CHAPTER THIRTEEN A MAP AND A MESSAGE

  Garrick clutched the ring that hung from around his neck and walked up the final staircase to the top floor of The Temple of Unfaltering Devotion for one st meeting with the High Priest. As he stepped onto what had once just been the roof, but had, over the st year, been almost entirely encased with stained gss, Elias and Cerelene came into view. The knight, without his armor, was already sitting at a table, talking with the High Priest as Cerelene looked out over The Holy City through one of its window-like openings. The elf maiden was lost in her thoughts, though outwardly she had a look of determination.

  "How does Danaria look from this height?" asked Garrick, stepping next to Cerelene.

  The elf maiden turned her head slightly to the mercenary, her gaze still on the breathless vision before her. "The clouds are nestling on the hills. The birds soar over them effortlessly. The sun is watching over them all."

  "Until the moon brings the night," finished Garrick. Then the mercenary smiled as he tried to imprint the image to memory.

  Cerelene turned to Garrick, her face pensive. Then she sighed quietly. "Garrick, I would like to apologize. The way I acted... I did not know..."

  "No. No," interrupted the mercenary. "You have nothing to apologize for. You did not know me, and how could you believe what I said about the Scepter Sword?" Then Garrick paused, remembering the day he met the elven archer. "And it was not only you, we both stubbornly pushed each other that first day."

  A few seconds ter, the mercenary started to smile. "I hope that we can now push each other on as friends during this quest."

  "Well mercenary, I agree, and you have my word on that," replied Cerelene, smiling back. Then they both turned to look at Elias, who had just stood up from the table in the middle of the rge room.

  "Garrick, you have arrived. Please, both of you, be seated," said the knight in a gracious yet serious tone.

  As Garrick and Cerelene walked to the table, they could see the High Priest looking over a map that was id out next to a pen and a small stack of books. The Holy Stone of Elion shone brightly from the Holy Amulet falling across his chest.

  "If I were not the High Priest I would have wanted to go," sighed Jarstinian, still looking down at the map. Then the High Priest looked up and smiled at the trio. "Aldon told me he would go if he were a younger man."

  Garrick watched as both Elias and Cerelene chuckled softly at the tter half of the High Priest’s words.

  "I cannot see Aldon being away from The Holy City. Though you are a good man and my stay here has been a soce, it is Aldon I will miss the most," said Cerelene. "The old man has always been good to me. Even when I first got here. When Balcon brought the argument against my sanctuary here, it was Aldon that talked to me, checked on me. Treated me with love."

  Elias looked over at Cerelene after her voice trailed off. "Aldon has been like a father to me since I entered The Holy City. Of all The Brethren, he has seen the most changes during his long life, and yet they never changed him. When the High Priest proposed that I become the captain of The Knights of Providence, after captain Petros was killed by Landon Rosser, and many thought I was too young, Aldon stood by me. His constant encouragement helped me to know that I could do the job."

  "And you have not let us down, Elias. There is no nobler a knight to walk this world," replied the High Priest with pride. Then his face became solemn as he continued, "Regardless, not one of The Brethren have offered to go, but I can not bme them. You do not join The Brethren to go on quests."

  The High Priest gnced over at Garrick and continued. "Still, that is probably for the best. Captain Elias is going in the name of The Holy City and Cerelene, though she represents the elves, has lived with us for over a year. I would not want to add a third member from within these walls." Then the High Priest grabbed Garrick’s shoulder firmly. "You lead this quest, Garrick. Not The Holy City. Your experience, your vast knowledge of our world through your travels and the people you have worked and fought with over time have prepared you for this moment. I have no doubt."

  "I believe in who you are sending with me," replied Garrick, looking over at Elias and Cerelene. Then he looked back at the High Priest. "Besides, I have done more jobs without a cleric than with. No doubt before Firebaugh we will need one, but we can worry about that ter."

  Garrick looked over the old map on the table. Lines of different sizes and styles had been drawn between different cities and nds. The map was well used, but well kept. It didn’t take long for the mercenary to figure out its history.

  "From your younger years, I assume?" asked Garrick, looking up at the High Priest.

  "Yes Garrick," replied the High Priest, smiling at the mercenary. "When I said that I wished I could go, I meant it. Like you, I have been all over Danaria. The lines you see are the many adventures my friend Kiriam and I had, before I became the man you see now."

  Garrick, Elias, and Cerelene watched as the High Priest leaned back in his chair, remembering the old times.

  "I was the sword to his sorcery. We were a duo to be seen," began the High Priest. Then his smile grew wider. "However, Kiriam was defeated by the most powerful of magic. Love. Oh, we still went on some adventures from time to time, but soon a family came. To be truthful, I was quite envious at the time. Yesenia was lovely, both inside and out. But who am I to compin? I would not change my life. I am the High Priest of The Human Kingdom Lands. I thank Elion every day for that blessing."

  "Your memory leads me to what would be the second part of our journey," stated Garrick. "I said yesterday when I accepted the quest and its leadership that we are only the beginning." The mercenary looked at Elias and Cerelene, who nodded back. Then he pointed at the map to The Dwarven Mountains and The Cloud Shroud Mountain below. "We will make our way to The Cloud Shroud Mountain to face Firebaugh first, in hopes Elion will reveal the dwarven representative. However, even after we defeat him, we will still have to face the Shadowmage and his apprentice, here," continued Garrick, sliding his finger away from The Cloud Shroud Mountain across the map to The Tower Of Mystics and Magic.

  After pausing for a moment, the mercenary gestured to Elias and Cerelene. "We three are only the beginning, as I said before. But not just because we still are without a dwarf, or a cleric, for that matter. We will need a wizard to fight a wizard." Then Garrick looked back at the High Priest. "You had your old friend Kiriam. I need Maldrin. I have known him for years. And he is close; he lives near The River Caverns, just outside of Valtross."

  Garrick looked over at Elias. "I trust Elias. I trust his skills. He is the captain of The Knights of Providence. I trust his character. He has treated me more than fairly this whole time. If it came down to it, I would trust him with my life." Garrick then looked over at the elf maiden. “As with Cerelene, I hope my bonds with Elias will become stronger..."

  "But you would like to have someone who you truly know. Someone who has been with you through adversity. Somebody who you can lean on, but who is also not afraid to stand up to you if your course of action is not the best," cut in the High Priest.

  "We do not know the dwarf to come or the future cleric, for that matter," replied Elias, looking at the High Priest. Then his gaze moved to Garrick. "I say if this Maldrin is your good friend, if he is powerful enough, then he is my companion on this quest as well."

  "He is more than a good friend," replied Garrick. "He is more of a brother. Maybe even more of a father.” Then the mercenary looked over at the High Priest. "He is older, but like the High Priest here, he can handle himself."

  "I would rather have a wizard to face the dragon than not. Even better, someone you know and trust," agreed Cerelene.

  The High Priest leaned back again and stroked his beard for a few seconds as he thought. "You have my trust, Garrick, in what you will do. Bring your friend Maldrin." Then the High Priest leaned forward again and continued, "All I ask is that you keep the group small. The smaller the better. We cannot draw attention to the Scepter Sword. This quest must go unnoticed to keep it safe from the goblins or any evil from any race, whether that be one powerful individual or an army."

  "We could not hide a big group on The Cloud Shroud Mountain, anyway," replied Elias. Then he pointed to the map. "The dragon has been seen near Parnigal."

  "Yes, the bcksmith I frequent at The Crossroads told me King Brock sent more troops to Parnigal because of that," replied Garrick. "Perhaps we can move on the mountain while he is gone. I sincerely doubt he will be gone that long, but one never knows with sovereign dragons."

  "If Firebaugh has not attacked by now, he is just making his presence known," added Cerelene, her voice matter of fact.

  The three men looked over at the elf maiden. More in interest than surprise. They all knew that in her long journey to The Holy City she had not just gained perspective, but experience. However, knowledge of dragons and Firebaugh, in particur, was intriguing, to say the least.

  "I know a dwarf that has traveled more than once to the old kingdom," continued Cerelene. "Before giving up his title to travel and sell his carvings, Ondibar was an ambassador for King Ironhearth. Every time he visited The Elven Forest, he would tell me stories of his travels, his experiences. To someone like me, who was cooped up in The Elven Forest since childhood unless traveling as part of the royal court, Ondibar was my connection to the rest of Danaria."

  After pointing to The Cloud Shroud Mountain on the map, Cerelene then dragged her finger to a direct spot. "The dwarf has not made it entirely to the dragon’s ir, but he has made it to Cloud Veil. He knows much about the beast and his habits."

  "Halfway up the mountain is impressive," marveled Garrick. "I have been all over Danaria, but never once have I been close to Cloud Veil…"

  Garrick stopped. Then he, along with Elias, Cerelene, and the High Priest looked at the stairs. They listened to what was the sound of someone wearing armor rushing up toward them. Suddenly, Stephen burst into view and he was carrying a slip of parchment.

  "My High Priest, this has just come for you from King Brock. The messenger said it was urgent," announced Stephen, as he handed the message to the High Priest.

  After reading the short note, the High Priest looked back at Stephen. "Thank you. We are finishing up here. Please continue your duties, Stephen. Captain Elias will fill you in ter."

  As Stephen walked down the stairs, Garrick, Elias, and Cerelene watched as the High Priest pced the parchment into a pocket of his robe. Then he looked at them, his face serious.

  "The Dwarven Mountains are under attack...by an army from The Barren Wastend."