"DRUIDS BANE" A Tundrawolf Story

DRUIDS-BANE 'Present Time'

Prologue 2500 BC 'Present Time'

"Arthfael.........Arthfael?"

He hears those words in his mind. Why was that? He wonders as he looks around, a name he had not thought of in hundreds of turns. Had that really been his name so long ago? Was it something he had just seen, or something he had just walked by that sparked this memory? Another moment went by and the name was gone. No, not gone, it just did not matter. His mind was onto something else. It would probably be hundreds of turns before he thought of that name again.

Now the name his enemies gave him was the Druids Bane, the Black Druid or the Black Sorcerer. His followers called him their Dark Lord. His slaves and sacrifices called him the Master. Even those names he forgot as soon as he heard them. His mind, as always, was focused on life ending, then regenerating and then beginning again. He thrived only on the power he had over life every time he took one.

He walked through the slave pens, glancing over the new groups of prisoners his acolytes had brought him tonight. Dirty, filthy souls, some crying in terror, some numb, frozen in fear and some with that look of defiance in a hopeless situation. Those were the ones that drew him, those would feed his hunger.

"Arthfael.........?"

Again his old name comes to him. What was it? Why, after so long? And then he sees why. A small child, a girl, coming in and out of his view as he walks through the group of cowering wretches.

He stops and stares at this little girl. Memories come flooding back to him of a time a thousand turns ago before he began this journey of blood and death. He did not remember them as good times, happy or sad times, it was just something he went through, in another time.

He is curious. He picks up the little girl much to the horror of what must be her mother and father. He holds her close staring into her eyes. She is afraid but does a good job of hiding her fear. She stares back into his soulless eyes with a brave face.

He sees now why his mind has gone back to that time so long ago. This little girl has the face of his sister, Genovefa. A face he never thought he would see again, whenever he thought of her at all. He indulges himself as he stares into the face of his long lost sister and lets his mind go back to over a thousand turns ago.

Part One     3500 BC 'The Beginning' (A Thousand Turns Ago)

Arthfael has never been happier in all his thirteen summers. He is a man today and his right of passage celebration is being held at the High King's stronghold of Tara, in the land of Eire. It is a personal favor to his father and mother, the High Druid Priest and Priestess of the realm. 

He had never seen nor tasted such wonderful foods before. Tables full of sweetmeats, fruits and breads from all over the country were brought to the feast for his special day. He had even tasted different wines and ales the High King's guards had passed to him, out of the sight of his father and mother of course. It was truly a wonderful day!

And it wasn't just the food and drink that made the day so special. There were ax throwing contests, archery contests and horse races. There was even a melee in the middle of the day that some of the finest warriors in the land fought in. All of this in  honor of his name day. The High King presented him with a fine new staff made of oak and trimmed in bronze. The Queen gave him a strong, swift pony. All of this being done with his closest friends and family present to enjoy in his celebration.  

As the evening sets in and all of the coming of age celebrations come to a close Arthfael and his friends steal away to explore the High King's stronghold. The marshlands and hills behind the stronghold hold a special interest for Arthfael because they contained the ancient burial places and resting grounds of the High Kings and High Druids of the past. So while the merriment and drinking went on the boys broke away for a once in a lifetime chance to look about.