| Covenant of the Druids - The Covenant |
| |
| When Snicker opened his eyes, his first thought was of how tired he was. He was dead. Or at least he should be. He stared up at a rough stone ceiling, although it was more a cave roof than a ceiling. Turning his head, he saw an old man, seated upon a crude wooden chair. The old man smiled warmly at him. |
|
| "I am Jonass. I am glad that you have awakened at last." |
|
| Snicker covered his surprise, by attempting to sit up. A wave of dizziness overcame him for a brief moment, and he paused half-way, before he felt steady enough to sit upright. He found himself upon a bed. It was just as crudely made as the chair, but it was sturdy and surprisingly comfortable. "Where am I?" he said at last. "I don’t feel dead, but that poison was lethal. I did not think I would ever awaken again. Did you heal me?" |
|
| Jonass smiled. "You are in the Stronghold of the Druids, deep beneath the surface of this world. As for healing you...yes I healed you. But only after we brought you back from death itself." |
|
| Death itself? Snicker’s mind reeled at the thought. He didn’t feel comfortable facing the thought of being resurrected, so he concentrated on more mundane matters. "Who exactly are you? And how many of you are there?" |
|
| "We are an order of druids who make our home down here. Our numbers are great, as we do not age as mortal man does. We have dedicated our lives to the healing arts. Even death is not too great a barrier for us if too much time has not passed. Had you not fallen so close by, we would not have known you were there, and your death would have been permanent. As it was, we were able bring you back into this world." Snicker looked alarmed at the druid’s words. "Have no fear, you are whole and well. Once you have fully recovered, you will be as you once were." |
|
| Snicker felt his strength returning as they spoke. He did not want to contemplate what the druid was telling him. As a warrior he had little regard for magic. He knew only enough to conjure food and cast a minor spell of healing. The magic required to raise the dead, was totally beyond his comprehension. |
|
| Snicker smiled nervously at the druid. "I give you my thanks for your aid. But I will not impose on your hospitality any longer. If you will show me the way out, I will leave you and your brethren." |
|
| Jonass’ expression grew serious for a moment. "You are free to leave whenever you choose to, but if you will delay your departure for a few minutes, I will speak of how you may aid us in return for our help. If you can perform this task for us, our brotherhood will be eternally grateful." |
|
| Snicker nodded cautiously. "Very well. Tell me." |
|
| "A week ago, another such as yourself lay dying on the surface. I was on duty at the entrance that day, and went to his aid. I knew it went against the Covenant but I do not like to see people suffer. Aremn, our leader, feels that I am too soft-hearted in that regard. I took him below, and we healed him." |
|
| Snicker looked puzzled. "What is this Covenant you speak of?" |
|
| "The Covenant is what governs our order. It is the rules and laws by which we live each day. Most of it refers to how we use our power. The main precept states that we cannot deal with those in the outside world. Long ago our order mingled freely with those on the surface, almost to our ruin. Those in power sought to capture us for their own use. Many of our order died in the struggle, until at last we managed to hide down here, and shut ourselves off from those who sought to control us. One of our order wrote the Covenant, designed for our protection. We have remained here ever since. Until a week ago, we had not dealt with anyone on the surface. The man I helped, seemed friendly enough, and was grateful for our help. But I was too trusting. Before he left us, he stole a valuable artifact that belongs to our order." |
|
| "What was this artifact?" |
|
| "It was a statue. It is fashioned in the shape of a cat. It is solid gold, so it will have some value in the outside world, but its value to our order is beyond any price man could put on it. We need it returned." |
|
| Snicker shook his head sadly. "I’m sorry, but by now the thief has probably sold the statue. And even if he hasn’t, he could be anywhere. The realm is not a small place. There are plenty of places he could hide." |
|
| Jonass smiled. "It is not as hopeless as you may think. We have already sent several of our order to search for the man. Two days ago they found him, deep within the Forest of Death. The Covenant prevents us from any form of physical violence, so all they could do was watch him. If you are willing to help us, I can lead you to where he is. But please understand. We do not wish this man to die. Ordering his death would go against everything that we believe in. But he has already shown his true nature. If you confront him, he will resist. Blood will most likely be shed." |
|
| Snicker smiled grimly. "I am no stranger to violence. And I have no qualms about using my skills if the cause is right. Very well. I will do as you ask." |
|
| Relief was evident on Jonass’ face. "Excellent. The sun has almost set outside. Once it is dark, I will take you to where he is hiding." |
|
| Page 3 of 5 |
| |
|
|
| |
This page hosted by
Get your own Free Home Page
|