I accepted magic to fight evil and it turned me into a girl, but I don’t think I really mind?

Jennifer Shannon

Chapter 4

Daniel and I both stared at the raven sitting calmly on my shoulder. I knew some birds could speak, but this didn’t seem to be mere mimicry. This was a clear response to our conversation in proper English, although with a strong accent I couldn’t place, although it sounded vaguely Celtic, somewhat like Irish or Scottish. I should probably have been more freaked out, but I think there had been too many shocks lately, plus the bird seemed familiar somehow.

“Sure, a talking bird. If there are monsters, of course there can be talking animals,” Daniel said in exasperation.

“I do understand that it is unusual to encounter a messenger that was sent by the gods, but I fear that we must focus our attention elsewhere. These attacks will continue,” the raven replied.

“How? I mean, the monster’s dead, right?”

“The monster is called a bocánach, and there are many other bocánaigh. They have been used for ages as mercenaries by the fey and by other magical beings. These ones are working for an evil millennia-old druid, who is named Wirognawos. He intends to have the bocánaigh sacrifice hundreds of people to empower him to extend his life, as he has done several times before.”

“So why are you talking to us? What can we do about it?”

“I am speaking with you only because you are here. The Morrígan, a Celtic goddess of battle and death, has sent me to petition only Matthew Corlett for his aid.”

“Me?! What can I do?” I asked.

“I did attempt to explain the situation once before, however, you were rather inebriated at the time. You have inherited the ability to use that focus you hold to gain great power, and you are the only person to have done so that is also of an appropriate age for fighting.”

“OK, but how could I have inherited any power given by a Celtic goddess? I know I have a Manx family name, but my grandfather wasn’t actually Celtic. He was Wolastoqey, an indigenous Canadian back in New Brunswick, where I’m from. He was adopted by a white family after being picked up in the Sixties Scoop.”

“The actual bloodline is not important to the gods. Although the history behind the adoption and loss of culture is dreadful, your great-grandparents considered your grandfather to be family, and gave him their name. That is enough for the power to have been inherited. This is fortunate for us now, since the other young people of the Corlett name have not descended from the last person to use the power. Over time, Wirognawos has orchestrated the elimination of the rest of the family, however, his prejudices have led him to overlook you.”

“So, I’m the only option? What about the police, or even the army?”

“Their weapons would either be insufficient or cause too much collateral damage. You were very fortunate to have drawn that bocánach into machinery carrying enough power to injure it, and the others will now be more cautious in such situations. Only an individual that has been divinely empowered can effectively battle these creatures. The only thing that the Halifax Regional Police or the Royal Canadian Mounted Police will be able to do is to reduce panic by concealing the truth of the situation, as they are already doing, and the Canadian Armed Forces do not have the resources to defeat the bocánaigh without destroying large areas of the city.”

“Shit.”

“Shit, right, man! You get to be a superhero granted powers by the gods! Like Shazam!” interjected Daniel.

“Isn’t Shazam a child that turns into a huge muscular man? I don’t think I really want to be associated with that character.”

“You should not have to worry about an uncomfortable transformation, since this power, once you begin to use it, will slowly change you into your ideal fighting form. It being your own ideal, it is likely to be more comfortable than even your current appearance,” the raven answered.

“I think you might have missed the point, bird. Don’t worry, Matt, I won’t compare you to a kid again. That bugs me too when people do it to me,” added Daniel.

I thought that even Daniel was missing the point, but I wasn’t quite sure what my point was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on why the comparison bothered me. I decided to change the subject a bit.

“So, what should we call you, raven? It’s a bit awkward to call you ‘bird’ or ‘raven’,” I said.

“I have not been named. Your predecessor did just call me ‘raven’, however that was ‘bran’ in the Gaelic of the era. I do suppose that ‘Bran’ is a masculine given name, and so you could use it to refer to me,” replied the raven.

“OK, Bran. So, how does this work? Would I be permanently super-powered, and would I get to keep a secret identity?”

“You would be divinely empowered as the one called the ‘curadh’, the hero or warrior, after reciting an incantation until when you rest. The power, when so invoked, would come with the transformation of your garb to the traditional uniform of the hero, which is enchanted to mask the identity of the wearer. Also, even when not fully empowered, you and any family would be made more resistant to harm.”

“Family? Would they go after my family back home?”

“They are likely to stay in this area, however, this would become relevant should they visit here, or should you gain a spouse or children, whether you do so in the eyes of the law or not.”

“In the eyes of the law or not? So, what’s to stop me from starting a relationship, or becoming a parental figure to a bunch of kids, just to protect everyone?”

“You would have to actually feel as if you had become a spouse or parent to someone for this to work. You would not be able to deceive the Morrígan, and she would not appreciate the attempt.”

“Right. Don’t lie to the goddess. That makes sense. So, what’s the incantation?”

“It is etched on the focus.”

“OK… I just see some scratches. If this is writing, I can’t read this language.”

“Those scratches are Ogham, and they read ‘Cairech borr a bacras fann; fo-ránaic in caur forlann. Lúth caurad lass’ fosta crech, áiliu ar cúrad cairech.’”

“How’s he supposed to remember that when it comes time to fight?” asked Daniel.

“Due to the inherent power of the verse, now that he has heard it, he will not forget it. I will leave you for now to consider this charge. Should you choose to accept, simply concentrate on the focus and recite the incantation at the next attack.”

As Bran flew away, the two of us stood there processing what we had been told. It was all unbelievable. There was no way I could be a superhero, rushing into danger.