The Celtic Gods

Her words were strange, but life had been hard for so long. He'd rarely seen her happy like this, silly and playful instead of always worried for their future. Ben lay down, happy just to be home with his family.

 

Caer leant over him, his back resting on her hands, "Brother, I love you but- You must sleep. You have proven yourself, and now you must sleep."
She was going to tell him he would get in the way with his foolish delusions, but there was a kind of beauty to them that she admired.
Caer lifted her left arm from underneath him, ready to send him to sleep but the truly content look on his face stopped her. "Ben, I'm Caer. Your goddess. I can lift away all of this, if you understand me. If you allow me. But do you want me too?"

 

Corrin kept his bow high, knowing that the beast was an illusion, but still not trusting the area, nor it's owner. "Back in the temple, we wounded another of your kind, and we go fight another god as well. Is there anyway to permanently kill your kin?" He asked. "Lest we be forced to play this scenario out over and over again."

 

Faer just managed to hold himself together, when Corrin said something just as amusing. He held himself, barely, and said to the bowman, "well, no. That is why your kind calls them gods."

 

Gwydion sharply glanced at Aidan before turning to Corrin. "We Gods cant be killed, but we can be destroyed. We would be trapped in a Limbo, until one has great need. I presume that is where Bloduwedd is now, but other than that the only way to get rid of a god is by ereasing it from existince. The only power that can do that, is the combined force of the Stones." Taking a small satchel from Rihanna, Gwydion tucked Sli and some food safely inside, and a small pouch with bore the Life Stone they acquired at the church.

Caber watched Caer nervously for a while, before retreating to the flock of eagles Rihanna had summoned. He took Faer and Corrin, and led them to two saddled eagles, and helped them mount before mounting his own. Rihanna on the other hand, walked over to Aidan, and even though she was considerably smaller than him, a power burned within her eyes.

"Its not wise to insult a God, Aidan. Yes, you were prepared to sacrafice your life, but you didnt, did you? Gwydion and I made sure of that, think about how you are still alive the next time you get angry that you almost died." She said calmly. "A goddess by the name of Airmed will meet you at Ransfolk. She might be able to.... lift your curse."

With that, Rihanna stood and gestured to the storm cloud approaching rather fast from the south. "You would do best to leave now, Morrigan has the Death Stone, and she dosent look happy. I will try and slow her down." With that, there was a flurry of colors and shapes as Rihanna became a golden eagle, and lead a charge towards the black mass with other golden eagles in tow. "Heed her warning, let us be off!" Gwydion said, mounting her own bird.

 

Faer turned back to human form before mountin his eagle. Now he knew, their quest would continue, an he would have to be ready for it. He wondered if he could rest while being airborne. Well, he could always find out. He leaned his head against the bird's neck and closed his eyes, holding on tight.

 

He knew it was a dream. If he opened his eyes it would end. These apparitions and promises, scale curling against his skin as soft words lapped against his mind. "Yes." A struggle to speak. The weight in his side, the sword. Was it the answer here too?

 

Caer scooped Ben up out of the water, her arms supporting his legs and head. "There are many ways I could do this, and it looks as if we must go, Ben," she whispered. "I'm sure you don't want to miss out, do you?"
Caer for only the third time in her existence was unsure on what to deliver. It was rare to see a man wrapped in dreams while he wakes. Three ways to keep my promise, and many more I can pretend exist.
Caer carried Ben to one of the eagles, "I promise I'll deliver." And she set him down, the serpent looking at her.

 

Corrin gave a whistle and Griff jumped onto the beast's back, resting in his master's lap. "I haven't forgotten about you boy, and if we can keep this we will. Should make hunting much easier." He stated, scratching the dog behind the ear. "Lead the way."

 

The birds took flight, away from the darkness behind them, away from the fight raging around Rihanna. Many, many, many, Shadows formed a Shadow cloud, and if it caught up they would perish. About a hours flight away loomed the town of Ransfolk, known for its vast size and bueaty. Gwydion hoped to visit her temple while she was there, and with a pang of guilt she remembered a temple honored to Bloduwedd resided there. She wondered when was the next time she would see her friend? Steering her bird into the middle of the group, she pulled out the Stone from within her pack.

Raising it above her head, she closed her eyes and several white bolts shot from the translucent stone. One hit each member of the group, casting a silver sheild around them. Feeling satisfied that she had accomplished the Oracle"s task, she excitedly awaited the sum of gold tha would soon appear in her pouch. For those who casted protection at the expense of her own life would be rewarded. She shuddered at the Oracle's other tad of info. Danger will reside soon after a spell is cast, up-

The ground rushed up towards Gwydion, as she fell. A red bolt of energy had struck everyones eagles and they had instantly died. Atepomarus, goddess of death, had started an attack. As everyone hit the ground, they simply bounced upwards a little. The shields held strong, and if Gwydion hadnt had the Life Stone, she would probably had died.


Atepomarus stood laughing as goblins and trolls poured from the wood surrounding them, and anphiba-men came in droves from the crystaline stream nearing them. Leaping in the air towards Atepomarus, Gwydion summoned her daggers and shot bolts of light towards her. Courtesy of the Life Stone. And while monsters began attacking her friends, Gwydion continued to dance around the goddess flicking her daggers in every direction, the corpse of golden eagles like a becon of fading light on the tree tops around her.

 

Faer hit the ground hard, rolling away. The past moments have been blurry. Something struck his bird, causing it to die on the spot. He then plummeted tote ground saved only by a shield Gwydon conjured around him. Now they were facing yet another goddess, and trolls and goblins swarmed the area.

For a moment Faer was frozen. Outcast as he was, the creatures attacking them were more of a kin to him than the humans at his side. Had he not allied himself with Gwydion, he would have probably been fighting the heroes at that moment. Aid an was fighting nearby, clearly enjoying himself. That was typical of him, Faer wondered. The Far killer, human bounty hunter, now an ally to Faer. It was a strange quest indeed.

Still not knowing what to do, he turned to a horse, and galloped to where Gwydion and the other goddess were fighting, leaping over goblins and running past trolls. He will decide his alliance at the moment.

 

Caer picked herself up and looked at Ben, she didn't know what to do. Last time she had bound someone there wasn't a battle just around every corner. "Stay there."
Atepomarus was going too far. Caer readied her spear and struck down two goblins, they didn't even deserve magic. She lunged at more of the creatures while Gwydion fought the goddess of death. A risky battle, thought Caer. If she is destroyed, how will people die? She would have to send far too many to the dreamless sleep, waiting for Atepomarus to reform. It would break so many. Some foes aren't meant to be fought.
"Gwydion, leave it," Caer pleaded. Humans were too good to live without death. It would corrupt them.
"Faer!" she called, seeing him gallop towards them. "Take Gwydion down. Both of them must be stopped."

 

Ben was tired. He was tired of being tired. He was tired of disturbed sleep, festering emotions of hate and failure, a suffocating cloud of regret he could never escape. Caer was to busy to play with him; Even gods were trapped by the thing.

War. The thing was more terrible than anyone could describe, a wanton, self-consuming beast, gorging itself on the fat of slovenly empires and wraiths. Ben had never knelt at the corpse. He might have killed, but he never partook in the feast. Today would be no different. He would sit at the head table, but he would dash his cup of blood on the floor

Ben stood up and drew is sword. Shimmers of light danced across the blade and his soaked body. His clothes stuck disgustingly to his flesh, his cloak heavy with the wet physical reminder of empty, interupted rest. He shook off the furs, ripped the bow and arrows away, stripping. Atepomarus was his focus, he ignored everything else. He ran, like so many times.

This time he ran towards the beast. He would strip it open and let it rot. No stones, no oaths, no friends. War.

 

Corrin drove the point of his shield into the ground, letting it stand in the earth as he crouched behind it and notched an arrow. He wasn't sure if the creatures would be using arrows or throwing knives, but he'd rather be safe than sorry. The attack was co-ordinated, he knew that much. For the creatures to be waiting for them on their path suggested ambush. In some ways, it did make sense. He didn't notice the eagle banking so they presumably went in a straight line. Next time they traveled, he'd suggest a less direct approach.

He kept Griff nearby, waiting for the right time to send him outwards. At the moment, that seemed to be never. Instead, he decided to use him to protect his flanks, the dog running back and forth, tearing at any goblin that made it past the archer's arrows. It was a good strategy, and Corrin hoped that the others would deal with the larger beasts, while he held off the smaller ones.

 

Monster after monster was being slain, and a little before half of the mini army laid dead upon the floor. Caber was sprinting around, taking out dozens of monsters, and sometimes blocking a stray sword intent on attacking one of the heros. The shields were holding up well, and so was a small gray mouse. Sli darted around the battle field, teleporting swords and weapons far, far, away. Sometimes he would teleport a weapon onto a hero, to help them. He replenished Corrins stack of arrows, and helped Griff whenever he needed it.

The battle raging above the feild was a display of light, multicolored rainbows lept from Gwydions fingertips, to counteract the black and purple bolts of the death goddess. Gwydion drove her daggers towards her heart, and was blocked by a shield of destruction. Twisting mid-air, Gwydion casted the illusion of millions of flies and rats were surrounding her. Screeching, she destroyed the illusion and the battle continued.

The pile of bodies that Aidan was climbing, (Sorry for interuption, just wanted to say congrats on winning Poetry Contest!), suddenly exploded, and a silvery figure with waist length black hair emerged. She was as pale as a ghost, and nearly as transparent, and her features were strikingly bueatiful. Sharp eyes, curved nose, and a cruel smile played across her faces as she opened her mouth. A terrible wailing sound emerged, fater for those who listened to the banshees song too long.

 

Faer heard two things that made his blood chill. The first was Caer, calling him to attack Gwydion. If he needed something to confuse him even more. The second was worse. The wailing of the banshee, worst omen of all. One of their party was going to die, who it was, he didn't know.

He now circled the two goddesses, so fast that for the outside observer it was almost a black blur circling them. He trampled any who wanted to get past him under his feet. Then, keeping his momentum, he pounced while in wolf form, aiming for the death goddess' throat.

 

The foolish puca is not thinking. If he had thought for a second and done as I had asked... thought Caer as Faer leapt for Atepomarus.
No matter, she aimed her spear at his head and tracked his arc. Bright light shot from her spear which would send him to sleep soon enough. She glared at the death goddess, hoping she would get the message to stay out of the fight. Like she wished she had.

 

Earthquakes were shaking the ground, giants lept down from the sky and joined the battle. Sometimes crushing their allys, the giants stood 14 feet tall, with small, dialated eyes. One grabbed Aiedan and threw him into a hill about a hundred yards away, another attempted to stomp on Caer, whilst the third one snatched blindly, attempting to snag Faer and Corrin. Nearly all of the opposing army had died, and what was left fled back to the river and forest from whence they came. Caber launched himself forward, trying vainly to stop Gwydion and the goddess of death, but Atepomarus didnt even look at him as she sent a bolt of death crashing into his face, and while Gwydion slashed with her daggers the limp body of Caber fell down and crumpled against the earth. When Faer leaped towards Atepomarus, she tumbled to the ground, with him in tow.

Screaming, she attempted to kill him, while Gwydion took a break from the battle,

 

Corrin stopped focusing on the small goblins and instead eyed a giant. Over double the height of himself, and probably stronger. He wasn't a man that enjoyed killing, though he was one that enjoyed a challenge. His shield probably wouldn't help. The raw force of any blows would send him flying. If it didn't, he'd probably be broken in two. Rolling with the blows then was the most likely way to succeed. Not getting hit was his preferred method, though he doubted he'd be fully capable of dodging all of them.

He took his spear in both hands, intending on utilising its full length. It was nine foot long. Assuming the giant's arm was the length of its body, that gave him two foot if he was aiming for the arm, more if he was going for the gut, and less the head. Aiming for the peak didn't make full sense. The neck would serve just as well, or the soft belly.

He and the beast met eyes for a moment. Both understood what was to happen, though the giant was significantly more comfortable in the outcome, raising its fist and giving a roar. It was a stupid move. Remarkably stupid. Corrin drove forward in a moment, skewering the giant's stomach and ensuring to twist as he pushed through. Its insides were shredded, and Corrin drove through till his shoulder was against the creature's thigh. He pushed it so it fell onto its back. For a moment it reached a hand towards him, a weak, faint grasp at life or vengeance. Griff was not willing to accommodate it though, and leapt onto its throat, tearing out flesh so that it collapsed back in pain.

Corrin glanced around, wondering if any of the other giant's had noticed, before he moved onto the next.