CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

  THE SISTERS JOIN

  Closing the door to the companion's room behind him, Elias gestured to Anya who then pulled back her hood and bowed.

  “Greetings. My name is...” began the cleric.

  “Anya, and you are Deelah,” finished Garrick, looking from the cleric to the thief, who was smiling nervously at the surprise of seeing the man whom she had attacked earlier that day.

  “...Norelle,” finished Anya, giving her last name slowly, confused for the moment on how the mercenary could know their first names.

  “I already had the pleasure of meeting your sister, Anya,” continued Garrick sarcastically. “When I told my friends at the mercenary guild about our little run in, they told me all about her and of you as well.”

  “You are the one she attacked!” exclaimed Elias, mouth agape, pointing first at Garrick and then at Deelah.

  “I am sorry for my sister's behavior,” replied Anya, her face moving from a look of confusion to shock.

  Maldrin and Cerelene exchanged glances, confused now as well, but much more interested in the story unfolding before them. Seeing their faces, Garrick walked over to wizard and elf maiden.

  “I will explain it all later,” whispered the mercenary, though he had no intention at all of doing that.

  “You are welcome here, cleric of Valtross. Young lady,” announced Maldrin to Anya and Deelah. Even if he felt out of the loop currently, he tried to put them at ease, remembering his own nervousness at the surprise meeting with both Elias and Cerelene in his cottage.

  As if they could read the wizard’s thought, Onyx left Garrick’s side and walked over to Anya, while Tal leapt from Maldrin, scurried over to Deelah, ran up her pants and blouse and sat on her shoulder.

  After giving a short, startled scream, Deelah looked at the wizard and smiled as she began to pet the squirrel.

  “The mystic wolf!” said Anya, looking down at Onyx, having forgotten him from her dream. Then she looked at Garrick as she knelt down to see the regal beast. “You have bonded with a mystic wolf. That is rare indeed.”

  Sensing that something of importance was to happen in the room, the elf maiden tried to steer the conversation back on track.

  “Anya. Deelah. I am Cerelene,” began the elf maiden in her most respectful and royal voice. Then she gestured to the wizard and mercenary. “This is Maldrin and Garrick. On your shoulder, Deelah, is Tal. The mystic wolf at your feet, Anya, is Onyx.”

  Cerelene turned to Azure who was perched on the chair behind her. Then she lifted her right arm, prompting the falcon to take flight. When she landed on Cerelene's arm, the elf maiden looked back at the two sisters and said, “and this is Azure.”

  “Well. Now that we are all acquainted, Elias, please enlighten us as to why your guests are here,” spoke Garrick, eyeing the knight, trying to put the pieces together as to why both Anya and Deelah were standing before them.

  “As you all know, I left the inn today to visit the temple here at Valtross. I wished for nothing more than a prayer within its walls and, if possible, a talk with its lead cleric. Receive some words that would rejuvenate my soul...” started Elias. Then the knight looked at Anya. “While I was praying in the temple sanctuary, Anya came to me.”

  After Elias nodded at Anya, the cleric resumed the conversation with her eyes on the Knight of Providence. “Elias told me that he was on a holy quest and that though he traveled in good company, as he just said, there was nothing better to renew his soul than a prayer in a temple of Elion and council with its cleric.” Then Anya looked out over the room at who she hoped would be her new companions. “To that I said, ‘Do not fret, sir knight. You are no longer without a cleric. Today...or for the duration of your quest for the Scepter Sword.’”

  Maldrin smiled, looked down, and stroked his long beard as he contemplated Anya’s words. Cerelene tried to cover her surprise, but the elf maiden’s hand gripping the mercenary’s arm gave her away.

  Garrick stood firm, his arms crossed, but his mind was racing. When the mercenary opened his mouth, Elias stopped him.

  “Garrick, I told her nothing of the quest,” assured the Knight of Providence. “I uttered nothing about it in my prayer.”

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  “I had a dream,” announced Anya quickly. “While Elias was in the temple, Elion gave me a vision as I slept.”

  Feeling as if she had been quiet too long, Deelah spoke up. “My sister has had prophetic dreams since she was a child. Our mother as well, before Anya was born.” The thief stroked Tal twice and then placed a hand over her chest. “I have seen this power many times since I was a child.”

  Garrick took note of Deelah’s demeanor and posture as she spoke. It was matter of fact, without a hint of deception. Nothing like the story and performance she put on for him when they met.

  “Tell us your dream, Anya Norelle,” spoke Maldrin, still looking down, still stroking his beard. Hearing Maldrin’s voice, Tal bounded back to the old wizard and into a pocket of his robe, where she began nibbling on a berry.

  “In my dream, I saw Garrick leading Elias and Cerelene. Next to Garrick was Onyx and floating above Cerelene was Azure,” replied Anya. Then her eyes fixed on the knight’s shield. “Elias was carrying that unique shield. It was how I knew that he was the knight from my dream.”

  Garrick and Cerelene watched as Anya’s gaze moved to Maldrin. “Next I saw you join behind them, wizard. Your squirrel was with you as well.”

  Though he had just been spoken of in the dream, Maldrin didn’t look up. He only began to pet Tal in the pocket of his robe.

  “After that, my sister and I joined the group. Finally, our group was complete after a dwarf walked behind myself and Deelah. His beard as long as the battle axe on his back,” continued Anya.

  Garrick looked from Anya to Elias. When Elias looked back. His face was calm and certain.

  “After the dwarf joined us, we walked through fire,” resumed Anya. Then she looked at Maldrin again. “Next we walked through what I could only interpret as magic. It was a powerful energy. Even more fearsome than the fire.”

  As Anya stopped for a moment, trying to find the right words to describe the climax of her dream, Cerelene looked at Deelah. Deelah hadn’t spoken much at all since arriving. Her only words were to defend her sister’s power of prophecy. In a way, thought the elf maiden, that lent even more credence that Anya was telling the truth.

  “Once we walked through the magic, a beautiful, shining scepter floated into view,” continued Anya. “As we all looked at it, there was a sound of clicking metal and the scepter transformed into a double edged sword.” Then the cleric closed her eyes. “It was as strong as the scepter was beautiful. After a moment the Scepter Sword began to fade away.” Anya opened her eyes and stared off into space. “When I was awakened by one of the other clerics, my right hand was reaching out above me.”

  Everyone but Maldrin watched as Anya blinked three times, as if she had come back from the dream she had just described. After Deelah rubbed her sister’s shoulder reassuringly, Garrick broke the silence.

  “What has Elias told you about the quest?” prodded the mercenary, looking first at Anya and then Deelah.

  “He has told me what seems to go with my dream. You go to seek the Scepter Sword of the King Priest,” replied Anya. “That you must go through the flames of Firebaugh and the magical power of the Shadowmage to get the remaining two Holy Stones.”

  “And that you have one of the Holy Stones already,” added Deelah. “You wear it on an elegant necklace, hidden beneath your clothes and chain mail, mercenary.”

  Garrick cocked his head down slightly and opened his eyes wider as he lowered his head to Deelah.

  “Yes, you are right, thief. It is quite stunning,” answered the mercenary, acknowledging not just the truth of Deelah’s statement, but that he also knew that the amulet was a priceless piece of jewelry.

  As Deelah opened her mouth to protest, Anya spoke first. “May I see the Holy Stone of Elion?”

  Garrick waited a few seconds, then grabbed the ornate chain from around his neck with both hands and slid the Holy Amulet over his head. As he handed it to Anya, he looked at Deelah. After taking the amulet with her left hand, the lead cleric of Valtross looked at it for a few seconds, placed her right hand on the red Stone and then prayed. Her voice was so silent her words went unheard. When she opened her eyes, they were moist with tears.

  “Never did I think that I would ever see anything as wonderful as this Holy Stone. And now I, a simple cleric, have not only seen it, but have held it,” spoke Anya in almost a whisper. Then she handed the amulet back to Garrick, who started to raise it over his head, but stopped as he noticed Deelah eyeing the amulet in awe. She looked at it with respect. With reverence. Not greed.

  Slowly Garrick lowered his hands from his head, held the chain with his left hand and cradled the Holy Stone with his right. After he nodded at the thief, Deelah touched the Stone lightly. Once she moved her hand away she looked up at Garrick and smiled. Then he put the amulet back around his neck.

  Elias smiled as well, seeing Garrick all but welcome both Anya, a cleric, and Deelah, a thief, into their group.

  “Well, my friend. What do you think? Can they join us?” asked Elias, respectfully.

  Looking up finally, Maldrin watched as Garrick walked back to stand between him and Cerelene.

  “The high priest made me the leader of this quest. I already know my answer and, of course Elias, I know yours. However, I must ask Cerelene and Maldrin before my decision can be made,” announced the mercenary, crossing his arms again.

  Elias looked over at Cerelene with anticipation. After looking at both Anya and Deelah for a moment, the elf maiden gave her answer.

  “Whatever you decide, I am with you, Garrick. But it would be nice to have another female or two after traveling with only men,” replied Cerelene matter of factly.”

  Garrick nodded at the elf maiden and then looked at his old friend. After glancing at the mercenary, Maldrin looked at Anya.

  “We needed a cleric for sure,” spoke Maldrin. Then the wizard looked at Deelah. The thief eyed Maldrin without fear. “And I am positive that this young lady will be key as well. She may be small in stature, but I believe her size, mixed with the fearlessness I see within her, will certainly come in handy when we try to acquire the Holy Ring of the dwarves from Firebaugh. And after.”

  Garrick, still standing with his arms crossed, thought for a moment. Then he put his head down and moved his right hand to his chin and rubbed it. They were all four in agreement. No dissent. Maybe it wasn’t a sign from Elion, but the situation was clear. As clear as the mortal danger they faced on their holy quest. The mercenary looked down and stroked the mystic wolf that had moved to stand next to him. After a moment, the mercenary looked up at Anya and Deelah. Then he nodded as he voiced his decision.

  “Please get your affairs in order, ladies. We leave tomorrow.”