"Flint, Kenneth C - Gods of Eire 02 - Champions of the Sidhe UC" - читать интересную книгу автора (Flint Kenneth C)

"Once, long ago, we called ourselves the sons of Nemed," the Dagda put in strongly. "Too many of us have forgotten that. But we were a proud race who gave in to no one, who battled any power for our place. That was what we were, Febal. Don't you remember?"

He did remember. All those years before when the young, hopeful band of adventurers had come to Eire, seeking their own land. Then they had met the Fomor, a race of raiders who meant to make these newcomers their slaves. They had fought, but the Fomor had nearly destroyed them. The battered remnants of their once-strong clans had sailed into the unknown Western Sea. There, lost and nearly dead, the survivors had been found by the people of Queen Danu.

The Sons of Nemed had been taken to Tir-na-nog, a peaceful and mystical land where four shining cities held marvels the outsiders couldn't comprehend. Danu had befriended them, given them homes, put her own teachers and druids and artisans to helping them learn and regain their strength.

In gratitude, the clans of Nemed had taken on a new name, Tuatha de Danann, the Children of Danu. But the time had come when their leaders decided that they must return to Eire. Danu's land and people were not their own. They were of another, harsher world, and they must return to it and prove themselves.

But, instead of doing that, their traitorous High-King Bres had used his power and their old fears to lead them into the Fomor control.

"Maybe its not a warrior you are," the Dagda went on, "but

BRES RETURNS

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CHAMPIONS OF THE SIDHE

you've always believed in our coming to Eire to win our own life here. And you've always been willing to fight for that when it was needed."

"Yes, I've fought," the other agreed wearily. "I've seen ourj people nearly destroyed by the forces of the Tower of Glass. I've seen them die battling the Firbolgs, hurt and degraded by] the Fomor animals. I've lost my children and friends and* homes and all hope. Is this rocky, savage isle worth all of that? Isn't reason saying to us that we should give it up?"

"It's not reason we're speaking of," the Dagda said. "It's something in the heart, in the life force, that makes us what we are. You may as well ask a baby to stay protected in its womb instead of coming into the world to live, with all its dangers, with death surely waiting. That force drove our people to come to Eire. It's a fiercely protected part of us. The fear of losing it made us leave Tir-na-nog and come back here."

He moved closer to his old comrade, his voice filled with intensity, his rugged face alight with battle-fire. "You have to see our people at Tara, Febal. The rising has brought them alive again. They've a will they've not had in many years. Join them. Don't let it be lost again."

"Even if it means death?" Febal asked.

"Only our spirit made something of us," the Dagda said. "The Fomor took our spirit, took what we are. We have to get it back or we have nothing at all.

He stood up, a massive figure, to address them all.

"I say that we must never again allow the Fomor to rule us through fear. I say that Eire is ours and we cannot let them drive us from it! What do you say?"

Feba! looked around at his gathered people. In their drawn and weary faces he saw a new determination, the rebirth of a glow of pride that had been extinguished for so long. They looked at one another and al! understood. A silent agreement was passed.

"All right," Febal said to the champions with greater heart. "We will go to Tara, all that can. We'll join your rising."

"But what about the Fomor?" asked one of the others. "Won't they act to stop this rebellion?"

"We don't know," Lugh admitted. "To be truthful, we've no idea what the Fomor are planning to do. We've met no kind of organized resistance. We haven't even seen any Fomor parties in our traveling, except those who came here."

"We've seen more than our share," Febal's wife put

"Herds of the filthy beasts have been passing through for days

now.