The New Druid

Una leaned into the wooden tunnel shimmering with the water’s movement. The bear had vanished, and she decided to continue down the carved wooden path. the tunnel was straight, and the pathway along its side was covered in carvings of all the animals that lived on the island. How could no one know that such a marvel existed? the light shined brighter and an opening appeared. Una’s steps quicken, the corners of her lips raising to a smile. The tunnel ended in a large ball shaped room. The violet light was accompanied by the soft green and blue glow of fireflies and an aurora danced around the room. In the center, a metal pin hung from the wood and a massive orb of glowing water floated into a lake below without a sound, the water rippled but did not splash. There were three rivers connected to the pool and each flowed down its own tunnel.

“Beautiful, I know, I love it.” A small man with a long brown beard said. Una jumped, she was so absorbed in the room she had forgotten what had been happening. The little man laughed and ran fingers through his long chin hairs. “Caught you dreaming did I? Are you certain this is a good place to get lost in thought? In nature beauty sometimes means deadly.” He wagged a finger clicking his tongue to his teeth.

“N-- but there was... what about the bear.”

“No bear, only me.” He chuckled.

“You?” Una asked.

“Indeed. Eburacon is my name, though there’s no one to call me that. still remembering your name has its benefits. Like right now. I can tell you I’m Eburacon.”

“Are you--”

“Yes. Why?”

“Do you even know what I was going to ask?” Una said with a raised brow.

“What else would you ask the little man who lives in a tree? Indeed, I am the druid.”

“Then you can save the village?” Una asked with a glow.

“Me? no.” The man said as he moved towards some potted fungi along the curved wall. He pulled a purple one from its roots and popped it in his mouth. He scowled and slammed his eyes shut.

“But they said the druid was the only one who could lift the curse.”

“Maybe when I was younger. I’m too weak now, Druids aren’t immortal, and the village has yet to send me a--” The druid stopped. His eyes flicked up and down Una.

“What? What do you need? I’ll give you anything.”

“First things first. Your name?”

“U- Una.”

The druid walked down his mushroom garden and picked a green and yellow cap. “Una, Eat this. It’s for your wounds.”

Una accepted the small cap and felt her mouth go dry. It smelt like dung. Eburacon starred at her, moving both hands up telling her to go ahead. She closed her eyes and threw it in her mouth. Her stomach swirled in knots as she fought her stomach to muscle it down. She gulped and stuck her tongue out in disgust. The blue flies swirled around her and their glowing dust floated in place. She reached out to touch them and her hand glowed blue. she watched in awe as her wounds sealed themselves shut.

“Una, the village didn’t send you, did they?” Eburacon said as he handed her a glass of glowing water.

Una snatched the water and gulped it down washing away the taste of mud. She averted her eyes, there was no way the village would acknowledge the old religion, they wouldn’t send anyone. “Not exactly. I’m the post guards daughter.”

“So you’re not the champion, I knew it was too good to be true.” The small man wandered over to a reading chair that had it’s back to the glowing pool. He plopped into the chair with an exhausted sigh.

“If you need a champion I’ll be a champion. What do I have to do? I’ll do anything.” she said.

“Do you know what that means?” Eburacon said with a finger on his creased brow.

“No...”

Eburacon sighed and leaned over his chair and grabbed a book, he began reading. Una Stood patiently, it felt like hours had passed, but the druid never regarded her. She had waited long enough.

“Master druid.”

Eburacon shook in his chair and looked up in surprise. “Goodness, you’re still here? Go on, I’ve treated your wounds, you know the way home.”

“I can’t just leave here empty handed. You have to do something about the curse.”

“There is no curse,” Eburacon said.

“But then--”

“I don’t know what plagues your village. Is it the soil eroding? Has the Grand lost a branch in an inconvenient place? Is there a sickness in the air? I haven’t been down there in years now, I don’t even know what the place looks like anymore. I don’t have the power to venture that far from the Grand elm.” he scooped a cup of the glowing water into a mug and slurped it down. “I can’t help you.”

“But if the sheep don’t grow wool we will not last the winter. There has to be something.” Una felt tears in her eyes.

“Is helping others what you really want post guard? would you sacrifice yourself for them?”

She thought of the village, she and her father were isolated and rarely received company. She rolled her head back and forth as she pondered the thought. But when she thought of saving her father, she nodded enthusiastically. “I would.”

Eburacon stuck his tongue in his cheek and eyed Una once more. “Very well.” He hopped off of his chair and walked over to a carving of the grand elm on the wall. He rubbed his fingers along its grooves and it began to sparkle. Light flowed from the top of the tree to its roots. A half circle grew around the tree and the wood rolled around revealing a hidden room. “Come, we shall see what she thinks of you.” He strolled into the small room and waved Una to come as well.

Una ducked her head under the wooden frame, “She?”

Eburacon waved his hand in a circle and the half circle came full rotation sealing them inside. “The grand elm of course.”

The room was pitch black. Una fell to her rear as the floor hummed and rose towards the sky. She looked up and noticed a small circle dotted in stars. The circle grew and grew. And then the floor reached the top with a clunk. Una spun her head from side to side. The night sky hung above her, in a room walled with leaves. Eburacon walked off the platform and approached the center of the room, where a small tree stood with vibrant rainbow colored leaves. He bowed before the tree. “The village has offered their champion.” The color drained from the tree and a rainbow colored wisp circled around the trunk. When it emerged from behind the trunk it was in the shape of a deer, who galloped towards the leafy wall. It crashed into the leaves losing it’s for then shifted to a bird and circled the night sky. The bird made from the wisp dived at the grounds and the smoke covered the floor. A bear crawled out of the colorful floor and stood menacingly in front of Una.

She froze stiff, the bear lunged and exploded when it touched her. the colorful smoke wrapped her from head to toe. In an instant, it left her and shot into Eburacon, and the old man collapsed without a sound. Una ran to him and cradled the old man, fearing the worst.

“She... says you’ll do,” Eburacon said closing his eyes. Una shook her head confused and the druid faded into the smoke. She held the green rags in her hands, her lips parted and quivered. Her eyes directed her to the smoke and she looked on in fear. The rainbow passed through her and many lives flashed before her eyes. She remembered flying over the land, swimming in the ocean. She saw plants grow, she saw them die. Tribes formed and tribes died. The tree grew and grew, and it tore itself away from the mainland. It walked out to sea on its roots pulling the land with it. The village was built, and the people showered the tree in praise. But then in the distance, the mainlanders boats dotted the horizon. The praise had stopped and Eburacon grew older and older. His body was frail and he sobbed. The Grand Elm was sad and dropped a red drop of water into the lake. The sheep drank from the stream and their hairs fell out. Una screamed, and everything went dark.