The Ogham Stone

Chapter 1. The reluctant hunt for Aodh.

Donndubhán sat at The Tavern watching the cloaked man demanding the monthly rent, while his men sat at the tables eating all the best food and harassing the waitresses. The Tavern was an old, rectangle wooden lodge with a stone floor, very large brick fire place and six upstairs bedrooms for overnight stayers.

No one could do anything about the men, after all who could fight a magic user, especially when you were just a young adult, not even twenty. Besides even if Donndubhán could have helped he wouldn't have. He didn't care in the slightest what they did, as long as he was able to finish his drink in peace.

It had become rather normal for these mercenaries to go from village to village demanding money and land so Donndubhán was not surprised when they entered the tavern and started threatening to wreck the joint if their demands were not met.

Magic was not as rare as it used to be, in recent years many people had been getting elemental powers, all unique but all based off the four elements, Fire, Earth, Water, and Air.

You could tell a Magic user, for when they used their elemental power their eye colour changed. Water users would have bright sapphire eyes; Earth users would have an emerald green, Air users an almost see through silver, while Fire users eyes would become a dark glowing red.

Donndubhán could easily see that this man was a fire user from his dark red eyes, as he guided a ball of flame close the bar maid's face, depending the needed payments.

He was part of the Merchant Guild, who had grown in power ever since their leader had received magic powers, along with several of his men, who were all promoted to captain; they went around taking money in return for "protecting" the citizens from outsiders.

This Certain Captain was named 'Ruthless' Aodh and he was, ruthless, with his broad shoulders, huge body height and scars going all the way up his right arm, he was known for leaving entire villages in flames

Donndubhán was wondering "Why he was here at all", he did not normally come on such small raiding party's.

They normally payed the taxes (and put up with the raids) but then came his answer.

"You have no right!" screamed a young man about the same age as Donndubhán.

"No Right to come here pillage and steal under the pretences that you are protecting us!"

Donndubhán laughed to himself "This idiot's going to get himself killed"

Then he noticed who it was, putting his head in his hands, he started to groan "Oh no it's that moron Cadeyrn" and just as he expected after him came Cadeyrn's younger sister Boudicca begging him to stop.

Donndubhán's family and theirs were very close. Donndubhán himself was not so close, he really didn't like Cadeyrn, always going on about freeing lands from evil and other nonsensical things like that. His sister on the other hand was prudish and uptight always smiling and saying things like "What a wonderful day" on days that were lashing rain. The two kids combined, drove him mad. So he was not about to jump up and get himself killed for this moron.

Aodh it seemed had not even heard Cadeyrn screaming at him, being distracted with harassing the bar maid, so Cadeyrn threw a metal jug at the back of Aodh's head, which made Aodh turn around with a look of bewilderment. (Almost a look a Lion would give a mouse if it tried to bite him.) "Someone lose this?" he said picking up the jug. He turned around to see Cadeyrn glaring up at him, fully enraged.

"Ah yes you're the one stirring up trouble, the reason I've been sent to this rat invested hole. I've come especially to see you" he chuckled, punching the boy right in the stomach winding him. While Cadeyrn was on the floor gasping for air, Aodh walked around him in circles, drinking his mug. Two soldiers held Boudicca back, who had tried to run to her brother's aid.