Wildfire

Posted on March 22, 2018 by Sue Vincent

Thirty years. He had counted the days on the wall of his cell. Thirty years since he had seen the dawn break on the hills of home. A lifetime since he had last breathed the night air.  Only his mind had soared above his solitude.

They would never set him free.

It had been an accident, a by-product of his experiments. He had tossed the glittering nugget to a blind beggar outside the tavern. The baker had told of how the beggar had used it to buy bread and the tale had spread like wildfire.  The story of the alchemist who could turn lead into gold reached the ears of the king… and tyranny feeds on wealth.

At least the gold had fed the beggar.

The king had given him everything he needed to fill the royal coffers in exchange for his life. He was treated well enough, if compulsion can ever be more than slavery. Yet always he had dreamed,  continuing his quest for spiritual transmutation. That was the true alchemy. They did not understand and chained his soul to earth through their greed.  And every night, the king came to collect the gold.

The wide-eyed serving boy had told him… of war, rape and oppression. Evil that ran like wildfire across the land… all funded with alchemical gold.

No, they would never set him free.

The alchemist turned the final Tarot card and gazed upon the grim face of Death.

A wasted life? Perhaps.

Beyond the heavy oaken door, he could hear the footsteps of the king approaching. The alchemist tended the athanor and, as the door closed behind the king, threw a glowing flask into the furnace.

Flames spread like wildfire and the alchemist smiled.

It would not be a wasted death.

For the Bloggers Bash Blog Post Competition.

About Sue Vincent

Sue Vincent was a Yorkshire born writer, esoteric teacher and a Director of The Silent Eye. She was immersed in the Mysteries all her life. Sue maintained a popular blog and is co-author of The Mystical Hexagram with Dr G.M.Vasey. Sue lived in Buckinghamshire, having been stranded there due to an accident with a blindfold, a pin and a map. She had a lasting love-affair with the landscape of Albion, the hidden country of the heart. Sue  passed into spirit at the end of March 2021.
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24 Responses to Wildfire

  1. Patrick Dykie says:
    March 22, 2018 at 15:48

    I loved this short story.

    Like

    Reply
  2. The Militant Negro says:
    March 22, 2018 at 15:59

    Reblogged this on The Militant Negro™.

    Like

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  4. stephrichmond says:
    March 22, 2018 at 16:11

    Rally enjoyed this story. Thank you.

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    Reply
  5. janmalique says:
    March 22, 2018 at 16:57

    True gold escapes the grasp of the greedy and tyrannical.

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  6. Pingback: Wildfire — Sue Vincent’s Daily Echo « strangegoingsonintheshed

  7. robbiesinspiration says:
    March 22, 2018 at 17:58

    This is fabulous, Sue.

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    Reply
  8. willowdot21 says:
    March 22, 2018 at 19:44

    I love this Sue, so much truth in there!good luck 💜🌹🤗

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  9. D. Wallace Peach says:
    March 22, 2018 at 20:25

    Intense, Sue. What a gripping story!

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  11. Marilyn Armstrong says:
    March 22, 2018 at 21:51

    Good one! And I’m absolutely sure the king deserved it. We have a king … er … president … who might well be similarly served.

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    Reply
  12. Suzanne says:
    March 23, 2018 at 02:36

    I enjoyed your story and the way you use so few words to say a great deal.

    Like

    Reply

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