The ocean was a horrible place.
Rider watched the boy come to this conclusion in real time. It was right after the third time he threw up into the ocean due to seasickness. A pitiful sight to be sure.
The boy groaned as he slumped into his seat. He looked like he was about to melt into the floor.
"Are we there yet…?" The boy mumbled.
"Not yet." Rider answered as if this wasn't the fifth time in the last hour the boy asked. The boy only let out a groan and wrapped himself up in his cloak like it was a blanket.
"I wish I could sleep…" The boy muttered. Rider wished the boy could as well, but it didn't seem likely with the way the boat rocked. Rider estimated that they had about 5 hours until they actually reached Erinn, but they couldn't be sure that was right.
The ocean was a treacherous place, no matter the age. And on this small boat, they were at the ocean's mercy. That didn't even include the things in the ocean itself. They never knew if they were going to be attacked by a sea monster, after all.
The sounds of splashing suddenly caught Rider's attention.
Their first instinct was to look at their Master. Did they fall into the ocean in the tiny span of time Rider wasn't paying attention to them?
To the Servant's relief, the boy was still wrapped up in his cloak and in the boat.
The splashing still echoed, slowly becoming louder and louder. Listening closely, Rider realized something was off about the splashing. Every splash happened too close to another. It wasn't like a fish leaping out of the water, or even a sea monster treading above water. It sounded like… a horse running on the water.
Rider looked over their shoulder just in time. They saw a brilliantly white horse galloping on the water's surface. The horse never broke its stride, undisturbed by the waves of the ocean.
On the horse's back was a young woman. She had long purple hair that was tied back into a ponytail. Her long sleeved, skin tight black bodysuit showed her body was toned from physical training. However, the light blue robes looked as if they belonged to a mage.
Rider quickly stood up, gripping their sword tightly. Their stance was sturdy even with the boat rocking from their movements. The waves pushed the boat, causing it to bob up and down. The horse seemed unaffected by the same waters. Looking closer, Rider could see the waves simply didn't reach the horse, creating a patch of calm waters.
A Divine Beast, no doubt about it.
"Peace, I mean you no harm." The woman stated stiffly as she held up a single arm as if surrendering. "You are the final Master and Servant, yes?"
"Who's… askin'?" The boy called out despite his seasickness. The woman looked past Rider's intimidating form to look at the boy. Concern etched itself on her face as she looked at the boy, but she continued with her duty.
"I am Muirenn of the clan Fraga. With the blessing of the sea god, Manannán mac Lir, I am the acting overseer of the Dagda Cauldron Ritual." She introduced herself.
"... What?" The boy mumbled.
"If she is who she claims she is, then she is the one who watches over the ritual and enforces the rules." Rider explained patiently.
"There are rules…?" The boy muttered.
"This ritual is a substitute for war between two nations." Muirenn explained stiffly. Before she could continue, the boy moved for the side of the boat again. It went quiet as the boy once again threw up into the ocean. Muirenn's concern only grew at the sight. "On second thought, how about we get to land before I finish explaining things to you?"
"W-we're almost there?" The boy asked, a tiny amount of cheer in his voice as he sat back down.
"You have about an hour left by boat." Muirenn explained. "But… if we use Aonbharr here to pull your boat to land, it should take maybe ten minutes." The horse suddenly snorted, as if it was offended by the notion. Muirenn stroked the horse's mane in response. "I know, I know, but if we get them to land faster, then you can go back home faster." She reasoned with the horse. The horse simply snorted again, but made no other moves.
With that settled, Muirenn reached into her cloak, pulling out a rope. Gently, she tossed one end at the boat. It flew cleanly at Rider. Even someone with the most inept hand-eye coordination could catch that rope.
And yet Rider made no move to, letting the rope fall into the ocean.
"H-hey, Rider. Y-you're supposed to catch that…" The boy muttered even as he did his best to keep the final contents of his stomach in his body.
"Master, you should not be so trusting." Rider stated firmly. "They claim to be the overseer of this ritual, but how can we be sure?" The eyes on their mask glowed a piercing turquoise. "This could very easily be a trap. She could easily take our boat to somewhere that's advantageous for her Servant and attempt to eliminate us."
This was a reasonable concern. However, Muirenn knew the best way to prove her innocence. She reached down to her sleeve to peel it back when the boy suddenly spoke up.
"Yeah, but we could… beat them, right?" Rider's head turned slightly to look at their Master through their peripheral vision. The way he spoke… it wasn't a question of if it was possible. No, he was asking if they were allowed to.
The thought that they could lose never even crossed the boy's mind.
"That is not the point, Master." Rider chastised. "Even if you can escape from a trap does not mean you should just spring it."
"It's not a trap." Muirenn interrupted, causing Rider to look at her. She pulled down her sleeve, revealing the back of her hand. Her skin was clean and clear. Muirenn then pulled down her other sleeve, revealing it too was markless. "I swear to you on the name of the god I serve, Manannán mac Lir, that I am the overseer of this ritual, and I shall bring you to land safely."
Rider pondered those words for a second. In this time, swearing on the names of the gods was not something to be taken lightly, no matter the land. A god's wrath was not something to be trifled with, after all.
Rider extended their hand out, waiting to receive the rope.
Muirenn took a moment to reel back in the rope from the ocean. This time when she threw it, Rider caught it. Rider then carefully tied the rope to the bow of the boat, making sure it was secure. When they were confident that the rope would hold, they gave a nod to Muirenn.
Muirenn patted the neck of Aonbharr, who snorted once more. It lifted up a hoof and dropped it gently on the water.
What happened next could only be described as a miracle.
The waves died down with a single tap of the horse's hoof. However, it was not as if the tapping of the hoof created a ripple that calms the waves. Instead, a path of calm water formed from the hoof, stretching all the way to the distant shore.
"Hold on tight!" Muirenn called back to the Master and Servant before taking off. The horse galloped off, towing the boat behind it. Rider's stance remained firm even with the sudden change of speed. They didn't even stumble.
Rider sat down as the boat moved, faster than anything the Servant had ever seen go across the water. They could see the quick speed and steady movement was lulling the boy to sleep. Yet the boy fought to stay awake.
Right when he was about to lose the battle, the sounds of splashing disappeared, and their smooth ride was over. The horse drew the boat onto the land, allowing the boat's occupants a safe departure.
Rider took a graceful step out of the boat. The boy flopped face first into the sand.
"Are you okay?" Muirenn asked as she dismounted the horse.
"No." The boy's muffled voice shifted the sands. Rider looked down at the boy, but did nothing to help him. They simply stepped over their prone body and approached Muirenn.
"Why did the overseer wish to see us?" Rider asked as they stood like a towering statue.
"It's to explain to you a few things… and to offer you a choice." Muirenn explained, not showing any signs of intimidation. The boy lifted up his head, the sand slipping off his face.
"A choice?" The boy asked.
"Yes. You see, this ritual has several purposes." Muirenn stated. "The most… pressing one is that this is meant to be a substitute for war between two kingdoms. Each kingdom would get an equal number of representatives to fight for Dagda's Cauldron."
"Hold." Rider commanded. "Equal number? That does not make sense." The boy swiveled his head to look at his Servant. "This ritual summons seven Servants. That is not something that can be split equally."
"Yes… that's… an issue." Muirenn admitted. "This wasn't the original intent of the ritual, and thus, wasn't made with that in mind. A fact that has been communicated with the leaders of these nations many times, and yet…" Rider could see the woman trying to restrain her frustration.
"So are we the odd pair out?" The boy asked as he finally stood up. There was a small twinkle in his eyes as he continued. "Are we gonna have to fight both kingdoms?"
"Something like that, yes." Muirenn stated. "Because this is a substitute for war, both sides are using more than just Masters and Servants for this. They are sending their best warriors to support them. And people like you, foreigners from another land… you have no such backup. It will be just you against the mightiest of two kingdoms."
"You mean there's even more than six we're gonna have to fight?" The boy grinned. "That's perfect! Ain't no way I won't—"
"This is not a game!" Muirenn suddenly snapped, causing the boy to pause. "You'll have to face down some of the mightiest warriors of Erinn for this wish. They won't… they won't hold back because you're a child." Muirenn let the threat hang in the air, before Rider suddenly interjected.
"They would fight a child with all their might? Without hesitation?" Rider asked, their voice hardening.
"Of course." Muirenn stated. "I dunno how it's done where you're from, spirit, but here in Erinn, the boys can be trained to be warriors from a young age. And as warriors, they have to go at each other with all their might. It's simply the Celtic way." She paused, turning to look at the boy. "But… that's not something we should force on an outsider who wasn't even meant to be in this war. This war was supposed to be contained in Erinn, and yet you, someone from Alba, was dragged into this nonsense. You shouldn't have to fight this impossible fight for something as simple as a wish."
Rider stared at Muirenn, trying to discern her intentions. After a few seconds, they spoke up. "You are going to offer him a way to rescind this contract."
"Yes. As overseer, I can beseech the god I serve, Manannán mac Lir, to rescind your geas, and free you from all this." Muirenn looked at the boy, her serious face unable to hide her own worry. "A child shouldn't have to do this…"
The boy was quiet for a second. He looked up, staring at the stars as he thought to himself. Finally, he asked a single question.
"Rider. Can you take on an army?"
"If that is what you wish for." Rider responded automatically.
"And I can do the same. So by my math, we come out the winners against two armies." The boy said with a smile.
"No, that's—" Muirenn sharply inhaled before continuing. "I get you think you're strong, but the warriors around here are peerless. Someone as young as you can't—"
"I know that." The boy spoke up. "I came into this specifically to fight those powerful warriors. Even if I did give Rider up and quit this war, I'd go looking for them. Rider just makes it more likely they'll come for me." The boy grinned.
A relationship of convenience. Rider nodded as the boy stated his reasoning. He was truly holding up his part of the pact. Muirenn sighed, letting out a defeated chuckle.
"Are all people from Alba like this? You'd fit right in with kids around here." She muttered. "As much as I wish I could, I can not force you to give up your spot in the ritual." She shook her head. "If you ever change your mind, come find the clan of Fraga. They'll be able to lead you to me."
"Thanks, but I won't need that!" The boy said with a smile.
"Just keep it in mind." Muirenn stated as she climbed back on the horse. "The ritual begins at sundown tonight. Until then, all participants are on a ceasefire. Keep that in mind. Last thing we want is for you to have to face the consequences for breaking the rules." She looked at both Servant and Master before letting out a sigh. "I hope whatever you two are fighting for is worth it. Good luck."
With that, the horse took off.
"It is! Thank you!" The boy shouted as he waved at the retreating form of the horse. The two stood there in the dark, letting the sea breeze blow by them. "What a nice lady." The boy commented as he put his hands on his hips. "I thought we'd have to fight her for sure."
Rider didn't respond. At the moment, they were thankful for the child's seemingly inexhaustible enthusiasm. They could tell that if Muirenn had sensed any sort of waver in his resolve, she would have talked the boy out of the ritual.
Well, there were more important, more practical things to worry about than what ifs.
"So what shall we do with this boat?" Rider asked as they looked down at the boy. The boy shrugged. The breeze blew by, causing the boy to shiver.
"Maybe we should break it up for firewood." He suggested before walking to the boat. He cracked his knuckles as he stood by the sea faring vessel.
"Are you sure?" Rider asked. "Is that not something you need to return to that village?"
"Oh, nah. The chief said that the person who owned this isn't around any more, so it's mine to keep. And I ain't going back any time soon, so…" The boy stated with a smile. He then took a stance, pulling back his fist. Rider could instantly tell what the boy's plan was. That seemed very stupid to them.
The Servant walked up to their Master, nudging them away from the boat with their hand. They ignored the boy's indignant cries as he fell on his butt again. Taking a deep breath, Rider took a stance, gripping the handle of their blade.
Rider swung their blade, splitting the boat in half. Another swing, and the boat was in fourth. They continued to swing until the boat was only a pile of neatly cut wood. Only the sounds of the waves accentuated the sound of Rider sheathing their sword again.
Rider didn't acknowledge the boy's impressed look. They simply walked over to the pile of wood, picking out some of the biggest pieces. Wordless, they looked for a spot far enough from the water, and far away from the new pile of wood.
Before Rider could put the wood down, the boy rushed over. With a grin, he scooped up some sand with his bare hands. In a few seconds, the boy dug out a small pit perfectly sized for the wood Rider held. Rider placed them down, and the boy drew a rune on them.
The rune ignited into flame again, illuminating the night.
"That was much easier than usual." The boy commented before suppressing a yawn. "I guess… we should figure out sleeping shifts, huh?" The boy rubbed his eyes as he looked to Rider.
"No. I do not need sleep." Rider commented. "I will keep watch for the rest of the night." The boy blinked before nodding slowly.
"Oh, it's because you're a spirit?" The boy asked. Rider paused, hesitating for a second. They then nodded slowly in response. "That makes sense…" The boy said with a yawn. He wrapped himself up in his cape again and flopped to the ground.
It only took a few seconds until the sounds of the boy snoring filled the air.
Rider could only stare at the sleeping boy. In his exhaustion, the boy didn't make sure to put aside his weapons, or make sure he was far enough from the fire. There were plenty of ways that could go wrong. The last thing Rider needed was to lose the war before a single battle.
With the quiet grace of a ninja, Rider picked up the boy's little cloak cocoon. Carefully, they unwrapped the boy from his cloak. With one hand they held up his body while with the other they took away his spear and his dagger.
Rider put the boy back on the sand, neglecting to wrap him back up. They took a second to look at the boy's weapons. Both seemed unremarkable in every way. No magecraft, no deep history. There were simply ordinary weapons one could get from any weaponsmith.
Remembering how the boy pulled the dagger from behind his cape, Rider decided to carefully check the boy for anything else dangerous. They placed the weapons on the sand away from the boy as they began their search.
Carefully checking their pockets, Rider found something unusual. Instead of another weapon like they expected, they found a golden ring. It was rather ordinary to Rider. Other than it being gold, there was nothing about it that seemed important. No magecraft cast upon it, no cryptic message etched into it.
In fact, the only thing that could be considered unusual was that it was too big to fit on a young child's fingers. It probably would only fit on their thumb.
Why would he have something like this? Perhaps it wasn't theirs to begin with. Did he steal it?
Rider didn't know the boy well enough to say for sure, but the boy didn't seem like the type to steal. A family heirloom then? Rider subconsciously touched their mask as they thought about heirlooms. Would they want to pass this armor on as an heirloom to their own children…?
A second passed before Rider snapped out of their daze. They carelessly dropped the ring next to the weapons before picking up the boy again. With clumsy hands they wrapped the boy back up in their cloak while kicking at the sand at the same time.
After digging a big enough ditch, Rider laid the boy down in it. That way they didn't have to worry about the boy rolling around in their sleep. The last thing they needed was their Master accidentally cooking themselves in their sleep.
They took the weapons and the ring and walked away from the boy. They found a good spot away from the fire, where the light and heat barely reached them. They gracefully folded their legs, sitting in the sand. The weapons and ring were placed on their right side.
And there they waited in quiet mediation, a silent sentinel in the night.
The night passed quietly. The only sounds were the gentle sounds of the waves drowning out the boy's snoring. Rider sat in place, attempting to keep their mind clear of distractions. The only time they moved throughout the night was to get up to replace the wood in the fire once.
It only took a few hours for the sun to rise over the horizon again. As dawn broke, filling the sky with beautiful colors. Rider looked to the boy, who at this point was still sleeping peacefully.
Normally, Rider would kick them awake, and get them ready for the day. However, it didn't seem like the best idea right now. After the harrowing boat ride the boy endured, it would likely be better for his health if he slept a little longer.
Yes. Having an unhealthy Master would make it harder to win the cauldron. So it was in their best interest to let the boy sleep. It was simply logical.
That's all it was. Not kindness, calculated warfare.
So Rider did not move again for the rest of the morning. They let the fire die, its warmth no longer needed. Rider sat there silently, caring not for the heat of the rising sun. As the shadows were chased away by the light, Rider could see the beach the two found themselves on much clearer.
The water was a vibrant blue, and the sands a brilliant white. In the distance behind them was a great line of trees. It stretched far into the distance, cutting the beach away from the rest of the land. It was a safe spot for now, but Rider knew they would need to move when the boy woke up.
All it would take is one storm to change this beach from safe to life threatening.
It was a little before noon before the boy began to stir awake. He sat up slowly, groaning as he rubbed his eyes. "Mom…? What's…?" He blinked as he looked around. "Huh…?"
"Good morning, Master." Rider's tone remained as even as ever. The boy looked at them, blinking twice before yawning.
"Oh right. I ain't home any more." He muttered as he looked up to the sky. He covered his eyes when he realized the sun was shining. "... Huh… did I sleep in?" he muttered to himself.
"I thought about waking you at dawn." Rider explained. "But seeing how you were kept awake by our boat ride, I figured it would be wiser to let you rest."
"... So that's what it feels like to sleep in…" He muttered to himself. He stood up, taking off his cape. He put his hands in his pockets, feeling around for something. The second he didn't feel it, his face changed.
Gone was the tired child. His eyes sharpened as he looked grim and serious.
"Rider." He said in a serious and forceful tone. "In my pocket, I had a golden ring. Please tell me you have it right now." Rider looked down to their right, seeing the ring glisten in the sunlight. They picked it up gently.
"I do." Rider stated in a monotone tone.
"Give it back to me." The boy's tone was harsh as he held out his hand. For a few seconds, Rider did not move. Countless thoughts swarmed through their head. An attitude like that would surely get the boy in trouble in the future. Should they warn them of it? Should they try to correct their behavior?
No. The boy was not their child, after all.
"As you wish, Master." They answered as they gently tossed the ring through the air. The boy caught it and held it close to his body. He looked down at it, checking it for any scratches or imperfections. After brushing off some sand that found its way on the ring, the boy put it back in his pocket.
And suddenly, he was a cheerful, innocent boy again. The boy yawned and stretched. Rider could hear the popping sounds coming from the boy's body. After he stretched, the boy began to bounce on his toes. He threw a few jabs at the air, the sound of whistling coming from his fists.
He began to move around, taking small, calculated steps in the sand. With slick movements, he began to pivot around, throwing jabs at an invisible enemy.
This was around the time Rider realized the boy was doing a training routine. It brought back memories of their own childhood, of their own training. To think this boy would willingly get up first thing in the morning and do this before any sort of breakfast… just how hard were they pursuing strength?
"Master." Rider decided to simply not think about it. "We need to discuss what our plans for today are."
"Plans? What kind of plans?" The boy asked as he began to throw kicks into the air.
"We will need to find food—"
"Right, right, makes sense."
"And will need to set up a base."
"Base?" The boy stopped as he turned to look at Rider. "What's a base?"
"Think of it as… a temporary home for us while the ritual is underway." Rider explained. The boy paused at that, stopping his morning training. The way his face scrunched up told Rider he was deep in thought.
"I… I don't think I can do that." The boy mumbled as he folded his arms. "I… Yeah, I don't think we can make a base." There were no signs of disappointment from Rider, yet they pushed back.
"Why can we not make a base?" Rider asked simply.
"I…" The boy paused, looking at the ocean. "Hmm…" The boy began to think to himself. "We're in a strange land. We don't know where it's safe. Even if we do find somewhere safe to set up a 'base', we don't know how long it is until the others find us. So it's better to be on the move, right?" He reasoned out.
The logic was seemingly sound. But Rider wasn't one to just back down from someone that was simply their 'Master'.
"While this is true, a base would allow us to recover our energy much easier. Even if we were to be chased out, the rewards surely outweigh the benefits." This wasn't necessarily true. Rider knew this. But Rider had to see just how the boy would push back. "And besides that, we could use magecraft to make the taking of a base harder, could we not?"
The boy rubbed his chin. "Well, that might be true, but… my teacher told me the runes I use aren't suited for things like that. She said people around these parts use… Ogham letters. And that they're more suited for druids. My runes though, they're more fit for warriors… but that also means I can't really set them up in a way to defend a base." He admitted.
"We could enforce it without the use of magecraft." Rider pointed out. "However, I do admit at that point, we might as well be building a fortress, something that is not very feasible." They ran out of ways to push the boy. "Very well. We will do it your way, Master."
"Cool." The boy said quietly before turning to look around. "Do you have my spear too…?" He rubbed the top of his head as he looked around. Rider reached down and grabbed the boy's spear.
"Master." Rider called out to get the boy's attention. When the boy turned to look at them, Rider gently tossed his spear at him. The boy caught it, giving a nod of appreciation to Rider. He spun the spear in his hand lazily as he walked a small distance away from Rider. After finding a good spot, he stopped spinning his spear and firmly grasped it with both hands.
He lowered himself into a stance, narrowing his eyes as he began to focus. It took him a second to imagine his opponent, but he was soon training again. His thrusts were quick yet powerful. Rider quickly noticed that each strike was aimed at the vital areas of an adult woman. They couldn't find a flaw in their technique.
But this child… they couldn't be any older than seven years old. How early did his training start?
Suddenly, the ground began to rumble.
Master and Servant stood up instantly, staring at the trees. The ground shook again. The sounds of flapping wings filled the air as hundreds of birds scattered into the sky.
The ground shook again. Both the boy and Rider figured out what the rumbling was. It wasn't erratic enough to be an earthquake. It was happening too often to be something like a landslide.
No. Something big was walking by.
The boy immediately rushed towards the trees, armed with only his spear. Rider looked to the dagger and cape the boy left behind before running after him. Their Master's protection was far more important than their possessions.
The boy traversed the group of trees gracefully, leaping to the branches above. The boy leapt from tree to tree, the forest being more of a playground than an obstacle for him. As for Rider, they ran along the ground. Their heavy armor allowed them to ignore the random branches and roots growing from the trees.
It didn't take the two long to emerge from the small patch of trees. They found themselves at the side of a dirt road. While many things could be said of how quaint the road was, or how beautiful the trees that surrounded it were, the truth was neither took notice of those details.
For a monster walked on this road.
Rider's hand grabbed the hilt of their sword instantly, drawing it in one smooth motion. Their eyes behind their mask darted around, taking in the monster's form.
Its massive height rivaled that of the trees that surrounded them. Its two human-like legs were as thick as the tree trunks, and the last thing that resembled a normal living being.
From its sides and its back sprouted out large and muscular human-like arms. Rider quickly counted twenty-eight arms on the monster. Each arm alone looked as if they could crush a human's skull with no issue.
A head sat on top of the monster's body, right where one would expect to find a head on a normal person's body. Wild and long black hair tumbled down the monster's head like an ebony waterfall.
Its body was proportionally muscular, giving the monster a lean yet powerful look. But that power and those extra arms, they were not what gave the monster a disturbing presence.
It was the extra faces.
Across its entire body were faces. The faces of boys and men, all arranged haphazardly around the monster's body. Twenty-eight faces, fifty-six eyes. All were trained on the two. The most worrying thing of all was that unlike the Nuckelavee, those fifty-six eyes had the spark of intelligence behind them.
This creature was nothing like Rider had ever seen before. Countless monsters they had slain, and yet none came close to matching this monster's grotesque features. Worst of all, Rider could feel a large amount of mana within the monster.
Rider took a deep breath as they crouched down, getting ready to rush at the monster.
In a moment, it was like everything else disappeared.
Only they and the monster existed. What the monster was doing, what it needed, even the Dagda Cauldron Ritual… none of that mattered to Rider in this moment. All they saw was a monster that needed to be slayed, and as a monster slayer, Rider would perform their duty.
With booming thunder, Rider took off. The ground cracked from the sheer force of Rider taking off, rushing at their new quarry.
They didn't notice their Master running alongside them. They barely noticed the armored people rushing out from behind the monster. Rider's motions were mindless and automatic as they swung their sword at the new warriors rushing at them.
Over ten men were blown away with a single swing. A second swing sent another five flying. Rider only finally noticed the men when they saw the monster using their arms to catch the flying men.
Contrary to a monster's instinct, the monster handled each man quickly yet gently, setting them back on the ground. Each warrior gave the monster thanks before rushing out to intercept Rider and the boy once again.
The largest head, the one at the top, then did something that caught Rider off guard. It spoke.
"Lay down your weapons, oh warriors." The head spoke in a deep yet gentle tone. "We are not here to—" Before the head could finish its sentence, something resembling the sound of cracking thunder rang out. Much to Rider's confusion, it didn't come from them.
Their eyes barely caught sight of a rock flying through the air at supersonic speeds before it nailed a head sitting right under where the monster's heart would be. The face cried out in pain as blood flowed out from its forehead. An arm reached up and covered the bleeding spot, trying to seal the cut.
Rider and every face turned to look at the young boy. The boy was reaching down to grab another rock from the ground. He looked up at the injured face and gave a cocky grin.
"I'm gonna kill that little shit!" The injured face roared as it stared at the boy with rage burning in its gaze. The arm that was holding its face reached behind the creature. That's when Rider and the boy noticed a large cart was tied to the monster's waist.
As for the cart's contents, that was quickly answered when the hand grasped a mighty spear. It was far bigger, far longer, and far thicker than the boy's own spear. The monster's arm swung back around.
Another crack of thunder, and the rock rocketed into the monster's wrist. The hit caused the hand to drop its weapon. The injured face glared at the boy. The boy only wagged his finger playfully in return.
"That's it!" The face roared as a hand reached out to grab the boy. Rider moved, raising their sword over their head. With one clean movement, they brought down the monster slaying sword.
Yet the blade did not cleave through flesh as expected. The attacking hand was pulled back at the last second. Looking at the monster, Rider saw that several of the other hands had grabbed the attacking hand's wrist. They held it back, making sure it couldn't attack the young boy.
"Our queen told us not to fight anyone besides Cu Chulainn!" The big head on top roared. "You will not disobey our queen!"
"A queen of monsters?" The boy taunted as he spun his spear in his hand. "That sounds like something we should take care of."
"Hey, whoa. Uncalled for." A young face on the monster's stomach suddenly called out. "I get we're ugly, but threatening our queen is really crossing a line, buddy."
"Honestly, even attacking us was uncalled for." A slightly older face on the left pectoral muscle added. "It's understandable that we're ugly and monstrous and all that, but we weren't even attacking anyone. In fact, you two attacked us and our comrades when we were just trying to get supplies to our base."
"Yeah, is this how Ulster conducts themselves?" Yet another face called out. "You're breaking the agreement we all took when this ritual started!" A hand pointed at Rider. "And don't try to claim ignorance, you have one of those Servants. I don't care how young you are, an agreement is an agreement!"
"Uh…" The boy paused, looking over to Rider. Rider kept their hand on their sword, not speaking up. The boy sighed and looked at the monster. "I uh… I ain't from Ulster…"
"Well, you're definitely no one from Connacht." Another face spoke. "The queen handpicked every Master from there herself, and you weren't there!"
"Yeah, I'm from Alba…" The boy supplied.
"Oh, joy. That's exactly what we needed. A foreigner coming in and ruining this great ritual!" A face situated on the left shoulder growled. All twenty-seven other faces began to groan. Several arms went and covered several faces as the left shoulder face began to rant incoherently.
The boy looked over to Rider, confusion on his face. Rider remained as stoic as ever. They did not drop their guard however.
It wasn't uncommon for monsters to mimic humans in order to lull them into a false sense of security, after all.
"Hey, Clan Calatin! What's taking you all so long?!" A voice suddenly called out from behind the boy and Rider. The two turned to see a man walk down the road towards them.
The man walked with confident strides. His muscular body told the story of his efforts, and the three claw-like scars on his shirtless chest told of his hardships. His purple hair was styled into short spikes, and his eyes seemed to be squinted shut. Despite that, he walked without hesitation or fear.
The two knew, this was someone that was strong.
"We were transporting the goods as instructed when we were assaulted by this boy and his Servant!" Clan Calatin defended themselves as they pointed their arms at Rider and the boy.
"Oh, really? That's your excuse, huh?" The man asked as he looked down at the boy. The boy's gaze hardened as he began to look over the man. "Well, did you two 'assault' them?"
A moment passed, and no answer came from Rider or the boy. Rider turned their gaze to the boy, obviously expecting the boy to answer. What they saw was the boy giving the man the same calculating look that he did to Rider when Rider was first summoned.
Surely it was obvious this man was reasonable and no foe?
Another moment passed with the boy remaining silent. The man looked to be getting impatient. However, as the boy's Servant, Rider didn't think it was their place to speak up. They reached down, nudging the boy on the shoulder.
"Will you not answer him?" Rider asked when the boy broke his gaze to look at Rider. There was another second of silence.
"... Won't you?" The boy replied, a confused look on their face. The two stared at each other for a moment more. Finally, Rider turned back to face the man.
"We thought they were a mindless monster, and sought to rid the world of them before they caused too much damage." Rider explained. The man simply nodded in response.
"I can't really fault you for that." The man muttered as he rubbed his chin. "They are pretty ugly…" He nodded in understanding. "Well, if you two are willing, we can consider this water under the bridge, yeah?"
"No." Rider stated coldly and robotically. "Even if it is not mindless, something like that is a threat to the world of man."
"Hey now, that is a man. Well, 28 men." The mysterious man explained. "It's some weird druid magic or something, I don't know all the details. But that is the entirety of Clan Calatin fused into one being. They are of sound, human mind. Trust me, if they do anything to hurt anyone innocent, I'll kill them myself."
The man said it so casually, like they were discussing the weather. This was reassuring to Rider.
"Keep your word." Rider finally relented. The man looked at the monster and the men behind him. A quick jerk of his head told them to get going. The group nodded back in response and quickly moved back into formation. A few seconds later, the men and the monster were marching off.
The strange man stayed behind, however.
"Just makin' sure you two keep up your end of the bargain." The man explained. "Last thing we want is you two to attack us from behind."
"I have more honor than that." Rider stated dryly.
"You, maybe." The man replied with a grin. "Him though?" He motioned to the young boy, who was still staring at the man with a scrutinizing gaze. "He looks raring for a fight."
"Perhaps he wishes to slay your Clan Calatin. I certainly understand where my Master is coming from." Rider reasoned. "After all, monsters are meant to be slayed by humans."
"Hey, I told you, they aren't some mindless beast. They're perfectly reasonable." He then paused, before finally admitting the unspoken problem. "Well… they probably won't be like that for much longer." The man stated solemnly as he turned to watch the giant form of Clan Calatin disappear further down the road. "Shame too. That family had a bright future." He shook his head. "If that's what our queen wants though…" He turned back to the two, satisfied with their patience. "See you two around." He said with a small wave before going to follow the group.
"Hey." The boy finally spoke up again, calling out to the man. The man turned around to look at the boy, raising an eyebrow as he did. "You're a powerful warrior, aren't you?" The boy asked, glaring straight into the man's eyes. The man only let out a deep laugh at that.
"One of the best! Why do you ask, kid?" The man answered with amusement.
"Do you know who Scathach's greatest student is?" The boy asked coldly. The man's face changed at this, becoming hard and serious. The atmosphere went from light hearted to heavy in an instant.
"Who wants to know?" The man asked.
"None of your business. Do you know them or not?" The boy fired back. The man let out a laugh, but not a jovial one like before.
"Are you truly so naive to think I'd tell you something like that for free?" The man's face hardened as he glared down at the boy. "If you want to know something that important, then you need to beat it out of your opponent by force, right?"
"I'm warning you just this once." The boy snarled at the man. "If you're gonna make me fight for the answer, then you better get your friends back here. You won't stand a chance without them."
"Oh, you think you and your Servant are too much for me to handle?" The man let out yet another laugh.
"No. I just know I'll beat you with or without Rider." The boy stated. Both Rider and the man noticed that the boy wasn't boasting. He wasn't saying any of this with any sort of pride.
He was stating it as a simple fact.
"Oh, is that so?" The man's tone was a mix of annoyance and amusement. "Well, if you're so confident that's the case, then I definitely want both of you to fight me. I've been itching for a good fight for months!" The man grinned as he drew out his weapon. It resembled a sword, if someone was to use the bare minimum to describe one. If anything, it appeared to be more of a drill on a sword's hilt.
The sight of it caused both Rider and the boy to stiffen up. It was obvious that it was no ordinary sword. They quickly got into their stances, Rider drawing their blade as the boy gripped his spear.
The man simply laughed at the sight of them.
"Even if you won't give me your name, I'll give you mine. You face Fergus mac Róich! Try not to die, nameless!"
