The full force of the Men’s armies would soon be making their way through Belvoir, it was only a matter of time before they stumbled on one of the roadways, hidden or not the sheer size of their forces would help reveal its secrets. A direct open attack would risk too much, they must conserve their numbers while they could, instead they had to take the Men unawares.
After they had taken out those front scouts the Druaidíi, led by Ardgal, had made their way to where a clearing presented itself. Guided by the horns of their fallen brothers the Men would soon come upon it and find it the perfect location to set up camp with night approaching ever closer.
Once the site of an old pre Flood Druaidíi settlement named Aer Gaelimh it had been left idle and untouched by the forest, All Father liked to claim it was the forest waiting for its old guardians to return once more and rebuild it to its former glory. Whatever the cause it had long since become a training ground for the Druaidíi allowing them the space to hone and sharpen their skills.
Now was a crucial time for the Druaidíi, once the Milesians had reached the gates of Dún na Rí their defence would be desperate. It was not built to withstand such a force with so few defenders to hold its walls. They could not hope to repel the attacks from each direction and so their greatest hope rested on the damage they could inflict whilst the Men were vulnerable making their way through the forest.
“Dagda, here Dagda, you still with us.” Tadhg awoke him from his thoughts. After circling the clearing he, along with Cormac had taken up position beside Dagda a short distance away overlooking the entrance to the clearing high up in the upper branches of a great beech tree. Tadhg dropped his voice to a barely audible whisper.
“Be honest with me, how do you think this thing ends? You’ve always had a way with the future and you know the details of the Men better than I. Some say our position is hopeless and that we must now aim to leave this world for the next upholding the pride and legacy of the Druaidíi.”
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He glanced around tensely, “But I do not believe it. I will not believe it. There is always hope. Yet tell me true Dagda, we are closer than brothers you and I as only true friends can be. So is it hopeless? Are we fighting an unwinnable war? I ain’t scared of dying or anything, I just… I just want to know.”
Dagda kept his eyes on the clearing and the oncoming soldiers, but edged himself closer to Tadhg shrugging, “What happens next is anything but clear, I won’t pretend or feign knowledge on that. But I have no fear for us. As for those amongst us, those that whisper and speak of our imposing doom, they view death as their last friend, calling them home and now they have the opportunity to go out fighting gloriously against an immense foe. Put yourself in their shoes Tadhg, would you rather crawl tamely out of this world helpless as the day you entered it or would you rather go out in a blaze of fury.”
Tadhg kept his eyes fixed on the clearing but nodded slowly.
Dagda smiled, “They speak of our precarious position with a glint in their eye and a brave heroic death in their hearts, but pay no mind, their words are to give them strength and ferocity in Battle, nothing more nothing less. We are Druaidíi. Come what may we survive, stay alive and thrive right? We will come out of this me and you Tadhg, don’t doubt that Brother.”
“I never did.”
Dagda steadied himself and resumed his watch. He meant what he had said. Neither Tadhg nor him were stupid. He knew just as Dagda did that there would be a great price to pay to drive back the men, so adamant were they for their destruction. But only in great darkness can one truly appreciate the light. Dagda had long since resigned himself to doing whatever it took to ensure his people did not falter, not now, not ever.
He looked around, by now all of the Druaidíi were ready and in position. Now began the first step on the long road to victory.