The Bwy Hir Complete Trilogy (48 page)

CHAPTER
TWENTY

The Halls of Maen-Du were in chaos. Alarm gongs clanged over the panicked shouts of the Druids and the furious bellows of the Bwy Hir scrambling to restore order among the bedlam that unfolded in the Hall of Mirrors.

The assault had been well executed and the breach to their defences had been slyly achieved. Aeron himself had been in attendance in the Hall of Mirrors when the attack commenced.

Aeron should have taken Cadno’s warning more seriously. He should have considered the implications of Atgas’ actions, but even then, nothing could have prepared them for the onslaught that was to unleash itself on the Halls of the Druid, the epicentre of Maen-Du itself and the stronghold of the Host.

The attack had started weakly; one mirror and then another until a total of seven mirrors had begun to receive bangs against the glass from the other side. Runes and incantations had dealt with the first assault and the Druids had congratulated themselves on their small victory.

Then the second wave began; again first only one mirror and then another and then a third until a total of fourteen mirrors were under attack. The attack against the glass was stronger this time and a number of them even began to mist as if something was about to break through, but once again the attack was thwarted and the mirrors quieted for the second time.

The attacks to the mirrors appeared random at first, but with each wave, more and more mirrors on the right flank were under attack. Why? Aeron ordered the immediate attendance of all Bwy Hir still in residence in the Halls. Gwrnach and Taliesin were still in the Dell and Cadno was imprisoned, but all the others entered the Hall in full battle regalia, woad painted and grim faced.

‘The Ysbrydion attack the mirrors?’ Bran could not believe his eyes – never in the history of Maen-Du had Ysbrydion ever risen from y Gwag, not ever and certainly not hostilely.

‘They do,’ Aeron replied darkly, ‘and they grow bolder with every attack.’

‘Is it the same of the Chosen side of the mirrors?’ Celyn-Bach spoke up. ‘Because if it is, they will be defenceless.’

‘We do not know,’ Aeron replied as the banging recommenced, ‘we have sent Seekers to the nearest Chosen homes but they have not returned yet. It is a long way without the use of the mirrors.’

The third bout was more vigorous than the previous two attacks. Again, only the right flank was attacked but this time more of the mirrors misted. Black and red wisps danced across the mirrors’ insubstantial surfaces, pressing and pushing as the Druids’ incantations increased their tempo to keep the mirrors closed.

Again and again, mirror after mirror, the
Ysbrydion battled to gain entry to the Halls of Mirrors and the Druids were sorely pressed. ‘This is a diversion!’ Bran suddenly cried. ‘They press us here to divert our attention.’ He paced the floor, flexing his fists and then he suddenly turned to his brothers. ‘The lakes! Who is guarding the lakes?’

They all stared in horror at Bran’s words.

‘Go,’ Aeron yelled at Bran, ‘take Gwydion, Gryff, and Brenig – ride as swiftly as the dragons will take you, check every lake in every mountain of Eryri. Freeze every lake, destroy any spirit you spy, make sure no Ysbrydion escape – Llud, Celyn-Bach and I will hold here – let none escape, go!’ Aeron urged them on their way and returned his attention to the mirrors.

Aeron, Llud and Celyn-Bach stationed themselves to the right flank, standing behind the line of Druids poised to release
Derwydd yn tân should any mirror fall. A second line of Druids stood directly in front of every mirror under attack, chanting their incantations as white sage burned in bowls at their feet.

‘If any mirror falls, defend the Hall against anything that enters.’ Aeron eyed his brothers and nodded at their readiness. All three lifted their hands, each holding a ball of flaming energy ready to release should the moment come.

And come it did, but not from the right flank. As their attention was on the Ysbrydion attacking the right flank, they failed to prepare themselves for an assault on the left. The attack came swiftly and without warning.

The mirror was the twin of the one located in The Eagles pub, belonging to a Chosen known to all as Bryn-Wisgi. The change from mirror to doorway happened in a blink of an eye; there was no misting to the surface of the glass, no warning. Shards suddenly flew from the mirror, bursting in every direction and the breach was absolute.

‘To the left!’ Llud bellowed as he unleashed balls of fire into the streams of Ysbrydion that flew from y Gwag and into the Hall. As fast as lightning the Ysbrydion glided in every direction, spiralling away from the flames as they began to attack in earnest.

Ghostly figures flew at the Druids, scratching and tearing as they passed, their wicked fingers rending flesh, reaping the Druids as if they were wheat. The Bwy Hir fought valiantly, blasting as many
Ysbrydion as they could but there were so many. An army of wraiths flooded through the Halls, screaming and screeching as they came. The Druids defended themselves admirably. Derwydd yn tân filled the Halls, hissing and crackling into the boiling mass of spectres, but the Druids were too few.

‘Sound the horn!’ Aeron roared over the chaos. ‘Call every Druid to defend the Halls, we cannot hold them much longer. Bwy Hir to me.’ But it was already too late. By the time the horn was sounded the battle was already lost. The moment the horn sounded it prompted a surge of
Ysbrydion and behind them came through the hellish figure of a nightmare. ‘Arawn.’ Aeron staggered at the realisation: before him stood the ethereal form of the most feared Bwy Hir in history: The Horned King Arawn.

Arawn was a terrifying sight to behold. His powerful, muscled physique shone red and black, slick and glossy, the colour of fresh blood. Naked and leviathan he slowly twisted his bull-neck left and right, surveying the scene. The huge antlers adorning his head gleamed black in the firelight erupting around him and yet he stood arrogantly in the heart of the battle.

He towered over the Druids as he swept them aside with a power never before seen in the Halls of the Druid: Arawn was wielding pure electrical energy and he used it adroitly, mercilessly smashing into lines of Druids sending them crashing and writhing to the stone slabs beneath their feet.

From the mirror came more
Ysbrydion but these were more substantial than the wraith-like Ysbrydion sweeping through the air. These Ysbrydion had been well fed and were almost as substantial as Arawn, they stood erect on two feet; these were warriors and they came ready for battle.

Arawn’s burning gaze found Aeron, Llud and Celyn-Bach pressed behind a mass of panicked Druids desperately clawing their way to escape. Arawn’s hideous maw split into an obnoxious grin.

‘Long live the king!’ His gravelly voice rumbling over the din of chaos and with a malevolent laugh he tore through the bedlam, vanishing into the hallways, the band of Ysbrydion warriors followed him, each going their separate ways, their missions underway.

‘Stop them!’ Aeron yelled pushing back at the sea of Druids, but his voice was drowned in the confusion as
Ysbrydion renewed their attack and swooped down on the fleeing Druids. ‘Turn and fight!’ he roared, pushing at the terror filled ranks.

‘Where are the
Helgi? Where are the Seekers?’ Llud shouted as he launched fire into the air. Ysbrydion burst into grey smoke as the fire seared through the spectral forms, fading into vapours to drift upwards and mingle with the white sage smoke floating below the cavernous ceilings.

‘The
Seeker and Helgi were sent to the Chosen villages,’ Aeron shouted back, as he too threw balls of fire into the Ysbrydion ranks. ‘Pray their return is swift.’

The Bwy Hir, slick with sweat from their excursions pressed onwards into the core of the battle, stepping over the dead bodies of the fallen Druids. Other Druids still held fast and their fire joined that of the Bwy Hir as orb after orb tore through the air as the
Ysbrydion twisted and turned, lunged and slashed.

‘We must close the mirror!’ Celyn-Bach shouted, as they pressed ever forward, inch by inch, step by step. ‘We must destroy it.’

Aeron’s expression was grim, his lips pulled back in rage. ‘See to it Celyn-Bach. Destroy the mirror. We will cover you.’ Celyn-Bach gave a short determined nod. Setting his shoulders and bunching his legs beneath him he made a dash towards the open mirror.

Ysbrydion
dived for him, claws and snapping jaws sought to rend his flesh but Aeron and Llud released ball after ball of blazing fury above Celyn-Bach’s head and into the seething mass of ferocious spirits as he fought to reach the open mirror.

Suddenly the ground shook as explosions tore through the lower halls of Maen-Du. Eruption after eruptions shuddered through the mountain. Slabs of rock fell from the ceilings, crashing to the floors below, maiming and killing as they landed.

Cadno felt the shudders as he threw himself against the bars of his cell in the deserted depths of Dduallt. Before that he had heard the horn blow, the alarm gongs boom through the caverns and watched the Seekers call their Helgi to heel and vanish from the dank cavern.

Cadno had demanded to be set free, he had yelled and ranted but to no avail. Now only four souls remained; the beaten bodies of Afagddu and Madog in one cell and he in the second, the
female Helgi chained in the third.

Cadno had thrown bursts of fire at his cage, he had thrown all his weight against the slimy bars of his cell. Again and again he desperately tried to break free but his excursions were futile. He leaned against the bars, panting to catch his breath when he heard footsteps approaching through the entrance tunnel.

He pressed his face against the bars to glimpse the entrance. Torches flickered in the tunnel, casting shadows on the walls. A huge figure was approaching but the horned shadow cast on the walls caused Cadno to shrink back into the darkness of his cell, hiding from the newcomer.

Arawn entered the caverns of
Dduallt, sniffed the air and grinned, purposefully making his way towards the cells. He stopped directly in front of Cadno and peered into the darkness, chuckling before he moved to the next cell.

Arawn grabbed the door to the cell and electricity burst from his hand, crackling and coiling along the metal bars. He heaved and the door swung open. ‘I come for the one named Afagddu.’ Arawn’s voice rumbled and echoed through the cavern. ‘I am here,’ Afagddu replied, his voice sounding weak and feeble.

Arawn sniffed again and reached into the cell coiling his huge hands around Afagddu’s neck. He lifted him out and set him down in front of him. Afagddu stood on shaking legs; he was weak from torture and malnutrition, his body was covered with welts, cuts and bruises, even Cadno was surprised to witness Afagddu’s deterioration.

Arawn stared down at the deformed Druid. Cadno had seen the same look before; a farmer appraising livestock before purchase. ‘I offer you a choice.’ Arawn spoke to Afagddu. ‘Join me or die here.’

Afagddu looked up at the Horned King in fear and awe. His throat was parched and he could not summon any words. ‘Yes or no?’ Arawn growled.

Afagddu nodded and Arawn’s smile made Cadno’s skin crawl. ‘A wise choice.’ Arawn lifted Afagddu’s head and tilted it backwards, leaving Afagddu’s mouth agape. Arawn closed his eyes and breathed in and out. Cadno could feel the raw power emitting from Arawn, he could feel it pulsing and building. Cadno scrambled further into his cell.

Afagddu stood gagging for breath, his eyes rolling in his head. He could not move, Arawn had only one finger pressing under his jaw and yet he was incapable of movement. He could not see Arawn, only feel his finger tilting his head back, but he could feel the energy building and he knew he had made a terrible mistake. Afagddu closed his eyes and a small tear leaked onto his cheek.

Arawn slowly opened his eyes and fixed them on Afagddu. ‘So shall we be joined.’ Red tendrils began to tear themselves away from Arawn’s translucent form and leach towards Afagddu’s gaping mouth. Slowly, one by one, each wisp sought Afagddu’s lips and entered his body. Faster and faster the tendrils swirled and glided into Afagddu’s mouth. Afagddu choked and heaved, squirmed and whimpered as his body was filled with the essence of Arawn, the Horned King.

The more tendrils that left Arawn’s body the less substantial he became and once the last wisp had snaked into Afagddu’s mouth his body collapsed.

Cadno could not wrench his eyes away from Afagddu’s crumpled form and then the horrific noise commenced: bone after cracking bone Afagddu slowly came to his feet. The hideous sound of bones breaking and muscles ripping made Cadno want to gag. He watched with revulsion as Afagddu’s spine uncoiled, his muscles writhing under his skin, bunching and heaving. The cracking and slithering was unbearable as antlers began to push from his skull and hair began to sprout from his head and spill down his back.

When the transformation was complete Afagddu was no longer, in his stead was the magnificent, malevolent form of Arawn made flesh. Arawn twisted his neck and flexed his muscles, testing his new body, and once satisfied he smiled as he turned to Cadno’s cell. ‘I shall let you live, Cadno, although Atgas will be most displeased.’ He chuckled maliciously. ‘I thank you for the atebs you left in Caerlleon.’ Cadno cursed. He had presumed Celyn-Bach had brought his rucksack back here, but obviously it had been left in the grass by the Cerdd Carega. Arawn continued, ‘they will be of great use to me. I also thank you for the female Helgi.’ Arawn strolled to the Helgi’s  cage and unlocked the door, pulling her from her confines. ‘I now have a breeding pair.’ He callously turned his attention to where Madog lay whimpering within his cell. He lifted his hand and shot him square in the chest, ignoring the transfiguration as he spoke to Cadno. ‘You will tell Aeron Ddu this: Arawn the Horned King has returned, the Lost are found, my rule is autonomous, there is one king and I am he.’