Chapter X

There are some nights spend in constant wakefulness…

When the spirits awaken and the forest turns phosphorescent, it’s time for the sleepless nights.

By the daybreak, moonflowers bloom and the raindrops fall to the earth, rejuvenate its habitants. Huge fungi glow magically and a frolicsome breeze dances among the wilted leaves… The green-clad Druids spread into the forest, humming their song…

It was the fourth vigil for Eden, and so would end the fourth year with the forest wizards. He couldn’t wait to return to the Fall Palace and reunite with his family. He missed his little siblings Bran and Damiana, though he knew memories of the forest would not give him rest, either.

Eden glanced over the silent valley from the edge of the cliff, greenery was shining around. Gigantic fungi, embedded in the hills like trees, emitted silvery light and combined with phosphorescence created a mysterious glow in the valley.

“Do you see a deer?” - Elder Druid silently approached Eden.

“Where?”

“There,” - Druid pointed his hand.

A huge stag was walking between the trees. It was far away and therefore could not see Eden.

“It has shining horns - a sign of a settled soul,” said Eden.

Awakened souls nestled in the forest creatures.

“Do you want to approach?” The elder asked. Merlin was Eden’s mentor. The other apprentices had only one tutor, although Eden, as a prince, had three of them.

“Of course!” he answered, and went down the slope. The grass in the plain was waist high and made his uniform wet. Fortunately, the Druids’ magic clothes dried on their own and the moisture did not bother Eden. He even enjoyed looking at the phosphorous, glowing water droplets.

“Be careful, Eden!” laughter mingled with Druid’s voice. Again, he caught up with him silently. The elder did not run but somehow moved so that he was ahead of the prince.

The place was full of greenery, and Eden was so captivated by the beauty of the night that he could not understand where the stag was. It was easy to get lost in the dense, misty forest. Eden slowed his pace, looking around, digging deep into the woods, the field and the rock no longer even visible. The shadows of the fallen trees grew in the greenery and darkened the environment. A sense of unusual calmness and depth took over Eden as if he had moved to another world. It lit up suddenly, and Eden saw the shining horns. A deer was coming from the trees. The animal was ten feet high and was radiating green from the inside.

“It’s coming to you,” heard Eden Merlin’s voice, and he walked cautiously toward the animal.

The deer looked even more glorious up close. The enormous eyes gleamed white and gray fur was blowing in the breeze. Eden raised his hand and moved into Druid’s trance. Instantly the world has changed colors. Stag became white, transparent, while an ocean of greenish sensation penetrated into him like the breath of the world...

Stag bowed his head and touched Eden’s hand to his forehead. Heat flowed from the soft and furry body. A connection was being made with the fourth spirit. Eden felt his strength and was overwhelmed with joy and amazement.

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The connection was made, Eden! - he heard the pride in Merlin’s voice. Eden felt a surge of energy and found himself between worlds, face to face with the spirit. Then...

When he opened his eyes, he was lying on the ground, looking up at the deer’s eyes, but the white light had disappeared. After making the connection, the settlers left the animals. The stag was now an ordinary deer, though still remarkably large.

“It was quite impressive for the fourth year,” Druid stood nearby, leaning on his cane. Eden stood up and looked at the stag. After the connection, the animals disappeared into the forest, although the deer did not move. The newly linked connection was not solid, but such a curiosity gripped Eden that he still dared to enter the trance.

Filled with greenish, he felt an unknown force - the fourth, which was the strongest of the four. Druid was becoming after seven connections. With each new soul, the sense of trance also changed, and Eden could hardly even imagine how the other three souls would change the feeling when the fourth could do so much.

The deer seen in the druid trance must have been ordinary, but there was something else alive in it, something horrible, which was looking for Eden and found him, eventually...

For a second he found himself face to face with something, and indescribable pain and fear engulfed him. Everything was red and the size of this thing was lost in infinity...

Eden felt saddens, feeling beyond time and space, which was eternal…

“Eden, brace yourself!” - Merlin was here too - between worlds. Old Druid - with ancient knowledge and his spirits...

“The war has begun, Eden, do not lose your courage...” - With these words, everything fell apart...

He could vaguely feel how he was being led, and when he opened his eyes, he could see the red-eyed stag fighting with forest creatures. Maybe he was even dreaming. He could not understand what was real and what was a dream...

“He’s got a fever! We should keep him conscious!” - Eden recognized the voice of Arcadius, his second mentor.

“Where is Merlin?” - he tried to ask, but only mumbled and it seemed they could not understand because no one answered.

It exploded in his body and Eden felt as he was being kidnapped in a trance ...

“Do not enter the trance, my prince! You are branded with a cursed seal!” - Arcadius pressed Eden on the forehead, where the Druid sign was painted and engulfed it in magic.

Calmness seized Eden, and he felt the golden energy of mentor that pervaded his being. Time stretched like an eternal second and suddenly everything turned red again for a long...

“Merlin” - The prince opened his eyes. White was everything from the beginning. Then other colors appeared; a blue environment and again a white blanket. He realized he would be in a tent - a traditional Druid tent. Did not remember how he got here or what happened at all…

He looked at the white cloth once, then heard:

“Eden, do you understand me?” - Arcadius’ voice was full of sadness.

“Yes,” said Eden. There was silence for a while and then:

“Where is Merlin?” asked the prince.

“Merlin is no more...” - Silence reigned in the tent.

The forest wizards set up camp at the foot of the horned mountains and gathered here. Eden was still weak, but he still had to attend tonight’s meeting. The prince did not know what was happening, but he felt suspicious. They did not reveal something - something important...

“Take the cane, Eden” - Arcadius had an ancient voice, - Ancient and still sad. He would not be over fifty years old, but he was imbued with knowledge. Eden felt weak, but still refused support. He was a prince, an adviser to the future king, and guardian of the kingdom. He would not give up on weakness...

The row of stones stacked in a circle was strangely thinned. The Druids were gone. There were hundreds of them here at dawn. Now twelve were sitting on the carved stones.

“Where are the others?” - Eden mustered the courage.

“Most of them died, others could not come. We have to talk about your future…” - said Arcadius and stood up.

“Wait! Why are they dead?” - The gravity of Arcade’s words overwhelmed Eden.

“All those who went into a trance to protect you died as soon as they collided with the redness,” - Kah-Thabad answered. Eden felt unbearable despair in his voice.

“We can not understand how Merlin took you out of the trance...” - The venerable magician looked more like a ghost of himself than a powerful wizard...

Eden remembered his rituals in the Fall Palace and Cathedrals of Time. Kah-Thabad was glorious then, but now...

“I vaguely remember how he fought...” - Eden’s voice trembled with emotions ...

“No one could resist the redness, child, everyone fell after the first collision” - Eden heard one of the twelve voices and others murmured as a sign of consent...