857 F.R
Around Noin, there stood a small town known as Stellence. This town was created by a legendary hero that was known as the star ring child. Legends say that the star ring child fell from the stars where Stellence was built upon.
The star ring child protected the lands from evil and would then be reincarnated back into the stars. Only returning when the town or the world needed the hero the most, at least that was what the legends said.
Underneath the town, there lay a carven that could be entered from the town. It was considered their holy grounds and a place of importance and respect to the townspeople. Ruins and murals were all around the walls, which depicted the legends of the star ring child and the three different times they had been sent down to protect the town.
In the middle of the cavern, around the mural and ruined walls, the star ring child’s great sword rested in the ground. Covered in stone, it waited for the return of its master to step into the fire and pull the sword out.
The townsfolk in Stellence had a strong sense of community, one that was known far and wide all over Helioan; this essence of community was established by the star ring child and the wish that they returned to bring prosperity, hope, and protection to Stellence and its people.
The last star ring child fell to Earth nearly four hundred years ago, the longest they ever had to wait. As the moon shone in the beautiful night, four stars individually colored red, light blue, purple, and orange fused together and proceeded to fall like a meteor.
The meteor fell near the cavern in Stellence, causing a shockwave of energy that awoke those who were asleep. The townsfolk of Stellence came to the crater, and as the dust cleared, they saw a baby with dark silver-gray hair. It was wrapped in a cloak with stars all around it in a pattern.
The baby did not cry nor did his eyes look like they had life, but the baby was alive and it moved its head and eyes. The town folk cheered
“The star ring child is here!”
The celebration consumed the town, and the mayor picked up the star ring child and lifted him into the air. The baby turned his head to the rock doorway of the cavern and stared into the ruins. He saw the stone sword and then his vision changed to a living room on fire; he saw the burning bodies of a woman, a man and three little girls.
The baby closed his eyes and the cavern returned to normal, yet he turned away and silently cried as the townsfolk celebrated the return of their hero.
///
Elysium
ETV studio
“What are you talking about, Nuada? This is what you told Damaris you wanted!” Achilles shouted. He held Damaris tight in his arm. An attack from Nuada would kill Damaris, something he wasn’t going to ever allow.
Nuada’s head was lowered and his crown shone from the Elysium sun beaming down from the hole his fist had made. “I didn’t ask for my retainer to be a slave…” He lifted his face to show the rage and sorrow he had, tears had accumulated in the corners of his eyes but he held them back from falling.
Damaris was shocked at everything that happened, it was Achilles and his warmth that allowed her to regain herself. “After you spoke with me, you came back! You told me an easy life would be detrimental to your retainer and your chances to win!”
Nuada’s eyes widened. No, he didn’t say that. He would never do that, not after he gave his word to the Machados. He promised João and João’s grandfather that he would do everything to save him… to let him live his life on his own terms and have opportunities to pick his choices and decisions in this new life.
Now, João was suffering AGAIN! And he lost his hand when he wasn’t connected to Nuada. Meaning he couldn’t grow it back; this wasn’t fair. But why would that happen? How was this possible, was what he wanted to ask. But he had already thought up an explanation, he had already knew the one that could cause this mess.
“I’m going to do anything and everything to win. That is my Celtic way, my honor.”
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Those words echoed in his mind, that exchange played endlessly in his overthinking mind. His pupils shrunk and many red lines appeared in the white around his eyes.
“Call. The. Other. Deities. Now.”
Is what he told Achilles but really he wanted only Lugh to be called here immediately.
///
Minerva, the Arc-angels, Freya, and Inari arrived first at the ETV studio. They all had the same question on their face: why were we called here and what happened? Freya stood and looked at Achilles holding Damaris in his arms. It bothered her to no end!
Why is he holding her, just go back to Eden if you need someone to protect you! she thought.
Nuada sat on the ground with hatred in his eyes looking at the double doors that led into the studio. Achilles figured out why Nuada asked for the other deities of the Tryfing to be called here; he wanted them to be here to stop him.
Just as Freya was about to ask something, the doors opened and a teenage figure walked in, under his cloak he held his faithful companion Failinis with his trademark tongue hanging out of his mouth.
“So, why did you need us Achilles? Ariel’s about to enter the Fantasia…” Lugh stopped talking as Nuada appeared in front of him with murderous intent in his eyes. He was winding up a powered fist from his silver gauntlet.
It felt like time was going in slow motion for Lugh, who didn’t understand why Nuada was attacking him. The other deities started to move towards Nuada, trying to reach him. Yet it was already too late. While many deities had mock battles or had little fights amongst themselves (like the sibling squabble that Freyr and Freya had during their training of Charlie), those weren't truly battles between deities.
True battles and fights to the death were strictly off limits by God’s commandments, and of course, deities would be punished by God if those commandments were broken. Metatron or one of his Judicators would descend down and deliver swift justice.
As Nuada’s left fist hit Lugh’s face, Failinis’ snarled and jumped out of Lugh’s arms before the impact. Lugh’s body flew into the wall from the force. Failinis transformed into his giant wolf form and bit Nuada in the neck.
Failinis was ready to kill. The two started to struggle with Nuada punching the sides of the wolf. In turn, Failinis bit harder and started to claw any and every part of Nuada he could reach. The other deities reach the two, Freya grabbed Failinis and used a spell to calm the animal and have him let go of Nuada.
She was able to calm him to the point of returning to his original dog form. She kept both her hands hovering over Failinis, moving her fingers in place to keep him placid. You could see the struggle in her face and concentration it took to calm the familiar trying to protect the master it loved.
Minerva and the angels jumped Nuada and held him on the ground, it was just like how the slavers held João. This made Nuada even more angry, he was restless and tried his best to breakout of the hold the others had on him.
“LET ME GO!!”
“Nuada be calm,” Minerva said, struggling.
“This isn’t like you, King Nuada,” Michael said, also struggling to hold down Nuada.
Lugh had gotten up from the ground and held his face were he had been hit. He’d been able to move to his head away and weaken the blow, but even with that, he was able to feel and know how murderous that attack was.
“Why the hell did you attack me!” Lugh shouted. His face was oozing blood from his mouth and nose.
Achilles still held on to Damaris. She wasn’t created to fight and his fear of her getting caught in an attack made him stay frozen in place. But he was the Judge, the one given God’s power! He needed to stop this… Yet, he looked down and saw the terrified look on Damaris’ face. No, he needed to stay with her… he wanted to stay and make sure she didn’t die.
Nuada struggled and slammed his gauntlet fist into the ground and started to push the deities slowly up; his arms and body shook from the effort. He lifted his head up and stared at Lugh.
“WHY?! YOU KNOW WHY!” he screamed. It was a tone of voice and level that Lugh or any deity in the room had never heard from Nuada before. “YOU SHAPESHIFTED INTO ME. YOU AND YOUR ANNOYING TRICKSTERS ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT CAN DO THAT!”
“I didn’t shapeshift into you! What are you talking about.” Nothing was making any sense to Lugh; Freya was starting to feel fatigue holding back Failinis; Inari appeared next to her and started to help her control the dog.
“OH, DON’T EVEN TRY! MR. I’LL DO ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING TO WIN! THIS IS WHY EVERYONE HATES YOU, WHY DURING THE GREAT REBELLION WE BURNED YOUR SHIPS AND LEFT YOU BEHIND IN EDEN! YET YOU STILL CAME AND STILL TOOK GLORY FROM US!”
Lugh’s heart sank hearing Nuada’s words; he was unable to retort back at him.
“WE ALL HAVE TO DEAL WITH YOU AND YOUR SILLY TRICKSTERS. YOU HELPED CREATE DEMONS AND CURSES, YOU KILLED OUR BROTHERS AND THE ANGELS THAT FOUGHT WITH US. AND YOU GET TO BE KNOWN AS A HERO ? AS A SAVIOR ? AND LOVED BY HUMANS? YOU’RE TRASH! SCUM OF EDEN LIKE LUCIFER AND HIS NEPHILIM!”
Lugh stood quiet, Failinis was also doing his best to break out of the mind-smoothing spell. It wasn’t that Failinis was stronger than the deities; no, his love and devotion to Lugh was so powerful he could go toe to toe with any deity or army for the young Celtic. Freya and Inari were now both struggling to hold him back.
“DO YOU EVEN KNOW? THE CURSE YOU FAILED TO KILL LATCHED ONTO A HUMAN AND STUCK ONTO HIS FAMILY FOR GENERATIONS.”
Failinis bark as if to say “shut up!”
“No.” Lugh was able to put everything into place. Nuada’s retainer, the soul shards in the Homunculus… it was all making sense.
“YOU HAVE BEEN CAUSING MISFORTUNE FOR THE MACHADOS FOR YEARS, AND I ENDED IT! BY KILLING THE BOY AND GUESS WHAT LUGH. THAT BOY HAD MORE HONOR AND LOVE FOR HIS KIN THEN YOU EVER HAD AND ACCEPTED DEATH TO END HIS FAMILY’S PAIN! SO, I GAVE HIM A CHANCE TO LIVE! TO BE MY RETAINER AND LIVE A LIFE ON HIS OWN TERMS FOR ONCE.”
Lugh stared at Nuada and for first time in his life saw Nuada cry rivers of tears as his face was painted with rage and sorrow. “BUT YOU WANT TO TAKE THAT AWAY FROM HIM TOO, I’LL KILL YOU, I’LL FUCKING KILL YOU, LUGH!”
Nuada finally pushed up, causing the deity and angels on top of him to be pushed back. His cloak came off showing his battle chest plate and muscular arms. He moved towards Lugh, grabbing him and pushing him out of the building by destroying the wall. As they flew wildly out in the skies of Elysium, Nuada held Lugh by his neck with his right hand and started to pummel him with his left gauntlet hand.
Failins started to transform back into his wolf form and, breaking out of the smoothing spell, he ran to protect his master.
“Judge Achilles! What are you doing?” Minerva barked.
Achilles let Damaris go and started to move towards the deities when someone reached out and grabbed his hand, stopping him. Damaris held his hand and stopped him, her face still looked terrified and pleaded to Achilles to not go, to not leave her alone.
So, he didn’t and instead he stayed with her.
///
Elysium
Valhalla
“Did you hear? Apparently the first fight in eons is currently happening!”
“What do you know who?”
“Lugh and Nuada! Those two have had difficulties with each other in the past, something big must have happened to finally tip the scale in this direction.”
The gossiping deities started to fly in the direction of where the shockwaves of ather were radiating.
Loki, who was nearby eavesdropping, filled with worry and resentment.
“No…. Lugh.”
He ran towards the grave of the hero… the grave that belonged to his brother.