The Cottage

        It was a dark and stormy night, as the Druid returned from the forest and entered a cottage where under the ancient hearthstone guarded by the a small eternal fire it was hidden.  The most precious thing to any Druid had ever lived would perhaps be his tonight.

       For one that was over 100 years old, it was odd to stand and sake with boyhood fear. He was a Druid that could kill quicken than the Adder and disappear in magick mist at a simple flick of the wrist. Yet now cold sweat began to fog his glasses. The eyes were always the first thing to to fail in a Druid.  He gently lifted them off his face. For these were very special glasses, that allowed one to see through any glamor and even of the dead. They had been made in the land of Fae. From crystal gold and coated in Fae lead. Yet to the human eye they looked clear as the finest crystal glass and would sparkle in the Sun. Still his fear now was not unjust, as he looked down at the bones and skulls laying in the thick dust. So many great and wise had found this place before, yet here stayed their bones for evermore.

       Strangely except for the floor and bones the cottage was neat and clean as a pin. For except what came through the door everything in the cottage was a bit out phase for Earth's time and place. Lightning flashed again through the one crystal window that looked upon the outside World of Man.
The Druid knew he must hurry for without the Gift no one ever leaves again. And the hearthstone could only be raised in the middle of this very rare and special kind of storm. So while sparks cracked around the copper Oak leaf he wore around his neck. He pulled up a old tree trunk of a stool and sat down to began the chant. First the fire just flashed and the cottage turned black as the grave but then candles lite themselves and he knew he had unlocked the first henge.

       Now a small thousands of years old flint dagger appeared in his left hand, oh how long he had hunted for this magick blade. A quick cut of his right palm, yet feeling nothing as the stone was as sharp as death itself  When the blood started to flow he let it drip on the now cold ashes of the fire and now it starting burning again. As it tasted his DNA. Now slowly both fire and hearthstone began to raise. With a sigh of relief he knew his blood had passed the test and started the unlocking the second hinge.

       Now suddenly ice formed on everything in the cottage as a deep space like cold filled the room, yet now the fire burned even brighter. Slowly from a hole hidden under the hearthstone crawled a small winged golden Adder Dragon. The likes of which had not be seen by any Druid in a thousand.

      His breath was lost and heart ceased to beat eyes frozen as the Dragon crawled to his feet. Then opened its mouth and laid down a small crystal egg. He reached down without a seconds hesitation, his life was on the line. As he grasp the egg, lightning flashed thunder roared and then he was standing outside the cottage that began to slowly disappear. The egg burned in palm of his hand drinking in his blood as the cut healed before his eyes.
      And he knew He was now the Druid Master of the Ley.
TDK
Copyright George King April 08, 2013