The Log of Magpie
The Grand Tale of Caomhanach
Spoiler
As I was trudging through the Field, I happened upon a small dwelling, dug into the side of a small rise. Weary from the day and the heat, I knocked upon the wooden door, but it swung open under my fist. The home was empty, looted by raiders. The remaining furniture lay broken on the dirt floor, and I feared what I would find in other rooms.
But I gathered my courage and explored further. Near the hearth, in the dust, lay a doll fashioned from corn husks. It was charming, and I picked it up to examine it--
Much to my surprise, I heard a voice behind me.
"Are you going to keep it?" It was a girl's voice.
I turned and saw a young girl's spirit, floating a foot or so off the ground.
"Is this yours?" I asked.
"It was. But I can't play with it any more," she sighed.
"What happened here?"
She turned and coasted further into the house. Curious, I followed.
She led me to a room where the ceiling had caved in a bit, and light came streaming through. There was a family of skeletons, and I paused before the sight.
"Bad things came and hurt my family."
I could not speak a word.
The light caught a piece of metal on the floor. Approaching, I saw that it was a sword, simple in its design, with a leather wrapped hilt, and only a bit of Celtic knotwork adorning the crossguard. It was sharp looking, and I picked it up, admiring it.
A bearded man appeared before me, stern browed and muscled.
"Are you going to keep it?" He asked.
I looked at the sword. "Did this belong to you?"
"Yes. I could not protect my family with it, but perhaps you could use it for something good," he replied, gesturing to the blade.
"Thank you, sir."
"I cannot use it-- keep it well."
"I will sir. And may I ask your name?"
"In life, my name was Aengus Caomhanach."
I held the sword aloft. "Then I will name it Caomhanach, in honor of the family who gave it to me."
The spirit grew misty. "Thank you. Now my family's name will live on in greatness."
The girl and the man faded away into the sunlight.
I shut the door behind me as I left, thrusting the sword through my belt.
But I gathered my courage and explored further. Near the hearth, in the dust, lay a doll fashioned from corn husks. It was charming, and I picked it up to examine it--
Much to my surprise, I heard a voice behind me.
"Are you going to keep it?" It was a girl's voice.
I turned and saw a young girl's spirit, floating a foot or so off the ground.
"Is this yours?" I asked.
"It was. But I can't play with it any more," she sighed.
"What happened here?"
She turned and coasted further into the house. Curious, I followed.
She led me to a room where the ceiling had caved in a bit, and light came streaming through. There was a family of skeletons, and I paused before the sight.
"Bad things came and hurt my family."
I could not speak a word.
The light caught a piece of metal on the floor. Approaching, I saw that it was a sword, simple in its design, with a leather wrapped hilt, and only a bit of Celtic knotwork adorning the crossguard. It was sharp looking, and I picked it up, admiring it.
A bearded man appeared before me, stern browed and muscled.
"Are you going to keep it?" He asked.
I looked at the sword. "Did this belong to you?"
"Yes. I could not protect my family with it, but perhaps you could use it for something good," he replied, gesturing to the blade.
"Thank you, sir."
"I cannot use it-- keep it well."
"I will sir. And may I ask your name?"
"In life, my name was Aengus Caomhanach."
I held the sword aloft. "Then I will name it Caomhanach, in honor of the family who gave it to me."
The spirit grew misty. "Thank you. Now my family's name will live on in greatness."
The girl and the man faded away into the sunlight.
I shut the door behind me as I left, thrusting the sword through my belt.
