FATE/CURADH BEAG
"Little Champion"
Chapter 29: To Kill a Friend
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Well, I'm not going to mince words – I have serious writer's block. Ever since joining RetroAchievements and playing some games, my focus on writing has been severely affected. I'll do the best I can, but I can't promise that my updates will be as frequent as before. At least NaNoWriMo 2024 is coming, so I'll be pumping out chapters then. Hopefully it'll be enough to wrap this story up.
For those of you reading on FFNet, the system seems to be really glitchy, so I'm not getting any messages or story reviews. If you wish to send any private messages to me, I'll update my profile with contact info and websites I frequent. Reviews really do encourage me to keep writing, whereas things like AO3 kudos or Wattpad favorites kind of don't. Thank you for your continued patience, and please enjoy the chapter.
Fergus and Conall raced away from the burning village at top speed, refusing to acknowledge the searing pain in their lungs as they commanded their legs to carry them away as fast as possible. Even without saying anything, they had agreed on a destination; Mioruilt's hut. They were especially afraid that the two girls would wind up getting involved in the chaos somehow. However, the sight that greeted them was as dreadful as their feared, if not worse.
"Connla!" Fergus cried out when he spotted her slumped on her knees in a languid pose, with Mioruilt's corpse strewn before her.
"Hey! Are you okay!? What happened here!?" Conall shouted, shaking Connla's shoulders to try and get some kind of response out of her. Unfortunately, she was so traumatized that she didn't acknowledge him whatsoever. Her vapid gaze genuinely terrified him, and he tightly embraced her without thinking.
Fergus examined the scene, noting the blood on her spear, then said, "Mio must've tried to kill her."
"Shit! Why did this have to happen!? What the fuck is wrong with these godforsaken faeries!?" Conall raged, unable to hold back his tears anymore.
Fergus couldn't give him an answer. He was just as confused as Conall was. He cast his eyes on the peculiar blue cloth that Connla had on her lap. He retrieved it from her and asked, "Is this the Cloak of Mists?"
"… Yeah," she finally murmured. "Mio stole it. She was the true culprit. She wanted to escape with me."
"Don't try to talk. I can hear the full story from you later. Right now, we need to get the hell away from the village."
"Yeah… Yeah, you're right," Conall gulped, choking back his tears as best he could. He picked up Connla, then followed Fergus as they ran further into the woods. Connla couldn't keep her eyes off of Mioruilt's dead body as it vanished in the distance.
Cuchulainn stood over the creature formerly known as Fand, staring down as it wriggled in agony from suddenly having Gae Bolg thrust through whatever remained of its heart. The black monstrosity writhed about like a fish flopping out of water for a few seconds, then lost its energy and twitched uncontrollably before gradually going limp.
"Cu… chul… ainn…" Fand's voice murmured as her hollow white eyes glared at him. A few moments later, she ceased movement and melted into the dirt as black sludge.
He sighed in resignation, then clenched his hand around Gae Bolg and yanked it out of the ichor, cleaning it off the blade with a single strong swipe. His glare was bitter and somber, but it wasn't directed at Fand. It was more of a disgust with what he had become – a monster clad in human skin, only capable of destroying everything around him. It had been the same before the Cattle Raid of Cooley, so why should it be any different now? He could only think back to the prophecy that he heard from Cathbad way back when he was known as the energetic boy warrior Setanta.
Becoming a hero, at the cost of dying young? What a fucking joke. All I have is raw power, and absolutely no purpose beyond hating Medb. I've done nothing worth being called a hero. All I've done is slaughter everyone around me. That whole part about dying young was a lie as well. Otherwise, Medb and her forces would have done everything they could to put an end to me.
I'm practically Scathach's replacement… unable to die, and unable to stop killing…
As Cuchulainn was lost in his self-reproaching thoughts, he heard clamoring footsteps approaching from the near distance. He glanced over and spotted Fergus and Conall as they reached the creek's bank and collapsed to their knees in exhaustion. Cuchulainn was worried for a moment because he couldn't see if Connla was with them in the darkness of night. Fortunately, his fears were allayed when he saw Conall carrying her. The two men didn't notice him at first since they were occupied with recovering from whatever the hell they were fleeing from. Furthermore, Connla seemed oddly… quiet. She had that distant look in her eyes that Cuchulainn was becoming much too familiar with.
Oh, shit…
Fergus finally saw Cuchulainn standing on the opposite side of the creek, and he called him over with a wave. The spearman hopped over some rocks jutting in the flowing water to join them. He noticed how worn out everyone looked, so he asked, "What happened?"
"The faeries went crazy," Fergus muttered in a plain tone.
That was all Cuchulainn needed to hear. He had a hunch that the faerie village was destroyed by its own inhabitants by now, and that no one in Emain Ablach, save for the humans, were alive.
"Where's Fand?" Conall wondered.
"Dead," was Cuchulainn simple response.
"Damn it all… Was coming here a mistake?"
Fergus rested his hand on Conall's back and assured, "We accomplished our objective and got the Cloak of Mists back. Manannan said nothing about ensuring the faeries' survival."
"I know, but-"
"What's done is done. You're too worked up to think straight. Get some rest."
"… Yeah."
Cuchulainn kneeled next to Connla, eyeing the pale blue cloth she kept close to her chest. Judging by Mioruilt's absence plus Connla's dejected gaze, he could easily assume what transpired between the two girls, and so opted not to ask her any questions. He picked her up and murmured, "Let's bring it back to Manannan. Then we can call this case closed."
She nodded in complete silence, but her mind went blank after that. Neither of them spoke as he carried her further into the forest for the next hour. Only the nocturnal sounds of crickets, a cool breeze, swaying trees, and distant trickling water filled the midnight air. Eventually though, Connla started to shake as the gravity of her actions started to catch up to her.
She whispered in a low voice, "I…"
"Hm?" Cuchulainn murmured.
"I… I… killed her…"
"It was self-defense. There's nothing wrong with protecting yourself from a threat, even if it's from a friend."
"S-She's dead… She'll never… laugh, or cry, or… do anything again…"
As much as he wanted to console her, the reality was that he was just as upset as her. He hated himself for being such a destructive monster, so he couldn't blame her for having the same emotions. Even so, he knew he had made his choice, and that when the time came, he would accept full responsibility for it. In contrast, Connla was much too young and inexperienced to understand how heavy such a sin would be on one's soul. Furthermore, she couldn't tell the difference between choosing to kill someone versus acting on one's own instinct to survive. As far as she was concerned, the outcome was the same.
Connla held the Cloak of Mists closer to her chest, as if it was a substitute for the faerie's embrace. After having to say good-bye to Fir and Fial, and then killing Mioruilt only days later, the loneliness was beginning to become unbearable. Her shaking got worse as her thoughts spiraled out of control. Cuchulainn had no choice but to use a Rune on the back of her neck, delivering a proverbial shot of magic into her brain and spine to get her to calm down. It wasn't exactly equivalent to a sedative, but it certainly came close, since its effect took hold of her immediately and settled her nerves.
Cuchulainn…
That moment reaffirmed something she had forgotten amidst the chaos; he was there for her. Even if he was simultaneously the Celtic Lostbelt's King and God of Destruction, he proved over and over again that he wasn't her enemy. Her mind drifted off to the previous times they encountered each other, and of the time he was with her in the Mini Cu doll. Furthermore, she was also comforted by the fact that he was much too difficult for anyone to kill. Unlike with the others, Connla knew she wasn't going to lose Cuchulainn anytime soon. Suddenly, she felt a lot safer and relaxed.
As the child warrior's panic attack subsided, the demonic spearman's pace immediately ceased. A thick mist gradually rolled around the pair. While he remained stoic and unfazed, she glanced around worriedly and asked, "What's happening?"
His eyes panned across the forest as he called out, "Come out, Manannan. I know you're there."
A long, tense minute of silence followed. Eventually though, the god's gorgeous form broke through the mist as she approached them with light, purposeful steps. None of them said anything though. Connla stared at the stone-faced Cuchulainn, worrying that something terrible might happen if his temper was stoked during this precarious moment.
However, he finally said to Manannan, "… I'm sorry."
The god barely responded to his apology. Connla had no idea what she was thinking or feeling in that moment.
Cuchulainn continued, "I took Fand away from you not once, but twice. Even worse is that this time, it's permanently."
"…"
"I deserve your hatred. Hell, I don't want your forgiveness whatsoever. If you forgive me so easily, it'll only cause me to go mad even further."
"…"
"The only thing I want is the chance to use this ungodly strength of mine to stop Medb. Once I destroy her, then you, and all of the other Tuatha de Danann, may punish me as you see fit. I just want you to stay your hand until I resolve my feud with her though. Can I ask at least that much of you?"
Manannan closed her eyes, obviously contemplating her answer. It didn't take her long to eventually respond, "Very well. Though my rage is beyond mortal comprehension at this point, I also acknowledge the threat that Medb poses to all of humanity, and that I have lost too much of my original power to challenge her. Though you may bring everything around you to ruin as naturally as one breathes, right now, that is the kind of power that Proper Human History needs to protect it from this Lostbelt. Actually, I'd wager that you've now become a representative for Proper Human History, rather than for the Lostbelt."
"Hmph. It's nothing as grandiose as that. I just want that bitch to pay for causing this timeline to follow such a disastrous course."
"You two truly are opposite sides of the same coin… You embody the constant conflict of Destruction versus Domination. All forces of evil are drawn to either side, yet they cannot co-exist with each other because Domination seeks to command life as much as Destruction seeks to command death, leading to strife between the two sides. Truly… it is much the same as with Lapse and Rapture…"
"That's enough," Cuchulainn curtly stopped her.
Manannan wasn't sure why he spoke so brusquely, but then noticed Connla's confused expression. The girl then asked, "Lapse and Rapture? What are those supposed to be?"
"Oh… Don't worry about it, my child. Just the ramblings of an old man… Or, um… a goddess that has been around longer than most."
Connla's curiosity grew stronger as she pondered what Manannan meant, and she tilted her head to demonstrate her precociousness. Cuchulainn became annoyed as he grumbled at Manannan, "You talk too much."
"My apologies," she said. "That's not what we're here to discuss anyway. I see that you have the Cloak of Mists on hand, my dear."
"Y-Yes…" Connla mumbled and passed the cloth back to its rightful owner.
"Thank you. The passage between the human world and Emain Ablach will be much safer than before, now that I have this back."
"Mio took it because she wanted to-"
"I'm not concerned with the identity of the thief. All that matters is that I have it back."
"Oh… I see…"
Manannan smiled. "You performed splendidly. With this matter resolved, that means you have taken care of the Three Blights that Cathbad tasked you to eliminate. Now Ulster's Leyline is safe, and the Grand Servant can be summoned. I'd say you have earned yourself a well-deserved rest."
"Really? Is there nothing else I can do to help?"
"You've done more than anyone could've asked. Just leave the rest to us adults, okay?"
Cuchulainn nodded and said, "She's right. Your work may be over, but ours is just getting started."
Connla asked him, "Are you really going to have Scotland go to war with Ireland?"
"Just against Connacht. Fergus has recruited allies from the other three provinces, plus I have amassed as many troops as I could throughout Scotland. As long as Medb doesn't have any surprises in store for us, the war will not last long. Then Fergus and I can forge a peace treaty between our countries so that everyone can focus on surviving."
"Leave Ulster's defenses to me," Manannan said. "If Medb tries to flee northward Connacht, she will not be able to breach the border. Not unless she wants to get lost in a perpetual blanket of fog so thick that she can't see her own hand."
"Hah!" Cuchulainn chuckled. "So that's why you were in a hurry to retrieve the Cloak of Mists! Clever old bastard!"
"When dealing with entities of your kind, it's wise to always be thinking ahead. Oh yes, and I will also be loaning Emain Ablach to you and Fergus so you may have your war council without worry of Medb spying on you."
"Hmph. I suppose with the faeries dead, we don't have to worry about them being a nuisance."
As bitter as that statement was for both Manannan and Connla to hear, the former replied, "I suppose so."
"Then I'll get everything ready within the next few days. For now, I have some personal preparations of my own that I want to deal with."
"I understand."
Longford province, Leinster
Countless soldiers were ambling about in the fields performing various tasks such as sharpening their weapons, dressing game, rolling rain barrels out, or chopping wood. The few women who were present took care of cooking and washing laundry, while children gathered vegetables and even hunted for small animals and birds. The skies were gradually turning dark, as the druids had forecasted a vicious storm heading this way from the south.
Outside one of the military tents, Lugaid glanced around in silence. He had only arrived just yesterday, having traveled all the way from southern Munster to the center of Ireland with a small platoon of Cork's finest troops. Despite his willingness to venture such a great distance, he couldn't help but wonder if he was doing the right thing.
After overthrowing the O'Cleirigh family and winning the citizens to his side, Lugaid had listened to Ferdiad's claims about Fergus faking his death and amassing a small rebel army within Leinster. Somehow, Lugaid didn't seem all that surprised about Fergus going to such lengths to oppose Medb. He knew that the former Ulster king had become close to Medb in order to mitigate the damage her reign would cause to the populace without resorting to war, but it was obvious that it was far too late for such sentiments now. There were some very dark rumors surrounding Medb's activities within Galway, and Lugaid had heard some terrible stories from the soldiers, wives, and even widows of men who fell victim to Medb's wiles.
As much as Lugaid once fully supported Medb's invasion of Ulster during the Cattle Raid, the situation was much different now compared to then. While Lugaid wasn't too concerned with what happened to the other provinces, he had an obligation to protect Munster from the threat she posed, especially since the only reason that Munster's citizens did not experience as much oppression compared to Ulster was due to his family's good relations with Connacht's royalty. That, and Cu Roi essentially surrendered Munster to Connacht to avoid needless bloodshed.
Lugaid felt it was long time to reclaim Munster as his own. Even if he acknowledged that it was a selfish and petty reason, the fact remained that he didn't want his people to cower beneath Medb's shadow any longer. As the Celtic Isles crumbled all around them from erosion, now was the time for everyone to focus on surviving the coming years.
As Lugaid stared at the darkening sky, he heard Ferdiad approaching from his right. The scaled warrior noticed his friend's concerned gaze and asked, "What's wrong? Having second thoughts?"
"Nothing like that," Lugaid replied. "I'm just wondering how Fergus is going to pull this off. From what I can gather, morale is pretty damn low."
"Everyone has gone through more suffering than they deserve. I think you're only starting to realize that, having spent most of your life sheltered from such unrest."
"Probably. The old man taught me a lot, but I don't know much about interacting with the common folk. I guess hearing their stories is a lot more upsetting to me than I expected. How can Fergus handle the weight of so many victims at once, and inspire them to engage in a battle they are too tired to fight?"
"That is the mark of a real king," Ferdiad said as plainly and bluntly as he could.
"…"
"Well, don't beat yourself up over it too much. It'll come with experience. Right now, just focus on providing Munster's support to the cause. Fergus would appreciate it, considering the running around he has to do in Ulster."
"What is he doing there anyway? Some of the soldiers told me that he's been gone for well over a week."
"Apparently there are some critical issues he needs to help deal with so that Cathbad can summon the Grand Servant."
"Is this Servant supposed to be our secret weapon or something? If that's the case, why bother gathering an army?"
"I don't know the details. All I know for sure is that there's something impeding Cathbad's progress, so Fergus is there to resolve it with a couple of the other Champions."
"Damn, be vague as hell, why don't you?" Lugaid grumbled. He then became visibly annoyed as he asked, "As if that's not enough, you're certain that Fergus is going to form an alliance with Cuchulainn?"
"He seems quite serious about it, so it must be true," Ferdiad replied.
"I get the feeling we're going to be dancing in that motherfucker's palm of his hand once this is all over. He's the one with all the chips in his favor – he's the ruler of both Scotland and the Land of Shadows, and a fucking god to boot! What the hell are we supposed to do if he decides to turn on us at the last moment?"
"I think you're rushing to conclusions. There's no guarantee that Cuchulainn will try to conquer Ireland. I know him well enough, and he's not the type to put his beloved country in danger for personal gain."
"He sure has no problem putting the countrymen in danger, though."
"Look, all I'm saying is that you need to have more faith in Fergus. If the soldiers see you casting doubt on him, they might start to question their role in this and decide to desert. We can't have that when we're so close to finalizing our preparations."
"Tch," Lugaid spit to the side, then muttered, "Whatever. I'll keep my opinions to myself and see how this plays out. So long as I never see Cuchulainn in person, I'll be fine."
"It's most likely that Cuchulainn and Fergus will be in the vanguard. Perhaps taking up the rear would be more suitable for you."
"Probably…"
Even though Lugaid said that, Ferdiad couldn't help but worry about his friend's state of mind. He knew Lugaid wasn't the type to hang back and let someone else hog the action. Although they had no way of knowing this in the Lostbelt, in Proper Human History, it was Lugaid who was ultimately responsible for Cuchulainn's death, having sliced out the weakened Ulster hero's innards with his spear. After Cuchulainn tied himself to the great stone Clochafarmore and died, Lugaid also cut off his head to ensure he had well and truly perished. Ironically, the deviation in this Lostbelt's history also saved Ferdiad's life, since Cuchulainn would have slain him in a most humiliating fashion otherwise.
That stubborn, hate-filled streak of Lugaid's definitely persisted in this timeline, but he never had the opportunity to kill Cuchulainn here. It must have left a huge hole in Lugaid's heart that couldn't be filled with anything other than vengeance. Hell, it was difficult for Ferdiad to become friends with Lugaid in the first place because he and Cuchulainn regarded each other as brothers during their time in Dun Scaith. It was only due to Ferdiad convincing him that he was steadfastly on Connacht's side that they were able to put their differences aside.
Lugaid… don't go doing anything stupid, okay?
Two days following the death of the faeries, the once silent apple orchards of Emain Ablach were turning into a temporary camp. Cuchulainn had already assembled a small group of workers to bring to Emain Ablach so they could get things set up. Now the first soldiers were arriving, with Ewan acting as their leader. Since Cuchulainn was preoccupied, he entrusted Ewan to handle initial negotiations with Fergus. As the general and his troops approached the camp, it didn't take long for the king to emerge from the strategy tent with several warriors following him as guards.
The ever-calm and collected military man said, "Good day, Lord Fergus. I am Ewan Aitken, General of Aviemore and first aide to Lord Cuchulainn. I have been apprised of the situation, and notified my troops of my liege's intent to forge an alliance with your forces."
"Pleasure is mine, General," Fergus replied, and the two men shook hands. "As much as I'd like to get further acquainted with you, I fear that time is of the essence. We need to discuss the particulars of our strategy as soon as possible."
"Of course. My men have demonstrated distinct discontent over the current situation, particularly with how Medb intentionally separated the isles to save herself from Lord Cuchulainn, thereby dooming Scotland to fall to his dominion."
"We of Ireland also express a similar distaste for her methods of ruling. It's clear that no one will be able to survive unless we cull the lands of her influence once and for all. The greatest point of contention for my people is whether or not Cuchulainn plans on invading Ireland once Medb is out of the picture. As unpleasant as it may sound, I need some form of insurance to prevent that from happening, and a mere peace treaty simply isn't going to cut it."
"I am a general, not a diplomat. My job is to iron out our battle plans so that our nations can work in tandem to invade Galway, preferably before Medb can make any attempt to escape. If you wish to discuss a treaty, I'll have to defer you to either Lord Cuchulainn or one of his druids."
"Hah hah, right," Fergus chuckled. "Diplomacy is a luxury reserved for peacetime, isn't it? Well then, Lord Manannan has graciously offered us some space to conduct our plans. It's right this way."
As they went inside the tent, Fergus asked, "Is Cuchulainn going to join these discussions soon?"
"He will," Ewan said. "He told me that he had some other business to take care of first. I think it might have something to do with his daughter, since she's been an invaluable informant for him."
"Yeah, that's what I thought…" the king murmured to himself. It wasn't so much his concern over Cuchulainn's absence. Rather, he had a sneaking suspicion that Cuchulainn knew a lot more than he was comfortable with due to him planting his Spirit Origin inside the Mini Cu doll and traveling around with Connla. Of course, Fergus would never blame Connla for that - she had every right to spend time with him. He was more worried about how much of an upper hand Cuchulainn had, not just as a warrior, but also as a tactician and politician. How much of Ireland's society was he aware of now, and would he plan to use it as leverage against Fergus in the future?
"Lord Fergus," one of his aides interrupted him out of his deep musings. "If there is nothing else, we would like to commence our war planning."
"Oh yes, of course," Fergus grumbled. He sat down at the head of the table, which had a large map of Ireland and Scotland unfurled on it, and dismissed all other thoughts as he listened to Ewan's explanation of the strategy.
Back in the forest near the ruined faerie village, a small portal tore open that released a great deal of mist around it. The large tailed figure of Cuchulainn stepped through, having passed through directly from the Castle of Shadows in Dun Scaith. As the mist dissipated, he noticed Manannan leaning her back against a nearby tree.
"So, you've finally returned," the red-haired goddess said. "It's hard to believe you're the same person who tried to take Fand away from me all those years ago."
"Humans change much faster than you gods do," Cuchulainn muttered.
"Hmm… I must say, I am a bit surprised. Despite your monstrous appearance, you have a much greater degree of maturity compared to back then."
"My priorities are different. There's nothing more to it."
"I'll say," Manannan chuckled. "Right now, I bet you're wondering where Connla is."
"Yeah."
She pointed deeper into the woods and said, "She and Liath Macha are at Mio's grave."
Cuchulainn appeared visibly concerned as he wondered, "Is she okay?"
"Fortunately, she doesn't have many physical injuries beyond the wounds on her face. The wounds to her soul, however… I'm afraid they're going to take much longer to heal. She's downright inconsolable at this point."
"No kidding. That faerie was one of the first friends she made, and she had to kill her. Coupled with losing Fir and Fial, no amount of training in the Land of Shadows would've prepared her for dealing with loss like that."
"Yes, indeed. I tried talking to her, but she didn't want to say much to me. Maybe you'll have better luck."
"I will. Since I've got your attention, I need to ask a favor from you."
"Hm? What is it?"
A soft breeze ruffled the leaves on the numerous apple trees bunched together. Bright red fruit dangled from the branches and beautiful apple blossoms dotted the leaves, all working together in visual harmony like ornaments on a holiday tree. Song birds chirped in the distance, giving the scene a gentle and calming atmosphere that Connla so desperately needed in this time of chaos and confusion. She sat in front of a large rock she had erected on the very spot where she killed Mioruilt, hugging her knees to her chest and quietly listening to the birdsong while struggling to cope with the heavy feeling in her chest. Liath Macha rested next to her, refusing to leave her side once he understood how upset his rider was.
Connla held an apple in her hands, which she had picked shortly before returning here. She had been reluctant to eat for a while due to her not liking sweet foods, but she couldn't forget how enthusiastic Mioruilt was whenever the other faeries allowed her to eat one. It was just like when Connla was still a small child under Aife's care, and she tried to take a bite of some dried fruit behind her mother's back. The punishment she received was so severe that it made her terrified of eating anything sweet ever since then.
Nevertheless, Connla worked up the courage to try a bite of the apple, and dug her teeth into the flesh. She cringed when the nectar hit her taste buds, and she bitterly moaned, "Ugh… too sweet…"
She couldn't do it. Although she managed to swallow what she had consumed, she gave up the remainder to Liath. He gladly accepted the apple and devoured it without a care, which made Connla a little envious. She instead nuzzled her cheek against her knees and closed her eyes, losing herself to the soft sounds of nature as she was gradually lulled to sleep.
She wasn't sure how long she had passed out, or if she even fell asleep to begin with. All she knew for sure was that someone else seemed to be with her. The same, mysterious dark-haired man from before was kneeling next to her and placing his hand on her upper back. If Liath sensed this fellow's presence, he didn't react to it whatsoever.
At the same time, Cuchulainn made his way toward the creek. It didn't take him long to find Mioruilt's grave, but as he rounded the bend, he halted mid-step and glared in astonishment at the scene before him.
He thought his eyes were deceiving him, but it looked like there was someone else with Connla. The dark-haired man, garbed in traditional Celtic armor, seemed to blend in with his surroundings like a chameleon. Seeing this stranger next to Connla spooked Cuchulainn so much that he instinctively yelled, "Who's there!?"
"Bwuh!?" she squeaked, shocked awake by the sudden cry.
Cuchulainn glanced away for a split second as he summoned Gae Bolg in his hand. However, when he looked back, the mystery man had disappeared. He instantly became confused and bewildered, wondering what the hell just happened. Connla and Liath were equally as perplexed, staring at him like he had lost his mind or something.
Cuchulainn shook his head and thought, Shit… was that just my imagination? Or was that some kind of lingering faerie magic playing tricks on my mind?
Connla mumbled to herself, then grew anxious. Did she do something to offend him? She was so nervous that she wanted to scramble to her feet and run away. Cuchulainn realized he was frightening her and made Gae Bolg vanish, showing his intent to not cause any violence. Once she saw that, she calmed down a little. He approached her and said, "Sorry about that. Guess I was just seeing things."
"Mm…"
"How you doing?"
She shifted her eyes back toward the grave marker, then moaned, "Not well."
"I bet. You look totally exhausted."
"I guess so."
He sat down next to her and said, "Sucks to have to kill a friend."
"I don't understand. Why did Mio go crazy like that? Why did she have to force my hand?"
"I already warned you – faeries are not the same as humans. They don't have the same mindset that we do. You might as well try to make nice with demons, for all the good it does."
"You mean, it was a mistake for me to befriend her? Even though we were so similar?"
"Of course not. It's fine for humans and faeries to get along. It's just that communication always breaks down whenever they try to resolve any differences. Humans are creatures of reason and intellect, who think about the long term for their species. Faeries are gullible and short-sighted, only capable of thinking for themselves in the moment, at the detriment of their species' survival. Mio must have been so desperate to escape this Lostbelt that any semblance of sanity went out the window for her, as much as it did the other faeries. Even though the villagers abused her, she wound up using the commotion they caused for her own benefit, and that led to this mess that you had to clean up. Now you're the one stuck dealing with the emotional aftermath."
After a short and uneasy silence, Connla murmured, "… Cuchulainn?"
"Yeah?"
"Did you ever have to kill any friends?"
He was so taken aback by the question that he heaved an audible sigh. His mind wandered back to his younger days, when he had more friends and foster family than he could ever ask for. Sure, there was nothing he could do to prevent the deaths he caused in his childhood. But the fact that they were in a Lostbelt meant that the Cattle Raid had gone wrong, which in turn meant he had been spared from killing one of his closest friends. After all, it had been during his battle against Ferdiad that Medb interfered and intoxicated Cuchulainn before he could deliver the fatal blow. Since Ferdiad managed to survive that conflict, Cuchulainn had no idea how he would react to seeing him should they ever meet during this war.
Ferdiad…
Eventually, he replied, "Sure I did. Even before the Cattle Raid, I was such a violent and unpredictable upstart that I wound up doing some people in. Hell, I bashed a guy's skull in with a headbutt just because he woke me up. I was probably a little older than you too."
"Didn't that bother you? Or is it part of a warrior's code to just easily move on from killing friends and family?" Connla asked.
He scratched the back of his head. "Hmm… I wouldn't say it has anything to do with being a warrior. Even before becoming Taoide Olc, I was a demigod – the son of a god and a human woman. I guess my own mindset has always been different from a regular human's, 'cause I never really dwelled on such things too much. Sure, I would feel regret if I felt I did something absolutely terrible, but that didn't mean I'd let it keep me from living my life. Guess that's why I made so many enemies in my lifetime – I could just casually commit murder and steal other men's wives and daughters without batting an eyelash, which appalled everyone around me."
"Oh. So, it's not wrong for me to be this upset?"
"Absolutely not," Cuchulainn assured, planting his hand on Connla's back. "It's proof that you're human. The key is to not let it conquer you, like it did to all of those people committing suicide throughout Ireland."
"Man… it's a lot harder than I realized. Teacher never told me anything about this. I have no idea what to do to get rid of this sinking feeling in my chest. I feel so lost right now."
"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. I had thought about either letting Manannan look after you or bringing you back to the Land of Shadows with me, but I've changed my mind. Now that your duty to eliminate the Three Blights is over, you need to retire as a Champion and lay low somewhere safe during the war. The thing is, I don't want you near this faerie village where you almost got killed, nor do I want to leave you alone in Dun Scaith. That's why the only option I have left is to let you stay with Emer."
"With Lady Emer?" Connla wondered.
"It's far away from Connacht, and you'll be in good company with her. She'll show you the ropes on how to behave like a normal person should, since you obviously haven't had any guidance in that area of your life before."
"But you two don't seem to get along. Is it going to be okay?"
"Don't worry about it. Emer and I will sort through that baggage, like proper adults should. No matter what it takes, I will convince her to look after you."
"Hmm… if you say so."
"Good. Let's get going then," Cuchulainn said as he shuffled back onto his feet.
Connla uttered in surprise, "W-Wait! You mean, right now?"
"What, were you planning on sitting here forever?"
"No, I just… I wasn't ready yet. Just let me say good-bye to Mio first."
"Fine, but hurry it up. I need to join the war summit as soon as I can."
He left her be for a few minutes, and she kneeled before the grave marker while using a basic Rune to carve a Celtic flower knot design on its face.
I'm sorry, Mio, but I have to go now. Maybe we'll see each other again once I pass on. We could even meet Fir and Fial in the next life as well. Until then, be patient for me, okay?
Once she was ready, she guided Liath Macha to where Cuchulainn was standing in front of another misty portal. She blinked and asked, "Is Lord Manannan allowing us to leave like this?"
"Yeah. I asked him to do me this quick favor," Cuchulainn said. He turned toward it and commanded, "Let's go."
He went through first. Connla glanced at Liath uneasily for a moment, then they followed him.