Chapter 4
Life returned surprisingly quick to normal.  The dead were taken away and buried, the wounded attended to.  The first fire was rekindled by the chief Druid and passed round the compound.  Soon, house fires, never allowed to go out except in extreme calamity, were burning like tiny yellow dragonflies in high summer all over the place.  Even laughter was beginning to be heard.  Great though the bereaved families were for the sons and daughters they had lost, their spirit could never be chained down by any reverse of fortune.  Life, and hence death, was but a connection link in a never ending cycle of which beginning and end no one, including the wisest Druids, can really understand in full.  So, why grieve over a passing link.  That did not mean they would forget the blood of the dead of course.  Tomorrow might bring a call to arms and the Silures would feel the wrath of our crave for vengeance.  But tonight, it was a time for mead and stories of heroic deeds told around the campfires and after that, the pleasure of the flesh inside their dwelling huts.  
 
There were exceptions to the rule, of course.  
 
I received the summon from the great chief just as I was to turn in for the night, my heart still weary for the dangers Nemetona might be undergoing at the moment.   It was Eporedia who delivered the message.  Unlike her eldest sister Sirona and Nemetona, Eporedia did not have the captivating beauty that would command the attention of anyone who crossed his or her path.  Sure, the magnetism of Sirona and Nemetona was different in nature.  While the former was of calmness and wisdom, Nemetona was the personification of beauty in power and motion.  If Sirona could be compared to water and Nemetona to fire, then Eporedia would certainly belong to the element of wind.   Nothing seemed able to bind her and even when standing, her free spirit soared.  Those cropped hair and intelligent eyes magnified even more her indomitable nature.  Her body built was comparatively small with a height that could reach only my shoulder blades.  Despite that, her body was well contoured and could turn the heads of many fine lads as she walked past, causing many young and fiery hearts to quicken their pace of pumping blood onto their lust-filled heads.  She was also the undisputed best horsewoman of the clan, apt for her being named after the great goddess of the horse- Epona and a first rate slinger, capable of bringing down any sparrow well beyond reasonable range.  This she seldom did though as she had a kind heart and never took delight in harming any innocent soul.
 
"I will be at the Great Hall in a minute." I told the girl with starlight in her eyes of hazy blue.
 
"No, Bituitius.  We are not to go there.  The meeting is to be held somewhere else." her voice was a soft whisper now, something rare with her.
 
"What?  But why?" I was about to utter my surprise when she closed in and whispered something into my ear.  My brows tightened into a frown.  It was unusual indeed for the meeting to take place at the Holy Spring in the depth of the woods.
 
I was about to ask further when she placed a finger to seal her lips and hushed me into silence.
 
I felt even more puzzled.  Why such secrecy?  But I knew better than to pursue, as all would be clear by the time I showed up at the meeting and I could certainly trust Eporedia with my life.
 
Without further ado, I followed her in the direction that would lead me to the sacred spot.
 
The sacred spring was a place known to very few in the clan and even fewer had come here as it was off limit but to the selected few.  As successor to the chief Druid I had come here from time to time to mediate and draw my strength from the magical qualities of the elements.  
 
I was not surprised to see Sirona there.  Apart from being the beloved first daughter of the chief, she was also one of the prophets of the clan and was fully entitled to enter the place.  And so was it with Eporedia, huntress and bard at the same time.  What I could not understand was that the meeting included only the three of us.  Eugenix, the chief Druid, was noticeably absent.  
 
"Well come, Bituitius."  Sirona's singing voice greeted me as I approached the most holy spot, a rock covered with green moss, and placed a small offering on its slippery surface.
 
I nodded my acknowledgement but my eyes scanned the face of the lovely sister of Nemetona for the true meaning of the exclusive membership. I also noticed Eporedia had her sling in hand and was actually standing guard on the perimeter of the spring, her eyes on ends to listen for the slightest sound of possible intruders.
 
"No, Eugenix was not notified."  Her eyes could penetrate the veils of others' hearts, it was true.
 
"So I noticed, noble Sirona."
 
"Does this trouble you?" she offered a disarming smile.
 
"A bit.  But I am sure there is a reason for it and I await your enlightenment."
 
She nodded, her smile dissolving into an expression of solemnity.
 
"Bituitius, can you tell me why the Silure attacked us?"
 
"But that happens all the time between the clans...the Silure were notorious for their love of plundering..."
 
Sirona shook her head sadly.  
 
"You could be right, Bituitius, if our clan was weak and easy prey.  But we were not Bituitius.  Orgetorix knew the might of our warriors and he had little to gain but for a dangerous enemy.  True, we might not be strong enough to destroy him completely but what had he to gain but to burn down a few houses, slay our beloved brother and take my sister as captive.  Orgetorix is not a fool, Bituitius.  He would not do this just for an urge to hack."
 
I knew she was right but could not make out the reason why Orgetorix did just that for no apparent gain.
 
"And our noble Sirona would allow me to know the reason why, I am sure."
 
Sirona sighed.  
 
"Yes.  Orgetorix attacked because it was the only chance he could lay hands on this...." from a hidden pocket on her white robe, she took out a round thing the size of pounded out round bread.  It was ancient in appearance, possible of bronze with a strange motif on it.  "Do you know what this is, my wise Bituitius?"
 
I had to declare my ignorance.  Wise though a Druid might be, he could not claim to know all secrets of the universe.  I certainly had not laid eyes on such things before though I could feel its magical properties even at a distance of ten feet or more.
 
"This is one of the legend bronze discs of the Gate of Underworld."
 
My heart nearly jumped out of my mouth!  So, they really existed.  The legend had been sung of the old times where the gods and goddess of Good battled the forces of the Evil for so many generations by countless bards, of the terrible struggle and the almost inevitability of defeat.  Then, the seven most powerful gods and goddesses made a terrible weapon and vanquished their foes.  But the weapon was so horrific that even they were fearful of it.  Since it could not be destroyed, it was locked into an unknown valley.  To prevent anyone from retrieving it, they had made seven keys in the form of discs and scattered them among different tribes.  The keys were magical and could bring fortune to the tribe who owned them, this would ensure that no tribe would be ready to part with it and guarded it with greatest secrecy, thus ensuring they would not come into the hands of one single person as the consequence of one possessing such power was unthinkable!
 
"Noble Sirona, are you sure?" I knew I should not doubt her but the shock was just too great!
 
She was not offended.  Gently, she leveled her palm and let the disc rest on it.  I thought she was letting me hold it but I was mistaken.  The disc "awoke"!  With a strange blue light that originated from its center, it gradually left her palm and floated in mid air, turning faster and faster.  Then I realized what it was doing.  The spring water had risen with the speed of the disc, the originally quiet brook had turned almost into a small fountain, and still it rose higher and higher!
 
"This, is the disc made by the Goddess Axona, the goddess of waters.  It is this disc that kept the Severn tame all these years, bringing in bountiful harvest to our tribe."
 
"So, the Silure had failed to find it?"
 
"No, they did not know it existed." Sirona replied with a sad smile.
 
It was more puzzling than ever.
 
"What they took was the other disc: the disc of Belisama; the goddess of fire and forging of finest weapons." As she was explaining, she pressed her palms onto the two sides of the discs.  The blue light went out and the water subsided
 
"You mean our tribe had two discs?"
 
She nodded.  "The disc of Axona was a great secret, known only to the Guardians of the discs, a dowry from an ancient union with one clan of the Brigantes who was unaware of its importance.  Even Eugenix did not know it existed though he knew about the other."
 
I began to understand.  "So, you suspected he had betrayed the secret of our tribe to the Silures."
 
"We could not know for sure but there was one sad clue, the way Tirix was slain."
 
"What?"
 
"He did not fall in battle but was executed in front of a kiln, the very one where the disc of Belisama was hidden in to provide the necessary power for the fire to make the kind of weapons that helped our warriors gained victory after victory.  It was protected by a magical spell, one that would need either a secret chant known only to me to break or another sad way..."
 
I waited for her to finish.
 
"...By offering the blood of one of noble birth, one that had just attained manhood but had never spilled his seed...a virgin male...."
 
The awesome truth hit me in full blow!  So, that was why Tirix was tied and beheaded.  He had just reached manhood two days ago!  And he was renowned for his purity; many blossoming maidens had tried in vain to seek the favour of his first night.... And it turned out to be the reason for his doom! And I would not be surprised if Eugenix knew about how to break the seal.
 
"So, what were we to do?  We can tell the great chief to attack and get the disc back."
 
"No.  That would not do.  The Silures were also strong and there was no sure victory.  Besides, we could not let the other tribes know of our secret.  Possessing one disc could become the object of envy.  Known to possess two would be inviting disaster...unless one was determined to get all seven."
 
Sirona must have seen the ashening of my face.  The thought that someone would open the Gates was striking fear into our hearts even now.
 
"But.... but we still had one disc.  If we guard that well, the Gate would not open, right?"
 
Sadly, Sirona shook her head.  
 
"No, at first all the people believed so.  But the gods and goddesses were not without their greed for power.  It would take only five to do the trick, though which five nobody knew.  The Silure had one disc and now they got another.  We must prevent them from getting three more."
 
"Ummm...that is trouble indeed.  Do they know where the other discs are? ":
 
"They, and we, know two of them.  One is in the land of the Demetae; another is kept by the council of the Druids in the sacred island of Mona.  I do not know where the other two are. "
 
"So, what were we to do?" I asked.  I knew she summoned here for a purpose.
 
"I want you to go and find out where the other discs are and prevent them from falling into the hands of Orgetorix.  May the Gods have mercy on us if that happened."
 
"But, why me?"  I suddenly felt a weakness in my knees.  Though I was proficient in the world of magic and spells, the task was impossibly huge for my capability.
 
"Because you are the only one that I could trust.  Will you help me, noble Bituitius?" her voice was pleading and it was impossible to turn away from such pleads.
 
"But...what about Nemetona?  She was still...."
 
"Nemetona would be safe.  If Orgetorix was to harm her, she would be dead by now.  But he would need her to decipher the secret of the disc."
 
"And she knows about it?"
 
Sirona nodded and my heart sank.
 
"Bituitius, you and Eporedia must leave.  We would declare you have eloped with my sister and joined the outlaws and give order to hunt you down...in this way, the others will not become suspicious of your true motive.  We must keep this in the strictest secret.  So, are you willing to risk your life for the safety of the clan, and for the whole humanity?"
 
It was a daunting task but one that left me with no choice.
 
"When do we start?" I asked.
 
"Now." Sirona nodded in gratitude.  "And, Bituitius, be careful.  The forces of Evil are dangerous."
 
I nodded in thanks for her advice.
“And take this disc with you.  Its force would guide you to the others” Sirona handed the precious disc into the hands of her sister who put it safely into a hidden pocket.
 
I stole a last look in the direction of the hill fort where I had lived most of the time since I was born. . Then we made for the cover of the woods amid the hooting of an owl.
Ch