FATE/CURADH BEAG

"Little Champion"

Chapter 12: Fergus' Suspicion

Connla returned to the castle in Galway, reuniting with the others in the stables. There was one more man helping them prepare the chariot, stocking it with two weeks' worth of provisions before hitching it onto two of the three horses they intended to bring with them. This fourth man was a short and stocky fellow with thick red hair and an equally bright-colored scruffy beard. He wore traditional Celtic armor and clothing, even donning a bowl-shaped iron helmet that nearly obscured the top of his face. One would easily think he was out of shape from how bulky his abdomen appeared, but he was actually strong enough to subdue even a bull with his bare hands, never mind taming wild horses through brute force.

"That oughta do it," the red-haired man said with a thick Irish accent. "Y'all should be saddled up fer the next while."

Fergus said, "Thanks for the help. I know this was on short notice, given how you're always so busy."

"Nay, dun be a lick sorry, mate. I be gettin' bored outta me skull doin' nuttin' but forgin' 'orseshoes an' trimmin' 'ooves all day. Been ages since I 'ad to git a good ol' fashioned chariot ready fer an 'portant 'scursion. 'Sides, if it be true that Cuchulainn be lurkin' out there, y'all're gonna need t'be in tip-top shape, an' that includes these fellas. I know how nasty that blighter can be when he's pissed, so y'all gotta be on yer A-game."

The burly fellow patted a black horse's flank just as Connla entered the stable. Conall was guiding a copper-colored horse outside when he spotted her, and he called out, "Hey, you're back! Just in time, too! We're about to pull out shortly!"

"How many horses are we taking?" she asked.

"Well, Medb was kind enough to award me with my own steed here. This guy's named Deirg nDruchtaig, or 'Dripping Red'. His color really caught my eye, so I picked him. Cu Roi has his own girl there – Blathnat, or 'Little Flower'."

He pointed over to the opposite side, where the King of Munster was throwing a saddle onto a pure white horse. Conall leaned in and whispered into Connla's ear, "Rumor is that he named her after his deceased wife. I thought about asking him about it, but Fergus warned me not to say a word. Apparently there's some history between his wife and Cuchulainn."

"I see," she murmured, opting to take that advice to heart.

"Right-o. Fergus and Laeg are hitching the chariot onto Dubh Sainglend there, though I have a gut feeling we're gonna need one more horse to help us out. Neither Deirg nor Blathnat are fans of pulling carriages, and that load looks pretty heavy for one horse to pull."

Dubh Sainglend ("Saingliu's Black") was a completely onyx steed who appeared much larger than any of the other animals in the stable. Connla tilted her head, then asked Conall, "Is that other man talking to Uncle Fergus supposed to be Laeg?"

"Yeah. He's another Champion like us. Nowadays he's an equine specialist known throughout all of Ireland, but back during the Cattle Raid, he was said to be one of Cuchulainn's best friends and caretakers of his two horses. Dubh is one of them."

"What about the other horse?"

"Ehhh…" Conall scratched his head. "He's still around, but he refuses to let anyone ride him. Apparently, he still treats Cuchulainn as his one and only rider, and will throw anyone else off. I almost got kicked in the face just trying to approach him, you know!"

"Why would Queen Medb keep a horse that's still loyal to someone she regards as an enemy?"

"I guess she only cares that he's a spoil of war that she can boast about owning. I can't really blame him though - that sort of humiliation would put me in a bad mood too. He does allow Laeg to take care of him, but at this rate, his violent temper might wind up getting him put down."

"That's terrible," Connla moaned. "I'm kind of curious to see him now."

"You sure? He's a dangerous one."

"I just want to see him from a distance."

"Well, okay…"

Conall brought her over to the barn's farthest and darkest corner. Nestled upon a thick bed of hay was a lethargic grey horse that was trying to take a nap, but appeared clearly agitated about his quiet time being interrupted. The pair remained a good distance away, and she leaned in to get as close a look as she could. She noted how thin he looked and remarked, "He doesn't have a healthy appetite. It's almost like he's trying to starve himself to death."

"That just goes to show you how loyal he is to his former owner," Conall frowned. "Well, nothing we can do about it. Let's ask Laeg if we can find another-"

Suddenly, the grey horse exhaled a distinct snort and glanced at Connla with piercing eyes. Without warning, he whinnied and scrambled onto his feet, trotting enthusiastically toward the bewildered girl. Before she could utter anything, he leaned his nose against her face and inhaled a deep sniff. Once he had a good whiff of her scent, he let out a series of enthusiastic cries and leapt onto his back hooves with joy.

"Whoa, boy! What's gotten into you!?" Conall shouted, pulling Connla away before she could be trampled. "Hey, Laeg! Get your ass in here! We need your help!"

"Aye, I 'ear ye! What be the commotion so suddenly!?" Laeg shouted as he and Fergus dashed into the barn. "What in tarnation be goin' on 'ere!?"

"I don't know! You're supposed to be the expert, aren't you!?"

"Down, Liath! Down, I say!"

The horse obeyed Laeg's command, but seemed insistent on staying close to Connla. Fergus stroked his chin and murmured, "Well I'll be damned. Looks like he finally found a friend in the little one."

"'Ow b'zarre. 'E nev'r let any other pipsqueak ride 'im. Why this one alluva sudden?"

"Beats me. But it doesn't look like he wants to leave her side. Is he well enough to come with us?"

"Aye, 'e be fitter than a fiddle, but this does bamboozle me, it does. 'Ey, lassie. Try ridin' 'im fer a sec."

"Sure…" Connla muttered uneasily, then straddled onto the horse's back. To the others' combined surprise, he galloped majestically out into the field and ran around in circles without causing his new rider any issues. Not once did he try to buck her off – he was as content as a child in a toy shop.

Fergus put his hands on his hips and asked Laeg in a deeply concerned tone, "What do you think?"

"Hmmm… Quite the stumper, this be. 'E seems 'appy t'be wit' 'er though, so I ain't gonna complain."

"You think there's an explanation for such a change in behavior?"

"Can't say I be f'miliar wit' somethin' like this. Best I can think of is that the rugrat reminds 'im o'Cuchulainn fer some reason."

Fergus' expression grew even firmer. "Of Setanta, you say…"

Oblivious to their conversation, Connla guided the horse back to the barn, then asked Laeg, "Well? How was he?"

"Aye, that be ex'llent. 'E'll do quite nicely as yer steed. Ye rode 'im wit' style too. Ye got 'sperience workin' wit' 'orses?"

"Yes, my mother taught me a lot about caring for them. She was quite the horse aficionado, after all."

"'Ow convenient! Ye'll be a perfect fit fer 'im then!"

"So what's his name?"

"'E be called Liath Macha, or 'Macha's Grey'. 'E's Dubh Sainglend's brutha', an' they be both Cuchulainn's former chariot steeds. It be said that they be born from the pool o'Linn Liaith as a gift from either the Morr'gan or 'er sister Macha."

"So Liath and Dubh have magical origins?"

"Can't really confirm nor deny it. They be possessin' more vigor than a 'undred mares though, so I bet there be somethin' myst'cal goin' on. Bring 'im 'round front an' I'll 'itch 'im t'the chariot."

As Laeg, Connla and Liath left, Conall and Fergus remained behind for a few minutes as they pondered this strange development. Conall sighed, then asked, "What do you think?"

"I can't help but be suspicious. There are just too many coincidences for me to ignore," Fergus admitted.

"I know. First the incident with Culann's dogs, and now this."

"I don't think she's lying about not knowing her father's identity, but I can't discount the possibility of her being part of Setanta's family somehow. The trouble is, he's the only one in his family who went to Scotland to train under Scathach."

"You've got to be kidding. He just turned 16 when he left, and was 17 when he came back. He wouldn't be stupid enough to knock up Scathach's sister at such an age, would he?"

"You really believe that?"

"Um…"

"I've met Scathach before, and she's very easy on the eyes, if you get my drift. I doubt that Aife would be much different. Given Setanta's lust for beautiful women, he definitely wouldn't miss that kind of opportunity, even if it meant royally pissing off Scathach."

"C-Come on… there's just no way," Conall stammered hesitantly. "You're saying all of that without any proof. Besides, from all of his other relationships, not one of them produced a child. I even heard gossip about him being infertile due to him possessing divine blood."

Fergus folded his arms. "You're right about that. But I can't ignore this. I'm going to try asking Connla some questions - see if I can get any nuggets of hard info out of her. You keep quiet about this conversation and behave as normal around her, got it?"

"Yeah, I got it. Not like I'm believing your bunk anyway."

As Conall sauntered away, Fergus had another thought that he didn't want to share with him;

I doubt he remembers his aunt Deichtine very well since she died a few years after Setanta was born. But when I first saw Connla, I swear I thought I was looking at a child version of that woman…

The team of four Champions finally departed Galway and ventured northeast toward Sgaradh. For Conall and Connla, this was just a simple reverse retread of their previous path. Now that they had horses, it would take them half the time to reach their first checkpoint, which was around the former Lough Neagh's dried-up perimeter. The weather soon turned dismal as thick grey clouds blanketed the skies and sprinkled a light misty rain for miles on end. They donned heavy leather ponchos to keep themselves dry and continued onward, only stopping to take short scheduled breaks.

Around early evening, they decided to set up camp in an area between Lough Neagh and Belfast. Fergus prepared the tents and hauled some firewood, Conall and Cu Roi went out hunting, and Connla took care of the cooking and horses. She used her Runes to start a fire that wouldn't be put out even by the rain, then had the steeds come in close so they could warm up.

"Hoh, not too shabby," Fergus remarked as he crudely dropped some chopped logs on the ground. "They tend to be quite feisty when it comes to grooming, but you got them under control like it's nothing. You wouldn't secretly happen to be some horse-whisperer, would you?"

"Not really," Connla said. "Mother loved horses more than she liked other people, so she always expected me to look after them when she couldn't. Her teaching style was strict, but the techniques she passed down to me are very handy."

"Your mother… You said her name was Aife, right?"

"Yes. She was Scathach's sister."

"I see. I think I heard rumors of an Aife from Scotland. She was some notorious warrior woman who tried to invade Ulster just over 20 years ago, but Scathach put a stop to that."

"Mother didn't like talking about that too much, so I don't really know the details."

"What about your father?"

Connla shook her head. "I know even less about him. All I've been told is that he was some common warrior from Ulster. Neither Mother nor Teacher ever told me what his name was. They probably thought he wasn't important enough for me to concern myself with. The only keepsake I have from him is this ring."

She showed him the golden ring on her right thumb. The crimson gems attached to the metal glistened against the light of the bonfire. Fergus hummed to himself in curiosity, which likewise perplexed Connla.

"These stones…" he murmured and took her hand in his so he could get a closer look. "Do you know what these are?"

"Just red gemstones, right? I tried researching them, but they don't match any records of existing precious stones that I'm aware of."

"So Scathach didn't tell you about them. In fact, these aren't made naturally. They're actually manmade."

"They are?"

"Yeah. I don't know how popular they are in Scotland, but you see them all the time in Ireland. They're Runestones coated in a person's blood and enchanted with a spell so that only a member of the creator's family can wear them. They've come to be known as Bloodstones."

"Bloodstones…" she whispered and stared at the ring intently. "So this red color is from my father's blood?"

"No doubt about it. Bloodstones are a popular way to prove one's lineage to a famed relative. Whoever your father was, he must have wanted to make absolutely sure that you could prove your connection to him despite being raised in Scotland. Maybe he intended for you to go to Ulster and become a member of the Red Branch Army."

"Probably. Just before Mother died, she prepared me to depart for Ireland by giving me the ring and three geasa to abide by. I couldn't leave though because Teacher took me to the Land of Shadows."

"Due to Cuchulainn's treachery…"

They became silent for a while. It was hard to say how things would have turned out had she left for Ireland as intended. Maybe she would have been slaughtered by Cuchulainn after he made contact with Curruid. Maybe she would have made it to Ulster safely. Maybe she would have been killed by Connacht's forces. All they could say for sure was that Connla being under Scathach's care was perhaps the most assured course of action for her long-term survival. Ulster being caught in the flames of war was no place for a young child like her to be venturing to anyway.

Eventually Cu Roi and Conall returned with their spoils, and they prepared a decent feast. While eating, Fergus and Connla told them about her thumb ring, which piqued the others' curiosity even more, but they said nothing for now. Connla then asked numerous questions about the Cattle Raid, wanting to learn more about what happened during the war. It was a good way for the men to distract her from thoughts about her Irish lineage, though she seemed to grow more forlorn the more she understood how brutal the conflict actually was. On top of the petty skirmishes between then and Dublin's Fall, it was no wonder the Celtic Isles were so eerily calm on the surface – everyone was just plain tired of fighting for pointless reasons.

Eventually, the discussion died down. Connla languidly poked a stick into the smoldering bonfire. Although the history lesson wasn't as pleasant as she would have liked, there was a different reason for why she looked so distant. Conall noticed her vapid expression and asked, "What's the matter?"

After an uncomfortably long pause, she murmured, "… I'll probably never know who my father is."

"Oh…"

"If the wars really were as violent as you claim, I doubt he would have survived."

Conall suddenly felt bad for inflicting such a painful wound on her spirit. However, Fergus reacted differently. He threw his arm around the despondent girl's shoulder and assured, "Don't worry about it anymore. You have Uncle Fergus to look after you now. Scathach entrusted your safety to me, so I'll do my absolute best to not let her down in that regard."

"Um… I don't think I need to be taken care of as much as you think."

"Maybe not as a warrior. But as a child? Most definitely. The wars may be one thing, but your upbringing has to be the most screwed-up thing I've ever heard of. If I plan on raising you to be a lovely young woman, I've gotta undo the damage that Aife and Scathach caused to your mind."

She tilted her head, unsure of what he meant. Then she said, "The way you're saying that, I'm kind of curious to know if you're familiar with raising children."

"Sure, I am. I fathered plenty of kids, and I was one of Setanta's foster fathers."

"Setanta…" Connla murmured. "Culann always seemed to like discussing him whenever I was around."

"Of course he would. No child would have been strong enough to kill one of his dogs until he came around. Whether Culann likes it or not, that definitely would've left a lasting impression."

"I guess so."

Cu Roi then asked, "Was your stay with him a pleasant one?"

"Yes," Connla replied. "He inspected my weapon, and then compared me to Setanta as a warrior. Oddly enough, his dogs also barked like crazy when Conall and I first arrived at his mansion."

"Yeah, that's right," Conall added. "It was the first time I ever saw them go nuts like that. I thought they were going to tear our heads off or something! As if Liath finally cooperating with us wasn't enough already."

Cu Roi was slightly taken aback by this, and he murmured, "You don't say…"

Connla noticed his reaction and asked worriedly, "Hm? Is something the matter?"

"No, nothing at all," he stammered, then turned around and glared at Fergus with concern in his eyes. For some reason, the King of Munster was growing more and more uncomfortable with the discussion, so he decided to sit on a nearby boulder and keep watch for the night. Fergus knew why Cu Roi's demeanor changed so suddenly, but maintained a straight face to not make Connla worry any more.

"So then," Fergus muttered as he flashed a feigned smile, "what did Culann tell you about Setanta?"

Connla said, "Not much, other than the incident with his dogs. I don't really know much about his personality or how he lived his life. Then he said that even though we fight the same, my personality is completely different to his."

"Hah hah hah! Got that right! He was a one-of-a-kind brat. He always did the honorable thing when needed, but boy, his temper and lust for women were nearly impossible to keep tight reigns on. Once he set his eyes on Forgall Monach's daughter Emer, that was it. The concept of 'friend' and 'enemy' meant nothing to him as long as he got his hands on the girl. A proper lass like you hardly fits that rowdy image."

"So it would seem. It seems like everyone had a rough time with him even before he became Cuchulainn, and that was before he became Taoide Olc. I find all of this hard to imagine, since I actually spoke with Cuchulainn before leaving Dun Scaith."

"What was he like?"

"Well… He was heavily injured and suffering from amnesia, but he just seemed kind of… I don't know… fatigued? Like he was tired of living, or something like that."

"…"

"He didn't say more than necessary, but he did ask me some things about my past. He was most interested in me being another pupil of Scathach's. I'm not sure what he thinks of what I told him, but I could tell that he wished me no harm. Or maybe he was too injured to even consider posing a threat to me."

"I see," Fergus murmured. "So it's the wounds and amnesia he suffered that helped you survive your encounter with him."

"But that's strange," Conall wondered. "Why would he suddenly have amnesia? Has he forgotten everything about his life as Setanta?"

Connla murmured, "I honestly don't know. He looked to be in such tremendous pain whenever he tried to recall his past."

Fergus hummed to himself in contemplation, then thought, I suppose spending 15 years as an unstoppable sea monster destroying the rest of humanity would've done something to his sanity. He must've let his primal instincts take control for that whole time, which meant sacrificing his memories as a human being.

She shook her head and forlornly admitted, "I don't know any more than that, I'm afraid. I know that's not much help, but…"

"That's all right," Fergus said, this time with a genuine smile as he rubbed her head. "The important thing is that you obeyed Scathach's instructions by escaping and seeking me out. I'm not sure how Cuchulainn is going to react should you two meet again, but I'll be damned if I let him let him lay even a smidgen of a finger on you."

"That's assuming we run into him," Conall grumbled with a labored sigh. "If we're lucky, he'll leave us alone."

"Don't jinx it. I'm already having enough bad vibes as it is."

"Hey, don't blame me for being a realist."

The following morning, Fergus and Cu Roi requested to make a brief stop in Belfast. Since they heard about the increase in suicides, the territory's erosion, and the citizens' forced evacuation, they wanted to make sure the town was officially abandoned and receive confirmation from the nearest magistrate before they moved on. Connla obviously wanted nothing to do with Belfast anymore, so Conall agreed to wait with her in the plains just outside Sgaradh while the two kings conducted their business. It took a couple of hours, so they spent this time reorganizing their provisions and letting the horses rest.

Once they breached Scotland's border, it would be a nonstop race to the province of Skye before they turned through the entire country in a clockwise motion to visit as many major cities and towns as they could. Aside from Scathach's welfare check, Fergus and Cu Roi definitely wanted to reach out to Scotland's kings to spread the word about Cuchulainn's return and get some sort of countermeasure going. Conall and Connla would have to work overtime as both the kings' guards and the horses' caretakers, so there wasn't going to be many opportunities for them to take breaks such as this.

At least… that was what the plan was.

After Fergus and Cu Roi finished their errands in Belfast, they crossed Sgaradh without incident and entered southwestern Scotland. Glasgow would be their first stop. Since it was tucked neatly within the mainland, meaning there was no risk of it falling into the ocean anytime soon, it was the biggest hub for commerce between the two countries. However, the three men noticed that their young compatriot was appearing more and more distressed the further they ventured into Scotland.

"What's wrong? You look like you're going to puke," Conall asked Connla.

"I… I'm not sure… but something's… not right…"

"Could you elaborate a bit? I'm not seeing anything out of the ordinary," Cu Roi wondered. As far as he could tell, the grass was green, the sky was blue, and the tree branches' leaves swayed in the perfectly normal afternoon breeze.

"I'm sorry… I must not be making any sense. It's just that… I'm sensing the same cadence I felt when I lived in Dun Scaith."

"The same cadence? What is that supposed to mean?"

"Well, you know how the Land of Shadows is a separate dimension from this one? It's a land of death and stagnation, where combat is the only way to make a name for yourself, and even then that glory is short-lived in the unending flow of time that never marches forward. It's completely different to this world's atmosphere. It's way more lively and bright, where growth and possibilities are endless. And yet, I'm feeling that familiar chilly cadence the closer we get to Glasgow."

"Did you feel it while we were in Ireland?"

"Not at all. The moment we left Sgaradh, it was as if we stepped into the Land of Shadows once more."

Fergus frowned, then said, "Even so, that's not much proof of anything. We need to see how the gates are before we can draw any reasonable conclusions. I know this must be difficult for you, but please try to bear with it. You're the only one who can show us the way, after all."

"I know," Connla nodded. "I just thought I'd give you guys a heads up in case anything strange happens."

"Right. Those ghosts did come from here, so it wouldn't be unreasonable to run into some stragglers."

With that, they continued toward Glasgow, reaching the city by the late afternoon. However, Connla's fears became increasingly justified when they left the horses and chariot by the entrance and walked through the main gates. As if the weather itself was orchestrating a grand guignol play for them, a soupy fog rolled through the horribly silent town to amplify the atmosphere. Without looking through houses and shops, they could tell something catastrophic had happened here, judging by the grotesque displays of blood, guts and severed limbs they were being exposed to. Whatever this calamity was, no one had been spared – men, women, children, elderly, and animals alike had all been torn asunder. The dirt was so saturated with blood that their boots trudged through a quagmire of deep-red muddy soup.

"Cor…" was the only thing that escaped Conall's lips.

Cu Roi steeled his nerves and kneeled in front of a decapitated farmer. It wasn't just his body that had been shredded into chunks of meat. The produce he carried in his wooden wheelbarrow – carrots and potatoes – had also been cleanly sliced into thick chunks one could use in a stew. Despite it being blatantly obvious by now, he still reported to Fergus with an empty voice, "He's been cut apart. Judging by the blank expression on his face, who- or whatever did this to him had to have attacked without him realizing it whatsoever."

"So it would seem," Fergus murmured in a quiet tone. "It was a sudden assault. No one had the time to send a distress warning."

Connla did her best to tear her eyes away from the grisly sight, but no matter where she tried to avert her gaze, she'd just find another body to gape at dumbfoundedly. Conall noticed this and uttered, "Let's get the hell out of here. The more we stand around, the more we're gonna traumatize the kid."

"Yes, of course. There's nothing we can do for this town."

The four Champions wisely returned to the main entrance, and Fergus and Cu Roi shut the gates so no one else would inadvertently witness that horrible scene. Connla sat on the grass to catch her breath, and Conall remained with her. After several long and agonizing minutes, he asked, "Are you okay?"

"Mm…" she feebly nodded. "It's just that… I recognize the way those people were killed."

"You do?"

"It's the same as when a horde of spirits would attack wild animals and Demon Boars in the Land of Shadows. They'd mask their presence, practically blending in with the fog, and then spring up from literally out of nowhere. Their talons are sharp enough to rip through even a Demon Boar's enhanced skeleton."

He swallowed hard. As far as the Celtic Isles were concerned, a Demon Boar's bones were the toughest material in the world. Steel did not exist in this time, so it was the next best thing the Celts could use. Once the bones' curses were cleansed with a druid's blessings, they would be repurposed into unbreakable knives and weapons.

She moaned, "I've seen it plenty of times with wild beasts and Demon Boars, but this is the first time I've seen humans being dismembered…"

"Son of a bitch…" Conall gasped under his breath. Then he suddenly raged, "Y'know what!? Screw this! We're heading straight back to Ireland! If there really are ghosts this far away from Skye, it has to mean they're pouring in from the Land of Shadows! We'd be wasting our time and energy trying to investigate Scotland when we should be protecting Ireland!"

Connla wasn't sure what to make of his suggestion. Sure, he was completely right that they needed to worry about Ireland. Yet, she also wanted to see if Scathach was actually still alive or not. However difficult it would be – even if it meant seeing her in the same sorry state as the townspeople – at least it would provide confirmation and closure for her. But how could she be so selfish when they were in such a heightened state of emergency?

In fact… that was when another disturbing thought crossed her mind.

Without warning, she drew some Runes in the air that caused the air to ripple around them. Conall looked bewildered as he asked, "What are you doing?"

"Ngh… The radius is too small… I don't have enough magical energy to scan the entire area…"

Cu Roi and Fergus ran up to them and noticed what Connla was doing. Cu Roi joined by her side and asked, "Are you trying to flush them out?"

"Yes, but my Runecraft isn't going to be enough."

"Then I will assist you."

The two Runecraft users worked in unison to send pulsating waves of concentrated mana around throughout Glasgow. As Fergus drew Caladbolg from its scabbard, Conall demanded, "What's going on!? What are you guys trying to do!?"

"Prepare for battle, lad. I think we've got company."

Just as he said this, a brilliant blue rippling effect radiated from the spell Cu Roi and Connla conjured. Then, one by one, the ghosts' invisibility was dispelled, revealing them to have been lurking around all of Glasgow as they observed their fresh prey enter the city. Connla suspected that they had been tailing the group ever since they left Sgaradh, which explained her uneasy feeling earlier. She was attuned to sensing the undead thanks to her body being more accustomed to Dun Scaith's cadence rather than the living world's.

"Holy shit! There's this many!?" Conall shrieked as he brandished Curaidin Catutchenn and activated its searing light. Acting on pure instinct, he carved through three angry spirits that dove straight for him.

Since Caladbolg was a magical weapon, Fergus could use it to bash some skulls in without resorting to its destructive power – at least, not yet anyway. Cu Roi energized his body tattoos to grant his fists the ability to harm the undead. He crushed multiple ghosts with his mighty punches that distorted the air, and foot stomps that cracked the earth. As for Connla, she resorted to long-range Nauthiz spells, launching blue fireballs that imparted a blessing for the ghosts to leave this world. Living creatures would not be affected, but it was fatal for lower-level undead such as these. She hopped and leapt backwards, even performing some backflips as the spirits swirled in all around and tried to claw her, but were only rewarded with fiery banishment.

As Connla reeled back to catch her breath, her heart suddenly seized up with pure, unadulterated terror. Something was directly behind her, and every hair on her skin pricked as a sort of sixth 'danger' sense flared throughout her entire body. She wasn't sure if it was a genuine reaction she was having, or if her body was simply responding to an external threat, but she whipped her head back to see what was there…

It was him.

Just 20 feet away, the giant man clad in black scales wielding a massive thorny spear stood tall atop a small hill, glaring down at her like an ominous storm cloud. His crimson eyes glowed in the darkness, and they left a distinct a trail as he wordlessly lurched forward and leapt straight for her, stretching his hand out in an obvious attempt to grab her. Her throat dried up and she choked, unable to react in time.

"HRAAAGH!" Fergus' war cry interrupted them, as the purple-haired swordsman got in between them and swung Caladbolg as hard as he could against Gae Bolg. A distinct clang sound reverberated all around them, knocking Connla onto her butt in astonishment. She remained sitting there watching the two men struggle against each other.

Despite fighting for his life against Cuchulainn, Fergus smirked and retorted, "What's the matter, Setanta? I know you're into the ladies and all that, but isn't this one a tad too young for you? Or did you pick up some disturbing tastes while you were out drowning the rest of the world?"

"Shut your filthy mouth," the hideous spearman snapped darkly.

Fergus suddenly frowned and thought, Whoa, Connla wasn't kidding. It's like I'm talking to a completely different person.

With a growling roar, Cuchulainn slammed Fergus away with Gae Bolg, causing him to skid to a halt in front of Connla. Conall and Cu Roi heard this and joined Fergus in blocking Cuchulainn's path. She regained her senses enough to stand back up and brandish her weapon, showing her intention to fight if necessary. However, Fergus raised his arm in front of her and urged, "Don't do it."

She wanted to argue with him, but remembered what her role was in this mission and stepped back quietly. Fergus stood up and casually asked Cuchulainn, "So what's with the new getup? I didn't think you were the type to seek any sort of kingship. Or is all of that godlike power getting to your head, and you now want to rule the very same world you destroyed?"

"You don't know when to stop chin-wagging, do you, old man?"

"What can I say? I'm a pretty chatty fellow."

"Hmph. Annoying how some things never change. Well, that's not going to matter once I've killed Medb and taken Ireland as easily as I took Scotland."

"You… took Scotland?" Connla wondered. "You mean, you're the king of this entire country now?"

"Damn straight," Cuchulainn replied. "That includes the Land of Shadows. Once I claimed Scathach's territory for my own, it didn't take long for the other impotent kings and rulers to bow to my will."

"B-But what about Teacher!? Where is she!?"

"What do you think? You should know how rulership of Dun Scaith is passed on."

Connla immediately became mortified and covered her mouth in total shock. She didn't want to believe that Scathach was dead. She knew how powerful her mentor was. If he was right about actually killing her, she didn't want to imagine just how downright unstoppable he was. She wanted to get the hell out of there, but the horror of learning about Scathach's death rooted her to the spot.

"Tch," Cu Roi snarled. "Looks like our welfare check isn't going to be necessary anymore. You know what to do, lass. Just leave this to us and return to Galway posthaste."

The moment Cuchulainn heard that, the distinct riastrad lines formed all over his face as he growled, "That's not going to happen. My business is with the kid, and no one's going to get in my way."

Conall asked, "Even if she was Scathach's pupil, I don't think a girl who hasn't finished her training is worth this amount of trouble."

"Yeah, I know. I have a different reason in mind. Why else do you think I sent those ghosts to attack the coliseum when I could've launched a direct attack myself?"

"Wha-!?"

"Of course!" Cu Roi snarled in sudden realization. "T'was a trap you laid for the lass!"

Cuchulainn's shark-like grin crept along his face as he declared, "Bingo. I knew the kid would recognize those abominations, which meant she would want to come back here to see how Scathach was doing. I figured she would bring backup though, considering how she had to look for Fergus, along with how chummy she's become with Conall. I certainly wasn't expecting the King of Munster to come along for the ride, but I'm not going to complain. It's just one less of Medb's stupid 'Champions' I have to deal with later."

Conall grit his teeth as he demanded, "You mean you've been watching us this whole time!?"

"Sure, I have. Once I gained Scathach's crown, it wasn't too hard to use her Royal Authority to cloak myself and follow you two all the way to Galway."

"Cor blimey…"

Fergus pointed Caladbolg in Cuchulainn's direction and asked, "What do you want with Connla? Why have you gone through so much hassle to isolate her?"

The deformed king became silent as he contemplated the question. He shifted his eyes toward the girl, who was equally silent as she stared back at him with frightened eyes. Then, he said to her, "Don't be a Champion for Medb. If you slip up in even the slightest, she won't hesitate to torment you in the most cruel and unimaginable ways possible. You don't need that in your life anymore. Come back to the Land of Shadows with me."

"I, uh…" she uttered, and her skin blanched from sheer horror.

The others didn't know what to make of this turn of events. Conall asked her, "What's he talking about?"

Cuchulainn snapped, "That's between me and her. You assholes get the hell out of my way, or I'll pulverize you."

"Over our dead bodies!"

"Hmph. Then over your dead bodies it shall be," the Lostbelt's king chuckled. He pointed at the group, then made a 'come hither' gesture as he arrogantly taunted, "So, which one of you wants to die first?"

Deeper in Scotland's forests, two children ran as fast as their little legs could carry them. Panic and confusion were written all over their faces as they scurried along, unsure of why they were running or what they were fleeing from. All they knew was that their Auntie demanded they hurry to Ireland without delay. That, coupled with the terrifying man who had passed by them earlier, made them suddenly fearful for their lives.

"F-Fir… I can't… wun anymowe…" Fial gasped for breath and collapsed onto her hands and knees.

"Just a little further!" her brother insisted. "We're almost to Sgaradh!"

"My wegs… I can't… feel my wegs anymowe… Waaa~aaah! I'm scared! Why did Auntie tell us to wun away!?"

"I don't know. But I trust her. She wants us to be safe. That's why we have to keep moving."

"I can't! I can't wun! I'm too tired!"

"Then I'll carry you!" Fir exclaimed and saddled his sobbing sister onto his back piggyback style. "No matter what it takes, I'll get you to Ireland, even if it kills me!"

"Fir…"

As he trudged along the dirt paths with determination in his eyes, that was when the twins noticed a familiar black bird circling around them. The goddess landed on a nearby tree, and her voice called out to them, "There you are, my children! You've come a long way! It's not much farther now!"

"Fial's getting tired," Fir admitted.

"Is she? Then I will carry her."

"How?"

The bird spread her ebony wings, and a rush of air surrounded Fial's body as she gently floated off of Fir's back. Fir realized that she was using a spell to 'fly' the semi-conscious Fial around, so he exhaled a sigh of relief. The goddess then asked him, "Do you need me to carry you as well?"

"No, I'm fine. Fial slacked off on her exercise, but I've been running every day, just like you told me to."

"Good boy. Follow me as best you can, but don't be ashamed if you need my help."

"I'm a man! I don't need help!"

"Eh he he he. Even at your age, a boy can still have that masculine stubborn streak, hm? Very well! Try to keep up then!"