"Arthos the Verdant, well done! I knew you would succeed." The shopkeeper said with delight upon seeing Arthos and his companions enter his shop. He had been expecting to see him.
He continued, "I know the Verdant Armor is not the flashiest but what impressive armor. You look like the Kings of old."
The Verdant Armor did not appear as anything special at first glance. It had an old bronze armor color often associated with new/poor players. Upon closer inspection, however, intricate wooden carvings and fine details could be seen…but required close examination to truly appreciate them.
"Did you know this would happen? Did you know that the wall would open up and let us through? What about the tree…did you know about the talking tree?" Arthos rambled quickly pouring out all his questions like vomit. He paced around the shopkeeper like a cage-fighter.
The shopkeeper continued to smile brightly, overjoyed and delighted by the turn of events.
He said, "so you meet him. Perfect! That is truly wonderful news!"
"Who is he? He didn't give us his name." Wain asked in a calm and rational voice.
"That depends…there are two of them. One old and one new."
"Stop! Please just stop! Stop with the riddles and the games…I just want a straight answer…for once, please." Arthos implored.
The shopkeeper remained silent for a moment as he considered how much information he could share. He said after a prolonged silence, "tell me exactly, exactly what the tree said…and start from the beginning when you arrived at the wall. Don't leave out any details. I want to hear everything…even the trivial stuff."
For the next 15-20 minutes Arthos rambled as he retold everything that occurred. Occasionally stopping to act out certain parts...like charades. Wain and Kristan interrupted occasionally to add additional details where Arthos forgot or overlooked. The shopkeeper said little, he listened and watched like a spectator at the SuperBowl watching the final game-winning play...glued to his seat.
After Arthos and his friends finished their story, the shopkeeper stood up and walked toward the corner fighting the urge to break down in tears. He quietly wiped his eyes, cleared his throat, and returned to Arthos and the group.
He said, "the tree is not really a tree as you probably surmised by now. It's a person…two souls to be precise. Two people long ago, on the brink of death, managed to engrave their souls onto the tree as an anchor…and they have waited there for a long time for this moment…for you…to meet you, Arthos."
The shopkeeper continued, "the one that spoke is the newer one…the newer soul. The other is older…far older. Older than Avalor itself."
Arthos asked, "who are they? One voice said they were not part of the system…that they were from the outside. What did he mean?"
The shopkeeper hesitated for a moment, his eyes honest and pained. "That I can't tell you. I wish I could…but I can't. All I can do is urge you…no implore you to follow the tree's advice and investigate the ring…but do it carefully…you are about to step into the rabbit hole."
[…]
An hour later, the shopkeeper sat in the basement of his shop sobbing softly as he pictured the events narrated by Arthos and his companions. His hands caressed the hilt of Calibur…the SSS-tier sword wielded by the First King…a man he called a dear friend…and a man he missed terribly every single day.
"Old man, are you ok?" Pompy asked as he walked down the basement stairs.
There he caught sight of his old friend and companion clutching Calibur next to his bosom...like a mother holding her child.
"Gravin…what's wrong? Are you ok?" Pompy asked worried.
"It called to him…and he heard it."
"Who called to him? What are you talking about?" Pompy asked confused.
"IT," the shopkeeper said while lifting the sword slightly, "it called to him…and he managed to hear its call. He heard it in his bones…in the deepest recesses of his soul. There are things that no system, time, not even space can erase."
"Calibur called to him?" Pompy asked in amazement...knowing full well the implications.
"Yes, for a moment the two were bonded…across space and time...bonded as it should be." He sobbed unable to hold his tears…they were like the tears of a prisoner released after completing a life-sentence, finally returning home.
He continued, "How I waited…endured agony clinging to life in this frail and old body of mine. Waiting for this day."
"Gravin…if what you say is true…the boy is in grave danger…his enemy…his REAL enemy will seek him out and destroy him." Pompy warned with a solemn voice.
"Then, it's time we summoned our mutual friend…the boy will need allies…strong allies for the wars to come." The shopkeeper instructed.
[...]
[SCAVENGERS GUILD HALL]
"I knew there was something fishy about that shopkeeper…he knows more than he is telling," Kristan said with annoyance.
"Yes, but let's forget him for now…let's review what we know. Wain, have you discovered anything about the ring?" Arthos asked as he conducted a guild meeting with his friends behind locked doors.
"Actually, I have. The day we found it; I didn't say anything because I thought it was a long shot. Customers who purchase rings with large diamonds are asked to "register" their diamonds. This is done mostly for insurance and security purposes."
He continued explaining like a professor giving a lecture to freshmen students, "large expensive diamond are engraved with a microscopic serial number…too small to see with the naked eye. In theory you may be able to cross-reference the number to find the registered owner."
"So, I did that…and you guys are not going to believe who the owner of the ring is."
"Who?" Kristan asked.
"David Gates," Wain replied.
"Never heard of him." Hector said flatly.
"Professor David Gates was the first employee hired by NAVA when it was first formed." Wain explained.
"Where is he now?" Arthos asked.
"That's where things get strange…he is currently missing. His wife filed a police report 5 years ago alleging that NAVA kidnapped him. She currently lives in Lumina, New Mexico."
"Lumina, New Mexico…why does that name sound familiar?" Arthos asked.
"It's where NAVA is headquartered." Kristan said recognizing the name.
That was no coincidence…it was a clue, a clue that would unravel the mystery behind NAVA and Avalor.
"You guys want to take a road trip?" Arthos asked with a mischievous grin.