The Stain of Mordred part 12.

The Stain of Mordred. Book 2

The Mage.

George left the Isle of Glass and Avalon, it could be said without direct permission from the Lady and headed for the only gateway that was still able to be opened by anyone other than the Lady. It was the same one through which the Lady had led him through all those years ago. While Avalon waited for the kings return George had decided to try and prevent his return and stop the fall of mankind.

There was several things that struck George when he walked through the gateway into the pre dawn gloom, the first was the smell. It was a smell of decay and staleness, the land too looked faded, as if the colours had drained away in comparison to the vibrant world of Avalon. As he looked around the ancient woodland where the gateway stood he could see it was dying and the signs of disease were everywhere. The leaves of the trees were brown and falling while mould and fungus covered the ground.
He knelt and placed his hand flat onto the ground and sent out his consciousness to search the land to see why the woodland was dying. The first thing he noticed was the absence of wildlife anywhere in the woods, no foxes or badgers, rabbit or birds still lived within the woods. The animals had either died or fled and then he sensed the poisons that had seeped up into the soils.
George searched further down going into the bedrock from where the poisons had come. Bedrock holds memories of millions of years, of the life that had died and made it and this rock had been changed, poisons pumped in, explosions and the stealing of it’s trapped gasses. The poisons had spread through the rock and entered the trapped water that formed the water table. For some reason he didn’t yet understand humanity had foolishly poisoned their own land and water.

Coming back to himself he stood up with a heavy heart and with tears rolling down his cheeks he started heading for the village where he used to live. While he doubted anyone he had known would still be alive he needed to see something he recognised while he gathered his thoughts and began to make plans for saving mankind. The sight of the ancient woodland had left him on the edge of despair already and he had to force himself not to return to the gateway, to Avalon and the Isle of Glass. He knew he would not be able to reopen the gateway from this side so returning would be pointless. His only option was to press on and discover how to stop the stain of Mordred.

The village that George had once called home had grown a great deal with many new houses and shops, not the old village shops he remembered but large shops that sold everything you could think of yet probably didn’t need. It seemed to him people gathered many things that they didn’t need and cluttered up their lives this way with useless things.
The one constant he found was the church and he headed into the churchyard and sat down on one of the benches. Here there was peace and a sense of serenity as he gazed across the old gravestones and saw signs of wildlife so missing from the woods. Squirrels ran between the stone and large doves swooped between the trees, he was so busy watching this he didn’t notice the woman as she approached.
“Are you waiting for the shelter to open?” she asked making him jump a little.
George looked up to where she was standing just down the path and noticed the priests collar around her neck, during his time in Avalon he had gotten used to women being in prominent places within their religion and was pleased to see the same had happened in the world outside the mists.
“I’m sorry, the shelter?” he asked not understanding her question.
“No, I’m sorry for presuming, it’s just that I don’t recognise you and your clothing looks a little worn. I thought you were waiting for the homeless shelter to open.” she said, indicating with her hand if she could sit on the bench beside George.
“I’m just passing through and felt the need for a bit of peace, the village is a little too busy for me.” George replied moving over slightly for her to sit. He was wearing the clothes he had worn the day he had entered Avalon that Bedivere had kept and given back to him before he left. While clean they were not in the best condition.
“It’s not often our village is called busy, well apart from the traffic that passes through with those new fracking sites they set up.” the woman said, showing her disapproval for the traffic and fracking sites as she sat down.
George had already noticed how common motor vehicles had become and how they seemed to be driving around in an endless line.
“Are you the vicar of the church here?” George asked.
“Yes, Reverend Karen, and you?” she asked holding out her hand.
“George, I’m just passing through on my way to Glastonbury.” he replied taking her hand and giving it a shake.
“Well George, I was just heading back to the vicarage for some lunch. If you’ve not eaten you’re welcome to join me.” Reverend Karen said with a smile.

To be continued.
This isn't a finished story and I'm still working on editing it as I post to steemit.