When the first of the Rochad horsemen galloped toward the walls, they expected a defence to be mounted against them. But there was nothing, no one was on the walls as lookout, and they rode into the echoing and empty streets of a deserted city. It was not till they reached the gates on the other side, that they relaxed, no longer fearing a trap.
When Tuatha was told the news, he ordered every warrior and horseman to bypass the city and press on toward Sennol. There was not a murmur of dissention or disappointment. Every warrior had the same goal. The success of driving the hordes back to where they had come from had encouraged them to push on and finish it.
The first warriors came into view of the plains of Sennol. To the west were the swamps of the dead. The site of the first great battle of the Deep Lands, where the witch lord and the elemental beasts were defeated and sent back into the depths of Sennol Uathach.
Before them were the still vast army of Mac Roth. A pall of smoky gas hung over the plain which cast a pall of control over the men camped there. It made them easily manipulated, like sleepwalkers, fearless and capable of great violence.
Tuatha and Tethra sent out word for the camp to be set and the warriors to sleep well. A watch was set all along the lines to warn of any surprise attacks.
The last sun set to a glowering red sky, an ominous portent of doom to many who were more worried about the possible powerful effects of such phenomena.
Then it was the night, that dragged on for what seemed like an eternity. Many were restless, only the seasoned warriors slept well, as they had trained themselves to do.
Tuatha stood with Laegaire and looked to the rumbling mount Triune. There was a constant dull roar and flashes of red light that lit the smaller mountains that surrounded the erupting tower of rock, caused by the magma that was bubbling near its summit. He could see the cave entrances that faced the plain by the light that emitted from them. At the very top, the largest of the caves there were flashes of black lightning that travelled outwards from it every few moments.
He wondered what Mac Roth was brewing for them the next day. Fear welled up inside again, and he held Laegaire tighter. There was always darkness and heaviness in the back of his mind that threatened to overwhelm his senses and bring dread to the fore. He looked upwards above mount Triune above the cloud that spewed from its gaping magma filled maw.
“Look!” he said suddenly to Laegaire pointing. Against the dark sky among the stars massive wing shapes could be seen gliding and drifting through the stars, making them disappear and then reappear.
His heart leaped. “It’s the Leviathan, they are still with us.” All doubt went away for a few moments as their courage grew.
Many warriors saw it and those that woke came to see what the commotion was about. Long after this vision of their benefactors in the sky, many finally slept heavily and woke refreshed and full of hope, the next morning.
The dawn light was gloomy, and the suns were visible as two overlapping dark red discs in the sky.
The warriors were now eager for battle and silently they formed battle lines, fidgeting with pent up tension.
Much could be written of this battle. The bravery, the loss, the futility, and the struggle for justice. Many have died protecting the weak and the good, and many have died for greed and lust for power. There were many who continued this trend that has plagued humanity across the worlds and the universe.
This battle was no different and the eternal battle between good and evil, darkness and light, the nothingness of death and the hope of eternity, were to culminate in this battle, which was no different in this seemingly inane fight that raged on. It raged for days, both armies making no progress or advancement in conquest of the other.
Yes, on other worlds this battle had been won by justice and rightness. War abolished, but other worlds failed, and worlds became as dark and fruitless as they had been before life was formed there.
It was powers greater that an army that eventually triumphed. Sometimes weak things bought victory over what was thought strong. But this battle that raged would be decided by elemental and unexplainable energy from deep in the ground and from the highest stars.
It was toward the end of several days of battle that Tuatha and Tethra noticed one evening, that the largest cave had become more active and the mountain spewed magma visibly into the air. The whole camp heard the rumble under their feet, and it shook slightly. Tuatha strained to see what was happening in the largest cave. He motioned to Tethra to look at a hooded figure was outlined against the red glow of the large cave mouth. Black lighting emanated from the staff the figure held and with arms outstretched. The lightning became more prominent, and it reached to the top of Mt. Triune and down to the army at the mountains base. Behind him, Sennol began to erupt, with all the power from the planets core, Mac Roth directed it to the one thing he had put all his hope in since he had first felt a lust for power. His last card to be played, the winning card.
Deep in the lowest chasms of Mt Triune, the magma broke through the crust and exploded into the shafts of the mountains. With it came a phenomenal beast, who had long been asleep deep under Mount Triune. An ancient elemental that stood as tall as Mount Triune itself.
The mountain exploded with a crack that could be heard in Muinremar. Half of it was expelled into the air and began to fall on the warriors of Athlethan, Muinremar, Muirthemne, Dun Emain, Don Cluana and Esclarmonde. No one was spared of loss. It was the saddest day of loss, ever experienced in the Deep Lands. Yet the brave warriors of the nation’s stood their ground, they would not run. Magma fell and exploded amongst them splashing on skin and causing searing pain. Cries of warriors dying and burning filled the air amid the roar of the dying mountain. Then clouds of superheated gas came down the side of the mountain, around the caves and down to the plain. It wiped out half of Mac Roth’s forces within minutes.
Then, from out of the space that was once Mount Triune stood a nameless beast, great and terrible, with four massive horns and eyes glowing red with magma that bubbled in its sockets. It opened its mouth and magma poured out in rivers over the ground around it. Then it made a noise, a scream that was louder than any near it could bear. The scream ended deep and burbling.
Tuatha and Tethra watched with stunned disbelief. They were completely helpless. Tuatha could see the hooded figure joined by another larger figure. The black lightning went from them both and was directed at the beast’s head. The beast turned and looked toward Tuatha and Tethra, it seemed to focus in on the remaining warriors lined up before the armies of Mac Roth. Then it moved, it’s great, clawed paws stepped over the remaining caves and it placed it on the plain, stepping on some of the remaining army of the dark lord.
Two more steps and it would be upon them. It was so big; each step took several moments.
Tuatha looked at Tethra, “This is it,” he said, “the end.” He drew Salchah from the scabbard and held it aloft.
Once more he said the words inscribed on its blade.
“Riangbra is and will be, as always it has been, forever in life, never in pain, the cycle continues till it is broken, death, never again. The Leviathan rises, hope and deliverance, the fifth son of the good and the daughter of evil, united to bring balance and life.”
As he said the words the sky grew brighter, and a wind started up. It blew so hard, all the smoke a haze was blown to the north that would eventually leave a clear sky, dotted with stars that seemed to grow brighter. Each star grew so bright the scene before them became almost like day, then they stopped and dimmed, but one star did not dim but became brighter and brighter till its light became a beam of light that flashed down to the tip of Salchah, the Scatach blade. As he said the final words, his voice was somehow amplified to a resonant permeating sound that no one could avoid.
This was like a signal. The Leviathan, the last ten Riangbra created beasts, descended upon the Elemental.
Tuatha lowered Salchah and slowly pointed it toward the beast. He didn’t know why he did it, but it seemed like the right thing to do at the time. There was a loud ringing in his ears. The beam of light bent to follow the blade and it entered the sword at the hilt and now was pointed at the elemental. It came down through the sky like a long tail of a comet and struck the beast on the head. It bellowed as parts of its body broke away and fell toward the ground. Then the beam was gone. But it had done its job. It had cleared a weakness through its armour plating made of hardened black obsidian. It was at this weakness that Dray Goen and the other Leviathan directed their attack. One after another they dived and slashed at this weakness in its shell. It waved its head from side to side, trying to shake off the piercing, slashing claws of the Leviathan.
The Elemental turned its head biting at two Leviathan on its side. The two Leviathan were crushed. They were thrown aside, dead. Dray Goen cried out when he saw the oldest of them, dead. Enraged he repositioned himself, glowing as he prepared fire within. The white-hot fire of the leviathan, who had melted the Scatach steel so it could be forged. The beast came from fire, but not this type of fire. The Leviathan came from the stars and were born within stars, no heat could match this. Not even this nameless elemental.
Dray Goen leaned into the open wound in the obsidian shield and released the white-hot heat of a star. It melted through and came out the other side of its head, blowing the obsidian away leaving another gaping hole into its glowing centre. Another Leviathan swung around and repeated the process. Before long, the beast was full of holes, the magma it consisted of was superheated and ran out like blood on the ground, splashing around its feet landing on the fleeing dark army of Mac Roth and Amerghin. The noise that came from this battle was terrifying, it was like all the sound of all the battles that had ever been waged had been all put together at once and released in a few minutes. It was deafening and many who were watching from the caves of Sennol and those left of the warriors of the Deep Lands placed their hands over their ears, still watching the epic battle of behemoths. The noise unable to be deadened with their hands, they watched, grimacing with the sound, but unable to look away.
The heat that emitted from the Leviathan could be felt from where Tuatha and Tethra and now their loved ones who had joined them watched on.
The warriors who had survived the falling rocks and magma arrived near them carrying the wounded who were immediately attended by the Anakim.
Tuatha noted the focus of the Anakim healers on the wounded, they resisted the urge to watch the fantastic battle that was being waged, a once off opportunity to see something like this, yet they ignored it and continued to serve those in need. Tuatha made a note to remember this unselfish bravery of the Anakim.
The beast was thrashing about trying to get rid of its tormentors, its massive paws thumping down with each step creating ripples of soil and rock, throwing soldiers of their feet.
The Elemental managed to snatch another one of the Leviathan, its jaws snapped shut, there was an explosion of white light and a popping sound, then a wave of sound hit them, and they kneeled as the rush of energy passed over them. When they looked back the beast had lost it lower jaw. The Leviathan was dead but had taken away the beast’s best defence. The other Leviathan renewed their attack. It was Dray Goen that dealt the killing blow. The magma flowed from it gaping wound around its shoulder and it’s head, the size relative to a small mountain from the perspective of the onlookers, fell to the ground with a roar and a thump then settled, smouldering, and beginning to harden as it began to cool. Then it’s demise was rapid; the beast fell to the side across the mountain to the northeast. It fell apart and magma flowed into the gullies and ravines that were there. As it fell the nine remaining Leviathan took off like a swarm of wasps that had been disturbed from a nest and they flew back to the lofty position they had been before. Crying out their song of loss, at the three fallen Leviathan.
Mac Roth and the other figure lowered their arms and glowered toward the scene of the downfall of their army.
But like most power-hungry dictators they did not believe it was over, for the lust for power is a deceitful vice.
Seeing the Leviathan leave and realising they were not going to attack them, they summonsed Amerghin and Raud and the remaining generals. Their army still vastly outnumbered the enemy to their plans for domination. The loss of half their army was of no consequence, they cared not for this tool they had damaged, they only cared that the tool was still effective and could still be used to their desired end. By now the whole night had passed.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
Then they saw it, a white army was coming running at full pelt. The sunrise lit them up like a glowing carpet that was unfurling across the ground. Amongst them the warrior Anakim lumbering and their deep voices roaring adding to the terrifying tumult. Running ahead of the warriors leading the charge were Laegaire, Caer Omaith, Fernmaige, Tuatha, Tethra, Ainnle, Ardan, Naoise and Conail. Behind them the whole army of the allied nations. Keen to make this the final battle.
The thunder of their feet and their battle hungry cries came to the ears of the remainder of the dark army. Who looked dazed and confused by the sudden disappearance of the Triune gas haze that had kept them orderly and courageous. Blown away by the wind from the north. Before long many of them had seen what was coming at them and they began to scatter in panic. They ran, and if anyone was slower than they were, they struck them down to get away quicker. Before long there was no army to be seen they had scattered into the ravines around Mt. Triune and the road back to the Dark city from where they had come. Those that escaped did not stop till they reached the dark city. Nothing would bring them back to the plains of Sennol ever again.
The allies reached the cliffs that still stood, looking less imposing now they had no mountain behind them. The gates were shut tight and fastened with the massive chains from within the cave entrance.
The group led by Tuatha, reached the gates, and looked upwards. Amergin and Ruad stood on the edge, looking down at them.
“You have been defeated Amerghin. Now come down and face the victors,” said Tuatha, his voice loud and commanding. It was the traditional call for surrender. Under the law of the Deep Lands the leader of the defeated army had to die. Amerghin knew this, but he was not done yet. The urge to try every avenue of escape and an even deeper thirst for power and revenge was still strong within him.
“We are not done yet, Tuatha, come up and fight my best warrior. If you defeat him, I will surrender and face death according to the law of battle.”
“Who is this warrior you have to do this?” asked Tuatha.
“It is Ruad, the true heir to the throne of Athlethan. His blood is the blood of the lords of the south.” Said Amerghin finishing with a note of scorn. “If he wins you will relinquish the throne and allow us to take over your kingship.”
Tuatha took a step back. Amerghin knew his history. This was an agreement that Emain had made with the lord Sennol, and it was a tradition that had not been invoked till now.
Tuatha replied, “As it was, so long ago between Sennol and Emain, it will be again. I agree.”
Tuatha’s friends murmured, shocked by his sudden and risky decision.
Behind them Dray Goen landed with a thump, along with the one of the remaining Leviathan, Freya Goen.
This was now history being written. Something not even prophesied in the Chronical prophetica.
Tethra ran forward, “Tuatha, are you sure this is a good idea” But Tuatha turned and looked at him. Holding up his hand. “This is the last entry of the Chronical prophetica, and hope is written on this sword. The fifth son of Emain will bring balance. Do not be afraid any of you.”
“Let me come with you, to be by your side,” asked Tethra.
“Go and lead the army,” said Tuatha to Tethra, “You will know when it is time to attack. I must do this alone. Our fight, side by side is over my brother.”
“It’s Tuatha.” Breathed Laegaire to Caer Omaith and Fiall. “He is the fifth heir of Emain. We will see prophecy fulfilled this day!””
Tuatha stepped forward to the gates and they opened just enough for Tuatha to go through and then snapped shut behind him. Laegaire cried out, helpless to see her love in the grasp of the enemy. Fear smote her heart and she collapsed. “Take courage,” said Caer Omaith, supporting her, helping her stand. Laegaire sobbed and looked up to the caves. Strengthened by her friends.
Tethra ran back to the allied armies of the Deep Lands and watched, staying vigilant ready for the right time to attack if needed.
Visible from the plain, just above the main gates there was a large platform on the rock, it was here Ruad stepped out, followed by Tuatha.
“I do not want to fight you,” said Ruad, placing the sword Mac Roth at his feet. “I have not supported Mac Roth since Amerghin killed Dubthach and Uthecar. I am now Caer Omaith’s brother, Morann is my wife and a beg you to protect her and my children. I submit to your right to the throne of Athlethan.”
With that he kneeled on one knee before Tuatha in submission.
“Do not worry, Ruad, your family will be safe, I make this promise to you with my life.”
Tuatha placed Salchah on Ruad’s shoulder near his neck as a symbol of victory, then turned toward Amerghin.
When Amerghin saw this, he stepped to the edge. In one hand he firmly held the arm of Morann. Two soldiers had his children in the same way. Swords to their throats.
“Kill him,” screamed Amerghin, “or your wife and children will die in front of you.”
Ruad looked at Tuatha helplessly, tears in his eyes. He felt that all his wrongs had come back to punish him.
“I have defeated him already.” Said Tuatha to Amerghin. “It is the law.”
“You must fight,” howled Amerghin.
Raud looked at Tuatha. “Let me fight you, then you can kill me, to save my wife and children.”
Tuatha shook his head, looking at Ruad in the eyes.
He looked up at Amerghin on the platform above. “I have defeated Ruad, now if you want power so much, fight me yourself.”
Amerghin howled with rage. “Ruad is a coward,” he screamed. Above him power grew once more. Mac Roth and the other hooded figure once more lifted their arms and the earth rumbled.
Amerghin looked up and Tuatha took the chance. He sheathed Salchah into the scabbard, picked up the sword Mac Roth, ran at the cliff, and leaped. It made the watchers gasp, they had never seen a man leap so high, he hit the side of the cliff and found a place for his hands and feet, scaling the last few lengths like an insect. Then a moment later as Amerghin looked back down. Tuatha was already on his ledge behind him. He drew Salchah once more.
The sound of the sword coming out of the scabbard made Amerghin drop Morann to the side and spin around, sensing a threat.
Before him stood Tuatha holding Salchah and Mac Roth, each side of him.
Morann ran towards her children who also had been discarded by the soldiers in scrambling for their swords. She retreated to the safety of the cave entrance, placing her children behind her.
Amerghin scowled and looked at Tuatha. “You cannot fight me and win, son of Emain,” he said.
“I can and I will,” replied Tuatha throwing Mac Roth at Amerghin’s feet.
Mac Roth slowly leaned over and picked up the sword. “You fool, you have sealed your fate by giving me this.”
The moment he picked up Mac Roth, it began to flash black lightning along the blade. His eyes went black, and his form became surrounded by the black and purple, elemental bursts of power.
With that, he began to murmur words unfamiliar to Tuatha, words of power first uttered by the first witch lord Sencha. Words of hate and darkness.
*sìos a-steach do dhoimhneachd SenNol bidh a h-uile dad a 'dol agus a' dol a-steach do bhàs fhèin a 'frithealadh an Tighearna.
Tuatha groaned as suddenly a feeling of horror descended on his mind, heavy and foreboding. He looked around because all had gone dark, a feeling familiar as he had experienced this before, in what he thought was a dream. He saw the warriors of Athlethan on the plain in front of him, they were still dying, screaming, writhing, he saw Laegaire, and the others foaming at the mouth and contorted in pain, blood coming from their eye sockets. He cried out and fell to his knees. He looked up and Amerghin had changed, He was no longer just a man but had grown massive, his eyes glowed like an elemental beast. He had massive wings like a Leviathan and was black as night.
The black lightning came out from his long claws and struck Tuatha on the chest and face. But it had no effect. The lighting travelled along his torso and was absorbed into the scabbard. It began to glow. Black lighting was a dangerous power from the elements. It took away the life energy that is in all living things. The lighting shot out once more, and once more it was absorbed onto the scabbard. Tuatha looked down at the scabbard. He realised why it gave the bearer such long life. It was a source of life. An energy that gave back to the body, what age took. It had the ability to annul any power that tried to remove it from the bearer. It began to glow brighter and brighter. Without the scabbard of Athlethan, all hope would have been lost.
He looked down and, in the darkness, he saw a light. Beside him the Scabbard of Athlethan shone radiantly and Salchah the bane of Sennol Uathach, shone even brighter. It blinded him so that all the darkness was gone, when his actual sight returned, he realised the things he had seen were, but a vision put in his mind by Amerghin as a diversion.
Amergin still inside Tuatha’s mind, cried out at the blinding light that filled Tuatha’s thoughts and stepped backwards, shielding his eyes from the light both in his mind and literal light, the stars energy stored in Salchah and amplified by the life-giving scabbard. He took another step and found space. He fell backwards, stared at Tuatha in rage, and slowly toppled, disappearing over the edge, finally landing with a loud thump at the base of the cliff at Ruad’s feet. The sword clattered to the ground and Ruad picked it up. Now with a weapon, he ran at the four guards nearby and killed them as they tried to defend Amerghin’s broken body.
Amerghin lay dying, his body shattered. Ruad looked up a Tuatha and he ran into the cave and upwards to where Tuatha was. He ran to Tuatha and kneeled before him his head touching the ground. Morann and their children also came and kneeled before Tuatha.
“We will forever be your servants, my lord and king,” said Ruad. “If you desire our blood, you may take it as punishment for our treachery.”
“Rise,” said Tuatha, “You are all forgiven.”
“Tell me what we do now,” said Ruad, “I will die for you.”
“We still have the matter of Mac Roth to deal with, said Tuatha. “It’s not over till I have sent him deep into Sennol and sealed the hole.”
Ruad humbly rose, gratitude on his face as he looked at Tuatha, and together they walked into the cave, making their way to the cavern of the dark lord. Ruad ran to open the magma gates, to allow more warriors in.
Laegaire ran to the gates, having seen her father fall. The gates opened and she saw Ruad humbly bowing to her as she ran past.
She arrived at the platform where Amerghin had fallen and walked fearfully to where Amergin lay, broken.
His blank eyes came into focus when he saw a shadow come over his eyes. He saw a woman, a girl, a familiar face, and his heart became softer and light. A feeling he had forgotten. “Laegaire!” he whispered. “Laegaire, my daughter,” his words gurgled in his throat as blood trickled out of his mouth.
Laegaire cried loudly, and she kissed his face, her tears salty on his tongue and he smiled weakly. “I’m proud of you, my queen. Rule them well. Be what I could not!” They were the final words of Amerghin the last of the twelve lords of the Deep Lands. He died hearing Laegaire sobbing, “Father, father….”
When she arose, she turned and there stood her mother, regal Queen Dagemar. Shocked at seeing her daughter in this dark place, Laegaire ran to her arms united once more. Queen Dagemar ordered that Amerghin’s body should be taken to Enna Aignech and there buried alongside the eleven other lords of the Deep Lands.
Further toward the top cavern, Ruad and Tuatha ran up the stairs deep in the caves of Sennol Uathach, to the uppermost cave and platform. The huge cave was now open at the rear, and they could see down into the massive hole that was once Mt. Triune. It was filling with cooling magma and the ground was shaking. It was still erupting. Soon the magma would flow out and over the ground again. Another mountain would form.
They reached the platform and stood behind two figures, one of which was Mac Roth. They were looking toward the eruption.
“It is time for you to go back from where you came,” said Tuatha.
Mac Roth turned slowly to face them; his face obscured by the hood and his fingers crackling with the black lightning. He pushed back the hood and grinned at Tuatha. “You will now die,” he said, his voice full of hatred and bitterness. “You know not what you are facing mortal!” He slowly raised his arms, relishing the power that he held that would wipe away this kingly line for the last time.
Tuatha and Ruad held up their swords before them. Feeling helpless against this unworldly power yet trusting in Riangbra.
“Not so hasty,” said a thunderous voice behind Mac Roth.
Into view came a massive black Leviathan, Dray Goen, scales glinting with the red light that came from the magma behind Ruad and Tuatha. His massive wings hissing in the heated air, as he hovered over the platform.
“I cannot fight humans, but I can fight those who falsely and unfairly use the elemental power of Riangbra without it’s permission and to you lord Sennol,” Dray Goen turned to the other figure, still hunched over. “Why didn’t you stay where we left you?” he said, “It would be easier than putting you back again.”
Suddenly the figure turned and made a throwing motion toward Dray Goen, black lighting shot outwards towards the leviathan. It hit him full on the chest, knocking him back, smoke billowed from where it hit. His wings folded and he fell toward the ground below. But he was only winded, he spun around, one flap and he rose quickly back upwards toward Lord Sennol and Mac Roth.
He reached a peak and dropped suddenly downwards his mouth open and a glowing light forming in his throat. Tuatha and Ruad fled into the cave as Dray Goen unleashed the star fire fury on the form of the lord Sennol. Lord Sennol, raised his arms and the black lightning met the fire, deflecting it away. As Dray Goen drew closer the fire stopped and the weight of the Leviathan hit lord Sennol full on, he was knocked backwards and upwards lifted by the leviathan’s momentum up over the top of the cave and down into the boiling and erupting magma.
Tuatha and Tethra ran to the other end of the cave where they saw Dray Goen and Sennol, fall into the Magma and disappear. Then a dark figure rose, in a curving ball of black lighting, it rose as if on an invisible elevator. Dray Goen was nowhere to be seen. Then suddenly he exploded out of the Magma and leaped toward Sennol, grabbing him, and pulling him back downwards. Dray Goen slowly sunk into the magma pulling Sennol with him till they both disappeared.
Then it happened, the magma leaped upwards, and a huge bubble formed, almost reaching the top cave where they stood. It came with a roar and a shaking.
“Run, shouted Tuatha, “It’s going to erupt.”
They ran downwards meeting Laegaire and the others, telling everyone to run fast to escape.
They reached the gates and the ground shook and bulged upwards. The army were already running away across the plain.
Mac Roth stood, a lone figure on the top platform and watched them run. He cackled with laughter. They would all die anyway. His face suddenly contorted with mad joy. From the sky dropped the Leviathan and landed on the heaving ground where Tuatha and his group were struggling to move. They were picked up gently in the claws of the Leviathan and were carried away fast toward the south.
The eruption exploded with a sound that reverberated across the Deep Lands. Magma and smoke were sent high onto the air. Cooling magma rocks fell near the fleeing army, some were killed but most escaped. The caves of Sennol collapsed into the heaving earth and Mac Roth went with it. Downwards till he stood perched with the Sword on a rock, surrounded by bubbling magma. A large rock fell into the magma and a wave went over him leaving him covered. It quickly cooled and he screamed as he was burned within the shell of obsidian magma. The eruption then flung his newly formed obsidian statue, far into the ravine of Sennol Uathach.
From out of the explosion there was a large shape that moved differently. Born of magma and fire, Dray Goen the magnificent Leviathan, shook the soothing coating of magma from off his skin and flew towards the fleeing army swooping down and picking up as many wounded as he could carry and took them back to the city of Enna Aignech.
They all stopped to watch from afar the final throes of the eruption as the magma spewed outwards over the plain, it finally settled, and a constant flow of magma began its slow process of growing once more into a mountain. There would be many more eruptions over the coming cycles, but the Triune gas was gone, it was no longer a place for evil to grow.
The journey back to Enna Aignech was a slow and painful one. Almost every warrior had to carry or help another wounded warrior. The Anakim had lost four of their fellows in the first eruption. But the remaining of them continued their healing.
They arrived at an almost empty city but the original residents who had been hiding, flowed back, and bought with them food and healing herbs, healers, and warm beds.
Tuatha and his company worked tirelessly making sure all were comfortable and had a place to sleep. They were too weary to celebrate. They were empty with loss. Morale was low as the sadness of loss filled their hearts despite the bitter victory.
But it did not last. It was with the rising of the sun and a well-rested army that the bugles were blown, and the flags raised with the sun. The city arose and cheered, louder and louder, more voices joined in.
Fernmaige walked out onto the balcony of the palace as the cheering crowds filled the streets to the palace as far as the eye could see.