FATE/CURADH BEAG

"Little Champion"

Chapter 23: An Aftermath and Uncertainty

"Uuuuungh…"

Naoise let out a low moan of agony as he regained consciousness. He was momentarily befuddled as to why he had passed out, but quickly realized he was lying on top of someone. Then he recalled witnessing the ominous red light emanating from Cuchulainn's Gae Bolg, and knew it could only mean trouble. He had instinctively thrown himself over Deirdre to shield her from the blast, since they were so close to the epicenter of this new disaster. Fortunately, the cursed spear had exploded deeper within the earth's surface, keeping the damage contained to just more violent rumbling and further wrecking of the race track. The couple remained uninjured, but were understandably stunned by the whole ordeal.

"Aah… N… Nao… ise…" Deirdre mumbled in a half-awake daze.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"I… think so. What about… you?"

"I'm unharmed. Just take it easy."

They sat there for a long while, trying to parse what in the world just happened. A few minutes later, they heard numerous footsteps approaching as guardsmen and citizens alike barged in to see the extent of the destruction for themselves.

"Cor blimey…" the stadium's owner gasped in dismay. "This is much worse than I thought."

"I guess that means we have to tear it all down and build from scratch," one of his assistants said.

"You might be right. There's no way this can be fixed with a few patch jobs."

"So, no more horse races for a while, huh?" one of the older men moaned dejectedly. "Damn it all. It was all I had to help me keep my mind off of my daughter's suicide. I guess we're not allowed to have nice things in this world, are we?"

"Don't say that," one of the druids told him. She had been called in along with some colleagues to administer aid to anyone who was potentially injured. She assured the heartbroken fellow, "The stadium is an important place for everyone in Emain Macha, if not all of Ireland. I'm sure they'll construct a new track that's even more grand than the previous, especially considering how long ago this one was first built. Maybe it will be even more special for you if you offer to help with the construction."

"Perhaps…"

The mood was similarly morose for many other townsfolk who saw the race track as their center of culture, and a vital source of income for many families. To Naoise and Deirdre, however, none of that was of their concern. They could only think about Connla, Fir and Fial, who were all still inside the fissure when Gae Bolg struck. They couldn't imagine any of them surviving such a tremendous blast.

Suddenly, another man pointed to the sky and exclaimed with a deep accent, "Oy! Look up there, y'all! There be somethin' red an' glowy comin' down!"

To the crowd's astonishment, a bright red bubble descended from above and hovered before them. Inside was the comatose Connla, with her torso and arms slumped forward, one hand clenched around her spear, and the other holding Mini Cu's tail. Moments prior to Gae Bolg destroying the last of Macha's curse, Cuchulainn had cast a spell on Connla's body to quickly fly her out of the blast zone. However, the strain turned out to be too much for him, since he had to do all of this from a remote location kilometers away. Once he accomplished what he wanted to do, he lost mental contact with Connla and slipped into a coma, his magical energy completely exhausted.

"Oh my word!" Deirdre cried out.

The orb gently set her down on the ground several feet away from the crevice, then disappeared as it lost its energy. The concerned onlookers ran up to her, and both Naoise and Deirdre kneeled beside her. The former cradled her head upon his hand and urged, "Hey! Are you okay!? If you're awake, then open your eyes!"

After a moment of struggling, Connla feebly peeled her eyes open and gazed into the pair's eyes. Although she was thoroughly exhausted, she managed to utter beneath her breath, "N… ao…"

"Oh, thank the gods! You're still alive!" Deirdre gasped, nearly on the verge of tears.

"She's still very weak though," Naoise said, then called out to the crowd, "Is there a bed we can use for her!?"

"Aye!" the innkeeper exclaimed. It was the owner of the same inn that Naoise and Connla stayed in earlier. "You lot are welcome t'stay at my place fer free 'til she recovers."

"You have my gratitude, sir."

"Bring 'er this way, mate. My wife will look after 'er fer the night."

Boyne River, Leinster

Fergus and several of his top military advisors gathered around in a small tent to discuss the current state of affairs. Of particular note was the bright red light that everyone witnessed flashing in the sky just a couple of hours ago. The explosion was too far away to affect Fergus' army, but there certainly was growing speculation among the soldiers as to what exactly it was. However, the source of that ominous light was no mystery to the former King of Ulster. Everyone present got to see an uncharacteristically serious and grim expression on the man's face that they had never witnessed before.

Did Fergus really want to reveal to his aides that it was Gae Bolg? If he did, it would cause pandemonium to sweep among his base, spreading fear and uncertainty about just how powerful Taoide Olc truly was. To be honest, Fergus was quite shaken by the severity of the explosion and how it dyed the sky crimson for several minutes before the world returned to normal. It was true that he had seen firsthand how godlike Cuchulainn had become in battle, but this was on a completely different scale.

"Fergus," one man uttered, his voice slightly cracking. "As much as you would not like to say anything to us, I believe it is much too obvious who was responsible for that attack."

"…"

"There's no denying it – Cuchulainn must have hurled Gae Bolg all the way from Scotland to Ulster."

Another soldier added, "For what reason, we wouldn't know. Perhaps he is using this as a preliminary show of how severely outmatched we are against him. This must be his idea of taunting us for our weakness."

Fergus frowned, then asked, "Where exactly in Ulster did it strike?"

"We're not certain at the moment. I've already sent scouts to investigate. They should report to us within a day's time."

"Damn it. This is definitely going to shake the troops' morale."

"Lord Fergus, if I may," a sharp-eyed woman interjected. "Now that we understand the full scale of Taoide Olc's full might, is it really wise to consider going on the offensive against Scotland? Granted, our current and primary objective is to overthrow Galway and install you as the new ruler. But once that is complete, how would we approach Scotland's forces?"

Fergus crossed his arms and admitted, "That's not easy to say right now. Although we are dealing with a god, he is still the Cuchulainn that we remember at heart. Since he is Scotland's king, and I am to be Ireland's king soon enough, it would be prudent for us to enter into negotiations to avoid a needless conflict. After all, I'm still not certain what his intentions actually are."

"Pah! The only thing that monster will want to negotiate is our unconditional surrender!" the first man scoffed. "Hell, he may not even bother with such a formality and send his armies to slaughter us without mercy! At this rate, this world's very last vestiges of human civilization will be forced to squirm beneath his overshadowing thumb!"

"I wouldn't be so sure about that. Think about where he threw Gae Bolg, and what that implies."

"Where he threw that accursed weapon? What does that have to do with anything?"

"Quite a bit, actually. If Cuchulainn's goal is to kill Medb, don't you think he would have thrown it within Connacht rather than Ulster? Medb wouldn't have been prepared for it, but now there's no way she won't notice it now, meaning she can take appropriate countermeasures to defend against it should he attempt it again."

"Hm… Now that you put it that way, it certainly is a baffling conundrum. Why would Taoide Olc strike Ulster when he knows Medb always holes herself up in Galway?"

"Did he have a different reason in mind?" the woman wondered.

"The million gold coin question, wouldn't you say?" Fergus grinned lightly. "Well, who knows how a god thinks? We lowly mortals certainly can't hope to comprehend the inner workings of a deity's mind."

Just then, the tent's opening flap fluttered in a surprise gust of wind as a black bird effortlessly swooped in and circled just above the startled advisers. Although the others were spooked by this unusual bird's presence and cried out for it to go away, Fergus remained unperturbed, sitting calmly in his seat with his arms still folded over his chest.

"Oh ho ho ho! Then I'd be happy to answer in exchange for those million gold coins!" Morrigan's voice exclaimed, instantly quelling the cacophony that her dramatic entrance caused.

"W-What the-!? The bird can talk!?" one of the men exclaimed.

"Save it for later," Fergus commanded him, then asked Morrigan, "What's going on in Ulster?"

"It's exactly as you said; Cuchulainn used Gae Bolg to strike at Emain Macha."

He became surprised when he heard this news. "Emain Macha?"

"Yes. Precisely the place where Cathbad asked his assistant to investigate the Curse of Macha."

Fergus gasped in shock as he understood what she meant. He blurted, "That's one of Ulster's Three Blights! Are you telling me that Cuchulainn wanted to eliminate that group to preserve the curse for his benefit!?"

"A good guess, but still way off the mark. Don't forget whom Cathbad asked to look into that matter, and what her relationship with Cuchulainn is."

He froze as he remembered Connla, and of the thumb ring that linked her with Cuchulainn. He recalled how the warped former Ulster hero had not made any attempts to injure Connla during the fight in Glasgow. In fact, he seemed more interested in capturing her alive. For him to suddenly use Gae Bolg in the city that she was located in seemed unfathomable to Fergus. It just didn't make sense to him anymore.

"Ah hah hah… You must be hopelessly baffled about Cu's motives, aren't you?" Morrigan chuckled. "Well, let's just keep this nice and simple so I don't confuse you any further. The fact is that Cuchulainn actually wanted Macha's curse gone, and so struck down its core with Gae Bolg to destroy it."

Everyone simultaneously gasped. Fergus uttered, "He… did that?"

"I haven't been keeping tabs on his latest activities, but suffice to say, he has a vested interest in Cathbad's project for summoning his Grand Servant. He is aware of the Three Blights and is actually assisting Cathbad's protégé in her efforts."

"But, doesn't that mean he'd be giving Ireland a better chance at fighting back against Scotland? Not only did he eliminate the curse, he's now improving Cathbad's chances of summoning the Servant to help him fight Cuchulainn! T-T-This just doesn't add up! It's a massive conflict of interest!" one of the aides stammered, no longer able to comprehend this situation.

"I think you're forgetting something very crucial here, my good sir," Morrigan calmly replied. "Cu's goal isn't to wage war with Ireland. It's to destroy his most sworn enemy, Medb. He's doing whatever is necessary not just to improve his country's odds for victory, but also Ireland's. After all, Cathbad's assistant has indeed divulged everything about your rebellion to Cuchulainn."

"Preposterous!" the female warrior exclaimed. "That's tantamount to treason! We should have that person dragged back here and put on trial for betraying us!"

Fergus raised his hand to stop her, then said, "I wouldn't say that's necessarily treason."

"Why not!?"

"If Morrigan is right, then it means Cuchulainn may actually be on our side."

"That's… That's just insane…"

"Is it, now? Remember, both sides want Medb taken down. If we treat Cuchulainn destroying the Curse of Macha as an act of goodwill on his part, then it really would be in our best interest to forge an alliance with Scotland to overthrow Connacht. In other words, Cathbad's subordinate is actually acting as a liaison between us and Cuchulainn while they work together to destroy the Three Blights. In what world would you call that treason, my fair lass?"

"Well… The facts may line up with that theory… But I just think it's a little too convenient…"

"True. I won't deny that there must be some kind of thorn with Cuchulainn's generosity. The problem is that we just don't know enough about what he is planning."

"There's no way he'd tell us. What opposing force would be stupid enough to reveal their strategies to the other side?"

Fergus grunted and sighed in consternation. "Damn it. If only there was some way for me to discuss things with Cuchulainn directly, without putting each of our armies at risk…"

Morrigan giggled again and said, "Don't forget, Cathbad's helper is cooperating with him in secret. That means she has the means for you to talk with Cu without Medb noticing."

"Then pray tell, how are they communicating with each other?"

"Why don't you go and find out for yourself? The little one's resting in Emain Macha as we speak, then she has to prepare to look for the final blight."

"Oh, yeah. She already dealt with Deirdre of the Sorrows, so that just leaves Manannan's Parted Mists."

"It's going to be the hardest one for them to find, so I'm thinking of lending my support to their team. Perhaps you should see this as an opportunity to catch up with her."

Fergus smiled, visibly showing to everyone that he agreed with the goddess' idea. He said, "Hm. I suppose a check-up on Cathbad's group would be a most fruitful endeavor. Conall's been asking me how she's been doing lately, and I haven't been able to tell him anything useful. He must be too worried about her to focus on his training."

"Then I guess it's settled. I'll go on ahead and let them know you're coming. You and your friend should go to Emain Macha as soon as you can and rendezvous with them. From there, I will have to act as a guide to show the way towards solving Manannan's Parted Mists."

His jovial smirk quickly vanished as he wondered, "By the way, I can't help but wonder exactly what this final blight is supposed to be, and how it threatens Cathbad's summoning of the Grand Servant."

"Well…" Morrigan's voice trailed off. Then she prophetically murmured, "Let's just say that we'll be getting acquainted with some unsavory characters real soon."

Galway, Connacht

It didn't take long for word of Cuchulainn's attack on Emain Macha to reach Medb's ears. It was around early morning when one of her Red Branch Braves informed her of what happened. Her reaction was predictably one of total bewilderment.

"I don't believe it! Cu used Gae Bolg on a city other than this one?" Medb blurted.

"Yes, my queen," Maine Faireach replied. "Lasta and Dian have already been dispatched to interview the traveling merchants who made those claims. The other Braves are trying to re-establish order among the citizenry."

"No kidding. Even from here, I could see that accursed red light illuminating the sky. If Cu really had struck my grand capital of Connacht, then it's only natural that the lower-class citizens would think the end of the world was coming. But I guess Cu's aim wasn't as true as he would have liked. Thank goodness that he still has that human side to him that causes him to make such hilarious mistakes like that. Not like me, who is a bona fide goddess who never makes any poor judgments."

"Actually, my queen, if I may be so bold as to elaborate," Faireach interrupted her, holding back the urge to say that he was correcting her. To even mention that a die-hard narcissist like Medb was wrong was tantamount to a death sentence.

"Hm? Is there more?"

"Actually, the witnesses are saying that Gae Bolg appeared to be purposefully thrown at Emain Macha. There's no indication that it was a misfired shot originally meant for Galway. For now, we're treating it as an allegation rather than solid proof, but I think it's fair to assume that Cuchulainn did not intend to attack us. If you may consider it for a moment, the distance between Galway and Emain Macha is approximately 250 kilometers. I can hardly conceive a trained warrior like him to have such abysmal aim, especially if we assume that his motivations are centered on his never-ending feud with you."

"That is true. Cu may be a brute, but he isn't stupid. So if we do believe that he attacked Emain Macha, the next question is, why would he do that? He wouldn't waste an opportunity to launch Gae Bolg as a surprise attack on me, and he definitely knows I only ever remain in Galway at all times. He's literally warned us of what he's capable of, and that means I can prepare the necessary defenses for the next time he tries to pull such a stunt."

"I highly doubt it's a mere scare tactic, either. He already demonstrated his true power by destroying the rest of the world. Scare tactics would just be redundant to him at this point."

Medb clenched her teeth and grumbled, "Cuchulainn… Just what is it that you are up to?"

Emain Macha

It was a real struggle for Connla to wake up. Her head still felt incredibly heavy, and her eyelids felt like they had weights pulling them shut. She constantly kept drifting between sleep and wakefulness, unsure if she should get more rest or get up to see what was going on. The gentle sounds of a fire crackling in the fireplace and the warmth it exuded didn't help matters either, as she was practically melting in pure comfort and relaxation. She could at least try to open her eyes and see where she was, but she didn't feel like doing much else beyond that.

After fighting against the relentless sensation of wanting to sleep, Connla finally allowed some light to seep into her vision. The first thing she realized was that the sun's position indicated that it was at least early afternoon, rather than morning like she expected. Normally she would be surprised by how late she had slept in, but after everything that had happened yesterday, she really couldn't fault herself for needing more rest than usual. Despite it being a sunny afternoon, the cold autumn air justified the fireplace being used. She slowly shuffled into a sitting position and extracted her arms from beneath the blankets so she could feel the warm air on her skin.

For the moment, no one else was in the room with her. She didn't recognize the place at first, but then noticed some landmarks outside like the tavern and small marketplace across the road, and realized she had been brought back to the same inn she stayed at yesterday. The room wasn't the same, but the building certainly was. In fact, this one seemed more homey and lived in compared to the much simpler rooms tailored for temporary guests. Connla silently panned her eyes along the room, noticing that it was more of a living room than a bedroom, and that she had been placed on a long sofa.

Since there wasn't anyone else around, she never said a word as she regained consciousness. She just stared at the gentle flames dancing on the blackening wood while thinking about everything that had happened. A lot of the details were hazy for now, but she at least remembered the gist of it. A sinking feeling gripped her chest as she recalled what Fir and Fial did, and a somber realization dawned upon her:

I'm never going to see them again… am I?

She wanted to be upset. She did have every right to shed some tears for her friends' sacrifice. But she chose not to. She knew this was how it was meant to be. To cry for them meant that she wanted them back to comfort her somehow, and she knew that was going to be impossible now. She wanted to show the twins that she could be strong and move on from their deaths, so that they could rest without worrying about slowing her down.

Yeah… This is how it should be. They must be a lot happier now that they've reunited with their mother. I really should wish them well…

She sighed and closed her eyes, as if meditating to the fire's soothing ambience. If she didn't know better, she probably would have fallen back asleep while in this sitting position.

Just then, a familiar voice uttered, "Hey. You're finally up."

"Hm?" Connla mumbled and glanced to her side. Nestled atop a wooden chair next to the sofa was Mini Cu, whom she had not noticed during her earlier inspection of the room. She must have been so exhausted that the doll barely registered in her mind.

"How are you doing? Are you feeling sick or anything?" he asked.

"Sick?"

"From falling into the Leyline. Although I managed to shield you from its more harmful effects, you still drifted in there for a few minutes without protection. You should be experiencing some form of mana intoxication."

"Hmm… I guess my body still feels a bit heavy. It's almost like I'm alive and dead at the same time…"

"Figures. Don't move about for today. I'll stick around and make sure you're okay."

"But what about Scotland? Aren't you preparing for the war?"

"Don't worry about it. I've got capable men handling the grunt work for me. They'll be fine without me for a day or two."

Connla relented with a nod and mumbled, "Well, okay…"

Mini Cu grunted in concern, then muttered, "You're thinking about Fir and Fial, aren't you?"

"Mm. I know they said good-bye to me, but I don't really know what happened afterward."

Mini Cu explained everything to her, and she exhaled a breath of relief as she murmured, "So they convinced Macha to dispel the curse."

"Yeah. Ireland's warriors should not be stricken with birthing pains anymore. That means Fergus' plans can go ahead as scheduled."

"Wow…" Connla moaned and wiped her forehead of some sweat. "It feels like things are moving so fast that I can't keep up. Soon, Ulster is going to be overrun with your armies. Am I really going to be safe here, especially when I'm not feeling so well?"

He wasn't sure what she meant at first, but then put it together and blurted, "Ahh. You think I'm going to rejoin Scotland with Ulster."

"Hm? You mean you're not?"

"No. I'm going to maneuver Scotland so that it smashes against western Connacht. Ulster will not be affected by the war whatsoever. You're actually in the best possible place to stay away from the fighting."

"I see…" she frowned, then nestled her head back on the pillow and stared at the ceiling.

Despite his assurances, he could tell that something was distressing her. He hopped from the chair onto the blankets, then sat upon her upper chest and asked, "Why so glum? Do you feel like throwing up?"

"No, that's not it. I just have so much on my mind."

"You always look like that. Seriously, when are you not worrying about something?"

"I'm sorry."

He sighed in consternation and told her, "Look, I know it's difficult for you to fully trust me. For all intents and purposes, I should be your enemy. But I don't feel the same way about you. You've been incredibly valuable to me as a source of information, plus your efforts to quell the blights are a huge benefit for me as well. I bet you noticed that I never tried to kill you back when your group fought me in Glasgow, right?"

"I sort of noticed it…"

"That's because I wanted to bring you back to Dun Scaith. I didn't want you getting involved in any of this. But since it's come this far, I may as well help you in any way I can."

She became as silent as death for a long moment. She gazed into the doll's eyes with an empty stare, then mumbled, "Cuchulainn?"

"Yeah?"

"We're in a Lostbelt – a timeline that has dangerously deviated from its intended course."

"What about it?"

"If we're so far off from what should have happened… doesn't that mean that you and me being allies also qualifies as an error in human history?"

"…"

"For that matter, if what you told me is correct, then the vision I saw of you slaying me with Gae Bolg was what should've happened in Proper Human History. That means if history is supposed to stay on its course, we should be enemies."

"…"

"And that would mean… me being alive for the last 15 years… was a giant mistake as well…"

Suddenly, Mini Cu's expression twisted into a livid snarl as he howled, "That's enough!"

"Heek!?" Connla shirked in fear.

"Who cares what happens in Proper Human History!? We're not in it right now, are we!? We exist in a Lostbelt! Everything is so out of whack that it's perfectly fine for anything out of the ordinary to happen here anyway! Besides, even if your death by my hands was true, that doesn't mean you surviving past it has been the only aberration that has occurred in this world! Stop thinking that being alive is some kind of freak accident that shouldn't have happened, or that it's even the whole cause of the Lostbelt in the first place! That kind of self-loathing mindset is so ridiculous that I can't even think straight!"

"Um… but I'm-"

"I don't want to hear another word of it! Forget what you saw back there and be thankful that you're alive! No more, no less! If you keep saying such bullshit around me without thinking, then I'm seriously going to get pissed off! Do you understand!?"

"Y-Yes… I understand…"

"Not another words of this, you hear?"

"Okay. I won't say it again."

"Good," he grumbled, then calmed down and exhaled a gruff sigh. "We have more important things to think about anyway. Once you've recovered, we need to look for the last blight."

She nodded meekly. "Mm. Lord Cathbad called it Manannan's Parted Mists."

"Since we haven't found any clues about it, we'll have to infer on his legend to piece things together. How much do you know about Manannan?"

"He's the god of the sea, and a member of the Tuatha de Danann, known to possess numerous magical treasures and artifacts. Teacher told me that his wife is the otherworldly sea bird Fand, and that they live together in a realm that is isolated from ours."

Mini Cu suddenly paused as his mind went blank for a moment. His gaze seemed distant as he murmured, "Fand?"

"Yes. Is something wrong with that?"

"N-No… I just thought that name struck a little memory bone for me or something…"

Connla asked, "Did you know her?"

"I don't think so. My memory was shot to hell during my rampage as Taoide Olc anyway, so who knows how much I've actually forgotten."

"Hmm… Ah!?" she gasped unexpectedly when she spotted a large black bird perched outside the closed window. "It's Morrigan!"

"Looks like she wants to be let in," Mini Cu said. Connla had just enough strength to open the window to allow the avian goddess to fly inside, then she quickly shut it and curled herself beneath the blankets to escape the freezing air.

"Good morning, you two," Morrigan said. "Congrats on taking care of Macha's curse. You're now one big step closer to having Cathbad summon his Grand Servant."

Connla became forlorn as she murmured, "But Fir and Fial…"

"Not to worry. I already know about them."

"That's the part I don't get," Mini Cu remarked. "Why were the kids there? Didn't they stay behind at Leabharcham's place with Deirdre?"

"Let's just say I 'convinced' the twins to come to Emain Macha."

"What does that mean?"

"I posed as an invisible specter of their father Cruinnuic, and beckoned them to follow me."

He became visibly angry as he firmly retorted, "You do realize you led your own niece and nephew to their deaths, right?"

"Don't be silly. They were already dead. I was just sending them to their proper place with their mother. They're the only ones that Macha would listen to anyway, so I was doing you a huge favor."

"A favor that no one asked for."

"Come now, I'm the goddess of death. It's a necessary part of evolutionary life for the old to perish so that the new can thrive. That's the only reason why I still have a strong presence in the mortal world despite none of the other Tuatha de Danann being around."

"Hmph. Stop giving yourself so much credit. It's making me sick."

Connla remained silent during their argument, feeling too tired to contribute to their verbal antics. Morrigan noticed the child's distant gaze and asked, "What do you think, dear?"

"Think of what?"

"Me essentially manipulating your friends."

She turned her eyes away from the curious bird, then whispered, "I don't want to think of it that way. I want to believe they followed me of their own accord, and decided to jump into the Leyline to save their mother. If I start accusing you of anything, that could put a rift in our partnership, and I don't want that to happen…"

"Quite the forward thinker, aren't you? Certainly not like your father."

Mini Cu glowered, "You really don't know when to stop wagging that beak of yours, woman."

"I can't help it if I'm so eloquent. I just love getting my point across, especially when it trounces another's flimsy argument in a heated debate."

"Hmph."

"Anyway," Morrigan said to Connla, "if that's what you want to believe, then I won't stop you. Makes things more convenient for me going forward, now that I'm going to be accompanying your party."

This came as a surprise to the pair, and the child warrior asked, "You're coming with us?"

"How else are you supposed to find a member of the Tuatha who has long since left this world? I'm the only one who knows where he is."

"I see. Actually, Cuchulainn and I were discussing about Manannan when you showed up."

"Oh, good. Since anyone and their grandmother would know the basics regarding his legend, I can go ahead and say that Manannan's actually in a spot of trouble."

This worried Mini Cu, and he asked, "How so?"

"Cathbad referred to this blight as the 'Parted Mists', right? Surely you must know of the Cloak of Mists he uses to conceal the boundary between this world and his alternate dimension."

"The Cloak of Mists? Hmmm… I know he has a lot of different artifacts, but that one's not ringing a bell to me."

"Ohh, that's riii~iiight!" Morrigan exclaimed in mocking surprise. "You and your wife drank a druid's potion to help you forget about your affair with Manannan's wife Fand!"

Now he was absolutely astonished. "What? Say that again?"

"Don't you remember? Oh, who am I kidding? Of course you don't. Since I know anything and everything about you though, I'm fully aware of what happened during that particularly sordid affair."

"Pah! Me, drinking a potion of forgetfulness? Quit dreaming this shit up out of thin air. Why should I believe you're not just lying to me?"

"My, what a conundrum. How can you remember drinking a potion of forgetfulness if you can't remember drinking it in the first place? You have no way of proving if I'm right or wrong since you've forgotten everything."

"Now you're starting to tick me off."

Connla then interjected by asking, "Um, Morrigan? When you said that Cuchulainn and his wife drank the potion, you're referring to Ms. Emer, right?"

"That is correct," Morrigan affirmed. "Suffice to say, even if we tried to ask her, she won't recall any of this either."

"So if your claims are true, why did they have to do that?"

"Why else? Not only was your father incredibly strong in battle, he was also exceptionally handsome, prone to attracting all of the ladies around him. His obvious advances toward the fairer sex were no mystery to anyone either. Many of Ulster's men feared his appearance, believing that he would wind up sleeping with their entranced wives and daughters. Fand was no exception. Despite being an otherworldly being, she fell in love with your father despite being married to Manannan."

"How did they meet?"

"Oh, I believe it was when Cuchulainn was in his later teenaged years, after he had already returned from the Land of Shadows and married Emer. One afternoon, he was practicing hurling stones at a flock of birds. These weren't any ordinary birds, though – they were a flock of sea birds led by Fand and her sister Li Ban, all linked with each other as pairs with either silver or gold chains. Cuchulainn slung a stone at Fand's wing, which injured her. Later, the two sisters returned in human form to punish him for his antics, and pummeled him with horsewhips so intensely that he was bedridden for a whole year."

"Damn, I did that?" Mini Cu wondered as he folded his arms. "With my stamina, I can hardly imagine being kept in bed for a day, never mind a year."

"That's just how severe their retribution was. But then Fand decided to forgive you, and aided with your recovery on the condition that you travel to Manannan's realm to help deal with some insurgents. You did so, and the two of you started to have a relationship, even though both of you were married to others."

"Manannan must not have liked that."

"Actually, it was Emer who was incredibly furious with your betrayal. She may be a beautiful lady who possesses the six gifts of womanhood, but she's also easy to get jealous. She and a group of female companions tried to attack you two, all armed with knives."

"…"

Morrigan shrugged, then continued, "Ultimately, Fand saw how much Emer loved you and decided to leave you. Manannan facilitated your parting by sealing off the entrance to his realm, then having you, Emer and Fand drink the potions to forget everything. A nice and tidy ending for everyone involved, wouldn't you say? Honestly, if I were in Manannan's place, I would've spiced things up by having an affair with Emer behind your backs."

Mini Cu's eyes shimmered with an eerie red light as he glowered, "You leave Emer out of this."

"Right… I guess you don't appreciate my brand of humor."

Connla listened to Morrigan's tale, never saying a word so that she could understand everything that had happened. It was also a good opportunity for her to learn more about Cuchulainn's earlier life before he became Taoide Olc. Despite her misgivings about his womanizing behavior, she had a feeling that he had lived an exciting and fulfilling life before the Cattle Raid occurred, meaning he had lost so much more than she could ever imagine.

However, another thought was starting to creep in the back of her mind. Mini Cu saw this and asked, "What's the matter? Is there something you're worried about?"

"I'm not sure. It's just that with you, Ms. Emer, Fand, and Manannan… Is there any connection between this story and the final blight?"

"How should I know? For all I know, Morrigan's dumping some pointless exposition on our laps."

"But I don't think she would tell us if it wasn't relevant somehow. Am I wrong, Morrigan?"

The raven tousled her wing feathers, then mumbled, "Well, you're not too far off. When I said that Manannan's in a bit of trouble, I'm referring to his Cloak of Mists."

"Is there something wrong with it?"

"Quite so. The truth is-"

She leaned in close so that her eyes directly met with Connla's.

"It's been stolen from him."