Location: Basecamp

Φ As I stare down at Setanta's face, I say, “Please wake up.”

Suddenly he opens his eyes and says, “Laeg you scandalous harlot, I never thought you would try to steal a kiss as I sleep, well then here you go.”

He kisses me on the forehead, and says, “That should satiate your desires you beast.”

I prepare to hit him, but then relax and hug him saying, “I am so happy you're ok!”

Rubbing the back of my head, he says, “Not even the god of the humans could rip me off this planet so young, never worry about such things.”

“But how did you even wake up, I was told you would be out for at least two days with your wounds.”

Setanta jumps all around and says, “I feel amazing so it seems you were off.”

Grabbing him, I say, “Don’t move around your wounds could reope-.Wait they are all gone!”

Examining his body, I say, “All of your wounds have healed with no scars.”

“You guys must have fed me well whilst I was sleeping.”

“We did, but isn’t this a ridiculous amount of healing in such a short period of time.”

Laughing proudly, Setanta says, “I guess I am just special.”

From the other side of our tent, we hear, “You really are an energetic young boy.”

Bowing my head, I say, “General Ruán, sorry for the disturbance my master has caused I will remove him from here immediately.”

As I try to pull Setanta out, he says, “So you fell for the trap Ruán. By the burns, I am guessing they set their settlement on fire.”

“Yes, but how could you know about that?”

“Because I noticed back during our strategy meeting that we are all supposed to be a decoy.”

“Decoy?” Ruán says.

“I was planning to explain this after I felled the wonderbeast, but it seems I passed out before I could. Gather everyone I will talk about it now.”

-Break-

With everyone gathered around Setanta, he says, “You see during the strategy meeting, I thought it was weird that if this plan was it we would need all of these different houses and resources to fulfil this plan.

In all honesty, I am pretty sure the Faoláin house could have completed this whole mission by themselves, my father completely hastes waste and inefficiency, yet he would do something like this?

But then I noticed a few different things, like how my father and the elite of the Faoláin house are currently nowhere on the battlefield. Despite me clearly seeing him talk to them, I also caught my father sending his own scouts out after the report from the Fuinseogs came back.

In all honesty, the only reason I could think that he would do all of these things, pulls bringing four different red branch houses is because the humans were going to leave this castle.”

Ruán says, “So you think your father knew the humans would abandon their settlement?”

“Exactly, if we were to look at this battlefield the humans here have been far more advanced than most of the settlements within Terrafide, so they probably have ways to spot scouts.

In my opinion, the humans who lived here are escaped slaves, and they are probably aware of the Fuinseog hunting methods if they were in servitude to us at any point.”

I add, “But would slaves really have that much information on us?”

Dáithí responds, “Up until around the last twenty years or so, many humans were working closely with beastkin as direct slaves until our number reached an amount where they weren’t necessary.

Due to many nobles' negligence, a lot of humans ran off with detailed information about us that we didn’t want them to know. This wasn’t a problem till that rogue group kept liberating the plantations.”

Setanta then says, “Even if you go back to the first day many of the humans we came across should have headed back to the castle to reinforce as quickly as possible, but instead they kept trying to slow us down. As if they knew to make sure we couldn’t reach the castle during the first day, because if we did we would have spotted the humans leaving.”

Taking one of the army pieces on the map, Setanta says, “The humans probably went through the mountain range to escape, and if I know my father he has set up an ambush as they are about to leave to end them.”

Many faces around us look surprised and shocked, but some look angry, and one of those angry faces says, “That means your father knew the castle was a trap?”

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“Yes.”

“Then why didn’t he tell us? Some of our men got killed and the rest including our lord were almost killed. I know you Faoláin have your peculiarities but this is an intentional slight against the Lúcogadh’s, comparable to an assassination plot.”

Setanta gets on his knees and bows his head into the ground, and says, “I apologise. My father probably planned for me to inform you all of this, but my weakness led me to get knocked out of the fight early.

I am deeply sorry for this slight against all of you, and I ask that you put me in contact with the families of everyone who was injured due to my foolishness so I can apologize.”

Putting his hand on my shoulder, Ruán says, “No need to do such a thing, I should have been much more careful, and the reason so many of my men are still alive is due to your downing of that wonderbeast, so all is forgiven.”

“I see but please still put me in touch with the families.”

“I will.”

Dáithí says, “Hey there is one issue I see with your plan.”

“What is it?”

“How would the humans be able to get past the mountain range by themselves? The number of humans definitely can’t be small, and that place if filled with wonderbeasts. Even us beastkin would struggle to get past that mountain.”

“You're right we would struggle, but I am sure the strongest amongst us could easily get through that area, even guiding others would be an easy feat.”

“What are you sayin-.” I come to a sudden realization and then say, “Wouldn’t that mean the humans are assisted by.”

-Break-

Location: Ferdiad’s encampment

Φ In front of me I see a group of six men all covered from head to toe in black armour with shark designs on them, they all look very similar except that they all have smells related to different animals on them.

“You’re beastkin.”

“Correct.”

One of them charge at me with a great sword, so I dodge, and try to grab another spear.

With it in my hand, I say, “Red branch battle arts; Star flower.” Then I move forward to clash against my foes.

But as I clash against the man in front, he says, “You have already noticed it haven’t you, that I am above you.”

He instantly swats me away, and as he does I can feel the difference between us, but worse than that I can see his body is covered in that flowy aura.

Armour that is hard to pierce, skills comparable to me, physical capabilities of a beastkin, and the abilities to use that flowy energy, he isn’t someone I can beat just like that. If all of his allies are similar to him in strength then we will be annihilated.

“I take it that you guys are the reason the humans where able to survive this long.”

“Yes, and you happened to slaughter quite a few of them, though since you are a child if you throw down your weapon and surrender we will let you go.”

“I’d sooner die.”

“Ok then,” proceeds to lunge towards me, but his attack is blocked by two beastkin who get in his way.

Suddenly I hear, Cruadhlaoich scream, “WE NEED TO PROTECT FERDIAD WITH ALL OF OUR HEART!”

Groups of Faoláin men run in front of me, and put their lives on the line to protect me, and as they do i see them butchered to pieces.

Then from behind me, I hear Ibar say, “Ferdiad we need to go.”

“What do you mean?”

“They organized this so we can leave, if we don’t go now all of us will be annihilated, and the humans could escape.”

“But I can’t just leave them.”

Ever since that day I met Setanta countless things have changed in my life for the better. So many people have done things to look out for me.

-Setanta-

Location: Gorias Castle

Walking into a room, I say, “Setanta where did you take my sister!”

Suddenly a maid walks in front of me, and says, “They are over there but please don’t interrupt them.”

Following the maid, I see that Setanta, Minagrain and a group of other staff are all making their weird movements, and I ask, “What are they doing.”

“Setanta has been making a visual language for Minagrain, and he is making sure all of the staff learn it.”

Looking at Minagrain smile as she communicates with some of the maids, I say, “Why would he do such a thing?”

“Because our young master has taken an interest in the potential of all the people of Gorias, due to a certain someone.”

-Soldiers-

Location: Training grounds

Beaten and bruised on the ground, I say, “How the heck am I supposed to beat him.”

From behind me, Crudaloich says, “Well Setanta has a habit of always trying to meet his opponents so you can use that to create a trap.”

Someone else says, “His footing is incredibly important so always try and knock him off balance.”

“Setanta has sensitive ears so if you scream loudly you might be able to distract him.”

More and more men come and start giving me pointers, and I ask, “Why are you all going this far for me? I have been given this position unworldly, yet I know outrank many of you.”

The men look at each other and laugh, then they start to talk.

“You had the balls to punch Setanta in the face, I wouldn’t call that someone who is unworthy.”

“In all honesty, all of us have given up on trying to match the young master but you are still charging into that mountain.”

“We aren’t fools we know our limits, but you can still surpass yours so we will support you in that endeavours.”

“The idea of someone from a fir bolg family like you standing next to Setanta has us all excited.”

-Lugh-

Location: Lugh’s office

Standing in front of me, Lugh bowed his head and says, “I am sorry for my oversight.”

“Please raise your head you shouldn’t be apologizing to me.”

“I am the father of all who live in Gorias yet I allowed such a thing to happen in my own home, I apologize that you had to experience such a thing.”

Suddenly I start to cry, and say, “Please don’t apologize.”

“I am sorry, it seems I have done something to upset you again.”

“No, I am really happy, it is just that I have never received this kind of care the entire time I used to live with Cambell, it just made me really happy.”

-Scáthach-

Walking behind my master, I ask, “I think I should stop.”

“IS my training too hard for you Ferdiad?”

“Yes, but it is not only that, I am simply not worthy of all of this, the more I study, the more I train, the more I spend time with Setanta, I learn he is someone utterly destined for greatness, I can’t be his ally.

Someone like me who was born from such a vile piece of shit, can never become the equal of him no matter how much I wish to, my fate is simply to never reach this far.”

With her shadows, she slaps me on the face, then says, “Understand this, Ferdiad you are your own man. There are many in this world who have the benefits they have inherited from the past, but at the end of the day we will all have to forge our own paths.

Countless people in the world have passed down love from the creation to now, and there is definitely enough love for you as well, so even if you don’t believe in yourself, never believe that you are below anyone. Because I can guarantee from birth you have to ability to stand up proud.”

I cry more, and say, “What kind of warrior am I.”

“It is fine to cry, and I can promise you I will always listen to such cries.”

The house of Faoláin and all those who make it up have done countless amazing things for me, and I can’t betray those hopes or wishes, but more than that I can never abandon them!

I ignore Ibar and dash forward.