Chapter 17:The Ritual of the Well

Rowan's boots splashed through puddles as she sprinted through the labyrinthine alleys of London's East End, clutching Grampa's journal to her chest. Ethan followed close behind, his footsteps silent as flowing water. The air reeked of damp stone and ozone—a prelude to the storm brewing in the Thames.

"Where are we going?" Ethan's voice rippled like a submerged echo. His skin had begun to shimmer with iridescent scales, and his eyes glowed faintly with Níðhöggr's malice.

Rowan skidded to a halt in front of a decaying brick building. A neon sign above the door flickered: The Green Man. "Here."

Inside, the pub reeked of stale beer and incense. A lone bartender polished glasses behind the counter, his gaze lingering on Ethan's scaled hands. Rowan approached him, her voice low. "We need to speak to the Keepers of the Green."

The bartender's eyes narrowed. "No idea what you're talking about."

Rowan slammed the dagger onto the counter—the same one retrieved from the 浮尸. Its runes pulsed faintly. "Tell them Cernunnos' key has returned."

The bartender froze. Without a word, he vanished through a curtained doorway. A minute later, a woman emerged. Her silver hair was braided with ivy, and her leather jacket was emblazoned with a stag antler sigil. "Follow me."

She led them into a dimly lit basement lined with Celtic tapestries and altars. At the center stood a stone well, its edges carved with the same runes as the dagger. The woman gestured to the well. "The Well of Segais. You've brought the key."

Rowan hesitated. "What happens if I use it?"

"The Well was meant to seal Cernunnos," the woman said. "But your dragon's rampage weakened the wards. Now it's a gateway—for him and the serpent."

Ethan stiffened. "Níðhöggr."

The woman nodded. "The dragon seeks to drown the world tree. If he merges with the Thames, the balance between realms will shatter." She turned to Rowan. "You must choose: seal the Well… or let the stag rise."

Rowan's hand tightened around the dagger. "How?"

"The ritual requires a sacrifice," the woman said. "A life for a life. Either yours… or his."

Ethan stepped forward. "Do it. Kill me."

Rowan recoiled. "No. There has to be another way."

The woman shook her head. "The Well demands blood. Without it, Cernunnos will break free, and the dragon will feast on the world tree's roots. Choose quickly—the stag's shadow grows."

Before Rowan could reply, the basement door exploded inward. MI6 agents stormed in, guns drawn. MacLeod strode behind them, his silver scar glinting. "Drop the dagger, Rowan. We'll handle this."

Grampa's voice cut through the chaos. "Like you handled Scotland?"

He emerged from the shadows, a shotgun in hand. MacLeod's eyes widened. "You're supposed to be dead."

Grampa cocked the shotgun. "You left me for dead. Again."

Rowan's mind raced. Scotland. The failed mission. The fake death. She glanced at the Well. Its waters swirled with green light, resonating with the dagger.

MacLeod raised a hand. "Stand down. We're here to contain the anomaly, not kill anyone."

Grampa laughed bitterly. "Contain? You're weaponizing Cernunnos' power. Just like you did in the '80s."

MacLeod's jaw tightened. "The world needs protectors, not relics. This is bigger than your guilt."

As the agents closed in, Ethan surged forward. Water erupted from his hands, forming a swirling vortex that hurled agents against the walls. MacLeod fired, but the bullets dissolved mid-air.

"Run!" Ethan roared.

Rowan grabbed the dagger and plunged it into the Well's waters. The stone shuddered, and the runes blazed white. Images flashed through her mind: a younger Grampa, a burning forest, a woman with silver hair—her grandmother—chanting as she bound Cernunnos' avatar.

The Well's waters turned crimson. A scream echoed from the depths, and the room began to collapse. MacLeod fired at the Well, but Grampa tackled him, and the shot went wild.

Ethan pulled Rowan toward a hidden staircase. "Go! I'll hold them off."

Rowan hesitated. "Ethan—"

"Go!" He shoved her up the stairs. "I'm already dead. This is the only way."

Rowan stumbled outside, the dagger still glowing in her hand. Behind her, the Green Man erupted in a geyser of green energy. She ran, the ground shaking beneath her as Cernunnos' antlered shadow loomed over London.