Light Chasers (The World of Lasniniar Book 0)

by Jacquelyn Smith

  — Chapter Thirty-One —

  A New Friend

  Saviadro kicked at a small rock, watching it skip along the mountain trail before careening over the edge. He wished he could be rid of his frustrations as easily. Why did no one listen to him?

  He knew he was young, but he couldn’t believe he was the only elf to think they should use the Quenya offensively, rather than cowering in the woods. They were all naive fools if they thought they could hide forever. Valanandir and Iadrawyn were the worst of the lot.

  Saviadro fumed at the very thought of them. Iadrawyn with her precious visions was treated with awe by all except her closest friends. If he had the relationship with the Quenya she did, he wouldn’t use it to hide the elves in an enchanted forest.

  No, he would use his cunning to manipulate it against the dark creatures, wiping the face of Ralvaniar of their presence. Only then would his parents’ death be redeemed. Perhaps the elves would even see what a real leader could do and flock to him instead, abandoning their beloved Valanandir and Iadrawyn.

  They had even had a child, which made them even more insufferable. Only a few months after the elves’ arrival in Melavalion, Iadrawyn had given birth to a daughter they had decided to call Andirlynia. She had Valanandir’s white hair, but otherwise, she was a miniature Iadrawyn. All the elves doted on her, even though nearly a thousand years had passed since her birth. Even Daroandir spent time with her, showing her the ways of the forge. Saviadro smothered a flicker of possessive jealousy. He was an adult now. He didn’t need Daroandir anymore.

  Not long after Andirlynia’s birth, Saviadro had taken to spending time away from Melavalion. He would wander alone for weeks, sometimes months at a time, nursing his secret frustrations. No one understood him. Worse, there was no one he could talk to. All the elves were too wrapped up in their new lives.

  The former Sea Elves used the beach to build shipyards, while the Sea Folk watched from the waters. Those who had been Earth Elves made their homes in the shadow of the Hamad Balas range in the northeast corner of the wood. Previous Wood and Wild Elves wandered the wood, caring for the trees and animals.

  All the elven cultures were living united in one forest under the protection of the Quenya, happily oblivious of the world outside. Meanwhile, Iadrawyn continued to commune with the Quenya and share her revelations with the masses. Her latest was an aversion to eating meat. Ridiculous!

  How could they care so little about what was going on in the rest of the world? Yes, the elves now had a home far from the dark lands. But the dark creatures were free to expand their hold to the shadowed places they could find north of their territory. Ralvaniar would be theirs. And when they eventually discerned where the elves were hiding, what then? There was nowhere else to run.

  He had voiced his opinions to other elves, including Daroandir, but no one believed him. He wondered if their blindness was a side effect of the foolish oath they had taken. Saviadro was the only elf who had not sworn himself to the concealment of the Quenya. Although Lodariel’s sentries had rounded up everyone else that day, Saviadro had managed to elude them, hiding in the woods. Since he had no family or friends, he found the elves often forgot about him. Daroandir had been too distracted by the whole production to notice he was missing.

  Saviadro didn’t know why he had fled and hid. The thought of Iadrawyn using the Quenya to enter his thoughts had sent him into a panic. Instead, he had watched the proceedings from the shadows of the trees. He did not regret his decision. If Iadrawyn had seen into his mind…

  Well, his opinions of her and Valanandir weren’t exactly flattering. They may appear gentle and kind to everyone else, but he didn’t trust them. If it were him who held so much sway over the elven people, he wouldn’t hesitate to remove anyone who might cause any problems. Iadrawyn was always strengthening her connection with the Quenya. Saviadro didn’t feel safe staying in Melavalion for long periods at a time. So here he was, far away, and alone.

  The sound of scraping stone brought him back to the present. Ahead of him, the mountain path veered sharply to the left. There was no way to see what lay around the corner. Perhaps he was not alone after all. He went into a crouch, pulling his knife free from his belt. Every muscle on his lean frame was taut, waiting to spring. After a few moments of silence, there was another scrape, followed by what sounded like an enormous sigh.

  “I know you’re out there,” a deep, smooth voice said. “You may as well come forward.”

  For a moment, Saviadro stood still. Did he dare step forward? Curiosity and the urge to flee warred within him. If anything were to happen to him, no one would know where to find him. The only person who might notice he was missing was Daroandir. Even he might not become alarmed for some time, since Saviadro was known for his long absences. But who else would be out here, calling to him? What if it was an elf who had never made the pilgrimage to the Quenya? The possibility intrigued him. To have found another person who didn’t live under Valanandir and Iadrawyn’s spell and might understand him…

  Curiosity won.

  Saviadro eased around the corner, still gripping his knife. He was met by a low chuckle.

  “I can kill you from there just as easily as I can from here.” The voice spoke from the shadows of a cave that lay beyond the bend. “Come closer so I may see you.”

  The voice was soothing. Saviadro found himself walking toward the cave before he realized what he was doing. One of the mountain peaks jutted into the sky overhead, plunging the opening into shadow. He suppressed a shiver as he was enveloped by it, leaving the warmth of the sun behind.

  He stood at the mouth of the cave, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the sudden darkness. A hissing rustle whispered in the air as the creature moved. He felt unseen eyes measuring him. Saviadro stood tall and ready, not allowing his fear to show. He knew what the creature saw.

  His skin was smooth and golden, renewed by the Quenya each time he returned to Melavalion. His thick hair was the same color, bound in a single, long braid that ran down his back. He wore a buckskin jerkin and leggings, closely cut to his body to avoid any snags as he traveled. They showed off his lean, muscled frame, sculpted by his lonely treks in the wild. His face was keen in its proud fairness, with high cheekbones and a haughty chin. His glittering golden eyes looked out at the world with barely concealed disdain, measuring everything and finding it wanting.

  Saviadro’s eyes narrowed, unable to discern anything besides a large, dark form that glimmered faintly in the shadows. The eyes watching him were blood red with slitted pupils. His stomach tightened. A dragon!

  “Perhaps you would like to have a look at me as well? I will not begrudge you.” A rustle of movement followed as the eyes turned away. A plume of flame erupted from the creature’s vicinity, revealing a glimpse of its form before becoming lost in the glare. Saviadro shut his eyes until the light faded to a bearable level.

  When he opened them, he saw the dragon had also lighted some large torches lining the walls of the cave. Despite their flames, the cave still seemed dark. The dragon’s enormous form was covered in scales of the deepest black that seemed to absorb the light. They gleamed dully as the creature shifted and for a moment Saviadro was hypnotized by the sinuous movement. His mind screamed at him, recognizing the beast from so many descriptions. His eyes went wide and he retreated a step.

  “Ah, I see you have heard of me. Well, there is no need to be rude. I am Nargaz. Who are you, little elf, and why are you wandering these mountains alone?” Nargaz crossed one of his giant, wickedly clawed forepaws over the other and waited.

  Startled by the unexpected courtesy, Saviadro found himself responding. “I am Saviadro. I’m not alone. There are others nearby.” He did his best to keep his voice steady.

  The dragon snorted in amusement. “A valiant effort, Saviadro, but you are quite alone. There is no need to fear. I will not harm you. Step back into the sunlight if you wish. It may not kill me as it would a drakhal, but I have come to find it q
uite painful. I am not willing to endure it for the sake of harming you. I am merely curious as to what brings you all the way up here, away from your own kind. I can see you have borne the touch of the Quenya, so there is no use denying you are one of Valanandir and Iadrawyn’s minions.”

  Saviadro’s expression twisted at the mention of those names. “I may be Light Elf, but I am no one’s minion.”

  “I see.” The red eyes narrowed. “No, I suppose you would not be anyone’s lackey, at that. To wander alone and converse with a dragon from the south takes both cunning and courage. You are not like other elves, are you, Saviadro?”

  “A dragon from the south? That is how you identify yourself?” Saviadro barked an incredulous laugh.

  “Yes, of course. That is where I am from, and I am most certainly a dragon. How else would you have me speak?”

  “How about as a dragon from the dark lands who consorts with drakhalu?”

  “I do not consider the south to be the ‘dark lands’ as you call them. Those lands are my home. And as for the drakhalu, well, they are unruly creatures. I have dealt with them out of necessity, since they are my closest neighbors, but they are certainly not my friends.” Nargaz snorted in disdain.

  “And what of the War of the Quenya? You killed countless of my kind on the battlefield.”

  “First of all, that was not I, but some of my misguided minions. Second, it was your people who invaded our home. How else should we have responded?”

  “You took the Quenya!”

  “That was not the work of my kind. You have Vlaz and his drakhalu to thank for that. I relieved him of it at the first possible opportunity. The drakhalu were never meant to control the Quenya.”

  “And you are?” Why was Saviadro indulging in this conversation? Whenever he thought about stepping back into the sunlight and walking away, something about the dragon’s gaze held him in place.

  “Perhaps not.” Nargaz sighed. “I suppose if I were, I would be able to bear its touch. But you cannot blame me for trying. I had only thought to do a better job with it than those weaklings, Valanandir and Iadrawyn. I had hoped to use it to wipe out the drakhalu. They are abominations, and should not be allowed to live. When I think of all those they have slaughtered for their own greed… I had hoped Eruvalion would be a suitable choice to wield the Quenya in this cause, but I was wrong.” Nargaz’s gaze became distant.

  “Why are you telling me this?”

  “Because like you, I am also unhappy with the current state of affairs. I, too, wander the lands alone, pondering my options. And I am not so closed-minded as to lash out at a kindred spirit when I meet one, regardless of his race. I think there is a reason the two of us met today. And if there is a higher reason, it must surely come from the Quenya. There is something about you, Saviadro. Something unique. I think you have the soul of a dragon.”

  “Are we friends then?” Saviadro frowned as he considered Nargaz’s flattering words. While he was cautious, the dragon’s opinions did mirror his own. It intrigued him to have someone else to confide in who would genuinely understand him, unlike Daroandir.

  “I would like that very much. You have given me much to think about. Perhaps we should go our separate ways for now and meet again.”

  “I will think on it.”

  “Please do. I will return to this place once every moon. You may meet me here if you wish.”

  “Good-bye, Nargaz.”

  “Farewell, Saviadro.” Nargaz gave him a gracious nod before Saviadro stepped back into the sunlight.

  Saviadro gave one last look over his shoulder before beginning his long trek down the mountain. What had just happened? Saviadro shook his head. He had much to think about. He had already decided one thing: No matter what happened, he would not mention any of this to Daroandir.