Jaxen was a willing follower. He had eyes only for the sword. Shit, this thing was heavy. The point was wicked sharp. Even the edges slid red when he thumbed it. The hilt was designed with gold overlay and jewels. Despite the beauty, it was something inside that was the object of Jaxen’s obsession.
Aiden’s declaration broke the spell, and Jaxen looked around. The Causeway was someplace he would be happy to never see again.
“Yeah, car. Do it,” he mumbled, turning the sword over and over again, trying to catch a glimpse of the light inside.
Then he just began to laugh, something broken more than merriment. "That was fucking unbelievable!" he said with tears in his eyes. Just for fun, he hoisted the bitch-ass heavy sword as if to challenge Aiden's spear to a duel. He had no idea how to use it except to keep the pointy end away from himself. But his arms were noodles and he didn't think he could do much else than stand there looking like a proper awesome idiot.
Aiden glanced over to Jaxen as he hefted the sword and exclaimed with excitement. A look of sheer wonder had come over the man’s face, his gaze fixed to the sheath of the blade. Aiden shook his head gently. Only minutes ago, the two of them had been dueling before an assembly of snake people, neither quite sure if they would ever see the open sky again. Aiden had taken it all as if it were a grand adventure, but Jaxen? Aiden would never forget the maddened look that had taken ahold of Jaxen as he sprinted away deep into the tunnels of the snakes. It was a wonder he had made such a quick recovery, but then, mythical treasure could apparently bolster a man’s spirits.
The Stone of Destiny loomed behind Jaxen, drawing Aiden’s eye again. The snakes had called him the King of the Tuatha De – that had not completely escaped him before the Sword and the Spear were revealed to them. The Spear. Lugh’s Spear? Had the snakes thought him to be Lugh? True, he had Irish blood in him, but he was no God King. His eyes went down to the Spear in his right hand. He could no longer feel Fire and Spirit coming from the thing, but then, he was no longer holding on to the Light.
It took a few tries, but Aiden finally took hold of the Light – exhaustion be damned. The Fire and Spirit were there all right, but he only felt traces of it now. He spun out a thread of both elements and touched them to the ogham letter engraved into the shinning spear head. The head immediately burst into blues flames, causing Aiden’s eyes to grow wide. He let the threads go and the flames subsided.
That will come in handy, Aiden mused to himself as he turned his gaze back to the Stone of Destiny. He felt nothing from that unremarkable stone. No Earth, Air, Fire, Water, or Spirit. Was it a treasure of the Tuatha De? The true stone was said to cry out with joy when the rightful king placed his feet upon it. Dare he test the legend? And what if it did cry out? Would all the citizens of the Emerald Isles come to kiss his feet and worship? Would they demand he challenge the Ascendancy and break the islands away to become a sovereign nation once more?
Aiden took a step towards the stone and faltered, shaking his head slightly. He had tested fate enough for one day. Perhaps he would return here with Sage in the coming months and see if there was anything to the myths of his own ancestors or the words of the snake people. For now, the spear and his freedom were enough.
The wallet came into his left hand in a flash and – thankfully – it had full service. Jaxen kept staring at the sword in wonder and Sage seemed to be deep in thought, no doubt linking into the technology that resided within his skull. The car was ordered and then a private jet was chartered for the three of them. If everything went to plan, they would be back home before the dawn of the next day.
Exhaustion threatened to take hold of him once more. Aiden would not allow that. Not until he was safely nestled into the comfort of a private car and leather seats. He drew a cigarette out from the pack in his pocket and lighted the thing, beginning to pace atop the hill, waiting and watching for the hired car to arrive.
The flight back home had gone smoothly. Jaxen and Aiden had recieved curious and shocked looks from the crowds of people milling through Belfast International Airport. The looks had continued as they boarded the private jet, although the stewardesses were professional enough to keep their comments to themselves and quickly look away. Aiden took a window seat and pulled Sage down next to him, the spear tucked away to the left and against the window. Aiden had slept through the entire car ride, but that had not been enough. His eyes closed before they even took off and his head fell to rest against Sage’s shoulder.
Ten hours later, the unmistakable skyline of Moscow rose up into the sky as the sun crested the horizon. The three heros had returned home and their adventure had come to an end.