Secrets of the Druids

CHAPTER THREE. SECOND CHANCE.

Chapter three.

Second chance.

Finnegas screamed out and all eyes went up to the smoke hole the boy was looking down from.

Quickly he rolled away onto his back hoping he wasn't seen.

"Get that boy!" Ordered the queen. "All Druids must die!"

Time showed him a spear plunging up from his chest.

He rolled and the spear pierced through the roof in the spot he just left.

He rushed onto his feet and ran.

Below he could hear men rushing out into the courtyard.

Least they can't see him from below.

Time showed a hail of arrows cutting him down on the rooftop.

"He's on the roof fire!"

He stopped took two steps back.

He watched the hail of arrows fired blindly from the courtyard fall inches in front of him and he cried out.

"We got him!" Said a voice from below.

He turned and ran the other way.

He knew his bluff  would only buy him a few seconds at most.

Time showed him jumping of the roof and braking his leg on a rock.

He changed direction ran jumped and missed the rock landing on the muddy ground beside it.

In front of him was the dark forest.

He fumbled out of the mud and ran Straight towards its welcoming shelter.

The boy kept running time guiding him better in the pitch black forest than if it were daylight.

Jumping every hole, tree root and hollow. Ducking and diving around every branch, tree and bush.

Not stopping until he found a cave hidden deep within the forest.

He collapsed onto its ground floor and stayed hidden there that night.

Alas  by first hour of morning two connaught warriors had found his cave.

Finnagas as time told him stayed calm hidden in the caves back dark passage.

He watched the two warriors enter.

One looked much older but bore a resemblance to his young companion, Finnagas guessed they were father and son.

Both stopped where the darkness began.

He could tell the older one was wary about entering the dark passage.

"Any child be to afraid to hide in that dark hole." He said and to finnagas relieve he turned to go.

"That's way its a good hiding place for the Druid child." Said the young one and moved to the edge of the dark back passage.

"Wait son!" The older said stirring anxiously into the dark. "I've a bad feel-"

"Your scared of the dark?" Laughs the son. "Well it's ok father, it won't bite you."

The son said mockingly and  plunged his hand into the darkness.

"See!  I'll have mum check for monsters under your bed when we get home."

Then he pulled his hand out. 

He screamed.

His hand became withered.

Grown old in front of their eyes.

"This place is cursed!" screamed his father and ran out of the cave.

The boy also ran crying over his withered hand.

Outside finnagas could hear their frantic shouting.

The boys hand had once more became young again.

The father made his son swear  never to return or mention this cursed place again.

The son swore and they both fled.

Finnagas stayed in the cave refusing to go until time said it was safe.

For two days he searched the future and what he saw shocked him.

Catbad his Druid master had found a way to cheat death, change time and return from the future.

He had found and kidnapped Abbie  the future Druid Queen.

Both are reckless.

Dangerous.

Their foolishness had already destroyed the far future and soon they will do the same to the past.

Time is taking notice.

The boy needed to find them.

Time was showing him the way.

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