Merlianianious was kneeling in the grove his hands dung into the soil as he mumbled to himself, “earth returns to earth, and the feel of the soil between my fingers... moist..” he went on softly trailing off into silence for a long moment before he said the next word and again fell silent. His staff lay next to him as he dug with bare hands feeling the soil scrape along his worn hands. Feeling every tiny grit and broken stone. His fingers seeking and delving to the soil to find the root. He only needed a section and he was unwilling to kill the whole to take but a bit. “rich... powerful...”<br/><br/>“Merlianianious,” a sharp shrill voice sounded making Merlianianious look up his eyes narrowing to slits on the young boy. A boy barely old enough to be in his teens, barely old enough to be wandering the woods alone stood facing him. The boy wilted at that dark angry look.<br/><br/>“What,” Merlianianious barked to the boy grabbing the root at last. He snapped the section in his hand with a loud audible pop. Much like that of breaking bone. Merlianianious withdrew his hands from the soil holding the root in his muddy dirt covered hands. He rose slowly and grabbed his stick as the boy retreated in fear. Everyone who came to his hollow usually ended up getting smacked.<br/><br/>“Th-the Chi-chiefta-tain wan-wan’t you,” the boy stuttered and Merlianianious raised his staff threateningly.<br/><br/>“Stop that stuttering boy or I’ll thump it out of you,” Merlianianious growled thumping the staff on the floor for emphasis. He pushed the boy aside and headed down the road at a steady slow walk. Merlianianious may be 69 years old, but he looked and moved like a much younger man of 40. He stored the muddy root in his pouch at his hip and stopped by the creek to rinse his hands resuming his muttering, “bloody village can’t get along one day without me... retarded people... luring demons.... getting them yungings all worked up... nonsense...” he continued on like this as he rose again and walked down the path that was barely a visible path leading down towards the village. His eyes were focused ahead on the path, but he didn’t need his eyes to hear the thundering footsteps of the boy who sounded like a horde of elephants. Merlianianious grumbled angrily about loud youth who can’t respect nature.<br/><br/>They reached the village and the youth vanished, no doubt terrified of getting beaten by Merlianianious’s staff for making such a racket. If Merlianianious didn’t know what the chieftain wanted he’d have beaten the boy on principle. Lack of respect. He growled angrily as he entered the large hall and face the much older chieftain sitting in his chair at the circular table. Merlianianious didn’t wait for an invitation to sit. He never did. He sat and took a leg of chicken eating without regard for protocol.<br/><br/>“Why am I here?” He grumbled darkly. “You got more yungings taken?” he asked.<br/><br/>“I have called a meeting of all those around who might be of help, I must send a party to represent us, as the readers have determined that only a party sent to the distant lands will be able to save us from the doom that awaits,” the cheiftain said.<br/><br/>“Lots of nonsense noise that, you mean your sending how ever many foolish people to the Sidhe?” Merlianianious declared darkly.<br/><br/>“yes.” the Chieftain said and Merlianianious growled angrily about madman as he ate his chicken leg and waited to see who else the Chieftain had called.