The Forbidden Pool

"Wha- What happened to you?"

As quick as he could Mikel told the story, beginning with the duel of love and ending with the theft of the sheet. "I would rather be taken for a leper than for the monster I have become."

Still the priest held his distance, but with the story finished he spoke. "A curse it must be, a curse from the gods. I know not of the town from whence you came but here all murder is shunned." The priest asked him to wait, and moved out of the room.

During the moments alone, Mikel ate the bread and porridge from the floor, and washed his face and hands with the water that had spilled about. He was soaking the cover for his face in the water just as the priest returned, dressed fully for service.

"Do you ask forgiveness for your sins of murder and thievery?" he intoned.

"I ask forgiveness for my sin of theft, but I see no sin in the duel's ending."

"The gods, through me, will forgive your theft. But if there is nothing I can do if you do not seek forgiveness for your murder." A sudden change came over priest as he lowered his hood of office. "I wish you would ask forgiveness."

"I offered the man his life, and even had I not it is no sin where I come from." Mikel covered his face with the wet cloth, and felt much better for it.

"Then there is nothing I can do to heal your grievous wounds. I can make your life less miserable with medicines and comfort, and there are those in this town that will grant you honorable release if you wish it, but I can not take away that which the gods have cursed upon you."

Raising to his feet unsteadily, Mikel turned his back on the priest and headed for the door. "I must, then, find this Forbidden Pool before my time is gone. Abigail, I must return to Abigail."

"Wait," called the priest powerfully and to his own surprise he did. The priest came from behind and gave him a staff on which to lean and make his walking easier for the remainder of the time he had on this world. "I know nothing of this Forbidden Pool, but to the south lies the cave of a black dragon. None of our people have entered in my lifetime, but dragons are said to live forever. Seek out this dragon, and if he does not kill you and save you further pain, he alone might be able to offer information on your quest."

Turning slowly, the staff was of great aid, Mikel drew out his pouch of coins and passed all of his money to the priest. "For the kindness you have shown me, that you may honor the gods further and aid others in need." The priest declined and argued, but Mikel ignored him and struggled away and into the woods. The sun was now high in the sky, and eyes were drawn to him from all sides. Mikel rushed as fast as the staff's aid would allow to the southern forest.

* * *

Though increasingly difficult as the water his skin had absorbed dried and his skin with it, the journey south was considerably easier than the one through the forest of blindness. For a while Mikel found that he was able to follow a path, a well-settled trail that held the vegetation at bay. By the sun, assuming that with his own translocation had not come a change over the orbit of the golden orb above, he traveled due south for hours before the trail cut to the east.