Rundimahair: A new hero for a new adventure

by Larry Forkner

  “How did these ugly creatures keep finding Sean?” she asked. I might understand it when he’s with me, but he should have been safe in Portland.”

  “Aye, that’s a good question all right. With the spells we cast for his protection, he should have been safe as a baby in his mother’s arms,” Eamon said.

  “It had to be Grainne,” Sean said thoughtfully.

  “Faith and Begorrah! Don’t be speaking that name, Sean,” Eamon said, looking around nervously.

  “You know about her?” Sean asked, surprised.

  “Shush now before she hears you!” Eamon said in a fierce whisper.

  “Calm yourself, Da,” Ashling said, putting her hand on his arm. “She’ll not be hearing us while we sit in our own home, in the midst of Rundimahair.”

  “So you say, daughter, but I’m not so convinced as you be,” Eamon said.

  “We’ve spoken her name in grand councils for many a year and she’s not found us yet,” Ashling said calmly.

  Eamon looked as though he was about to respond in anger, but finally managed to calm down. “What you say is true, Daughter, but there’s no need in pushing our luck.”

  She patted his arm and said, “True enough, Da, true enough. Of greater concern to me is how Sean knew the name at all.”

  They both stared at Sean, waiting for an explanation. He was trying to recover from Eamon’s near panic at the mere mention of a name. Finally, he took a couple of deep breaths and said, “I saw her in a dream, not long before I was attacked in my home.”

  “You saw a woman in a dream?” Ashling asked. “Please start from the beginning and tell us as much as you can recall.”

  “That’s easy enough,” Sean replied. “The truth is that I can recall the entire dream with great clarity.”

  “That’s not a comforting thing to hear, Sean,” Ashling said. “Please tell us both exactly what you remember.”

  For the next twenty minutes, Sean held Eamon and Ashling spellbound, while he recounted his vivid dream of the ancient castle. He told them about the strange ruins, and then went on to explain all about the massive, beautiful castle hidden within those ruins.

  When he explained his close encounter with the cold beauty, Grainne, Sean noticed that Eamon’s face went suddenly pale. Ashling held her composure, but he could sense the grave concern in her mind.

  As soon as Sean ended his story, Eamon said, “Tis the dark queen he speaks of, and there be no doubt about it.”

  Sean noticed that when Eamon was troubled, his Irish accent and word usage became more pronounced. This was true with Ashling too, but to a lesser extent.

  “Aye, there’s no doubt of that,” Ashling agreed. Still and all, the news could be worse.”

  “So you say, daughter. If the news could be worse then I don’t wish to hear about it,” Eamon said, shaking his head slowly.

  “It’s clear that she now knows Sean is a person of interest to us, and that his powers are potentially troublesome to her evil plans,” Ashling said.

  “And what could be worse news than that, may I ask?” Eamon asked.

  “She could realize that he wasn’t just a man with a strong gift for magical power. She might also have realized he could be the one to foil all of her grand, dark schemes.”

  “And how can you be sure the dark queen isn’t aware of that?” Eamon asked.

  “She didn’t go after Sean herself, Da. She sent some dangerous goons after him for sure, but she didn’t go and make sure the deed was done right. If she truly knew who Sean could become, she’d have been at his house last night, along with her deadly creatures.”

  Eamon appeared ready to dispute her logic, but then he paused. After a moment, he began to nod his head and said, “When you’re right, you’re right, dear Ashling. If she truly understood Sean’s great potential, she’d have trusted no one but herself to crush such a threat.”

  After listening to their back-and-forth discussion, Sean wanted to dispute their conclusions. In the end, he realized they knew far more about Grainne than he did. Even so, he said, “I’ve got to say that the freaks she did send were bad enough. They were just about ready to finish me off when Ashling arrived to rescue me.”

  “No argument there, Sean,” Eamon said. “You don’t have enough experience fighting such fearsome demons yet. Once we’ve helped you reach your full potential, you’ll handle such creatures with the same ease our dear Ashling did.”

  “If Grainne is as powerful as you say, then the sooner we get back to my training the better I’ll like it,” Sean said.

  “The sad truth of it all is, there be no way to overstate the brutal powers that woman has at her disposal, Sean,” Eamon said. “She’s as bad as we’ve said, and much more besides.”

  Ashling stood abruptly and said, “Come along Sean, we’ll get you settled in quickly and start our training again this afternoon. “After all you’ve told us, I’ve a sure and certain feeling that time may well be even shorter than we thought.”

  Chapter Twelve

  He who loses money, loses much;

  He who loses a friend, loses more;

  He who loses faith, loses all.

  ~ Old Irish Saying ~

  Summer brought warm breezes and pleasant temperatures to Rundimahair. The skies were brilliant blue, with only a few wispy, white clouds passing overhead. The temperature was just right–not too hot or too cold.

  Ashling and Sean were lying close together, in a hillside meadow, high above the town. They were resting after another exhausting session, designed to help Sean develop his knowledge and use of magic.

  Training had occupied the vast majority of their time and energy, since Ashling had rescued Sean from the creatures attacking him in his Portland home.

  As the months passed, they brought about permanent changes to the life Sean had always known. He could never go back to being a real estate developer, focused mostly on success and making more and more money.

  He was slowly coming to understand who he truly was and what he might accomplish. Being successful and wealthy no longer consumed his time and interest. Sean knew there were much greater goals to attain to in his new life.

  He had decided to break ties with his real estate business and sell his home in Portland. It was no longer a safe place for him to live, and he vastly preferred his life in Rundimahair.

  To her great surprise and delight, Sean sold his business and home to Jennie. He knew she had the talent and drive to be successful. She had also taught him a few good lessons about integrity in business. Sean knew this was the right thing to do.

  He’d explained that he’d met someone special, and they were going to be traveling extensively over the next few years. Jennie was very pleased that he’d finally met the right woman.

  Now he was free to begin his new life without having to check in with his business or make excuses about his absences.

  There was a tinge of regret about leaving the life he’d built in Portland. He knew it would fade quickly because of the great excitement and anticipation he felt about his new life in Rundimahair. There was no longer any doubt in his heart or mind that this is where he truly belonged.

  “Earth to Sean, come in please,” Ashling said, as she rolled onto her side and tugged on his earlobe.

  Sean surprised her by rolling onto his side and then rolling her onto her back. He smiled as he stared into her soft, green eyes. Before he could change his mind, he kissed her gently and then with more passion. She stroked the back of his neck with her fingernails and returned his kiss with equal passion.

  After a few minutes of serious desire, Sean felt her hands gently pushing against his shoulders. Very reluctantly, he pulled back and sighed deeply.

  “Time to get back to work,” Ashling said gently.

  “You’re a slave driver,” Sean said, smiling. “A beautiful slave driver, but a slave driver nonetheless.”

  “You think I’ve been working you too hard?” she asked. “This is nothing at all. In fact, I�
�ve been taking it easy on you, so I have,” she added, smiling, as she got to her feet.

  Sean was quickly on his feet and embraced Ashling as he said, “I enjoyed that last workout the most.”

  She laughed and said, “Who knows, there may be more where that came from, if you can transform into your dragon form at will by the end of the day.”

  He let go of Ashling and spun around in a circle several times. “I’m trying my best; I truly am. I’ve already transformed twice this week.”

  Ashling could hear the frustration in his voice, as he stuffed his hands into his pockets and sighed again. She knew he was giving it all he had, but she couldn’t let up on his training. His ability to transform into his dragon-self, might one day be the difference between life and death.

  “I know you’re working hard, Sean. “You’re getting closer every day, so we’ve got to keep working at it,” she said.

  “Yeah, I hear you,” he said.

  Suddenly, an idea struck her and without a word, she transformed into her dragon self. She let loose a ferocious roar and blew red hot flames into the air. Seconds later, she leapt into the sky and began to circle high above him.

  * * *

  Sean was enthralled by the power and grace of Ashling in her dragon form. He watched, mesmerized, as she pulled out of her circles and dropped into a steep dive. Seconds before she would have crashed into him, she arched up and sped away.

  An elemental force inside him was triggered as he watched her dive at him before pulling up and shooting back into the sky like a guided missile. She was truly beautiful in her dragon form. Her scales were the same green as her eyes, and her long, flowing red mane was breathtaking. At that moment, he wanted nothing more than to be flying alongside her.

  Sean felt the familiar explosion of raw power inside as he transformed to his dragon self almost effortlessly. Moments later, he was flying side-by-side with Ashling.

  They flew companionably for several minutes before Ashling burst up and away from Sean. With blinding speed, she completed a graceful arch and nosedived directly at him. Sean launched himself upward, roaring his defiance, as he released multiple, long bursts of flame.

  For several moments, it looked like a game of deadly, high-speed, dragon “chicken”, each daring the other to turn away from the imminent, fiery collision. At the last possible moment, Sean executed a perfect barrel roll which allowed him to land on top of her. He nipped at her neck and shoulders, just enough to let her know he had won, and then rushed out across the sky.

  Ashling felt exhilarated, as she watched him loose a series of fireballs into air. She could still hear his exultant roars, when he was only a red dot on the horizon.

  Sean quickly circled back, ready to go again, but she was already heading for the ground, dropping in slow, graceful circles. He felt his heart ache as he watched Ashling’s elegant landing. Whether in her human form or her dragon self, she truly entranced him.

  Moments after Ashling’s soft, graceful landing, Sean shot toward the ground like a fiery bullet, slamming his large, clawed feet into the earth beside her.

  “That’s how a fiery-red dragon comes in for a landing!” he shouted, as he turned back to human form.”

  He noticed that Ashling was laughing as she turned away from where Sean was standing. “What?” he asked.

  “That’s how you end up standing around buck naked in farmer O’Leary’s field,” she said, chuckling.

  Sean gasped and quickly turned back into his dragon self. In a burst of speed, he rushed back toward Ashling’s home.

  “I’ve got to remember to transform to my human self, where I’ve got a little privacy,” he muttered, after landing in her back yard and sprinting down the basement stairs.

  * * *

  “I should have explained that to you earlier,” Ashling said later, while they shared a bounteous supper.”

  “You think so, Ashling?” Eamon said, smiling. “I know it’s been a while since I had to teach you the facts of life about your dragon self. Still and all, you should have given poor Sean fair warning.”

  “Aye, that I should have, but he was showing off something awful. I thought it might do him some good to enjoy a good dose of humility,” Ashling said, smiling.

  “Well, perhaps that is so. I know I needed to be taken down a peg or two when I first came into my dragon-self,” Eamon said. “There was nothing like landing in the middle of a village, while changing into my naked human self, to bring me back to reality.”

  “As I recall the story Mom told, there were more than a few young maidens who got an eye full on that grand day,” Ashling said, laughing out loud.

  “Oh aye,” Eamon said, chuckling along with his daughter. “Don’t be forgetting that your own sainted mother was among the gawking, young lasses.”

  All three of them burst into raucous laughter over Eamon’s predicament. “I don’t feel so bad now,” Sean said. “At least there was only Ashling there to witness my humiliation.”

  It took Eamon a moment to stop laughing, but finally he said, “It’s not that tricky once you get used to it. You just have to store extra outfits of clothing here and there around Rundimahair.”

  “And you don’t land and transfer back to your human-self until you’re sure there are no prying eyes about,” Ashling said.

  “Not to worry,” Sean said. “I’ll not be making that mistake again.”

  “On the bright side of things, I believe we’ve found a trigger for you to easily become your dragon self,” Ashling said.

  “Do you mean when you transformed and leapt into the air?” Sean asked.

  “Indeed so,” she agreed. “Now all we have to do is plant that memory deep in your mind, so you can use it anytime you need your dragon to appear.”

  “Is it that simple then?” Sean asked.

  “It usually is,” Eamon said. “Once you’ve planted the thought in your mind, the trigger seems to be instinctive after a few tries at it. The fact that you have more than a passing interest in my sweet daughter should help it work all the better.”

  Sean didn’t bother denying his ever growing attraction for Ashling. No one would believe him, even if he tried denying the truth.

  “Once I stash a few changes of clothing, here and there, I’ll give it a go,” Sean said.

  * * *

  The days passed by quickly, turning into weeks of very exhausting training for Sean and Ashling. Occasionally, Eamon would join them. His dark blue scales gave Eamon a very different and fierce look as he roared through the sky. On those rare days when Eamon could join them, they would push Sean even harder, as he learned to fight two powerful dragons at once.

  It was obvious that they weren’t using all their powers while attacking Sean together. He was grateful for their patience in training him. It was all he could do to keep up with them when they were fighting at half-speed. He thought it would take years to catch up to their knowledge and ability.

  Whenever they bested him too easily, Ashling and Eamon were quick to remind him that they’d been at this for hundreds of years. Sean had only discovered his dragon form a few months ago.

  As summer turned into fall, Ashling realized that Sean’s potential as a warrior–whether in human or dragon form–was truly amazing. What had been considered impossible, in Ashling’s long lifetime, now appeared inevitable. Sean would one day surpass her powers as a magician and as a dragon.

  She had to admit to a touch of jealousy at the thought of anyone surpassing her great powers. Beyond any small resentment, Ashling felt tremendous gratitude and relief. Besides, she was sure he’d never surpass her matchless skills as a healer. That didn’t appear to be one of his gifts.

  With the warriors of her father’s generation aging, Ashling had long felt the burden of picking up the mantle of power for her generation. Until now, no one in her generation had come close to matching her powers. This left her feeling alone in carrying on the fight against Grainne and her many powerful warriors. Sean’s arriv
al gave Ashling new hope for the future.

  * * *

  While Sean was a beacon of new hope for the people of Rundimahair, he was becoming an unwanted distraction for Grainne. She didn’t yet know who he was, but she knew enough to realize he could be a potential threat to her grand plans.

  When she sensed his presence at her castle, in the high mountains of Scotland, Grainne felt a chill of unease pass through her mind. It was the first touch of what might be called fear that she’d experienced in centuries.

  She could only sense his presence on the outer fringes of her consciousness. That alone was cause for concern. Other than Ashling, no one had been able to hide from her immense powers of perception for centuries.

  Not since Eamon had stolen away from their long-time home in Scotland, had she been unable to find anyone she searched for. That had been nearly three hundred years ago. To this day, she still hadn’t been able to find their hidden sanctuary.

  She’d make progress, to be sure, but she was still unable to find the exact location of Rundimahair. Only the combined powers of the Grand Council could have kept the location a secret for so many years. In truth, she was now convinced that only Eamon and Ashling had powers great enough to foil her centuries–long search.

  Grainne had narrowed her persistent search to somewhere in the western United States but hadn’t been able to get any closer to their true location.

  Now this strange young man had shown up at her enchanted stronghold in Scotland. Somehow, he’d been able to see through the many protective spells and find his way inside her fortress. He wasn’t there in his physical form, which was some small comfort. But he’d managed to enter the forbidden halls of her castle in his spirit form. That should have been impossible.