The war finally arrived.
Maeve, seated proudly in her grand chariot, commanded the mighty coalition of three kingdoms. Tens of thousands of soldiers, equipped with polished armor and weapons that gleamed under the sun, marched under her direct leadership. Her piercing eyes scanned the battlefield as if the outcome was already decided in her favor.
On the other side, Kevin and the Kingdom of Ulster had barely managed to gather a force of 500 warriors and fewer than 1,000 men overall. The odds were beyond dire.
King Conchieber, standing tall despite the tension, came to the city gates to send off the meager Ulster force. As the son of a druid, he was unaffected by the goddess Macha's curse, but he knew well what lay ahead.
Connor, the son of a druid, was appointed the leader of the army, with Cu Chulainn and Kevin serving as his deputies.
Fortunately, the majority of their warriors were members of the Red Branch Knights—legendary fighters, each capable of taking on ten opponents single-handedly. Conchieber had also cleverly enlisted loyal outsiders and individuals with special identities, ensuring they could fight despite the curse.
"Let's be clear," Kevin said, standing confidently amidst the circle of leaders in the war camp. "A direct confrontation is suicide. Before the curse lifts and our warriors awaken, we have only one goal: delay."
Connor, ever the practical leader, nodded. "Agreed. But delay isn't enough. The coalition will reach our territory within three days. If they take control of key strategic positions, we'll have no chance, even if the curse ends. We need to defend those heights at all costs."
Kevin nodded thoughtfully. The plan was set, and tasks were delegated among the leaders. As the meeting concluded, Connor left to manage troop deployments.
Kevin, however, lingered outside the camp that evening, waiting.
He wasn't surprised when Cu Chulainn emerged, fully armored and armed with his magic spear.
"Where do you think you're going?" Kevin asked, smirking as Cu Chulainn stopped in his tracks.
Cu Chulainn sighed. "I should've known I couldn't slip past you. Let me guess—you want to come along?"
"Obviously," Kevin replied with a grin. "You've been itching to do something reckless all day. I knew you wouldn't just sit back and follow orders."
"You're not going to stop me?" Cu Chulainn asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Look, I don't believe in this whole 'one man can turn the tide of war' nonsense. It's like those ridiculous stories where some guy in a metal suit or a guy with a shield saves the world on their own. Total fantasy." Kevin shrugged. "But let's face it—this era is already ridiculous. Why not do something ridiculous ourselves?"
"I don't understand half of what you're saying," Cu Chulainn muttered, shaking his head. "But fine, let's do this together."
The two brothers rode their divine white horses, covering ground quickly under the cover of darkness. Their target was the coalition's main camp, a sprawling fortress of tents and supplies.
Their mission: sabotage.
Connor, of course, had known exactly what Cu Chulainn was planning. He wasn't thrilled about it, but he trusted Kevin to rein in his brother's recklessness. If anyone could pull off such a daring scheme, it was them.
Scathach, however, stayed behind. With the gods' eyes on the battlefield, her presence could risk exposing her true identity and jeopardizing the Kingdom of Shadows.
The two dismounted well before reaching the camp. Kevin patted his horse's neck, instructing it to wait in the shadows.
"Feel that?" Kevin asked, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the perimeter.
Cu Chulainn nodded, gripping his spear tightly. "The air's thick with magic. They've set up barriers. And from the looks of it, there are a lot of guards."
Kevin sighed. "This is way more intense than I expected. Don't they know they outnumber us a thousand to one? What are they so worried about?"
"Maeve's army hasn't lost a battle in years," Cu Chulainn said. "She's known for being a brilliant strategist."
Kevin gave him a skeptical look. "Are we talking about the same Maeve? Because the one I know is a... well, let's just say 'strategist' isn't the first word that comes to mind."
Cu Chulainn chuckled. "You should do your homework, Kevin."
Kevin waved him off and began drawing original runes in the air. The two of them quickly broke through the magical barriers, slipping into the camp undetected.
As they moved deeper into enemy territory, they encountered several guards. Cu Chulainn raised his spear, ready to strike, but Kevin grabbed his arm.
"Hold on!" Kevin hissed. "What are you doing?"
"What do you mean? Killing them!" Cu Chulainn whispered back, confused.
Kevin groaned. "Do you know how much effort we put into sneaking in here? And your first instinct is to start killing people left and right? Have some finesse, man!"
Cu Chulainn looked baffled. Kevin shook his head, turned to one of the unconscious guards, and pressed his magic sword to the man's throat.
"Where's your food supply? Your leader's camp?" Kevin demanded in a low, menacing voice. "Tell me, and I'll give you a quick death."
Cu Chulainn blinked, both impressed and slightly horrified. "That's your idea of finesse?"
The first guard Kevin interrogated claimed ignorance and met a swift end. The second guard, however, broke under pressure and revealed the locations of the coalition's food supplies and command tent.
"See? Information first, murder later," Kevin said smugly, wiping his blade.
Cu Chulainn rolled his eyes. "You're terrifying."
Together, they made their way to the supply depot. Kevin quickly set up runes, enhancing their firepower.
As the first explosion rocked the camp, chaos erupted. Tents caught fire, soldiers scrambled, and the night was filled with shouts and confusion.
"This," Kevin said, watching the flames spread, "is how you delay an army."
"Not bad," Cu Chulainn admitted, twirling his spear. "But we're not done yet."
With the camp in disarray, the two brothers turned their attention to the command tent.
Inside the tent, they found maps, plans, and several high-ranking officers. The officers barely had time to react before Cu Chulainn charged, his spear a blur of deadly precision.
Kevin, meanwhile, took the opportunity to slash the command tent's supports, sending it collapsing to the ground.
As they left the burning camp behind, Kevin couldn't help but grin. "Think Maeve will notice us now?"
Cu Chulainn laughed. "If she doesn't, she's not the strategist you think she is."
The first skirmish of the war had gone to Ulster. But both brothers knew this was only the beginning.
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