Knox of the Bloom

Chapter 14 - Sworn in Oath

The going was tough, the carriage rattled over the thick roots in the ground, often getting stuck, and a score of warriors would have to heave it over obstacles, while the old woman, Lacklan, sat atop the carriage smoking her long pipe, with its purple smoke wafting up in a thick cloud that smelled of blueberries.

Knox asked if he could have some that night, sitting by the fireside.

"Are you sure, Knox?" smiled Lacklan. "This is no Blue-Moss, this is real smoke."

"I'll manage." The old woman passed him the pipe and he took a toke, inhaling the pungent vapours.

As he exhaled his head swam away from him, and his hands grew distorted. Everything became blurred, and Knox could only gasp, as a hand came out of nowhere, long claws clasping around the handle of the pipe.

"You took too much, boy." Somebody laughed somewhere.

Knox looked around him and the blurs began to take shape. He recognized some of them, Clay-Jug was sitting nearby sipping from his jug, and the liquid glowed inside of the jug in a brilliant golden glow that shone through the hardened clay.

"You alright, Knox?" asked Clay-Jug, voice booming in his ears. The fat man smiled, and a green light shone from his mouth, as he yawned flies came zipping out and away into the trees. A butterfly appeared then, fluttering past, its wings bright yellow with black dots, in such vivid detail that Knox couldn't lift his eyes from it. It landed in front of him and spread its wings, and he pushed it onto his hand, lifting it to get a better look.

"What's he doing?" someone asked.

"The bacca makes you see things, things that aren't there, or things that are only in the Otherworld."

Knox looked up into Lacklan's face. "Am I in the Otherworld?"

Lacklan shook her head and smiled. "No boy, you're just seeing it. You'd know if you walked in the Otherworld."

Knox felt a hand on his back then, and he turned to blink in a brilliant radiance of light. Eriu was beside him, lit up like the full moon on a Cold Day's midnight. She smiled and he had to shut his eyes from the shine of it, her eyes were aglow in a golden hue, throwing two spears of light that seemed to penetrate his very soul.

"Are you alright, Knox?"

He felt her hand in his. "I am."

"Open your eyes, boy," said Lacklan. "Don't fight it. It is a blessing to witness the spirits of the Gods."

Knox opened his eyes, then stood up.

"Is he OK?" another voice asked. Flint-Blade was there, standing beside Knox.

"Flint," said Knox, grabbing the man by the shoulders. "Flint, you and the Five have always been like brothers to me. You know that, Flint? Right?"

Flint laughed and smiled. "Aye lad, but I think you'd best sit back down."

Knox looked around and gasped, for the forest was awash with light. Golden specks wafted down from the silver branches, the thick trunks seemed to vibrate with a bright green light, and red eyes peered back at him from the treeline.

"Can you see them?" asked Lacklan.

"Aye, but what are they?"

"Spirits of the forest. They will bring you no harm. They simply wish to remain left in peace and their forest undisturbed."

Knox stumbled forward a step and was steadied by Flint's hands. "Thanks, Flint."

"No problem lad. And hey," he grabbed Knox by the chin and looked him in the eye. "We have always felt the same way about you. Never doubt your place among us, no matter who your father was."