Lucky

Chapter 11

The Hill of Tara, previously known as the Hill of Archall, was once the seat of power in all of Ireland. Over one hundred and forty-two Kings were believed to have sat at this seat, ruling over the land with an iron fist.

Where the surrounding landscape is nothing more than rolling green fields and meadows, the hill itself is a small mound that allows for a sweeping view of the land in all directions. At one point in time, this hill featured high walls and fortifications designed not just to defend the keep within, but to signal the importance of he who lived there. These walls circled the top of the mound and then spread out around its base into what was believed to be a small city that housed only the most important names in the land.

If one wished to rule Ireland, one did it from the Hill of Tara.

It was dark when Deaglan and Kaie finally arrived at the Hill. Clouds covered the sky in full, growing thicker and darker by the minute. Where the clouds started off on the horizon, they were slowly creeping closer and closer; foreboding and menacing. A storm was coming.

The two had arrived some one hundred kilometers south of where the Hill of Tara was located. As such, they were forced to catch a bus north, get off at the nearest stop and walk the remained fifteen kilometers to the hills location.

"They never mention all the walking," Deaglan had complained as the two travelled across the vast landscape of Irish country.  It was off being back on Earth, too, with everything looking and appearing as it should. In a way it was welcome, to stare off into the distance and actually be able to gauge how long it would take to get there. But it was equally as frustrating in how long it actually took.

"Who mentioned what?" Kaie asked.

"You know... all the stories about heroes and adventures and... there was never this much walking."

"How'd you think they got around?"

"Well I don't know," Deaglan exclaimed, throwing his hands up as he did. "Airplane. Teleportation. A horse."

Kaie shook her head and picked up her pace. Deaglan had no choice but to follow.

And they continued at that pace until they came upon the Hill, isolated as it was. And when they did reach the Hill, Kaie ran out in front and climbed its short slope. And when she reached the top, she put her hands on her hips in triumph, turning back to watch as Deaglan scurried up beside her.

"There it is," she said. "The Stone of Fai."

Deaglan had read about the Stone previously, and he had had it explained to him in detail by Kaie on their walk to it. It was a large cylindrical grey-stone roughly six feet in height, and as wide as a person. Standing upright, it was surrounded by a ring of grey bricks, and was devoid of any flourish or flair. That was what it was meant to be anyway. But Deaglan didn't see this.

Instead he saw a spear. It stood upright in the center of the Hill, its base driven into the dirt and its three points reaching into the sky. The spear in question was plain to look at too, a dull bronze color from point to base with a brown leather grip wrapped around the handle. It was the same spear he had seen in the painting back at Falias. It was the Spear of Lug.

The sky rumbled behind Deaglan as the storm approached.

"I don't get it." Deaglan approached the Spear, sure that he was missing something. Why was it so easy? Surely there had to be a test, or a trick or something?

"What do you see?" Kaie asked. "Do you see the Stone?"

"What Stone?" He reached the Spear, within feet of it. He wanted to reach his hand out and take it... but was also afraid of what would happen. If anything.