Tomb of the King

Chapter 3

There was an eery silence about the tunnel I then strolled down. It was the same colour as the outside, cared roughly, which torches periodically placed along the way. Barely anyone was there, as I only saw a couple of people mulling around in white robes. They bowed respectfully to Rhiannon, who curtsied to them. She didn't answer my questioning face, however, until we reached the carvings. It showed a man in a rough-hewn robe, his hands on either side of a sphere. The torchlight flickered, casting shadows on the caring. She told me, "This is the creation of the world. The man is the Dagda, forming this realm. He then produced the other deities which formed their realms." She smiled. "These carvings are said to form themselves when an event happens to change the tides of the world. This was the first." She then continued, making her way towards a second carving a few metres away. I trailed behind her.

The next carving showed a group of smaller men stood around a fire, all holding different objects. One seemed to be presenting a spear to the others. One held a large oblong shape that could've been a rock. One held a sword. One held some kind of container, perhaps a cauldron or a goblet. For more figures, or rather heads, were in the sky. The seemed to have handed down each of the objects. "Most deities are the Tuatha De Dannan, people of Danu. There are many. The four shown are the Dagda, Nuatha, Lugh and Bron. The Dagda, god of Earth, gave the goblet, which shall let none hunger nor be maimed. Nuatha of the Silver Arm, god of melee, gave the Sword, which shall never fail to slice. Lugh of the long arm, god of thieves and messengers, gave the Spear, from which none may hide. Nuatha of the Silver Arm, god of melee, gave the Sword, which shall never fail to slice. Bron, god of Kings, gave the Lia Fail, which shall roar with joy whence Ireland's true king does stand upon it." I nodded. I'd heard of the Lia Fail before, but it was shrouded in myths and confusion. Nobody could be quite sure what it was. She smiled. "This was the enlightenment of men, when the four treasures were trusted unto them. These humans. are known as the Ancients, and were chosen to possess not just the gifts, but also the Four Unseen Treasures; strength, leadership, courage and magic. All are required for the Once and Future King to rise. To this day they have been passed on, although parts have been lost to ignorance. The Ancients were blessed by the gods. Darth, bearer of the Cauldron, went on to feed the whole of the Isles. He was blessed with strength. Nate, bearer of the Sword, created the first Battalion in History to keep safe the Isles on which he was born. He was blessed with leadership. Lark, bearer of the Spear, encased it in the most powerful field ever known to us for its pretection before hiding it even from our sight. To our knowledge, tt has not been retrieved to this day. He was blessed with magic. Finally, there was Bane, bearer of the Stone. He was the first rightful king, and presided over the Isles for many years before his death. He was blessed, as all kings should be, with courage."

We moved along to the next carving, which showed again the four treasures given by the Dagda, Nuatha, Lugh and Bron. However, the new bearers were clearly unhappy with each other. The bearers of the Sword and the Spear were fighting and those of the Stone and the Cauldron were arguing heatedly. Rhiannon sighed and continued. "For a century, the bearers lived in harmony, as did their descendants. However, soon discord crept amongst them. They split apart and began to quarrel. The Isles were split into four countries, which are now known as England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. They were at war. England was host to the Spear, as it was there that it was hidden and there that the Treasures were awarded. Scotland took the Sword, and Nate's descendants. Wales took the Cauldron, along with the descendants of Darth. Bane's descendants took the stone to Ireland." She sighed once more. "The greatest mistake in the history of mankind. Or rather, of the British Isles. However, another country emerged." She indicated the fire, which I guessed was like the first one. "This place had no Treasure, yet believed that they could attain the goals of the rest. These were the five kingdoms." She dropped her arm to her side, and I couldn't read her face by the flickering torchlight that caressed her face. "England was Cenred. Scotland was Mercia. The new country was Caerleon. Ireland took the name of Incas. Wales became the centre of attention; Camelot."