The Fifth Beast (ManxMan Chinese/Celtic Fantasy Story)

Chapter 45

Niall Mac Nechtan didn't waste time running down the stairs. He jumped over the stone parapet, covered his whole body with shock-armor, broke his fall with a roll, and sprang to his feet. He drew his sword and shouted in a thunderous voice, "To arms, defenders of Sliabh Mis!"

His voice seemed to shake the stone walls, echoed through the courtyard, and absolutely all the soldiers and servants who had been sleeping immediately woke up. Even Fao flinched and stumbled. The Thunder Cry served in battle as an excellent weapon on its own, Queen Morrigan wielded it to perfection. Alas, Niall could only use it once a day, not more.

He shouted in his normal, non-magical voice, "Everyone, stay at your posts! Archers, keep your eyes open, they will surely try..."

The rest of the phrase was drowned out by the wild howling cry that Fao let out, and immediately there were flaming arrows raining down on them again. Then everything began to happen so awfully fast, as if everyone around Niall also could use magical acceleration.

Faolan Three Beasts (merciful Danu, why Niall never once thought that this nickname was much less allegorical than 'Three Swords'!) — Faolan Three Beasts rushed at him, his two swords whirling about him like a mill of death and destruction. Niall accelerated and took both of his blades on his sword, but the force of the blows made his arm numb. The red-haired giant tossed his spears on the ground, he had not one of those, but three, and threw the third one with such superhuman strength that it pinned one of the gate guards to the gate. Tseren picked up the second spear with his foot (what a neat trick!), threw it again, Niall had no time to look exactly where, he could easily guess. Niall tried to drive Fao back and attack the redhead, who had already taken up the third spear, Niall should have made short work of him with his magical strength and speed, and he would gladly risk Cumal's displeasure... And then the white eagle flapped its giant wings, raising such a wind that Niall staggered, as if hitting a wall, and almost lost his balance.

The redhead ran past him to the gate and began to scatter the guards right and left with his spear and shield. None of the Tuaths could stand even a minute against him. The redhead didn't even take the time to finish them off, he just cleared his way to the gates. And Fao with his third beast covered his back.

The deadly mill of Fao's two blades was an obstacle enough even for Niall's magical speed. The Lord of Lightning couldn't find even a small opening in the Yuizhen's perfect defense. When Niall tried to get around Fao to disrupt their rather obvious plan, the eagle screeched, flapped its wings and blocked his way.

Of course, Niall was no longer as ignorant as he was in the Forest of Cruithne Corann. Of course, he tried to wound the demonic red-eyed eagle with his blade of cold steel. But Fao had left nothing to chance and did something completely unheard of before: he dressed the giant bird in a huge leather cuirass that covered its chest and neck. Yeah, tanned leather was a good choice with a kirin, obviously it couldn't have been steel, iron of even bronze (too heavy for a flying beast).

Niall yelled at the archers to shoot the demonic bird, but it was almost under the gate bridge, so archers could fire only from the gate towers, and from an awkward angle. There must have been fewer archers at Niall's disposal now, seeing as the flaming arrows continued to rain down from behind the walls, and time and again defenders of Sliabh Mis fell dead or wounded. Thanks to Niall and his lightning ball, the castle walls and towers were now lit up bright as day, and he could not cast the Shield of Lightning spell on the side, without protecting himself.

Niall cursed, turned off his first big lightning ball and cast another one, much smaller, just above his head. Just in time to see the red-haired giant lift the heavy oak bar with which the gates were bolted (and which was usually taken off by three or four people). Niall threw a lightning bolt at him and was not surprised at all when the eagle deflected it with its wing. He just grinned slyly and sent a lightning bolt at Fao from his right hand, or rather from the tip of his sword, and then, almost simultaneously, from his left one at the redhead. Of course, the eagle would defend his master!

Niall miscalculated: the eagle defended the redhead again, and at the same time Fao threw himself on the ground, and the bolt of lightning went over his head. The redhead threw the bar to the ground, jerked open the gate wing and rushed to the wheel which raised the portcullis. Niall screamed and attacked the eagle, aiming at its chest, a leather cuirass wouldn't stop a powerful enough stabbing blow... and Fao made an impossible somersault, pushing off the pavement with his palms, and knocked Niall down by a powerful kick with his both feet.

Everything was going to hell, to the icy depths of Anghaine. Niall's spearmen, white with terror, were trying to poke the eagle with their spears. The bird screamed, grabbed wooden shafts with its beak and broke them; it drove the soldiers back with its wings, without touching them, only with the force of the flapping. Even the third beast could attack neither mortals nor Sidhe directly; however, it was way more hostile than the white wolf. It clacked threateningly with his beak, screamed, jumped up, pretending to pounce at humans, and that alone was enough to make frightened humans draw back.

At the same time, the red-haired half-breed (impossible that he had no Sidhe blood in his veins, a mere mortal couldn't be so strong!) — the red-haired Tseren planted his feet firmly into the ground, yelled with strain and turned the wheel, which had never been turned by a lone man, only by two of the strongest guards of Sliabh Mis, and with a considerable effort.

At the same time, Niall fought with Fao. They were fighting on equal terms now, Niall even seemed to have the upper hand, but it was of little consequence. Niall cut through Fao's breastplate, inflicting a shallow wound across his chest, grazed his shoulder, and received a couple of scratches himself. Finally, Niall made a quick move, kicked Faolan's saber out of his left hand, pinned his right wrist and hand with the other saber to the wall, struck him across the face with the sword hilt to stun him, and pressed the sword blade to Faolan's neck.

The eagle screamed mournfully and flapped its wings — but it could do nothing, it couldn't grab Niall and pull him away from its master. It couldn't even hit Niall with its wings openly.

Niall grinned. "Surrender and call off your f&cking red beast. And the white one too, it makes me nervous. I could cut you by chance."

Fao wiped the blood from his broken lip with his free hand, grinned cheerfully, not even trying to break free, and said, "And here I was going to offer you the same thing, Niall Mac Nechtan. Surrender and order your warriors to drop their weapons."

"You must be blind!" Niall grinned wickedly and flattened Fao against the wall, shoving his knee between his legs and pressing the blade of his sword harder. "Maybe I should f&ck you right here to show who has won?"

"You're probably blind yourself. You can f&ck me or cut me down right here, but that won't save your castle." Fao pointedly looked to the gates, and Niall's eyes automatically went there as well. Both gate wings were wide open, the portcullis raised, and the redhead, pulling an ax from his belt, was hacking at one of the chains holding the drawbridge closed.

Niall hit Fao with a lightning charge, a weak one (even his newly increased elemental power was fading away). The barbarian chief gasped for breath and sank to his knees, stunned. Niall sped up and jumped towards the redhead, intending to chop off both his arms with the axe. But his sword fell on the eagle's wing, unfolded to cover the redhead. The eagle gave out a pitiful, almost human cry and disappeared, blasting Niall with a wave of cold air. A giant leather cuirass fell to the ground, empty.

Niall raised his sword again, and then the chain broke, the drawbridge hung sideways on the second chain. Hooks with ropes attached flew up and caught on the edge of the drawbridge, the barbarians climbed onto them, and the second chain quite predictably broke too, not able to withstand the whole weight.

The drawbridge crushed across the moat with a deafening crackle. The broken chain swept away those barbarians who did not fall off on their own. Niall cast a lightning shield and shoved the redhead out of the gates, out of the drawbridge into the moat, and all his comrades who managed to climb back onto the bridge with their weapons drawn. But Faolan Three Beasts grabbed Niall from behind by his braid, pressed his saber to Niall's throat, and said mockingly, "Shall we do it all over again, Niall Mac Nechtan?"

And the white wolf appeared before Niall, snarled and sat down, practically smiling, his tongue hanging out. Bad, bad doggie!