Blood, Blades and Bacon

by Matthew Roys

  Annis held out her own hand as the beam struck. The air hit her hand and split into two halves that sped to either side of her before carving great gashes into the stone behind her. The entire room shook with the impact. The woman in black shook her head almost regretfully.

  “See? Nothing but a girl playing at being a true witch.” She clenched her hand and Elizabeth rose from the ground with a choking noise. Elizabeth struggled against invisible bonds and shouted in silence. “Stay there while I have a word with Déaþscúa’s little friends. I’ll deal with you later.”

  Annis took a step closer to the teens. Without thought they both took a hasty step back. The line between her and the sphere was thicker now and a similar dark glow surrounded the witch. She smiled at them as her eyes took in their every detail. She was beautiful, completely opposite to how she was described in the stories. Now that she was closer though, KT could see long talons tipping her fingers like the legend said.

  “I can see why Déaþscúa has taken an interest in you both. You have a most unusual aura. One I haven’t seen in many years.” She paused and her focus sharpened. "You're from Aife’s Lodge, correct? I assume that I hold people close to you? You don’t seem overly distressed so they were not one of my thralls. Good. It is always nice to have leverage.”

  Kai took a defiant step closer to her, his teeth bared almost as fiercely as the lycan’s. “Damn right you have our family! It was our mum you decided to crucify and leave for dead! I don’t give a shit who you are! All I know is that I’m going to kill you!”

  Annis laughed. “How cute. If you killed me though, how would you know where your loved ones are? They clearly aren’t here, are they? Claine, show him why mice shouldn’t pick fights with tigers.”

  The lycan made a single short grunt then sprang at Kai before the young man had even registered the movement. He managed to manoeuvre his axe between them at the last second so that the beast’s claws clashed against the weapon instead of his flesh. The force of the blow still knocked him from his feet and sent him sprawling backwards. Kai had to roll and swing the axe instantly when the lycan dived straight after him.

  KT started towards her brother but another step from Annis halted her feet. She locked eyes with the woman, her hands shaking as she readied her weapon. Annis ignored the blade as though it didn’t even exist.

  “You look so alike his last companion. He clearly has a thing for dark haired beauties. She died because of him you know. Now you will too.”

  “You killing innocents is not Déaþscúa’s fault,” KT hissed. She wrangled her emotions into control and steadied her hands. “You are nothing. You didn’t dare to even be in the same room as him when you had him murdered!”

  “Oh, he isn’t dead. Not yet. It will be my hands that end his life, not hired muscle. They couldn’t kill him even if they tried. I think that I’ll personally kill you too. I do love to kill those that attach themselves to him. You're so young and full of life as well.”

  Kai screamed out, causing KT to turn her head for a split second. Annis used that time to dash at her, the metallic claws flashing out. They lunged for KT’s throat like vipers. KT threw herself onto her back and kicked up with both feet, catching Annis in the gut with her heavy boots. The witch staggered back and KT swept her leg at the other woman with the intention to trip her. Annis jumped her leg and landed gracefully a few feet away. She watched KT stand without moving.

  “You appear to be a natural fighter. And your aura shines so brightly. Interesting. Killing you would be such a waste. I could use someone like you. I wonder how far your inherent talent can be pushed.”

  Fire sprang up in Annis’ hand. KT jumped to the side as she threw it, narrowly dodging the splash of flames that cracked the ground where she had been standing. More fireballs came at her that she clumsily hurled herself away from. Annis was keeping her on the defensive, keeping her from getting close. KT couldn’t win if she couldn’t get close. She skidded to change directions and with a scream ran straight for Annis. The witch gave her a cruel smirk then sent another wave of flames directly at her.

  The flames struck KT and washed over her entire body. The heat was intense but she didn’t feel pain. The silver threads on her clothes glowed crimson then disintegrated. She pushed through the fire and swung the doublesword at Annis’ head. Annis blocked with her talons but a look of mild surprise flittered across her face before she reset her features.

  Behind her, Kai roared a curse as another cut opened up his skin. His left shoulder had already taken a blow from a clawed hand and now blood gushed from a single line that ran down the side of his ribs. The lycan was faster, stronger and more experienced than him in every single way.

  He risked a glance over to KT but was forced to ducked low, almost falling as claws swept above his head. Before he could straighten the lycan kicked out at his chest. All air was knocked from his lungs. He collapsed to the floor.

  KT swung wide and Annis grabbed her arm with both hands, halting the sword completely, just as KT had planned. She drove her fist into the witch’s jaw and felt bone break. It was her fingers that had snapped though. Annis’ skin was hard as stone. Her head had barely moved at the impact.

  Annis’ grin was almost animalistic now, her sharp teeth glittering in the weak light. The orb above her was smaller now while the glow that surrounded her was growing in intensity. “I don’t suppose you’d willingly join me?”

  “Fuck you,” KT said through laboured breaths. She was trying to keep her cool but her fingers stung painfully and she was beginning to realise that she couldn’t win against this woman. How arrogant had she been to ever think she could have?

  The lycan appeared at Annis’ side once again, this time with Kai held up by the throat in one giant hand.

  Annis waved her hand and a hammer of air slammed into KT, sending her flying into the wall. It was an effort for her to open her eyes. KT tried but couldn’t move anything. Kai still hung helplessly. KT didn’t even know if he was conscious or not.

  “What you don’t understand is that my goal is to save the world. As soon as I have enough power to open the Gate then the world will know peace once more. Lives have to be lost but none of them are wasted. Déaþscúa, and those like him, can never understand this. But that’s okay. He is prophesied to die to the woman of black. His power is the last thing that I need. It’s inevitable. So, I will ask you again. Will you join m-”

  A hammer smashed into the side of Annis’ head. Her face distorted horribly in the split second before she was sent flying across the room. KT’s eyes flickered to the side and rested upon Friseal. He gave her a big, goofy grin then offered her a hand. She took it gratefully and was pulled to her feet as though she weighed nothing.

  “Friseal doesnae like seeing pretty lasses get hurt. Annis is pretty outside but very ugly inside. KT pretty everywhere. Friseal protect KT from ugly witch,” Friseal said in that slow, gentle way that he spoke. When his eyes turned back to Annis though, they burned with a fire that was at odds with the rest of his face.

  Annis was back on her feet now, a snarl firmly set upon her face. Her pale cheek was red as though she had been slapped. There was no other sign that she had just been hit with a giant chunk of metal with enough force to shatter a human skull.

  “You will regret that,” Annis said quietly. “I’ll wipe you and your entire family from this sorry land.”

  “Annis talk big but Friseal doesnae think she has strength te back words up. Friseal think Annis should stop eatin’ people and try haggis. It make Annis big ‘n’ strong like Friseal.”

  Annis took a deep breath then let loose a barrage of fireballs. Friseal didn’t move. His hammer swung to meet the flames and batted them away like tennis balls. The lycan had thrown Kai to the ground and now charged the Scotsman. Friseal fought him off easily, even the werewolf didn’t want to get acquainted with the fearsome hammer. Then Annis rejoined the fray, her metallic nails and the lycan’s claws moving with lightning speed.
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  Friseal grunted with effort, his burdensome hammer moving with speed and finesse that should have been impossible. He was holding his own, but only just. The lycan struck high and Annis hit out low. Friseal managed to block both but in the process had his weapon knocked from his hands. He staggered back and clenched his fists, showing no sign of fear or doubt.

  Then there were swords, axes and hammers all around him. Niall placed a hand on his brother’s shoulder. His entire body was drenched in blood. None of it looked to be his own.

  “What did màthair tell ye about wanderin’ off alone?” the clan head said with mock sternness.

  Friseal gave him a sheepish grin. “Everyone else was busy. Hadtae keep the young ones safe.”

  “Well, we’re all here now. Let’s show this blue-skinned bitch why no one messes with the MacFeelan family.”

  Annis swept her gaze over the assembled warriors with weary contempt. The lycan stood ready at her side, dwarfing her. The sphere was almost gone now but the effort of absorbing it seemed to be taking its toll on her. A sheen of sweat was beginning to show.

  “It seems,” she began, "that the powerless are still no match for our kind. That is good, I suppose, if inconvenient. I didn’t want to resort to this. Enjoy your tomb.”

  She clapped her hands and the walls shook. Energy cracked across her body and spread to the stones around them. Dust rained down and a deep, reverberating rumble filled the air. The MacFeelans ran at Annis and the lycan with a loud battlecry. The witch raised her hands and fallen rocks began to float around her. They shook, shedding chips of stone until all had a sharpened point. She thrust her arm out and the rocks flew forward. Niall and the others went into defensive positions but the spikes went around them, aimed straight for KT.

  Before KT had even registered what was happening blood splashed against her. She cried out. Friseal stood before her, his back to Annis. The points of the spikes jutted out from his chest, gut and limbs. Despite the horrendous injuries, Friseal showed no sign of pain on his face.

  “KT...unharmed?” he asked. Blood dribbled from his mouth with every word and his breathing was a laboured gurgle. KT couldn’t muster her voice so she nodded faintly.

  “Good.”

  He swayed then tumbled to the ground. Niall and the other MacFeelans rushed to his side. Niall collected Friseal’s hammer and handed it to his brother reverentially. Friseal took it slowly, using it like a staff to keep himself standing.

  “Did ye git her?” Friseal rasped.

  Niall shook his head. “The second we were distracted she teleported away. Had a matterlink. Took the walking carpet with her. Damn cowardly bitch.”

  “She got me real good, didnae she? KT safe though so witch lady missed.” Friseal chuckled at that. The room was still shaking, making it all the more difficult to stand. His knees shook then gave out. Niall caught him and lowered him gently to the floor. “I feel tired.”

  “Hold on, Fri. We’ll fix ye up, okay,” Niall told him as he grasped his brother’s hand. He rounded on Elizabeth. “Can’t ye do anything, Lizzy?”

  Elizabeth shook her head softly. “He’s already lost a lot of blood. To heal him I’d need to remove the spikes which would spill more blood. His internal organs have all been pierced. He shouldn’t even be alive after that.”

  Friseal curled up as much as he could, wrapping his free arm around the hammer in a childlike embrace. His eyes were closed but his grip on his brother’s hand tightened. “I don’t want te go, bràthair. I never liked the dark…”

  His voice grew quieter as he spoke until it was barely audible above the shaking of the walls and falling rocks. His hand grew loose and his breathing slowed. With tears in her eyes, KT leaned in and kissed his cheek. A warm grin spread across his face as one final, long breath left his lungs, then he was still.

  Niall bent down and picked Friseal up like a father would pick up a sleeping child. Rocks fell around them and the earth shook and crashed but for a few moments, everyone was still. “Màthair would be damn proud of ye. Ye are a true hero, Friseal MacFeelan.”

  It was a young MacFeelan who brought everyone back to the danger of the situation.

  “This place is goin’ te fall in around our ears real quick. We have te go. Now.”

  “Agreed,” Elizabeth said. “Annis has rigged this entire structure with runes. When she clapped she triggered them, starting with those furthest away to block all the exits. She’s drained the magic from the stones, leaving the whole place unstable.”

  As if to emphasise their words, louder explosions rocked the ground, threatening to throw them all off of their feet. Giant cracks split the stones on every surface. Kai was slung across one of the warrior’s shoulders and they ran back into the first chamber. Bodies lay thick on the ground and blood drenched everything. They found Déaþscúa’s shredded form and two of the MacFeelans carried him between them. It didn’t matter as the door back into the tunnels was already blocked by a thick layer of rubble.

  “We’re trapped!” roared a twin axe wielding MacFeelan. “That murderess built this entire network just te cave in on us.”

  More crashes shook their eardrums and the cracks in the walls and roof finally gave way. Fires and explosions flared into the room, firing rock fragments like hail. Everything was crumbling with a noise that became life and death itself. The earth caved in upon their heads.

  Chapter 14.

  KT screamed at the top of her lungs. It was a soundless scream compared to the primal crashing of rocks all around them. She was expecting splitting pain, bones to break, blood to spill, her body to contort as she was crushed into a pulp by rubble. None of this came.

  KT risked opening her eyes. A blue dome covered the group that formed a barrier between them and the certain death beyond. As debris hit the dome, the rocks fizzed and broke away, dissolving like sugar cubes in water. Elizabeth stood at the dome’s centre, her hands splayed and sweat drenching her face. Her body shook and her eyes were tightly closed.

  The shield grew darker, sliding rapidly into a bruised purple colour. Elizabeth dropped to one knee. Her teeth were clenched and her clothes were already drenched. Her face was flushed red with effort. Then the purple light grew flushed too, turning to a deep red. As the shield turned red, it was as though it drained the colour directly from Elizabeth. Her face was now deathly pale.

  Then the explosions stopped. Rubble still fell and everything continued to rumble and shake but gradually it all faded to a still calm. Only the dust moved, obscuring the view of anything more than a few feet ahead of them. The dome spluttered then blinked out of existence. It’s disappearance left a circle of clear ground amidst a sea of carnage.

  “Damn it,” Niall growled. He surveyed the damage with dull eyes until they fell upon Elizabeth.

  She was on the ground now, as pale as a corpse. Blood flecked her lips and her breathing was shallow. Friseal’s body was beside her, as were a few other fallen MacFeelans. And what was left of Déaþscúa.

  “Lizzy, ye alright?” Niall asked as he knelt beside her.

  She breathed heavily before managing to muster words. “I’m spent. It’s all gone. Gone.” She stared into the middle distance and spoke as though to herself.

  Niall cursed before signalling to the few unharmed MacFeelans to carry the dead and wounded. He once again lifted up his brother’s limp frame. “We need te get back te the camp.” He started forward without another word.

  KT helped Kai to his feet then they both supported each other as they limped the short distance to the camp. Jearl joined them from a hiding spot up a tree and immediately took the place of one of the Scotsmen who carried Déaþscúa. His usual cheerful, carefree demeanour was gone.

  Smoke was what greeted them first as they neared the camp. Then fire. Then strung up bodies. At a shambling run the group entered the camp to find it recast in the likeness of Hell. Burned out cabins, shattered possessions and corpses were all that remained.

  KT stared in dull horror.
It was like returning to the lodge all over again only worse. The only body present there had been her mother's, and she had still clung to life. Here, women, children and the elderly and ill, lay butchered in the mud, hacked to pieces where they had fallen. Scores of goblins, lycan and other humanoid shapes were present in the litany of death where the MacFeelan’s had fought. For how few had stayed behind they must have fought like demons of war.

  She wandered a short way into the camp, drawn by the horror like icy fingers pulling at her soul. A mound of goblin and hired guns marked the area in front of the main hall. Maridia lay at its peak, her jaw missing. She had fought hard to defend the door but had ultimately been overwhelmed. The door behind her had been torn from its hinges. The sobbing of men and a low wail of a woman within confirmed KT’s fears.

  Howls of grief and anger tore from the warriors’ throats. They scoured the camp searching for loved ones, their cries only increasing when they were found. KT, Kai and Jearl stood at the settlement’s edge, out of the way of the distraught clansmen. Déaþscúa and Elizabeth lay by their feet.

  KT couldn’t bear to watch the men roar at the heavens. She turned her attention onto Déaþscúa and was amazed at how he looked. His body had regained much of its form, the gaping wounds and shredded flesh having faded to smaller holes that were already scabbing over. She noticed that his lips were moving slightly so she leaned in, placing her ear just above his mouth. He was mumbling something. The words were unclear at first but he was beginning to speak louder.

  “Ácennicge! Géoc mec! Hit earfoðe! Cwéman! Ácennicge!”

  “It is Old English,” said Elizabeth as she slowly sat up, surprising KT. Her voice was weak and her eyes still looked dazed but that keen intelligence still shined through. “I don’t know much but I can tell he is calling for his mother.”

  "You're right there, miss,” Jearl told her. “He must be feverish. He’s calling out like a sick child. It’s good to see his throat’s healed enough to speak though.” The untidy man looked to Elizabeth. “And what ‘bout you?”