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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/32686-h.zip b/32686-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..25279d5 --- /dev/null +++ b/32686-h.zip diff --git a/32686-h/32686-h.htm b/32686-h/32686-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b1b598a --- /dev/null +++ b/32686-h/32686-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1175 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook Day of the Druid, by Knut Enferd + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; background-color: #FFFFFF; +} + + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; +} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; +} + +.tr {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; margin-top: 5%; margin-bottom: 5%; padding: 2em; background-color: #f6f2f2; color: black; border: dotted black 1px;} + +.img1 {border:solid 1px; } + +.blockquot { + margin-left: 5%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + +.center {text-align: center;} + +.caption {font-weight: bold; font-size:smaller;} + +/* Images */ +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; +} + +.figleft { + float: left; + clear: left; + margin-left: 0; + margin-bottom: 0em; + margin-top: 0.25em; + margin-right: 0.25em; + padding: 0; + text-align: center; +} + +/* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Day of the Druid, by Knut Enferd + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Day of the Druid + +Author: Knut Enferd + +Release Date: June 4, 2010 [EBook #32686] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DAY OF THE DRUID *** + + + + +Produced by Sankar Viswanathan, Greg Weeks, and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="tr"><p class="center">Transcriber's Note:</p> +<p class="center">This etext was produced from Amazing Stories November 1948. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.</p></div> +<p> </p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img class="img1" src="images/cover.jpg" width="400" height="542" alt="" title="" /> +</div> +<p> </p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 800px;"> +<img src="images/image_001.jpg" width="800" height="583" alt="He had to strike at the source of their power ... they +leaped to prevent him" title="" /> +<span class="caption">He had to strike at the source of their power ... they +leaped to prevent him</span> +</div> +<p> </p> + +<h1>DAY OF THE DRUID</h1> +<p> </p> + +<h2>by Knut Enferd</h2> +<p> </p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>Be'al, all-powerful god, drank the blood of his victims. +Would Gaar be able to save Marna, whom Be'al kept in eternal +sleep, and avenge her people?</p></div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_f.jpg" alt="F" width="32" height="40" /></div> +<p>og lay heavy on the North Sea, fog wreathed the land, fog crept into +a man's very bones. Meanwhile the ships were locked in the harbor. +Gaar lay stretched on the skin before the fire and cursed the fog.</p> + +<p>How much longer was this infernal whiteness going to last? A man was +thirty years old, in the prime of his life, with the blood running hot +through the seven foot length of him. How much longer was he going to +have to lie here in the great hall, eating and drinking and waiting +for the roll of fat to show around his middle? A man wanted action and +instead he was forced to loll around listening to stories.</p> + +<p>Niffleheim and Hotunheim were all right, Gaar thought. A man didn't +want to offend the Gods. On the other hand, Wodin forgive the thought, +a man could tire of listening to the same old tales.</p> + +<p>But wait. The voice that was speaking had stopped. This was a new +voice. Elgen was finished with his tale and Vornung had started one. +And this one wasn't about the Gods. Gaar twisted around and got up on +one elbow.</p> + +<p>"Who?" he demanded. "What did you say they called themselves?"</p> + +<p>"Picts," Vornung said. In his day Vornung had sailed with the best of +them, but now he was old. "It was many years ago. After a storm we +found ourselves washed up on this strange shore."</p> + +<p>"What sort of people are they?"</p> + +<p>"An unlovely bunch, hairy, dressed in skins."</p> + +<p>"Could they fight?"</p> + +<p>"Ptuh." Vornung spat into the fire. "One touch of our swords and +they'd had enough. Only one thing they could do well. They could tell +stories."</p> + +<p>He leaned back and took a draught of mead and wiped his mouth +reflectively.</p> + +<p>"But what stories! We were stuck there for months and I learned enough +of their tongue to understand them. They told tales that could curdle +a man's blood, tales of a land that lies to the south of them, of +treasure, of a beautiful woman locked in eternal sleep by the priests +of her people."</p> + +<p>Treasure and a beautiful woman. This was something to make a man sit +up. Gaar's big hands were locked about his knees as he rocked back and +forth thoughtfully.</p> + +<p>"How far?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"That they would not say. When they spoke of this they spoke +fearfully. We might have pressed them, but we were in a hurry to get +home."</p> + +<p>Gaar was on his feet now. He went to the door and looked out. There +was a hint of breeze, from landward for a change. Maybe the fog would +lift soon.</p> + +<p>"Tell us more," he said over his shoulder....</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_v.jpg" alt="V" width="36" height="40" /></div> +<p>ornung had been wrong about these Picts. They weren't afraid to +fight, and they weren't waiting for the fight to come to them. Under +cover of darkness they swarmed in over the gunwales of the ship.</p> + +<p>Unlovely they were, and unwashed. Gaar had the scent of one in his +nostrils as the dark fellow came at him. Gaar struck out and the Pict +went overboard.</p> + +<p>Luckily, the surprise had not been complete. And these Norsemen were +used to fighting in close and rocky quarters. They sailed in with a +will. Gaar was not too busy to do a bit of wondering.</p> + +<p>A man was crazy to trust an old fool like Vornung, crazy to follow a +dream of white skin and red lips and incredible beauty.</p> + +<p>Of course, these men of the North would have admitted that they were +all a little mad to begin with. Who else but madmen would take such a +tiny craft across hundreds of leagues of stormy sea?</p> + +<p>Gaar laughed aloud. With ten men like his he'd sail anywhere, fight +anyone. Elgen, up in the bow, had a Pict in each hand and was cracking +their heads together. In the stern, Asgar was making short work of +three Picts.</p> + +<p>This fight wasn't going to last long. And a good thing. The way the +Picts swung their clubs they might just happen to knock a few holes in +the hull. Gaar breathed easier when the last of them went down.</p> + +<p>"Now," he said. "Maybe we can talk some sense to them."</p> + +<p>Vornung had taught him as much as he could recall of the language of +the Picts. With a silent prayer that Vornung's memory had been good in +at least this one respect, Gaar hauled a swarthy, bowlegged fellow to +his feet.</p> + +<p>"Look here. Can you understand me?"</p> + +<p>Then the sun came up and the Pict got a look at the man who held him.</p> + +<p>"I understand you." His words came through chattering teeth.</p> + +<p>"Good. Don't be afraid. We mean no harm."</p> + +<p>So Vornung hadn't been completely wrong. Gaar talked, keeping his eyes +glued on the man before him. The fellow knew what he was talking +about. Mention of the girl who slept brought a secret gleam to his +eye. What about all the others? What about the priests?</p> + +<p>"<i>The Druids.</i>" It was a whisper.</p> + +<p>"Is that how they are called? How far to this land?"</p> + +<p>Gaar saw there wasn't going to be any answer to that. The Pict was +scared. He was shaking his head. Some of his friends were coming +around and they'd heard too. They were all turning pale around the +gills.</p> + +<p>"Tell him we'll hold his head under water until he speaks up," Asgar +suggested.</p> + +<p>Gaar hesitated. Fighting was one thing, torture another. It was all +right to cut a man to pieces as long as he had a chance to do the same +to you.</p> + +<p>Maybe threats would do the trick. He told the Pict what Asgar had +suggested and the man licked his lips. The rest of the Picts were in a +panic, babbling among themselves.</p> + +<p>Gaar understood enough of what they were saying. They were pointing at +the sun. What the devil? Was this going to turn into one of those +things? Were the Druids some sort of gods who lived in the sun?</p> + +<p>No, that wasn't it either. The Druids were real enough. But they had +some power that came from the sun, that could turn a man to cinders. +To speak too much about them would mean death.</p> + +<p>"No more certain a death than awaits you if you don't talk," Gaar +said.</p> + +<p>He narrowed his eyes, made them as cruel as he could. He drew the +sword from his scabbard, ran his finger along the edge.</p> + +<p>The blood was hammering at his temples. That dream wasn't so crazy +now. He could see her as though she were before him. Black hair hung +about alabaster shoulders. Lips as red as ripe berries, lips that had +waited a thousand years for his kiss.</p> + +<p>"Wait," Gaar whispered. "Not much longer now." His sword glinted in +the sunlight, hovered at the man's throat.</p> + +<p>"I will tell you all I know," the Pict said.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_t.jpg" alt="T" width="36" height="40" /></div> +<p>he inlet was a perfect hiding place for the ship. There were enough +branches about to screen it from distant eyes. And yet Gaar had the +feeling that they were being watched.</p> + +<p>He swung around suddenly. Nothing to be seen except the gently waving +branches. A harmless scene, the dancing waters of the inlet and the +serenity of the woods, and yet terror lurked there.</p> + +<p>Considering the fact that their knowledge was only from hearsay, the +Picts had directed him well. Down the coast of this great island, they +had said, and then through a long channel. And then you sailed around +the southern end and to the westward. There was a smaller island and a +smaller channel.</p> + +<p>And now it would be overland travel. Not far, the Picts had said, and +they had wondered at these men who had the daring to sail through +strange waters to certain death. There was a plain rising from the +coast. Somewhere on that plain Gaar would find what he sought.</p> + +<p>"I have a feeling," Asgar muttered. He was as blond as the rest, but a +foot shorter than Gaar and with a chest that threatened to burst +through his breastplate.</p> + +<p>"So have I," Gaar admitted. "In my bones." And out of the plain to the +north came a scent like an opened grave.</p> + +<p>They walked through the forest with their hands on their swords, these +men of the North. A long twilight here, a twilight that brought +shadows that could deceive a man. A strange land this, where Spring +came early and where the air was soft.</p> + +<p>Swords were worthless here, the Picts had said. A man's strength meant +nothing.</p> + +<p>A voice whispered to Gaar's mind that the Picts were right. But there +was another voice, a voice that had grown stronger night by night as +he sailed southward. This was a voice that came from long dead lips, +but lips that retained their freshness.</p> + +<p>"I hear something," Asgar whispered. "I hear something inside my +head."</p> + +<p>The others had heard it too. They stared at each other in the +gathering dusk. There was magic here. But Gaar knew that there was +magic to fight this magic.</p> + +<p>And then suddenly it was night. On a far off peak a fire spurted +upward. Was it a beacon or a device to lure them to doom? Gaar +wondered. They paused in a grove, in a circle of stones. It was time +to rest. A lassitude crept over them.</p> + +<p>He knew then how strong the dark forces were. His inner voice warned +him of the death that lurked in a circle of stones. But the power in +this grove was strong. Gaar felt the torpor take hold of him. He saw +the men stagger. Then, with his last ounce of strength, he had his +foot against one of the stones and was kicking out.</p> + +<p>The circle was broken and with it the spell. Gaar shook himself. He +had learned one thing, to stay outside stone circles.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_o.jpg" alt="O" width="38" height="40" /></div> +<p>verhead the stars wheeled. There was the Bear, and there was the +Bull. If you could read them rightly the ocean was not trackless. The +seasons were there if you could read them.</p> + +<p>Tomorrow would be Spring. And tonight men in long black robes walked +the great circle, related each of the stones to its constellation in +the heavens, canted their hymns to the dark powers that had spawned +them.</p> + +<p>Tomorrow would be Spring. Tomorrow the sun would slant down between +the two tallest stones and fall blood-red upon the Cromlech, upon the +altar. Tonight they would burn brighter.</p> + +<p>And Be'al would be appeased. Be'al the All-Powerful would taste the +blood of the victims, would smell their flesh, and Be'al would know +that his sons had not forgotten him.</p> + +<p>He was all they had not forgotten. Too long for them to remember, too +long since they had crossed the void from their parent planet. The +sciences they had brought were gone. Only this residue of blood-lust +remained.</p> + +<p>"The girl stirs," Cyngled said. His beard was black and thick, his +skin white, and whiter still the circular scar on his forehead.</p> + +<p>In the sepulchre the air was damp as the high-priest looked down upon +the girl. In the light of the flickering yew-torches her eyelids +seemed to move. Cyngled's fingers hovered at the hilt of the +sacrificial knife.</p> + +<p>"Marna stirs," Glendyn whispered. "Tomorrow she will awaken. Let it be +for the last time. As long as she lives we are in danger."</p> + +<p>"She can do nothing alone."</p> + +<p>"But she is never alone. How many times has her beauty brought men to +her aid?"</p> + +<p>"Their bones would make a tall pile," Cyngled agreed. His eyes were +bright beneath hooded lids. "What about those who landed today?"</p> + +<p>"They are somewhere in the forest. Once we thought we had them, but +they broke away."</p> + +<p>Footsteps sounded in the corridor and a hooded priest came hurrying +over the worn stones of the floor. His fingers traced the sacred +symbols in the damp air of the crypt.</p> + +<p>"Well?" Cyngled demanded.</p> + +<p>"We are having trouble following them. Their thoughts are shrouded. +Something comes between us and them."</p> + +<p>Cyngled's eyes darted back to Marna. He knew what it was that +protected these strangers. Even in her sleep the girl had power. +Glendyn was right.</p> + +<p>"Tomorrow, then," Cyngled murmured. "In the meantime, watch her. You +here, Glendyn, and you above, Twyn."</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_g.jpg" alt="G" width="36" height="40" /></div> +<p>aar moved swiftly. Behind him came the others. They had covered miles +but they were not tired. Not much farther, Gaar knew. The growth was +thinner.</p> + +<p>"We'll come at them straight ahead," Elgen said, moving up to Gaar's +side. "They'll never know what hit them."</p> + +<p>In the starlight Gaar could see his outline. Asgar's bulk loomed close +behind. Maybe the usual method of attack was best. Maybe Elgen was +right. Yet there was this knowledge that swords would not be enough.</p> + +<p>Then he caught the sound of voices. Out of the darkness ahead came a +deep-throated, monotonous chant. With startling abruptness the forest +ended and they were at the edge of a vast clearing.</p> + +<p>Huge stones, too great for a man to move, formed a perfect circle. +Towering thirty feet above the others were two monoliths standing a +few feet apart. And directly before them was an altar, a great slab of +rock supported by four stone legs.</p> + +<p>About the altar hooded shadows moved slowly, murmuring their endless +chants. Gaar was tempted. The surprise should be complete. But this +thing held him.</p> + +<p>He waited, and was glad that he had. There was the faint and +flickering light of a torch. It seemed to come out of the very ground +beyond the circle of stones. It <i>did</i> come out of the ground.</p> + +<p>There was an opening of some sort, the mouth of a cave. Two figures +emerged and he saw them clearly before the torch was extinguished. +Then, even in the dim starlight, Gaar saw one of the figures move +away.</p> + +<p>"One of them is guarding the cave," Asgar whispered.</p> + +<p>"In that case there must be something to guard." He thought he knew +what it was. He was certain he knew.</p> + +<p>"Listen," Gaar whispered. "I'm going to try to get inside."</p> + +<p>"Alone?"</p> + +<p>"One is better than a dozen for this job. That fellow seems to have +pulled back into the mouth of the cave. If I can get him quickly his +friends may never notice he's gone."</p> + +<p>"What about us?"</p> + +<p>"You wait here. It's almost dawn. By then I should be back."</p> + +<p>"And if you're not back by then?"</p> + +<p>"Turn around and get to the ship as fast as you can. There's no use +trying if I can't get through. Don't ask me how I know that. I just +do. That's an order. Understand?"</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_t.jpg" alt="T" width="36" height="40" /></div> +<p>hey understood. Gaar unbuckled his sword, handed his shield to Elgen. +Next to come off was the breastplate. When a man's greatest need was +stealth, he didn't want any metal on him.</p> + +<p>A moment later he was off through the thin screen of trees, moving +silently around the great circle of stones. At every step he felt it +stronger, this voice inside himself. He had to keep out of the circle. +He knew that.</p> + +<p>Then he was behind the slight rise in the earth that was the opening +of the cave. Very slowly now, Gaar moved, feeling his way. He felt the +rock beneath his fingers. A few steps more and there was no rock. He +turned inward.</p> + +<p>Hugging the wall he inched forward. There was a shadow, darker then +the rest. Lips moved in the darkness, forming soundless words. Gaar's +hands reach out, found a throat. The lips stopped moving.</p> + +<p>Gaar lifted the body, carried it back away from the mouth of the cave. +He almost fell down the stone staircase that yawned suddenly at his +feet. When Gaar had recovered his poise he went on, taking each step +gingerly.</p> + +<p>He was going down into a darkness that smelled of the dungeon and even +worse. Walls grew damp and clammy where he touched them. Slimy things +scurried across the floor. The path Gaar was following twisted and +turned.</p> + +<p>Then there was a door. Gaar fumbled in the darkness. The door opened +soundlessly. Beyond it was a faint and fitful light that led him +onward toward its source. It led him into the room.</p> + +<p>Gaar knew it was the end of the search. Its bareness told him what he +had already suspected. There was no treasure. This was a people that +did not believe in jewelled trappings. But the girl was here, in this +very room. That was the only thing that mattered.</p> + +<p>A black-robed figure hid the sarcophagus from Gaar's view. A broad +back, wearing the folds of the dark priesthood. The back shifted +uneasily, as though feeling eyes upon it, and Gaar caught a glimpse of +something white beyond.</p> + +<p>He stepped forward, light as a giant cat. He took another step and his +foot scraped earth. The sound was minute, almost inaudible, but +Glendyn heard. He whirled, his hand flashing toward his girdle. Gaar +closed the gap between them in a single leap. His left hand caught +Glendyn's wrist, forced the knife back. But Glendyn was a tricky one, +hard to hold. He shifted, kicked out, and Gaar stumbled.</p> + +<p>The knife was at his throat now. He knocked it aside, drove his fist +upward into a soft belly. Glendyn doubled and his jaw met Gaar's other +fist as it came up. There was the splintering of bone.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_b.jpg" alt="B" width="35" height="40" /></div> +<p>eneath a white, filmy covering she lay, beneath a flimsy veil that +pressed gently upon her rounded form. Her limbs were whiter than the +veil that covered them. Her hair was black as night. Her lips were +redder than in his vision.</p> + +<p>A thousand sleeps she had slept, and more. Older than the land from +which Gaar had come, and yet she was younger than he. He bent forward +and pressed his lips to hers. They were warm and yielding.</p> + +<p>"Wake up," Gaar whispered. Then, louder, "Wake up!"</p> + +<p>Was she dead? It seemed to him that she stirred, and yet it might have +been the flickering light which created an illusion. Now he ran his +hand through her hair. His big hands slapped at her cheeks, gently at +first and then harder. His voice was insistent, commanding.</p> + +<p>Very slowly, then, her eyes opened. Blank and staring, they were, as +she hovered on the brink. Gaar's will pulled her to life. The +blankness went out of her eyes and was replaced by a sudden gladness.</p> + +<p>"You came. I knew you would come."</p> + +<p>She struggled to sit up and saw that only the veil covered her nudity. +She blushed. Gaar turned his back, bent and removed the black robe +from the crumpled figure on the floor. Over his shoulder he handed the +robe to the girl. When he turned to her again she was sitting up, a +trace of color still in her cheeks.</p> + +<p>"Where are they?" Marna asked fearfully. There was loathing in the +glance she threw at Glendyn's body. "There are many more. Where are +they?"</p> + +<p>"Up above," Gaar told her. "This one and another were left to watch +you."</p> + +<p>"Good. They won't be coming back for a long time. Now they are busy +preparing the sacrifices to Be'al." Marna shuddered. "It is the feast +of Beltane."</p> + +<p>Gaar spoke quickly. "What sort of men are they?"</p> + +<p>"They are not men. They are devils. A long time ago they came out of +the sky in strange ships. They brought strange powers and a strange +god who demanded human sacrifices. My people were driven out, killed. +I am the only one left."</p> + +<p>"But why did they save you?"</p> + +<p>"As a hostage, at first. And later because it pleased them to keep me +as a symbol of the race they had vanquished. Every year I have +awakened and they have used me as a mock sacrifice. And then they have +put me to sleep again for another year."</p> + +<p>"And today again?"</p> + +<p>"For the last time. They have lost their power to act at a distance. +And they grow afraid that I may call someone they cannot defeat. Their +power is great now on only this one day when the sun comes directly +between the two stones they brought with them from their mother +world."</p> + +<p>She started suddenly and Gaar stared at her. "What is it?" he +demanded.</p> + +<p>"I feel something. I feel danger."</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_t.jpg" alt="T" width="36" height="40" /></div> +<p>here was no time to ask questions. Gaar knew she would not be wrong. +This daughter of a lost people had a knowledge he could not fathom. He +lifted her out of the sarcophagus and set her on her feet.</p> + +<p>"We've got to get out of here. Once we reach my men and set back for +the coast they'll never stop us."</p> + +<p>They were running now, back along the corridor down which Gaar had +come. Half way they went, and then they heard the voices and the feet +that came toward them from above.</p> + +<p>Gaar listened intently. There were too many. One or two he would have +fought, maybe even a half-dozen. But this was the tramp of many feet. +They must have found the body at the head of the Stairs. Gaar cursed +his luck.</p> + +<p>"We'll have to go back. Is there another way out?"</p> + +<p>"No none. It was the burial place for the kings of my people before +the Druids came."</p> + +<p>And it looked like it would be his burial place as well, Gaar thought. +But he had to go back anyway. He couldn't take a chance on the girl +being hurt in a fight in the dark. Besides, that fellow he had killed +had a knife. It would be better than no weapon at all.</p> + +<p>The feet were close behind them as they ran. The girl was too slow. +Gaar scooped her up and ran with her under his arm. But still not +swiftly enough. They had been overheard.</p> + +<p>He had barely time to swing Marna behind the sarcophagus and out of +immediate danger. He bent and tore the knife from Glendyn's loose +grasp. And then they were on him, a flood of black-robed figures.</p> + +<p>Blood spurted as the knife in Gaar's hand flashed. A man screamed, and +then another as Gaar's fist made pulp of flesh and bone. His hands +struck blows like Thor's hammer. He made them pay dearly for every +backward step he took. But they came on still.</p> + +<p>They were too many for him. They forced him back until a cold wall +stopped him. Then, by the sheer force of numbers they overwhelmed him. +He went down under a torrent of blows that drove everything from his +mind but the thought that he had failed Marna.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_d.jpg" alt="D" width="38" height="40" /></div> +<p>aylight, and Gaar's head ached as consciousness returned. He seemed +to be a single aching bruise from head to foot. After a while he +realized that Marna lay beside him at the bottom of the stairs that +led to the cavern mouth.</p> + +<p>Light came down strongly, too strongly. It was long after dawn. A +stray thought flashed across Gaar's mind: his men would be well on +their way to the ship: Yet there was no use castigating himself. Marna +would have died before they could have reached her if they had come in +a body.</p> + +<p>"I'm sorry," Gaar said, and tried to turn toward Marna. Leather thongs +bound him tightly but he rocked back and forth until he tipped onto +his side.</p> + +<p>"Not as sorry as I," she said, her eyes soft on his face. "If I had +not called you would never have come."</p> + +<p>"The only thing a Norseman fears is that he should die in bed," Gaar +told her.</p> + +<p>But he wasn't ready to die yet. If he could only get a little play +into these thongs! His muscles bulged with the strain as he threw his +strength into the effort. Then a scream filtered down and sent a +shiver along his spine.</p> + +<p>"The sacrifices have started," Marna said. "It will not be long now. +They will be coming for us soon."</p> + +<p>"Can't <i>you</i> do anything?" Gaar asked. "Can't you fight them with +their own weapons?"</p> + +<p>"Not while I am awake. When I sleep my soul is in communion with my +people who have gone and I draw strength from them. But this is the +feast of Beltane. While the sun comes directly between the two great +stones the magic of the Druids is at its most potent. And mine is +waning."</p> + +<p>As her voice faded there came again the scream of a soul in mortal +fear. The scream died quickly, merging into a rising paean from the +Druids. Then there was a patter of sandal-clad feet and the light from +above was blocked by the figure of Cyngled, the high priest.</p> + +<p>In Cyngled's hand the great sacrificial knife dripped blood. Be'al +would drink well this day, Be'al would be appeased. Behind Cyngled +came other priests, lesser ones whose faces revealed unholy joy as +they came down the stairs.</p> + +<p>Two of them lifted Marna but it took four to carry Gaar. Strong light +made him blink as they emerged from the mouth of the cave. Shock +forced his eyes to remain open as they entered the charmed circle.</p> + +<p>Blood-red came the sun between the two monoliths to fall upon the +great Cromlech that was redder still with human gore. A wave of nausea +swept up from Gaar's stomach. He fought it down.</p> + +<p>Then the strength filtered out of him as he was carried into the +circle. Now he was a child in their hands. He felt himself being +lifted, felt his back touch the slippery stone. Beside him Marna was +laid, the black robe she had worn ripped from her body.</p> + +<p>Cyngled's chant rose above them, the knife came up and hovered at +Gaar's throat. The knife was coming down. And then it stopped! It +stopped as the air was split by the battle cry of the Norsemen!</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_g.jpg" alt="G" width="36" height="40" /></div> +<p>aar twisted his head and saw them come out of the woods beyond the +circle. Like madmen they raged across the clearing. But nobody rushed +to oppose them! Instead, the Druid priests drew back, gathered about +Cyngled. As the Norsemen came into the circle the high priest's hands +drew the magic symbols in the air.</p> + +<p>And the Norsemen stopped! Like men of stone they were, a tableau of +arrested motion.</p> + +<p>There was no hope. The bitterness of gall was in Gaar's mouth as he +turned his head from the scene. He looked at Marna. Her eyes were +bright, burning into his own. No hopelessness there. Her eyes were +speaking to him.</p> + +<p>They were willing him, willing him to strength! Gaar felt it come back +to him. Her magic was stronger than she knew. He felt the strength +come back in a surge that would not be denied.</p> + +<p>This was only leather that held him. The leather could bite into his +flesh as he strained. But it could not hurt him. His great chest +filled with air and the thongs gave, stretched. And burst!</p> + +<p>In a single leap he was off the altar. He wanted to rage into the +Druid priests, to tear them apart with his bare hands. But there were +too many. And Marna's will was telling him that there was something +else he must do.</p> + +<p>He knew what it was. He had to strike at the source of their power. +They were turning to meet his charge, setting themselves solidly.</p> + +<p>Gaar wheeled, spurted around them and then around the Cromlech. They +guessed his purpose and leaped to stop him. They had to prevent him +from reaching the two great stones. Gaar battered them aside and went +through them.</p> + +<p>His back was against one of the monoliths, his feet against the other. +He climbed that way, ignoring the knives that slashed at his back. +Then he was above the reach of their arms. The sun was full in his +face. His shadow blocked the altar. His back was on stone, his feet +were on stone. Two great pillars, rooted in the earth, and against +them the strength of one man.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_b.jpg" alt="B" width="35" height="40" /></div> +<p>ut that man was Gaar. Slowly his legs straightened, his shoulders +went back. All the power that was in his mighty frame went into the +thrust. It was a power that would not be denied.</p> + +<p>A pillar swayed, tottered, and was ripped out of the earth. Gaar felt +himself falling and twisted catlike in the air to land on his feet.</p> + +<p>He whirled to meet the charge of the Druids. Cyngled's hands still +traced the air but his power was gone. The Norsemen exploded into life +again, their swords whirring a song of death. Only Cyngled did not +lose his head. Defeated the Druids were, and defeated forever, but he +could snatch some measure of victory from the defeat. He was at +Marna's side when Gaar reached him.</p> + +<p>One great hand on Cyngled's throat, another at his waist. Gaar lifted +him high and hurled him earthward. Cyngled twitched once and was +still. The stone knife was in his hand but it would never be used +again. The day of the Druids was over.</p> + +<p>Marna was smiling at Gaar as he cut the thongs that bound her. This +time her lips came up to meet his. For Elgen and Asgar and the rest +there was no treasure. But they had no complaints. It had been a good +fight. For Gaar there was the greatest treasure of all.</p> + +<p>The hint of sorrow was out of Marna's eyes. The past was gone, and +there was nothing here for her now. She was the daughter of a once +great people. She would be the mother of a greater one. Her arm was +linked with Gaar's as they took the first steps back toward the ship +which would take them northward.</p> + +<h3>THE END</h3> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Day of the Druid, by Knut Enferd + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DAY OF THE DRUID *** + +***** This file should be named 32686-h.htm or 32686-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/2/6/8/32686/ + +Produced by Sankar Viswanathan, Greg Weeks, and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Day of the Druid + +Author: Knut Enferd + +Release Date: June 4, 2010 [EBook #32686] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DAY OF THE DRUID *** + + + + +Produced by Sankar Viswanathan, Greg Weeks, and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + Transcriber's Note: + + This etext was produced from Amazing Stories November 1948. Extensive + research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this + publication was renewed. + + + [Illustration: He had to strike at the source of their power ... they + leaped to prevent him] + + + DAY OF THE DRUID + + + by Knut Enferd + + + Be'al, all-powerful god, drank the blood of his victims. + Would Gaar be able to save Marna, whom Be'al kept in eternal + sleep, and avenge her people? + + * * * * * + + + + +Fog lay heavy on the North Sea, fog wreathed the land, fog crept into +a man's very bones. Meanwhile the ships were locked in the harbor. +Gaar lay stretched on the skin before the fire and cursed the fog. + +How much longer was this infernal whiteness going to last? A man was +thirty years old, in the prime of his life, with the blood running hot +through the seven foot length of him. How much longer was he going to +have to lie here in the great hall, eating and drinking and waiting +for the roll of fat to show around his middle? A man wanted action and +instead he was forced to loll around listening to stories. + +Niffleheim and Hotunheim were all right, Gaar thought. A man didn't +want to offend the Gods. On the other hand, Wodin forgive the thought, +a man could tire of listening to the same old tales. + +But wait. The voice that was speaking had stopped. This was a new +voice. Elgen was finished with his tale and Vornung had started one. +And this one wasn't about the Gods. Gaar twisted around and got up on +one elbow. + +"Who?" he demanded. "What did you say they called themselves?" + +"Picts," Vornung said. In his day Vornung had sailed with the best of +them, but now he was old. "It was many years ago. After a storm we +found ourselves washed up on this strange shore." + +"What sort of people are they?" + +"An unlovely bunch, hairy, dressed in skins." + +"Could they fight?" + +"Ptuh." Vornung spat into the fire. "One touch of our swords and +they'd had enough. Only one thing they could do well. They could tell +stories." + +He leaned back and took a draught of mead and wiped his mouth +reflectively. + +"But what stories! We were stuck there for months and I learned enough +of their tongue to understand them. They told tales that could curdle +a man's blood, tales of a land that lies to the south of them, of +treasure, of a beautiful woman locked in eternal sleep by the priests +of her people." + +Treasure and a beautiful woman. This was something to make a man sit +up. Gaar's big hands were locked about his knees as he rocked back and +forth thoughtfully. + +"How far?" he asked. + +"That they would not say. When they spoke of this they spoke +fearfully. We might have pressed them, but we were in a hurry to get +home." + +Gaar was on his feet now. He went to the door and looked out. There +was a hint of breeze, from landward for a change. Maybe the fog would +lift soon. + +"Tell us more," he said over his shoulder.... + + * * * * * + +Vornung had been wrong about these Picts. They weren't afraid to +fight, and they weren't waiting for the fight to come to them. Under +cover of darkness they swarmed in over the gunwales of the ship. + +Unlovely they were, and unwashed. Gaar had the scent of one in his +nostrils as the dark fellow came at him. Gaar struck out and the Pict +went overboard. + +Luckily, the surprise had not been complete. And these Norsemen were +used to fighting in close and rocky quarters. They sailed in with a +will. Gaar was not too busy to do a bit of wondering. + +A man was crazy to trust an old fool like Vornung, crazy to follow a +dream of white skin and red lips and incredible beauty. + +Of course, these men of the North would have admitted that they were +all a little mad to begin with. Who else but madmen would take such a +tiny craft across hundreds of leagues of stormy sea? + +Gaar laughed aloud. With ten men like his he'd sail anywhere, fight +anyone. Elgen, up in the bow, had a Pict in each hand and was cracking +their heads together. In the stern, Asgar was making short work of +three Picts. + +This fight wasn't going to last long. And a good thing. The way the +Picts swung their clubs they might just happen to knock a few holes in +the hull. Gaar breathed easier when the last of them went down. + +"Now," he said. "Maybe we can talk some sense to them." + +Vornung had taught him as much as he could recall of the language of +the Picts. With a silent prayer that Vornung's memory had been good in +at least this one respect, Gaar hauled a swarthy, bowlegged fellow to +his feet. + +"Look here. Can you understand me?" + +Then the sun came up and the Pict got a look at the man who held him. + +"I understand you." His words came through chattering teeth. + +"Good. Don't be afraid. We mean no harm." + +So Vornung hadn't been completely wrong. Gaar talked, keeping his eyes +glued on the man before him. The fellow knew what he was talking +about. Mention of the girl who slept brought a secret gleam to his +eye. What about all the others? What about the priests? + +"_The Druids._" It was a whisper. + +"Is that how they are called? How far to this land?" + +Gaar saw there wasn't going to be any answer to that. The Pict was +scared. He was shaking his head. Some of his friends were coming +around and they'd heard too. They were all turning pale around the +gills. + +"Tell him we'll hold his head under water until he speaks up," Asgar +suggested. + +Gaar hesitated. Fighting was one thing, torture another. It was all +right to cut a man to pieces as long as he had a chance to do the same +to you. + +Maybe threats would do the trick. He told the Pict what Asgar had +suggested and the man licked his lips. The rest of the Picts were in a +panic, babbling among themselves. + +Gaar understood enough of what they were saying. They were pointing at +the sun. What the devil? Was this going to turn into one of those +things? Were the Druids some sort of gods who lived in the sun? + +No, that wasn't it either. The Druids were real enough. But they had +some power that came from the sun, that could turn a man to cinders. +To speak too much about them would mean death. + +"No more certain a death than awaits you if you don't talk," Gaar +said. + +He narrowed his eyes, made them as cruel as he could. He drew the +sword from his scabbard, ran his finger along the edge. + +The blood was hammering at his temples. That dream wasn't so crazy +now. He could see her as though she were before him. Black hair hung +about alabaster shoulders. Lips as red as ripe berries, lips that had +waited a thousand years for his kiss. + +"Wait," Gaar whispered. "Not much longer now." His sword glinted in +the sunlight, hovered at the man's throat. + +"I will tell you all I know," the Pict said. + + * * * * * + +The inlet was a perfect hiding place for the ship. There were enough +branches about to screen it from distant eyes. And yet Gaar had the +feeling that they were being watched. + +He swung around suddenly. Nothing to be seen except the gently waving +branches. A harmless scene, the dancing waters of the inlet and the +serenity of the woods, and yet terror lurked there. + +Considering the fact that their knowledge was only from hearsay, the +Picts had directed him well. Down the coast of this great island, they +had said, and then through a long channel. And then you sailed around +the southern end and to the westward. There was a smaller island and a +smaller channel. + +And now it would be overland travel. Not far, the Picts had said, and +they had wondered at these men who had the daring to sail through +strange waters to certain death. There was a plain rising from the +coast. Somewhere on that plain Gaar would find what he sought. + +"I have a feeling," Asgar muttered. He was as blond as the rest, but a +foot shorter than Gaar and with a chest that threatened to burst +through his breastplate. + +"So have I," Gaar admitted. "In my bones." And out of the plain to the +north came a scent like an opened grave. + +They walked through the forest with their hands on their swords, these +men of the North. A long twilight here, a twilight that brought +shadows that could deceive a man. A strange land this, where Spring +came early and where the air was soft. + +Swords were worthless here, the Picts had said. A man's strength meant +nothing. + +A voice whispered to Gaar's mind that the Picts were right. But there +was another voice, a voice that had grown stronger night by night as +he sailed southward. This was a voice that came from long dead lips, +but lips that retained their freshness. + +"I hear something," Asgar whispered. "I hear something inside my +head." + +The others had heard it too. They stared at each other in the +gathering dusk. There was magic here. But Gaar knew that there was +magic to fight this magic. + +And then suddenly it was night. On a far off peak a fire spurted +upward. Was it a beacon or a device to lure them to doom? Gaar +wondered. They paused in a grove, in a circle of stones. It was time +to rest. A lassitude crept over them. + +He knew then how strong the dark forces were. His inner voice warned +him of the death that lurked in a circle of stones. But the power in +this grove was strong. Gaar felt the torpor take hold of him. He saw +the men stagger. Then, with his last ounce of strength, he had his +foot against one of the stones and was kicking out. + +The circle was broken and with it the spell. Gaar shook himself. He +had learned one thing, to stay outside stone circles. + + * * * * * + +Overhead the stars wheeled. There was the Bear, and there was the +Bull. If you could read them rightly the ocean was not trackless. The +seasons were there if you could read them. + +Tomorrow would be Spring. And tonight men in long black robes walked +the great circle, related each of the stones to its constellation in +the heavens, canted their hymns to the dark powers that had spawned +them. + +Tomorrow would be Spring. Tomorrow the sun would slant down between +the two tallest stones and fall blood-red upon the Cromlech, upon the +altar. Tonight they would burn brighter. + +And Be'al would be appeased. Be'al the All-Powerful would taste the +blood of the victims, would smell their flesh, and Be'al would know +that his sons had not forgotten him. + +He was all they had not forgotten. Too long for them to remember, too +long since they had crossed the void from their parent planet. The +sciences they had brought were gone. Only this residue of blood-lust +remained. + +"The girl stirs," Cyngled said. His beard was black and thick, his +skin white, and whiter still the circular scar on his forehead. + +In the sepulchre the air was damp as the high-priest looked down upon +the girl. In the light of the flickering yew-torches her eyelids +seemed to move. Cyngled's fingers hovered at the hilt of the +sacrificial knife. + +"Marna stirs," Glendyn whispered. "Tomorrow she will awaken. Let it be +for the last time. As long as she lives we are in danger." + +"She can do nothing alone." + +"But she is never alone. How many times has her beauty brought men to +her aid?" + +"Their bones would make a tall pile," Cyngled agreed. His eyes were +bright beneath hooded lids. "What about those who landed today?" + +"They are somewhere in the forest. Once we thought we had them, but +they broke away." + +Footsteps sounded in the corridor and a hooded priest came hurrying +over the worn stones of the floor. His fingers traced the sacred +symbols in the damp air of the crypt. + +"Well?" Cyngled demanded. + +"We are having trouble following them. Their thoughts are shrouded. +Something comes between us and them." + +Cyngled's eyes darted back to Marna. He knew what it was that +protected these strangers. Even in her sleep the girl had power. +Glendyn was right. + +"Tomorrow, then," Cyngled murmured. "In the meantime, watch her. You +here, Glendyn, and you above, Twyn." + + * * * * * + +Gaar moved swiftly. Behind him came the others. They had covered miles +but they were not tired. Not much farther, Gaar knew. The growth was +thinner. + +"We'll come at them straight ahead," Elgen said, moving up to Gaar's +side. "They'll never know what hit them." + +In the starlight Gaar could see his outline. Asgar's bulk loomed close +behind. Maybe the usual method of attack was best. Maybe Elgen was +right. Yet there was this knowledge that swords would not be enough. + +Then he caught the sound of voices. Out of the darkness ahead came a +deep-throated, monotonous chant. With startling abruptness the forest +ended and they were at the edge of a vast clearing. + +Huge stones, too great for a man to move, formed a perfect circle. +Towering thirty feet above the others were two monoliths standing a +few feet apart. And directly before them was an altar, a great slab of +rock supported by four stone legs. + +About the altar hooded shadows moved slowly, murmuring their endless +chants. Gaar was tempted. The surprise should be complete. But this +thing held him. + +He waited, and was glad that he had. There was the faint and +flickering light of a torch. It seemed to come out of the very ground +beyond the circle of stones. It _did_ come out of the ground. + +There was an opening of some sort, the mouth of a cave. Two figures +emerged and he saw them clearly before the torch was extinguished. +Then, even in the dim starlight, Gaar saw one of the figures move +away. + +"One of them is guarding the cave," Asgar whispered. + +"In that case there must be something to guard." He thought he knew +what it was. He was certain he knew. + +"Listen," Gaar whispered. "I'm going to try to get inside." + +"Alone?" + +"One is better than a dozen for this job. That fellow seems to have +pulled back into the mouth of the cave. If I can get him quickly his +friends may never notice he's gone." + +"What about us?" + +"You wait here. It's almost dawn. By then I should be back." + +"And if you're not back by then?" + +"Turn around and get to the ship as fast as you can. There's no use +trying if I can't get through. Don't ask me how I know that. I just +do. That's an order. Understand?" + + * * * * * + +They understood. Gaar unbuckled his sword, handed his shield to Elgen. +Next to come off was the breastplate. When a man's greatest need was +stealth, he didn't want any metal on him. + +A moment later he was off through the thin screen of trees, moving +silently around the great circle of stones. At every step he felt it +stronger, this voice inside himself. He had to keep out of the circle. +He knew that. + +Then he was behind the slight rise in the earth that was the opening +of the cave. Very slowly now, Gaar moved, feeling his way. He felt the +rock beneath his fingers. A few steps more and there was no rock. He +turned inward. + +Hugging the wall he inched forward. There was a shadow, darker then +the rest. Lips moved in the darkness, forming soundless words. Gaar's +hands reach out, found a throat. The lips stopped moving. + +Gaar lifted the body, carried it back away from the mouth of the cave. +He almost fell down the stone staircase that yawned suddenly at his +feet. When Gaar had recovered his poise he went on, taking each step +gingerly. + +He was going down into a darkness that smelled of the dungeon and even +worse. Walls grew damp and clammy where he touched them. Slimy things +scurried across the floor. The path Gaar was following twisted and +turned. + +Then there was a door. Gaar fumbled in the darkness. The door opened +soundlessly. Beyond it was a faint and fitful light that led him +onward toward its source. It led him into the room. + +Gaar knew it was the end of the search. Its bareness told him what he +had already suspected. There was no treasure. This was a people that +did not believe in jewelled trappings. But the girl was here, in this +very room. That was the only thing that mattered. + +A black-robed figure hid the sarcophagus from Gaar's view. A broad +back, wearing the folds of the dark priesthood. The back shifted +uneasily, as though feeling eyes upon it, and Gaar caught a glimpse of +something white beyond. + +He stepped forward, light as a giant cat. He took another step and his +foot scraped earth. The sound was minute, almost inaudible, but +Glendyn heard. He whirled, his hand flashing toward his girdle. Gaar +closed the gap between them in a single leap. His left hand caught +Glendyn's wrist, forced the knife back. But Glendyn was a tricky one, +hard to hold. He shifted, kicked out, and Gaar stumbled. + +The knife was at his throat now. He knocked it aside, drove his fist +upward into a soft belly. Glendyn doubled and his jaw met Gaar's other +fist as it came up. There was the splintering of bone. + + * * * * * + +Beneath a white, filmy covering she lay, beneath a flimsy veil that +pressed gently upon her rounded form. Her limbs were whiter than the +veil that covered them. Her hair was black as night. Her lips were +redder than in his vision. + +A thousand sleeps she had slept, and more. Older than the land from +which Gaar had come, and yet she was younger than he. He bent forward +and pressed his lips to hers. They were warm and yielding. + +"Wake up," Gaar whispered. Then, louder, "Wake up!" + +Was she dead? It seemed to him that she stirred, and yet it might have +been the flickering light which created an illusion. Now he ran his +hand through her hair. His big hands slapped at her cheeks, gently at +first and then harder. His voice was insistent, commanding. + +Very slowly, then, her eyes opened. Blank and staring, they were, as +she hovered on the brink. Gaar's will pulled her to life. The +blankness went out of her eyes and was replaced by a sudden gladness. + +"You came. I knew you would come." + +She struggled to sit up and saw that only the veil covered her nudity. +She blushed. Gaar turned his back, bent and removed the black robe +from the crumpled figure on the floor. Over his shoulder he handed the +robe to the girl. When he turned to her again she was sitting up, a +trace of color still in her cheeks. + +"Where are they?" Marna asked fearfully. There was loathing in the +glance she threw at Glendyn's body. "There are many more. Where are +they?" + +"Up above," Gaar told her. "This one and another were left to watch +you." + +"Good. They won't be coming back for a long time. Now they are busy +preparing the sacrifices to Be'al." Marna shuddered. "It is the feast +of Beltane." + +Gaar spoke quickly. "What sort of men are they?" + +"They are not men. They are devils. A long time ago they came out of +the sky in strange ships. They brought strange powers and a strange +god who demanded human sacrifices. My people were driven out, killed. +I am the only one left." + +"But why did they save you?" + +"As a hostage, at first. And later because it pleased them to keep me +as a symbol of the race they had vanquished. Every year I have +awakened and they have used me as a mock sacrifice. And then they have +put me to sleep again for another year." + +"And today again?" + +"For the last time. They have lost their power to act at a distance. +And they grow afraid that I may call someone they cannot defeat. Their +power is great now on only this one day when the sun comes directly +between the two stones they brought with them from their mother +world." + +She started suddenly and Gaar stared at her. "What is it?" he +demanded. + +"I feel something. I feel danger." + + * * * * * + +There was no time to ask questions. Gaar knew she would not be wrong. +This daughter of a lost people had a knowledge he could not fathom. He +lifted her out of the sarcophagus and set her on her feet. + +"We've got to get out of here. Once we reach my men and set back for +the coast they'll never stop us." + +They were running now, back along the corridor down which Gaar had +come. Half way they went, and then they heard the voices and the feet +that came toward them from above. + +Gaar listened intently. There were too many. One or two he would have +fought, maybe even a half-dozen. But this was the tramp of many feet. +They must have found the body at the head of the Stairs. Gaar cursed +his luck. + +"We'll have to go back. Is there another way out?" + +"No none. It was the burial place for the kings of my people before +the Druids came." + +And it looked like it would be his burial place as well, Gaar thought. +But he had to go back anyway. He couldn't take a chance on the girl +being hurt in a fight in the dark. Besides, that fellow he had killed +had a knife. It would be better than no weapon at all. + +The feet were close behind them as they ran. The girl was too slow. +Gaar scooped her up and ran with her under his arm. But still not +swiftly enough. They had been overheard. + +He had barely time to swing Marna behind the sarcophagus and out of +immediate danger. He bent and tore the knife from Glendyn's loose +grasp. And then they were on him, a flood of black-robed figures. + +Blood spurted as the knife in Gaar's hand flashed. A man screamed, and +then another as Gaar's fist made pulp of flesh and bone. His hands +struck blows like Thor's hammer. He made them pay dearly for every +backward step he took. But they came on still. + +They were too many for him. They forced him back until a cold wall +stopped him. Then, by the sheer force of numbers they overwhelmed him. +He went down under a torrent of blows that drove everything from his +mind but the thought that he had failed Marna. + + * * * * * + +Daylight, and Gaar's head ached as consciousness returned. He seemed +to be a single aching bruise from head to foot. After a while he +realized that Marna lay beside him at the bottom of the stairs that +led to the cavern mouth. + +Light came down strongly, too strongly. It was long after dawn. A +stray thought flashed across Gaar's mind: his men would be well on +their way to the ship: Yet there was no use castigating himself. Marna +would have died before they could have reached her if they had come in +a body. + +"I'm sorry," Gaar said, and tried to turn toward Marna. Leather thongs +bound him tightly but he rocked back and forth until he tipped onto +his side. + +"Not as sorry as I," she said, her eyes soft on his face. "If I had +not called you would never have come." + +"The only thing a Norseman fears is that he should die in bed," Gaar +told her. + +But he wasn't ready to die yet. If he could only get a little play +into these thongs! His muscles bulged with the strain as he threw his +strength into the effort. Then a scream filtered down and sent a +shiver along his spine. + +"The sacrifices have started," Marna said. "It will not be long now. +They will be coming for us soon." + +"Can't _you_ do anything?" Gaar asked. "Can't you fight them with +their own weapons?" + +"Not while I am awake. When I sleep my soul is in communion with my +people who have gone and I draw strength from them. But this is the +feast of Beltane. While the sun comes directly between the two great +stones the magic of the Druids is at its most potent. And mine is +waning." + +As her voice faded there came again the scream of a soul in mortal +fear. The scream died quickly, merging into a rising paean from the +Druids. Then there was a patter of sandal-clad feet and the light from +above was blocked by the figure of Cyngled, the high priest. + +In Cyngled's hand the great sacrificial knife dripped blood. Be'al +would drink well this day, Be'al would be appeased. Behind Cyngled +came other priests, lesser ones whose faces revealed unholy joy as +they came down the stairs. + +Two of them lifted Marna but it took four to carry Gaar. Strong light +made him blink as they emerged from the mouth of the cave. Shock +forced his eyes to remain open as they entered the charmed circle. + +Blood-red came the sun between the two monoliths to fall upon the +great Cromlech that was redder still with human gore. A wave of nausea +swept up from Gaar's stomach. He fought it down. + +Then the strength filtered out of him as he was carried into the +circle. Now he was a child in their hands. He felt himself being +lifted, felt his back touch the slippery stone. Beside him Marna was +laid, the black robe she had worn ripped from her body. + +Cyngled's chant rose above them, the knife came up and hovered at +Gaar's throat. The knife was coming down. And then it stopped! It +stopped as the air was split by the battle cry of the Norsemen! + + * * * * * + +Gaar twisted his head and saw them come out of the woods beyond the +circle. Like madmen they raged across the clearing. But nobody rushed +to oppose them! Instead, the Druid priests drew back, gathered about +Cyngled. As the Norsemen came into the circle the high priest's hands +drew the magic symbols in the air. + +And the Norsemen stopped! Like men of stone they were, a tableau of +arrested motion. + +There was no hope. The bitterness of gall was in Gaar's mouth as he +turned his head from the scene. He looked at Marna. Her eyes were +bright, burning into his own. No hopelessness there. Her eyes were +speaking to him. + +They were willing him, willing him to strength! Gaar felt it come back +to him. Her magic was stronger than she knew. He felt the strength +come back in a surge that would not be denied. + +This was only leather that held him. The leather could bite into his +flesh as he strained. But it could not hurt him. His great chest +filled with air and the thongs gave, stretched. And burst! + +In a single leap he was off the altar. He wanted to rage into the +Druid priests, to tear them apart with his bare hands. But there were +too many. And Marna's will was telling him that there was something +else he must do. + +He knew what it was. He had to strike at the source of their power. +They were turning to meet his charge, setting themselves solidly. + +Gaar wheeled, spurted around them and then around the Cromlech. They +guessed his purpose and leaped to stop him. They had to prevent him +from reaching the two great stones. Gaar battered them aside and went +through them. + +His back was against one of the monoliths, his feet against the other. +He climbed that way, ignoring the knives that slashed at his back. +Then he was above the reach of their arms. The sun was full in his +face. His shadow blocked the altar. His back was on stone, his feet +were on stone. Two great pillars, rooted in the earth, and against +them the strength of one man. + + * * * * * + +But that man was Gaar. Slowly his legs straightened, his shoulders +went back. All the power that was in his mighty frame went into the +thrust. It was a power that would not be denied. + +A pillar swayed, tottered, and was ripped out of the earth. Gaar felt +himself falling and twisted catlike in the air to land on his feet. + +He whirled to meet the charge of the Druids. Cyngled's hands still +traced the air but his power was gone. The Norsemen exploded into life +again, their swords whirring a song of death. Only Cyngled did not +lose his head. Defeated the Druids were, and defeated forever, but he +could snatch some measure of victory from the defeat. He was at +Marna's side when Gaar reached him. + +One great hand on Cyngled's throat, another at his waist. Gaar lifted +him high and hurled him earthward. Cyngled twitched once and was +still. The stone knife was in his hand but it would never be used +again. The day of the Druids was over. + +Marna was smiling at Gaar as he cut the thongs that bound her. This +time her lips came up to meet his. For Elgen and Asgar and the rest +there was no treasure. But they had no complaints. It had been a good +fight. For Gaar there was the greatest treasure of all. + +The hint of sorrow was out of Marna's eyes. The past was gone, and +there was nothing here for her now. She was the daughter of a once +great people. She would be the mother of a greater one. Her arm was +linked with Gaar's as they took the first steps back toward the ship +which would take them northward. + +THE END + + * * * * * + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Day of the Druid, by Knut Enferd + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DAY OF THE DRUID *** + +***** This file should be named 32686.txt or 32686.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/2/6/8/32686/ + +Produced by Sankar Viswanathan, Greg Weeks, and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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