Barlo reminded himself that Golaron had lost someone too. He forced himself to look up.
“Thank you. Linwyn was an incredible woman. She touched many lives. She will be well remembered.” Golaron nodded his thanks and stepped away for a moment to himself.
Silvaranwyn knelt on the dirt road in front of Barlo. She took both his hands and gently forced him to meet her gaze. Her changed, silver eyes were beautiful, but shadowed with a deep sorrow.
“Barlo, the world is changing. What Iarion did, what we helped him do, it is affecting us all. Thanks to him, the sundering of the elves is over. Now there is no longer a need for Shadow Elves. When they fulfill their current life’s purpose, they will be reborn as Light Elves. We will be reunited once more.”
“What about you?”
“I am unique.” Silvaranwyn looked down. “I have chosen to forsake my heritage to honor the Quenya. Eventually, I will be the only one of my kind. When I finally fulfill my destiny and my life is over, I can only hope I will rejoin my kin, but I do not know for certain.”
She looked up again. “There is something else I need to tell you. Before Iarion died, he reconnected with the Quenya. He also embraced his fate willingly. Because of this, my heart tells me he will be restored to his former self. That means he will eventually be reborn as a Light Elf with a full memory of his previous lives.”
Barlo frowned as the information sank in. Silvaranwyn looked at him expectantly. Barlo’s eyes lit up and he jumped in the air, letting out a whoop of excitement.
“You mean he’ll come back? And he’ll remember me?”
“I believe so.” Silvaranwyn smiled. “But I must warn you, I do not know when this will take place. It may be soon, or it may be a hundred years from now. Although in Iarion’s case, I think it will be sooner rather than later. He has much to come back for.”
“I don’t care if it takes five hundred years. I’m a dwarf! I’m too stubborn to die. But he’d better not keep me waiting too long, if he knows what’s good for him,” Barlo growled before losing control. He was laughing and crying all at once. He threw his arms around Silvaranwyn.
“Thank you.” Barlo let go when he realized he was nearly crushing her.
“Be well, Master Dwarf,” she said as she stood. “And please visit.” She took Golaron’s arm and waved before heading north through the pass.
Barlo wiped the tears from his eyes and sighed. He realized he was grinning. It was time to go home. He realized he was actually looking forward to it. If nothing else, his adventures would make a wonderful story for the children. He looked over at Sinstari, who stared back with blinking, green eyes.
“How am I going to explain all this to Narilga?” He threw his hands in the air before hugging himself in excitement. “I can’t believe he’s coming back.”
Barlo narrowed his eyes. “You already knew, didn’t you?”
Sinstari merely cocked his head to the side. Barlo knew he should have known better than to expect an answer. What was he doing, talking to a cat?
“Bah, never mind. Now come on, you great big lug of a beast. Let’s go home.”
Discover the lost world of Ralvaniar, where dragons, Sea Folk, and blood-drinking demons run rampant.
Enjoy a sneak peak of the prequel to Soul Seeker:
LIGHT CHASERS – A Novel of Lasniniar & Ralvaniar
By Jacquelyn Smith
– Chapter One –
Fire and Water
Valanandir’s throat spasmed as he tried not to choke. He spat out a salty mouthful of seawater, coughing. The unnatural mixture of air and water burned his throat and lungs. He blinked rapidly, trying to clear his stinging eyes. He gripped some nearby rigging one-handed and flung out his other arm for balance as the ship rocked beneath him. His vision slowly came into focus.
The sky was completely dark, as it always was. Most of the ship’s lanterns had gone out. As luck would have it, there were other sources of light available, creating a flickering twilight. Enormous forms swooped overhead on dark wings that beat the air like thunder, churning the waters below into a frenzy. Sporadic jets of flame blasted down from above, punctuating the darkness as the serpentine juggernauts made one pass after the other, their long necks and tails writhing. Bright, slitted eyes peered out from scaled faces, picking out their next target. They were glaurinu—dragons. Despite the frigid water soaking him to the bone, Valanandir’s skin felt hot. The ship was on fire. Other vessels, already engulfed in flame, lit up the water like torches.
A shocked numbness washed over him as he stood frozen in place, unnoticed for the time being. He wondered if this was what his parents had felt like before they had been killed in battle. According to the stories, they had gone down fighting against the dark army, but his own attackers were hopelessly out of reach.
Would he be remembered as his parents had been? He had no siblings to carry on his memory. The only blood family he had were his aunt and uncle, who would be devastated when they learned his fate. They had always hoped he would stay with them on Arindaria among the fisherfolk of the isle, but the call to follow in his parents’ footsteps had been too strong.
Now he was out in the waters of the sea under attack by the dragons of the dark army—just one doomed skirmish in a war that had been raging since the beginning of time between the creatures of light and darkness.
Screams of panicked agony pierced Valanandir’s awareness. He pushed wet strands of long, silver hair from his eyes and behind his pointed ears with his free hand. Bodies lay strewn about the deck of his ship, bloody, charred, and lifeless. Others floated on the waves.
He could see figures running about the decks of the other ships, haloed in flames. Their cries echoed across the water, only to be cut short as they jumped overboard. Even the sea held no escape. The unnatural waves were too strong, even for the crafty Sea Elves. The wounded shadows soon slipped below the surface, or went still.
Valanandir had escaped this fate thus far, somehow unnoticed by the relentless dragons. He remained hidden in the shadows, his dusky skin helping to camouflage him. But this had not saved any of his companions, and soon his ship would be consumed. If he could last long enough, perhaps the dragons would leave and he could try to make his escape.
As the cries of the wounded sailors on the other ships died out, most of the dragons seemed to lose interest and flew off into the darkness. Valanandir held his breath, waiting for the others to leave. The next few moments slid by with agonizing slowness as the looming shadows circled overhead.
Just when he was beginning to hope the nightmare might be over, one of the dragons swooped downward. Valanandir let out his pent up breath in a gasp. The body of the creature was huge, dwarfing any of the others. Its black scales gleamed dully in the light of the fires. Valanandir nearly gagged on the musky stench that radiated from its body and filled the air each time the creature beat its enormous wings.
Not it, he. Valanandir knew this foul beast. All of Ralvaniar trembled at the mere thought of him. He was Nargaz, lord of the dark dragons. Valanandir heard a mew of terror, and realized it was his own. He clenched his quivering jaw and squeezed his eyes shut, wishing himself somewhere else.
Valanandir heard the roar of flame and felt its heat. His eyes opened in surprise once he realized he had not been consumed. His pupils narrowed to mere pinpricks of shock within silver irises, darting left and right in confusion. The air was silent, save for the crackle of flame, the wingbeats of the dragons overhead, and his own ragged breathing.
A fresh scream ripped through the night air. Valanandir felt tears slide down his hot cheeks. He was torn between relief the victim wasn’t him, and a sympathizing despair. Choking back a sob, he continued to cling to the hempen rigging, its rough surface biting into his sweat-slick hand.
The screaming grew louder. Valanandir turned his head toward its source and saw one of his shipmates staggering toward him, engulfed in flame. His face was a tortured mask of agony, beyond Valanandir’s recognition. He
weaved and stumbled, eventually falling to his hands and knees at Valanandir’s feet. Valanandir caught his bottom lip between his teeth, still hoping to remain unnoticed by the remaining dragons.
Valanandir was unsure whether the unfortunate soul writhing at his feet had seen him until he looked up at Valanandir with eyes filled with an unspoken plea. Valanandir knew it was too late to save him. Yet if he did nothing and somehow survived, this moment would haunt him for the rest of his life. He could not in good conscience watch a fellow elf burn alive at his feet without trying to save him or put him out of his misery.
Valanandir sighed and released the rigging to bend down to the figure at his feet. He braced himself before scooping him into his arms. The elf cried out once before sagging in relief. Valanandir’s wet skin and clothing would protect him for only a few moments from the flames that licked the dying elf’s body.
He would have to be quick.
Afterword
I hope you enjoyed Soul Seeker. This book is definitely the most ambitious project I’ve attempted (so far). I’ve spent so much time with these characters in their world that they’ve come to life for me. Hardly a day goes by without me thinking of new adventures for them.
If you did enjoy this book, I would really appreciate it if you posted a review or shared it with a friend to help spread the word. It might not seem like much, but that sort of thing can really help out a new author like me!
You can also check out the tribe and connect pages for some links to where you can stalk—I mean connect with me online. ;)
Thanks, and happy reading!
~Jacquelyn
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Appendices
To view full-size versions of all images in this ebook and explore additional online resources, visit The World of Lasniniar.
Guide to Pronunciation
All references are to English words unless otherwise stated.
Elvish Vowels
A is a as in fare when following a vowel in the first syllable, otherwise a as in far.
E is ee as in steep when preceding a vowel, e as in step when before a consonant, and a as in ape when it is the last letter in a word.
I is ee as in steep when preceding a vowel or when it is the last letter in a word, otherwise i as in pin.
O is o as in low when following a vowel or the letters K or L, or when it is the last letter in a word, otherwise u as in fun.
U is always oo as in stool.
Y is always y as in yellow, NOT like in symptom.
Elvish Consonants
C is always hard and pronounced as k, NEVER s.
G is always hard as in green, and NOT soft as in rage.
N is always emphasized.
R is always clipped, as in the pronunciation of the Spanish word rapido.
TH is always soft, as in think, NOT hard as in then.
Dwarvish Vowels
A is always pronounced a as in far.
E is always pronounced e as in step.
I is i as in ill when preceding the letters L and N, otherwise it is ee as in leer.
O is always o as in low.
U is always oo as in stool.
Dwarvish Consonants
G is always hard, as in green, and NOT soft as in rage.
H is guttural, almost a kh sound.
R is clipped like in Elvish, but heavier.
Black Tongue Vowels
A is always pronounced a as in far.
E is always pronounced e as in step.
I is always ee as in leer.
O is always o as in low.
U is always oo as in stool.
Black Tongue Consonants
G is always hard, as in green, and NOT soft as in rage.
R is rolled, like the letter rr in the Spanish perro.
Z is pronounced as ts as in the Japanese tsunami when it is the first letter of the word, otherwise it is z as in maze.
Languages of Lasniniar
The Common Tongue/Common
The Common Tongue is the first language of Greater Men, and is usually understood as a second language by the other races, although less so by those who have limited interactions with those not of their own kind. The various tribes of Lesser Men each have their own dialect, which is derived from Common.
The Elven Tongue/Elvish
The Elven Tongue is the oldest of all the languages, having been brought to Lasniniar by the elves when they fled Ralvaniar. Many place names in Lasniniar are Elvish in origin as a result.
Greater Men often name their children in the Elvish fashion, in memory of more peaceful times when the elves were close allies. Otherwise, the language has fallen into disuse among them and even scholars have forgotten it.
adan: old/elder
adar/adain/adari: elves/elf/elven (Linadar=Light Elves, Quenyadar=Quenya Elves, Sintadar=Sky Elves, Goladar=Shadow Elves, Meladar=Wood Elves, Rasadar=Sea Elves, Daranadar=Earth Elves, Beliadar=Wild Elves)
adil: lord, suffix for male names
alfia: silver
andir: wisdom/wise
arana/arani/aran: songs/song/singing
arin: wind
aron: man, suffix for male mortal names
balas: mist/misty
bascuru: forgotten
beli: wild
cari: lost
curu: learnéd (Curusina=Learnéd Ones, Curusin=Learnéd One)
dali: divide
daran: earth/land, used in names of geographic regions (Adar Daran=Land of the Elves, Daran Nunadan=Land of Greater Men, Daran Falnun=Land of Lesser Men)
darian/daria: isles/isle, follows island names (eg. Rasdaria=Isle of the Sea)
daro: deeps (underground)
dira: fens
eadros/eadro: hills/hill, used in hill names (eg. Eadros Balas=Hills of Mist)
eran/era: eyes/eye
eru: watch/watcher
erumari/erumar: watchtowers/watchtower (Belierumar=Watchtower of the Wild, Erumar Nunadaran=Dwarfwatch)
fal: young
falan: fey
falas: pass, used in pass names (eg. Telanfalas=Pass of Stars, Vila Falas=Southern Pass, etc.)
feo: vast
feria: sorrow
fini: shroud
gali: withered
galid: make/craft
glaurinu/glaurin: dragons/dragon
gol: shadow
goro: wasted
halas: haven
hamad/hamadi: mountains/peak, used in mountain names (eg. Hamad Lys=Mountains of Fire, Tel Hamad=Barrier Mountains, etc.)
hamudi/hamud: caves/cave, used in cave names (eg. Sin Hamud=Lone Cave)
huras/hura: hunters/hunter
iadro/iadra: fair (m)/fair (f) in appearance
iar: shining
iara: white
ion: hope
iro: folk
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kore: forsworn (Koresina=Forsworn Ones, Koresin= Forsworn One)
lamas/lama: mirrors/mirror
lasni: rebirth/reborn
lavi: north/northern
levni: vessel (Levniquenya=Vessel of the Quenya)
lin: light
loda: errant
luni: moon
lynia: lady, suffix for female names
lys: flame/fire
mal: rush
malia: rapid/fast/quick
mari/mar: towers/tower, used in tower names (eg. Mar Ras=Tower of the Sea)
mela: forest/wood, prefix for forest names (eg. Melaquenya=Forest of the Quenya)
Soul Seeker (The World of Lasniniar Book 1) Page 41