Earth and Spirit Part 3

"She should be in the throne room by now." Aideen fluttered into view.
Rohan nodded. "Let's go then. Remember, Breaca wanted us to leave as much of this to her as possible."
The others agreed and they made their way into the castle.

Maeve sat on her throne, the child on her lap. She smiled at the little girl who played with the end of her sleeve. She was an adorably cute child, though to Maeve nothing was cute or adorable.
At first the queen thought he eyes were playing tricks on her, but she soon realized that the mist she thought she saw appear in the centre of her throne room was real.
Maeve grabbed the child and stood. Torc had entered the throne room at that moment and also saw the circulating mist. Within seconds, the mist turned into Breaca.
"You!" Maeve screeched.
"Who did you expect?" Breaca parted her swords and glared at the queen.
Maeve sat the child on her throne. "You will never have this child."
Breaca raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? It is my child, Maeve"
The Queen cackled. "Was your child you mean. She is mine now."
She stared at Maeve. Their child had been born a girl. She wanted to smile at the thought of having a little girl, but there were much more important things to deal with. She could hear the other knights making their way past the soldiers.
"Give me my daughter, Maeve," she demanded.
"Mider!" Maeve screeched.
A green flash drew Breaca's attention away from the queen. Mider had appeared on the far side of the room.
"Mider has a surprise for you, little knight." He raised his hands. Green light shot from his fingers into the centre of the room. Before her very eyes, Breaca saw a large skeletal knight appear.
"By Lugh!" Garrett shouted from behind her.
She whirled around to see the other knights enter the room. They had entered at the most opportune moment, since Maeve had been preparing to leave the throne room. No less she was holding the child.
"I don't think so, Maeve." Rohan pointed his sword at the queen.
"You won't hurt me, Rohan. I have the child." Maeve sneered at him.
Deirdre lunged forward, grabbing the child while Rohan shot fire from his sword. Maeve flew back against the wall, grunting as she hit. Deirdre held the small child near to hear, shocked at the fact that she seemed to be smiling.
Rohan approached her as she held the baby in her arms. "Is it all right?"
Deirdre smiled at Rohan. "SHE'S fine."

Angus rushed over to them. He stared at the baby that Deirdre held. "By Daghda, I have a daughter!" He laughed for a moment, the sheer excitement of the whole thing taking over.
"Guys! I could use some help over here!" Breaca yelled at her comrades. Ivar raced forward, his trident ready.
"Deirdre stay and hold her."
She nodded to Rohan and backed away from the fighting. She chanced a glance at Maeve, who appeared to be unconscious on the floor.
The knights fought the skeletal warrior valiantly, destroying it finally. By that time, Torc had rushed into the room.
He saw Maeve and yelled, "My queen!"
Rohan whirled around and grinned at Torc. "Worried cause she can't protect you?"
Torc growled and charged Rohan, his sword ready. Rohan parried what could have been a painful blow. Torc fell to the side, but quickly regained his wits.
"I will have you, Mystic Knight."
Rohan laughed at him. "I don't think so."
They continued to battle. More soldiers entered the throne room. Angus and Garrett fought off as many as they could, while Ivar backed them up from a distance. Deirdre stood far away from the fighting, protecting the child.
Meanwhile, Breaca seizing the perfect opportunity, approached the table where Mider stood.
"You wouldn't hurt Mider, now would you?"
Breaca laughed. "I have no need of you, Mider. You don't control me." She reached for the stones.
"No!" Mider screeched.
She could feel the familiar power of the stones as she held them in her hands. Only this time, she could also feel the evil in them. Mider had filled them with his out energy. They were worth nothing to the Mystic Knights since Mider had used them. She raised one of them above her head.
"Not my stones!" Maeve shrieked from the other side of the room.
Breaca whirled around to face her. "You won't be needing them anymore, Maeve."

Rohan lunged at Torc, catching his leg with the point of his blade. Torc howled in pain.
"Didn't like that?"
Torc frowned and tried to swing his sword at Rohan, but found the pain in his leg was too great. He dropped his sword and hobbled toward his queen.
Rohan turned to see Breaca holding the rune stones, one raised high above her head. The others had also turned to see what she was doing. Most of the soldiers had fled from the fight the minute they saw Torc take the point of Rohan's sword in his leg.

"You want the stones, Maeve?" She watched as the queen nodded and started to walk forward. Breaca smiled an evil smile. "Sorry, I don't think so." She brought her arm down suddenly, releasing the stone. The rune stone crashed to ground, shattering into thousands of tiny pieces.
Maeve shrieked and charged forward. Mider raised his hands to cast a spell. Ivar noticed the dark faerie and fired a shot from his trident. Mider flew off the table and landed on the floor.
Breaca sent another stone crashing to the floor. Maeve watched in horror as that one also shattered.
"Those are mine!" She shrieked.
Breaca approached Maeve. "And you tried to destroy my life by stealing my child." Another stone crashed to the floor. She could hear Mider whimpering behind her. "I think this is only fair."

Torc decided he needed to do something. He grabbed the sword Maeve kept near her throne. Looking for someone to attack, he smiled wickedly as he noticed Angus' back to him. He limped forward, hoping that he could do it quietly.

Breaca dropped another stone. "Only one more Maeve. One more stone and then you will have nothing. No portal for Mider, nothing to hold over me. Nothing."
Maeve growled at her and lunged. In the instant before Maeve grabbed her, she sent the final stone to the floor. It shattered into thousands of glowing pieces. As it joined its brothers in pieces on the stone floor of the castle of Temra, Mider squealed in pain. Breaca knew that by destroying the stones it would also destroy Mider. A brilliant flash of light emanated from where the final stone had shattered.
From somewhere behind Maeve, Breaca heard a howl of pain. She looked to see who had been wounded.
"NOOO!!" She screamed as she saw Angus fall. Torc stood behind him, an evil look of delight on his face.
Rohan had also turned to see Angus fall.
"You bastard!" Rohan thrust his sword, in a flash, into Torc's chest.
"My que..een" Were the last words from Torc's lips before he fell to the floor, dead.

Maeve turned to Breaca. "You will pay for this." Maeve raised her hands, preparing to cast a spell. When nothing happened, she back away in terror.
"Without the stones, you're powerless." Breaca smiled evilly at the queen, her white eyes flashing in anger. "You will be the one to pay. For stealing my child and for trying to take my husband's life."
The Mystic Knights stared, transfixed, as Breaca raised her SpiritBlades. In one very swift move, she brought the blades together, neatly severing Maeve's head from her body.

Breaca stood back, taking a deep breathing heavily. She hurt inside. She had just killed Maeve. There were no regrets for doing it. Kells would be free from the war, finally.
"Breaca, we need to get Angus out of here!" She heard Rohan's voice not far from her.
Rohan had already picked up his friend and was heading out of the throne room, with Garrett and Ivar right behind him.
Deirdre approached her. "We should go now. There's nothing left here."
Breaca nodded and they left, Deirdre holding the baby close to her chest.
Chaos reigned in Temra castle. Their queen was dead along with any chance that they would win the war with Kells. Now all that was left for them was to take what they could get their hands on and leave.
As the knights left the castle, they were passed by many frantic Temra soldiers. None of them cared that the knights were in the castle, all they wanted was to leave as soon as possible.

Outside the castle, in a small section of woods, Rohan lay Angus on the ground. He had lost consciousness before they had even left the castle. They wound Torc had inflicted on him had been severe. Rohan feared that his best friend would not survive.
Breaca fell to her knees beside her husband. She slowly sheathed her SpiritBlades, not even bothering to remove her armour. "Angus, you can't leave me. We have a daughter to raise. Please listen to me."
Angus' eyes fluttered open for a moment. He reached for her, touching her face lightly. "I love you, Breaca. Never forget that." Slowly his eyes closed.
Breaca watched as the life ebbed away from her husband. She laid her hands on his chest.
Behind her Rohan held Deirdre close to him as he watched. He knew that he was about to lose his best friend. He couldn't bear to watch, though he couldn't tear his eyes away.
A tear fell down Deirdre's cheek. She had loved Angus like a brother and now she feared that she was going to lose him. She buried her face in Rohan's shoulder.
Garrett had never cared much for Angus' rude behaviour and insulting jokes, but the man he knew had changed much since he had met Breaca. Now Garrett feared that all would be lost. He turned away. He couldn't watch the man die. He glanced at Ivar, who stared in shock at the scene before him. Ivar had never dared suspect that one of his friends would die. Never with all the war that raged between Kells and Temra did anyone think that they would lose a friend.
Breaca looked up to the sky. She felt Angus' heart beat one final time. "NOOOO!!!!!!" she screamed as loud as she could. Suddenly black mist swirled around her, covering both her and Angus in darkness. The others could hear what sounded like whispers in the night. They watched as spirits surrounded the couple. None of them what was happening. Then again neither did Breaca. She had never had this happen when she did not have her swords raised.
The mist swirled around them until it completely covered them. Breaca could feel the spirits swirl around her. Except that it felt completely different this time. She watched as they entered Angus body. His body began to jerk from the spirits entering him. His eyes flew open and he yelled. Breaca fell back, not excepting it.
The others could only stand outside the swirling mist and wonder what was happening.
A figure appeared before Breaca, floating in the mist. "You are the Mystic Knight of Spirit?" The shrill voice asked.
She nodded. "Yes, I am she."
The figure looked down to where Angus lay on the ground, convulsing from the entrance and exit of spirits. "This man is important to you?"
She nodded again. "He is my husband and a fellow Mystic Knight."
The figure smiled at her. "Will you give up your powers to save him?"
She stared at the little person. She had never thought about losing her powers before. She had been a Mystic Knight for almost 4 years, longer than any of the others. She knew full well, though that with Maeve gone and Temra no longer a threat, she would not need her powers as a knight. She was a capable warrior without them.
"Yes, I would."
The little person laughed and said, "So be it." He raised his hands to her. She could feel the power being pulled from her body. The little person laughed as she watched him spin the energy in front of him. Suddenly he thrust his hands downward sending the spiralling energy into Angus' body. He convulsed and lurched.
Within seconds, the mist disappeared. Breaca fell to the ground, her strength gone. She closed her eyes and let the darkness of oblivion overtake her.

She awoke some time later to a warm kiss on her cheek. As she opened her eyes she was overjoyed to see Angus peering down at her.
She sat up and threw her arms around his neck. "I was so afraid I'd lost you."
He smiled at her. "Don't count on it. You couldn't get rid of me if you tried."
She laughed and held him to her. Suddenly she heard the cry of a hungry baby. Breaca slid out of bed and raced over to where their baby lay. They had a beautiful baby girl.
Angus came over to where she stood. He slid his arm around her and said, "We ought to give her a name."
Breaca smiled and said, "I was thinking about that."

All of their friends were gathered in the throne room, when they entered. Breaca held her daughter close to her and Angus had his arm around his wife's shoulders. They all congratulated them on the birth of their child.
Deirdre smiled and asked, "Have you decided on a name yet?"
Breaca smiled at the princess and looked at Angus who was also smiling. She nodded. "I have."
"And that would be?" Rohan asked, most interested in hearing.
"We named her for a good friend and for my mother." Breaca held out their daughter. "I want you all to meet Deirdre Elan."
The princess gasped in shock. She couldn't believe it. They had named their daughter after her. She stepped forward, hugged her friend and thanked her for the honour.
Garrett and Ivar stepped forward and congratulated them personally on a having a beautiful child. The King then bestowed a blessing on the child as well as a small necklace, which bore the royal symbol of Kells.
They celebrated much that night. Aideen came by and joined in the festivities giving them her best.
Before the celebration ended, one last thing was done. Rohan tapped his mug on the table, calling for everyone's attention. Once he had their attention, he stood. "I would like to say a couple of things. First, I want to congratulate Breaca and Angus in the birth of their beautiful daughter. Secondly," He turned to Deirdre. "I would like to ask King Conchobar for his daughter's hand in marriage."
Deirdre stared at Rohan, nearly dropping her mug.
The King stood. "Marriage?" He broke out in a huge smile, then looked at his daughter, who was still staring at Rohan. "Deirdre, is this what you want?"
She nodded very slowly.
"Then, Rohan, I gladly give you my daughter to take as your wife." The King raised his mug.
Rohan pulled the princess to her feet and kissed her. The entire throne room burst out with cheers.
Angus leaned forward and whispered to Breaca, "I have been wanting to ask you something."
She looked at her husband. "What's that?" she asked, though she knew perfectly well what he wanted to know.
"I remember something that happened and I wanted to ask you if it was true."
"What's that?"
The others had stopped for a moment, also wondering the same thing.
"Did you give up your powers as a Mystic Knight to save my life."
Breaca looked Angus in the eyes, then looked at the miracle in her arms. She nodded as she glanced back at her husband. "Yes I did. It was the only way to save you."
Breaca could hear her friends gasp. She knew that she had no need for the powers since Maeve and Mider both had been destroyed. She also knew that the others would never give up their powers. Then something occurred to her. She wondered if the others would have even had such an opportunity.
"A figure appeared to me and asked me if I would give my powers to save you. I said yes without hesitation."
Angus smiled at her and kissed her. He was very proud of her though he regretted that she had to give her powers away to save his life. But he knew in his heart that he would have done the same for her.