Fire & Flood

Chapter 12

"Did Sam, by chance, mention how one becomes a new druid?" Asked Morgan and Emily saw something flicker in his eyes. It was the same look he had when she first met him at  her school - hatred, fear, and rage.

"For you to take my place," continued Morgan. "I have to die." For a moment there was silence. The air around Emily stood still. "You can't possibly expect there to be two druids?" Said Morgan sarcastically breaking the silence. "Two druids could conspire, two druids are dangerous. Sylvos would never allow that."

"Look," he continued. "For you to fully understand what you are in for, you need to know what happened to me." He poured more coffee into his own cup and topped up Emily's.

Morgan looked at the fire for a few moments and Emily got the sense that he didn't know how to start. Then, suddenly, he spoke.

"You have to know that my life back in 1914 was a train wreck, a never-ending saga of tough breaks and backbreaking struggles. I was seventeen, working to make ends meet... just imagine a very sepia coloured existence," started Morgan without taking his eyes from the camp fire.

"Just like now, everyone in this town knew that to end it all one just has to walk into the forest... and so I did. I was done with that life. I wanted it to be over, but...that's when I met Laura. She was beautiful! Hair like autumn leaves, eyes as green as a meadow... sound familiar?" Asked Morgan giving Emily a knowing look.

"Laura was the kind of girl who could make you forget the world was on fire. She showed me the grove... well, her version of it. It seemed magical, a life full of adventure, and love... imagine seeing a technicolor film for the first time in a world filled with black and white movies. It was everything I wanted."

"She told me that a beast was threatening the grove and that I needed to kill him. She promised me forever and I fell for it."

"Did she charm you?" Asked Emily timidly interrupting Morgan's story.

"Without a doubt!" Said Morgan. "But I didn't have anyone looking out for me, so I believed her."

"Laura's charm was like a siren's song, pulling me deeper into the woods of love and lunacy. She showed me how to hunt, how to track, but my transformation would not be complete unless I killed this beast."

"She kept telling me that I had a choice, but I was so deep in it, you know, that the choice seemed obvious... kill the beast, get the girl, happily ever after," said Morgan bitterly.

"Without going into too much detail, I tracked this beast for days.  He was this huge bear, bigger than any I've ever seen," Morgan paused.

"What happened then?" Prompted Emily.

"Well, killing a bear was easy... finding out that I murdered a person was devastating. I think that druid knew I was coming and I think he gave up. He wanted out the only way he knew how. But, I flew into a rage! I looked for Laura, but I couldn't find her anywhere. She promised me forever and then vanished," Morgan's eyes glistened in the firelight. Emily saw that he felt devastated, she reached out and softly placed her hand on his.

"Well, the rest was kind of a blur," said Morgan shrugging off Emily's hand as he got up to stir the fire. "I was able to shape-shift and that was fun for all of a second. The drawbacks, of course, you know about... slave to Sylvos... sacrifice ... blah blah blah. I resisted at first. I tried to end my life multiple times, but..." Morgan picked up a paring knife and sliced the palm of his hand. Emily let out a shocked gasp but then saw that the wound closed almost instantly. "Anyway, I gave up on giving up," he shrugged. "Instead I tried to do all I can to undermine Sylvos... I am his personal renegade."

"I am sorry...," started Emily.

"I didn't tell you this for you to pity me, I told you my story so that you understand the full gravity of this situation," said Morgan abruptly.

"For you to be a druid, I have to die...and it can't be just any death," Morgan continued. "Oh no, no... that would be too simple...it has to be a sacrifice." He paused. "As in you, need to sacrifice me."

"There has to be a way out of this," said Emily in a hushed tone. Morgan sauntered over to her.

"My dear, naive, Emily," he said tenderly and brushed her cheek with his hand. "Do you really think I'd be stuck here if there was?" He gestured to the forest around him. "I've played this part for one hundred and ten years, you are not my first replacement."

Emily mulled over that number, but decided to ask a more pressing question.

"What happened to them... your replacements?"  Emily felt her heart beating fast. He was so close to her that she could smell the forest and the wood smoke on his skin.

"Some left, some died," said Morgan casually playing with a strand of her hair. "Every ten years or so Sylvos sends a new dryad to find a new druid candidate... the cycle repeats... but here I stand... unopposed."

"You don't see me as a threat," said Emily in a matter of fact tone

"Oh, I do," chuckled Morgan. "You are positively menacing looking in your puffy coat. I am  so scared," he whispered into her ear. Emily felt goose bumps rise up on her skin and her stomach exploded with butterflies.

"Ugh!" Said Morgan suddenly leaning away from her. "He always shows up at the worst possible time."

With this Emily saw Sam in his human form walking towards the camp.

"I am surprised he isn't attached to your hip," mused Morgan casually. "You ever wonder where he goes when he is not with you?" He asked and nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders.

"Emily!" Called Sam walking briskly towards her.

" I went to your house but you weren't there. I tracked you here. I was worried."

"I am okay," said Emily.

"Yes, she is fine," said Morgan and Emily heard a bitterness in his voice. "Welcome to my humble home, by the way."

"I came because I was worried," said Sam tersely.

"Well, we all appreciate your concern," said Morgan, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Actually," said Emily. "I am glad you are both here. We need to talk."