Chapter 38: Isle of The Skye Pt. 2

In Ireland, the itch of a nose is considered to be a sign of a fight to come. Now Theriault wasn't superstitious... At least not any more than he had to be with all the fantastical and mythological creatures and people walking around in normal society, but it was weird he and Hunter had both felt the itch on their noses. They hadn't even been talking or anything, when they'd suddenly gotten that feeling on them like something bad, would happen if either one moved from where they were standing. And as soon as those feelings came up into being, Theriault opened the door.

A low creak sounded out through the room, the sound reminding him more so of an old wooden boat about to go down some watery grave rather than just any ordinary house door opening. But before the thought could really settle itself into his brain, there was light filling up what little space remained between the open Theriault sat outside of the bar, looking up at the bright moon as its light bathed him right there on the street. and him.

Theriault reacted in a flash, rushing toward the light and lashing out.

"Wow, can we go inside that room to Daddy?" He heard just as his fist was about to hit the flashing light, stopping it right in front of a camera lens as a couple gulped, looking at him in fear as their daughter smiled.

"Is this... part of the exhibit?" The dad asked as Hunter and Shen Yi, both prepared for combat, looked out the room as well to see a completely shocked Theriault.

"Uhh... Yes, of course, good job at keeping calm, sometimes I get a nice kick to the face haha..." Theriault said, playing off his attack as he looked around.

This place was quite big, and seeing the many vibrant tourists showing their kids around, and the multiple tour guides, Theriault realized they were just in a museum.

"But that doesn't make any sense, does it? A museum where Scathach is supposed to be?" Shen Yi said as the trio walked down the long hall, stopping every so often to look at a random art piece, or a sculpture retelling some sort of history.

They passed by several paintings and sculptures of men wearing armor, holding weapons of various shapes and sizes. Some had swords, others axes; one man wielding a bow made of stone stood near another statue with large horns growing out from its head.

There was even a Cu Chulainn exhibit, showing a non-accurate depiction of the hero in multiple battles. Then finally... Scathach.

"Yeah... This is quite weird, I was expecting combat immediately... I definitely felt threatened just by being in this place; It makes no sense for her not to be here, unless of course..."

Theriault didn't finish his words, thinking about what this could mean. Were they in the wrong place? Had Uathach's information been outdated?

That would make sense considering she'd been out of contact with her mother for nearly 2 centuries, the consequences of trying to murder someone close to you in cold blood.

It almost made him feel bad for Uathach, almost. He wondered if she had a truly good reason to try and kill her mother. His thoughts drifted to Ariana, someone who had tried to kill him once several weeks after the Voxlend massacre. Though Theriault knew how much she loved him back then, knowing what happened after made Her actions seem justified, especially when he remembered that she never forgave herself for letting her husband die, nor did she forgive her brother who hadn't been strong enough to stop it. So much self-depreciation was

"Being so lost in thought while staring at such a remarkable historical figure?" A woman said, dressed in a tour guide outfit and looking pleased with herself.

Theriault snapped out of his thoughts and looked at the woman, eyeing her up and down before turning back to the sculpture of Scathach.

"Yes, quite remarkable..." He muttered.

Rolling his eyes as the woman raised her eyebrow. "You don't agree?" She asked, a kind smile strewn upon her face.

He shrugged slightly. "I don't know much about Irish culture, the Celtic legends and all that... I'm only passing through."

She nodded again, seeming satisfied with the answer, and moved past him to take pictures.

"So do you have any questions for me about this amazing artwork?" The woman asked, taking a selfie with the Scathach sculpture and moving over to a painting depicting Scathach and her sister, Aife.

Theriault eyed the woman curiously, she didn't seem strange in any way, yet she had suddenly struck up a conversation with him out of the blue.

'Are my social skills really this terrible? Or is there some ulterior motive...' Theriault thought?

"Well... What is this painting about?" He asked, walking up to the woman and staring at the two women in the painting.

"Well, it's the warrior Scathach facing off against her sister, another powerful warrior of Celtic legend... Some say she was stronger than Scathach," The woman spouted off, relaying tons of information that Theriault didn't bother to listen to.

"Scathach fought Aife in the great battle of Magh Mor and won after a long drawn out war. That's why one of Scathach's names also stands for conqueror. After the war, Scathach fell ill and died..."

Theriault looked at the woman again, seeing the longing look in her eyes as she stared at the painting. She spoke of these events ever so passionately.

"Wow, I never knew about that battle... It's not in any books I've read..." Theriault said. Of course, this was bait, he'd never read up on any of the Celtic legends, except for the main hero Cu Chulainn, besides that though he wasn't much of a mythology buff.

The woman's face tightened. "Ah, it's somewhere out there, can't remember where I read it though..."

A lie.

Theriault smiled kindly, a completely foreign feature to his face. "Is... that so?"

*Whoosh!*

Theriault barely had time to react as he felt the cold steel blade press into the side where his heart was beating slowly, quickening as it realized the situation.

"You are quite perceptive kid... Don't signal to your friends, I noticed you three took the ancient entrance to the Isle... If we hadn't closed it off ages ago you would have entered right into Dun Scaith... Good thing huh?"

Theriault maintained his composure, even though every fiber of his being told him to attack.

He still felt the aching from the battle with The Leviathans, it was happening again, the thing he was trying to beat...

"Yeah... But why can't we go to Dun Scaith? I was under the impression it's quite broken down by now-"

"Cut the shit, I can sense that key on you boy, quite the strange one it is, haven't felt a key like that since... Well, my sister," The woman said, smiling fondly as she looked over at the painting of the blonde and redhead facing off.

"Huh... So you're Aife?" Theriault asked, confirming what he had already guessed as she nodded, pressing the knife harder against his jacket.

"That's right... Not that it concerns you. You and your little friends will leave this place immediately, you won't ever try and sneak into our home again, it is hard enough keeping up the hidden realm without your presence to disrupt my sister..."

Theriault felt the blade fall away from his jacket.

"Oh... I see, I was wondering how so many things could go unnoticed, you guys have been using Keyscapes this entire time?" Theriault said, sighing to himself.

"Unfortunately... I am under work, and Scathach is my source of income... So..." Theriault smirked as he lashed out, his own dagger clashing against the brilliantly crafted switchblade the woman had.

She easily deflected his blow, her golden blonde hair flowing through the air as she slipped under his armpit, wrapping him in a hold with the switchblade right in front of his face, alerting his friends of the altercation.

"Hey, let him go!" Shen Yi yelled, summoning her sword immediately as Hunter's hair turned bright orange and flames appeared in his hands, a grimace showing on his face as he felt the sting from the elven slave mark.

The woman grinned wickedly. "Don't worry kids, come at me, I can take care of myself I assure you..." She said, throwing Theriault against a wall and stepping forward, blasting through the air and landing on the wall, her eyes glowing a bit as she burst off the marble structure, slamming both her knees into Shen Yi's face and slapping Hunter in one swift motion.

She stood next to the Scathach mural, smiling widely as the three were on the ground. "Almost too easy, are you sure you're Keymasters?" She asked as Theriault stood up, his bones aching from his earlier wounds.

"You truly are a monster, fighting in your condition? You're quite broken right now boy, I'd suggest letting your little crew handle it..." The Skeleton said, appearing to the side of him as Theriault shook his head, raising his hand to his mouth and biting into it until he drew blood.

"Self-cannibalism? That's a new one," Aife said, mocking him as he breathed in, the adrenaline rushing throughout his body as the pain from his hand and body ceased.

He looked at her with a new expression as he rushed her, one he didn't show often.

Fear.