Seekers of the Stone Maker

She watched as they stood in a line. The snow fell quickly, making it hard to see anything beyond twenty feet, but they did not seem worried about the cold and low visibility. In front of them, an opening into a cave went back for a hundred feet, then into darkness. Just on the edge of sight, something stood there, waiting. It was as still as stone, not moving or breathing by what she saw.

Ana pulled some fresh garlic from her bag and handed it to her allies. Ana said something to her friends but didn’t hear it. She knew they all heard, though, as they nodded, took a bite of the roots and leaves, then placed the rest into various pouches they carried.

The party looked older, but not by much. A few weeks at most. They looked like they had been traveling for a while in the cold, but rest and magic do wonders on a body’s health, whether they had been human, tabaxi, orc-ish, or eladrin.

To the right, she saw the Archmage. She felt her body lean into the mirror, getting close enough to whisper in his ear.

“You should have joined me.”

The mirror’s vision of the future went black, and she stepped back in shock.

The mind-diver is still connected to me, I assume. I must be careful, then.

She was shaken by her thoughts by a knock at the door. She waved her hand across the mirror, turning it to a regular state, and walked over. A man and woman in their fifties stood nervously on the other side of the door. She opened the door and smiled at their stature.

“Yes?”

“Ms. Harkspell, we’re ready to depart if you are,” The man sputtered.

“I believe I have everything I need right now, Mr. Bakkan. What is the route we are to take?” She asked him.

“Well,” the man’s wife answered. “We just had a load dropped from Tamvir Skypeak, and we’ll be heading straight to Miofell with the shipment. It should take a few weeks.”

Helena pulled ten platinum pieces from a pouch on a small table in her room and placed them in the woman’s hand.

“I would like us to make a stop along the way. What is the closest port to Fairhaven?”

“That would be Brightport, Ma’am,” Mr. Bakkan replied.

“Well, let’s make our way to Brightport along the way. There is a seriously ill man there that needs my help. A scientist who fell into a terrible disease.”

Mr. and Mrs. Bakkan bowed slightly, then turned to leave. As they made their way up the stairs to the ship’s main deck, she watched them go and the three young children running around.

“Onira!” Helena shouted in a sing-song voice.

The blond elf stopped, seeing Helena at the door. Her smile grew from ear to ear, and she ran towards her.

“Bye, Calder! Bye, Tonna!” Onira yelled over her shoulder as she descended the stairs and through the hallway to stop at Helena’s feet.

Onira hugged her, and Helena leaned down to hug her back.

“You were gone for a while this time,” Onira stated.

“Yes, my child. I had to make a few side quests on this last journey, but I am back now and don’t plan on leaving again for some time.”

“Is it okay if I play with my new friends a little more?”

“Not tonight, dear. You must eat supper first and do your studies.”

Onira’s smile faded, and she became visibly sad.

“Tomorrow?”

Helena placed her fingers on Onira’s forehead, moving it softly to get the hair out of her face and set it behind her pointed ears. She cupped her cheek in her palm and smiled at the child.

“Yes, my dear. Tomorrow.”