Tendrils of flesh hung from their head where hair should be. Their skin and eyes were the same grey hue of the landscape. Their sunken bellies and protruding ribs increased their grotesqueness. A simple piece of cloth was tied around their waists but their testicles hung below, swaying as they walked. Their skin hung from them like limp dried crepe paper.
Cian whispered, “This is what happens without the Gods.”
I couldn’t tell if he was stating or asking.
Four guards arrived with spears pointed at us. The head guard said, “Let me see the stone and the cup.”
Cian removed the cup from its tattoo on his arm and held it up as Morrigan held up the stone. The guard reached for the cup and Cian quickly returned it to his arm.
He bowed and said, “My apologies, I am prepared to present the cup to the King and only the King.”
The guard grumbled something to the others, the single eye looking like it would pop under the pressure of the scowl on his face.
The guard said, “Follow me.”
We walked with two guards in front of us and the other two behind us. I wished for supernatural powers against such beasts. If we had to fight our way out, Morrigan, Cian and even Emrys were equipped to do so. They would protect me since I was needed, but I wouldn’t be able to protect myself.
We wound through the halls deep into the belly of the castle until we entered into the throne room. The walls rose at least a hundred feet into the air. Dozens of Godless were assembled there. Male and female, all looking as emaciated as the guards. There were no tables or chairs, tapestries or adornments. The King sat on a throne at the end of the room with his legs wide, elbows on his knees. He saw us and indulged in a long scratch of his testicles as we approached.
The guards had us stop about ten feet from the King, and we took a knee out of respect. The head guard went to him and whispered in his ear. He looked no better off than the others. Though they didn’t look feeble, they looked very aged and lifeless.
The King said, “So you have an invitation stone and a Cup of Plenty. You have an audience with me. I am King Harris. Speak.”
Cian stood, removed the Cup from his forearm once again, took the stone from Morrigan and approached the King. He knelt and held his hands out as he spoke. “King Harris, we are of the Earthly realm. I am Cian, King of the Fomoire. I travel with Morrigan, Queen of the Tuatha, the great Druid Lord Emrys, and the true King of Erin, Neil. Long ago, one of the Druids sent the sword of the Tuatha, originally forged here and gifted to one of Morrigan’s descendants, back here in order to protect it from falling in the hands of evil. It is bonded to Neil, King of Erin, and we have come to retrieve it. We bring a Cup of Plenty so that you and your people will never thirst again, as a gift to show respect to you and your people.”
The King’s bulbous eye bounced around each of us. It’s hard to read someone when they only have one eye, and I couldn’t tell how this was going.
The King motioned to one of the guards who took the stone and cup from Cian and gave it to the King.
He took the cup and held it to his lips. Slowly, he tipped his head back. The cup was working; he drank for a long time and then passed it to another. The murmurs grew and the Godless began pushing one another to get to the cup.
“Enough!” the King bellowed.
The crowd stilled.
He continued, “You will all get a turn, my people. This is a great day.”
The Godless cheered. We smiled. This was turning out well.
He smiled and said, “It’s been centuries since I’ve drunk my fill. I cannot thank you enough. The few dozen of us that you see are all that is left of us. We do not die of starvation or thirst, because there is no God to take our lives. The only way we experience death is if killed, and we cease to exist since there is no God to take us to the afterlife. Most of my people have gone mad and begged for loved ones to kill them so they didn’t have to endure this anymore.”
“Great King Harris,” Cian began. “We hope that the gift is pleasing enough that you would return the Great Sword of the Tuatha to Neil?”
The King nodded and made a gesture with his hand to one of the guards. The Godless continued to pass the cup around.
A few minutes later the guard appeared with the sword. I was drawn to it. The closer the guard brought it the more anticipation filled me. He handed the hilt of it to me and I took it. The sword glowed momentarily and I felt a rush of power pulse through me.
“He’s definitely the one bonded to the sword. Consider it returned and your gift accepted.” King Harris nodded to me.
“We have one more thing to ask of you, Great King,” Emrys spoke now. “The Gods of our world are trying to unleash a realm of demons in order to destroy us. We are trying to stop them from doing this and the sword of the Tuatha is the only enchanted one in our realm. The only thing we have to protect ourselves from the Gods and the demons as well if they are released. We know it is an imposition but we are humbled to ask if you would grace us with more weapons so that our realm is not destroyed.”
The King once again returned to scratching his testicles. They bobbed around as he pondered then said, “What do you present as gift for this favor?”
Emrys spread his arms and answered, “We traveled in great haste, and did not have time to bring a gift for this request. But the Tuatha have a cauldron that never empties and never leaves anyone hungry, much like the Cup of Plenty. We could return with it?”
I looked at Morrigan since the cauldron was of the Tuatha. If she didn’t know of the plan she showed no surprise. She wore that damn blank face that she put on when she didn’t want anyone to know what she was thinking.
The Cup of Plenty was passed back to the King and he took another long drink from it. Once he cleared his throat he began, “I am no fool. You want me to give you weapons that would kill Gods in return for a cauldron that you may or may not bring back. We have starved here for centuries, only eating the few who are stupid enough to try to get those weapons. We can’t leave our realm because the Gods of other realms would surely hunt us down and torture us more than we are tortured now. If your realm loses its Gods, then that would leave us free to go there and eat whatever animals and vegetation are left.”
“We didn’t think this plan through thoroughly, did we,” Cian mumbled.
“Clearly,” Morrigan. replied
The King said, “I presented the sword to the King of Erin. He is the one bonded to it. And out of respect for the time when it was forged and gifted, I will allow him to return to your realm.”
King Harris tossed me the stone we used to enter from New York.
He turned to look at the others. “He, and he alone, may leave. You three will stay and be our feast and celebration.”
“No!” I yelled.
One of the guards used his spear to knock me to my knees. Morrigan rushed to my side and helped me up.
Her eyes looked softly at me. Pleading with me. She said urgently, “Neil, you must go. You must take the sword and find Conall. Please.”
I cupped her face in my hands. “I can’t leave you. I won’t leave you. I won’t do it.”
Morrigan gently removed my hands form her face and handed me the sword. “Neil, trust in me. Trust in me. Take the sword and get back to that giant rock as fast as you can. The stone will allow you to enter it. Focus on our Great Oak. Think of nothing else. This rock will work, even though you’re human. It will get you back. You must survive this. You must get the sword back.”
I felt like a helpless coward. I slowly stepped backwards, looking at Morrigan. Her face was relieved. I looked at Emrys and Cian expecting mocking expressions, accusing me of cowardice, but they looked relieved as well. I knew they planned to survive somehow but as skilled as they were, the Godless were massive. They were going to sacrifice themselves so that I could return the sword to Conall. They would die here and I would live. My only purpose, not to be the leader or hero—just dumb luck being born with the right blood
in my veins to carry a sword back to its real owner.
Chapter 28
MORRIGAN
The tightness in my chest loosened at seeing Neil safely turn the corner. He was free. He would get the sword back to Conall. Half of this quest was accomplished.
The Godless King turned to us and smiled wickedly. “Put them in the cages. We will be feasting tonight!”
The other Godless cheered and we were picked up and carried further into the castle to a dungeon.
The guard enjoyed throwing us into the cell, but I was glad that we weren’t separated.
“Well we safely got the sword of the Tuatha out of here and on its way home. Now all we have to do is escape, find the weapons, and a way back to our realm,” I said with more cheer in my voice than normal.
“So, this is what you would consider a good day?” Cian said, smiling, leaning against the wall.
My spirits were light. I replied, “I didn’t think they would let Neil just go. And look… they didn’t take our weapons.” I smiled, wiggling my swords.
Emrys chimed in as gloomily as ever, “That’s because they plan on using those as toothpicks to pick our bones out of their teeth.”
Cian ignored the comment. “Emrys, can you blast them and freeze the King so we can question him as to where the weapons are then get back home?”
Emrys stared at Cian blankly before replying, “Blast them? Really Cian? It’s a lot more complicated than that!”
I could feel Emrys’ temper bubbling. “I assume by blasting them you mean can I create fire from thin air and hit them with pinpoint accuracy? Is that what you mean?”
Cian didn’t pay any attention to Emrys’ tantrum. “Yes, that’s exactly what I mean. Blasting.” He smiled playfully.
Emrys threw his hands up in the air and sat down. Wearily he replied, “Magic is not… magic. Things do not just happen. I cannot create anything. What I do is more like transfer, or manipulate elements. I can tap into the life, the energy, around me and use that to do my bidding. There is no life here. Even the Godless themselves are almost lifeless. You saw them. They’re like husks, shells of what they were. Their souls are not even enough to power a small flame to light a cigarette.”
Emrys shook his head helplessly. “I can draw upon my own essence but not enough to take them all out.”
Cian nodded. “Can you draw upon us?” He looked at me as he spoke.
Emrys shook his head. “I’m not willing to do that.”
I started to interject but Cian interrupted me. “Let me rephrase then. Can you draw upon me?”
Emrys sat still. Without looking up he made the smallest of gestures. A nod.
Cian slapped Emrys’ back and sounded jolly. “Well it’s a good thing you’re going to draw upon me rather than Morrigan. I’m more powerful anyway, and have the strength to spare.” Then winked at me.
I couldn’t help but burst into laughter. “You’re an ass.” But there was no bite to my words.
“I will do my best to not drain you, Cian,” Emrys said. I could tell he was developing a plan.
I turned and put my hands on each side of my old friend’s face. “You will draw upon me if you have to. I won’t take no for an answer.”
Before Emrys could say any more, one of the Godless came back and began unlocking our cell.
The door to our cell was small to him. He squeezed his hand in to grab me. I took the opportunity and drew my swords, driving them into the center of his palm. Before he could retract I twisted them, thrusting upwards so his palm was face up. Cian put his hands on mine and helped me drive straight down, pinning his hand. The Godless screamed and used his other hand to try to pry it free. Cian and I used all of our combined strength to hold him. Emrys quickly grabbed the long sword strapped to Cian’s back and sliced open the wrist of the Godless.
Blood that looked like honey began to flow. With each pump of his panicked heart, more blood oozed into the room. The entire floor was covered in it. It was thick and oily. I picked my boot up and could feel it stick a little.
The Godless still fought to free his hand but he was weakening.
Emrys stood at the edge of the bars. The large eyeball’s lid began to flutter and droop. Emrys turned and placed a hand on the wrist of the Godless and spoke. I felt the magic thick in the air. Worry gripped me over how much it would cost Emrys. “Where do we find the weapons? The ones that will kill the Gods.”
The weak Godless couldn’t resist the compulsion. “You have it at this very moment. It is not magical weapons that we have. It is our blood. A weapon, any weapon, dipped in our blood will kill a God.”
We stood in shock and looked at one another.
Cian broke the silence. “Explains why they aren’t keen on sharing their weapons.”
I nodded. They were grotesque creatures, but I couldn’t help but pity them. I was sad for them. An entire thriving realm almost destroyed. Down to only a few dozen that we planned to wipe out and now drain them of their blood in order to save our own realm. Guilt gripped my chest. I thought of my children. Of my people. I hated this.
Cian sensed my feelings. I’m not sure if it was a remnant of our bonding or if he could just relate since both of us had experienced near extinction of our people.
He still held his hands over mine, helping me hold the swords down. His hands softened since the Godless had no more fight in him and he said, barely above a whisper, “We haven’t a choice but it doesn’t make this any easier. We do the dirty work. We would be monsters if we didn’t feel the weight of it.”
I didn’t trust him. Not for a second. I knew in every fiber of myself that he was helping us for his own agenda. But I also knew he meant what he said and he was one of the few people that truly understood the burden I felt.
The Godless went limp as the life bled out of him. I pulled the swords out and we pushed his arm back through the door.
Time to do this.
“Emrys, how are you doing? You good?” I dipped my swords in the blood that covered the floor of the cell and appraised him as best I could. He was still a mystery to me, and even I had trouble reading him at times.
“Right as rain, love,” he said, more lightheartedly than I was comfortable with. I knew he was hiding how weak he felt.
I kept my mask so I didn’t betray my thoughts.
Cian must have had the same concern. He began dipping his weapons in the blood as well. “Morrigan, how about you and I work on taking these guys out? Emrys, let’s hold you back as a reserve and only use your power if one of us is in dire trouble.”
Emrys nodded in agreement. That couldn’t be good. He would never agree to this if he were at full strength.
Emrys led the way out of our cell. Cian and I exchanged a knowing glance. It was up to us.
We made our way without any trouble back to the throne room. Peeking around the corner, we saw the remainder of the Godless standing around, anticipating the guard’s return. To feast upon us.
“Now, how are the three of us supposed to feed that many?” Cian said, trying to lighten the mood.
Ignoring him I tilted my head towards the crowd. “Okay, let’s go.”
Cian grabbed my elbow, turning me to him. “Shouldn’t we have a plan?”
Emrys stifled a chuckle. Cian looked at him, puzzled. Emrys held up one hand while holding his belly with the other silently laughing. “I forget you’ve always been on the other side of things. A plan?” Emrys chuckled a few more times. “That’s a good one. You really are funny, Cian.”
Cian looked at me, confused. I replied to his unasked question. “Yes, we have a plan. We go in there and kill them.”
I took off before Cian could point out the flaw in my plan. That it wasn’t a plan at all. The one thing I had learned was that there were times when you could plan an attack and that other times you had to just fight like hell to live and hope the Creator would grace you with victory.
As I ran, the fury that I’d been holding in began to build and come to t
he surface. This wasn’t anger. I wanted to unleash the wrath that I felt. The pain of losing my people. The pain of Neil’s betrayal. The pain at knowing that if we failed my realm would be destroyed. The pain that knowing the Gods had been plotting for centuries. The pain at having to wipe out the last of a race of beings. All of it, I let that ferociousness build in me and focused it.
The first Godless didn’t know what hit him. I slashed through his Achilles and as he dropped to one knee I slit his testicles and ripped open his femoral artery. Before he could fall on me I climbed up his back and drove my swords into the carotid artery of the Godless next to him. A woman. She yelled as I held onto my sword with all my body weight as it slid through her skin, ripping it.
I jumped down as she fell and had to do a backflip out of the way of another Godless that was falling. Apparently Cian had joined the fight and had three down already.
“I’m winning! Three to two!” he yelled as he used the Achilles/testicle/femoral attack that I just had. “Make that four to two!”
“Prick!” I grimaced as I screamed it. Wow Morrigan, that was witty.
The Godless had shaken off their surprise and were now on the offensive. I jumped up at the nearest one and drove my sword deep into his chest. Before I could do more damage, his hand came up to grab at me so I pushed off and onto the next one. I landed on the shoulder of one of the guards. I plunged my long sword deep into his eye. Two of his friends were steps away. I turned and threw both of my medium swords and hit both of their eyes as well. I pulled my long sword out and as the other two fell to the ground I went to retrieve my medium swords.
As I was pulling the second one out a Godless kicked me and I flew into the wall. I fell to the ground hard enough to rattle me. I stood as he raised his spear—then he froze.
Cian emerged on his shoulder, having driven his sword into the base of the giant’s skull.
The ass winked. “You’re welcome, Red!”
Awakening - The Morrigan Chronicles Page 14