Below the Surface

The Strangers Are...

Athena managed to get closer to the table with four strange men and the old men sat. She was able to hear their conversation.

"The legend of Aryanna is a sad story about people who lived in a highly advanced civilization. But they became greedy, petty. It has been said a banshee came every night wailing it's chilling song of death. If only the people would have listened to the song. They all might be alive today." The oldest of the men said. He took another swig of his drink. His eyes glassed over more as memories seemed to play out. The leader of the group of strangers encouraged the man to speak more.
"How do you know this?" The leader asked curiously.

The old man looked at the stranger. "I used to live in Aryanna as a young lad. It was the goddess Niamh who took me from my home and brought me to this village." The old man said just as a fit of hiccups took over his speech. The leader of the strangers looked at his comrades. Athena wasn't sure what the look meant but it was as if they were having a silent conversation. Then one of the other strangers spoke. "Niamh?" He asked curiously.

The old man got himself under control and took another swig. "Yup the daughter of the king of seas. She had seen the banshee, even tried to scare it off. Nothing seemed to work." The old man was saying.

Another old man laughed at the words spoken. "Clive there is no such thing as a banshee." He said. His speech was slurred yet held conviction.
Clive turned his gaze to the other man. "Tiss true. The banshee is real. She foretells of death."

The strangers listened quietly as the men bickered about the existence of banshees. They knew very well that the banshee is real. Each one had seen her for themselves. Finally the leader changed the subject back to Aryanna. "So Niamh took you here. What happened after that?"

Clive looked at the stranger. He wanted to know the strangers. There was something about them he just couldn't place. Shrugging his shoulders he decided to continue his story. "Well after I came here. I don't know much but it is rumoured that the gods became angry at the people for loosing their way. As punishment the gods sent one terrible night of fire and earthquakes. That day caused Aryanna to sink into the sea."

This time another man spoke. "I have been to a spot in the waters where women sing. It's like you become under a spell. If you fall into the waters you never return."

The man that laughed at the banshee idea laughed at the man who spoke. "You all have been drinking way too much." He said with a shake of his head.

The leader of the strangers, who still hadn't given his name, turned his gaze on the man. "And who are you to judge what these men claim?"

The man took a swig of his rum eyeing the stranger. A glint formed in his eyes as a thought occurred to him. "You ask me my name. Yet for the past few hours you have sat at our table without any introductions. So my question for you boy, who are you?"

The leader smiled at the man. "To humour you the name is Cadeyrn. These men are my comrades Caiside, Seisyll and Teutorigos."

Clive closed his eyes as images floated in his mind. He had heard those names before. "But how?" He muttered out loud.

Cadeyrn looked at Clive "you already know."

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