with steel bands and rivets, ornate hinges, and a fist-shaped handle. Jodocus turned the handle and pulled the heavy door open. It swung open with little effort, apparently well balanced enough to glide easily on its hinges.
“Go on in,” Jodocus offered.
The two men entered, looking upward to the dark, featureless shaft that loomed above them. There was not much to see. No stairs, no windows, no torches. Only a large round platform upon which they all now stood. With a wave of his hand and a tap on the floor with his staff, Jodocus began to raise the platform.
Wrothgaar and Eamon stumbled slightly when it began to move, but quickly caught their balance. Jodocus chuckled, mumbling to himself in amusement as the platform slid smoothly upward.
“Levitation is the easiest way to harness the natural energy of the Earth,“ Jodocus said. “It’s the first trick that all apprentices learn to use, whether seer, wizard, druid, or what have you.”
The two younger men glanced at Jodocus briefly before turning their attention back to the empty blackness above. After a few more moments, the platform stopped, resting at another large door, similar to the one at the bottom of the pit.
“Here we are,” Jodocus said, opening the door. “Go on.”
Eamon and Wrothgaar entered the chamber, finding it octagonal in shape, decorated with arcane symbols, alchemy equipment, and maps of the stars and planets. It was similar to Maedoc’s chamber back home, but somewhat more wild-looking in appearance. The sunlight poured in through tall, rectangular windows on each tan stone wall, and various plants were hung or potted in each corner. The windows themselves were overgrown with vines and ivy, some of which boasted beautiful white or lavender flowers.
“These are my chambers,” Jodocus said. “Not quite as cozy as my cottage—rather eclectic I would say—but comfortable. I do my best writing and research here. Well, next to outside in the open, of course. Please sit.”
Jodocus went to a large chest underneath one of the windows, blowing the dust off before opening it. He fumbled around for a few moments, mumbling, until finally he found what he was looking for.
“Ah ha!” he shouted. “Found it.”
He turned, finding the two young men still standing.
“Oh goodness,” Jodocus lamented. “I suppose it’s a little hard to sit without any chairs.”
The druid tapped his staff on the floor again, and two chairs slid across the room and came to rest in their proper places at the table. Both men took a seat and waited, anxious to see what Jodocus had found.
The old man shuffled over to the table and set down a small pouch. He motioned for Eamon to open it.
“This was given to me by a dryad a long, long time ago, when I was actually young—I think. I do not remember, but it’s a nifty little thing.”
Inside the pouch was a large gem, light green in color, and cut to such beautiful precision that it sparkled as if it contained a light of its own. Eamon was mesmerized by its beauty.
“What is it for?” he asked, turning the gem over and over in his hands.
“It’s a soul gem,” Jodocus said. “It contains the soul of a dryad, a spirit of nature. When placed on the ground, and the dryad’s name is uttered, it will spring forth living energy. Trees will heal, grass will grow, and any other lifeless plants around it will spring back to life. You can wield all of the power of a master druid with this single stone. Within reason, of course.”
Eamon smiled. “What a wonderful gift,” He said. “This will help us heal any damage done by whatever beings travel with the Jindala.”
“Yes,” Jodocus agreed. “Use it sparingly, for its power is great. If the need arises, you can summon the power of the gem and return some life to the land. But do not give too much. Only give what is needed. We don’t want to see any trees walking around of their own accord. Trees can be feisty, you know.”
“Thank you,
“Go on in,” Jodocus offered.
The two men entered, looking upward to the dark, featureless shaft that loomed above them. There was not much to see. No stairs, no windows, no torches. Only a large round platform upon which they all now stood. With a wave of his hand and a tap on the floor with his staff, Jodocus began to raise the platform.
Wrothgaar and Eamon stumbled slightly when it began to move, but quickly caught their balance. Jodocus chuckled, mumbling to himself in amusement as the platform slid smoothly upward.
“Levitation is the easiest way to harness the natural energy of the Earth,“ Jodocus said. “It’s the first trick that all apprentices learn to use, whether seer, wizard, druid, or what have you.”
The two younger men glanced at Jodocus briefly before turning their attention back to the empty blackness above. After a few more moments, the platform stopped, resting at another large door, similar to the one at the bottom of the pit.
“Here we are,” Jodocus said, opening the door. “Go on.”
Eamon and Wrothgaar entered the chamber, finding it octagonal in shape, decorated with arcane symbols, alchemy equipment, and maps of the stars and planets. It was similar to Maedoc’s chamber back home, but somewhat more wild-looking in appearance. The sunlight poured in through tall, rectangular windows on each tan stone wall, and various plants were hung or potted in each corner. The windows themselves were overgrown with vines and ivy, some of which boasted beautiful white or lavender flowers.
“These are my chambers,” Jodocus said. “Not quite as cozy as my cottage—rather eclectic I would say—but comfortable. I do my best writing and research here. Well, next to outside in the open, of course. Please sit.”
Jodocus went to a large chest underneath one of the windows, blowing the dust off before opening it. He fumbled around for a few moments, mumbling, until finally he found what he was looking for.
“Ah ha!” he shouted. “Found it.”
He turned, finding the two young men still standing.
“Oh goodness,” Jodocus lamented. “I suppose it’s a little hard to sit without any chairs.”
The druid tapped his staff on the floor again, and two chairs slid across the room and came to rest in their proper places at the table. Both men took a seat and waited, anxious to see what Jodocus had found.
The old man shuffled over to the table and set down a small pouch. He motioned for Eamon to open it.
“This was given to me by a dryad a long, long time ago, when I was actually young—I think. I do not remember, but it’s a nifty little thing.”
Inside the pouch was a large gem, light green in color, and cut to such beautiful precision that it sparkled as if it contained a light of its own. Eamon was mesmerized by its beauty.
“What is it for?” he asked, turning the gem over and over in his hands.
“It’s a soul gem,” Jodocus said. “It contains the soul of a dryad, a spirit of nature. When placed on the ground, and the dryad’s name is uttered, it will spring forth living energy. Trees will heal, grass will grow, and any other lifeless plants around it will spring back to life. You can wield all of the power of a master druid with this single stone. Within reason, of course.”
Eamon smiled. “What a wonderful gift,” He said. “This will help us heal any damage done by whatever beings travel with the Jindala.”
“Yes,” Jodocus agreed. “Use it sparingly, for its power is great. If the need arises, you can summon the power of the gem and return some life to the land. But do not give too much. Only give what is needed. We don’t want to see any trees walking around of their own accord. Trees can be feisty, you know.”
“Thank you,
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