Under the Shadow of the Eagle

Part Two

—How did you win this one? —the druid asked the warrior, walking in circles around him.

—Decapitating the enemy general with a single blow —he answered, with his eyes closed and the blindfold on his forehead, standing firm, straight as a spear and hard as an oak.

—And this one? —she continued, taking another of the precious metal jewels the man wore.

—Taking down two enemy soldiers with a single spear thrown.

—And this one? —then she held the torc that wrapped around the warrior's neck.

—Defeating an enemy champion who was armed with sword and shield without touching a single one of my weapons. This is my most important trophy.

—You have achieved great things on the battlefield, warrior.

—Thank you, mistress.

—Now get rid of these decorations.

—... As you say, mistress.

Though his thoughts were faltering, the man was not slow to obey. He no longer had his shield or his spears, and his belt, from which hung the sword, the axe and the knife, had been left behind and on the ground, just as his trophies from past battles, including the torc, now remained.

—Have you heard of the god Wuotan?

—Yes, mistress.

—They say he hung nine nights from an ash tree so that he could read the runes.

—I didn't know that story, mistress.

—I know that there are ash trees in this forest.

Leaving him alone among the trees, the druid walked away a few feet, taking her time. She walked leaning on a wooden staff, still with her open and loose tunic, her rope belt, and her leather sandals, carrying a knife, curved like a sickle, over her thigh.

The warrior no longer had his battle-won jewels, nor his weapons. Only his pants and boots covered him, as well as his hair, scars, war paint, and the blindfold on his forehead.

—This one will do —said the woman, and he listened.

—What will, mistress?

—Come here.

And so he did, only then opening his eyes.

When he reached her, he saw her standing beside a tall tree with a large trunk and thick branches, with ropes hanging from the thickest of all, growing a little over ten feet above the ground.

—Not everyone has the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of a god —the druid said, looking hard into his eyes.

—Can I know what the ropes are for, mistress?

—You will know at once, but first you must climb —then he advanced, and as he was about to put his hands on the tree, the woman spoke again—. Without the boots.

At first, the bark dug painfully on his feet, but he quickly got used to it. When he reached the thickest branch, the one with the ropes, and got over it, it almost seemed easier to him than if he had been wearing boots.

When he sat on the branch, balanced and secure, there was only silence in the forest.

—What must I do now, mistress? —he asked.

—Hang upside down. You'll need the ropes to keep you there —without really being sure what to do or how to do it, the warrior tied his legs—. Keep going, you're on the right track —until he heard those words.