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[小说][原创]The Seven Discs of the Gods

楼主 小土豆于 2007-03-10 19:17:53

[小说][原创]The Seven Discs of the Gods

The Seven Discs of the Gods

Part I Bituitius
Chapter 1.

Like a giant snake in slumbering sleep the Severn lay tame and peaceful in its meandering form across the fertile land that had belonged to our Dobunni tribe for generations and generations past. What a beautiful sight it was, the reflection of the rays from the setting sun dancing off its gentle ripples as if they were indeed golden scales of a serpent! And how green the fields and pastures that flank the moving water, shaping its course, being milked by its life-giving crystalline fluid with its source from the distant hills. The river could no more separate from the land it watered than the land could live without it. Between them, the bonds had been forged as they shared a common fate. Only when they were so locked together, each giving grudging recognition of the necessity of existence, could they attain the state of moving greatness, much like the relation between the tribe and my kind. Yes, for without us the Druids, the tribe would be just lost souls wandering in the world they called Life. Without the tribe, we would not have the reason to exist.
I took a deep breadth as such thoughts rippled through my mind. I knew it was not I, Bituitius a Druid, that had given forms to these thoughts but that it was nature speaking through me, that another tiny window that allowed me to glimpse at the infinite universe had been mercifully opened. In gratitude, I took out a crumb of bread from a hidden pocket and with both hands broke it into small bits, offering each to the gods and goddesses that ruled the sky, stars, earth, hills, forest and of course, the mighty Severn, all deities honoured by our community in Marmesse. They had smiled upon Marmesse; our town just north of the river, made our lands fertile and ensured our crops grow. They had put strength in the arms of our warriors and fire in their hearts. For all these, it was right for us to make our tokens of gratitude. It was my job to do this and to mediate between our people and the spiritual world.

We needed their favour now more than ever. With most of our able warriors following our leader Cu Ciann and his son Ogmo aiding Chieftain Bodvoc against incursions by the Durotriges in the south we were almost defenseless. Anxious eyes were turned towards the other direction where rumours of imminent attacks from Orgetorix and his Silure had been in the air for the past seven days.
I had urged caution for Cu Ciann to leave the hill fort so sparingly defended. But Eugenix, the other druid who had been my rival all these years for the spiritual leadership of the clan, had urged the great chief to take up the challenge. Our great chief had been known always to honour his word and we had indeed made an alliance with Bodvoc last year. He had placed his bet on a speedy victory and the threat of our vengeance to deter any temptation on Orgetorix's part. So, the mighty band of warriors departed, leaving the protection of womenfolk and children in the hands of the handful few left behind under the leadership of Nemetona, the second daughter of the great chief.
Ah, how could I describe Nemetona?

Just calling her beautiful would be an insult of the rudest sort. No, she was more than that. While her eldest sister Sirona would remind our people the peace and harmony of a placid lake, and that of her younger Eporedia a freshness of morning dew, Nemetona seemed the personification of the might of Brenn, the fire god! With her reddish hair that tailed after her in rides and hunts, she cut a striking figure in any band of warriors as if a phoenix among crows. She could outride most of them, certainly beat them in chariot races, shoot straight and handle more than a few best hands with swords and axes with her long blade. Her laughter was hearty and full of the vigours of youth. The gods and goddesses had been generous and bestowed on her a body that should only be possessed by immortals. Even now, when her image began to form at the back of my mind, I felt the natural urge of all men, the desire, the lust and the immediate suppression of them through the most difficult of efforts. I knew she understood my feelings for her but she had brushed it aside as if the effortless movement of her elegant hand to be rid of the nuisance of a dragonfly that had the nerve to take a closer glance at her lovely face. True, she did not detest me and even found my company welcomed as I had taught her much about what the warrior class was not normally led to know. At the same time, she had made it quite plain that a long lasting union was out of the question. I knew not the reason. May be she already had her eyes on someone else, younger, more dashing or at least free from the heavy duty of a Druid on whose shoulders rested the burden of the past, present and future of the tribe. The only thing I knew was there was a different kind of fire in her eyes, igniting her secret dreams that she would rather keep to herself. She did once mentioned her aspiration for greatness and would rather live a short and glorious life than an old and boring one.
I sighed. As a druid, I could understand the cycle of life on a higher level than the average warrior class. It was true that our life was but a short journey in an eternal cycle but this was no reason to throw life away as if it was something without value. For this, I was powerless to convey into her senses and somehow, I felt I was fighting a losing battle with the weaver of Fate. I almost heard the mock of their laughing.

I was just about to descend from the top of the hill where I could have a bird’s eye view of the river and Marmesse when I noticed someone running along the bank of the river. By instinct, I sensed something ominous and of the most urgent sort. I was right. The man fell exhausted before he reached the bottom of the road leading up to the hill-fort. Others ran to his aid and before long, the blow of horns calling urgent council could be heard echoing round the rolling hills.

I did not even have to get down to know the meaning of the horns. The Silure army was already on the march!
Chapter 2

The situation was grimmer than I thought.
When I reached the hall where the High Council was to meet and decide matters of state, the horror of the villages that had bore the blunt of the Silure attack was in full circulation.
They had put to the sword all able-bodied men and either slain or carried off all females and infants into slavery before torching the whole village. None were spared and the bodies of slain warriors lay alongside those of old folks and unwanted dogs.
We had beaten them two years ago and they were bent of revenge and this was their golden chance.
“Take up your weapons. Let us teach them a lesson they would never forget.” Cynan, the most fiery tempered young warrior was favouring resistance.
“No!. There were too few men left to do the fighting. We must protect our women and children from the blades of the Silure…” It was Govan, the veteran of many battles who was calling for caution. “If we make a stand, we would all be slaughtered.”
“So, you are afraid to die?” snorted the younger warrior. “Is there no fire in your blood? Or have you lost too much of that on the bed of your woman?” the remark brought laughs from the crowd and Govan’s face turned dark red.
“Are you calling me a coward? I dare you accept my challenge to fight to the death! And I will personally fling your bones the dogs!”
The scene was becoming ugly. It seemed that we would have bloody fighting even before the Silure horde would show their faces.
“Come, now. Both of you. “I decided to intervene. “Stop this nonsense. It is no time for personal bawls. The fate of the clan is at stake and we know Govan is right that we cannot hold them with our forces at hand.”
“So, what do you want us to do? Bow to Orgetorix and beg him to spare us our lives?”
“Of course not. I would say we should send our messenger with the fastest horses to warn our great chief and then we as a whole should head towards the direction from where the relief force will come…”
“And abandon Marmesse and our honour without even a proper fight?”
Nemetona, followed by her young brother Tirix, pushed herself through the crowd and stood before me undaunted. She was magnificent in her armour of boiled leather that gracefully outline her tempting torso, following its ups and downs in curves that sparkled the imagination of many young warriors. Her thighs and well tapered were bare and she wore sandals made from leather thongs. She carried no weapon, as such was not allowed to be brought into the Hall but that absence did not make her any less of a war-goddess.
I was speechless, not so much at her argument as her beauty.
“And you think we can have a chance if we stand and fight?” Govan was not so deterred. Though he respected the chief and his daughter, his years of experience gave what he said weight.
“We cannot. But it is still beneath the honour to flee for our lives without a fight. You can value your life as you like and herd the young and elderly towards the whatever safety. For me, I have chosen to stay.”
“But Nemetona, perhaps Govan is right this time…it is foolhardy to think you and the handful can withstand the onslaught of the Silure. Your position as daughter of the chieftain may not offer much protection. It may even add to the factor of danger as the Silure would certainly crave for the head of a beautiful warrior princess.” I also felt the heat on my face, as deep inside I knew the reason why I chose the Govan’s side. The thought of the possibility of losing her in battle was unthinkable to me.
“And noble Bituitius, are you suggesting me that I shall barter my warrior’s honour for a few more years of life in shame? What is death anyway? Is it not in our code that it is better to die and be reborn as a more powerful and valiant warrior? “
I lowered my head. I knew it would be useless to go into deeper argument. She was determined to stay and no one would be able to dissuade her.
“Then, I will stay and fight beside you.” I offered.
“No! You are no fighter and besides, your station does not permit this. A Druid’s chief responsibility is to ensure the tribe and its tradition’s survival. You have the knowledge, which must be protected and therefore must go. " She replied.
I knew she was right for I would be the last remaining Druid of my school and I had to pass on my knowledge to ensure the teaching of my noble master would continue.”
I had no intention to let the school represented by Eugenix who advocated the use of Dark Magic to achieve power to become the only voice our people could find spiritual guidance.
“But…”
My protest was cut short.
“Bitutius. There is no more time to fight over this. You must do your duty and lead the old and young towards the safety that will be offered by my father’s army.”
I nodded. But it was sad thoughts to leave one who had been haunting my many summer dreams to an uncertain and risky fate.
She must have sensed what I was thinking.
Coming close, she whispered into my ears. “I promise you will see me again, Bituitius. And who knows, I may grant you your most secret desire then.”
I looked in surprise at her offer at this very unlikely moment. What was she suggesting? And what use of it if in all likelihood, she might not survive.
I was just to add further remarks but she was ready to lead her Tirix and her other followers out to prepare the necessary defense. I had only time to wish the beautiful daughter of Cu Ciann a sad farewell

1楼 小土豆于 2007-03-10 19:22:34

Chapter 3

We gathered the young and the old and headed first towards the dense woods that would at least give us some cover. From there, we made our way towards the direction where the great chief had taken his army, praying that he would be forewarned in time by our messenger and came to our rescue. I also prayed for protection of the gods for my beloved Nemetona. The Silure must have reached Marmesse now and a bitter battle would result. Nemetona had agreed to hold on just long enough to sustain the tribe’s honour and give us a chance to cover as much distance as possible and if the danger of being overwhelmed arise, she would call a retreat and make a stand only if rear-guard action was necessary. Still, my heart was burning with worry as I knew her was strong-willed and might be tempted to take on more than she could handle and refuse to grasp her last chance to escape.
I could not envisage what would happen if she fell into the hands of Orgetorix. Throughout the land he was famous for two things: his good-looking face and his cruelties to those who dared oppose his path. Whole tribes had been impaled for doing less than what Nemetona was trying to do. To resist his force with a mere handful would be more than a challenge. It would be a grave insult that Orgetorix would be unlikely to forgive.
We walked all night without pausing for rest. By the next morning, we could hear the sound of hoofs thundering near us and we knew they could not be Nemetona and her men. We had not left so many horses behind for those who chose to stay and fight.. So, Marmesse must have fallen. Our hearts sank both at the immediate danger and the thoughts about Nemetona and her followers. I ordered the few warriors who had been assigned to escort us to form a protective ring. Not that it would be of use if they Silure decided to press in an attack as they enjoyed an absolute majority. Still, I had to try my best and leave the rest to the gods.
The first rider appeared, followed by more behind.
I tightened the grip on my staff. But then there were cheers among our people as they recognized Ogmo, the eldest son of the great chief. Our messenger was successful in finding the great chief and he had immediately sent three hundred warriors towards Mermesse. Sirona, the most loved of the great chief’s offspring by our people, was behind him, followed by Eporedia, the youngest.
“Is that you? Bitutitius?” it was Eporedia who asked.
“Indeed. It was I.” A sudden heat was felt on my face. Seeing Eporedia here made me think that I had abandoned her sister to a dangerous position.
“And where is Nemetona?” her face was getting pale.
“I do not know, my Eporedia. She had chosen to stay and fight…”
The young daughter of the chief did not wait for me to finish. Turning the head of her mount towards Marmesse, she gave a yell and the mount sped through the trees. A score of warriors hurrried after her.
“Shame on you, Bitutius!” Eugenix cursed he pulled down the hood that had covered his face. I had never liked that face. His dark eyes were deeply set and the nose was that of a hawk. His lips were thick and though he wore a long beard, it could not hide a protruded chin. Something on it told me that this man harboured nothing but evil design inside. Yet he was powerful and had accompanied the great chief on many campaigns. Some said our enemies feared him more than the weapons of our warriors.
I looked at him in the eyes.
“There is nothing I do that is unbecoming of a druid.”
Eugenix was about to further challenge me when Ogmo stopped him.
“Let us not waste time now. We should make full speed towards Marmesse. May be there is still hope.” The son of the great chief did not wait for our reply but spurred his steed in the direction which Eporedia had taken.
I was lent a horse and joined in the rush towards Marmesse.
We would never forget the tragic sight that greeted us on our return. As we rode back into Marmesse there were the scattered bodies strewn around of the warriors that had stayed behind, most without their heads. The headless torso of the young nobleman Tirix was a sad sight. Stripped entirely naked, the young man was beheaded in front of a kiln. To my relief there was no body of Nemetona to be found. However, her broken sword was discovered and this might mean that Orgetorix had taken her captive back to his Silure homeland by the River Wye and I must anguish at her fate.
Barely had we had time to take in the sorry spectacle when Cu Ciann appeared.

Silently and with great sorrow the army stood around their great leader. Recent triumphs were forgotten as solemn faces took in the awful massacre. Ogmo had dismounted at the spot where his young brother was butchered. He knelt by the body of Tirix and covered it with his cloak. Then turning towards his warriors, he vowed that this would not go unpunished. . We knew Ogmo enough to know he always kept his words. We also knew he was patient and could wait till the most opportune moment to make good his threat. The most urgent thing to do now was to bury the dead and rebuild Marmesse so that life could go on as before as quickly as possible. Casualties had not been high and the town would quickly get back to normal but for the wounded and helpless. In a day or two punitive parties might be sent out to scout the border and several Silure villages would undoubtedly be burnt down in retaliation. But for now, we must take care of things more pressing.
I cared nothing about this. All I could think of was the condition of Nemetona. I concentrated my mind and forced myself searching the middle realm where the recent dead were kept wandering for the crossing into the dark domain. No, I did not sense her presence there. So, she was still alive, at least for the moment.

2楼 小土豆于 2007-03-10 19:23:16

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

3楼 小土豆于 2007-03-10 19:24:32

Chapter 5

I followed Eporedia down the holy path from the sacred spring and into the woods, which were the sanctuary of the great earth mother whose disc we were to search for in the land of the Demetae. We came to the clearing where the horses awaited us and once again I glanced fondly back at Marmesse, the hill fort where I had spent my entire life and I wondered whether I would ever see it again. I mounted my horse and together we rode away from the sacred oak trees that surrounded the holy place.
Though calm by nature and by reputation a great thinker with a clear mind I was now in a state of terrible confusion. The story of the discs though known to me had hitherto been a matter of legend. To be confronted with it as a reality was so difficult to absorb and comprehend. I must accept the discs do exist for had I not seen one with my own eyes and I must also accept that it is my duty to help Sirona and Eporedia and perhaps indirectly my beloved Nemetona. The saving of my people and perhaps the whole of humanity was a daunting task to set before a man who though maybe wise was no man of action.
At first I thought the objective would be to search for the two missing discs the whereabouts of which were unknown. Eporedia however favoured heading for the land of the Demetae to try and secure the third disc. The Demetae lands bordered the lands of the Silures on their western boundary. She felt that to be the right course of action for surely that would be the next disc that Orgetorix would seek and we must try and beat him to it. The enterprise was daunting in the extreme for we would have to pass through Silure territory to reach the Demetae lands, a journey that would be fraught with danger and that was just the beginning. All these thoughts were passing through my confused mind as we left Marmesse in the distance-heading west.
We decided to take a route following the mouth of the Severn as it passed along the southern coastland of Silure territory. This would eventually bring us to the open sea and the Demetaes. We did not wish to venture inland into the dense forests and lofty mountains for this would be a more hazardous and inaccessible route. However we will have to negotiate the dangers of the Silure capital at Caerleon. It was about thirty miles from Marmesse and we hoped to arrive by dusk and barter for the necessary supplies for the remainder of our journey. As we passed by the forested southern approach to the notorious Wye valley a stronghold of Silure bandits we encountered our first danger but not from the Silures.
I rode my horse a few paces ahead of Eporedia and I stopped suddenly as I heard a rustle in the dark forest undergrowth. The sight of two pink eyes staring at me made my heart pound. I recognized the animal immediately and there was no more dangerous beast than a disturbed boar. I shouted an alarm but it was too late.
The huge monster crashed out of its cover and rushed headlong at my mount. A small horse was no deterrent to a wild boar of that size and when the collision came I was thrown high off my horse. I hit the ground banging my head the breath smashed from my body. I lay there unable to move but could only look up and see Eporedia standing over me with her short, deadly sword in her hand. Then as the mists gathered in my head I passed out.
I must have been unconscious for a while for when I came round my face was in Eporedia's hands as she looked down anxiously at me.
"Thank the gods I thought...” the words never came but her eyes spoke everything needed to be said. She stoked my face tenderly. I looked at her and for the first time came to appreciate the beautiful face at such close distance. It was different from that of Nemetona’s, being less dazzling on first impact. But something else was there and I recognized it at once --- strength that arose from great courage and determination, and a loving heart. We were so close to each other now. I could feel the warmth of her breadth now; her breathing quickened as our lips barely touched.
"No! We have work to do we cannot…" Her protests were so weak that she could not have believed it herself. When I wrapped my arms around her shoulder, she did not even attempt to recoil. I could feel her soft body against mine, shivering from fear, fear of being refused, or being accepted and committing an act of betrayal to her sister. I kissed her tenderly, our bodies melted into one and I could almost listen to the wild pounding of her heart as I held her body tight. And we just held close and listened to the sound of the sing of rain. Both of us knew we could not give ourselves away to the fire of passion. Just to nudge close, helping each other to drive out the cold and the unspoken fear of the unknown. And of our true and what we really were. It was a long time before we were able to release our hold and breathed freely.
I went up and looked at my dead horse, its body ripped open by those enormous tusks and its innards hanging out. That could have been me. I looked at the skewered dead boar, a victim of Eporedia's sword and I knew I owed her my life. The boar would have had a great time gnawing my lifeless body.
"Eporedia" I said but she stopped me.
"You would have done the same for me", she rapidly replied.
"Get up behind me, we are soaked and need to reach Caerleon by nightfall. We need lodgings, supplies and another horse before we can undertake the final leg of this journey.
I realized for the first time that it was pouring and I was wet through. I jumped up behind her and put my arms lightly around her waist and I could smell the sweet scent of her body and I wondered if my head had received permanent damage. For the first time as we passed through the outskirts of Caerleon it dawned on me that while I had loved Nemetona from a distance perhaps Eporedia had harboured feelings for me. What a complicated world this can be. These thoughts however had to be put to one side for now we must negotiate the dangers of the Silure capital. We must go unnoticed as two travelers a Druid and his companion going about their business.

4楼 小土豆于 2007-03-10 19:25:09

Part II Eporedia
Chapter 6

Bituitius and I passed over the surprisingly wide and well-constructed wooden bridge made of fine elm to enter the settlement of Caerleon. I marveled at the Silure craftsmanship for I tended to consider them as nothing more than vicious raiders. The bridge spanned the waters of the mighty Usk River, a river so important as the lifeblood to this lively Silure town. The Usk was a swift flowing tributary of the Severn and I realized how difficult it might have been to cross if we had attempted a different route upstream. Caerleon was the residence of the Silure head chieftain the aging Gutuater. It was believed by most that his days were numbered and that Orgetorix the Silure warleader from the Wye valley band would eventually seize power. However if Orgetorix ever succeeded in possessing the discs then his ambition would be much greater than simply being able to grasp the leadership of the Silures. We must make sure that would never happen.
Bituitius was holding my waist with an almost frightened grip. I supposed now my feelings for him were clear but I must put them aside and concentrate on the mission. That was far more important than my fanciful desires. He did not suspect that I had a wound on the underneath of my left thigh, a tear caused by the tusk of the wild boar. The sooner it was cleaned and bound the better. However for now I dressed myself as a Druids apprentice and with my short hair I would pass for a boy. We would draw less attention that way and as such we begun our entry in to Caerleon.
The town was in comparative darkness as the light had faded but lanterns glowed from many of the rounded wooden dwellings and we were soon able to find decent lodging for the night. A travelling Druid and his young companion fortunately roused little suspicion. Once inside I requested water and cloth to bathe my wound and clean it. Bituitius was very upset that he had not appreciated my growing distress on the journey due to the wound and wished only to make amends.
I sat on the animal furs that covered one of the sleeping areas while he insisted on cleaning the wound. The man I had longed for was at my feet tending to me as best he could. The same man that loved my sister but I had to discard all this from my mind. Tenderly and meticulously he cleaned the gash as if trying to make up for his earlier oversight. I watched him almost lovingly doing his work and I knew that it was not more than just remorse that was his motive and I began to feel so aroused. I blushed as I could feel a wetness at some part of my body. He would not look at me perhaps from fear of consequences for he knew as well as I that things must not be further complicated and that the mission was everything. He tore a strip from the bottom of his cloak to tie around the wound and then I felt his trembling hand touch my thigh and then swiftly withdraw.
Goodnight Eporedia", he said as he almost rushed to the other sleeping platform at the far end of the room we occupied. Though the wound was sore I was relieved that it was not serious. I looked across at Bituitius and I wondered if he was asleep. Then the tension between us was overtaken by much needed sleep after that long and arduous journey from Marmesse.
I awoke to find it was daylight and Bituitius was just about to go out. "Get a bit more rest", he said, "I am going out to barter for supplies and to purchase a new horse".
Grateful for more rest I thoughtfully watched him leave. My leg was stiff but a quick look at the wound showed to my relief that there was no infection. I was fine to continue our travels.
Bituitius returned after an hour or so looking a bit tense.
"Eporedia I think we should leave straight away", he said frowning. "I have the horse and supplies but I feel uneasy because I am sure I was being watched. Also there is talk that Orgetorix and a group of a hundred warriors are camped ten miles north of Caerleon. They may well have the same destination as us in mind".
I nodded my agreement and we left hurriedly and to my relief Caerleon was soon left well behind. It seemed that we had done our business, had our rest, safely in the Silure capital. But five miles out from Caerleon the path ahead was blocked by three riders.
"How did you pay for the supplies", I inquired of Bituitius
"By blessing their holy mistletoe with divine water so that it would function as an instrument for their good fortune and a few items of jewelry", he answered.
"And were you watched", I asked.
"Yes", he replied, "and they look like the watchers".
We rode on until we faced the three riders.
"Let me talk to them and take care of it", Bituitius said unconvincingly.
I was less than sure and kept my hand on the hilt of my sword as he moved two paces forward but I feared my wound would slow me down.
"Greetings and the blessings of the Earth Mother be upon you", Bituitius said pleasantly but I saw his hand inside his cloak resting on his sturdy oak rod. One of the riders a somewhat dirty and ungainly individual with red eyes and a scruffy beard came forward and roughly said, "I will take that, pointing at the bag hanging around the neck of Bituitius's mount. He then raised his sword and had he not hesitated, Bituitius would not have been able to defend himself and I could not have saved him. Fortunately even the meanest thief would not kill a Druid easily and he did not expect the response he got. Bituitius swung the heavy carved rod into the thief’s midriff even as he pondered on whether to strike. Both Bituitius and the thief fell from their horses in the flurry of action. The second thief jumped from his horse and drew his weapon. . Bituitius was on his feet now, holding his rod to defend himself attack from two directions. And the third one was spurring his mount to join in. Bituitius would have no chance against three of them at the same time.
I could take on any one of them if my leg was unhurt. Being as it was, I would become more of a liability than a help. Still, I recognized that something, anything had to be done to save us from this predicament. I reached for my sling and locked a pebble onto it. The third man saw what I was trying to do and shouted a warning. I was quicker though and a shot sliced through the air and knocked the first thief between his eyes. His eyes opened wide and fell with a curse, then lay still. I was not sure if he was just wounded or dead and I did not have the time to find out as now Bituitius was being attacked by the two remaining thieves. I locked new shots and let go but this time, they were prepared. One ducked unharmed while the other deflected it with his sword, sending the pebble flying back at my direction.
“Watch out!” Bituitius shouted.
I did not need him to warn me. The returning pebble was lethal and if I was hit in the head, that would be the end of our quest. I shifted my body weight to one side, forgetting that the other leg was hurt and could not balance me as under normal circumstances. The horse neighed and unsaddled me, though it was well trained enough to avoid crushing on my wounded leg. Still, I was out of action for the moment and could do nothing but to stare in horror as the two of them closed in for the kill.
Needless to say, we both knew they were not common horsethieves. They were too good. The swordplay and the co-ordination would take years of training and working together. Bituitius was having trouble to fend off the alternate waves of attacks now and it would not be long before one such attack got lucky.
I struggled to my feet and loaded another shot but I knew it would not be easy to dislodge any one of them. One reason was Bituitius was in the midst and I did not have a clear field of shot. Bituitius recognized that too and sweat was running down his temple as his attackers stepped up the frenzy of killing cuts. One of the attackers was smiling in my direction, showing his yellowish teeth. I shuddered as I read his mind of what kind of spoil he was expecting to get when he won.
Then, Bituitius did something, which surprised all of us, me included.
Instead of parrying an attack, he flipped the rod the other way round and pushed it into the other hand of one of the thieves, the hand that was not holding the sword!
“Are you crazy?” I was close to tears. What was he doing?
But he was far from being crazy. The two attackers had been relentless with their well co-ordinated attack. The two swords were like the two powerful limbs of a giant spider, striking and defending in perfect timing. The addition of a rod into one of the thieves’ arsenal of weapons was totally outside the expectation of the attackers and caused a temporary confusion. The cadence of attack was broken and they sought to disengage themselves as one tried to let go of the rod. It only took two seconds but that was more than enough for me. One attacker uttered a cry as a stone banged against his left temple. He slumped onto the ground and lay stiff.
Bituitius was unarmed now but the remaining attacker had lost his nerve. Making two feign cuts, he quickly disengaged and ran for his horse. He never had the chance. Bituitius kicked up his rod and made a stunning blow between the man’s shoulders and he collapsed from his saddle onto the ground.
"I thought you were not a man of action", I said smiling.
"When the situation calls for it", he replied smiling back and holding up his shaking hand, "Later I will have to pray to the Gods again for our deliverance.
We decided it would not be wise to stay longer to interrogate our prisoners, though we had no means to determine if they would ever be able to talk again. We mounted our horses; Bituitius took over one from the gang, and galloped away as quickly as possible and made good time still following the bank of the mouth of the Severn.
“Who are they? Silure?” I finally asked Bituitius when we had put enough safe distance between us and the possibility of more attackers.
Bituitius was deep in thought and it was quite some time before he answered me.
“No. They were not of the Silure hordes. They were sent by someone who would know about our mission and did not want us to succeed, obviously.”
That was obvious enough, but it did not answer my question.
“Epi,” he had begun to use that shorter form to address me.” How often were you attacked by boars in the rain?”
I shook my head. Boars were dangerous, of course but unless they were hunted or antagonized, would seldom charge. My eyes shone up. Now things began to make sense. We had barely left Marmesse when we were attacked by that boar!
Bituitius nodded as he urged his mount forward at a trot.
“Yes, Epi. Someone from our tribe would like to make this a very short trip.”
But now the land on the other side of the great estuary was no longer visible. This meant one thing we were leaving Silure territory and entering Demetae land.

5楼 小土豆于 2007-03-10 19:25:57

Chapter 7

From the open heath of the Silure country, we entered into the dense woods of the Demetae. In silence we rode among the gigantic elms and tall ash trees, picking our path carefully among the lines and lines of ancient wood that had guarded this land for countless generations. The air became more and more oppressive as we ventured deeper and deeper into the heart of the maze, the canopy of green reducing the amount of sunlight that was allowed to penetrated through the foliage while a strange mist was drifting across the undergrowth giving the place a creepy feel. We held our direction to the west, as this was the only way for us not to get lost in this vast expense of green. an increasing difficult thing to do as each tree seemed not so different from another. Both of us knew if we really got lost, it would be ages before we could hope to find a way out, if at all.
I reckoned that we had not ridden for more than two hours at the most but the vegetation had become so thick and the visibility had fallen so low that it would not be wise to proceed for the rest of the day. Bituitius chose a spot beneath a giant elm where we dismounted and made ready for the night. It was getting cold and we were worn out. Bituitius and I gathered some woods and fallen leaves and piled them up. Before long, a friendly campfire was burning and I nudged myself against a cavity at the foot of the elm and drifted into sleep.
When I woke up, it was already totally dark overhead. I looked around and there was no sight of Bituitius. A sudden panic seized me as the thought of being marooned in this desolate spot crossed my mind. Fortunately, Bituitius became visible at that moment when he pushed away some scrub and came forward with our dinner- a full-grown hare.
I put the creature to permanent rest, saying my prayer for the release of its soul and then set on the task of skinning it and roasting it over the fire. The tempting smell of the meat multiplied the sense of hunger to a hundred fold and soon, we were enjoying our hearty meal.
"You surprised me." I turned to him. " I thought you only feed on fruits and berries."
He smiled as he licked his fingers oiled by the sizzling meat.
"Let us say I am a very practical vegetarian."
We both laughed. The echo ranged through the forest and was distorted to grotesque form when reflected by the trees. We fell silent again. and looked around. No one was there but we both had a feeling we were being watched by a thousand unseen eyes.
"Have you heard anything about the Demetae?"
I nodded. "
The Land of Demetae was sparsely populated but possessed great wealth of precious stones. Yet such tempting object of raid never attracted any serious intrusion by other tribes. Some did try but apparently was not successful. Some said they were ambushed in the thick woods without knowing who the deadly archers were. Others speculated horrifying magic. In any case, none of the invading army returned to tell the tale. They simply vanished without a trace."
"Yes, that was what I was told too, when I had my apprenticeship under my old master." Bituitius looked around him and I followed his path of screen. There was nothing except trees and a carpet of mysterious fog.
"Did you hear anything?"
I strained my ears.
"No. " I was puzzled as I was proud of my hearing and was certain that if Bituitius could hear something unusual, I should have picked that up even earlier than him.
"Precisely." he was even more pensive. "There was not a single sound. What kind of wood is that?"
My hairs stood on ends. It was indeed a creepy place!
"Bituitius."
"Yes?"
"It is spinning."
"What are you talking about?" he looked at me as if I had lost my mind.
"The disc. It is spinning." I plugged my hand into the hidden pocket and took out the disc and sure enough, it was spinning, faster and faster.
"What does it mean, Bituitius?"
We felt it before he could give me the answer. It began as a tiny jolt of the ground, followed by another one, just minutely more noticeable. I turned to him and we registered the same thing in the other's eyes.
Fear!
The jolt had become a kind of hollow rumble now. Something under the ground was moving and it was moving fast!
"Epi! Get mounted and run!" Bituitius sprang to his feet and rushed to the spot where our horses were tied. We only had time to untie my horse before we saw in horror what was making the commotion. A huge worm, at least three rods in width, reared up its ugly head and came charging in our direction, its mouth wide open, showing its rows of razor sharp teeth!
My horse bolted just after Bituitius swing himself up my saddle. The second horse, the one we took from the thieves, were neighing in sheer terror, its rein still fastened onto the trunk. Much as we wanted to, we knew we could not save her. We heard the death cry and I was foolish enough to turn my head, just in time to see the horse being snapped into halves by one closing of the hideous mouth!
Bituitius must have felt the shivering of my body. We knew by now where the invading army had gone to!
We spurred our mount into blind gallop. There was no direction of flight as any direction that could place us a step further from that creature was taken. But we knew it was still behind us. We could feel it from the trembling of the ground on which the hooves of our mount landed. It was coming for us and it would not stop until it got us!
"Do something, you are supposed to be a Druid! Make a spell!" I pleaded. I was not afraid to leave this world but no one, however courageous, would be willing to face such an end.
"Just hold tight!" he bellowed and kicked at the side of the horse to put it to even greater speed.
"Smite it with lightning or something!"
"I do not know such spells!" he shouted into my ears as the sound of rushing wind threatened to drown out his words.
"What spells do you know?" I was becoming desperate. The worm was moving at great speed and worst of all, it knew the ground while we were like two blind ants.
"To make crops grow better, to find honey....”
"No! Find some more practical!"
"They are practical!" He protested.
I could not believe it. He was surely very helpful.
But it was not the time to fight the battle of tongues. We were riding uphill now, towards thinner tree lines. We were betting on the worm not going to follow us out of the woods.
We were wrong!
It was persistent in its pursuit of meal!
"Damned!" Bituitius cursed as he suddenly found out we had made a wrong turn and was now rushing up towards the side of a cliff. He reined in and tried to turn the horse around. But we were trapped. The monster had blocked our only route down the slope and was now inching forward, confident of a fine dinner.
"What are we going to do, Bituitius?"
He turned the horse around and urged it towards the edge. It was a sheer drop of at least two hundred feet to the icy current down below.
"Can you swim?" he demanded.
"No!" I answered.
"Good. Neither could I!"
Without waiting for a further comment from me, he gave a sharp kick to the side of the horse and the next moment, Bituitius, I and the horse were in midair, our limbs moving wildly as we made our free-fall. The drop seemed to take ages and when it was about to end, my eyes opened wide in terror at the huge boulder on the riverbed that was looming larger and larger and about to crush my skull and spill my brains on it!
"Fulmitius grantinius...." I heard some strange chanting from Bituitius who was falling at the same speed.
Just as my head was to make impact with solid rock, a bright light exploded and the rock was gone and my body, our bodies, struck icy water!
He had made the rock disappeared!
"Very practical indeed!" I said to myself.
That was the last word I remembered before passing out.

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