CHAPTER NINETEEN:

  BACK TO THE QUEST

  As he began to place his armor on, Elias looked at Ondibar, admiring the dwarven Holy Ring. The ring that had been lost to the dwarves for so long after Firebaugh took The Cloud Shroud Mountain from them. And even so, Ondibar had let Deelah wear it after they had killed the dragon.

  “It meant a lot to me when I saw not only Deelah, but that ring when I finally awakened,” said Elias sincerely.

  After rubbing his finger over the Holy Stone of Elion one last time, Ondibar looked at the knight earnestly. “The way I see it, Deelah got the ring and you sacrificed your life to allow us to keep it. So I thought it right that she should be the one to show it to you when you finally returned to us.”

  He walked over and stood in front of Elias, looked again at the blue stone and ancient heirloom of the dwarves and then back up at the Knight of Providence. “The Holy Ring of my people has returned to me. You have returned to us. I have reunited with Cerelene. The quest for the Scepter Sword will grow even harder. More dangerous. Our journey is far from over…” Then Ondibar gripped Elias’ forearm firmly. When the knight returned his grip, the dwarf continued. “But now, I will walk out of this mansion knowing that we will finish what we have started.”

  When the two friends released their grips, Elias picked up his shield.

  “That is heavier than I thought,” said Ondibar. “I carried it, while Garrick carried you after the fairy wings returned us to the bottom of the mountain.”

  “You were not light either, knight,” added Garrick, walking into the room with the rest of the companions. “If it had not been for Captain Lestada and The Wet Wanderer passing by, who knows where we would be now.”

  “I missed so much…” replied Elias out loud, but mostly to himself. Then after looking at everyone in the room, he looked up to the ceiling and closed his eyes. “But thankfully, I am now good as new.”

  Seeing the knight throw his shield onto his back, Garrick smiled. Not only was their party complete again, having stayed at The Mansion at the Mines, they were refreshed physically, mentally and, with Elias back, now spiritually.

  “By how much and how fast you ate downstairs, I can see there is no doubt that you are back to your normal self,” chuckled Maldrin as he looked at Elias.

  “The baron spared no expense, that is for sure,” remarked Ondibar, stroking his beard, his eyes closed, remembering the extravagant send off feast.”

  When Ondibar grabbed his battle axe, Cerelene moved closer to Garrick. “Well, my friend, what does the high priest’s map reveal?”

  When Garrick pulled the map from his pack, Anya and Deelah moved closer as well. Then as Garrick opened it and placed it on the the table, they all looked at the map as Garrick moved his finger on it.

  “The fastest way to The Tower of Mystics and Magic would be leaving Fawndale through Mossy Rock Canyon. Luckily for us there are marked places for water and rest, from the high priest’s previous adventures. Then we will move through The Tunnels of Kellas near The Elven Forest. Upon exiting, it will bring us close to Bardimoor just outside the tower.”

  “Anya and I have been to Bardimoor,” replied Deelah. “The land around the city is desolate enough. And the land between the city and the tower is even worse.”

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  “From Bardimoor you can just see The Tower of Mystics and Magic off in the distance,” added Anya. “When you combine the desolate landscape and the ancient and decrepit tower, the feeling of foreboding is palpable.”

  “Maldrin and I have been to Bardimoor as well,” said Garrick. Then he looked at the old wizard. “But you never set foot in the tower, even in your younger years, correct?”

  “My boy, The Tower of Mystics and Magic is not a place you should visit unless you must,” replied Maldrin quietly. Then he lovingly pet Tal on his shoulder. “Not even for wizards.”

  Hearing the ominous sound in Maldrin’s voice, Elias spoke. “I know it will not be easy, wizard, but I have faith in you and Garrick to lead us through it.”

  “Who knows what might lie in The Tunnels of Kellas,” stated Ondibar. Then he gripped his axe firmly. “Let us worry about that first, knight.”

  “Ondibar is correct. Sometimes goblins that do not return to their caverns after they attack our forest flee there,” added Cerelene.

  “So it steadily gets worse once we leave,” sighed Deelah, placing her hand in Elias’.

  “Yes, Deelah. So when we are traveling through Mossy Rock Canyon, let us all soak in its beauty,” stated Garrick with a nod as the thief tried to hide the apprehension on her face.

  When they walked downstairs toward the large front door of the mansion, Garrick and the others saw Baron Michael looking at some documents in his hand. After he looked up and saw them, the baron whispered to Alturas, who was writing something down next to him. Then the young man took the baron’s documents and walked quickly away. Seeing Elias in his full armor, Michael looked down at the knight’s scabbard.

  “A knight leaving on a journey without a sword?” asked Baron Michael whimsically.

  When Elias laughed, Garrick and Michael exchanged a quick knowing glance.

  “Yes, Baron. My armor, like myself, is good as new. Thankfully I still have my shield, but I left my sword stuck in the dragon, where he lies under much rock and dirt.” Then Elias’ hand tapped his scabbard. “Do not fret. Before we leave Fawndale I will have a new blade.”

  “Perhaps sooner than you think,” replied Baron Michael. Then Alturas, who had just left the room, returned. In the young man’s hand was a sword. Its size the same as those carried by all Knights of Providence. After the attendant handed it to the baron, Michael inspected it for a second then handed it to Elias.

  “A gift. Made from the iron here in my mines.”

  Elias looked at the magnificent sword in his hand. The blade itself was perfect, but unlike the one that he had lost, instead of the standard guard at the top of its hilt, there were outstretched dragon wings and, below the grip, the pommel was the head of a dragon.

  “Made by the greatest blacksmith in all of Fawndale,” added the baron. When the others looked at him, Michael winked and continued. “He owed me a favor.”

  When Elias finished inspecting the flawless blade himself, he looked at the well dressed baron standing amidst his many attendants. “Are you sure? It would look regal on you.”

  Standing in front of Elias, Michael took the dragon sword from him and slid it into the knight’s scabbard. Then he placed Elias’ hand on the sword hilt.

  “My older brother was a Knight of Providence as well. Sadly, Logan died before I ever had the chance to get a sword created for him. It would be an honor to supply another servant of the high priest with a sword,” replied Baron Michael with a small smile.

  “Then in honor of the graciousness you have shown us here at The Mansion At The Mines, and in memory of your late brother, I humbly accept this gift,” bowed Elias reverently.

  After everyone gave their thanks to Baron Michael’s people, Garrick and his friends all stepped outside, where they saw Azure gliding above them in the crisp morning air. Seeing Garrick, Onyx got up from under a tree that he and the baron’s dogs were resting under. When the mystic wolf and the dogs joined the men, Baron Michael grinned.

  “I said that I would not pry, but by the looks of the books Maldrin has been reading in the library, I believe it is The Tower of Mystics and Magic that you are off to,” said the baron to Garrick, but loud enough for all of his companions to hear.

  When Elias, Cerelene, Maldrin, Anya, Deelah and Ondibar glanced at each other as they tried to mask their surprise, Baron Michael smiled as he looked back at Alturas, Marta and a handful of others that stood behind them in the doorway.

  “My attendants help me with more than business and politics. Do not be mad, I am just a curious soul by nature. But have no worry. Your secret is safe with me,” continued the Baron playfully. Then when he pulled Garrick closer, his demeanor and voice became more serious. “But whatever you are up to, make haste. Lord Grimdall has reached the mountain tops of The Dwarven Kingdom.”

  Garrick nodded sternly as the bad news rested in his ears. However, it was Michael’s final statement that hit him the hardest.

  “And there is no sign of him slowing.”