by Don P. Bick
Chapter 47
Early the next morning Druc was up, bathed and dressed. It had been a long night. Finally he had fallen asleep in the early hours of the morning. He noticed Eagle sitting on the terrace wall, having found his way back after the council meeting the night before.
Druc was too nervous to eat and when Te came for him he was anxious to go and get the re-polarization finished, whatever it entailed.
Before leaving, Te walked out onto the terrace and sent a small blue fireball at Eagle. Eagle crumpled off the wall and onto the ground. He is fine she stated at Druc's alarm. He would not be able to follow us where we are going. He will be out for enough time to finish the procedure and return. Druc followed her to the door, glancing back at the loyal bird, feeling not so loyal himself.
Te took him down several flights of steps, along many long corridors and across two huge rooms before they came to a vast cavern cut out of the rock. Druc's experienced eyes could tell the room had been enlarged or created entirely by people. In the center of the cavern was a large metal vat filled with molten metal. The metal looked like pure gold.
The other four council members were present and were standing near the vat. They positioned Druc on the opposite side of the vat from where the five of them took up position. The five bowed their heads and Druc could hear their murmurs, although he couldn't make out what they were saying. When finished, they placed their hands in front of their chests and one by one emitted a blue light. The blue light expanded out into the cavern, joining with each of the other lights. The light grew to enshroud all of them, the vat and Druc. Druc watched the blue light with wide eyes, as the five returned to murmuring once more. In a few minutes they stopped. The blue light remained, filling the entire room with its soft color.
"Druc," started Te. "All things carry a price. To re-polarize the golden staff requires a great personal cost to you." She looked him directly in the eyes. "The cost is your right hand," Te calmly and softly continued. Should you accept these terms, plunge your right hand, while holding onto the staff, into the fire of molten gold. The staff will not be harmed."
Druc's knees buckled after hearing Te's words. "Not my right hand!" he cried, thinking he might as well jump into the vat himself and end it all. Without his right hand he could no longer work his trade as a stone craftsman. His right hand was the most precious thing he possessed, or so he thought during that first moment. However, without re-polarizing the staff the quest could not continue. Oh, they could and would try to continue, but Druc knew in his heart they would not be successful without him and the re-polarized staff.
One by one the faces of his dear friends passed before his eyes, even the cantankerous Eagle. He owed it to them. His hand was not as important as the rest of the group, not to mention all the other people in the world.
Refusing to think about the consequences any longer Druc stepped forward and plunged his right hand, firmly grasping the golden staff, into the molten metal.
The five Vulcan stood on the other side of the vat, each member’s heart filled with compassion for the brave Saturnian.
Druc screamed in his agony, but as he did so he felt a satisfaction deep inside for what his action was doing to the Dark One at that very moment. Without knowing how, he knew and reveled in the victory.
As Druc passed out from the agony and pain a soft familiar voice reverberated throughout every atom within his body. "Sacrifice, that is the first key."
# # #
About the Author
back to top
Don is a Vietnam Veteran living in Northern California. He recently spent several months in Vietnam working on his war memoirs - The Boy Died In Vietnam. He has written several novels and short stories soon to be available as e-books. His two favorite topics are love and life after death. Visit his website for more information at the link below. Your comments are always appreciated!
https://www.donbick.com/