twenty men stirring the waters scared most of the sealife away. Still, they weren't discouraged, egging each other on, the few lucky ones bragging loudly with small fish stuck on their speartips.
Scathach shook her head but couldn't help but smile a little.
They were acting like children, but she didn't dislike this side of her disciples. They were all brave warriors, talented in their own ways, but they were more than that alone. She met some truly stoic men in her life, unfazed by anything they faced, but they always gave her a lonely impression. Sometimes, it was better to indulge in simpler desires.
Or maybe it was her Teacher's influence on her.
Still, some stricter exercise was in order if they were all so bored.
"Teacher!" one of the men called out. "Aren't you gonna try your luck? Beor here says you wouldn't be able to catch a single fish."
"Wha…!" the man in question, Beor, grabbed the speaker, shaking him in panic. "Are you trying to rope me into some hellish training regimen!?" He turned to Scathach. "Teacher, don't listen to his lies. I'm sure no fish can defeat you."
Amused but hiding it, Scathach lifted an eyebrow as Beor's face turned red, realizing what he had just said.
"Oh? No fish can defeat me, you say? I sure hope so, or there must be even stronger 'fish' out there than the sea monster I recently killed."
"Right! That's what I meant, Teacher! No sea monster can match you."
Sea monster or not, it would be a lie to say she wasn't interested in joining their little game. It was a little bit of fun, and she wanted to try her skill, too. If old Meriah was still around, he would probably tell her to act her age, but even when she was getting older, she didn't really feel old just yet, and besides, some of her disciples were older than her.
She took off her boots and walked into the cold tide to the cheers of her disciples. The competition turned into a sudden spectacle, a semicircle of laughing warriors taking bets and egging their teacher on.
Despite the clamor, there were quite a lot of fish in the surf, lazily swimming back and forth. The waters around Skye were always bountiful, something Scathach was glad for.
She stopped in knee-deep shallows, lifting her spear and trying to stay as still as possible.
She had never attempted something like this before, but allowing the fish to get used to her presence and approach her seemed like a good idea.
She tuned the crowd out and stood still as a statue. Soon, small black shapes darted around her in quick bursts, but she waited for something bigger. It wouldn't do to just catch anything; she wanted something impressive. A few minutes later, the water was teeming with sealife, and Scathach tensed, preparing to strike at a particularly large specimen.
With one smooth motion, her spear struck the water without a ripple to show it broke the surface. Most of her disciples probably didn't even see her move, and yet, when she raised her spear, no fish was to be found. Instead, an empty tip of her training spear gleamed in the sun.
She watched in the sudden quiet as all across the shore fish fled into the deeps leaving the coast lifeless.
"…ah, don't worry, Teacher." One of the men behind her said amidst an awkward silence. "It's harder than it looks. My 'pa taught me since I was little, and I still can't do it if my life depended on it."
Scathach didn't answer him, still staring ahead, her face set in a severe expression.
The fish fled before she made her move.
All of them.
She ignored her disciples, focusing on the surrounding. She couldn't hear a single animal—no birds in the sky nor anything on land.
Even the wind seemed to stop, adding to the eerie stillness.
A shiver crept up her spine.
Something wasn't right. She kept searching for the source of the feeling, scanning the horizon. It didn't feel magical, yet none of the men behind her noticed anything.
Finally, her eyes landed on a small black dot in the distance. Something walked along the shore of Skye, heading in their direction. It was still miles away, but she was certain it was the source of this uneasiness.
"Return to the castle." She ordered the men, her voice hard.
Her disciples seemed to notice something was off and followed her gaze, spotting the distant figure.
"…Teacher?"
"Now."
They left. Many were prideful warriors, but their respect for her was bigger than their egos. They kept glancing back but did as she told them.
Training spear in hand, Scathach waited for the being to approach. The lack of a proper weapon was a problem, but she would make due.
As the figure approached and she could make out the details, an uncertain frown crept up her face. She recognized that familiar shade of red and gold—the form of a young boy in red and black clothes with glowing golden eyes. And still, she invoked her magecraft, and a pair of concealed runes flashed on her armor, runes inscribed specifically to clear her mind of any illusions and deceptions. Magical energy coursed through her head, but nothing changed. So either this really was her teacher – Avel, The Fairy of Fire and Iron – or something that her runes couldn't see through.
Because while her eyes told her it was her teacher, the feeling she got from him was different than she could ever remember.
A sense of danger flooded her senses as the warmly smiling fairy neared her. It felt as if a tip of a sharp blade was pressing against the back of her neck. It didn't seem aimed at her, yet she felt that one wrong move would spell her doom.
She tensed, ready to act at a moment's notice if this truly wasn't her teacher. She almost jumped away when he leaped at her from fifty paces away but stayed in place because, despite the oppressive aura, she couldn't feel any ill intentions from him.
He crashed into her, driving the air out of her lungs and making her stumble, and embraced her in a fierce hug. He buried his face in her chest, hanging off her frame like a giant limpet.
She expected him to let her go after a few seconds, but he didn't seem to be releasing her anytime soon.
"Umm … Teacher?"
"Mhm." He mumbled, face still pressed against her body.
Scathach stood there awkwardly, arms extended to the sides, one with her spear still in hand.
A small part of her still suspected this wasn't her teacher, but his magical signature was unmistakable. And from this close in, there was no way someone could've deceived her senses.
Still, it was unusual for him to be so clingy.
"Not that I'm not happy to see you, Teacher, but is there a reason for this hug?"
He looked up at her, "Because I wanted to."
"I … see. Are you going to release me anytime soon?"
He took a few seconds to consider the question before burying his face in her chest again and hugging her tighter.
"… no."
Scathach looked at the sky and sighed.
This was not how she imagined their reunion to go. The events of the night he left were still fresh in her mind. It was only a few short months ago, after all.
She spent many a night worrying about their next meeting. All the things that went unsaid that night and those words that were exchanged. It all weighed on her. She knew she had hurt him then. She regrated not doing things differently, yet if she could go back there, she wasn't sure what to change.
She didn't want to … give up.
For all the pain it caused her, the war, the broken promise, she didn't want to return to how things were. She changed. For good and bad, but all of it was a part of her. She was the Queen of Skye, a warrior without equal, not a little girl who needed to be saved anymore.
She just didn't know how to tell him that.
She hoped that in ten years, she would find an answer. That their reunion wouldn't be a repeat of the last one.
What she didn't expect, was this, whatever this was.
Scathach tried to gently pry her teacher off her, but he wouldn't budge. She knew fairies were stubborn, and Avel wasn't an exception, but this was something she could see Dienu do, not her teacher.
He wasn't usually so … childish. Yes, childish was the right word.
Something must've happened to him. Something big. The fact that he returned so quickly was already strange, and his sudden personality change only reinforced Scathach's suspicions.
"Teacher," she prodded him again. "Please."
He grumbled unintelligibly for a few seconds but finally released her, a grumpy expression on his face.
She looked him over, but there was nothing strange about his appearance. But, then again, fairies didn't really change or age, or at least not to her knowledge.
Besides the unnerving sensation of phantom blades pressing against her body, which was lessening with every second, he was still the same fairy she had met in her youth.
Although he seemed more relaxed than usual.
The hint of tightness in his features which always hid behind his smiles was gone.
Scathach shook her head and smiled, pushing her worries away. There will be time to worry later. But, for now, she was happy he was back.
"Welcome home, Teacher."
He smiled upon hearing her words. A wide, happy, and carefree smile, one she rarely saw him with.
"I'm back, Scathach."
He looked younger like that, with the wind tugging at his red cloak and hair and somewhat hiding his unnatural features. She would believe he was just a young boy if she didn't know better.
"Did something happen? You are early, Teacher. I thought you'll be gone for another ten years."
"Well, I finally dealt with the thing keeping me in Faery, and I'm free to remain with you however long I want now."
Ah.
She didn't want to bring down the mood, but something must've shown on her face as her teacher's smile dimmed a little.
An ugly feeling settled in her stomach. She didn't want a repeat of the last time, so she forced it down, trying to retain her sincere smile.
"That's great, Teacher!"
And it was.
It was clearly something that was bothering him all the time she knew him, and it was probably the source of his unusually good humor.
She was happy for him, but… she wasn't ready.
And Scathach hated that part of herself that was disappointed at his early return. The part that wanted him to be gone for longer.
"…It is."
"Can you tell me what it was about?" she quickly asked, trying to keep the good mood from souring.
He didn't answer her immediately, his eyes piercing her with intensity. His smile turned wan, but it might be just her imagination.
Her teacher was usually easy to read, but sometimes he turned into an inscrutable book that she couldn't decipher no matter how hard she tried.
"Something I worked on for the last three hundred years and later bound me with a promise. Now that I fulfilled it, I no longer need to return to Nibelung."
Three hundred years. A span of time longer than the lifespan of even the greatest spellcasters, and he spoke of it so lightly. She couldn't imagine working on the same thing for so long.
It hit her again that her teacher really wasn't a human, no matter how much he resembled one. He usually wore his Glamour, his form of a human man, but without it, he was still the same as the day she met him.
An ethereal fairy with hair like fire and slitted eyes shining with gold.
He looked over her head, where her castle stood atop the cliffs, before turning his head towards the ocean and sighing.
"Let's take a walk, Scathach. It would be a shame to waste such nice weather."
She nodded, walking with him on the shores of Skye, away from her home.
His earlier cheerfulness evaporated, and once again, Scathach was beside the fairy she was used to. She wanted to kick herself for it. Even if it was a bit strange, she was glad Avel could be so happy, so free.
And she ruined it.
Again.
Still, she listened to him talking, trying not to show her inner thoughts.
"A couple of years before I met you, I made a promise to a powerful fairy. Bihev was his name. The Great Father of the Mountain. Of Nibelung. My home for most of my life."
Scathach recognized the name. He never told her much, but she overheard some tidbits from his conversations with Dienu. Still, she couldn't quite imagine what a fae settlement was like.
"How does it look like, Teacher? Nibelung, I mean."
"Hmm. It's a giant mountain filled with thousands of tunnels and caverns. Seams of precious metals and gems adorned the walls of those passages, gleaming with every color of the rainbow. The center of Nibelung was hollow, an enormous cavern where countless fairies worked hundreds of forges. Rivers of molten rock ran down its walls, pooling at a lava lake in the middle, where Bihev forge stood, obscured by a waterfall of magma. A great pillar that illuminated the vast space. Outside, a village of Aelfs hugged the mountain slopes, where the cursed fairies lived in their homes of living trees."
"It must be a beautiful place."
Avel's expression grew suddenly uncertain, "Err, yes. It … was."
Huh. She didn't expect this kind of response. She was curious why he reacted like this. Did it have something to do with his early return?
"'It was'?" she asked, repeating his words.
"Uh, it kind of … blew up."
She lifted an eyebrow, silently prompting him to elaborate.
He sighed, "When I left Nibelung, it wasn't on the best terms with Bihev. Three hundred years ago, I 'stole' one of his weapons. Or so he always claimed. In reality, I just scanned one with my magecraft, but he accused me of theft and forbade me from leaving Nibelung without 'returning' his weapon. Anyway, some centuries later, he forced a promise on me. The circumstances don't matter, but as a result, I was bound to return there every decade and stay for ten years until I returned what I stole. That's why I had to leave you every ten years. As you can imagine, it was getting a bit … annoying," his smile turned into a snarl for a moment, showing Scathach that it was more than just 'annoying'. "But I couldn't do anything about it. Bihev is a powerful fae, much more than I, that's for sure."
She had trouble imagining someone stronger than her teacher, but she knew there were beings that even he couldn't defeat.
Still, it was a bit exciting to hear about a titanic battle between two mighty fairies.
"So you fought him and managed to escape?" she asked, eager to listen to a tale of such a clash.
"What? No. Didn't you listen? Bihev isn't someone I could defeat whenever I wanted to. If that were the case, I wouldn't have to leave you the first time."
"Oh…" She trailed off, disappointed. "So how did Nibelung 'blow up'?"
"A dragon blasted it apart."
"Really?" she asked, leaning closer.
A dragon? The strongest of Phantasmal Species? Scathach heart beat faster just hearing the word. It was one of her hidden desires to try herself against a beast like that. Of course, she wouldn't abandon her people and go off looking for one, but it was still something she secretly wished would happen one day.
"Yep. A great black dragon attacked Nibelung, destroying half the mountain and stealing its treasures before we chased it off."
"And you fought with it, Teacher? Really?"
He looked at her strangely, and she had to admit that maybe she was too excited to hear about him fighting for his life. She composed herself, a small embarrassed blush coloring her cheeks.
"I did. It was either that or letting him slaughter all of the fairies in Nibelung. And it was a pain to deal with, let me tell you. It melted so many of my weapons! Stupid lizard. But in the end, it couldn't take on Bihev and me simultaneously. Still, the greedy thing managed to steal most of Bihev's treasury. And, well, after the battle, I kind of told him that he will either accept the Midjinior I forged, or I will 'finish what the dragon started'." Avel rubbed the back of his head, a chagrined expression on his face. "Uh, it's kind of embarrassing. I'm pretty sure he could still defeat me even then, exhausted and injured as he was. But he did accept the sword, and here I am. Free to do whatever I want."
Scathach always thought Faery was a peaceful land. A home of fantastical fairies, full of magic and wonder, different than this brutal world of humans. But it seemed that even there, things weren't so simple.
It was a bit disappointing, if she had to be honest.
"Midjinior must be an amazing weapon if you had so much trouble recreating it, Teacher." She said, keeping the darker thoughts away.
Her teacher nodded, and in a puff of golden-red flames, a huge sword appeared in his hands, and he let her inspect it.
She didn't sense him using magecraft, and the weapon appeared differently than she was used to. Much faster too. But she chalked it off to his fairy magic.
It was a beautiful blade, shining with gold and polished steel in the afternoon sun. However, the size and weight made it unwieldy, more suited for someone much larger than her. Maybe some of her disciples could use it, but she doubted they could fight with it effectively; the weight alone would tire them out.
But it was a weapon for the fae, so it's not like it was a problem for them.
"It's one of the best weapons in my armory, yes. It has the ability to cut through anything, be it armor or magic."
"That's impressive."
She tried swinging it around, switching into familiar stances, but the weight was throwing her out. Still, when she slashed at a sizable rock, it passed through it without any resistance, cleaving the stone in half. In a hand of a skilled swordsman, it would be a deadly weapon. She sure wouldn't want to face off against it.
"It is. But it's not a perfect weapon. It can cut through any armor, but it's a 'single target' effect, so to speak. Once it passes through something, it loses its effect and turns into a regular sharp blade. Multiple layers of different types of armor will easily stop it if it's not overcharged with magical energy. It's a bit different against magic, but fundamentally the same. It 'cuts' magic in half but doesn't disrupt it, so any arcane shield will simply turn into two smaller ones. It's a bit strange like that. It's both stronger and weaker in that regard, as it treats magical energy as a 'single target', so it can cut through multiple spells at once, but it won't 'destroy' those spells."
"Hmm … wait." She stopped midmotion, turning to her teacher with a frown. "If you returned this sword to Bihev, how come you still have it with you? Or is it a magical construct?"
"Heh. It's the real thing. But Scathach," he said, conjuring hundreds of copies of the sword she held in her hands, each one bursting into being in a flare of flames. "I spent three hundred years forging these swords. I have thousands of failed attempts stored away."
She stared at the wall of steel behind the mischievously smiling fairy, at hundreds of identical blades floating in midair. Wisps of fire soon faded away, leaving only bare steel behind.
And yet, she still didn't feel anything.
Avel used no magical energy to summon those weapons. At least she wasn't able to detect any.
"Does it mean I can keep this one?" she asked, ignoring the quickly disappearing wall of flames as the weapons faded away.
"Sure. I said those were 'failed attempts', but I think Bihev was just toying with me. He did accept a 'failed attempt' in the end, after all. So the sword you are holding should be as good as the original Midjinior. Ah!" his eyes widened in realization. "I almost forgot."
He lifted his hand, and a crimson spear materialized in his grip, a few more appearing on the ground.
"Take those. I couldn't finish them, but the bones you gave me were interesting. I tried making a spear out of them, but most broke into pieces. Still, some are at least somewhat decent. This one turned out the best."
Scathach put the large sword aside and took the red spear, examining the weapon. It didn't look like bone anymore, and she could feel some strange energies inside it, but if her teacher said it was 'decent', then it should be something beyond any human blacksmith.
She should be able to inscribe her runes on these. Maybe. It wasn't something she had much experience in, but it should be possible.
"Thank you, Teacher."
And like that, there was silence.
Avel was looking at her, his smile turned sad again, and she didn't know what to say. She was pushing it away since he arrived, but she knew they couldn't continue like this. With all the distractions out of the way, the ugly feelings bubbled up.
The contradicting desires to get out of Avel's shadow, out of his ever-present blanket of protection, and at the same time, a deep longing for his presence, for his approval.
It wasn't even anything wrong to want; it was just that … she still resented him for not being there back then.
And she hated herself for that.
She knew he had no choice. She knew she couldn't have him always taking care of her problems.
But it still hurt.
And when he tried to make his promise again, she rejected him, afraid to be hurt so again.
"Scathach," he said, and her heartbeat picked up, a sense of dread settling in her stomach. "You don't want my promise anymore, do you?"
She flinched, looking away.
"T-Teacher, I… " She struggled to find the correct words. "…I'm not a little girl anymore. You … don't need to protect me. I can take care of myself."
She tried to appear calm despite the burning in her eyes.
Avel's piercing golden eyes seemed to look right through her, though, as if he could see her every emotion. He regarded her for a few seconds, his smile never leaving his lips.
"I know." He finally said.
"It's not that I don't want to see you anymore, Teacher, but you don't need to spend all your time in Skye. I don't want to chain you until I'm dead. And, and you said I'm as good with a spear as you, right? So it's not like I'm helpless. I'll be fine even then if you aren't there."
"I know, Scathach. I know."
He patted her, like when she was still a little girl, even if he had to stand on his toes now to reach the top of her head.
It was nice, even if it made her feel like her words weren't reaching him.
But maybe he would always see the child he saved in her, no matter how much time passed.
"…"
"It was selfish of me, too. I didn't want to lose you but didn't think about your wishes. Here," he sat on a large boulder and patted the space beside him. "Let's sit and talk."
She sat, but the stubborn stinging in the corner of her eyes didn't go away completely. She stared ahead at sea and the sun slowly nearing the horizon.
"I won't make that promise, Scathach."
"Teacher, it's-"
"No. It was a stupid idea anyway. Especially when I was about to leave again. And you are right. You are strong enough to take care of yourself."
She closed her eyes, her shoulders sagging in relief, tension leaving her body upon hearing his words, and the gnawing ball of stress in her stomach, which she forgot was even there, faded away.
It was exactly what she wanted, but somehow, it made her feel like a child. As if she was the same little girl he had saved all those years ago again.
She fiddled with her fingers, "…I bet you could still defeat me ten times out of ten."
"Maybe. But I'm a fairy, and you are a human. It's unfair to compare yourself to beings like me. You don't have to call me 'Teacher' anymore, actually, as I have nothing more to teach you."
"What are you talking about? I'm sure there are tons of things you could still teach me. Besides, it would be strange to change it now. You will always be my teacher, Teacher."
"Hmph," he rolled his eyes, "So be it. I have Dienu calling me 'Red', so you may as well keep calling me 'Teacher'. Maybe one day someone will call me by my name." He laughed briefly for some reason. Scathach didn't think it was that funny. He looked to the side, at the shadowed cliffs. "…can you tell me what those 'shadows' are about?"
"…they are wraiths. Ghosts. At least, I think so. The… god that granted me my runes wasn't very clear about what's the deal with them."
"Ghosts, huh? Do you need my help with them?"
She shook her head, "It's something I'll have to take care of by myself, I think. For now, they are gathering in Skye. When I know more, I'll let you know, Teacher."
"Alright."
A comfortable silence fell upon them, and Scathach let herself smile a little.
Now she felt stupid about fearing this conversation. Did she really believe her teacher would … what, force his promise on her? Ignore whatever she was saying to him?
He wasn't like that.
He changed in those few months, sure, but he was still the same fairy she always knew. He just seemed more… not mature, exactly – the opposite, more like – but something close. He was calm, even when she rejected his promise again.
And yet, for some reason, it seemed like this was a farewell.
"What are you going to do next, Teacher? You said so yourself, I can take care of myself. And you are free of your promise with that Bihev, too, so you don't need to stay in my castle."
He thought about it for a moment, the setting sun casting his form in orange light, giving his red hair and golden eyes an otherworldly look. A hint of mystery hung around him, a sign of his inhuman nature. She could always sense it, but now it seemed stronger than ever.
"Hmm. Maybe you are right. I spent most of my life in Faery but didn't explore much of it. The same with the human world. I wonder if my old home is around yet."
"Wherever you go, you will always have a home in Skye, Teacher."
He grinned at her, "Don't worry, Scathach. I'll make sure to visit you often, even if I leave to travel around the world. I wouldn't want to miss your wedding, after all."
"Ha. I wonder about that. I won't marry someone weaker than me, and so far, nobody like that has appeared before me."
"That will be a challenge. I doubt there's someone like that nearby."
She stood up and stretched out her muscles.
The day was ending, yet she was full of energy. The doubts that weighed on her for so long were gone, and she felt lighter than ever, and an easy smile bloomed on her face.
"We will see." She said. "Now, let's go, Teacher. You don't have to leave immediately, so you can help me beat down my disciples. It will do them some good to see there are mountains they aren't ready to climb yet. I feel they're starting to think I'm weaker than they thought. A reminder is in order."
"It's a wonder so many still remain if that's how you treat them."
And so, they left for her castle, her teacher storing away the weapons he had gifted her for now.
The sun was half hidden behind the horizon, and the shadows of Skye lengthened, but for once, Scathach was optimistic. Her bond with Avel would never be the same as when she was a child, but it didn't mean it was worse now. They both changed, and so did their circumstances. She wouldn't cling to the past.
They will continue to change and grow in the future, but Scathach didn't fear it anymore.
She was sure they would be able to overcome any trial life has in store for them.
AN
The following few chapters will be essentially a collection of loosely connected short stories. Just a time skip to the next arc, really, but with things happening along the way.
Chapter 11 will be up in two or three weeks as I need to reshuffle some events and plot out the next arc.