Primalcraft: Scourge of the Wolf (book 1)

Chapter 25

Blake looked down at the sullen rabbit who refused to speak to him. Coney laid on Blake's pillow while Blake sat by the desk. After Blake had let Coney out, he had been furious at him for not letting him help against Keir. Blake had tried everything from bribing him with food and scratches, but nothing could lighten Coney's surly mood.

The door knocked and Blake saw Coney tense. Normally, he would have skipped to the door to make sure that it wasn't anyone dangerous. This time he refused to do so but was still alert. Which suggest that he still cared about Blake. Blake answered the door and looked at the person outside who stood there looking nervously.

Hamish clearly didn't know what to do with his hands.

"Hello, Hamish! Come in."

Blake let Hamish in, and Hamish sat down on Alex's bed while Blake closed the door and sat down across from him with a warm smile. "I'm surprised that you knew where I live?"

"I asked Alex. He seemed to know."

"Let's hope so since he is my roommate."

"Right!" Hamish answered quickly and an awkward silenced laid between them before Hamish broke it.

"You know, we didn't know what the head druid would do. I do hope that you won't judge every druid by his action."

"I wouldn't but I need to ask. He seemed to think that you would sacrifice him to save the tree. In his nightmare, I saw the tree eat him and he became a face like that on the Tree of Knowledge."

Hamish sighed as he shook his head. "I remember... When I was ten, the elder druids had a meeting in a close-by grove. It apparently was to discuss this. The Elan Coven had prolonged their tree's life by sacrificing their strongest witch who gave his magic to the tree to revive it. They have done it for centuries as this is merely a temporary solution. The elders discussed this possibility but, in the end, refused. It was dark and unnatural magic. We druids strongly believe in life and death. All things must come to an end. Even worlds and gods. It was merely the World Tree's time to go. Our task was to ensure that a new World Tree would be found and guarded."

"So, Keir merely imagined the whole thing."

"Most likely, sure some thought the idea had value, but no one had mentioned that the Head Druid would be the sacrifice as the sacrifice must be willing. At least, that is our belief. I don't think the ritual needs a willing sacrifice, but we do."

"That is... sad."

"Yeah," Hamish mumbled before he smiled at Blake.

"The elders have given me the task to talk to you. Most likely because I am the one closest to you in our order."

Hamish pulled something from his robes and gave it to Blake who stared. It was a golden acorn. It was warm against his skin and he could feel strange energy from it. He looked up at Hamish. "What is it?"

"A seed from the World Tree. It might one day create a new one. The Elders decided to give it to you. They believe that you are the one that can create a new oak. All they ask is that you will tell us when it has sprouted so that we can care for it."

"Why me?"

"The World Tree sacrificed itself to save you. That means that you most likely are the one it trusted and loved the most. It would only be natural to entrust its seed to you. I do hope that a new life can be born from the World Tree's sacrifice. Then the whole thing wouldn't feel so... sad."

Blake looked up at Hamish with a studying gaze. "Are you bitter because of the incident? Are you angry at me?"

Hamish quickly shook his head and gave him a reassuring smile. "This was started by us, not you and it was the will of the World Tree. Frankly, I do think that it's rather ironic. We live to protect the World Tree, but we only saw it as an energy source, not a living being. With its last breath, it reminded us about something that never should have been forgotten. All things are alive. And we are the messengers of the natural world. If the messengers cannot hear the voices of the trees, then what good are we?"