The Windy Dwarf Celebration

Once upon a time in the land of Atheria, there was a princess Nea and a princess Lulu and they went on the most amazing adventures. After restoring the Land Ruins they had gotten word that the dwarfs were planning a celebration and were going to honor the keepers of the Terrainian crystals, mainly because it was Elifonia, Potifonia and Jacob (three dwarfs) who were the keepers of the brown Terrainian Crystal. 

So they invited Princess Nea, Lulu, Jo, Darius, Princess Ellery and lots and lots of other beings throughout Atheria. There were even some humans, like Princess Ellery and Darius, an ogre, like their friend Wahl, and fairies, like Flix and Springle in the mix. And Princess Nea and Princess Lulu traveled far away up to the north, past the Dwarf Mining Camp, to the land of the dwarfs.

Now, as you may or may not know, dwarfs live mostly underground in caves. But this day, they were having their celebration outside, in a big field that was surrounded by trees. And they had much food and drink and games outside for everyone to celebrate with. There was so much good food and things to do you, you could hardly contain yourself. They even had music playing on fancy instruments.

And the Shadow Man was there. And when he saw Darius, he gave his son a big hug.

The party was going perfect, everybody was celebrating, until they started to hear - and feel - a huge gust of wind. [Whooosh] And when everyone looked up, all the trees around the field were swinging in the wind, back and forth. And then all the tables and chairs started to fall over.

And then [crash!] down came a huge tree in the middle of the party and knocked over the stage where the band was playing and all the performers with their instruments went running back into the caves. 

“Quick everyone,” shouted Ruby, the dwarf chief, “Into the Caves of Wolfmond where we can escape the wind. It’s safe in there. We’ll continue the party there!”

When Nea & Lulu got to the caves, they were too late. A bunch of trees had fallen and blocked the way to the cave and they couldn’t get in.

“How are we going to get back down into the caves?” asked Princess Ellery.

If only we had some big strong people nearby to help out. Nea thought. She immediately thought of the friendly ogre who had helped the dwarfs before. The one who had accidentally knocked down the tower then offered to help fix it. She also thought of O’Lah, their friend, who was an ogre and very smart and helpful. 

In general ogres and dwarfs didn’t normally get along, and to be honest, ogres didn’t really get along well with any of the other species. At least that’s what most people thought.

Now, if O’Lah was there, she would have been sure to help, but she was on another adventure - finding the other temple ruins so she could heal the water across Atheria with Paul. 

But someone else was there, Wahl, an ogre who had accidentally knocked down a tower and helped build it back, was there. He had heard about the celebration and after making amends with the dwarfs came back often to spend time with them. In fact, he was on his own adventure to learn more about his long-lost family. 

“Maybe I can help!” Wahl said, fixing his glasses and sizing up the trees. He had just now made it back to the caves - a little later than everyone else. 

“Wahl!” yelled the crowd of dwarfs. Having become raving fans of the large ogre since getting to know him a little better. 

As he walked up towards the fallen trees, the crowd parted, making for him a path to trees. Wahl was so much bigger than the dwarfs that he towered above them. He started lifting the trees up, and with the help of a few others, moved them out of the way. 

Meanwhile, the wind continued to pick up, blowing everyone’s hair in every direction and even throwing all of the napkins and cups into the sky.

Once the cave entrance was clear, everyone headed in and continued celebrating. Well, almost everyone. Wahl found a table towards the back of the main hall and sat with a mug of grog. Thinking about his long-lost family. He had grown up an orphan in a ogre family and never knew his real parents or if had siblings.

Princess Nea and Lulu decided to join him and thank him once again for all of his help. When they sat down, Wahl gave them a timid smile.

“It must be nice to know your family.” He said.

“Well, kind of.” Said Nea, looking at her sister Lulu. “Don’t you know yours?”

“Not really. I’ve never really felt like I belonged anywhere. I’m an orphan. And I don’t really act like other ogres.”

“What does an ogre act like?” asked Lulu. “Angry and mean?”

Wahl just looked at Lulu and didn’t answer. Everyone throughout Atheria knew what ogres and trolls were like. They all thought they were mean and angry all the time. 

“Wahl of Traycod. You are a kind, noble ogre.” Said Nea. “Something that anyone should be like - ogre, troll, dwarf, elf or human!”

Wahl perked up a bit and smiled. 

“I just feel like if I found my family, it might make more sense. Who I am, how I feel.”

He looked around cautiously, then decided to ask the princesses a very special question.

“Have you heard of Ella’s well?”

Nea and Lulu paused. They had in fact of heard of it. Ella was an enchanted elf of long ago who ruled the elven kingdoms around Atheria. She was very wealthy and had three warrior children, whom she loved dearly and they rode on griffins around Atheria. The story goes that they went missing one day and were rumored to have been kidnapped. 

Ella was heartbroken and spent her days and nights weeping over her lost children. They say she did so much weeping that her tears created a pool of water outside her window and that eventually there was so much water it sunk into the ground and created a well. 

When all hope was lost, Ella forged three magic coins from her most precious metal - a coin for each of her children - and promised to give one magic coin to whoever brought her children back to her safely. Legend has it that these coins, if thrown into her well would grant their owner whatever they wished.

But that was just an old elf legend - wasn’t it? Kids all over Atheria shared that story in hopes of finding a magic coin and making a wish come true. 

“Maybe if I found one of Ella’s coins, I could find my long-lost family. I could be reunited with them.”

“And have whatever wish you made come true!” Nea said, getting excited about what she might wish for. 

Wahl looked around again, then pulled the princesses close, “I’ve heard stories that the well is to the west of the Forest of Forevermore.”

“I would be careful what you wish for,” Said Ruby, walking up to the table. She had been listening and decided to finally come over.

“I had a friend once. Wished night and day for an amulet. The most beautiful amulet you’ve ever seen. In fact, I’d be lying if I didn’t think twice about it for myself. But my friend, you see, he wanted nothing but this amulet and would do anything for it. One day he got his wish. And I’ll tell you three, it was nothing but trouble. This amulet, it came with a curse!”

“You think the coins are cursed?”

“I just know to be careful when handling matters of magic. Magic can be a powerful and intoxicating thing. You’ve got to be sure that your heart is pure. Magic can sense your motives - you’ve gotta be sure of them. If you’re not, magic can change a person. That’s why it’s important to make sure those crystals find keepers pure of heart.”

“How do you know so much, Ruby?”

“Let’s just say this isn’t the first time I’ve seen the crystals or experienced magic. You’re friend Ruby has seen quite a few sights in her days.” She winked then walked away. 

“Wahl of Traycod, I’d like to help you.” Said Nea. 

“Me too.” Agreed Lulu. 

Wahl smiled. “I’d like that too. I have something else to show you. It’s how I might know where the well is.” He said, pulling out of his pocked a blank piece of parchment. 

“It’s a map.” 

But to them, it just looked like blank page of parchment. 

“It’s not much now, but when you look at it in moonlight it shows you different things around Atheria. One night I noticed a marking to the west of the Forest of Forevermore - I think it was Ella’s Well. A few nights later, the well was gone but something else called Griffin’s Keep showed up to the west of Boxley Wild. Every few nights something else shows up, then starts over again at the beginning of the month.” 

That night, they agreed to head out of the cave with Wahl and take a look at his enchanted map. And when they did, they were surprised to see an enchanted well just to the west of the Forest of Forevermore, just like Wahl said. 

Although they weren’t quite sure about this next adventure, Princess Nea and Lulu couldn’t help think about what they might wish for if Ella’s Well and her coins were, in fact, true. 

The end.