anner.bloodandgold-第19章
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st as were we。 We fell into each other's arms。〃
Avicus was watching Mael keenly。 My eyes were more patient and cold； I was sure。 Nevertheless the simple narrative drew me； I have to
confess。
〃I went into the grove；〃 said Mael。 〃How huge the trees were。 How ancient。 Any one of them might have been the Great Tree。 At last I was led to it。 And I saw the door with its many iron locks。 I knew the god
was inside。〃
Suddenly Mael glanced anxiously to Avicus； but Avicus gestured for
him to go on。
〃Tell Marius；〃 he said gently； 〃and in telling Marius； you tell me。〃 It had such a soft sound to it； this utterance。 I felt a shiver on the surface of my skin； my lonely and perfect skin。
〃But these priests；〃 said Mael； 〃they warned me。 'Mael； if there is any lie or imperfection in you； the god will know it。 He will merely kill you and you will be a sacrifice and nothing more than that。 Think deep because the god sees deep。 The god is strong but the god would be feared rather than adored and takes his vengeance； when aroused； with great pleasure。'
〃The words shook me。 Was I truly prepared for this strange miracle to e upon me？〃 He glared savagely at me。
〃I thought over everything。 Your word pictures came back to me！ The beautiful villa on the Bay of Naples。 How you had described your rich rooms。 How you had described the warm breezes and the sound of the water on the rocky shore。 How you had described your gardens。 You had spoken of gardens。 Ah； could I endure the darkness of the oak； I thought； the drinking of blood； the starvation between sacrifices； for what would this be？〃
He paused as if he couldn't continue。 Again he glanced at Avicus。 〃Go on；〃 said Avicus calmly in his deep voice。 Mael continued：
〃Then one of these priests accosted me and took me aside and he said； 'Mael； this is an angry god。 This is a god who begs for blood when he shouldn't want it。 Do you have the strength to present yourself to
him？'
〃I had no chance to answer him。 The sun had just gone down。 The grove was full of lighted torches。 The Faithful of the Forest had assembled。 All my fellow priests who had e with me surrounded me。 They were pushing me towards the oak。
〃When I reached it； I insisted that they free me。 I put my hands upon the bark； and I closed my eyes and in the silent voice； as I had prayed in my home grove； I prayed to this god。 I said 'I am of the Faithful of the Forest。 Will you give me the Sacred Blood so that I might return home and do what my people wish me to do？' 〃
Again he stopped speaking。 It was as if he was staring at something dreadful that I could not see。
Avicus spoke up again。 〃Continue；〃 he said。
Mael sighed。
〃There came a silent laugh from inside the oak； a silent laugh and an angry voice！ It went inside my head； and I was shaken by it。 And the god said to me； 'Bring me a blood sacrifice first。 Then and only then will I have the strength to make you a god。' 〃
Again Mael broke off。 Then； 〃Surely you know； Marius；〃 he said； 〃how gentle our god was。 When he made you； when he spoke to you there was nothing of anger or hate in him； but this god was full of wrath。〃
I nodded。
〃I told the priests what the god had said to me。 They drew back in a group； all afraid and disapproving。
〃 'No；' they said； 'he has been asking for blood too much。 It is not fitting that he should have it。 He is to starve now as always between each full moon and until the yearly rituals so that he es from the oak thin and ravenous； like the dead fields； ready to drink the blood of sacrifice and bee plump with it； like the bounty of the ing spring。'
〃What was I to say？〃 asked Mael。 〃Finally I tried to reason with some of them。 'To make a god； surely he needs strength；' I explained。 'And he himself is burned from the Terrible Fire； and perhaps the blood helps him and heals him。 Why not give him sacrifice？ Surely you have a condemned man in one of the villages or settlements who can be brought to the oak？'
〃They drew back altogether； and they stared at the tree and its door and its locks。 And I realized they were afraid。
Then a dreadful thing occurred； which changed me utterly。 There came from the oak a stream of enmity that I could feel as though someone full of rancor were staring at me！
〃I could feel it as though the being looked upon me with all his rage； his sword raised to destroy me。 Of course it was the power of the god； using his mind to flood mine with his hatred。 But so strong was it that I could not think of what it was； or what to do。
〃The other priests ran。 They had felt this anger and hatred as well。 I couldn't run。 I couldn't move。 I stared at the oak。 I think the old magic had caught me。 God； poems； songs； sacrifice…those things did not matter to me suddenly。 But I knew a powerful creature was inside the oak。 And I didn't run from it。 And at that moment my evil plotting
soul was born！〃
Mael gave another very dramatic sigh。 He was silent； his eyes fixed
on me。
〃How so？〃 I asked。 〃What did you plot？ You had spoken through the mind with the gentle god of your own grove。 You had seen him at the full moon take sacrifice； both before and after the Terrible Fire。 You saw me when I was changed。 You've just said so。 What struck you so about this god？〃
He looked overwhelmed for a moment。
Finally； gazing ahead of him again as if he had to； he continued。
〃This god was more than angry； Marius。 This god meant to have
his way！〃
〃Then why weren't you afraid？〃
A silence fell in the room。 I was truly a bit perplexed。
I looked at Avicus。 I wanted to confirm： Avicus was this god； no？ But to ask such a question was crude。 It had been said earlier that Avicus gave the Dark Blood to Mael。 I waited； as it was proper for me to do。
Finally Mael looked at me in the most sly and strange fashion。
His voice dropped； and he smiled venomously。
〃The god wanted to get out of that oak；〃 he said； glaring at me； 〃and I knew that if I helped him； he would give me the Magic Blood！〃
〃So；〃 I said smiling； because I couldn't help it。 〃He wanted to escape the oak。 But of course。〃
〃I remembered you when you escaped；〃 Mael said； 〃the mighty Marius； blooming from blood sacrifice； running so speedily from us！ Well； I would run like you！ Yes； and yes； and as I thought these things； as I plotted； as I thought； I heard the voice from the oak again； directed soft and secretive； only to me：
〃 'e closer；' it manded me； and then as I pressed my forehead
to the tree it spoke。 'Tell me of this Marius； tell me of his escape；'
it said。 'Tell me and I will give you the Dark Blood and we will flee this place together； you and I。' 〃
Mael was trembling。 But Avicus looked resigned to these truths as though he had pondered them many times。
〃It does bee clearer；〃 I said。
〃There is nothing that is not connected with you；〃 Mael said。 He shook his fist at me。 It reminded me of a child。
〃Your own doing；〃 I said。 〃From the moment you stole me from the tavern in Gaul。 You brought us together。 Remember that。 You kept me prisoner。 But your unfolding story calms you。 You need to tell us。 Tell more。〃
It seemed for a moment he would fly at me； desperate in his rage； but then there came a change in him。 And shaking his head a little； he grew calm； scowling and then went on：
〃When this confirmation came to me from the god's own mind；〃 he said； 〃I was fatally set upon my course。 I told the other priests immediately that they were to bring a sacrifice。 We had no time for quarreling； and that I should see that the condemned man was given to the god。 I should go into the tree with the condemned man。 I had no fear to do it。 And they must hasten with all things； as the god and I might need the night for our magic to be done。
〃It seemed an hour passed before they found the wretched man who was to die in the tree； but at last they brought him forward； bound and weeping； and very fearfully they unlocked the mighty door。
〃I could feel the mounting rage of the god inside。 I could feel his hunger。 And pushing this poor condemned wretch before me； I entered；
