CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

  ONDIBAR SEES THE SIGNS

  “You know her?” asked Garrick loudly, as he helped the dwarf up to his feet. The once raucous crowd that had become silent started to whisper and point at Cerelene. Then, over the sounds of the blacksmiths' cries and moans, they heard men rushing toward the tavern and Fizkin's voice.

  “The owner is bringing the constable. Move. Move!” announced Garrick, slapping the dwarf on his back. Then they, along with Cerelene, stepped out the doors, as Fizkins and the constable and his men came into view.

  That is three of them right there!” screamed the tavern owner.

  “Follow me!” whispered Cerelene loudly, looking out at the street filled with all manners of humans, elves, and dwarves. “I know just where to go!” Then she dashed off. Being fleet of foot, the elf maiden pulled ahead easily, leaving Garrick and Ondibar falling behind, but luckily, as they followed her around two corners, the mercenary and dwarf saw that she had ducked into a large weapons shop, located not too far from the Hunter's Boot Tavern.

  Once Cerelene, Garrick, and Ondibar heard the constable and his men rush by the door they began to breathe easy. Then the elf maiden and dwarf embraced.

  “Where have you been, Cerelene? I have been all over, looking for you this long year,” exclaimed Ondibar.

  Still excited over the surprise of seeing her friend, Cerelene didn’t answer and looked over at Garrick.

  “This is the dwarf I was telling you about when we were with the high priest! The dwarf that would visit me in The Elven Forest,” spoke Cerelene excitedly. “The one that has been to Cloud Veil.”

  As Garrick recalled the conversation that he and Cerelene had with Elias and the high priest before they left for the quest, he noticed Cerelene’s face change from excitement to confusion.

  “Wait. Ondibar, what do you mean, you have been looking for me?” asked the elf maiden, grabbing the dwarf’s arm.

  “After months, when you did not send word of where you were, your parents asked me to find you,” replied the dwarf. “Have you been on the move since you left the forest kingdom? Truly, I am happy to see you.” Then after the dwarf looked at Garrick, he looked back at the elf maiden. “ I am just surprised.”

  “I am surprised that my mother and father sent you to find me. You only just gave up being an ambassador for King Ironhearth to travel Danaria and sell your carvings,” lamented Cerelene. “I am sorry my actions have taken you away from that. I know you had waited for the right time, and I ruined it.”

  “Bah! I have done everything I said I would. I have traveled. I have sold many carvings,” spoke Ondibar, waving his hand at Cerelene. “I just kept my eyes out for you while I did it.” Then the dwarf smiled. “Now I can tell Neerah and Andrick that you are well.”

  Cerelene looked down at the ground and shook her head. “I have been so selfish. I know that my parents love me, but I did not know that they would go this far.”

  Remaining quiet, as not to interfere with the two friends' intimate moment, Garrick noticed the tenderness of the dwarf as he hugged the elf maiden. Ondibar was tough on the outside, but inside, his heart was just as strong. Then the mercenary’s mind brought him back to the job. To the quest. Could this dwarf be him? The dwarven representative they had been waiting for?

  Instantly, Garrick felt a slight warmness on his chest. When he looked down, he could see a soft light behind his tunic and chain mail. When he lifted the Holy Amulet up and looked at the Holy Stone, it was glowing!

  “Cerelene! Cerelene! Look,” interrupted Garrick in amazement. “The high priest said the Holy Stone glowed when he was wondering if you and I were the human and elven representatives!”

  Seeing the Holy Stone in the Holy Amulet aglow, Cerelene teared up and kissed Ondibar’s cheek, happily.

  “What are you babbling about, mercenary?” demanded the dwarf, angry that Garrick had interrupted an important moment. Then Ondibar held the Holy Amulet in his hand while it still hung around Garrick’s neck. “What does this mean?”

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Garrick smiled at Cerelene and then looked back at Ondibar. “It is a sign.”

  “A sign of what?” asked Ondibar, still puzzled.

  After the elf maiden wiped her eyes, she looked back at the dwarf again and announced, “It is a sign of who you are.”

  When Cerelene looked back at Garrick, he had moved to the door of the weapons shop and was looking out at the street. After a few seconds, the mercenary closed the door and moved back to the elf maiden and the dwarf.

  “I think we are in the clear. We should take this reunion back to the inn, where it is safer and he can meet everyone,” said Garrick to Cerelene, as he opened the door again and stepped out.

  As The Traveling Treasure Inn came into view, after the short walk from their hiding place, Garrick was happy that this time he was bringing the surprise to the group. Not only that, but a sign from Elion had been given.

  Anya’s dream, along with that sign, was proof that the high priest was right. It would take faith to go along with the fighting. The quest for the Scepter Sword of the King Priest would still not be easy. It certainly had not been to this point, and it would grow tougher still, but all the players were now assembled. That alone gave the mercenary a feeling of relief, if only just for a moment.

  After Cerelene had finished telling Ondibar everything about the quest from the beginning, they came upon the inn. When the mercenary, elf maiden, and dwarf walked into the room, everyone looked up except for Anya, who was asleep. After Deelah nudged her awake, the cleric rubbed her eyes and saw the dwarf.

  “Please tell me I am not asleep, because this is the dwarf from my dream!” exclaimed Anya, looking at Ondibar’s long beard and giant battle axe on his back.

  Hearing Anya’s normally soft voice become very excited, Onyx lifted his head up quickly from where he laid and Tal ran back into one of the pockets of Maldrin’s robe. After Azure flew over to Cerelene, she screeched at the dwarf.

  “Yes, pretty falcon, I am pleased to see you again, as well!” said Ondibar, petting Azure’s wing.

  “Everyone, let me introduce to you my good friend, Ondibar Sparkhammer,” announced Cerelene.

  Having just polished his armor, Elias stood up from the table he was sitting at and walked quickly over to Garrick, Cerelene, and Ondibar.

  “You are welcome here, dwarf! Any friend of Cerelene is a friend of mine,” replied the knight, smiling. “My name is Elias Romwell.”

  “Elias, this is the dwarf I told you, Garrick, and the high priest about in The Holy City,” stated Cerelene, excitedly.

  “The dwarf that had been halfway up The Cloud Shroud Mountain? The one who would visit you in The Elven Forest?” asked Elias, surprised all the more.

  Seeing Elias’ armor on the table, Ondibar went to it and admired it as he started to think.

  “Elias Romwell? The Captain of the Knights of Providence?” inquired the dwarf.

  “Yes, Ondibar. Though technically, I will not hold that title again until I return to The Holy City,” explained the knight.

  “I have heard of you, for sure. The youngest ever to become captain of The Knights of Providence. Quite an accomplishment,” continued Ondibar, looking up at the big man. Then the dwarf’s face brightened. “But even more than that, I would like to give you my utmost thanks for what you did for my grandfather.”

  Surprised by Ondibar’s words, all the companions grew still and remained quiet, except Elias.

  “Ondibar, we have just met. Forgive me if I do not know what you mean,” replied the knight in a respectful manner.

  “When my grandfather visited The Holy City, he said that you were most helpful and respectful to him,” began Ondibar.

  Intrigued, Maldrin sat Tal on the table, while Deelah sat down next to Anya who, still seized with shock, had not yet stood.

  “The old dwarf that you took to see the temple,” continued Ondibar. “He had been to our Temple of The Sacred Highlands in the Dwarven Mountains, of course. I, also, was allowed by Elf Queen Ilsa Lightshower to take him to The Temple of Perpetual Light in The Elven Forest.” Then Ondibar began to stroke his beard as he thought of his grandfather. “All my grandfather needed was to see The Temple of Unfaltering Devotion. As you know, the custom at your temple is that none may enter unless they are the high priest, a member of The Brethren, or someone who is an important invited guest.”

  Ondibar watched Elias begin to smile, as he remembered his grandfather.

  “I remember, Ondibar,” spoke Elias, happily. “Your grandfather told me that if he could just step inside for but a few seconds, that he would have worshiped Elion in all three Great Temples. Your grandfather’s zeal for the god of all creation was strong. I could not say no. In fact...”

  “You took him there yourself,” interrupted Ondibar. “He did not have to wait for an invitation.”

  “Yes, and when he had walked in only a few steps, he whispered a short prayer and then stepped out,” continued Elias with a nod.

  After admiring Elias’ armor one last time, Ondibar returned to the knight and clasped his forearm.

  “He is in Elion’s Embrace now, but you gave him such a gift, and in doing so gave a gift to me,” declared the dwarf. Then he slowly looked at everyone in the room.

  “Cerelene told me that the glowing of the Holy Stone in the amulet that Garrick is wearing was a sign that I am to join you in your quest,” continued the dwarf. Then he looked directly at Anya. “That you saw me in a dream.” Ondibar looked next at Cerelene. “It is. No. It was such a grand tale Cerelene told me.” Turning, the dwarf looked again at the Knight of Providence. “But meeting you, Elias, here after finding Cerelene, is all the sign I need.”

  Ondibar stopped for a moment, then unstrapped his battle axe and held it out.

  “And if it is Elion’s will, this time I will make it past Cloud Veil...” Then Ondibar looked out again at his new companions and announced...

  “And together we will take back the Holy Ring of my people from the dragon Firebaugh.”