The Cursekeeper

Battle Dance of the Twins

Song is, "Hall of the Mountain King" performed by Apocalyptica, composed by Edvard Grieg and Amadeo Mariscal Lopez.

Chapter is rated M for graphic gore.

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Apate gulped as she held Cahira tighter, moving to block Vu and Darrach's view of her lover. "Carman...hi!" Apate cheeped nervously. "I uh...I thought you were heading to the mainland?"

"I was!" Carman snapped, the tendrils getting closer. "But I had a vision!"

Cahira whimpered as she snuggled into Apate's arms. "Momma, you're scaring me!" she whined.

"I'm not your Momma!" Carman snapped, a tentacle of dark magic hitting a shelf of lab supplies and knocking it to the floor with a crash. "You're an imposter!"

"Give us your location and we'll get you both out," Darrach whispered.

Apate didn't have much of a choice. Over time, Carman had been getting more unpredictable and violent. The Goddess of Deceit couldn't help but feel like it was her fault, but right now, she needed to focus on getting Cahira to safety. "Fifteen miles east of Gibraltar," Apate said as Carman slowly made her way over. "Cahira, hang on."

Cahira nodded as Apate reached behind her to grasp the acorn and pocket it, then in a puff of black smoke, Apate and Cahira were transported just outside the Hangman's Tree. "Ceq! Let us in!" Cahira yelled.

"I will let you in, but not Apate," Ceq's voice said over the loudspeaker from one of the branches.

"Please make an exception!" Cahira cried.

Carman's portal opened up behind them and Apate rushed Cahira to the door of the tree. "Get inside!" she yelled as the doors opened.

Before Cahira could say a word, The Morrigan pulled Cahira inside and the doors slammed shut as Carman's tendrils wrapped around Apate's throat. "You're gonna regret making a fool of me!" Carman snarled.

Apate's own dark magic spiraled out of her body and hit Carman in the face. The sorceress' head merely turned to the side before she gave Apate a deadly, cold stare.

"Oh shit," Apate said.

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The Morrigan sighed as she watched Apate and Carman fighting a bloody battle with one another, black tendrils of dark magic filling up the viewing screen.

"Please make them stop, Grandma!" Cahira begged with tears in her eyes, clinging to The Morrigan's red dress. "They're gonna kill each other!"

The Morrigan gazed down at her crying granddaughter before picking the child up in her arms and wiping her tears. "No they won't," she said while kissing Cahira's cheek. "Please don't cry, darling. It'll be fine."

Ceq appeared next to the Goddess of Death, War, Fate and Prophecy before stroking Cahira's red hair. "Trust in your grandmother, Cahira. She is a powerful seer."

The Atlantean being and the Irish Goddess continued to watch the fight while Cahira buried her head into her grandmother's shoulder. The Morrigan started to chuckle when Carman materialized a cast iron skillet in her hand and started hitting Apate in the face with it. "Oof, that had to hurt," she said in amusement.

Cahira's face turned slightly to watch the screen, wincing every time Carman or Apate managed to harm each other. They were pulling out all the stops with their arsenals of dark magic, random objects appearing to smash into Apate while dark, sticky webs attached to Carman in an attempt to slow her down. Both the women were screaming all sorts of profanities at each other. The Morrigan had to admit...they certainly brought it on themselves, but both their battle prowess and determination were commendable.