2.1

2. The Druid

Sebastian's journey had been largely uninterrupted. Until now that is...

All of a sudden his horse comes to an abrupt stop almost throwing him off it. "Huh? What is it now?" He muttered. When he notices the hooded figure standing in front of him he froze in shock. "Hey, no one was there a moment ag-" His voice seemed to trail off for a reason he could not tell. He wondered if he was afraid, if he was he would know. Right?!

There was silence only for a brief moment, then the air suddenly grew thick with a strange force that seemed to emanate from the lone figure. The world around him seemed to come to a stop in that instant and he could feel a very powerful aura entrapping him, bending him to it's will.

Covered in midnight black cloak and hood, a purple sash around the waist. Every part of the figure's body was concealed except for it's right hand which looked human and bearing a long wooden staff looking extremely ancient.

Sebastian climbed down his horse with caution. The moment his weight was held by the earth beneath him a foreign wind hit him, for some reason it felt extremely cold that even his bones rattled within him.

A chill in a wasteland? He thought. This guy seems like trouble, I better deal with him as soon as possible.

"Excuse me Mister, you might not have noticed but you are in my way." He spoke with as much spunk as he could muster, Sebastian was never one to resort to violence as his first option.

He could not tell if the stranger was ignoring him or trying to intimidate him but the air in his lungs were starting to freeze. "Mister, you are starting to tick me off." He hoped his warning was as warning as he had imagined it.

Sebastian was shocked as in an instant everything around him faded out. He was now in a world of blackness, beneath him an endless bed of blackness. The wasteland was gone, so was his horse, even though he felt compelled to scream he managed to maintain his charisma. He could feel a stronger sense of detachment he could not explain but something deep down told him he was somewhere distant. He turned his sight to look above him but there was no sky, no wind either, no sun to give light, all that was around him was the blackness filled with billions of tiny twinkling lights that much resembled stars.

"Young prince of Gandigos, we meet at last." The hooded figure said in a voice that seemed to have aged over hundreds of years.

…

"Where have you brought me?"

Sebastian stood there unfazed by the stranger's words even though he could sense that he was before a great power far above his in terms of both strength and magnitude.

A long time passed before the figure spoke up but the words he would soon heat were not one he was prepared to hear, "We are outside of reality and the constructs of time, an infinitude known as SPACE."

Sebastian breathed a sigh of relief, "You must be a druid then?" Still he could not believe the fact that 'a druid's was before him. It was almost enough to make him shake in it's presence.

Druids were known to be the most powerful beings in the universe. Beings born of time and otherworldly principles, they could see far into the distant future and alter realities, having power that could end and create civilizations. A druids power was insurmountable, the only thing restricting them was their code.

The DRUID CODE of Conduct prevent them from interfering in any earthly or human affair unless of great importance to the benefit of the universe, they were told to maintain the balance between the scale of good and evil in the universe. Though at times the existence of druids were questioned*. Still they were beings to not be trifled with.

(*Briefing in future chapter)

Sebastian thought deeply on why such a powerful figure would want to meet with him. Perhaps to ask for directions? He bows his head in reverence to the druid. "Forgive me for not acknowledging your presence great druid. I thank you for gracing me with your presence… If I have offended you, I would like to apologize for this junior's behavior."

There was nothing but silence from the druid that only stared at him from under his hood for what seemed like days. "Do you think yourself worthy?" His question came out of the blue that Sebastian was unclear of his to respond.

Sebastian gulped down. "It seems I have offended you senior." He doubted if druids were forgiving but he still had to show some courtesy. "I ask esteemed senior to please overlook this junior's negligence and let this … slide?"

Sebastian was sure that about an hour had passed now and all the druid did was stand there like a startue doing nothing, literally nothing! The situation gave a new definition of the word 'boredom' to him.

"Why are you here?" The druid's voice thundered much to Sebastian's surprise.

Sebastian smiled deeply, finally a question he could answer! "That is a good question senior has asked. This humble junior is here simply because you put him here." The druid fell silent, still he went further, "You know, in like generally all places on earth this is considered kidnapping."

All of a sudden a strong pressure unlike any he had ever experienced forced him to his knees, it felt like gravity had ganged up on him- if that was a real thing. It took everything he had just to stay on his knees. "Please, stop!" He managed to say with great difficulty. He could not believe that he had been forced to such a state to kowtow to a stranger but then again, what could he do against a druid?

…

"Why are you here?" The druids words echoed around him like the roar of a great beast.

"Like it matters to you", his reply only caused the pressure on him to double. "Oh great! Pushing me out of my comfort zone on a Monday, real slick move." To what extent could his will carry him.

"Who are you?"

"Me?" Sebastian felt his back bones creaking within him as he fell on his elbows and knees. "But you knoe who I am, you mentioned it. Just what did I do to deserve such a predicament from senior…?" If I knew this would happen, he thought. I would have left on the weekends.

"WHO ARE YOU?"