The Home Stone

Dawn came quickly and the weather continued to co-operate as Shannon prepared to leave. The two groups mounted and said their good-byes. What would have been a few days of fun games, as Shannon liked to call it, now had a sense of urgency about it. She kept looking back at Kirin as the separate parties rode in opposite directions and out of sight. Mounted on her horse, she rode up beside Treymane and Blick, who were at the head of the seven dwarfs that would accompany her to Laggin. The other twelve dwarfs that Blick had arrived with were left to guard the sanctuary.

“I hope they don’t drink all the ale,” Maynard called from behind, as they exited the sanctuary and turned onto the east road that led to Laggin.

Waving goodbye to Blick and the Halfling, she turned her attention back to Maynard and the trip east. Shannon laughed as she rode alongside the seasoned warrior. “I don’t think there’s enough left to last out the day, the way you all were going at it last night. Anyway, I gave one of dwarfs the enough money to purchase a couple of barrels for when you return.” answered the elf girl.

The old warrior just grunted and nodded his head, but Shannon could see that he was pleased. She knew him well enough by now to know that he would be content. The old veteran of many wars has been in her sanctuary for just over two years. She could see that it delighted him that he was given such an important job to protect her and the refuge. She too, was happy that he was the one chosen by Blick to be there.

They rode on all morning stopping only for a short rest and a small meal when the sun stood straight overhead. The conversation was kept to a minimum, as Shannon was lost within her thoughts of the past night’s news. She had only seen the Home Stone once about nineteen years ago, when she was asked to undergo the ceremony for the first time. The stone has great healing powers as well as a life sustaining energy. It can heal most grave wounds, but cannot bring back the dead. However, it can prevent death if it is used in time.

She remembered the Great Hall, which is normally void of fancy decorations and only has a few tables and chairs that are used in decision-making or planning of new construction. Now these were pushed to the side and rows of chairs, each decorated with flowers and fancy ribbons lined the walls. Tables, draped with the finest tablecloths, were placed in front of the chairs. A small alter was placed at the head table and large candles were set at the two outer corners and in the middle stood an ornate box with locks on each of the four sides, surrounded by boughs from a hemlock tree. This tree was considered to be holy. Anyone caught defacing or cutting down one of these holy icons would be brought before the High Council of Elders for judgment. Outside the Great Hall, the Home Guard was deployed and on high alert. No one was taking any chances with the Home Stone inside and away from its secret lair.

Now entered the High Council of Elders, followed by high-ranking diplomats and soldiers. Next came the general public that was invited to the ceremony. Once everyone was seated in their proper place, the clerics who would perform the ceremony were the next to enter the hall. Then Shannon, flanked by Elven maidens all clad in short white dresses entered the hall and slowly danced their way to the alter throwing white flower petals into the air and let them flutter down, cover the very ground that she walked on. As they neared the clerics, the maids moved to stand beside them and faced Shannon. The ceremony began with the maids kneeling and Shannon left to stand by herself, before the white draped alter. One of the clerics unlocked the box containing the stone and placed his hands inside. He then removed a faintly glowing perfectly round crystal and held it in his outstretched hands at eye level. The other clerics began to chant and entered a trance like state. Though Shannon had learned the elvish language, this ancient tongue was unfamiliar to her. When the chanting ceased, the crystal was placed on a three-legged stand for all to see. Now it was glowing almost to the point of hurting Shannon’s eyes. She was then asked to step forward and the stone was placed into her hands. Cupping the crystal, she felt its warm life sustaining energy begin to flow up through her arms and then throughout her entire body, as she repeated the prayer in the ancient tongue.

When the ceremony came to an end, the stone was placed back into its box and locked. Under a heavy guard it was removed from the hall and brought back to its secret hiding place. As soon as the clerics returned, the festivities began. Shannon was escorted to the head of the table where the elders were all seated. There she took her seat, as the guest of honor, for it was a great tribute to have the Ceremony of Life bestowed upon her. Then trays upon trays of food were brought in. The elf girl’s friends were all seated near the head table to her right. Kirin had seen to it that the dwarf guests were treated to some of the best dwarf ale available. When the feast was concluded the musicians were brought in and the dancing began. The party lasted throughout the night, with most of the guests staggering home or passed out and slumped over on the table.

Ever since she came to this world some twenty years ago, Shannon wanted to be part of that energy. She knew about the power of the stone and what it meant to the elves. She also knew that they must get it back before Evermore disappears forever. If the elves lose the magic in the crystal, and its energy wanes, they and the stone would be gone forever. This, she could not let happen.

The group rode on for most of the day in silence, with just the odd clearing of the throat or complaint about sitting in a saddle too long was heard. Dwarfs did not like to ride. They are not good horsemen, and they prefer to walk. They say that they cannot fight from on top of a moving beast and they would much rather be standing on firm ground. They also do not like the sea. Most of them get seasick the moment their feet touch the deck of any ship, whether it is in the water or on dry land, but they also knew that time here was of the essence.

Looking at Maynard, Shannon saw a lot of her friend Duncan in him. She had often wondered, if he was the reincarnation of her old friend, but she knew better. Though in many ways he acted just like him. His gruff voice, the way he carried himself when someone was looking for a fight or just confronting him. In many ways Maynard reminded her of Duncan.

They continued to ride until sundown, when they made camp just off the main road. Here under the canopy of a large old Oak they sat. Some leftover wild boar, served with roasted spiced potatoes, returned some of that lost energy from sitting in the saddle all day long. They washed down the warm meal with some dwarf ale. There was no wine here. Kirin had taken it, leaving her the ale. It was strong, but thirst quenching.

Suddenly Shannon’s hair in the back of the neck began to stand. She slowly moved over to the dwarf and whispered, “I think we’re being watched.”

“We have been followed since we left the sanctuary,” answered Maynard. “I think that there are only a couple of them waiting to see where we are heading. We are safe for there are too many of us for them, so you can sleep easy tonight.”

Maynard set the guards for the night and Shannon crawled under her blanket and in no time, fell asleep. For the first part of the night she slept deep, but after midnight she was wide awake. If it had not been for the snoring of the sleeping dwarfs, she would have saddled up and continued her journey, but she knew that out there, watching and waiting was someone who she did not want to meet. So the rest of the night she spent dozing. Her dreams took her from her family that she had left behind in the ancient times and back to the Dragon’s Mouth.