Chapter 7: War

I stare at myself in the mirror and can't believe what I'm looking at. It's been two days since I began training, I'm hungry and no matter what I eat, I still find myself starving. I've eaten everything but it fills up a different part of me. There's a part that calls to me. It calls me to feed so badly to the point it hurts.

I look pale, my eyes are glowing blue and I can barely conceal my fangs. If Kelly sees me like this she'll freak so I do what every kid does best. I wear the most concealing clothes and leave through my bedroom window.

I get to school and luckily no one notices me so this should be easy. Carol approaches me and I look downwards, hoping to hide my face.

"Hey, there stranger." She says sweetly and pushes my chin up. She looks at me in awe before asking if I drowned myself in flour.

"No, I'm just sick. Probably be ok by tomorrow."

"Right. Well, let's go." Physics class is first in today's timetable. We go together as usual and the day goes by surprisingly well. Max asks once before laughing it off and Claris doesn't even find the words to comment. School flies by, no trouble at all.

I'm in the forest and I call out Abhartach right then and there.

"What the fuck is going on with me?" I ask him.

"You're hungry, all you need to do is drink blood. Should suffice for a day." He says blatantly.

What does he mean by a day? Is he saying I have to kill someone every day to survive?

"Whoa, I can't just murder people daily. Isn't there another way?" I ask horrified by his composure.

"Well, if you absorb a soul, you can last for about two moons. It depends on the quality. The eviler the soul, the longer you last. The purer the soul the sicker you feel." He explains.

"With my power, it's vice versa. I was the last born from the goddess and she wanted me to be a punisher thus my power was only meant to punish those who were tainted. If I don't do that, I harm innocents instead."

"So I have to feed on an evil soul every two or three months then. Shit. I don't think I can go through that."

"Tonight, when you sleep. I'll make you transform and I'll feed on your behalf but you won't be able to transform for a while. I'm only at a fraction of my power after all."

I wonder what he means and just like that he knows what I'm thinking about and he sends me to one of his memories.

*****

I see the god-tribe once more. Such a powerful race. The land is still so beautiful. No harmful technology, only technology that aids the land itself. Abhartach looks different. He has bright red hair and glowing blue eyes. He stands at least seven feet tall and does not look hungry at all. Hell, he looks like he doesn't need to feed ever.

"The war with the Fomorians is taking everything out of us. The damned beasts defeated our ancestors once and they hope to do so again. Tell me, why were we born then?" A person slightly taller than Abhartach says. He has a sword with runes designed on it strapped around his waist.

"Because we were chosen to inherit the blood of Danu. We have the blood of a true goddess flowing in our veins." A young man who looks to be my age speaks. He looks confident and striking. He also has a spear strapped to his back. Something about the spear is compelling, it even has runes carved on it as well. It has a dark bronze head and the tip is sharp.

"Well, all we have to do is defeat Bres and Balor and we've won," Abhartach says.

"With Nuadu, our king leading and the three of us as generals we're sure to win. But I'm scared for you my love. Your power is different. You cannot die but being crippled is surely worse. Be careful." A female goddess speaks, the first thing I notice about her is her hair engulfed in flames. She kisses Abhartach and I understand now. He used to be in a relationship. Well, suck my blood.

The man with the sword who I now know as Nuadu somehow, raises his fist before slowly opening his mouth to yell the loudest war cry I've ever heard. Far off the field in unison, I hear a similar cry. The difference is that the one from the other side is a cry of genocide.

I stand there watching everything unfold in Abhartach's memories. I feel a sudden gust of wind form and Abhartach appears. But wait, he is standing meters away from me. How confusing, I guess he can materialize in his memories.

"This was the second great battle of Mag Turied," Abhartach says as he stands beside me.

I do not know what he is talking about in the slightest. I never really was into history but this seems more like a fairy tale than a history lesson.

"So, you had a lover?" I inquire while looking at the intimidating and goddess-like figure draw her weapon.

"Yes, Brigit was my only love. When I lost her I couldn't bear to fall in love again." Abhartach explains I can see tears forming in his pale blue eyes.

"Wait, so you've been single for six thousand years?" I ask inquisitively.

"It has not been as long as you claim to be. My previous hosts kept me entertained however you are the only one I have shown my memories to."

When Abhartach finishes his statement I see humanoid beings begin to appear on the near horizon. They are Fomorians, I've seen them once before but now they look different. They are gigantic, even bigger than the Tuatha. A few of them even look to be at least fifteen metres tall. I see two towering Fomorians at the back, one has a single eye staring into the abyss and the other carries a spike-like boulder.

I look at Nuadu, Brigit, Lugh, Brigit and Nuadu's champion, Ogma. Sharing a mind and body with Abhartach seems to give me a few of his memories. The four champions and their army charges at the enemy as well. Abhartach seems to be a captain rather than a general.

Nuadu arrives at the threshold of the battle first, leaping off his abnormally large and strange horse, he decapitates a Fomorian easily. Brigit arrives next and encircles one of the larger Fomorians, her palms flare-up in crimson majestic flames and she fires blasts of fire towards the opponent. The formorian is engulfed in flames and falls backwards, crushing his comrades in the process.

The battle rages on, life for life, eye for an eye. The Danann display abilities beyond my imagination. Abhartach floats through the battle, his sharp claws sever multiple Fomorian heads and stops when he sees one sizing him up. The Fomorian soldier grins and taunts Abhartach with a 'come here' signal. The vampire charges faster than my eyes can keep up in a dark mist and before I can even see the outcome, a loud smack noise escapes. The Fomorian grips Abhartach's hand in its left palm.

The Fomorian swings its sword downwards and Abhartach grasps it with his free hand. He then looks into the eyes of the soldier and mutters "sleep" which sends the soldier sleeping. Abhartach does not waste time, as the soldier falls, he holds him back and tears through his neck. A moment passes and only a husk remains. Another Soldier jumps Abhartach from behind and with a wave of the hand is sent flying off a few paces away.

Abhartach grins and reaches out his left arm, a moment passes and the soldier is airborne heading for Abhartach. Of course, he has telekinesis, I should've known. The soldier digs its feet into the ground to prevent being pulled. This one seems troublesome. Abhartach charges at it and the soldier grins right back at him.