Druid's Future

Chapter 7

Jim had not had an opportunity to look at the material since all that
had happened.  Jim had decided to move the castle because the people of
the Historical Society of Britain were not too pleased about it. 
Developers needed the land and there was pressure to have the castle
torn down.  If it had not been for Richard Daniels, the castle would
have been doomed.  The developers tried everything from dynamite to a
wrecking ball to try to destroy the castle but the castle seemed to be
at odds with them.  The people of the village believed that the castle
was cursed, though curses had gone out with the 17th century.  Then,
when Richard came on the scene and proved the family's ownership, the
developers tried again by offering what they thought the family would
have wanted for it.  Richard wouldn't sell, instead he gave it to his
nephew.  Then the developers started in on Jim but he came up with a
better idea.  He would take the castle and rebuild it elsewhere.  The
developers could have the land for a price and he could have his
castle.  From that moment on, it was like taking apart a tinker toy. 
The castle accepted that alternative.  It was from that exchange that
Jim realized that the castle was different.  Jim had the opportunity to
explore the castles of England when deconstruction began.  When Jim
entered other castles, the feeling that he obtained from them was far
different than the one that he owned.  His castle was alive in some
way.  It was being protective of something, and yet when deconstruction
began, it allowed it.  It seemed to know that it would survive.  

Almost a year had passed since the castle had been moved and
reconstuction was nearly complete.  Jim finally had an opportunity to go
over his uncle's journals and discover what he had found in his
research.  It would still be a few hours before he landed in Los
Angeles.  He had been lucky to get a direct flight.  Jim pulled out the
first of the journals and flipped through it.  He also pulled out the
geneological chart as reference.  As he looked at the chart, he could
see some markings that he had not noticed before.  The markings
coincided with the journals.  It was then that Jim nearly jumped out of
his skin when he saw the correlation.  Jim's uncle had been right.  It
wasn't just a story.  What he found was true.  Jim went to the journal
that described the events and the history that became his family.  What
he read was a little hard to believe but true just the same.  From Uther
even unto Mordred it seemed that it should happen that way.  All that
were born under the sign of the dragon were base born and yet great
things had happened.  Even his own birth had been questioned, though his
father married his mother.  Jim also noticed a notation that had been
added.  There was mention a sickness that re-occurring since the time of
Arthur.  It seemed to have started with him and reoccurred every other
generation but there wasn't much mentioned as for the cause or the
cure.  Jim did not take much notice in it.  It didn't seem that
important. Jim continued reading the last entry of the diary.  As he
read, his eyes began to lose focus and he soon was drifting off to
sleep.  Before long, Jim became aware of a voice speaking to him.
	"Sir, you have to fasten your seat belt, we are coming in for a
landing."

Jim observed that the plane was indeed landing at the airport.  He
decided he would go straight to the castle and see how the workmen were
doing.  It shouldn't be too long before the work was completed.  His
good friend Nelson Braddock had been keeping an eye on the progress for
him.  The drive up to Mount Shasta would take at least a full day. After
arriving at the gate he was glad that he didn't have much luggage. 
Everything that he had he carried on the plane.  Too bad there wasn't
anyone here to meet me, he thought.  Jim was thinking about grabbing a
cab when he literally ran into Nelson whom he did not expect to see. It
was a total surprise.

"What are you doing here?" asked Jim, a smile spreading across his face.

"I heard you would be back in town today so I thought I'd meet you."

"How'd you hear about that?"

"I have my ways.  I called your folks.  They told me what flight you'd
be on.  So, you headed home?"

"Only briefly. I'd thought I'd go up north and see how the works comin'
along on the castle."

"Why don't you ride with me? All I have to do is make one phone call. 
You have any luggage?"

"No.  Just what I'm carrying," was all Jim could say.  What luck.  At
least he didn't have to be alone on the long trip up north.

Nelson Braddock stepped over to a phone.  He made his call and tried to
do his best to keep his voice down so Jim wouldn't here him.  Nelson had
planned something that he didn't want Jim to know about just yet.  From
Jim's opinion, it looked like Nelson was simply comfirming one of his
many business deals on the side.  Nelson Braddock was a puzzlement for
Jim.  He had met him several years ago as a kid growing up in Chicago. 
Nelson had been an adult then, too.  He hadn't aged much over those
years.  Come to think of it, he still looked to be in his early 30's. 
Jim had wandered if Nelson had found that "fountain of youth" that he
would brag about.  Nelson Braddock seemed to strike Jim as a man of high
adventure; much like his uncle.  In fact Nelson had claimed to have
known his uncle many years before.  The age of his friend was never
discussed.  To Jim, however, it didn't matter.  All he knew was that he
liked the man.  They had become fast friends.  Nelson hung up the phone
and came back where Jim stood.

"Everything's all settled."

"Don't you have anything to do?" Jim asked Nelson curiously.

"Not a thing.  I've taken a sabbatical.  The University right now is a
little short on funds so I'd figure I'd get some research done and see
about finishing that paper I started."

"What about those other jobs you were doing?"

"Those have gone by the wayside. Plus, the University has cracked down
on it's professors taking too much time off, all except for me.  I'm on
what you might call a "forced sabbatical," not enough time off.  I'm too
dedicated"

"I know what you mean.  When I got my degree in ancient languages, I
thought I was going to be using it for all kinds of fascinating
projects.  I ended up working for my dad until I got the letter from my
uncle last year.  Since then I've been traveling between Los Angeles,
Chicago, and England just trying to get things in order.  I've done
nothing but work on this castle plus tons and tons of interviews in
between.  Which one's your car?"

"The blue convertible with the rune symbol hanging from the rearview
mirror."

Both men climbed in and the drive to Mount Shasta began.  The drive from
L.A. would always prove to be a long one.  Jim had Nelson stop at his
house to pick up some clothes for a few days.  They decided that they
would take turns driving that way they could drive straight through. 
Nelson took the first leg of the journey.  With the two of them driving,
the time would go quickly.  Since Jim was feeling a little worn from the
flight, this was a good chance for him to catch a little shuteye.  Jim
had asked Nelson how things were up at the castle but Nelson was a bit
evasive in his explanation.  They didn't talk much; mostly they would
each take short naps so when the other person's shift came up, the one
driving would be fresh.  Soon the city was behind them.  Towns and
countryside swept past them.   For a while they followed the coast. The
waves crashed against the rocks and the shore and made a relaxing
rhythmic noise to soothe anyone to sleep.

During the first part of the trip, Nelson tried to keep his mind on
driving as best he could.  This was the second trip that he made down
the coast, the first just a few hours ago.  Though he was use to long
trips and going without sleep for several hours, even several days, the
trip had taken a lot out of him.  He would really have to keep alert for
at least two hours or until Jim was ready to take over.  There was one
thing that he could do but he had done it too many times already.  The
spell to vanish fatigue if done too much would end up being a detriment
rather than helping.  Each time the spell was applied, it drained a
little of his strength and energy.  Sleep was what he needed but he
needed to at least be alert for Jim so one more time wouldn't hurt. 
Nelson reached with his senses to guide the car along the road.  Then he
called upon the spell that would vannish his fatigue.  

As Nelson drove and Jim slept, his thoughts drifted to the Castle.  The
castle had been his greatest adventure to have come along in two years. 
But it wasn't the need for adventure or work that was pulling him down
right now.  Nelson had become the youngest full professor in the history
of the University; except by Nelson's recognition, he should have been
labeled the oldest; and yet he could not understand why he had lived so
long and aged so little.  There was also the knowledge and spells that
he knew.  What kind of person was he, Nelson asked himself on several
occasions.  Nelson sighed and kept on driving.  It was plain he wasn't
going to get any answers at this time, he realized.  Att he quarter
mark, they had switched places and again at the half way.  On the last
leg of the journey Nelson was about to take the wheel from Jim when he
saw how fatigued Nelson had looked.   

"You look worse than I do," Jim said with concern.  "You better let me
finish the trip."  Nelson climbed back into the back seat and settled
down.  When Jim had landed at the airport, it had all ready been late in
the day.  They had driven all night and it was nearly 6:00 in the
morning when they reached the entrance to the forest.  Nelson was still
asleep in the back seat.  Jim gently nudged Nelson and asked him how far
the castle was from the forest's entrance.  It had been nearly a year
since Jim visited the site where the castle was being built.  Nelson
mumbled something about driving six miles in the main road and then
taking another road on his left marked private and going another four
miles.  It turned out that it was the only other road marked private
besides the service road.

The drive was pleasant enough and the morning was cool.  It wasn't long
before the road began to climb steadily upwards.  Six miles in, Jim
spied the road leading to the castle.  This road was steeper than the
last as it snaked through the trees.  In some parts it nearly did some
hairpin curves that unnerved Jim.  Jim was having second thoughts about
where he had placed his castle.  The road seemed to go on forever.  Then
Jim reached a portion that leveled off.  The trees were thinner in this
area.  Then to his left he saw it.  He had forgotten just how large it
really was.  Jim sat there for a minute just staring.  Dark English
granite against the more reddish stone of the mountain in the background
added contrast and drama to the look of the place.  The road continued
on and he could see that it turned back on itself as it approached the
castle.  There wasn't a moat, though you could see there was a large
stream that ran close to the front.  It ended with a 50 foot waterfall
on the east side falling over the cliff to the rocky surface below.  The
drawbridge was down and Jim could see the large inner courtyard as he
approached.  It was large enough to accommodate several pieces of huge
machinery.  It must have been a real challenge for the construction
workers and movers trying to get the parts up to the plateau.

Jim parked the car and gave Nelson a shove.  "We've arrived,"  Jim
stated.  "Come on sleepy head, the castle awaits."

Nelson stretched and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.  He was a little
bewildered as to where he was but then after looking around and
recognizing the place, a large grin of excitement spread across his
face.  Jim, too, was impressed with the progress.  It looked like the
work was nearly completed.  Jim pressed Nelson about the progress a
second time but Nelson shrugged his shoulders and headed for the front
door leading the way.  Jim glanced back at the equipment and from the
look of it, it seemed all that was left was the interior but how much
was uncertain.  Jim had given the keys to the foreman so that he could
lock up when the castle was completed.  Jim had noticed when they drove
up that the fencing that had been put up to protect the site was gone. 
There was no need for it since the castle walls were designed to keep
out intruders like they had for over one thousand years.  There were no
men in the yard so Jim assumed that they might be working inside since
Nelson discovered the door was unlocked.  As they walked into the foyer,
Jim was aware of the absence of sound.  If the workmen were there, they
both should have heard something.  Nelson led Jim down toward the Great
Hall.  Everything was as Jim remembered except for the wood.  The old
wood, though usable and strong for something that old, had been replaced
with new.  Oak was used for the support beams while red cedar was used
for flooring and trim.  The craftsmen and carpenters did their best to
copy the designs that were within the wood flooring.  Distracted by the
beauty that he found there, Jim did not realize, as they grew closer to
the Great Hall, that there was still no noise.  In fact, it was almost
too quiet.  There wasn't any sound of construction or workmen's voices. 
Maybe they were working in another part of the castle.  Jim and Nelson
approached the darkened area of the Great Hall.  Jim remembered that
this had been the brightest part of the castle.  Why should it be dark?

Click. . . "SURPRISE!" a crowd of people shouted in jubilation and
cheers.  Everyone that Jim knew was there, including the construction
crew.  A large muscular man wearing a hard hat came over to Jim.

"Here yeah go Daniels," the man said handing him the keys.  "We finished
the work earlier this week.  These folks came in to clean the place and
make sure that everything was ready.  There still was one thing that
didn't get put back only because, well, we didn't quite know how to put
it back so we put it in the library.  Hope you don't mind.  What's in
that thing anyway?"

Jim didn't quite know how to respond.  Discovering that his castle was
complete in so short a time was enough to surprise anyone.  "How. . .
ugh. . ." Jim stammered not sure what to say next.  He gave a
questioning look at the foreman to the statement which barely
registered.  Jim turned to see Nelson giving a sheepish grin.

"I sort of arranged the little surprise gathering.  I hope you don't
mind.  I mean, you didn't tell me that I couldn't.  You did ask me to
keep an eye on things if you remember."

Suddenly, a big smile spread across Jim's face.  All this time his
friend Nelson Braddock had been telling him that construction was coming
along slowing. He thought that only part of the castle would be
finished.  Then Jim realized the purpose of the phone call that Nelson
had to make.  He had called to let everyone at the castle know that they
were on their way.

The party was a great success.  It had been a breakfast affair.  Nelson
had made sure that Jim would want to get to the castle as soon as he
arrived at the airport.  He had planned it with his mother and the
travel agent to give Jim a flight so that he would have been forced to
drive all night to make it.  It had been well planned.  It had been a
year since the last time he had seen the thing intact. With the enormity
of the project, Jim did not think the castle would have been completed
for at least five years, and that was just on the exterior.  When
reconstruction began a year before, Jim had some pictures of the
interior and had given them to the workmen for reference.  He wanted
everything to be restored as close to it's original state as possible;
with a few exceptions.  Those exceptions being modern plumbing,
electricity, and the availability of phone service.  Plans of the castle
had been drawn up and the additions had been worked into the plan so

carefully that it looked like everything had been apart of the castle's
original design.  Jim could not help marveling at the quality of the
work that had been done.  The man that Jim chose to do the work always
had an interest in castles.  This had been a chance for him to show what
he knew.  As Jim looked around at the Great Hall, something didn't seem
right.  One of the ladies went over and pulled the curtains aside hiding
the great window overlooking the courtyard.  Light streamed in from
outside and the hall again was the place that Jim remembered as a boy. 
It had been the curtains.  They had been pulled over the window to keep
him from seeing the activity from the yard.

The foreman took Jim aside at that moment.  He told Jim about the large
black box that they could not replace in the tower.  It had been too
heavy to move.  When they were dismantling the castle back in England,
they had discovered it in a hidden room.  In order to remove it, they
had to lift it with a crane.  The tower, however, had been completed
before they could replace it, so they had it placed in the library.  It
was covered with a quilt to protect it from dust.

"It's the strangest box you ever saw.  It's eight feet long and you
can't even see a seam to open it.  You can't even see inside it but I
swear the thing was made of some kind of glass."

The foreman sounded puzzled and even a little curious.  He was hoping
that Jim would look at it then and there before he had to leave.  Jim,
however, was too busy with his guests and said he'd look into it later. 
The foreman shrugged his shoulders and called his men.  Even though he
felt disappointed he really had no right.  It was Jim's business so if
he wanted to wait, he could wait.  The morning pressed on and those that
had to leave said their goodbies.  Some stayed a little while longer to
clean up but Nelson said there was nothing to worry about.  The food had
been provided by an anonymous friend, since the kitchen hadn't been
stocked yet.  This would start Jim out right in his "Camelot" which was
somewhat an eloquent way of putting it.  Some of the guests decided to
explore the grounds since they were camping in the forest anyway.  

Jim had chosen that sight because it fit well.  It had taken a lot of
negotiating and even a lot of reassurance that the integrity of the park
would be preserved.  The park authority were afraid that if one person
built their home there, then others would come.  Jim, however, wasn't
building just any home.  When the park saw the plans and what
arrangements Jim had made in protecting much of the park, the
authorities agreed that having the castle built on the park property
would only enhance the park's charm.  Jim also pointed out that it
wouldn't hurt their income either since Jim also had plans to show parts
of the castle off to the public.  The money that was donated through
tours would go for park maintenance.  So when all the contracts had been
signed, Jim had the land that he needed and the park had the funds to
help maintain much of their other areas.  The amount of land that Jim
bought from the park though really didn't make much of a difference in
the whole area.  The area around Mt. Shasta contained nearly two million
acres.  The area that Jim bought was only 500 with only 20 acres going
for development to set the castle on.  This left about 480 acres of
undeveloped forest.  That's exactly how he wanted it.  He surrounded the
property with a low brick wall just high enough to let people know that
this was private property but low enough to say come in.  He didn't
believe in shutting people or even wildlife out.  He would leave many of
the existing trails alone and on other's he would divert them to the
castle to give unsuspecting hikers an interesting diversion.  He even
would offer a place for them to spend the night if hiking back to the
campsite proved to be too long.  Jim was pondering on those thoughts
when Nelson reminded him of what the foreman had said.  Jim figured they
would wait until everyone had left.


It wasn't until three in the afternoon when things began to really
settle down.  After having eaten a light snack, Jim and Nelson went to
the library.  Entering the library, Jim saw that the shelves had been
replaced with the fine red cedar.  The shelves in this room had not been
polished to a high shine but to a satin luster so as not to out shine
the true beauty of the books that would be housed there.  There were
many boxes and crates that littered the floor.  Most of the furniture
that had been left in the castle that was original had either been sold
by Jim's uncle or locked away because of the beauty that Richard found
there.  The books, however, were a different matter.  He treasured them
above all else.  Not a single book was sold.  Each had been carefully
packed and preserved for his nephew to find.  It wasn't the books that
caught Jim's eye at this time.  In the middle of the room was a large
eight-foot object that was covered with a quilt used in moving for
protection of furniture.  

Jim proceeded to pull this off and to his surprise the box was exactly
how the foreman described it.  It appeared to be completely smoothe with
no seams and black as pitch.  Nothing could be seen inside.  Jim
wandered why his uncle had not told him of the box.  Maybe he knew
nothing of it.  It had after all, been hidden in a secret room.  Jim ran
his hands over the surface and soon discovered that the box wasn't made
of glass but crystal.  To find such a box would be a treasure in
itself.  Jim waved to Nelson to come closer.  Slowly they both felt the
surface for any signs of a way to open it.  Then slowly from deep
within, a green tinted light shone from the center and radiated
outward.  As it grew and engulfed the box, it became brighter.  Jim and
Nelson stepped back as far as the doorway frozen not from fear but from
awe and wander.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Nelson said sounding like Han
Solo.  Jim gave him a quick glance and then stared back at the box.  As
the light intensified at its peek, a section of the box opened.  Jim
found that he was holding his breath when something began to ache within
his chest.  Jim and Nelson both looked at each other to see who was
going to make the first move.  Both men swallowed hard to be rid of the
lumps that were lodged within their throats.  Jim slowly found himself
moving toward the right.  He picked up a one by two that had been left
from the workmen grateful for once that someone hadn't finish the
cleanup job as thoroughly.  Slowly he moved forward until what was
hidden from view began to show itself within the box.  Dark robes were
draped over what appeared to be a figure, perhaps a skeleton.  No, this
figure had flesh and it was alive.  The chest expanded as the figure
took in its first breath of air after 1300 years.  Then the eyes began
to open.

End of Chapter 7