Storiesonline.net ------- Oliver Brown by Lazlo Zalezac Copyright© 2004 by Lazlo Zalezac ------- Description: This is the story of Oliver Brown, the Druid that replaced John Carter as the Grand Druid. It is a story of love and duty. Codes: MF ScFi rom cons het ------- ------- Copyright© Lazlo Zalezac, 2003 ------- Chapter 1 Oliver Brown made his way through the jungles of Columbia. The lush green vegetation hid thousands of insects, snakes, and spiders. He stopped after pushing his way through another mass of branches to wait while another of the snakes moved out of his way. Unable to see the whole snake, he couldn't tell if it was poisonous or not, but with snakes down here you didn't take chances. He would have killed it, but it was here for a purpose that the Goddess had not explained to him. All creatures were on the earth for a reason. He touched the medallion around his neck with reverence. The snake finally made its way through the brush. As the last glimpse of the snake disappeared, a flash of light caught his attention. He stepped forward, careful not to touch it. Kneeling, he examined the wire stretched across what was laughingly called a trail. One end was tied to a tree. Tracing the wire to the other end, he saw that it was set to trigger an explosive. He whispered to a butterfly, "Someone doesn't want me here. I think that's a very good reason for me to be here." He carefully stepped over the wire and made his way forward. Keeping low and using the vegetation was a habit; his way of staying out of sight. Each step was taken with deliberation. It was the only way to avoid snapping branches, tripwires, and dangerous creatures of the jungle. He had no idea what kind of other traps were out here, but he knew there would be others. At a small break in the jungle, he looked out over a small valley below. Nestled in it was a building. It was surrounded by plants that grew in the kind of order that suggested cultivation. It didn't take him a minute to realize that they were coca plants. He had found his quarry, a cocaine farm. He retrieved his binoculars from his backpack and used them to search the area. There were guards and patrols everywhere. So far, his skill had kept him from being caught. A truck drove up to the building, parked, and then unloaded a bunch of women that were herded into the building. A number of other women came out of the building, emerging naked and dressing only after they took a shower. Oliver watched as they washed and dressed themselves. Once all of the women had finished, they were taken to the truck. He realized that he had seen the women that worked in the extraction process. They worked naked so they couldn't steal any of the finished product. He was about to move when he heard two male voices originating about fifty feet away. Lowering himself to the ground, he listened as two men passed with ten feet of him. Busy talking with each other about their families, they didn't notice his presence within the branches of the plant. Oliver thanked the God for his help. He had to decide what action to take next. He could return to Bogota and let the embassy know what he found. That would be the easiest thing to do, but with the degree of corruption in the area, the entire operation at this site would probably be shutdown before any measures could be taken. That it would be shutdown wasn't bad, but the people involved would just move on to another area and the drugs here would never be found. What does one do when the people that carry out policy are corrupt and political reality prevents elimination of that corruption? Service to the Gods usually meant consulting, but in some cases it was necessary to take a more direct approach. He returned to the deep jungle to think about his options. He traveled taking care not to step on any traps. The God had blessed him with an innate warrior sense and the Goddess had given him jungle sense. Between the two gifts, he was a formidable opponent in jungle warfare. It still paid to be careful, as in all other matters of life and death. Oliver looked at his surroundings realizing that he was surrounded by the most dangerous creatures in the world and that he could use them to his benefit. The site itself included many weapons that could be turned against it. He could use the explosive traps to destroy buildings, trucks, and other assets. The first order of business was to get armed. Towards that end, he started carving a blowgun and darts. With a little luck, he would be ready by sunset tomorrow. As he worked, his mind drifted back to his sixteenth birthday. It was an exciting day, as it meant he could get his drivers license and wouldn't have to depend on his brother or sister for rides. Rising early that morning, he got ready to go to the department of public safety and take his drivers test. Stepping into the living room, he immediately sensed that something was wrong. His mother was on the couch crying. His father looked furious and appeared to be barely restraining himself from killing his brother. His brother was saying over and over, "I didn't mean for it to happen." He had asked, "What happened?" His father lost what little control he had over his temper. In three steps, he had crossed the room and picked up his brother. Screaming in terror, his brother was afraid that his father would beat him to death. Oliver stood there, unable to decipher what was happening. Throwing his brother out of the house, his father had screamed, "You're never coming back here!" He looked outside, seeing his brother on the lawn crying. He asked, "What happened?" His mother looked at him with tears in her eyes and said, "Your brother killed your sister last night. He gave her some drugs and she died." He collapsed on the floor, shocked that his beautiful sister was dead. How could that be? Shaking and crying in grief, he realized the true magnitude of his loss. The next few days had passed in a haze. They had the funeral for his sister and then a week later, he learned that his brother had died of an overdose. His parents refused to go to the funeral, but allowed him to attend. Even to this day, he didn't know who paid for the burial. His sister had a beautiful coffin with a silk lining; his brother had a simple pine box. His sister's funeral had been attended by her whole school. He and two other people were the only ones at his brother's funeral. While watching the pine box get lowered into the ground, he declared war on drugs. He had fought them in school. When he graduated, he had joined the police to fight them on the street. Then one weekend, a hike in the middle of summer changed his life forever. He had encountered the God, who gave him better tools to carry on his war. His zeal for going after drug dealers was soon noticed and a real war followed. Life became filled with drive-by shootings, attempted assassinations, and death threats in the middle of the night. Shootouts with drug dealers were a weekly activity. He had barely survived, but his efforts had significantly impaired the ability of criminal organizations to move drugs through his part of the state. When the woman had broken the chain on his medallion, he had gone to the woods again. This time, the Goddess had given him the gift of jungle craft. Quitting his job, he moved to South America to carry on his war there. Getting rid of the distributors had only slowed down the flow of drugs. He knew he had to go after the source. Since then, he had been tramping through the jungle, living off the land, and closing down every operation he encountered. He had encountered many of them. Those that he had called in help to eliminate had been moved before help had showed. He finished his blowgun and looked up at the sky. It would be getting dark soon and time for him to hunt the frogs in the trees where they lived. He would boil them to extract the poison from their skin. The result would be a deadly brew that could stop a man in his tracks. The natives had used them against the Spanish Conquistadors to great effect. What had worked in the past, would work again. He climbed a tree and waited for dark. The frogs would emerge from the crevices in which they hid during the day. He cut off a pair of sticks and trimmed them to use like chopsticks. The sticks would allow him to catch the frogs since touching their skin with his bare fingers could kill him. He got out a small leather bag in which to put the frogs once he caught them and then waited patiently knowing the Goddess would provide. In the morning, he climbed out of the tree and stretched to restore his cramped muscles. Fishing out a small can of Vienna Sausages out of his backpack, he looked at it unwilling to open it. It was his emergency ration in case he was harmed and couldn't hunt for food. Necessity demanded the can, so he opened it and ate a simple breakfast. When he was finished with the sausages, he drank the juice they were packed in. His motto in the field was not to waste anything that had nutritional value. Oliver went to the stream and rinsed out the can. Filling it with water and taking it back by the tree, he scrounged the surroundings for wood to use in a fire. It wasn't long before he had a nice little fire going. He set the can on the fire, piling branches around it to burn and heat it evenly. Once the water was boiling, he opened the leather bag and used the chopsticks to drop a frog into the water. He waited a minute before dropping another one into the boiling water. Setting aside the chopsticks, he up-ended the sack and shook it until the third and last frog fell out. He stood back and watched the water boil for another five minutes before pulling the can off the fire for it to cool down. A very thin oily patch floated on the surface of the water. Dipping each dart into the oil, he placed each one in the pouch that he had used to hold the frogs. The ends of the darts stuck out the top of the pouch, the little patches of fibers on the ends served dual purposes. They marked the safe end of the dart and they allowed the darts to be fired from the blowgun. Once he was finished, he carefully emptied the can into the fire where it would dry without giving off stream. He set the small can on the fire to allow it to burn the inside clean. Dealing with such strong poisons was not something to be done lightly. He climbed a tree and hung his hammock well above the ground. Carefully he lowered himself into the hammock and let the wind rock him to sleep. The day was beginning to get hot and he would sleep through the heat of the day. Tonight, he would engage in the next battle in his personal war on drugs. He woke when the afternoon rain started. Swearing softly at having overslept, he slowly worked his way out of the hammock and then took it down. He packed his gear and got ready to break camp. After pissing on the place where he had built a fire, he threw some dead leaves over the spot. The can was buried in a small crevice at the base of the tree. Only the most experienced person in jungle survival would have been able to detect that a man had passed this way. None would realize that he had camped here. He walked away, catching various insects and popping them into his mouth as snacks to hold him over until he found something better to eat. This was his normal way of traveling, eating whatever he found that was edible as he moved. It didn't matter if it was beetle, grub, worm, or fruit; if it was edible, he ate it. He eased his way back towards the spot he had come across the day before. Pausing on the way, he spread dirt on the exposed parts of his body and affixed leaves to his clothes to break up his outline. The closer he got to his target, the more invisible he became. His step became softer as he became one with the jungle. He glided up to the wire without leaving a trace of his passing and without making a sound. The God and Goddess guided his step. Taking apart the trap, he put the explosives in his backpack before going on to search for others. He took his time, happy that he wasn't on any schedule but his own. Dismantling the traps as he encountered them, he finally ended up with nine of the explosive devices. During one of his frequent pauses in which he stopped and listened to the environment around him, he heard two men were coming down a path. They were moving and making the kind of noise that indicated that they belonged. They weren't afraid of being spotted or heard. He readied the blowgun and waited for them. They passed within five feet of him, too busy talking to notice him. When they passed, he fired a blow dart into the one on the right. The man collapsed almost immediately. His buddy stopped and laughed at him thinking he had tripped and fallen. Oliver readied another dart., firing at the second man when he bent down to check out the first. In seconds they were both on the ground. Oliver waited where he was for a moment, listening to the sounds of the jungle around him. He moved over to the bodies and stripped them of their weapons, taking them with him. Easing towards the road, he set up half of the explosive devices along the road. A truck moving down the road would set them off and explode. He moved through the field, taking great care to avoid the few traps they had within it. These guys didn't trust anyone, even the people that worked for them. He slowly made his way to the building. The smell of chemicals hung heavily in the air. The building was too small for processing all of the plants in the field. Oliver realized that it must be an entry point for an underground facility and rigged a trap at the door of the building. There was a truck parked near the building that he rigged to blow as soon as it moved. He had only a couple more explosives and wondered what to do with them. He decided that he would not use them yet since there was a chance that he would be required to set more traps before the night was over. Stashing his pack amongst the coca plants, he waited nearby. Two men showed up near the building having finished their security watch. He took careful aim and fired several rounds at them. They both collapsed without getting off a shot. He changed his position, taking the time to move fifty yards away. He was in position before anyone was close enough to fire. Gunfire emerged from several places around the property as other guards converged on the site he had been. He waited until the guards were close together and opened fire. This time, they did return fire. He hugged the ground hoping not to get hit. At a lull in the action, he returned fire, taking down more of the men. After a few exchanges, all of those that were charging towards him had been shot. The door of the shed swung open as more men started to charge out. It exploded and created a huge fireball that shot high into the sky. The building had been full of ether. The ground heaved with the force of an earthquake. Oliver watched in amazement as fireballs emerged from various places around him; the charge had set off explosions throughout the underground structure. He moved again wanting to get away from the building to where he could watch the road that led to it. Three trucks carrying armed men came rumbling down the road. The first one in the caravan hit one of his traps and exploded. There were two more trucks behind that one. One stopped and the other drove on around it. He prepared himself to fire on the one that stopped. The truck that had passed the first exploded when it hit the next trip wire. Oliver opened fire on the stopped truck. Men scrambled out and approached his position. After several exchanges of fire, he had wiped out the handful of men that had actually made it off the truck. He waited in the silence that followed, watching the flames lighting the dark at several points around the field. The flames continued to spread, appearing further and further away. He was shocked when a huge explosion sounded further up the valley. A fire ball rose from almost a half mile away. Even at this distance, he could see burning people running away from the flames. The fire lit up the field and it was time to move. He returned to fetch his backpack and then moved away from that place until he found a dark spot where he had good cover. Oliver used the cover to hide while he checked his weapons, discovering that he was almost out of ammunition. Carefully approached the truck that had stopped, he encountered the dead men on the ground and paused to pick up their weapons and ammunition. Keeping to the shadows, he moved up the valley following the fires. He moved slowly, pausing frequently, to keep from being seen or surprised. The sounds of men shouting instructions to each other floated on the wind. He listened and used the knowledge of what they were doing to move to locations where he could ambush them. When a group of four or five men came into the open, he fired upon them. After assuring himself that he had stopped them, he moved on to another location. It was a true guerilla war and Oliver wasn't going to allow himself to loose. Well before dawn, he moved to higher terrain and climbed a tree where he could watch what happened below with little chance of being seen. When the sun rose, he examined his surroundings. There were several cleared sites at this end of the valley. At one site, a very large house stood amidst some cleared land. It was surround by men and was a bee hive of activity as other men came and went. He watched the action through his binoculars, realizing he had stumbled on the headquarters of a major producer, perhaps the largest in this part of the world. He looked over the site and wondered how he could attack it. Counting people and stopping when he reached fifty, he realized that he was facing an army. He looked at where he had been last night. There was no activity at this time, but he watched to see what would happen. A truck came rumbling down the road from the main house carrying a dozen armed men. They carefully drove around the first and second exploded trucks. Stopping before hitting his other trip wire, he swore as they dismantled his trap. He watched as they reached the place where the small building had stood. The only thing left was the truck. A couple of men got out and entered the truck. A few seconds later there was another explosion. The men fired in every direction, blindly reacting out of their fears of an ambush. Oliver moved down from his tree and returned to the first exploded truck. He reached in his backpack and set up another trip wire on the part of the road they had just covered. They wouldn't expect traps to appear behind them. Slipping back into the jungle, he moved towards the large house further up the valley. It was time to bring the war to the warlord in the big house. He stopped twice more and set up trip wires to stop any trucks from moving up the road. They wouldn't expect it along the heavily traveled portion of the road. He had one charge left and chose to save it. An explosion sounded as the truck back at the first site hit the tripwire he had set up. Moving into the jungle, he stopped in a spot that provided good cover. He took a moment to assess his camouflage, finding that it had become battered over the course of the night. He tied fresh leaves and branches to his clothes. Taking a little soil in his hand, he spat onto the soil turning it to mud. With deft movements, he applied it to his face and hands. Taking three deep breaths, he became one with the jungle. As he approached the house, the hairs on the back of his neck started rising. Oliver stopped to listen. While he couldn't hear anything, he could sense danger in the area. He turned to face the direction from which he sensed the danger and lay on the ground Slowly rising in a push up, he moved a limb forward, and then lowered himself. His progress was slow, but anyone would have to know exactly where he was in order to spot him. He had gone about thirty yards in an hour when he heard someone shift their position in a tree ahead of him. A man with a rifle and scope searched the area, but Oliver spotted him first. Oliver slowly readied his gun and then fired. The man in the tree had no idea what hit him. Oliver stayed still, waiting for any sign of reaction from anyone that might be in the area. When there wasn't any, he moved over to where the man had fallen out of the tree. A rifle lay on the ground beside the body. It had an excellent scope that suggested this was a weapon of great accuracy. He took a faster approach to the large house, checking for traps as he went. He encountered a few traps and dismantled them taking the explosives with him. Reaching the edge of the jungle, he looked over the house through the scope of the rifle. A young man of about twenty was in front giving orders to the other men gathered around him. Oliver took aim and fired. The young man went down in a heap, dead before he hit the ground. The other men ran charged his position, but Oliver had already blended back into the jungle. He set up trip wires behind him and then headed off to the side towards the road. He stopped when he heard a tripwire trap explode. There was no telling how many men had been there when it exploded. For the rest of the day, he slowly whittled down their numbers. He ate bugs and plants as he encountered them. He paced himself so that he never got hungry or over tired. He had nearly reached the road when he heard a car moving down it. He watched from his position as the car hit one of his tripwires. The car went through undamaged, but ran off the road and into a tree. The driver got out of the car with his gun ready, but Oliver watched him. The man moved around looking for a threat while Oliver readied his automatic. It took some time, but the passengers finally got out of the car. One of them was clearly the head of the operations here. He wore an expensive suit, gold jewelry, and moved with authority. The man looked like an older version of the youth he had shot giving orders. Staying in the bullet proof car until they were sure the coast was clear was the smart thing to do. Their leaving the car had been event for which he was waiting. When they had traveled about ten yards from the car, he opened fire on the group. For the rest of the day, he moved through the forest choosing the time and place for confronting the men. When night finally fell, he was exhausted. He moved into the deep jungle and climbed a tree. Spreading his hammock, he slept through the night. In the morning, he undid his hammock and climbed down from the tree. He moved slowly back to the house. Everything was quiet. No one moved. All of the trucks were gone. He watched the area until sunset and then moved up to the house under the cover of dark. The house was empty, much of it had been looted. Methodically, Oliver searched the house and found several hiding places filled with cash. A false panel opened into a tunnel. Assuming the worst, he moved carefully through the tunnel until he came across a storehouse. Stored on rows of shelves were at least six tons of drugs in one kilo bags. He smiled to himself as he realized that was going to put a significant dent in the drug supply back in the states. He returned to the house proper and continued to search it. Finding a satellite telephone, he picked it up and dialed the American Embassy. When they answered, he said, "This is Oliver Brown. May I speak to someone in charge?" The voice at the other end of the line didn't recognize his name. She asked, "May I ask what is the nature of your call?" He laughed and said, "I just found about six tons of cocaine. I could use some help disposing of it." The call was immediately transferred to Fred Healy, an individual that he knew was a DEA agent. Fred answered the phone simply asking, "Is that you Oliver?" "Yes it is, Fred. I have about six tons of cocaine here. You guys want to get credit for another raid?" Fred snorted at the implied insult and asked, "Where are you?" Oliver checked his GPS and gave him the co-ordinates. He asked, "So when can I expect you?" Fred asked, "Is it hot?" "Nope. All of the bad guys are dead or gone," replied Oliver. Fred answered, "Okay, we'll be there in about an hour. Expect a helicopter full of marines." "Well, I'll be in the house. I'm taking a shower and getting a bite to eat." Fred appreciated the fact that Oliver was going to shower. He had experienced Oliver after one of these raids before he had showered and the smell of that occasion was sufficient to give him a head ache. He replied, "See you in an hour." Oliver hung up the phone and wandered towards the master bedroom. Stripping, he went into the bathroom where he looked at himself in the mirror. Still he had no beard and his hair was short. Ever since his time with the Goddess, he had never needed to shave or get a haircut. The rest of his body had emerged unchanged. He glanced down at his cock, even flaccid it was large. That was the only body change that came from his experience with the God. Turning on the shower, he got under the spray and thoroughly soaped himself. The water ran a dingy gray as it made its way to the drain. He inspected his body and pulled a leach off his leg. Opening the shower door, he threw it in the toilet. There was another on his back that he had a hard time getting off due to the awkward location. He threw it in the toilet to join the other one there. Further inspection revealed no additional blood suckers affixed to his body. Feeling clean after his first hot shower in three months, he got out the shower. The towels were very soft and very large. He dried himself thoroughly and then returned to the bedroom. He searched through the closets for some clothes that would fit instead of the rags he had been wearing for a month. Not finding anything his size, he went to the next room and found a suit that fit. He put it on realizing that it probably cost the original owner several thousand dollars. The fact that his tough callused feet were bare undermined the entire look. He returned to the main portion of the house and got his nearly empty backpack. Taking a quick inventory of his possessions, he said to himself, "I think this needs to be refilled." He went to one of the stashes with money and loaded up his backpack with bundles of hundred dollar bills. Once that was done, he closed it up and set it aside. He went into the kitchen and rummaged for some food finding fresh steaks in the refrigerator. Steak in hand, he looked for and found a pan. In a few minutes, he had the steak cooking in fresh butter. The smell was outstanding and caused his stomach to rumble. Scrounging some vegetables out of the refrigerator, he started boiling them. The prospect of having a real meal for a change filled him with simple joy. The food finished cooking in short time. Searching through the cabinets, he found a plate and filled it up with hot food. He had just sat down when he heard the sound of a helicopter. Digging into his food, he waited for Fred to find him here in the kitchen. That's where Fred always found him. Fred entered the kitchen ten minutes later as Oliver finished his steak. With a frown, Oliver sat back and stared at the DEA agent. He fit the image of a government man; six feet tall, 190 pounds, polished shoes, and cheap suit. Fred didn't bother to greet him, just sat in the chair on the other side of the table as he said, "Looks like about a hundred bodies scattered around here." Oliver nodded as he shoveled some of the boiled carrots in his mouth. After chewing and swallowing, he said, "That sounds about right. There's a suit on the road a ways down. He was in charge here." Fred called out and a marine came into the kitchen, passed along the message of where the body was located. The marine was about to leave when Oliver stated, "Hey, you might want to be very careful out there. There are lots of trip wires strung out there. Some in places where you can expect traffic." When the marine left the kitchen, Fred turned back to Oliver to ask, "So where are all the drugs?" Oliver belched and pushed his plate away. "Come with me." Fred followed him to the secret passage. When they reached the storage room, he whistled in amazement. He started to count packages, but stopped after he realized that was going to take all day. He swore, "Damn, I thought you were kidding. I've never seen so much at once." Oliver said, "You should have seen the bang when the factory went up." He followed Fred out of the house, watching as the man talked to one of the marines. The marine ran off towards the helicopter. Fred returned to Oliver and said, "You really got a big one this time." A marine came over to Fred and said, "They found the bodies. One of them was Edwardo Mendez." Fred said, "You got the big guy himself. There's a million dollar reward out for him." The reward was the last thing that Oliver wanted. He said, "Give the money to a charity. Mendez has already paid me." "Why did I know you were going to say that?" "Because that's what I always say. I let the bad guys pay me for getting rid of them. I want the money from the good guys to go to a good cause. I serve the Gods and Goddesses, that is reward enough." Fred didn't know what to make of Oliver and his talk of Gods and Goddesses. He asked, "So what now?" Oliver answered, "I'll be on the first helicopter that heads back to civilization. I plan to have a little fun with my favorite girl." "How long were you out this time?" "Six months. It wasn't that bad. Took care of a few places, none of them were like this one." The marine was standing there listening as a beetle landed on Oliver's suit. Oliver reached down and grabbed it. With deft movements, he tore the legs, wings, and head off it. He popped the body in his mouth, chewed a couple of times, and swallowed. The marine blanched at the sight. Oliver noticed and said, "It's an acquired taste. After about a thousand of them, you actually get to the point where you can swallow them without wanting to throw up." Fred turned to the marine and said, "Don't mind him. He went native years ago." Laughing at the expression on the soldier's face, Fred asked, "How many cans of Vienna Sausage did you take in with you?" "Four." "How many have you got left?" "Two." Surprised, Fred asked, "You actually ate two of them." "I traded one for a canoe trip up the river. I ate the other because I needed the can." Fred turned to the marine and said, "This guy goes into the jungle and grazes as he travels. He turns into a creature of the jungle. He doesn't even wear shoes." Another marine came out of the house carrying his clothes. The marine stated, "Some one else has been here. They left these rags behind." "Those are mine. You can burn them. I got a nice new suit today and won't wear them again." The marine shook his head as he said, "There were two leeches in the toilet. I flushed them." "I guess I'm a little more tired than usual. I pulled them off me when I took my shower. I guess I forgot to flush. You tend to get out of those habits when your bathroom is usually a tree." The two soldiers looked at each other as Oliver asked, "So, when's the chopper leaving?" One of the soldiers answered, "Three more are on the way. Once they get here, the first chopper will head back for more men." "Well, the birds are riled up on the horizon. Something must have disturbed them and I'll bet it's the helicopters. If so, then they'll be here in about ten minutes." Oliver went into the house and picked up his backpack. Carrying the backpack in an easy grip, he joined the three men standing there. He removed a leather pouch from the backpack and handed it to one of the marines as he said, "You'll need to destroy that. The darts inside are tipped with poison from the poison dart frog. Very dangerous. You get any of it on your skin and you'll be dead before you can walk two yards." The soldier held the leather sack like it was a viper. He looked at Oliver and asked, "How do I get rid of it?" "I would throw it into an incinerator. I wouldn't do it over an open fire, though. I've got no idea what would happen if you breathed in the vapor. I doubt it would be good for you." As more helicopters appeared over the property, Oliver headed towards the one that was on the ground. Several hours later he was walking along the streets of Bogota, whistling to himself as he approached the nicest hotel in town. His way was suddenly blocked by a couple holding hands. The woman stepped up to him and grasped his medallion. Pulling it from his shirt, she stood there looking at it closely. The chain broke when she handed it to the man. The man looked at the medallion and said, "Very well done, Oliver. You took out a very important drug producer. I am really impressed." Oliver stared in shock at the chain with the pair of medallions fused into one. It couldn't be removed except by one of the Gods or Goddesses. He looked up at the pair and noticed that the couple wasn't holding hands; they were joined at the hands. Taking a deep breath, he said, "I have done what I could to serve." The woman said, "We'll see you in the same place on Midsummer's day." "I will be there." The man flipped the medallion in the air. Oliver caught it as the man said, "You might want to bring this with you." Oliver stared at the medallion for a minute. When he looked up, the couple was gone. ------- Chapter 2 Oliver stood at the boundary between his world and the world of the Gods and Goddesses. He took a deep breath and crossed over the boundary. The subtle texture of the world changed. Colors brightened, odors intensified, and the noises increased in volume. He watched the birds flit from tree to tree. He looked down to wait for the one who had summoned him. The couple he had met in Bogota, stepped out from behind a tree. He moved to them, ready to follow them to the clearing. The couple turned and led the way along a wide path as Oliver followed watching the subtle swaying of the woman's ass. Her body was perfect. Reaching the clearing, the couple turned and faced him. Their hands were still fused together. The man said, "You have to choose one of us." "You are one," replied Oliver, recognizing that he was dealing with one God/Goddess with two separate manifestations. The woman answered, "You have to decide which aspect you will serve. The female or the male." Oliver asked, "What's the difference?" The man answered, "We will not tell you. You must choose and the choice must be made without undo influence." "I can't. I would prefer to serve both." "You must choose one or the other." Oliver looked from the woman to the man, unsure of what he should do. The other times, the God and the Goddess had just taken him and had their way with him. He said, "I'll serve the female aspect." The woman came to him and threw him to the ground. The man held him while she ripped his clothes off. His cock became erect as she mounted him roughly and started riding his cock. Her cunt was incredibly tight and it felt like she was going to pull his cock off each time she rose and as though it was going to snap in half each time she lowered herself on it. Leaning forward, she grabbed a nipple between the forefinger and thumb of each hand. When she squeezed and twisted his nipples as hard as she could, he screamed to the sky above. The man continued to hold him down as she worked over his body. When he could no longer feel his nipples, she released them. The sensation created by her release was just as painful as the original twist. He screamed to the sky even as she continued to ride his cock. Her first orgasm made him feel like his cock had been put in a meat grinder. The muscles deep inside her tightened and relaxed in waves along his cock. Each place where it tightened caused it to feel like his cock was being cut. He knew she would ride him until he had an orgasm, but he didn't know how that could happen in the midst of such pain. When her orgasm passed, the tightness of her cunt almost seemed pleasant. Now it felt like his cock was being pulled off instead of shredded. When she reached back and squeezed his balls, his entire body arched in pain. The man held him down as she squeezed again. Even as he screamed again, his cock seemed to get even harder. Her motions increased in speed and intensity. He suddenly found himself having an orgasm even as his mind reacted to the pain. It was hard to tell what powered his scream, the pleasure of the release or the pain. It seemed to last forever and only ended after she had another cock shredding orgasm. She climbed off his cock. He relaxed thinking it would be over. Instead, she climbed on his face and rubbed her cunt over his mouth. Automatically opening his mouth, come mixed with her juices ran into it. There was so much of it that he couldn't handle it and panicked from the feeling that was drowning. He swallowed until he felt sick to his stomach, but still it flowed from her. He worked his tongue hoping that another orgasm would end his ordeal. She knelt over and started to suck his cock. It was like sticking his cock in a vacuum cleaner and he literally feared that the end of his cock would burst. He groaned and licked her cunt even more. Seeking her clit and finding it, he was rewarded with a flood of her juices as she came again. He sucked them down as fast as he could. Her mouth slipped down the entire length of his cock. Her teeth caused another coursing river of pain to shoot through his body. As he trashed on the ground, he wondered if he was going to survive this treatment. As if to confirm his fears, she squeezed his balls again. His scream was muffled by the cunt pressed against his face. The hair around her cunt was stiff and hard like a scouring-pad. She started rubbing her cunt across his face. Hoping to end the ordeal, he returned his attention to her cunt, fucking it with his tongue. His eyes sought out those of the man holding him. There was pity in the eyes watching his struggles, a look that surprised Oliver more than anything else about his ordeal. His orgasm came as a complete surprise to him. She swallowed his ejaculate as more juices washed into his mouth. Swallowing, he accepted her juices until there were no more. His cock started wilting in her mouth even as her touch turned loving and not painful. She climbed off him and looked down upon the poor man the ground. The man stood beside her with his foot fused to hers. Oliver looked up and asked, "Why the pain?" "To mask the far worse pain of the transformations in your body," answered the man. He smiled and held up the medallion. There were now three of them fused along their edges. He threw the medallion onto the ground near Oliver. Oliver turned to look at it, surprised to see hundreds of identical medallions piled on the ground. "Now, find your medallion." The pair stood aside and watched as Oliver rose to his feet fighting to keep his legs from buckling. The pile of medallions was incredibly tall. He pushed the pile so that medallions tumbled down the side and spread over the ground. The medallions varied in terms of their shine and color. Some shone faintly while others were dull. Some looked as though they were always in shadow while other gleamed as though lit by the sun. He spread the entire pile over the ground. There was one gleaming medallion that shined as though it was a bright sun. He went over and picked it up. He held the medallion in his hand and turned to the Two-Sided One. The man and woman fused into one extremely fat man that grabbed the medallion from Oliver. He slipped it over Oliver's neck while saying, "You have done well. You chose to see into a persons heart. Now, it is time for you to rest. You will not have much time before new challenges are placed upon you." Oliver stared at the Two-Sided One in confusion. The fat man smiled and changed into a hugely fat women, the feminine version of the fat man. She smiled and said, "You turned down the chance to see a person's strengths. To have both gifts is too much for a mortal. You have chosen well." Oliver woke under a tree. He immediately checked his surroundings. The life in the forest behaved normally. Squirrels ran about the ground collecting seeds and eating. Birds flew from branch to branch. He stood, expecting to see the squirrels flee and the birds fly away. They remained unconcerned about his presence. He was still one with his surroundings, able to move through a natural environment as though he was part of it rather than a visitor. He pulled the medallions out from under his shirt. He looked at them. The first medallion still had the words "To Hunt Those Who Poison Others" written along the edge around the phallic symbol in the middle. The second one still had the words "To Join The Land" on one side and "The Land To Join" on the other. The words surrounded the rough image of a woman's sex. The third coin was the new one. He looked at the side with the female organ rendered in the center. The words " Know Others To Lead Others" were written around the edge. On the other side there was male organ rendered in the center. The words "To Lead Others Know Others" were written around the edge. He wondered what that meant. He stretched feeling refreshed and energetic. Looking down to examine his body, there were no changes that he could see. Of course, he had no idea what had happened to his face. His clothes, tan pants and shirt, of durable material were clean and appeared to be new. Not even the normal dirt of a week spent hiking in the forest remained. He stretched, amazed at the quality of his rest. He seldom slept that deeply, used to keeping a certain level of awareness of his surroundings at all times. He headed towards the town enjoying the view of nature in all her glory. He thanked the Goddess again for having given him that gift. The soil felt nice against his bare feet, giving him the sense that he was tied directly to the earth beneath him. The sounds of nature sang in his ears as he walked along. It seemed like it was too short of a walk before he reached town. He exited the woods a short distance from the Sporting Goods Store. Crossing the street, he walked the block to the store. He entered it, surprised that it was once again empty. Normally it was packed with people. Standing by the door, Catherine Sullivan wore her red robes that signified that she was a servant of the God. She had a nice glow around her with very few dark spots over her heart. She looked at him in surprise and stated, "What are you doing here? I'm expecting someone." "Just returned from meeting the Two-Sided One." Looking around the store, he wondered who needed all of that stuff since he typically carried very little with him. Of course, he was one of the few people in this world that could be dropped into the wilderness with absolutely nothing and gain weight while there. At the moment, he carried only his backpack with the cash in it. She looked at his face and noticed that his eyes had changed to a pale blue color, but tradition required her to see the medallions. She demanded, "Let me see it." He pulled out the medallion from under his shirt and held it up for her to see. There were three medallions fused together along their edges. Satisfied, she turned and walked to the counter. She returned carrying a leather case and handed it to him. Staring at the leather case, he opened it and examined the inside. It was divided into major different sections. Puzzled by the case, he asked, "What is it?" She said, "It's a briefcase." He stepped back and suggested, "This must be the wrong item." Shaking her head in disagreement, she said, "Nope. The God demanded that I make this one for you." He sighed and looked at her as he asked, "Are you sure?" "Very sure." He looked at it carefully before looking up at her. He said, "It is very well made. The quality of the leather is outstanding. The stitching is superb. You have done the God proud." She answered, "thanks for the praise, but I can see you're disappointed." The thought of carrying around a briefcase depressed him. It definitely didn't fit with his jungle lifestyle. He said, "I'm not sure that I like the implications of it." Catherine laughed and said, "It won't be that bad. They never give us anything that we are really unhappy doing." "Were there shoes too?" Glancing down at his feet, she laughed having forgotten that he only wore shoes when he was in civilization and only then when it was absolutely required. She answered, "No, but I do have something that might be a good compromise." He followed her to a row of soft leather moccasins. She glanced down at his feet and picked up a pair that looked like they would fit. Handing the pair to him, she said, "try these on." He sat down and slipped them on. There wasn't any lining, just simple leather between his feet and the floor. He stood up and walked around in them. It was hard to tell that they were on his feet. He looked up in surprise and said, "Wow, these are nice." She said, "take them." "Thanks. Is our business over?" "Yes," she answered with a smile. Seeing him relax, she asked, "Will you be home tonight?" "Yes. I will. I'll start dinner." She cooed, "make sure it will keep. I need a little of the Oliver magic before dinner." He bent down to kiss her while she pretended to struggle. Soon she was pulling him even tighter to her. His cock responded to her. She ground her pelvis into him, causing his cock to swell even more. The bell over the door rang and she pushed him away. She hadn't wanted to stop, but appreciated the look on his face that he was more upset about the interruption than she. She said, "Get home and I'll bring your new robes there." Leaving the Sporting Goods Store, he walked towards her house. He met other townspeople as he strolled along, noticing that some of them glowed more than others. Everyone had dark sports over their hearts, some more than others. He realized that he was seeing their hearts. Some were alert and alive with a zest for life. That gave them a wonderful glow. Some people had hearts that were filled with hate and that left dark spots. The half hour walk home took almost two hours as he stopped to talk to people. He wondered if he could help people start to enjoy life more and help them rid the evil in their hearts. In front of the second hand clothes store, he stopped to talk with Tricia Janey, the owner. Although there were few black spots on her heart, she had a very dull glow. The Sheriff walking down the street noticed Oliver talking to Tricia and headed in their direction. Oliver glanced at the Sheriff noting that his glow was fairly strong and there were few black spots over his heart. So far, only Catherine had less of them than the Sheriff. Oliver noticed that a little silver thread seemed to hesitantly reach out from her heart towards the Sheriff. Realization dawned upon him as he recognized what that meant. He said, "I like the Sheriff. He's a good man." Slightly embarrassed, she smiled at him and nodded. She said, "He's been good for the town." Oliver nodded and said, "This is one of the few areas that is almost drug free. I think that's why I like it so much." "That's important to you?" "Yes, it is very important." He had just finished answering her question when the Sheriff reached them. Turning to greet the Sheriff, Oliver asked, "So how are things?" The Sheriff answered, "Everything is running smoothly. The town is quiet." "Good." The Sheriff gave Oliver a funny look and added, "Must be the presence of so many of Carter's Druids coming out of the park this week." Oliver smiled at the Sheriff and said, "That's just a strange correlation. We don't have much to do with how things are going in town." "Right." The Sheriff's voice suggested that he didn't believe that for a minute. Tricia Janey looked at Oliver with wide eyes, realizing only now that he was one of the Druids. She said, "You don't dress like a Druid. Catherine is always in her red robes." Oliver answered, "I don't usually wear them when I'm out in the wilderness. I just got back from a weeklong hike in the park." Tricia, like many other people had learned the significance of colors of robe, was curious about who he claimed to serve. She asked, "What color robes do you wear?" Oliver answered, "I used to wear gray. I guess I'm supposed to wear brown now." The Sheriff looked at him in surprise. He said, "You serve all three now?" Oliver laughed at Sheriff's surprise and replied, "Sure. Why do you look so surprised?" The Sheriff shook his head and said, "You and John Carter. It's just strange that I know all of the people that wear brown robes." Tricia looked at Oliver in awe. She said, "Wow, I feel like I'm talking to the Pope or something." He laughed at the comparison, shrugging it off as a good joke. The idea that he could be compared to the Pope was humorous. He was just a guy that wanted to keep drugs out of the neighborhood. A thought crossed his mind and he said, "Why don't you come over around nine tonight for some cake and coffee? We'll consider it a celebration for my promotion." She looked overwhelmed at the invitation and meekly answered, "Sure, I'd be honored." Oliver turned to the Sheriff and said, "Why don't you come over too? I have some more money to donate to the Police Against Drugs program." The Sheriff asked, "How much this time?" Oliver watched the Sheriff's face as he said, "Half a million." The look on the Sheriff's face was worth the half a million dollars. He asked, "It must have been a big bust this time." "They're still weighing it, but last I heard, it was over sixty tons of cocaine." Tricia stared at Oliver as the Sheriff whistled. He finally answered, "We don't need that money if you took that much cocaine out of circulation. You shut down a third of the drug traffic all by yourself." "Only about a tenth of the traffic. Besides, you still have the addicts to help and the other drugs to get rid of." The Sheriff answered, "I'll be there around nine." In a very uncharacteristic gesture for Oliver, he put his arm around the Sheriff as he said, "Good, would you mind walking with me for a minute. I have something of a personal nature to discuss with you." Nodding, the Sheriff turned to Tricia as he said, "Until tonight." Oliver watched as the silver thread again reached out towards the Sheriff and then shyly retreated. She nodded back and replied, "Until tonight." Oliver walked down the street directing the Sheriff with subtle tugs on his shoulder, stopping in front of the pharmacy. Oliver suggested, "You might be a nice guy and buy some chocolates for Tricia. Give them to her at the house tonight. I know she would appreciate it." The Sheriff looked at Oliver in shock. He asked, "Tricia?" "Yes, Tricia." Oliver started to walk away towards Catherine's house. The Sheriff called out after him, "I know why you were picked a third time. You're just as big of a pain in the ass as John Carter!" Turning, Oliver looked at the Sheriff. He shook his head and went on his way. As he walked, he considered being compared to John Carter. He knew all about the Grand Druid, but had never met him. Being compared to John Carter was an honor, but he wasn't sure how he felt about being compared to him. John Carter had revolutionized the world. There was no way that he could measure up to his accomplishments. Reaching the house, he entered using the key kept in the flower pot. Putting the key back in its normal spot, he thought about how Catherine kept it there just for him. He sighed as he thought about his love for her. He truly loved her with his whole heart and soul. Maybe this stay, he would propose marriage to her. She was an amazing women that tolerated his long absences and short visits with an attitude that bordered on saintly. Most women would have thrown him out long ago. He knew that she slept with others, as did he. He wanted to have another husband, just so that she wouldn't have to spend so much time alone. She rejected that option stating that she was basically a one-man woman that was satisfied stepping out occasionally when her true love wasn't around. They often discussed the matter, but had not come to any final decision. Oliver went into their bedroom and stripped. Stepping in front of the mirror, he was shocked at the brightness of his shine. The image that was reflected back at him showed only a few dark spots on his heart. The largest spot represented his hatred for drug lords. He knew his hate was totally unrealistic, confusing people with their roles rather than their essential characteristics. He examined his face in the mirror. For the most part, he was unchanged. He still did not need to shave or ever get a haircut, but his eyes had turned a pale blue. It reminded him of the color of the winter sky. He wondered if it made him look cold and unfeeling. His cock had not grown any larger and that pleased him. It was already large enough to satisfy a woman, any larger would hurt rather than pleasure them. He went into the bathroom and turned on the shower, adjusting the temperature so that it was pleasantly hot. There were so few hot showers in his life, that he relished each and everyone that he took. Quickly lathering his whole body, he enjoyed the sensation of his hands touching his body through the soapy film. He rubbed the bar of soap over the top of his head. His minimalist lifestyle didn't incorporate fancy shampoos or soaps with fragrance. Once he was clean, he rinsed off. Instead of getting out of the shower, he looked down at his cock and smiled. Knowing there was no way that he was going to last very long with Catherine, he grabbed the bar of soap and worked up a good lather around his cock. At the thought Catherine standing naked in the shower with him, his cock rose. Wrapping a hand around his cock, he started stroking himself with short strokes that gave most attention to the head of his cock. As he imagined her giving him a blowjob, he quickly reached a climax. Ropes of come squirted from the slit at the end of his cock, his fluids landing on the floor of the shower and washing down the drain. His breathing returned to normal as he rinsed his cock in the hot water. He turned off the water and got out of the shower feeling much more relaxed. Catching his reflection in the fogged mirror, he grinned like a teenager caught pleasuring himself and said, "Hey, even a married man needs to jack-off occasionally. I wouldn't have lasted two minutes with Catherine in the state I was in." The reflection in the mirror didn't respond. He didn't expect it too and if it had, he would have checked into the nearest mental ward. He carried a fresh towel to the living room and set it on the chair. Sitting back in the chair with his legs up, he thought about what he had seen today. There was so much blackness around peoples hearts that it depressed him. None of them were overwhelming though. Catherine, the Sheriff, and Tricia Janey had been almost refreshing in the minimum amount of blackness around their hearts. Tricia's dullness had bothered him more than her darkness. He turned on the television and turned to a news channel. He had no idea that his gift would extend to live projected images of people. The taped segments were clear of black spots and glow, but the live shots were entirely different. His stomach turned as he looked at one of the people in the latest news story. A murderer was being led out of a courthouse. The man's entire heart glowed black with hate. Sickened at the sight of so much hate, Oliver changed the channel and was rewarded with the same sight. He quickly turned off the television. There wasn't any way to ever get used to seeing people like that. It did make the people he had seen today look saintly. Perhaps his expectations were too high. Of course, even he had his own black spots. It wasn't that he thought of himself as special, just that he thought of himself as a good man. He went in the kitchen and puttered about trying to determine what to make that night. Despite the fact that Catherine was a vegetarian, she always kept a few steaks in the freezer for him. She had gone hiking with him one week. After seeing him eat, she refused to kiss him most of that trip after watching him swallow various kinds of bugs, plants, and fungi. She loved him, but couldn't kiss the mouth that could swallow bugs. He fixed a huge salad with lettuce, canned kidney beans, Fritos, cheese, tomatoes, and topped with Catalina salad dressing. It was his favorite salad and one that Catherine enjoyed as well. He also thawed the steak to cook after they had relaxed a little together tonight. Dinner wouldn't be complete without a batch of Brownies for desert. The clock indicated that he still had an hour before she came home. He wandered around the house looking at the changes in the décor. A few new odds and ends were scattered around the house. There was a new picture of the two of them in a nice silver frame on the mantle. They had an arm around each other and he was looking down at her with a look of total adoration on his face. He was touched by the picture. He tried to remember when it had been taken. Based on the clothes he was wearing, it was during his last visit when he had been working in the backyard. There was one time she had come up to him and put her arm around him. He had looked down at her in his loving way. He surmised that she had given her camera to the Sheriff and he had snapped the picture without him realizing it. This was not a posed picture, it was impossible to get such a look of love while posing. The door slammed shut as she surprised him by coming home early. Her eyes took in his naked body and her feet followed. In seconds they were in a lovers embrace. He kissed her passionately as his body reacted to having her in his arms. Her body responded in kind, with nipples tenting her red robe. Together, they headed to the bedroom. She led him by the cock, knowing that he would follow rather than lose it. It was an hour before they emerged from the bedroom. Their appetites for each other were hardly sated, but the appetites in the stomachs were stronger. Oliver went in the kitchen, still naked, and started preparing his steak. Catherine set the table knowing that he had made a salad for her. She called out, "What are you making?" With a trace of laughter in his voice, he answered, "I'm sautéing a nice batch of crickets. You want some?" She answered, "And you expect me to kiss that mouth?" Laughing heartily, he finished cooking his steak and placed it on the plate. He carried it to the table and then made another trip for the salad. Leaning back in her chair, her bare breasts defied gravity as her nipples stood erect. She looked beautiful, sexy, and satisfied. He stood there for a minute just admiring the view. Noticing the hungry way that he admired her, she said, "You make me feel so pretty." "You are pretty," he replied. He sat down at the table and they started to fill their plates. Amidst the clatter of silverware striking dinnerware, she said, "A weird thing happened today after you came in the store." "What?" She took a sip of water before answering, "I got the urge to locate Jed's old tools right after you left. There is another maker." Concerned, Oliver looked up at her asked, "What do you make of that?" She frowned as she answered, "I don't know. I'm scared in a way." "Why?" "What if the Gods do not need me any more? What if I am to die and he is my replacement?" Silence descended as he looked at his lovely girlfriend. It was impossible for him to imagine life without her. He said, "The Gods and Goddesses are not mean or capricious. There is an explanation and it will be a good one." She looked up at him through her eyelashes. The look on her face excited him and made him want her more than anything. He finally asked, "Will you marry me?" She sat back in her chair with an amazed expression on her face. She asked, "Really?" "Yes, really." "Of course I will," she answered excited that he had finally asked her. She hesitated and then asked, "Are you upset that we won't have another husband?" "I only wanted him for you. I feel bad leaving you alone here for months at a time." She shrugged and replied, "I don't mind. You have your service and I have mine. Of course, that briefcase suggests some interesting possibilities." A shiver went through his body as he thought about the possibilities. A briefcase suggested an office job and he feared that an office job would kill him. He answered, "That scares me." She asked, "So do you have a ring to give me?" While laughing he said, "No. I'll get one tomorrow, but I do want us to marry the Druid way." She asked, "Are you going to take me into the bedroom now?" He grinned at the idea and then remembered his invitation. In less than an hour, the Sheriff and Tricia Janey would come over. That would be enough time for a quickie, but he wanted a bit more than that. He said, "I'm afraid that I invited the Sheriff and Tricia Janey over." His statement surprised her. She asked, "Why Tricia? I didn't even know you knew her that well." He explained his gift from the Two-Sided One. Wondering what he saw when he looked at her, she looked at him warily. It was unnerving to know that someone could see the evil in you. He noticed her concern and said, "You are brighter and purer of heart than I." "You're saying that just because you love me." He grinned and answered, "Do you think I could love anyone that is evil?" "No." "So there you go." The answer seemed to satisfy her. She went to the door and picked up one of the robes that she had brought home with her. The brown robe indicated his new degree of service to all of the Gods and Goddesses. She went into her room and dressed in her red robe, laughing as she realized for the first time that her clothing bill had shrunk significantly since adopting the robe of her service. A dozen such robes and one had enough clothes for a year. She came out to see him standing awkwardly in his brown robe. She was so proud that he had achieved that level of service to the Gods and Goddesses, but she didn't envy him his sacrifices. He suffered levels of deprivation that most people wouldn't understand. In particular, he traveled lighter than she could possibly imagine and would spend months without a shower, shelter, or human contact. Tricia was the first to arrive, knocking hesitantly on the door. Opening the door, Catherine invited her into the house. Unsure of herself, Tricia smiled tentatively at Catherine and said, "I hope that it's okay for me to come here." "Of course, it is. Oliver invited you here." Oliver glanced at Tricia and saw a little flicker spread across her dull glow. He came over and said, "I'm so glad that you could come. We have a little announcement later." Catherine took Tricia over to the sofa and talked quietly while he went in the kitchen to prepare some coffee. The dullness bothered him tremendously and he wondered about her story, but didn't feel it was his place to ask. The Sheriff knocked on the door and Catherine answered it. She stepped back in surprise when he handed her a bouquet of flowers. He said, "A little something for the hostess." Catherine accepted the delightful selection of summer flowers. They would look great on the table. Smelling them, she smiled and said, "Excuse me while I put these in a vase." The Sheriff brought forth another bouquet of flowers and handed them to Tricia. Her eyes got very large as she accepted them from him. Blushing like a schoolgirl, she said, "No one's ever given me flowers before." "I assure you that it won't be the last time." The Sheriff realized he was sweating like a schoolboy even as he talked to her. It had been more than a dozen years since his wife had died and he hadn't dated since then. With a grace that belied her nervousness, she stood and kissed him on the cheek saying, "Thank you. Let me see if Catherine has something for me to put them in." She raced into the kitchen as Oliver picked up the tray with the coffee. Turning, he was in time to see her enter and observe the new intensity to her glow. He smiled as he knew that the answer to his question was that the glow could be increased. Now he had to find out if the black spots could be eliminated. ------- Chapter 3 Catherine woke up in bed next to Oliver and snuggled against him, happy that she didn't have to go to work. This was the first time ever that she didn't want to go. Last night, she had dreamed of the God and she had to talk to Oliver today about her dream. She studied his features as he slept. His rugged features and tanned skin gave him such a masculine appearance. Although he always looked like he had shaved, she had never seen him do it. Somehow, never having the opportunity to watch him shave made her feel like she had been shut out of an intimate part of his life. He stirred as if he sensed her eyes upon him. He rolled over to face her and, without opening his eyes, said, "Good morning, my love." "Good morning, my lovely man," she replied. She leaned forward a little and kissed him. Any concern about morning breath was without merit as she knew he wouldn't mind. They often made love first thing in the morning. She reached down and slowly stroked his cock. As it swelled under her touch, he reached between her legs and gently rubbed her. Her lips swelled and spread under his magic fingers, enabling easy entry for a finger. Her clit tingled from the nearness of his thumb to it. She pushed him on his back and mounted him, riding him with deliberation. The tension in their bodies increased with excruciating slowness. She loved these long drawn out morning trysts. He reached up and rubbed her erect nipples between his finger and thumb. The sensations that his touch ignited in her body brought a moan to her lips. His hips rose off the bed to bury his cock ever deeper into her. She moaned in happiness and joy. This was the way that the Gods and Goddesses meant life to be lived. Oliver ran his hands along her body, working them towards her clit. He framed her clit between his thumbs. Her motion combined with the pressure of his thumbs drove her towards a quick orgasm. She wasn't going to complain, he could last for a long time. Flexing his cock inside her brought triggered a sudden orgasm within her. Her cunt responded by fluttering against his cock, a sensation that made him shake and moan. As his excitement grew, his hips thrust up against her harder. She finally calmed down and returned to moving slowly on his cock. The tension that the slow movements invoked in him was almost unbearable. His muscles tightened causing his body to arch. His balls pulled up tight as he neared orgasm, but couldn't quite make it all the way. He loved it when she did this to him. His leg muscles started trembling as they started to give way. She smiled down on him and leaned forward so that her long hair brushed against his chest. Tracing intricate routes across his chest with her fingertips drove him to greater levels of excitement... The strength of his body below her and her knowledge that she had control over that strength for the time being brought her to a second orgasm. The fluttering of her cunt along his cock was just enough to take him over the edge. He screamed out his pleasure as she suddenly increased the pace of her ride on his cock. As pulse after pulse of come emptied into her, his entire body shook. In the aftermath, she lay atop him with his arms wrapped around her, pressing her body in a loving embrace to his. The smell of her hair filled his nostrils. The beating of her heart was in tune with his. He wanted to lay in bed that way all day. She slowly raised up and said, "What do you want for breakfast?" "You." Laughing as she climbed off him, she could see the disappointment on his face. Taking the opportunity to tease him, she said, "You already had me. Is cereal alright?" He groaned as the cool air touched his skin. The desire to hold her some more drove him out of the bed even knowing that she would leave for work soon. He followed her out of the bedroom. When they reached the kitchen, the telephone rang. Catherine looked at it in surprise and answered it. "Hello." Oliver listened to one side of the conversation as he searched for the cereal bowls. He heard her say, "Yes, I'll wait." He carried the bowls to the table and set them out with spoons. It was a long time before she said anything. "Hello?" "Oh, it's you, sir. This is Catherine." "Okay, John." He stopped surprised by the use of the name. He wondered who John was that could invoke such respect in her. "Yes, I know where he is. He's here with me." He turned from the refrigerator with the bottle of milk. He looked at her with an expression intending to find out who was on the phone. She said, "Okay, I'll get him for you." She covered the phone and said, "It's John Carter. He wants to talk to you." Taking the phone from her, he looked blankly in her direction. He had no clue why John Carter would be calling him. He spoke into the mouthpiece, "This is Oliver Brown." John Carter said, "This is John Carter." "What can I do for you?" John was quiet for a moment as he considered his next statement. Finally, he said, "I would like you to come here to the Druid College. I want you to act as my assistant in running the college." Laughing at what he thought was a joke, Oliver answered, "That's crazy." Unperturbed by the comment, John Carter said, "Not crazy at all. You are next in line to become the Grand Druid. When I am gone, you will inherit the role of College President. As a result, you need to learn about your future job." The seriousness of John's statements stopped Oliver from thinking of this as a joke. He had not realized that he was next in line to become the Grand Druid. The thought of that almost caused him to get sick. He asked, "Are you serious?" "Very serious. Get here at your earliest convenience and expect to stay here for a while." Oliver thought about his engagement to Catherine and asked, "May I bring my wife?" "Catherine?" "Yes, we will be getting married soon." John was quiet for a minute and that made Oliver nervous. He figured that John was trying to figure out a way to prevent her from joining him. John answered, "Sure bring her. If I remember correctly, she only has to be there twice a year." Wondering what she would think of moving across the country, Oliver looked at Catherine for a minute and then said, "That's correct." John said, "I expect to see you here soon." Oliver said, "Okay." The call ended at that point. Oliver turned to Catherine and said, "I'm afraid that I have to move to the college." She asked, "Why?" "It appears that I'm next in line to be Grand Druid." Catherine responded with a giggle. She said, "I already know that you're a grand Druid in bed with me! Next in line my ass." Oliver laughed at her earthy humor and light hearted way of dealing with the issue of this importance. He picked her up in a hug and spun her around. After kissing her, he said, "I love you so much." She asked, "Am I coming with you?" "Of course. I wouldn't go any other way." He kissed her passionately and hugged her tightly before finally setting her down on the ground. She said, " I dreamed the God last night. He told me that you would be changing things for both of us." Oliver frowned at the news, as it dashed all hope that it would be a temporary assignment. Since he had just returned from Columbia, he decided that the end of the month was soon enough to respond to the summons. Seated at the dining room table, they ate breakfast quietly, each lost in thought at the implications of the news. Oliver found himself in the meadow. The Goddess, the God, and the Two-Sided One were facing him. The Two-Sided One was in his masculine aspect, hugely grotesque in his fat form. The God stated, "You have answered our summons." Oliver said, "Always will I answer your summons." "Yet you ignore the summons of the Grand Druid," charged the Goddess as she looked at him. There was no anger in her voice, but he felt uncomfortable under her stare. "I planned to go at the end of the month." The lips of the Two-Sided One flapped as he said, "And that is your earliest convenience?" "I could go sooner." The God asked, "You could?" The Goddess asked, "When?" The Two-Sided One asked, "How soon?" Oliver answered, "I shall go tomorrow in the morning." He woke in a sweat and looked over at Catherine with a sadness that came from having to leave without her in the morning. Hoping she would understand, he got up and went to his backpack. He pulled out twenty thousand dollars and set it on the table. Filling the backpack with all of his robes, except for the one he would wear on the plane, gave him something to do while organizing his thoughts. He made reservations for a 6:30 flight, checking the clock to make sure that he had enough time to get there. It was only 3:00, but he would have to leave soon to get there on time. He crept into the dark room and kissed Catherine on the forehead. She woke and asked, "What's going on?" He said, "The Gods and Goddesses came to me while I was asleep." She stretched and yawned. She asked, "You have to leave now?" He nodded his head sadly and answered, "Yes. I have to get to the airport for a 6:30 flight." Getting out of the bed she said, "If you wait a minute I'll drive you there." He said, "How about I drive and you take a nap?" Still sleepy, she nodded her agreement while putting on her robe. After ten minutes in the bathroom, she was ready to go. They walked out into the night and got in her car. It was a long drive to the airport, but he would have time for breakfast at the airport. She was still awake when he turned onto the highway. He looked over at her and said, "I left twenty thousand for you on the table." Giggled at his misplaced concern for her, she said, "I'm a business woman. I don't need your money. I've still got the fifteen thousand you left for me last time." He knew that she probably had every dollar he ever left with her. He said, "Well, you can treat yourself to a new pair of shoes or something." She hit him lightly in the arm at the idea of spending that much money on shoes. He was always teasing her about wearing army boots under her robe. She wasn't embarrassed by the comment because they weren't army boots, they were hiking boots. They were the best that she carried in her store, but still cost less than the average pair of designer shoes. She asked, "You want me to buy something sexy to wear?" "Sure. That would be good. Any ideas in mind?" She laughed and said, "Well, I thought I might get a pair of flannel underwear." He retorted, "Kinky." When they reached the airport, he went to the ticket counter and paid for his ticket. The woman behind the counter automatically upgraded his ticket to first class. He didn't notice until she handed him the boarding pass. He said, "I didn't ask for a first class ticket." "I gave you a free upgrade." Surprised, he looked at her and said, "Thank you very much. I'm overwhelmed." Laughing at the look of surprise on his face, she said, "We do that for all the Druids now." "Oh, how did you know I was a Druid?" Catherine hit him in the side as she said, "You forget you're wearing the robe. Things have changed since John told us that we were to wear the robes in public. Everyone recognizes us now." The woman behind the counter watched the exchange with interest. She had never seen two Druids together. Realizing that he looked stupid, Oliver turned to her and said, "I've been in the jungles for a long time. I seldom make it to the states." His surprise at the upgrade and the reason for his comments became much clearer. Following Catherine to the restaurant in the airport, he still had an hour before boarding time for them to eat breakfast. As they walked through the terminal, people pointed at him and watched as the couple passed. For him, the stroll was an unpleasant experience as the majority of people had a dull glow and a fairly large amount of black over their hearts. It was impossible not to notice the attention they were receiving. He said, "everyone is looking at us." "Yes, we are not so widespread yet. Seeing one Druid is a topic of conversation for a week at work. Seeing two of us together is news. I'm sure they're speculating if there is some problem with airport security." This was an unnerving experience for him. He was used to blending into his environment, not sticking out as a topic of conversation. At the coffee shop, he ordered eggs and coffee while she ordered a fruit plate. They sat there chatting about their future plans. Catherine would join him in a few weeks and they were both looking forward to it. Their meal was interrupted by a man in a business suit. He said, "Excuse me. I couldn't help but notice that you are Druids. What can you tell me about the Druid College?" It was at that moment when Oliver realized that he actually had very little idea what was going on with the Druids. If he really was next in line as the Grand Druid, he was truly ignorant of his future responsibilities. He listened as Catherine answered the man's questions, learning as much by her answers as the man. He had not known the requirements for entry, the curriculum, and the daily life of students. Catherine explained that an intelligence test was the key requirement for entry. The secondary requirements demanded that the candidate demonstrate a willingness to pursue the full course of study and to present themselves to the Gods and Goddesses. She covered the daily activities faced by the students and the dedication that was required to master the material presented to them. She even described how first years went through the program naked. As the man was leaving, he said, "It was nice to meet you Dr. Carter." Oliver looked at the man and apologetically smiled at being mistaken for John Carter. It might be the first time, but it wasn't going to be the last time. He said, "I'm sorry. I should have introduced myself. I'm Oliver Brown." "Oh, I sorry. I thought you were John Carter. I understood that he was the only one of you that wore a brown robe." Oliver said, "I guess I'm going to have to get a name plate sewn into this robe saying something to the effect that I'm not John Carter. I just started my service as a brown robe and most people don't know anything about me." Catherine hugged him and said, "I think that is going to change soon." The man said, "I'd like to thank you. My daughter was involved in drugs and really blew her chance at a good future. It is good to know that she'll have a chance to get an education." Oliver's eyes flashed at the mention of drugs. The strength and passion in his voice was unmistakable when he said, "Drugs are the scourge of this country. I will eliminate that problem and I hope your daughter may get a chance to stand beside me in that war." The man was startled by the passion demonstrated by Oliver. He had just seen the iron in the man and quickly agreed by saying, "I hope that will be the case." "He just returned from Columbia where he shut down a major producer of cocaine. He's very aggressive when it comes to eliminating drugs in this society," explained Catherine. The man left pleased with the information that he had learned. His daughter might have a chance to get into college. If his daughter ended up half as happy as either of those two, then he would be happy. He didn't know how many nights of sleep he had lost worrying about her future. A career fighting the drug problem was not a bad way to spend her life and it would leave the world a better place. Oliver turned to Catherine and said, "Maybe this won't be so bad. I might be able to develop a large cadre of people that will fight drugs in this society." Catherine answered, "Wait until you meet John Carter. You'll be surprised by what you learn. He has taken a much broader approach to solving the ills of the world. You might want to see the grander picture that he paints. Drugs are not the only problem that must be solved." Oliver looked around at the people in the airport. There was so much blackness over the hearts of people as they went about their daily lives. So many of them had the dullness that indicated a basic lack of interest in life. He wondered if that wasn't the real source of the drug problem. The people in town were relatively free of darkness and that gave him hope. He looked at Catherine as he said, "You've been working in town, helping to make it a better place." She smiled and answered, "Of course, it's my home." The flight to the Druid College had a connection in Atlanta. That was when he realized the full impact that the Druids had on society. He almost had to argue to stand at the end of lines. People moved out of his way as he walked through the airport. Most people mistook him for John Carter, but that had stopped bothering him. It saddened him to see how many people had no zeal for life. In the airport, he encountered people whose hearts were nearly empty of black and others that were almost totally black. One particular man, heart almost totally black, physically attacked him as he waited for the plane. Oliver slowly backed up, blocking each attempted blow with a single hand. Airport security quickly showed up and arrested the attacker. The amazing thing was that his version of the attack was believed without question. The rest of his trip was without incident. From the airport, he took a cab to a car dealership and bought a car, paying for it in cash. It was the cheapest one on the lot and he drove away happily. He drove through the countryside enjoying the woods. It was an hour drive from the airport to the campus and he wondered about meeting John Carter for the first time. He feared that he would be disappointed. As he pulled up to the campus, he followed the signs to the parking lot. The first thing that he noticed was that all of the people glowed brightly. He had never seen so many Druids in one place. The majority had very few black spots over their hearts. It was a pleasure looking at them. He got out of his car and walked towards the main entrance. A bear came up to him and sniffed him curiously. There was a glow around the bear and a thick glowing thread led to another Druid not too far away. He wasn't afraid of the bear, recognizing the touch of the Goddess on it. The man came running up saying, "Don't mind Fluffy. He won't hurt you." Oliver replied, "I know. He's been touched by the Goddess." Sid smiled up at Oliver and said, "I'm Sid Smith. You must be Oliver Brown." "Yes I am." Sid grinned at the other man and said, "Must be hard getting used to civilization after spending so much time in the jungle." Surprised at the knowledge the man possessed about him, he asked, "How did you know?" "Oh, you are rather famous in certain circles. Nice drug bust. I think that is a record quantity. It took the Colombian police almost a year to catch half that much along one of the major supply routes." Honesty compelled Oliver to answer. He said, "It was a lucky accident. I thought it was just another small operation." Another Druid joined them. This one wore a black robe and his glow was so bright that it almost hurt Oliver to look upon him. Either the glow was so bright that he couldn't see any black or the man had no black over his heart. The man bluntly asserted, "You are Oliver Brown." Oliver answered, "Yes, I am." "You are early." Oliver said, "I was visited by the Gods and Goddess last night. Apparently, I didn't take the summons from John seriously enough." Smiling, the man looked at Oliver with a little more compassion. He said, "I'm Ed Biggers. I should have known that a brown robe would tell the truth even if it wasn't flattering to himself." Realizing that the glow around the man should have given him a clue about that man's identity, Oliver replied, "I should have known you. It makes sense that a spouse of John Carter would have a zest for life and pure heart..." Laughing at the characterization of the Carter Clan, Ed said, "Wait until you get to know us. You'll change your mind very quickly. Let me take you to your temporary quarters and then I'll give you the grand tour." Oliver asked, "Temporary quarters?" Ed blushed as he answered, "Well, our family is here and we are staying in your quarters to be closer to John." Oliver stated, "Please, do not move out on my behalf of me. I can string a hammock up in a tree and stay there with perfect comfort." "We're not in that bad of shape here." Oliver replied, "I didn't mean that. I just meant that any quarters would be fine. I'm not that particular." "Just like John," replied Sid as he petted the bear sitting next to him. When the man and his bear wandered off, Oliver watched the pair walk away with amusement. He wondered what it was like to have a service that included a bear. Interrupting his thought, Ed said, "Well, come along with me. I'll show you a place for you to stay." Oliver followed Ed to the faculty apartment building. They went down the hallway until they reached room 221. Ed asked Oliver to put his palm on the door plate. The door opened and they entered. Impressed, Oliver whistled as he looked around at the palatial size of the apartment. The living room was furnished with a simple couch and a couple of chairs around a coffee table. He asked, "This is an instructors apartment?" Ed replied, "There is no reason to be uncomfortable here. It is partially furnished. The four bedrooms have beds and bedding. The study has a desk with computer and complete connectivity. The kitchen is filled with pots, pans, and service settings for four." "Why so much?" Ed looked around at the décor and answered, "We don't expect our instructors to arrive with everything necessary to set up a household. Most Druids live very simple lives." Oliver said, "I'm not used to such surroundings." Ed laughed at Oliver's reaction. He repeated his earlier statement, "Like I said, most Druids live simple lives." "Guilty as charged," he answered. A moment of silence passed as he thought about his ignorance of other Druids. He said, "I'm afraid that I've been rather out of touch with what other Druids are doing. Is there someone that can help me get up to date?" Ed thought about the request for a moment. Most people were very busy around here. Midwinter's day was approaching and John had put most people to work on clearing a grove in the woods. When a candidate came to mind, he smiled before he answered, "Yes, Kelly will be a good one to introduce you to life around here." Oliver thanked him and wandered around the apartment checking out its layout and contents. He was going to ask how much the apartment cost, but Ed was gone. Unpacking was quickly accomplished by opening his backpack and extracting the briefcase and his robes from it. Opening the briefcase, he checked the money inside. There was enough cash to cover his costs for a while. He went into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. It was empty as were all of the shelves in the pantry. He was getting hungry and wondered what he could do to get something to eat. Glancing out the window, he saw the woods and laughed at the thought that he could easily live off the land here. His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. A very attractive woman was standing there when he opened it. She glowed brightly with only a slight black spot over her heart. He said, "You must be Kelly." She replied, "Yes. Ed told me that you needed someone to show you around the place and fill in any gaps in your knowledge. I'll do the best that I can." "First thing, where can I get something to eat?" Laughing, she said, "Ed is so slow sometimes. Follow me and I'll show you around the apartments. Then we'll get something to eat." He followed her out the door to a room at the end of the hall. It was stocked with food of all kinds. On the wall was a whiteboard on which someone had written, Black Caviar. He noticed the board and asked, "What's with the whiteboard?" "Oh, someone wants them to stock some Black Caviar. If there is anything that you want that isn't here, just add a note there." "Where do I pay?" "It's part of your job benefits. You don't have to pay for anything around here. If you want special furniture, you'll pay for that. Basically everything else around here is free. Let me take you over to the first year dining room and we'll get you fed properly." He followed her to the first year dining room finding that it was filled with naked students, eating, laughing, and studying. He was not surprised by the lack of attire since he had understood that would be the case when he had listened to Catherine talk about the school. What did surprise him was the number of people that glowed beautifully and had few black spots. As he watched a particular interaction between a student and one of the instructors, he saw that a black spot over the students heart slowly shrank. A child came over to the table. She glowed so brightly that Oliver could not look at her directly. There were no black spots over her heart. She stopped in front of Kelly and said, "Hello, Mommy Kelly." "Hello, Beth." Beth looked at Oliver for a moment in confusion and asked, "Why aren't you looking at me?" "You glow too brightly," answered Oliver. He added, "You are so full of life and pure that you glow a bright white. I think I will need sunglasses to look at you in the future." Beth turned to Kelly saying, "He's funny. I like him. Anyway, can I go to the math class?" Still amazed at her daughter's interest in math, Kelly said, "Go ahead. Just don't ask too many questions. One of the students was saying that your questions confused her." Beth defended herself when she replied, "Well, I was just asking about some relationships that I noticed between the slope of a curve and the form of the equation. The instructor said that we wouldn't cover that until Calcutta." Oliver corrected, "I believe that the instructor meant calculus." Beth was silent for a minute and then answered, "Yes, that is right. Calculus. I have no problem with math, but I find words very hard to remember." "I wouldn't say that," replied Oliver. He looked at her out of the corner of his eye and then added, "You have a very advanced vocabulary for someone your age. No, I think I would say that you have no problems with either math or words. You are just more gifted in math." "You talk just like Daddy Leroy. He's always trying to make me feel better about things I don't feel bad about." Beth shrugged and then headed off to her class. Oliver watched her leave, amazed at the self-possessed and confident young lady. She glowed so brightly that he could only look at her from across the room. He put her age at seven and her mind at twenty. As she disappeared an even brighter individual came in the room. He took a breath and looked away. The man sat down across from him, stating, "I'm John Carter." He answered automatically, "I'm Oliver Brown." John sat there for a moment looking at Oliver. He could see that the man was uncomfortable in his presence. He asked, "Is there a problem?" "Too bright. It's like staring into the sun." The answer didn't make any sense to Kelly or John. John said, "I don't understand." Oliver asked, "Is there anywhere near here that I can get some sunglasses?" John turned to a student and asked, "You wouldn't happen to know where we could get a pair of sunglasses, would you?" The student thought for a minute and then said, "I think there are some in the supply room. Would you like me to get a pair for you?" Oliver asked, "Would you please?" The student walked away and returned after a few minutes. He handed the glasses to Oliver. Slipped them on, he looked up and saw that he could now look at John. He smiled and said, "The gift from the Two-Sided One is very special. It lets me see the hearts of those around me. Some people have very little zest for life and they appear dull, almost tarnished. Others have a great zest and they shine with a bright light. You and Beth have more life inside you than I've ever encountered. It is blinding. I also see the evil in people as black spots over their hearts. You and Beth are the first that I've met that have none." John was silent for a minute as he thought about it. He smiled, "It is often difficult to adapt to the gifts of the Gods and Goddesses. I'm sure that you'll figure out how to tone it down with time." "You might be right. It's like the irises in our eyes. I've been blind my whole life and now I can suddenly see," mused Oliver as he realized that was a good analogy for his situation. He had been living in the dark for a long time. He said, "Kelly had been telling me about the school. I realize now that I have so much to learn before I can contribute here." John looked around the room and then back at Oliver. He knew that Oliver wouldn't have much time to learn all that he would have to know. He said, "You will come up to speed very quickly I'm sure." "You underestimate my ignorance." John laughed and shook his head, finding that he liked Oliver and his non-defensive sense of self. He said, "You may be underestimating Kelly." ------- Chapter 4 The sixth year student sat down at the table across from Oliver right after he had taken a bite of his sandwich. Oliver chewed and swallowed, chasing it down with some milk. He looked up at the student and asked, "What can I do for you?" "I was curious about something." Oliver examined the young lady carefully. She had a very nice glow and almost no black spots over her heart. He said, "Ask away. I'll answer if I can." She looked around as several other students joined her. Comforted by her classmates, she finally asked, "Why is it that most of the faculty spend their meal times in the first year dining room?" Oliver looked at her for a moment considering how to answer. Instead of answering, he asked, "What do you think motivates the faculty to do that?" Blushing she said, "Because they like to look at all of the young students running around naked." Looking as though he took her answer very seriously, Oliver nodded. He asked, "How many times did you need to be counseled this year?" Eyebrows drawn down, she frowned as she said, "None. Why?" "How many times did you need to be counseled last year?" Looking at the other students first, she answered, "Twice." "Ah, now the telling question," said Oliver. He asked, "How many times did you need it the first year here?" "Thousands, I think." Oliver nodded at the honesty of the answer. He asked, "Let me ask one final question. What do you think motivates the faculty to spend as much time as possible with the first years?" A minor black spot started disappearing over her heart as she answered, "They need you more than we do." "Very good," replied Oliver. The black spot vanished as she fully understood the reason. One of the other students asked, "So why are you here today?" Oliver laughed at the assumption that they were no longer needed. He answered, "I could say that it is because there are still times when you need us, but that might not be the whole truth. Perhaps in my case, I should say that there are times when I need you." Taken aback by his answer, the woman asked, "You need us?" Oliver looked around the room before he answered, "With the first years, it is mostly us giving to them. We spend our time helping and directing them. It is easy to get discouraged when you see the same argument a hundred times. Then we come up here and it is nice to deal with equals. You have balance, you give and you receive. You don't demand, but request. We can provide or not based on our ability, rather than be subject to the demand to do something that helps even when others would be better." The entire group was staring at him in amazement. He asked, "Do you feel that I am flattering you unjustly in considering you equals?" The young man answered, "Well, you have a brown robe. How can you consider us equals?" Oliver stood up and removed his robe. He sat down on the chair naked. He looked at them and said, "The robe reflects my service to the Gods and Goddesses. It is not a measure of me as a person." The young woman looked at his large cock and then teased, "We haven't had a naked instructor around us for three years. Aren't you afraid that we'll take advantage of you?" "We're equals here. I know that means that you won't take advantage of me," replied Oliver with a smile. The crowd of young men and women started to disperse. The woman said, "Thank you for taking the time to talk to us. I think we needed to hear what you said." Oliver was silent for a moment and then asked, "Would you or your fellow classmates like to visit the first year dining room during lunch or dinner?" "I don't know. Is there a reason you are asking?" Oliver smiled at how she treated his question. Rather than answering without knowing all of the conditions and ramifications of the question, she chose to get more information first. This was going to be a very successful group of students. He answered, "Well, you will be leaving here one day to go forth in the world. You will meet all kinds of people. I was wondering if dealing with the first years and helping them come to understand the lessons that you have learned so well would help you in the world outside." She nodded as she thought about it. She answered, "It sounds good to me, but I would have to talk to my classmates." Oliver said, "Good. Come to me when you have had a chance to discuss it amongst yourselves and I shall make the necessary arrangements." "Thank you again." Oliver said, "It is I that should be thanking you." She left the table and rejoined another two students at a table. Looking over his sunglasses at them, he was amazed at how brightly they shined. They would go far when they left here. He looked up at the sky and said, "Thank you, for giving me this opportunity." Finished with his meal, he picked up his plates and cleared his own table. He would have washed the dishes, but the kitchen staff chased him out. They had learned a few key phrases that were successful in keeping the Druids out of their domain. The one that had been used on him this time was a request to allow them to serve in their way. He smiled at the thought of how the staff had undergone changes in just the four months they had been working here. He continued his trip around the campus. Every week, he set aside one day to tour every part of the College. This included the parts of the campus that were seldom visited by the students. The janitorial staff, the mechanics, and the groundskeepers were all of interest to him. Every person on the campus was important to him. He enjoyed the tour tremendously. He slipped into a classroom to listen to the lecture. His entry was quiet, but the students and the instructor noticed, none the less. He smiled and gestured for them to continue. He listened fascinated as the instructor covered the history of war. The lecture resonated with his service to the God. It was a very different presentation of war than typically covered in a college class. It wasn't about the politics of war or the morality of it. No, this was about the art of war and the role that a thinking man held in determining the outcome. The politics, morality, and historical aspects of war were covered in other courses. The instructor led the students through an exercise based on actual battles of the American Civil War. The exercise went extremely well, with the students identifying options that, to his knowledge, had never been discussed in any historical paper on the subject. They had even kept themselves limited to the rules of warfare that were followed at the time. Several of the students had demonstrated absolute brilliance in the area. He left before the class was over. He glanced at his watch realizing he was late and hurried to the administration building. It was on the opposite end of the campus from the classroom he had been visiting. His excitement must have been apparent to everyone, as no one moved to delay him in his trip. He cut through the library and the first year dorm. People held doors open for him as he moved through the hallways. He reached the front doors of the administration building in record time. Looking through the door, he hoped to see a new car pull up in the driveway. There wasn't one there and disappointment washed over his body. He started when Ling said, "She hasn't come yet. Her plane ran a little late." He turned and looked at the woman. She had the bright shine that was common amongst the Carter Family, but there was a lot of black over her heart. It was time for him to address that. He said, "John says you are a consummate professional as a body guard." She nodded her head and looked at him with curiosity. He continued, "You live in one of the most loving families I have ever seen." She nodded wondering what point he was going to make. He added, "Yet, you have more hate in you than all of the rest of them put together." She glared at him and spat out, "No, I don't." He looked out the door for a moment, hoping that the car would pull into the parking lot. He countered, "You hate everyone and everything that you perceive as a threat to your family." She replied, "That's normal." He turned and looked at her with the kind of directness that made most people nervous. Ling stood there defiantly. He said, "Not for a bodyguard. That kind of hate makes you totally ineffective as their protector." "No it doesn't." Looking at her for a minute, he said, "You haven't been able to protect them since you married into the family. I would say that makes you a lousy bodyguard." She was silent for a long time. Her emotions fluctuated between anger and frustration. She was angry with him for his perception into something she thought she had kept secret. She was angry with herself because it was true. She was frustrated because she didn't know what to do about it. He watched her struggle with her feelings. Emotions that she had been attempting to lock away burst out in a single flood. She broke down in tears as she finally said, "I know." He stepped up to her and held her while she cried. She cried long and hard. Throughout, he rocked her in his arms, whispering little words of encouragement to her. Finally she calmed down, stepped back wiping her eyes and asked, "How did you know?" He answered, "I listen to what people say. John always says that you are one of the best security persons in the business, but every time your actions are discussed they sound more like a she-bear defending her cubs." Pain ripped through her as she recognized the truth of his words. He continued, "You stopped being a security consultant. Why?" She answered, "All of the jobs I was offered required me to leave the family for too long. Most of those jobs are for six months or a year. I couldn't stay away that long." He nodded and said, "So you became a cop instead." "Yes, I did." "And it wasn't anywhere near as satisfying, was it?" She sighed as she acknowledged the truth to herself. In fact, she wasn't even that good of a police officer. She answered, "No it wasn't." He looked at her for a long time and then asked, "Have you thought about teaching self-defense here?" She smiled and nodded. She had dreamed about teaching self- defense for a long time. If she couldn't act directly, maybe she could act indirectly by making sure they could save themselves. She said, "I have, but I don't think it would be right for me to teach here. I'm not a Druid." He reached out and took her hands in his. Raising them to his lips, he kissed them. He said, "I think you would be perfect. Now go and make John or Ed happy." He watched her leave. There was a significant decrease in the darkness around her heart. He laughed as he wondered how long it would take her to remove those last few spots of black. He turned and looked out the door, waiting for the car to arrive. Kelly stepped out from behind a post. Misty eyed, she looked at him and said, "Thank you." "For what?" She looked at him with tenderness and love as she said, "You have helped Ling more in that single conversation than I've been able to accomplish in ten years." He watched as she walked over to a bench near the door and sat down. He wondered what she had to say, but bided his time. She would say it when she was ready. She asked, "You are waiting for Catherine?" Laughing, he jokingly asked, "You mean that all of my talk about her arrival today was wasted?" She shook her head in the negative. In an introspective tone of voice, she said, "I remember when I was putting together the family. I wanted a wife and two husbands more than anything else in the world. I demanded that everyone have sex with everyone else. I was so possessive of the marriage in the beginning. It was my marriage and nobody was going to mess with my vision for it. John rather forcefully reminded me that it was our marriage, not my marriage." Oliver refrained himself from asking how that occurred despite his curiosity. He asked, "So what happened?" "I discovered that my vision of a group marriage paled beside the real thing. Our home is like a castle. Yet that is nothing to how I feel when I'm surrounded by the family. I am a princess when they are around. You might not believe this, but every desire that I ever had about my life was fulfilled. I need or want nothing more than what I already have." Oliver asked, "Has that changed?" She answered, "Not at all. There are times when I feel that I might not be a very interesting person any more. I always wanted to help people heal. I serve the Goddess and she gave me that gift. I can have sex with a person that has been battered beyond belief and heal them. It is a dream come true for me. However, it's an interesting topic for five minutes, but then it pales." Confused, he asked, "Are you happy?" "Happy?" she asked. She laughed aloud for a minute and then answered, "I'm deliriously happy. I can't imagine being happier." He asked, "So what's the problem?" She understood the source of his confusion. She smiled and said, "I don't have one. I am totally satisfied with my life. Some people might consider me dull because I don't have any great conflicts in my life. They won't write any stories about my life. How do you have a book that starts with, she lived happily ever after?" "So why are you telling me this?" She came over to him and held his hand. She answered, "I only wanted to let you know how rewarding marriage could be. There is nothing greater or more pleasurable than being married to the people you love. I wanted to wish you and Catherine the same happiness that I've had. I can't imagine anyone having a better life than me, but I hope that you have a chance to have one at least as good." Oliver was touched. A simple silver thread extended from her to him. She truly cared about his happiness. Lowering the sunglasses despite the bright glow, he looked at her so that she could see his eyes and know what he felt. He answered, "Thank you very much. I really appreciate that." She could see that her words had been taken in the spirit in which they had been meant. She said, "Well, I'll let you wait for your young lady. You won't need me around when she arrives." Oliver laughed as he said, "I doubt we'll notice if you are." She chuckled as she went off in pursuit of Ling. It was time to remind Ling how much she meant to her. She stopped and looked back at Oliver as he looked out the door for his girlfriend. It brought a smile to her as she remembered the story of John waiting for Beth. She went after her wife, seeking a nice relaxing time in her arms and to love her wife. There is never an occasion when it is not a good time for love. Oliver went out to the parking lot to wait for Catherine. She finally showed up about the time that he had worn a path in the grass from pacing back and forth. Racing over to the car, he flung open the door as soon as she powered off the car. In seconds, they were in each other's arms, laughing, kissing, and crying of happiness. In the nature of true lovers, they were totally unaware of their surroundings. Their embrace was interrupted by a bear rubbing his head against their legs, almost toppling them. Oliver looked down and said, "Hello Fluffy." Catherine asked the bear, "Where's Sid?" The bear wandered over to Sid who stood there looking embarrassed. He shrugged his shoulders and said, "He wanted to say hello. What can I say?" Catherine called over to Fluffy, "That's okay Fluffy. I always enjoy seeing you too." The bear roared its pleasure as the two of them wandered off into the woods. Sid and the bear made quite a pair. Oliver and Catherine went to the instructors apartments. He set up the door to answer to her palm print in addition to his. Once inside, she looked around the room. Pleased with the apartment, he led her through the various rooms and set her luggage in the bedroom. She commented, "My goodness, didn't you decorate at all?" Her assessment was totally the opposite of his. He had been overwhelmed by the apartment and its furnishings. She was looking for more. He said, "I thought I would leave that up to you." She turned to him and winked knowing that he had not thought anything of the sort. It was clear that he hadn't even thought about decoration. She said, "Wait here while I take a shower. Then I want you to take a shower and come into the bedroom once I'm ready for you." He was rather surprised by the formality of her request. He was going to suggest that they shower together. Disappointed, he asked, "You don't want me to join you in the shower?" She coyly replied, "You'll spoil the surprise." He smiled and said, "Okay, go ahead. I'll wait here patiently until you are done. But I have to warn you that when it is my turn to take a shower, it is going to be the quickest one in history." She laughed at the clear impatience on his part. She said, "You still can't come in until I'm ready, so take your time." He waited outside the door of the bathroom. As he stripped off his robe, he called out suggestions of what he wanted to do with her. When he heard the water turn off, he called out, "Then I'll lick your clit and watch you tremble as orgasm after orgasm rushes through your body." She called back, "Quite trying to ruin my plans. You're getting me too horny." Looking down at his erection, he called back, "You're horny? You should see my cock." "That will definitely make me too horny." He heard her giggling in the bathroom. The door flew open and he hoped to examine her lovely naked body, but she had covered herself with her robe. His disappointment was clearly written across his face. She tittered as she ran into the bedroom while he was left with a very stiff erection. This was the quickest shower of his life. He had to slow down when it came time to wash his erection, knowing he would have sprayed his come all over the shower wall if he had been the least bit energetic. He dried himself with a very soft towel, taking the same care in dealing with his cock. Looking in the mirror, he realized that over the few weeks that he had been here that his glow had increased and a number of dark spots had disappeared. It was amazing to see such changes in himself and not even realize they were happening. He went into the living room and walked over to the bedroom door. It was shut and he knocked. She called out, "No yet, Olli." He grunted in frustration and paced in front of the door. His erect cock swung from side to side like a metronome as he walked. The sight was almost comic, but his desire for her was not. Impatient, he knocked again. In response, she shouted, "Give me just a few more minutes!" He stood at the door trying to relax. The longer he stood there, the more his imagination excited him as he pictured her on the other side of the door with her long hair and naked body waiting for him. What possible surprise she could have for him? Driven by need and curiosity, he almost tore the door down when she called out, "You can come in now." He stopped on entering the room, his mouth open in surprise at what he saw. She was reclining on her left side with her upper body supported above the bed by her bent elbow, her left leg was straight with her right leg bent at the knee. Her pose was not what caught his attention. She was actually wearing a half bra, garter belt, silk stockings, and shoes with very high heels. Everything was a matching red. She looked gorgeous posed like that. She giggled at his reaction and gestured with her index finger of her right hand in a come hither motion. Stepping forward in a trace, he reached the bed not realizing he had moved. He said, "You are the most beautiful woman that I have ever seen." She laughed and said, "I bet you say that to all of the nearly naked women you find lying in your bed. Now get over here before I come without you." He moved over to the bed, his cock bobbing as he moved. She watched it with excitement and rolled onto her back, opening herself for his attentions. Even before he settled on the bed, she reached for his cock. He took her hand off it saying, "If you even touch it, I'm going to come." She giggled in pleasure at the knowledge that she could excite him to such levels. He settled between her legs and ran a hand along her silk stockings. Supporting himself with his elbows, he covered her body with his and kissed her lips. It was like a shock of electricity passed through them. He slowly worked his way down her body with little love kisses. The half bra allowed free access to her nipples. He took his time at her breasts, her excitement clearly demonstrated by the blush of her skin and the hardness of her nipples. He reached her belly button and probed it with his tongue. The garter belt gave a nice contrast to the texture of her skin as it rubbed against his chin. He kissed the skin along the edge of the garter belt with surprising results. The act excited her to the degree where her hips were reaching for him, attempting to bring her moist womanhood in contact with him. As he worked his way to her nether region, she practically inched up the bed to speed up his progress. He ran his tongue along her swollen lips enjoying the fragrance and the taste of the excited woman beneath him. His tongue explored her hidden crevices, taking pleasure in all of the folds of skin. Gasping and groaning as his tongue explored, her hands reached down to grab his hair. This only increased her frustration since the short cropped hair left nothing for her to grab. Her legs folded around him, locking him between her legs. Held just short of that point where she would explode, he didn't give her enough to take her over. Frustration, excitement, and sensations long missed helped drive her to higher and higher levels of arousal. His tongue finally flicked up to her swollen clit provoking a scream as her orgasm washed over her. Locking her legs tightly around him kept him in that position. The fresh flood of juices, the amazing sight of her orgasm, and the long need for her touch, nearly made him come. Pre-come seeped from the end of his cock, lubricating it for the anticipated entry into her hot cunt. When she had come down enough to talk, she managed to squeak out, "Fuck me. Fuck me now." He moved up and placed his cock at her steamy entrance. Rather than slamming it into her, he rubbed her lips with the head of it. He knew that he would only last a minute once he entered her. The choice was not his to make as her legs wrapped themselves around his ass and drew him into her. Pent up desire, the excitement of the woman under him, and the feeling of silk stockings against his skin combined to unleash the animal within. He started thrusting, savagely and strongly. His body dictated his timing and strength. The entire bed started rocking as his thrusts became ever stronger. She had wrapped herself around him and now made those noises of pleasure that have never been captured as words or recorded in a movie. This was the real thing, a true connection between lovers lost in their sexual union. The universe had narrowed down to only their existence. He bellowed his excitement with grunts and was answered by her screams. Wrapping his arms around her, his hands on her shoulders, pulled her onto his cock even deeper. He exploded within her. All pretense of civilization fled as human animal mated and climaxed with human animal. After coming down, he slowly rolled off her. He held her in his hands, enjoying the feel of her hot flesh against his. She snuggled into him, enjoying the feeling of safety that the strength of his arms suggested. Merely seeking pleasure in maintaining touch, his hands traced her skin randomly. After thirty minutes of that intense emotional sharing, she broke the silence in the room and coyly asked, "I take it you enjoyed my surprise?" He teased her by asking, "What surprise?" She giggled as she said, "My high heels, of course." He answered, "I loved it all. I've never seen you wear anything like this in the past. To say the least, I was so overwhelmed that I almost came on the spot." She reached down and pulled off the high heels. He watched her and asked, "Why are you taking them off?" She blushed from embarrassment as she answered, "I haven't figured out how to walk in them yet and I have to go to the bathroom. Some naughty man filled me up with all kinds of fluids that are now leaking." Laughing, he watched her stand. It was easy to appreciate the way her ass was framed by the straps of the garter and rolled as she walked. It had the effect that some fashion designer intended as his organ started to refill with blood. Her red legs encased in red silk stockings drew his attention. He got up and followed her to the bathroom. Showering together would release the pressure within his renewed erection. Holding hands, they walked through the study area of the first year dorm. Students were gathered in little groups at individual tables discussing the day's lectures or working on assignments. There were intense focused discussions as the students debated their understanding of one topic or another. The tone in the room was almost reverent, unlike anything on other campuses. Catherine looked around at the naked students. She was amazed to see so many young bodies. The variety of body types on display was truly staggering. There were people with large bodies, thin bodies, fat bodies, and frail bodies. Women with breasts of all different sizes and shapes; some were pert while others had long conceded to gravity. The men's cocks displayed tremendous variety; circumcised versus uncircumcised was the most immediate distinction, but the size, widths, and shapes were just as varied. She wondered if half of Oliver's excitement arose from seeing the naked coeds as they moved about their daily activities. Reaching the nearly deserted dining room, they seated themselves in an open area. Rather than sitting across from him where it would be easier to see him, she sat next to him so that she could easily touch him. She glanced at the menu surprised by the variety of dishes that were served. She stopped reading at the first dish that sounded good to her, knowing that she would have plenty of time to work through the whole menu. A pair of first year students came into the dining room and looked around. Seeing only a few people, they moved to a private corner. Catherine watched as the woman moved under the table and proceeded to give a blowjob to the young man. She couldn't take her eyes off the sight and could feel herself becoming excited. Her voyeuristic nature surprised her. She put her hand on Oliver's thigh and moved it up to his cock, expecting it to be erect. It only began to get erect under her touch. She looked over at him in surprise and asked, "Doesn't it affect you?" He leaned forward kissing her. He answered, "Of course, your touch affects me." She giggled and retorted, "I wasn't talking about that. I was talking about the students over there." He glanced in the direction of the students and turned back to look at her. He asked, "How could they possibly interest me when I'm with the most beautiful woman in the world?" She blushed at the unexpected complement backed by a body that gave proof to his words. His cock was reacting only to her touch and not the sight of the students. She leaned over and laid her head on his shoulder. It seemed so unnatural that a women could be so content in the presence of a man. Beth skipped into the dining room, dressed in overalls with a pen sticking from a pocket and a pad of paper under her arm. There was a naturalness to her movements as she skipped around greeting the students. Catherine watched her move around while Oliver reached into the pocket of his robe and pulled out a small pair of sunglasses. Catherine noticed his actions and looked at him with a question in her eyes. He noticed and answered, "She glows so brightly that it hurts my eyes." Beth came over to their table and seated herself next to Catherine as though invited. Extending a hand she said, "Hello, I'm Beth Carter. You must be Catherine." Catherine accepted her tiny hand and gave it a light shake. She answered, "Yes, I'm Catherine. It is a pleasure to meet you Beth Carter." Beth smiled at her with a crooked grin that contrasted with her apparent innocence. She said, "So you are the lady that has Oliver wrapped around her little finger. I hope we are invited to the wedding. I like weddings." Oliver, curious about her statement, asked, "Why do you like weddings?" With an angelic look on her face, Beth answered, "I like to see the Gods and Goddesses appear. I never get to see the God and the Two-Side One except at weddings." The two adults looked at each other with incredulity on their faces. Oliver asked, "Does that mean you see the Goddess at other times?" Beth answered, "Sure. We often meet in my dreams. She's funny because she always dresses like the first year students. Little John usually sees her too, but I think my other brother, William, talks to the Two-Sided One. He never talks about it, though. He's kind of strange, I think. Very deep and very quiet." Catherine said, "I would love to meet your brothers. Do you have any sisters?" "Yes, I have a sister, Betsy. She's named after someone, but I don't know much about the woman she was named after." The waitress came to take their order. Oliver ordered an omelet, Catherine ordered a vegetarian dinner, and Beth tried to order a milkshake but ended up taking a glass of milk. Despite her maturity in many matters, she was just a kid. It relieved some of the doubts that Catherine had about raising a child in this environment. ------- Chapter 5 Oliver stood at the eastern end of the clearing as John Carter went through the ritual of sanctifying it as a grove for the Gods and Goddesses. He had been shocked as the meteors buried themselves in the corners of the glade. While others may have seen a dust and debris flying around the glade, he had seen a blinding white light. When the lightening had struck John Carter, he had seen to the other side as John joined his loved ones that had passed before. When everything was finished, Oliver stood there numbly. Slowly coming to his senses, he looked around the clearing seeing other faces that were just as stunned as his. As one, the faces all turned to look at him. He swallowed in nervousness at being the center of attention. The Druids walked into the clearing, forming groups according to those they served. They all faced north waiting for him. He walked across the clearing to the northern end, his mind on auto-pilot, letting his feet carry him to his destination. The only thought that ran through his mind was the doubt that any mere mortal could live up to the standard established by John Carter. He faced the groups as they formally greeted him as the Grand Druid. His mind returned to a minimum level of functionality as the Druids made their way individually to greet him. When he greeted Ed, he was surprised to see that the man glowed brighter than ever. There were no dark spots over his heart. He asked Ed to stay at the college and was disappointed to learn that he would be leaving in nine months. There was so much for him to learn about running the College now that it was his. The absence of Ed would make his life that much tougher. After everyone broke up into individual groups and started to head towards the college, he was faced with the reporter that had covered the ceremony. The reporter immediately shoved a microphone in his face asking, "Would you please tell our viewers how you feel about the events that took place today, Mr. Brown?" Oliver's mind snapped into focus. A very serious expression came on his face as he replied, "Today, the world has lost a great man. John Carter has transformed the world more than any other man in history. His discovery of a cold fusion process was as significant as the original discovery of fire. He brought the community of Druids out from hiding and into the light. He saved thousands of lives through his efforts. He changed the economy of the world to one that is significantly more stable than ever in history." The reporter asked, "So how does it feel to be the new Grand Druid?" "I serve the Gods and Goddesses to the best of my ability. That they have chosen me for this role is a great honor and a huge responsibility. I shall contribute as I can, but I am just one man among many." "You are very humble." "Humble? No, I wouldn't say humble. I am realistic about my abilities." Oliver nodded as he answered. He added, "I know my worth as a human being is no greater than anyone else." The reporter glanced over at the students returning to the college. He said, "So tell me about the Druid College." Oliver said, "The Druid College is one of the greatest legacies of John Carter. Most of these students will contribute to the world more than you can imagine. The young adults that shall be graduating this year are among the brightest and most driven people that I have ever met. These young people have studied a vast variety of subjects and are experts in their specialty areas. They have insights that you wouldn't believe." The reporter said, "It sounds like you are really impressed." Oliver said, "Those of us who became Druids in the past shall be considered slow and stupid in comparison to those who become Druids in the future." The reporter looked surprised at that assessment. He said, "The existing Druids are considered some of the most valued advisors available for businesses and government." "We will pale in comparison to the new crop of Druids." Oliver looked at the reporter for a second. He added, "I am lucky to have inherited from John Carter this great place of learning. I will be credited with training them, but what I do in the future shall be due to the foresight of one man, John Carter." The reporter asked, "So what about the current crop of students?" Oliver answered, "We are establishing monthly sessions where government agencies and businesses may come and interview our graduating classes starting next month. I invite all of those who are interested to call and schedule a session here." "Do you expect them all to get jobs?" Oliver laughed before he replied, "I would be surprised if they didn't get a hundred job offers each." The reporter asked, "So you expect them to get jobs with good salaries?" Oliver looked at the reporter as though he had just asked a very stupid question. He answered, "I expect each of them to find a job that satisfies them. The money is unimportant. I'm sure that some will accept jobs that pay as little as twenty thousand a year even though they may have been offered jobs that pay ten times that much." The reporter asked, "So are you saying that even small companies could hire them?" Oliver replied, "They shall go to the place that needs them most. I can not predict where that will be. Now, if you would be so kind, I have other duties that require my attention." The reporter watched as Oliver turned away and left without further word. He turned to the camera man and asked, "Did you get all of that?" The man smiled and answered, "Sure did." Oliver headed to the college, feeling that it was necessary to visit the instructors as a whole and then each year of students. He didn't know what effect the recent events would have on people, but he had to defuse any possible repercussions. It was the first of his duties to those he led. Still in a state of shock, he entered the administration building to find Catherine waiting for him. She hugged him tightly to lend him some of her strength. He relaxed into her embrace for a moment. She then said, "The instructors are in the conference room waiting for you. The sixth year students are watching over the other students." There were times when he didn't know what he had done to deserve such a woman in his life. This was one of those times. He said, "Thank you. Do you want to go with me or is there something else that you feel you should do?" She answered, "Well, I feel like I should jump your bones, but instead I'll visit the students and see if I can help." Laughing at her preferred action, he watched her leave before heading into the conference room. With as much dignity as he could muster, he moved down the isle and positioned himself behind the podium. He looked across the people gathered there, amazed at the brightness of their glow. He said, "I would like to thank you for coming here. No one could have experienced greater shock at the events of today than I. For now, I want everyone to know that there will be no changes in daily operations here at the college. Unlike most organizations, this one will not undergo any changes because a new person has been put in charge. When we are finished, please go forth and reassure the students. Are there any questions?" He stood in front of the room and waited for a question. One of the Druids stood and asked, "Shall we hold classes according to schedule?" Oliver was about to answer, thought better of it, and then asked, "What would you suggest?" The Druid said, "Classes were not held today because it is Midwinter's day. I suggest that we use the rest of they day to deal with the emotional consequences of today's events. We hold classes tomorrow like normal." Oliver looked around the room noticing the large number of people nodding their agreement. A few disagreed. He asked, "Any statement from those who disagree?" One Druid whose job was deeply involved with the first years, stood and said, "It will take more than one day for the earlier years to come to grips with the events. John Carter was a daily part of their lives. I suggest that upper levels resume their schedule, but we give the lower two levels an extra day." He replied, "That is a very good point and an excellent suggestion." Another Druid stood up and said, "Let the final year of students help us with the first years." Oliver nodded and stated, "It is proposed that classes be held tomorrow for all years except for the first two and the last. The last shall help with the first years in dealing with their grief." He looked across the auditorium observing the number of people that were nodding their heads. None were shaking them in disagreement. He said, "So be it. Are there any other questions or suggestions?" Kelly stood up and said, "May I join you in addressing the students? I have first hand experience with dying and they will find what I have to say reassuring." Oliver was amazed at the selflessness of Kelly. She should be with her family sharing in their grief, but she was here to help. He asked, "Would you not be better helping your family? You have children that need comforting." She answered, "The children have talked to the Gods and Goddesses about this day for a long time. It came as no surprise to them and they suffer very little grief. Ed and Ling are helping Leroy and Linda. I can serve better this way." He said, "I accept your kind offer. Anything else?" Everyone shook their heads no. He waited for a moment and then stated, "Please gather the first years and bring them here." The crowd dissipated in their normal chaotic fashion, but in a manner that did not involve any pushing or problems. Kelly made her way to the front of the room and stood beside him. He glanced at her, realizing that she didn't feel like talking at the moment. Rather than say a word, he put an arm around her and hugged her tightly. The kitchen staff came into the room with pots of coffee, soft drinks, and cookies. One of them noticed him watching them and explained, "We thought it might help, sir." It reminded him that he would also have to talk to the staff. He answered, "That is very thoughtful of you and your efforts are appreciated. Thank you very much." The first years entered the room. All of them had turned in their robes and were once again naked. Nudity had become normal for them and they would find that the second year where they wore robes most of the time would be tough, almost confining. He watched with pleasure as he saw that all continued to glow and no new black spots had appeared as a result of the loss of John. He waited for everyone to enter and find a seat. Most stopped by the snacks and grabbed either a coffee or a soda. Very few of them picked up something to eat. He glanced over at Kelly and asked, "Do you want to talk first or should I?" She answered, "I think you should talk first." He turned to the students and looked across the room. It took a few minutes for the room to quiet down as students talked to each other. He finally said, "Hello. I'm Oliver Brown. Today I have been given charge of the Druid College under circumstances that are not of my choosing. We lost a great man today and one that I know each of you knew personally. I grieve for his passing just as strongly as you." Kelly stepped forward and interrupted, "I am Kelly Carter. I was a wife of John Carter. I want to tell you a few things about him that may help you in dealing with his death. John died twice before today. He did not fear death, knowing it for what it really is - a step from this world to the other. I have died and do not fear death. Let me say this, do not feel sorry for the dead. Let us be honest with ourselves and recognize our feelings for what they are. I grieve today because I know that I will never again feel his arms around me or hear him whisper in my ear words of love. I feel sad for myself and my loss. That is natural, but knowing the source of your grief shall allow you to deal with it much easier." She stepped back and looked at Oliver. He stepped forward and said, "When you leave here, your instructors shall be available for you to talk with if you have any problems dealing with the events. Please talk to them, even if you don't have any problems. The sixth year students shall be around in the first year dorm as well. I'm sure you'll recognize them, they'll be wearing clothes." His comment brought nervous laughter from the students and eased a little of the tension in the room. He said, "We want you to come to grips with your feelings. Towards this end, there will be no classes for you tomorrow. Please feel free to relax and talk amongst yourselves. Talk to the instructors and sixth year students. If you feel a need to be alone, take a walk in the woods." He paused for a moment and then said, "I want all of you to understand something before you leave. John Carter was a rare man. It is my belief that he was rewarded by the Gods and Goddesses with a rare opportunity. Each of us was truly blessed with the honor of observing it." Hoping to see the effect of his words, he stopped to look at the students. He asked, "Are there any questions?" A young man stood nervously licking his lips. He asked, "If the Gods or Goddesses choose us, will we have to sacrifice our lives?" Oliver looked at the student for a minute and then over at Kelly. At a loss on how to answer that question, he thought about it for several minutes as the students shuffled nervously. Finally, he said, "I don't know if your service will require that. I do know that most of us live long and healthy lives." Kelly answered, "John choose to act today knowing full well the consequences of his actions. He was prepared and spent last night saying goodbye to us. If your service requests that from you, I believe that you will be given a choice. The Gods and Goddesses are not cruel or capricious. They ask nothing of us that we are not capable of doing or are unwilling to do." The student, with a visible look of relief, sat down. He and the other students were satisfied with the answers they had given. Another student started to stand and then sat down again. Oliver asked, "Did you have a question?" The student shook her head as she said, "I'm sorry, but it was off topic." He was going to skip the question, but thought better of it. He said, "Please ask your question anyway." The student stood and looked nervously around the room. She asked, "You talk with such reverence of your service to the Gods and Goddess. Is it really that great?" Oliver smiled as he glanced at the smile spreading across Kelly's face. He answered, "Yes, it is that great. I have enjoyed every minute of my service, even the scary times were good." Kelly added, "I envy you your first service. I'll remember mine for the rest of my life." The woman smiled and sat down. Oliver asked, "Are there any more questions?" The students sat there looking from one to another. Oliver, taking their silence as a no, said, "Thank you for coming here. I shall be around later. If there is a private question that you have, I'll be glad to answer the best that I can." The students slowly left the room thinking of the words they had heard. The rest of the afternoon was spent with the other classes and finally the staff. He was exhausted by the time that the staff left the conference room. Leaving the room, he was met by Ed. With an unexpected tenderness, Ed said, "We have prepared a little something for you to eat in the president's office. Go there and eat in solitude. You need some time alone to get your thoughts in order." Oliver wasn't going to argue. He said, "Thanks. I'll go up there now." Entering the office, he looked around before finding the plate with a sandwich on it. He sat down and started eating. The simple act of eating the sandwich took his mind off the events of the day. When he had finished his meal, he sat back wondering about the responsibilities that had been placed upon him and if he were up to the task. He wished that John had briefed him before the events of this morning. He went to the desk and looked at the pair of envelopes on it. One was addressed to him and the other to the Grand Druid. The writing on the one that was addressed to him was clearly John's, but he could not place the writing on the other. He opened the one addressed to him and read it. Dear Oliver, I am writing this to you the night before I am to die. Since you are reading this, it means that you are now the Grand Druid. I must tell you that I was never comfortable with that title. I doubt you'll ever be comfortable with it either. I know that you will do a good job at leading this disorganized mess that we call the Druids. Each one of us is an individual and that is our power. Do not undermine that power. I will give you some advice that another Druid gave me, do as little as possible to change things. The changes shall evolve in their own time and fashion as is best for the organization. It is not our job to control it. I have left a letter that was addressed to the Grand Druid. It had been entrusted to my care by Jed Hart years before I ever became the Grand Druid. After I became the Grand Druid, I wondered if it was addressed to me or my successor. Never quite believing that I was the Grand Druid, I decided that it was for my successor. If it was addressed to me, then I'm sorry that I never read it. Take care of yourself and watch over the school. I am sorry that I never got to know you better. Time was short and there was too much for me to do. When you doubt yourself or others compare you to me, just remember that I wasn't perfect or all that great despite what they may think. I did what I could and I know you will do the same. The Gods and Goddesses shall watch over you and guide you. Of that I have no doubt. Sincerely, John Carter Oliver read the letter twice. The advice within it was very easy to follow. He smiled and looked up at the sky as he said, "John, I shall follow that advice with great dedication. I shall do as little as possible to change things." He looked at the other envelope, knowing full well that Jed Hart was the previous owner of the Sporting Goods Store that Catherine now ran. Carefully opening the envelope, he pulled out the letters that were contained within. They were old and yellowed with age. He laughed as he looked at the salutations. One was to John Carter and one was addressed to whoever might read it. He read the second one first. Dear Sir or Madam, I am Jed Hart. You may or may not know of me. Odds are, you don't know of me and I can accept that. I served the God and that was all the recognition that I need. I write this as the, then de facto, leader of the Druids. Please read the letter to John as it contains all of the advice that I would have given him. The advice is just as valid for you. I imagine that if you are reading this, then you are John Carter's successor (or perhaps not). I truly believe that he will become the Grand Druid. If he did, I seriously doubt that he would open this envelope. He would never accept that he was the Grand Druid. His humility was uncommonly rare. The Sheriff of the town used to refer to us as the Plutonian circus, yet I was always proud of my fellow Druids. They made a difference in the world, each working to make it a better place as befitted their skills. As a successor to my leadership, I hope that you are able to give our rag-tag group a better reputation. One day, we will fulfill our ancient role as recognized advisers to the leaders of men. May the Gods and Goddesses watch over you and protect you from harm. With Blessings, Jed Hart Oliver read the letter wondering how well Jed knew John. He had been correct in his assessment that John wouldn't read it. It was a shame as John had made one of the dreams of Jed come true. He picked up the other letter and started reading. John Carter, I write this believing that you shall become the Grand Druid. If I am wrong, then so bet it. I was not gifted with prophecy. I wish to give you a little advice. I guess the first piece of advice that I would give would be to do as little as possible to change the Druids. Each of us has unique powers and skills. We need the freedom to apply that as we must. If you act to restrict those freedoms, then all will suffer. Always remember our two rules. If it harms none then do it. You must act to protect the weak from the strong. Those two rules are all the guidance you need to make a difference in this world. Guide our Druids according to those rules and all shall be fine. I have one other piece of advice that may contradict your natural inclination. Do not allow the Druids to become too strong. That was our downfall in the past and will cause our downfall in the future. The Gods and Goddesses shall limit the numbers that serve. Do not artificially swell those numbers. Don't make this a religion for the masses. It was never meant to be a religion with services and prayer sessions. There are other Gods and Goddesses that others serve that provide that type of security. Don't challenge their position in the world, for they will wipe us out. May the Gods and Goddess watch over you. Sincerely, Jed Hart Oliver sat back and thought about the letter. He wondered if the Druid College was a way of artificially expanding the membership. Since the college had the potential swelling the ranks, they would have to restrict enrollment. If there was a real need for more than the college graduated, the Gods and the Goddesses would choose them. He also thought about the advice at not antagonizing the other religions. Jed was a wise man and had stated facts that couldn't be denied. He wished that he had known more about the early days of the Druids, but they had been decimated by the Romans and then the early Christian Church. It was hard to believe that the Druids, who had ranged over France, parts of Germany, and the British Isles, could have been so thoroughly eliminated. Written records from the vanquished did not exist. The Druids had kept an oral history and their destruction had meant the loss of that history. He set the letters aside, deciding that all three letters should be displayed to serve the present and the future. Rejuvenated by his temporary period of isolation, he went forth to serve the Gods and Goddesses. His students needed him. It was amazing how quickly it was that he had come to think of them as his students. He left his office to find Catherine was waiting for him outside the door. She smiled as she said, "I was going to go in, but realized that you needed some time alone to gather your thoughts. I guess this is not the jungles of Columbia." He laughed as he replied, "No, if this was the jungles of Columbia I would have a better idea what I was doing." He raised an arm and she moved beneath it. He lowered his arm to encompass her, pleasing both of them with the fit. She bumped a hip against his as a way of getting his attention. She asked, "How are you holding up?" "I'm scared and nervous. This is such an awesome responsibility that I have to wonder if I'm up to it." She smiled up at him and said, "I think that John probably had that thought every day." Ling standing at the door of the apartment for the president said, "Yes, he did." Oliver turned and looked at Ling as she stood comfortably, glowing gently with much of the dark gone from over her heart. He asked, "How's your family holding up?" "They're fine. In fact, they would like to talk to you." He started to bed down to kiss Catherine goodbye, but Ling interrupted, "Bring her with you." They entered the apartment behind Ling as she led them into a formal living room that was clearly meant for entertaining visitors. Kelly, Ed, Leroy, and Linda were waiting for them. Linda and Leroy looked like they had been crying, but had recovered sufficiently to deal with people. Oliver stopped and bowed slightly to all of them. He said, "I'm very sorry for your great loss. My thoughts are with you." Ed said, "We know you are and we appreciate your feelings. I am sorry that you have had this position thrust upon you so suddenly." "I never sought it and I never wanted it." Oliver replied solemnly. He added, "It should have been you that took this position. You are much more qualified than I." Linda looked up at him in surprise. It had been her assumption that Oliver would have been happy to have the position of Grand Druid. Ed replied, "No. My service is limited. Never believe for a moment that you are not qualified." "Thanks, Ed." Kelly interrupted, "We have asked you to come here to clear up some business that must be addressed." "What kind of business?" he asked. He looked around at all of the serious faces. Ling said, "Now that John is not the president of the college, we need to move out of this apartment. Our plans are to return to our home in September. We need a place to stay until then." Catherine said, "Then move out in September." Amused, Oliver glanced at Catherine as he said, "You heard the lady. Move out in September." Kelly argued, "But this is your apartment, now." Oliver said, "Look. I need Ed to help me. You have work to do in the infirmary. Ling will start teaching self-defense. I'm sure that Linda and Leroy have things they need to do. Stay here and take your time leaving. Catherine and I need very little in the way of a living place." Ed answered, "Thank you very much. That is really all that we needed to discuss. We expected to have to negotiate for some time to allow us to move out without a major disruption to our service." Oliver lowered his sunglasses and looked at Leroy. The man had a nice glow and few dark spots. The same went for Linda. His gaze returned to Leroy as he remembered some things that he had heard about his father. If he was to lead the Druids, there were some things he needed to know. He asked, "Leroy, could you tell me about your father?" Leroy smiled and said, "Would you like to talk to him yourself? He's visiting us at the moment." Oliver nodded his agreement. The Reverend came into the room at a call from Leroy. The elderly man glowed brightly without a single black spot on his heart. He moved with grace and the kind of confidence possessed by a man that knew his God. Rather than talk in front of an audience, the two men went to Oliver's office where they would have some privacy. Oliver gestured for the man to sit down at the table and then sat in the seat across from the one that he had offered. Taking his seat, Leroy adjusted himself while examining Oliver. He asked, "What can I do for you?" Oliver answered, "I want to understand the connection between your church and the Druids." The Reverend said, "There is no connection." "What do you mean there is no connection? You are one of the major proponents that Christians should not fear the Druids. You even say that they should support us as we serve the good." Leroy's laughter was deep and rolling. He replied, "I see the source of your confusion. I serve my God in the same way that you serve your Gods and Goddesses. My God has tasked me with ending the war between religions." "Which war?" "All of them," replied Leroy. He looked around the room and then whispered, "I am not alone in this quest. There are others that work to the same end. I am only the most visible as no real war exists between Christian and Druid. Others that seek to create peace between Protestant and Catholic in Ireland hide themselves." "Is that not a dangerous thing to do?" In a very serious tone of voice, Leroy replied, "Very dangerous. You start messing with religion and things get tense very quickly. We have lost half our numbers already." "So you are only working to keep peace between us and Christians?" "Not at all. I'm also working for peace among the Middle Eastern religions." Oliver wondered what the future of that endeavor would be. Likely, Leroy would die before there was any sign of a breakthrough there. He shook his head in doubt as he said, "I'm sure that your son worries about you." The Reverend grinned, his white teeth contrasting with his dark skin. He replied, "No. I'm more worried about him." "Why?" Leroy stood up and slapped Oliver on the shoulder in a friendly gesture. He winked and said, "He's around too many Druids. Next thing you know, he's going to be in a group marriage." Oliver sat back and laughed aloud. The laughter came from deep down and continued well after Leroy left. Catherine came into the room as he was wiping his eyes from the laughter. He smiled up at her and said, "I think the day has ended on a good note. Let's go to our apartment and play around for a while." Thus, the torch was handed off from John Carter to Oliver Brown. He eventually married Catherine and she set up a workshop for making the tools needed by the servants of the Gods and Goddesses that passed through the Carter Grove. She was kept very busy by the large number of students that passed through the Grove, with most of them receiving a service. The service of Oliver Brown was not the kind on which legends would be based. He changed little and kept a low profile. He was content to serve his Gods and Goddesses by preparing the future members of the order for their service. His service was great in that respect. The graduates of the College went forth and did great things, but those are other stories to be told. ------- The End ------- Posted: 2004-07-08 ------- http://storiesonline.net/ -------