Ruin: Hierophant Candidates, Part Three

"Of course it should be me," Zoriel said. "I was first among his apprentices, the conclusion is obvious, and the decision should never have been left to you."

"That part," Ruin said quietly, "was not my choice."

Zoriel glared at him, but when Ruin only looked back he dropped his eyes. "My teacher did have his quirks," the druid admitted. "And with his foresight, he didn't always explain things in ways that made sense to the rest of us. I still don't know what he saw in you, though."

"I don't either," Ruin admitted. He remembered a brief visit to his campfire, but decided not to share that with Zoriel. Perhaps even back then, Saladhel had known... "What of Elendor? I'm  told she's the strongest of the remaining druids."

Zoriel sneered. "She's weak. She turned to the worship of Jensen, and forsook the Circles. She's strong again now, but she doesn't deserve to be Hierophant."

Ruin hesitated, then nodded. He wasn't yet ready to rule out Elendor, but it was a fair point. "You kept faith, at least. So did Saladhel's other apprentices, as I understand it."

"They did, but..." He cut himself off and looked away. "Damn it, this is not your business."

Ruin didn't answer. 

After a long, uncomfortable moment Zoriel sighed. "You're really serious about this, aren't you?" He sounded vaguely surprised. "You mean to make as thorough a search as possible."

Ruin nodded. "And to choose the best possible candidate," he said. "Even if it's someone who hates me."

Zoriel considered that for a long moment. Then he said, "Show me. You want what's best for the druids? Help me to help them. Help us."

Intrigued, Ruin  asked: "What do you have in mind?"

"The priests of Apollyon were trying to uproot us in a lot of ways," Zoriel told him. "It wasn't just forcing us into diabolical contracts. A small group of them corrupted a grove well to the east of here -- another of their attempts to cut us off from the forces of the natural world. In better times, that grove marked the point where forest gave way to rainforest; now it corrupts everything around it. Help me restore it, and I'll give you my honest evaluation of my teacher's other apprentices -- and tell you where to find them, so you can see for yourself."

Ruin made a quick calculation. "I can spare four days before I need to get back," he said. 

"I can take us the same way we traveled to the High Grove, plant to plant, to the edge of the corruption." Zoriel was half-grinning, now; his expression was a challenge. 

With a small shrug, Ruin gave in. "Very well." He considered the equipment he had on him. "I'm ready."

Zoriel gave a sharp whistle, and the largest bear Ruin had ever seen lumbered over to them. "Very well, then. Come with us."

Oh, thought Ruin, this is such a bad idea. Still, he couldn't think of any better way take the measure of Zoriel. And if the druid tried to murder him, well... that would definitely count against him as a candidate for the position of Druid Hierophant.