CHAPTER SEVEN

  CONSOLING WORDS AND DIFFICULT QUESTIONS

  After The Wet Wanderer had finally docked in Fawndale, Garrick and his friends met with Captain Lestada in his quarters one last time. Though they had had their fill of food and drink during their celebration over defeating the leviathans the night before, the captain wanted one last meeting, and again he did not hold back.

  “Please, my friends. And I do think of you all as friends now…” announced Captain Lestada, raising his wine glass. “If it were not for you all, the ship most likely would not have made it. Please drink. I do not serve wine very often on the ship. I have saved this bottle for a special occasion. I believe that time is now.”

  Once Garrick and the others sipped their wine, the captain continued. “I cannot believe it, but after surveying the ship, it looks like we will only have to stay here in dock for a few more days after my business is finished.”

  “Elion works in mysterious ways,” reminded Garrick, as he lifted his glass with a smile.

  “Well whatever the case, my mercenary friend, what I do know is as long as I own this ship, you all here have free passage wherever we go. And my men agree,” nodded Lestada. “Also, we are especially indebted to you, Anya. I do not know where my crew would be without your healing powers.”

  “It is my duty and calling,” spoke Anya, bowing humbly.

  “Yes, but I am sure you never thought you would be answering the call under such frightening circumstances,” said Lestada with admiration.

  Hearing footsteps coming up the stairs, Garrick turned to see one of the captain’s men walk quickly into the room.

  “The baron has agreed to your request, captain,” spoke the young man. “Baron Michael says our friends here will be well taken care of. He even sent a carriage wagon for them. One of his drivers is outside waiting at the end of the dock.”

  Without hesitation Anya moved to the door. “Excuse me, captain. I must tell my sister the good news.”

  “I say we all should,” added Ondibar, after draining his wine glass. Then after he, Cerelene and Maldrin said their goodbyes to the captain, Garrick started behind them.

  “Garrick, wait. I almost forgot,” spoke Captain Lestada as he went over to a locked box. After opening it he grabbed a bag and tossed it at the mercenary.

  Catching the bag in surprise, Garrick looked back at Captain Lestada.

  “No charge for this voyage either,” announced the captain.

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  After looking down at the bag of gold for a moment, Garrick smiled and tossed it back.

  “Use it to fix your ship, captain. I insist,” replied the mercenary as he walked to the door.

  Once Garrick finally got below deck he could hear voices coming from the direction of Elias’ room. When he got to the room where the Knight of Providence laid, he could hear Anya’s trembling voice clearly.

  “Why can I not heal him fully, sister?” cried the cleric on bended knee. Her staff still pointed at Elias. Her other hand clutching her holy medallion.

  After seeing Garrick walk in, Deelah looked back at her sister, lovingly.

  “Do not worry, we are behind you, Anya,” announced Garrick in a steady, assuring voice as Onyx walked over to him. Then the mercenary nodded over at all of the other companions as well.

  “We have been on the go since leaving Cloud Shroud Mountain,”replied Deelah. “Once we get to Baron Michael’s, we can think more clearly. Do not worry.” Then she took her sister’s hand. “Have faith.”

  The final two words bit deep into Anya, but not with pain. With hope. Her sister, who for so long had wanted nothing of Elion, who for so long had cared nothing for the god of all creation, spoke the words that she herself had said so many times to her. Anya slipped her left arm around Deelah’s legs and looked up at Elias. The knight was alive. That was what was important right now.

  When Anya began to stand, Cerelene took her right hand and, together with Deelah, helped the cleric to rise. Then the elf maiden looked back at Garrick, Maldrin and Ondibar and waved them outside as she whispered consoling words to Anya.

  After Garrick closed the door behind the trailing Onyx, he looked at Maldrin.

  “Well, old friend, we have seen much together these many years, but nothing like this,” said Garrick, crossing his arms and shaking his head in disbelief.

  “The glow that enveloped her in the dragon's lair was reminiscent of Cheviso that time back in Parnigal, but he turned out to be a charlatan...” replied Maldrin quietly as he thought about the situation they were all in.

  “I saw a dead man's burned flesh being remade while I held his hand. A second later I saw that dead man breathe! Anya is no charlatan, that is for sure,” replied Ondibar in a huff, but his face mellowed. Then they all looked up as the door opened and Cerelene and Azure emerged.

  “What do you think, Cerelene?” asked Garrick when the elf maiden stood next to Ondibar.

  “The voice,” replied Cerelene quietly as she stroked Azure’s wing nervously. “We all heard it,” continued the elf maiden, looking down at Ondibar. Then she looked up at Garrick and Maldrin. “That…that was not Anya. But Elion has never spoken through someone else before. Not a cleric, not a high priest…”

  “Not even the King Priest,” finished Maldrin, as he began to pet Tal in a pocket of his robe.

  “Certainly, none of his many legends speak of it, let alone raising someone from the dead,” added Ondibar, stroking his long beard.

  “I saw her eyes glow,” said Garrick quietly, as if to himself as he rubbed Onyx’s head. Then realizing he had spoken out loud, he looked up at his companions.

  “What do you mean, mercenary?” asked Ondibar, his hand stopping fast in the middle of his beard.

  “I was not sure I had seen it, but before we fought Firebaugh, when we were about to leave the stone room that connected to the tunnel, her eyes glowed,” revealed Garrick. “But it was her voice when she talked to me. I still remember her saying, ‘I am no longer afraid.’”

  “Anya’s eyes glow when she has a prophetic dream,” added Maldrin. “Both she and Deelah have said so.”

  “Her eyes…and then her whole body glowed when she brought Elias back,” spoke Cerelene. Then she looked at Garrick. “She has no memory of raising Elias. Which means…”

  When her voice trailed off, Garrick grabbed the elf maiden's hand firmly. “What? What are you thinking? What were you about to say?”

  Looking back up after being brought back from her thoughts, Cerelene looked at Garrick, Maldrin and Ondibar and bit her lip. Then she spoke.

  “Maybe Anya is not alone.”