Chapter 79

Morgana was waiting for us at the other side of the portal along with her Gorgon honour guard. Without hesitation she stepped forward to take me into her arms as I laid my head on her shoulder and began the sobs that I’d put off since the realisation that Thea was no longer with me.

“I ... I’m so sorry, John,” she murmured softly into my ear.

“I didn’t even realise that she’d been taken ... killed. I could barely hear myself think at times,” I moaned as another portal opened and Arch stepped out flanked by Róisín who ran up to me tears in her eyes to join with Morgana in holding me.

“How ... how bad, John?” Arch asked, though from the darkness in his eyes he surely knew.

“Of the five hundred and twenty that we took through, less than a hundred and seventy made it back,” I said in tones barely above a whisper. “The wolves ... Leonova’s wolves and the Verenestran Sidhe broke the blocking Sidhe defences but paid a terrible price in doing so, our Sidhe allies going down to the last man. The Nosferatu lost almost two thirds of their people, though Nell made it back. The Loegrians lost almost all, save Gindo and five others when the Daoine Sidhe got in amongst them.

“Olmer?” Morgana asked.

“Stayed at the gate with Seer Adsila as ordered by you,” I replied. “The Æsir, Murians and Craebh Ruadh all fought bravely though each lost over half their members. Our earth trained Special Forces came out best of all of us and finally broke the last Sidhe charge. But we also lost sixty-three Mages, including my Thea.”

“You brought through survivors?” Róisín asked softly.

“Yes seven adults and thirty children. I ... I think the children were to be cooked as a delicacy for the Daoine Sidhe...” I broke off as tears flowed again.

“You did well, my John,” Morgana spoke earnestly holding my face up to look me in the eye.

“Not well enough,” I sobbed through my anguish.

“Well enough,” Arch stated putting his hand on my shoulder.

“I ... I need to say some things, see some of my people,” I said, willing my tears to stop and holding back my grief, albeit temporarily.

“Of course, John,” Morgana said gently.

Róisín and the others walked with me as I sought out first the Lycana Belikovna who were sitting quietly in their own grief along with Marja.

“Your people fought well, Alpha Leonova,” I said as she got to her feet.

“I have already informed Alpha Jacob and your people can go to the wolf world with our blessing,” Morgana added.

“Thank you, Mage Morgana, Mage John, but there remains only seven of us in the pack and we cannot grow ... not easily,” Leonova replied.

“I can offer a gift for your service. Children of you all from your mixed genomes, twins for all of you,” Morgana offered.

“You would do this for us?” Leonova spoke for all her wolves with wonder in their eyes.

“The universe would be a far poorer place without the brave Lycana Belikovna in it,” Morgana replied.

“We accept,” Leonova replied as her wolves crowded around to thank us.

“And for you, Marja?” Morgana asked.

“Simply that you owe me and the Zielona Gora Lycana a favour, Mage Morgana,” Marja replied.

“A very large favour,” Morgana promised.

Next we went over to the Loegrians who were clustered around Olmer and Gindo.

“I’m so sorry, Olmer,” I said to my shaken friend.

“It wasn’t your fault, John,” Gindo replied for Olmer. “The bastards simply outnumbered us despite all your aid. But by the gods we took down those bastards who led them!” he finished proudly.

“That we did,” I acknowledged.

“Joras expected high losses, John. Rowenna warned him that this would be rough which is why my Dorry remained at home,” Olmer added.

“Your other forces with the other teams came through fine,” Morgana informed them.

“That’s good, near a quarter losses, nowhere near what the wolves lost, poor lasses,” Gindo replied.

“We’ve made up their losses,” Morgana added.

“Magic?” Gindo chuckled.

“Magic,” Morgana confirmed. “We owe your men a big favour. The ones you lost ... well, let’s just say their families will be provided for in ways they won’t be able to believe.”

“Thank you, Mage Morgana,” Gindo replied as all his men stood proudly and saluted.

Nell was next, though she did not appear to be too disconsolate.

“Our sorrow for the losses to our friends in Clan Juwes,” Morgana said formulaically.

“They are well remembered in our blood,” Nell replied with a slight smile.

“A debt is owed,” Morgana stated.

“Richard knows this,” Nell replied. “He will be in touch as I believe he’ll wish for the Council’s support to become the Țepeș Ambrogio.”

“Head of the Drăculești Carpe Noctum Confederation,” Morgana nodded.

“Yes, Mage Morgana,” Nell replied.

“It will be granted,” Morgana confirmed. “And he’ll also have our support should he need a show of strength,” she added.

“I’ll so inform him, friend Morgana,” Nell replied with a delighted smile.

“With friends like Clan Juwes we are truly blessed,” Morgana replied giving Nell a formal bow.

We then went to the Mages, most of whom were sitting quietly among friends or comforting those who had missing comrades. I tried to apologise, but they were having none of it, all saying that they knew the risks going in and that I or indeed any of the team leaders were not to know about how bad the entry routes were ahead of them.

“You led us well, John. It was an honour to serve under you,” Mage Natsuko said taking my hand and gently squeezing it.

“I ... I just wish I could have brought more back,” I almost whispered to her.

“You did well enough to bring so many,” Natsuko replied getting murmurs of agreement from other Mages.

“You saved us, John. When the Sidhe had us surrounded, you gave the orders that ensured our survival. Yes, we regret our losses and will mourn for them, but at least we are alive to mourn,” journeywoman Mage Emily said.

“Roger?” I asked.

“He lives. Bloody silly man lost his arm ... again,” she chuckled.

We then went to the Æsir, Murians, Craebh Ruadh and our Special Forces who had started a massive wake and had clearly bonded as warriors. Drinks were pressed into our hands and the tales began of our fight and the bravery of others. We were soon joined by the others and more laughter and tears flowed as we began to deal with our losses, grief and pride.

Soon other portals opened and friends and others flowed through to join with us, including Rowenna who also had Dorry and Benjamin with her. Dorry immediately seeking out her Olmer and Benjamin the refugees we’d rescued.

I was approached by Verenestra who had come through with William and several Sidhe wearing the ‘freedom colours’ they’d adapted to keep them apart from their brethren. The Sidhe being invited to sit and drink as comrades in arms, something they clearly weren’t used to, but pleased about nevertheless.

“Well done, John, though condolences on your loss of Thea,” Verenestra said softly.

“Thank you, your Highness,” I replied. “Tonight we celebrate their lives, tomorrow we mourn their loss to us.”

“We have received some intelligence, early as it is. Oonagh is apparently most wroth that her enemies were able to attack and kill so many of her loyal subjects,” Verenestra stated. “From what we understand, none save one of the Daoine Sidhe made it back to the Outer Realms and this has several of her supporters greatly afraid of the alliance now ranged against them.”

“We used Null bullets and what our allies called an implosion bomb which disrupted energy patterns and absorbed them into the quantum layers. Essentially they went through a mincer, though in the case of Goibhniu, he died on the end of my Nulled rapier,” I replied.

“Well done, John. He will be a great loss to them. For all he was hot-tempered and as evil a being as it is possible to be, he was also a very effective General,” Verenestra praised.

“I’m sorry for your people,” I said. “It was a desperate move to break those blocking our retreat, but your people never hesitated. They followed our wolves in and broke the defending force despite it costing them their all.”

“They were all volunteers, John. The respect your people are showing for my own gives me great hope for the future and the Sidhe being accepted back amongst the civilised worlds,” Verenestra replied.

“Your warriors have already told the tale and it will no doubt grow in the telling, John,” William added.

“I just wish I could have saved some of them,” I replied.

“John, when the Sidhe managed to block Arch and I, the forces they had spare all went after your force. Your people faced down and defeated nearly seven thousand Sidhe; took out the leadership cadre of their Queen and left them looking weak and humiliated. You and your force may just have turned the tide for us on Tír na nÓg,” Morgana stated. “I wish Thea had survived, I’ll miss her underhanded delivery of the roses, but her death was not in vain.”

“You knew about the roses?” I replied a little shocked.

“I’m not stupid, John. Then again it took me all of a week to figure it was more than one of you,” Morgana chuckled.

“Jude insisted,” Róisín added.

“Yes, he wanted to make me happy and give you lot something to do which made you feel good about getting one over on me,” Morgana said with a wry smile. “The ones I loved were the ones it took days to figure out just how you’d done it.”

“I thought we got quite ingenious towards the end,” I replied with a slight smile and a few tears.

“That you did,” Morgana chuckled. “Oh, speak of the devil,” she added as Jude came through a portal to join us.

“Well met,” he greeted us.

“Well met,” we all replied.

“Sorry for your loss, John, but you’ll join Thea again one day in the fullness of time,” he commiserated me.

“So ... so she is dead,” I sighed.

“Yes, John. She’s in the courts of the most high amongst those who laid down their lives for others. She’s happy, missing you, but knows that all things come around and she’ll see you again one day,” Jude replied.

“It might be a while,” I said slightly shocked at Jude’s confirmation.

“Time works differently there, or hadn’t you guessed from the Outer Realms?” Jude chuckled.

“Never gave it any thought,” I replied.

“Oops, another secret out of the bag,” Jude chuckled. “Mourn her passing by all means, John, but you have my word she’s fine and waiting for you.”

“But no hurrying to see her,” Róisín added, snuggling into me as Abi, Brianna and Imelda arrived.

“Of course not, my love,” I replied as I was swept up in their arms and the tears for our loss fell again.

We were then joined by Stormforce-Ensi Hinnit whose men and women had been amongst Morgana and Arch’s forces as it had been thought they’d have faced the toughest opposition.

“A fine fight, though not the manner in which we expected things to go,” he said after greetings and commiserations had been given.

“Yes, we were supposed to be the distraction,” I said. “Not the coup de grâce.”

“Yet in the end it was your team who managed the killing blow,” Hinnit replied.

“We possibly could have broken through, but it would have cost us dearly for little gain,” Arch added.

“That’s why I ordered the withdrawal,” Morgana replied. “I’m just glad we didn’t push it. Team Thea’s casualties were bad enough without us adding the cost of a full frontal attack through a series of defended valleys.”

“They still outnumbered us despite the forces they sent against you, John. Though we got a good chunk of them when they came charging out hoping to catch us in the rear,” Arch added.

“Wonder why they were there, it’s not like they wandered much during the day before,” I mused.

“Wasn’t treachery,” Morgana replied. “Otherwise they’d have stopped you too.”

“Probably a hunting party or they caught a sniff of us advancing,” Arch opined.

“More than likely,” Morgana sighed. “Still, we’ll go over the data in a few days to see what, if anything, we could have done better.”

“Probably lots,” I replied.

“Without a doubt, John. Some of it will be criticism from those who weren’t here and couldn’t know,” Arch added. “We have a few armchair Generals still on the Council who use hindsight to justify unwarranted criticism.”

“Tell me about it,” muttered Morgana. “I’ll be getting it in the neck for leaving you as second in command of Team Thea.”

“No one else wanted it,” I morosely chuckled.

“No one wanted my job either, John, though it won’t stop them claiming they could have done better,” Morgana replied.

“Invite them to play for the next one, though I suspect our people might refuse to serve,” Gindo added as he Olmer and Dorry joined our group.

“Trust has to be earned and we trust you, John, Morgana, Arch and Róisín,” Dorry noted.

“Thanks Dorry,” I replied. “How are the kids?”

“Growing up way too fast,” she chuckled.

“Ever the way,” Róisín giggled as another round of toasts to the fallen began.

We all drank to excess removing the ability to prevent us from getting drunk and allowing our feelings and emotions to begin to deal with our grief and loss. Mage Benjamin moved around us all assisting the process and ensuring no unhealthy paths or traits were formed by way of psychosis whilst Rowenna carefully edited a few of the more traumatic incidents, not to remove them completely, but enough to make them liveable.