Day 13 of Midwinter, Midday

Caisleán Saighead, Gorias

Annwn

I had slipped Bren’s ring on while I was nervously fidgeting in the courtyard. It seemed I had somehow activated it when I saw the Dagda…allowing me to get my first-ever power rank notification.

Name: Fíadan Ellyllon

Race: Fairy

Current Power Rank - Level 52

Current Progression Status:

Physical Progression +52

Mental Progression +42

Spiritual Progression +10

Innate Racial Abilities:

Fairy Trance

Gloaming Gaze

Fae Speech

Flight (Unavailable)

Four magic items are in your possession.

You have acquired:

The Silverwhite short sword, Swish

The Silverwhite dagger, Stick

The Rings of Identification

The Green Gem of Riftwalking (0 charges)

Item abilities unlocked:

Unbreakable- Swish and Stick

Soulbound- Swish and Stick

Veil Rift- The Green Gem of Riftwalking

You have one pact:

Protect the family line of Gorias (failed)

I looked up from the ring to see The Dagda approaching. He assumed a double-kneed bow in front of me so that we were mostly at eye level. Macha scoffed behind him.

“It is strange hearing your voice in my head, Lord,” I told him.

Unlawfully taken from NovelBin, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

He took my hands in his. “I see you have the ring I gave to Morias all those years ago.”

“Technically, I think I stole it from Bren, but he isn’t using it at the moment.”

“Come, let’s get off of our knees. I’m unaccustomed to assuming this position. I find it isn’t particularly comfortable.” Rising, he kept one of my hands in his. Together we walked back to his original, seated position next to the frowning Macha.

“That was not very dignified, uncle,” she said.

“He didn’t ask you,” is what I tried to say, but of course, nothing came out. Stupid Morrigan and their even stupider boons!

The Dagda, seeing that I was under the influence of Macha’s domain, hid a smile with a small cough.

The entryway door opened, and a line of council members made their way to their seats. Nemain was there, thankfully without her fiacha. Badb entered as well, Morias at her side. And Aengus brought up the rear… and what a rear it was!

There were six members in all from across Emain Ablach. Two members of the Gorias nobility, three members from Findrias, and the lone Sage. I moved to stand, but The Dagda squeezed my hand as if signaling me to stay. I froze, understanding his intent. If I remained at the table, it would mark another first for me… though I had attended many council meetings over the years, I had never been included as an actual participant until now.

Macha cleared her throat as though she were about to call the meeting to order, then seemed to think better of it. She turned to the Dagda. “Uncle, would you care to start us off?”

The room quieted as he began to speak. “First, let me say, that I’m pleased to have our relatives from the east here among us. Without your aid, none of us would be sitting here right now. Second, I would like to thank Fíadan and Nemain for the risks they took, especially beneath the wall.” His eyes lingered on the space my wing should have been. “Without your courage and sacrifice, Morias would still be in chains…or worse.”

“As would many of our guards and Ellyllon,” Aengus added, his expression serious. The Dagda nodded, turning to face his son.

“Thirdly, I would like to thank my son. Without his help, we would have never been able to gain entry to the last redort.” His eyes twinkled at the fatherly pun. Nemain groaned quietly.

“Finally, I would like to thank he who has truly lived up to his name, Bren Búachaill, the Protector. Without his swift action in Findrias and upon the wall, Balor would have seen the whole castle burn.”

“Speaking of our long-lost savior,” I interrupted. “Can we get a status on him from our eyes in the sky?” The council members turned as one to Nemain.

“Bren is well enough,” she said finally. “Though I do not understand his actions fully.”

“That makes seven of us,” I quipped. I couldn’t help myself.

Macha glared at me again. “Last I saw him, he had just stowed away on a Fomorian vessel. I believe Tadg had been captured, and Bren sought to free him.”

“Ruadan is with them,” Badb chimed in.

“That’s right,” Nemain finished. “Ruadan and Bren were on the shores of Inis Fer Falga when I saw them go underground.”

Macha’s eyes widened. “You have been to the Isle of the Protected Men!” She cast her eyes around the table, barely able to contain her excitement. “Then, you can direct the fleet to their very door.”

Nemain looked to The Dagda as if for clarity on the type of protection magic that was laid upon those islands. He nodded somberly.

I took the shell out of my pocket and slid it across the table to Nemain. “The next time you spy on him, would you have one of your Crow-verts give him this?”

“You really need to work on your diplomacy, Ellyllon.” Macha’s tone was degrading, but she wasn’t wrong. I really wanted to get angry with her, but I found that her words made more sense to me the longer I thought about them. I thought hard for a moment.

“Gossip Gulls, then?” I asked. “Creeper Corps?”

A guffaw burst out of Aengus, but a look from his mother quieted him. Still, the handsome man couldn’t manage to hide a grin.

Nemain took the shell. “I will deliver this Shell of Promise to our hero of Harmony.”

“About that…” Morias said, barely beating The Dagda to a rebuttal. “I don’t believe Bren is the god of Harmony.”

The Dagda nodded. “The Sage is correct. I believe Bren has recently been granted the domain of chaos.”

That actually made a lot more sense to me. The craziest chet happened when Bren was around. Random evil fae and Old Power attacks. Ending up on Tadg’s horse. Bumping into The Dagda in Ériu.

“That means he really is a part of a duality, with his brother,” Badb thought aloud.

“I have a theory on this very topic, one that I would like to explore further in the lab of the former Sage, Urias,” Morias said, his voice solemn. “I ask for Fíadan’s assistance in this task… with the council’s permission, of course.”

Macha rolled her eyes. “Fine, Sage. Let us return to more important things. For example… the communications beacon of Gorias is not working. We have no way to communicate with the other castles.”

“As discussed, I will work on that.” The Dagda said with a sigh. “It is a magical communication system, and I will repair it.” It was obvious from his expression that this topic had come up before.

“Are we not going to talk about the most important thing?” Aengus asked, his voice harsher and angrier than I had ever heard it. The council members turned to him in surprise. None of us could remember the last time Aengus had raised his voice.

“Where is Brigid? Where is my sister?”