The Home Stone

Kirin now alone with just the five elves continued on for most of the day, and on towards the bridge that separated Caldor from Maitland. It was a warm day and the sun shone brightly. Around midday they stopped to eat and rest the horses, but it was a short rest and soon found the party back on the road. As the sun ducked down behind the trees, they came the stone bridge. It was an old bridge. Hewed out of solid granite by the dwarfs many hundreds of years ago. It has stood up to many a battle between the races. Especially, one of the earlier wars that was fought against their old enemy, the elves. That conflict lasted for almost two hundred years before a truce was called. It was now well-rutted and showing signs of wearing here and there, but it would still stand for another few hundred years, before it needed to be rebuilt.

A small village rose on the Caldor side. Ever since the Orc war twenty years ago the dwarfs and elves agreed that the bridge needed to be garrisoned on a more permanent basis. So, a small fort was built and the families of the soldiers were the first to build homes and farm the land near the bridge. The homes were simple, with low thatched roofs to keep the rain and cold out. Each house had a small garden where they proudly grew their vegetables and flowers. There was no inn to speak of and the garrison had no room for Kirin and his men. A decision was made to cross the bridge and stay the night just inside of Maitland.

Here on a small grassy meadow, just off the main South River road, he called for them to stop and make camp. After a warm meal of roast venison, left over from yesterday’s feast, and washed down with some fine wine, the six sat around the fire and talked. They carried on for a while until the fire burned down. They then lay down and rolled up in their blankets and soon were asleep. The last thing that Kirin did was to post the watch for the night and then joined the rest for a good night’s sleep.

The next morning just after dawn they were on the road again, heading for Misty Falls. The day like the one before was uneventful, with the only stops for food and Mother Nature.

Dusk had already fallen and long dark shadows covered the road, when the lights on the walls of the village of Misty Falls peeked through the trees, illuminating their approach. It was an eerie sight, for the lights seemed to be hanging in midair, about forty-to-fifty feet up. The west wall of the village was as black as a moonless night.

Kirin sent one of the warriors to ride on ahead and advise the guards of their coming. The gates were standing open as they approached and the home guard saluted Kirin as the party entered and rode past. Their next stop was the home of Alicia, Kirin’s mother. She was standing on the porch of her home, as they rode up. Kirin had the horses taken to the stables just down the street and when the elf returned he found the others already sitting around the table and eating.

“Come and sit with the others,” Alicia said in a soft-spoken voice. “You too, must be hungry,” as she directed the elf to a chair.

Once the meal was concluded, the men entered the sitting room and stood by a large fireplace. There, Dreen lit his long pipe and began to speak.

“What will happen once we reach Evermore?” he asked.

“Patience, my dear friend,” said Kirin. “For I myself don’t know the answer to that question.”

Leaving the boys to themselves, Kirin left the house and strolled over to the west wall. There he climbed up the stone stairway and stared out over the grassy meadow. From here he could also see the giant falls that tumbled down into the Misty River that cut the village in two. In the evening light of the moon, one could see the mist of the cascading water rising from the churning pool below. It was not a wide falls but it was high. He was so deep in thought that he did not here Ashley approach.

“It’s a beautiful night,” she said softly.

Jumping with his dagger pulled halfway out of its scabbard, he turned. Ashley was a young maiden with deep feelings for Kirin. She knew that he loved Shannon, but always thought that if there would be a chance she would be there for him. She has loved Kirin from the day she set eyes on him some one hundred years ago.

“Easy captain!” the elf girl continued with a calming voice. “There are no enemies here. At least… not tonight.”

Kirin just stared and then relaxed his hand and pushed the knife back into protective holder.

“You startled me,” he responded with a relieved sigh. “You could have made a little more noise.”

Looking at her friend, Ashley responded with a question. “A penny for your thoughts?” she spoke softly. “That’s what Shannon always asks. Isn’t it?”

“I was just thinking of her.” Kirin answered. “Just remembering the time, we escaped the orcs out there,” he said pointing down and across the meadow and over to the forest. “How we ever got passed those beasts is beyond me,” he continued. “The gods surely were on our side that night.”

Ashley agreed as she peered down into the darkness below. “They surely were.” She remembered that night for she was on watch when the friends sneaked out of the city.

A short time later the two walked back to the house. Misty Falls was always a happy place with its people forever cheerful and ready to give a hand to those in need. All the homes were neatly arranged with plenty of flowers in the front gardens. The white painted picket fences and the manicured lawns made the village look like something out of a fairytale. It was a place where she had always wanted to live and bring up a family.

Back at the house, the rest of Kirin’s men were engrossed in conversation about some adventure they had been on last year. The six had been on holidays and were helping Blick and Treymane search for some fabled jewel, supposedly hidden deep in the northern mountains that divided the Hillshire and the Snow Lands. They had searched in a place called Flat Rock, also known as Mount Capstone, but had never found the entrance. Now they argued as to where they would search once this quest was completed.