Mikael made his decision! He said that, if he is going to help and protect our party, he has to keep getting stronger – and that means challenging himself. And that meant fighting the Arch-Druid. (So glad Rangers don’t have such a rigid hierarchy.)
So, first thing this morning, the two of them said their prayers, stripped off their magic gear, and headed to the field between the lake and the forest. (Just about everyone else, of course, gathered a safe distance away to watch).
It began as so many things have ended – with Mikael’s magical insects. But this time, the Arch-Druid waved his handful of mistletoe, and the insects dropped off and fled from him. I guess it pays to know the tricks.
Searing light – brighter than our shields – shot across the battlefield, and Mikael staggered a moment. He waved his hands wildly, sending out a wave of fire. Insects swarmed. The druids grew magic circles around themselves with mistletoe. Huge blocks of interlocked thorns sprang up around the combatants – buckled – and then burst into flames. Lydia says she thinks Mikael managed to dispel some of the Arch-Druid’s protective spells…but it was hard to see anything once the thorns blocked our vision.
Sirion and the disciples circling above began cawing, and the fire on one side of the field winked out. As the Arch-Druid slowly and cautiously extracted himself from the thorns, the disciples flew lower and closer as all of us waited for Mikael to put out his fire and emerge.
I don’t know who called it, but someone made the decision the fight was over – and next thing you know, Lydia had dispelled the fire and we were hacking into the thorns to discover Mikael lying charred and bloody in the center. Ezekiel ran forward – but I think it took a full Raise Dead to get Mikael back on his feet. (And once again, we vow to never make a druid angry.)
I don’t know what he’ll do now. The Arch-Druid admitted he was within an inch of dying when the attacks stopped, so it’s hard to tell exactly where the line is. And Mikael admitted he’s not the best at organizing things, and it might be better for the Order for the Arch-Druid to stay in the position he has held so well for so long. But Mikael still wants to get stronger, and more able to fight bad monsters and bad people – and if he’s aiming for level beyond the Order, it might be time to leave the protection of the hierarchy and serve Obed-Hai without a Druid Circle.
That sounds a bit bizarre, but it’s not so very different from what Raven did…and Mikael can talk to Obed-Hai about it tonight and make more of a decision in the morning. The Arch-Druid may tell him that he needs to practice some more, and face him again before making a choice like this…or he may decide that an ally on a different path is still a valid ally. We’ll see.
Raven says he’ll have to fight another monk to test his skills soon, and asked Agnar to help him train. Keom and Ronhass have been helping, too…when they’re not babysitting the dragons. I introduced Chestnut and Madam Whinny to them last night, and they seemed very intrigued. Not sure they think it’s a good idea, though.
Find the previous entry here.