“They’re in the courtyard!” She yelled as she burst from the castle doors where a dilapidated fountain covered in vines and grown in with weeds dominated. That structure was the only thing between Hy-Brasil and several dark shrouded entities, the Sidhe. Three of them hoovered stationary as if confused or unsure of their next motive until the Knight’s arrival. Instinct took over the Sidhe as they swarmed the Earth Knight.
Utilizing the fountain, Hy-Brasil attempted to split her adversaries. Make it so only one at a time could come at her. She circled around, her staff utilized as her main weapon as the incense burner dangled from the edge, itself used as a mace at times. It was tiring, and more so for a Knight who had been treating herself poorly in every way.
“Bastards, are getting brave.” She cursed. The Sidhe were a blight on her Wonder but, to her knowledge, they had never dared breach the castle.
She swung out with her staff as one of the sidhe attempted to ambush her as another gave up on chasing around the fountain and instead went over it. Her target shied away from the incense burner as if afraid of it. Continuing her motion, Hy swung the burner towards the other two sidhe as they neared, both mimicking the first to avoid the silver and smoke. Damn if I know how to make this anymore useful.
“Don’t let them touch you!” She could hear Cashel yelling from inside.
“No s**t!” She growled out.
She spun her back to the entrance of the courtyard. The sidhe followed like marionettes to her motion and pushed towards her again, their shapeless forms attempting to reach out to her, to envelope her.
A sharp fear rose in Hy-Brasil’s chest.
Perhaps she could lure them away? Running, a well trained state for her, felt like the best option. They’d surely follow, right? After all, she’d given them clean access to the door of the castle but they ignored it.
Spinning on a heel she started to run away from the castle and skidded to a halt as two more Sidhe had crept up on her from behind. Too close!
She swung her staff as one brushed against her arm. Cloth and leather protected her from the worst of the touch but she felt the exhaustive pull, and the mind-numbing mental drag. Muscle memory kept her staff on target and the Sidhe retreated enough to give her air.
“The castle!” She could hear Cashel yelling from within. “Hy-Brasil, back to the castle!”
Gathering up the dredges of her energy, the Knight maneuvered past her foes with a few quick swipes of her staff and burner and rushed to the castle doors.
Her heart dropped when she saw Cashel with two more Sidhe. “Where the hell did they come from!” She yelled as she rushed in to help her mentor. No sooner had she started rushing the creatures did they turn their attention to her, Cashel forgotten about in the corner of the great hall.
“Any idea why this is happening?” She yelled to Cashel as she worked to fend off the intruders.
“They have never come here. It makes no sense.” Cashel hollered back.
The Sidhe from the courtyard filtered in, their once almost sluggish movements were becoming more honed, like a cat closing in on its prey.
Seven against one weren’t great odds on a good day and today was not a good day by any measure.
Swinging her burning around was tiring her drug worn body. “Get the hell away from here!” She hollard in rage, spinning her staff to attack with the bottom not unlike a spear. Instead of the impact she expected her staff went right through it. Her momentum took her with it and darkness shrouded her as the Sidhe grabbed her wherever they could. Arms, chest, torso, legs…anywhere they touched felt so incredibly painful. Each touch felt burning cold, as if she was begging frozen to death, her mind invaded and swarmed with flashes of painful memories and thoughts.
She didn’t hear herself scream or Cashel yelling for her.
A rush of energy overtook her. Opening her eyes she saw Castel rushing towards her yelling something before darkness overtook her and Hy felt the hard brick floor of the Great Hall.
—--
Gasping Hy-Brasil shot straight up. Her brow was soaked with perspiration, chest heaving as she sucked in as much air as she could. Blue eyes darted around wildly, looking for the Sidhe she had just been fighting. Her hand unconsciously sought out her staff, and found it mere inches from her body sitting next to her on the wooden table she’d been laying on.
“Relax, you’re alright” That familiar voice caught the Knights attention, a large smile was plastered on his ghostly face as he approached her. “Thank goodness you finally woke up. After 2 years I truly began to wonder if you would ever awaken again.”
--Part 2--
