CRUD part 5

We floated into the harbor of a crescent-shaped island. As we docked in the sand, several strange creatures approached us. They were less strange than some of the other creatures I meet up with, since these creatures, you'll actually know what they are: Centaurs.

"Welcome to our humble commode, fair Vikings," a female centaur graciously bowed.

"It's ABODE, Doris," a male centaur hissed.

"Oh, I mean abode, fair vikings," Doris said, sweeping an arm back behind her as though we were seeing the island for the first time. IDC grumbled something about being a dwarf, not a Viking.

I began to ask questions of the centaurs, intrigued how there were so many on this single island, as I had quickly counted that there were over five thousand.

Apparently, this was the last group of centaurs alive in the entire world; or, at least, that they were aware of. I wasn't sure, myself; I hadn't seen centaurs since April 8th. They explained that a mysterious disease had begun to kill off their entire race, and that these were the only ones that had been unaffected by it. They had travelled to this secluded spot so they could try to rebuild their society, living on the local fried monkey and strange, purple berries that they called 'Plerries.' Since there were so few of them, they refused to participate in war of any kind. They had relinquished their bows, and had even begun a religion centering around a strange, glowing yellow stone that floated in the middle of the island. They called the stone the 'Source of Power for Love and Happiness.' I was suspicious of these strange, pacifistic centaurs, but IDC took one sniff of them and refused to budge from his ship.

"Something is wrong here, Olaf," he muttered. Not wanting to offend either dwarf nor centaur, I decided to step off the ship alone.

"Would you like food, dear Viking?" Doris asked. I was about to decline, but my stomach grumbled loudly. Doris smiled a sincere, benevolent smile. "Come with me, then," she said, turning and galloping through the forest.

We ate monkeys and Plerries whie gathered around the 'Source of Power for Love and Happiness.' It was only the size of a gobstopper, but it floated in the air as though it were held up by fishing line. I commented on it, and Doris smiled that benevolent, sincere smile. It reminded me of Chia the Mace, but Dori's smile was nowhere near as lovely as Chia's, nor was Chia's smile nearly so hairy.

"It is our belief that this stone is the reason for why we have decided to take vows of peace," Doris said. "We believe that it permeates through our being the feeling of love and peace that we all now feel." I was skeptical; the only centaurs I'd ever met were bloodthirsty, savage beasts.

"So what would you do if someone came and tried to kill you all off?" I asked.

"Like who?" Doris asked.

"Umbridge," I said.

Doris looked confused, so I hastily continued. "Just anyone," I said.

"Why, we would let them kill us," DOris said serenely.

"Why?" I asked. "You would let the last of your people die to save them from killing someone?"

"Yes," Doris said.

I was as yet unconvinced, but I continued to eat the Plerries and moneky with the other centaurs. Suddenly, one of the older ones stood. He walked to me and said, "This one has felt the peace."

"The Peace," the centaurs echoed.

"He must be given the greatest task," the older centaur said. Before I knew what was happening, the centaurs were gingerly wrapping my weapons in cloths and placing them underneath the 'Source of Power for Love and Happiness.' I began to protest, but Doris raised a hand.

"Wait," she said. I waited.

"Go and pick them up," she said.

I walked underneath the strange, glowing, yellow stone and picked up the cloth-wrapped weapons. I unfloded one of them away, and my Nun-Chucks fell out. Reaching out, I tried to touch them.

I stopped.

I was suddenly filled with revulsion at the weapon. SUrely violence was not the answer? Surely peace was the better way? I dropped my covered machete with disgust. The centaurs politely snapped their fingers.

"Do you feel the peace?" The elderly centaur asked.

"Yes," I said, almost surprising myself.

"DO you wish to war?" he asked.

"Never again," I vowed. He smiled.

"You are now bound to us," he said with a smile full of sincere love.

To be continued...