Date: Wed, 17 Jun 2015 11:58:02 +0000 (UTC)
From: Ckskb Lfb <ckskb1@yahoo.com>
Subject: The Chronicles of Valana volume 1: Shadowlands Chapter 10, bisexual, young-friends & sci-fi/fantasy

This story is 100% fictional.

This story will feature sexual scenes between minors of various ages so if
it's something you don't like/agree with or it is not
 legal in your area/country or are not as of yet of legal age to be reading
this sort of stuff then don't read any further.

I welcome feedback emails with healthy criticism, suggestions etc. or just
plain correspondence, but flames will be ignored and
 those email addresses will be added to the block sender's list.

Send your feedback emails to: ckskb1@yahoo.com and add "BCC list" along
with your comments/feedback if you want me to add you to the list of people
I will be emailing with updates and release dates of new chapters/stories.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 10: Hunting shadows


Aer'andil woke up early, earlier than he would have wanted but since he
would not sleep anymore, he just lay there, holding Norion in his hands,
sharing their warmth in the cold of dawn, well the sun had not begun its
ascension yet but there was this blue-orange sort of hue out the window. It
would be rising soon, and he would be leaving.

His heart ached with it. This past year had been so peaceful and
amazing. Never in a million years would he have thought that he would be
falling so desperately in love so early in his life and not with just one
person but two, and of both sexes. It still made him lightheaded.

He squeezed Norion closer to him, he did not want to go but he could not,
not go. Norion looked so peaceful laying there sleeping, his chest
rhythmically going up and down.

Norion moaned in his sleep when he felt Aer'andil's squeeze around his
shoulders. He draped a hand over him and a leg over Aer'andil's.

Aer'andil stifled a giggle and kissed Norion's cheek. Norion grumbled and
batted his eyelids getting used to the difference in light.

"Hey..." Aer'andil whispered.

"Gruhg..." Norion made a grumble sound.

"Even when you've just awaken you're cute." Aer'andil whispered to him.

"I hate it that you're such an early riser...when you get back we'll have
to correct that." Norion teased him and straddled his waist.

Taking Aer'andil's hands in his he moved them behind his head and leaned in
for a kiss shaking his butt at his love's fuckstick.

Aer'andil kissed him back but soon broke off the kiss. "Last night was
just...amazing doesn't do it justice. I have never felt as alive and as
thoroughly pleasured as after...you know we both finished."

"Yeah, I never thought that having something up my bum would feel
so...incredibly good and full...and you know you fuck great!" The last part
he didn't just whisper but he brought his lips close to Aer'andil's ear as
well.

Even in the dim light, he could see Aer'andil blushing up.

"You were not too bad yourself."

"Not too bad? Ha!" Norion said in more raised voice and then sharply went
back to whispering. "I'll have you know that you came first, so I did
pretty well!"

"Yeah right, I came first after having sucked you and then pounded your
sweet behind for like an hour!" Aer'andil quipped back.

"More like ten minutes." Norion poked his tongue out at Aer'andil.

"Well yeah...you have too good a bum!"

Norion kissed him again. "You're not too bad yourself in that regard.

"Ha!" It was Aer'andil's turn to raise his voice. "I'll have you know that
I have a fantastic ass!" He said and upon realising the sort of
conversation they were having, he pushed Norion off him knowing full well
that his cheeks felt like burning.

"This conversation is not decent of the crown prince of all elves."
Aer'andil tried to say with seriousness but he burst in giggles.

"Well your crowned highness, you minded not last night when we were fucking
like horny rabbits!" Norion said making Aer'andil choke on his saliva.

"I did love your poem, I love you." Norion said after the laughter died
down.

Norion closed the distance between them short as it was and cupping his
cheeks in his hands, he kissed him again.

"Yes, I loved your poem as well and I love you too."

Aer'andil got dressed and packed the things he would be taking with him.

A knock on the door and his personal servant entered, "Your highness, the
others are waiting for you outside, by the city's gates."  She said and
left with a bow.

Aer'andil took his leather backpack and stood in front of the door for a
second. His mind racing a thousand miles per hour and for the first and
last moment in his life since returning to Valana he thought of going back
to Earth, with Norion and Tha'ala of course. Then he opened the door and
holding Norion by the hand, he left his room.

They walked to the city's gates taking in the view of the sun and nature
waking up with the elves on this new day.

In front of the city's gates stood his parents, a few elves he did not know
holding trays covered with white silk and the Kings of Elves and Men from
the previous day as well as everyone who would be leaving with him.

He stood in front of his father, next to Lucas. Merol, Feldon, the twins,
Micraal and Segaru stood in the same line. Opposite to them at the center
stood the High-King and Queen, on the left of the High-King stood the elves
holding the trays and the Elven Kings. On the right of the High-Queen stood
the Kings of men.

Liandras looked at his son and Norion and smiled. Norion went and stood
next to one of the elves that stood right after the Elven Kings, who
Aer'andil knew was his mother. Norion was almost a spiting, much younger
version of his mother with his father's eyes and posture, and of course, he
was a boy and not a girl.

"Now that we are all gathered here." Liandras spoke and took two steps
forward. The elves holding the trays followed him.

"Merol Keen, come forward." At the mention of Merol's name, it was like all
heads of the Kings of men snapped to see him.

Merol took a few steps forward until he stood in front of Liandras.

Liandras removed the sheets of silk from one of the trays. On it Aer'andil
could see various items but could not fully make what they were.

Liandras took one of the items from the tray and gave it to Merol.

"This is the stone of Eklandi. He was one of our greatest enchanters. The
stone will make new any blade, almost as if it had been crafted by the
elves. It has only one use left before it breaks." Then he looked straight
into Merol's eyes and his face grew grim. "When the time calls for
sacrifice, will you sacrifice that which you are or that which you love the
most?" He said and motioned with his hand in Merol's direction.

Merol walked back in line with the others seemingly deep in thought.

"Beck and Drake come forth." Liandras called for the twins next.

They walked forth hesitantly.

Liandras removed two items from the tray and gave them to the twins.
"These are the pendants Elthrondin. Wear these and no spirit no matter how
powerful will be able to influence or hurt you...mortally, this can be a
boon and a curse, you decide which you keep and for how long. The Pendants
have one more use, I suspect it will take you a while to understand it but
I will provide you with a brief if not enigmatic explanation of it. Simply
put they will allow you to remember but nothing else." He said and then
looked at their eyes.

"What would sacrifice for penance, redemption and ascension to the heavens
above? If one of the Spiritu Aeternae offered thee, all, would you agree to
sacrifice your brother? Would you do it?"

Beck and Drake answered almost simultaneously looking very solemn, "Hell
no!"

Liandras smiled sadly and motioned them to return to the line.

"Micraal of Eri'Adar walk forth." Liandras said next.

Micraal walked to him and stood feeling awkward with his hands on his
sides.

Liandras removed the sheets from the next tray and took a phial. Inside it
was a glowing blue liquid.

"The tears of Glidarathon, daughter of Vedaron will purify anything from
the presence of evil, even a tormented, corrupt soul." Then he locked eyes
with him.

"If you try to achieve that which you crave the most, your deepest
desire. Your darkest fears shall come to pass. If when all is lost you
still have a soul to lose then drink of the liquid but squander it not,
there is no more left in this world."

Micraal walked back. Liandras called for Feldon next.

Feldon walked up to him and made a small bow in show of respect.

He picked up a rather long, thin item from one of the elves and removed the
sheets that covered it. It was a splendid spear, all carved with intricate
runes along its shaft and a two-foot long thin blade on either end. All
along the surface of the blades, more runes glowed red and green. Aer'andil
could feel the magical energy emanating from it even from a distance.

"The spear of Galorn, crafted from Glothoin's father Galorn, this spear is
older than all of the Elves and just as magical in nature and just
as...enigmatic. It is yours, until either the true master of Zah Dah is
dead or you are, after it is to be returned to the house of memories."

"My Lord...I cannot ac..." Liandras raised a hand to stop him.

"Your score I am afraid will not be settled in this war, but if this war is
not won you will not receive any Elbrathril later. My old friend, take care
of my son. He will need thy guidance and comfort before long." He said and
motioned with his hand for Feldon to return to the line.

Aer'andil knew that word to be closure.

"I am forever in your debt old friend. I will do all that I can for your
offspring as I would for thee." Feldon said and with one more bow, he
walked back to the line.

"Lucas, walk forth." Liandras told the boy and picked up a bundle of
leather.

Lucas stood in front of him.

Liandras gave him the Leather bundle. "These are the runes of Ethomir. He
is one of the greatest Speakers to have ever lived and most certainly the
greatest one the Elves have ever this far produced. He pushed the
boundaries of Speaker abilities and discovered no less than one hundred and
fifty new runes and an assortment of uses and combinations. Inside the
bundle, there are also some of his notes.  Some of these have not even been
tested so I would urge caution and careful study before using them." He
told Lucas who eyed the refined and wonderfully coloured leather bundle.

Liandras peered into his soul through his sparkling eyes. It was an
unsettling feeling to be sure.

"Two words. In Zah Dah, when you find yourself in the enemy's hands, two
words shall sway the world's fate. Two words to name nothing.  Chose them
wisely young one or fall unto ruin." Liandras told him in a most serious
voice.

"Segaru Malais." Liandras said picking a box-like item from the tray. The
boy walked up to him.

Liandras gave him the box. A striking difference was the box itself. Unlike
all of the other items before this one was as plain as if it had been made
by the poorest of artisans in the poorest of districts of a human city. It
only had one sigil engraved on top of the lock.

"Herol galar, inside this box is a stone of truth or truth stone. Only a
few such stones remain today, created in a world of antiquity even to
elves, long before there were Humans or Elves. These stones are not stones
as you and I mean them, they are not natural. They were sang into existence
by once great craftsmen that did not carve or work their creations as we do
today but rather they took up an element, or more and sang to them until
what they wanted was forged from those elements and their song. When you
are ready to speak truth without inhibition or fear of the result the box
will open of its own. The stone is ancient beyond ancient and only has but
one limited use. Spend it wisely." He told Segaru and then motioned for him
to go back.

"Aer'andil, my son, come forth."

Aer'andil walked to his father, he did not want to go, not just because of
Norion and Tha'ala but also for a lingering feeling that he could not
explain but centered on his father.

Liandras picked up a white silk covered long-looking item and held it out
in front of him. He then carefully removed the silk to reveal a bow.  When
Aer'andil looked at it he saw simple, refined elegance. Nothing
extravagant, not even heavily carved like most Elven items and swords and
yet its wave like design gave it a majestic feeling. There were of course
runes places on it and Aer'andil detected different kind of runes and
incantations. Some Similar to what he had seen in the book of the pact in
the house of memories.

"It is said, that when you are born and as a child you want to experience
life, you are unsettled and chaotic and full of energy and desire for the
future. As you grow older, knowledge and experience replace some of the
energy and chaotic will and then when you reach the setting of your life
you let go of everything but that which is most important to you. Material
wealth is of no importance and neither is physical appearance.  I find I am
in that phase of my life. I have lived it to the fullest, I have
experienced it to its max, I have learned and taught, I have been happy and
sad, I have witnessed war and horror beyond count and now I am in my
setting so I let go of everything but for that which is most important to
me.  "You, your mother and our species. You three I love most above all
else and above that all...you, my finest creation, my proudest achievement
in this life or the next so in that spirit I give you Elven Grace, my last
and finest of material creations for the being that I love most in the
world. Merol and I created this, each providing it with our own unique set
of skills and abilities. In the end, it is neither wood nor metal.  What it
is you have to find out for yourself, discover it as you are discovering
yourself. It will take a lifetime. Its abilities are as numerous as the
grains of sand in a beach and as complex as the stars in the sky and yet as
simple as yesterday's magic. This is my gift to you and I will tell you of
one of its abilities. Whoever looks at it, will see in it what he or she
sees and desires in you."

Aer'andil held the bow and immediately felt it resonate with his very
being. He could feel magic flow from it and to it.

"Next I have two more gifts to give you in the same fashion as I gave your
friends and companions." Liandras told him and grabbed two identical
looking shapes from another tray. "These are the quivers of Ka'athalan,
they will fit around your waist in the traditional manner of Elves and can
each carry up to twenty arrows each but the enchantments on them will make
them feel as if they weight nothing. Finally, this stone was salvaged close
to four hundred thousand years ago from an island to the north that no
longer exists. It is said to have fallen from the sky, Limbathalin Galar,
stone of the heavens or celestial stone has been its name since. When the
time comes to battle nothing, you will need time, time to learn, time to
grow. Use this metallic stone to bind nothing to there and fire to bind it
here, for it cannot exist in both here and there and so chose nothing
must. Remember always Aer'andil, that you are the reason of my existence,
the breath of my life. Remember that I love you and that I am sorry I
had...had to send you away and denied you growing amongst your people but I
acted as I thought best for you and your safety." Liandras finished with
tears in his eyes.

Aer'andil made the two steps separating them and hugged him as close and
tight as he could. Liandras hugged him back for as long as he could,
rubbing his back, before pulling him back and caressing a hand on his
cheek. He motioned him and he returned to the others.

Liandras stood a few steps closer to them. He looked at each of them,
penetrating them with his ageless eyes.

"War has come to Valana and no one is safe from its reaching grasp. You
seven and one are called to ride out and face the Master of Zah Dah and his
seven Generals. Darkness is everywhere and the hearts of men are easily
deceived. When in doubt trust in thyselves and each other. Nothing can be
found everywhere but it cannot be everywhere at the same time. Should Elven
Grace and Speaker clarity fade the world will fall. Will intent and bring
forth new doom." He told all of them then he looked at Merol and Feldon.

"Your first stop is Dara. Once the civil war is over and order restored you
must go to Zah Dah via Eri'Adar through Valkion's way." He turned his eye
to his son and Lucas.

"I wish you did not have to face the perils ahead but things are as they
are and cannot be anything else. You have all the knowledge and tools that
you will need to face the monsters ahead." His eyes centered on his son's
eyes. "Think not as of this place."

He looked back at all of them. "Say your goodbyes and then you must be on
your way. The armies will assemble in a month. The situation in Dara must
have been resolved by then and her army joined the rest of the host."
Liandras finished talking and walked slowly back to his wife.

Merol, Lucas and the twins said their farewells and stood by the gates
chatting amongst themselves.

Micraal stood by himself talking to no one.

Feldon walked to his family and bade farewell to his wife before kneeling
down to his son.

"I am already proud of you Norion Anorion, I love you son. Your mother
named you fair, look after her while I am gone, she looks all tough but
she's honey on the inside." He told his son hugging him.

Norion had tears on his eyes. "I will father. Please...protect him." Norion
whispered back to his father as he squeezed him tight.

"I will. He will come back a worthy High-King to his people, and worthy of
your love and fealty." Feldon said giving Norion a reciprocal squeeze in
show of love and affection.

Feldon got up and went towards some of the other elves.

Aer'andil was at his mother's arms feeling all warm and content. She could
not stop telling him how much she loved him and how much she would miss
having him close to her after all the time he had been separated from her.

"Felwyn love, they have to get going, he will come back." Liandras said and
held Aer'andil by his shoulders turning him to face him.

She kissed his forehead and stood up.

"I cannot express in words how proud I am of you, my son and heir, and
words will fail beyond measure to describe the depth of my love for you.  I
need you to know that deep in your heart now and in the months to come. I
will always be with you."

"I love you to dad. Why do I...we have to go to Dara? Can't I come with
you? We can ride to Zah Dah together and lay it to waste." Aer'andil asked,
his face buried in his father's neck.

Liandras sighed. "You must follow your path son of mine and I must follow
mine, but they do not intertwine. I will see you again where no shadow
lie."  Liandras replied in a sad voice of tone.

"But why...?" Aer'andil pressed on.

"Because things are as they are and cannot be otherwise. Go...go speak to
your love." Liandras responded and stood up, walking towards Feldon and
some of the other elves.

Aer'andil walked to Norion and Tha'ala.

"I wish...I did not want to leave you." He told them looking sad. "But I
don't want to see you hurt either so...I guess I have to do this."

They made a small circle holding each other's hand.

"Yes, you have to do this but please...hurry back to us. We will miss you
so much." Tha'ala told him.

Aer'andil looked at her. "I will, I will return and I will have a poem for
you."

She giggled blushing, "I will have one for you as well." She said to him
and leaning in she gave him a peck on his rubbery, soft lips. Aer'andil
kissed her back and in a move that surprised them both, he pulled in Norion
sharing their kiss with him.

Eventually he broke the kiss and looked successively in their eyes before
speaking.

"I love you both equally as much. You two mean the world to me. You are the
breath of my lungs, the thoughts in my mind and the core of my being."  He
whispered to them, for only them to hear.

He turned round and started walking unable to hold back his tears anymore.

Segaru only had his father to say farewell too and he was feeling very
angry with him.

"I...why do I have to go with them? My place is in the palace. I am the
crown prince of Rodenia, not some half-witted adventurer." He whined to his
father.

"Yes, you are the crown prince of Rodenia and after my death you will be
called to lead our people. The palace life has made you arrogant and soft.
You need to grow into the role destined for you and you will not do this
under the pampering of your mother and the court. While I still draw
breath, I am not only your father but your liege Lord and ruler too and you
will do as I command you. You will go with them, you will aid in whatever
way as you can and you will become the ruler Malais are for their
country. My word in this is final."

"Mother..."

"I will deal with your mother my own way, she may be my Queen, my wife and
your mother but I am her king above all else and she will obey me in this
one.  Now get going son or you will have to walk to the ferry and to Dara
alone. The north is not a place you want to be alone in." The look on his
father's face was new to Segaru. He did not see him much in the Royal
Palace of Rodenia and when he saw him he usually had his way with the right
nudging of the court and his mother's bedtime nagging. He somehow knew that
his father would not badge now.

The ride to the ferry port was a silent one. Everyone preoccupied in his or
her thoughts.

The ferry port was in a small cove. A large arched forum lead, to the
marble dock where the ferry waited for them.

They boarded the elegant, wooden ship. It spread its sails and departed
Gel'anr's shores.

Aer'andil sat on his own looking out to the sea as the ship glided across
the velvet-looking deep blue water. He wanted to go back already and it had
not even been a few hours since he left.

"War and shadows...death and destruction...darkness...darkness rises
doesn't it?" He closed his eyes and asked his spirit.

"In volumes and you're heading right into the thick of it."

"I can't stop it can I?"

"No one can, you can fight it."

"I will. Nothing and no one will harm my Tha'ala, my Norion."

"Sometimes to get what we love we have to let it go."

"I have. I do not like it."

"Would you like it better that the armies of Zah Dah march in Gel'anr and
kill everyone?"

"That will not happen. My father's army will destroy them and me and Lucas
will...somehow kill the Master of Zah Dah."

"There is always more than can be seen and you won't be killing it if you
don't learn what it is and how it is."

He felt a hand come across his shoulders. He opened his eyes to see Micraal
looking at him with a hopeful look painted on his face.

"You are sad. Why? You will see your parents again after this is all done."

"It is not just my parents, although I miss them too having found them
after living twelve years thinking I was abandoned...I miss Norion and
Tha'ala so painfully much and it has only been a few short hours. My heart
aches for them."

Micraal tried to smile, "I...can help you forget them, at least until we
return back to Gel'anr." He said, a hand snaking itself lower to his thigh.

Aer'andil removed his hand without even looking at him, "No, I do not want
to forget them, now or ever. They are the love of my life and as of
yesterday, I am officially betrothed to them both. I cannot think life
without them Micraal. Would you not want to go to Eri'Adar after this is
all over?"

Micraal swallowed. "N...no...I have nothing there...at least in Gel'anr I
have you..."

Aer'andil looked into his eyes. "Have me? Micraal we are friends but you do
not have me." He said and left.

The trip to Kilvi Vindro was a short one. When they arrived, Aer'andil
could see that it was not more than a fishing village, rundown and left to
its devices.

They started packing their things and disembarking.

"Somebody carry my stuff. I am a Malais after all." Segaru ordered.

Lucas laughed, "No." and disembarked.

"We are neither your slaves nor servants, carry your own stuff." Aer'andil
told him and left as well.

Segaru just stood there waiting with self-righteous entitlement for someone
to obey his command. Everyone else other than Merol left.

"Grab your things and follow, or be left behind." He told Segaru and
disembarked.

"I am a bloody Malais...how..." His mutterings were lost to the wind as he
picked up his bundle and followed Merol.

"We go North by North-east." Merol announced after paying for horses in the
stables.

They departed.

A few hours later, they came by a storming river.

"Urel is brimming I see, must have had quite a few rainstorms this year."
Feldon commented.

"Urel? Where are we anyways?" Lucas asked. Aer'andil noted a slight hint of
irritation from his friend.

"The Rivers Urel and Ygaral are the life's blood of Udelon. Ygaral serves
also as natural borders to the nomads of Udrel." Merol answered him.

"Nomads? Udrel?" Lucas continued.

"Udrel is a nation of horse nomads to the north of the river Ygaral. They
are the best equestrians in Valana after Qazameria. To resist them Udelon
have evolved their archers on both foot and horseback, Batorn has evolved
their magic users, and pikemen ranging from simple spears to forty meters
long pikes.  Udelon is in a constant battle for third place in merchant
tithes and trade with Lavonia. Eri'Adar and Rodenia fighting for first
place. Batorn would very much like to annex Dara but Darans will die before
ever that happens and we have shown them the error of their way a few times
in the past. Odrel just like their horses and cattle." Merol continued the
history lesson.

Lucas mumbled something and toyed with the horse's reigns.

The rest of the day went by without much talking as they galloped on the
open planes heading north.

They made camp for the night and continued their journey north east at
dawn's first light.

"Look! Smoke in the horison." Aer'andil shouted. The sun was hanging above
them, without a cloud in the sky.

"Looks like a caravan." Feldon said and spurred his horse. "Be on the ready
we do not know what has happened.

They galloped to the burning caravan. Feldon and Merol dismounted. "Stay on
the horses and keep your eyes and ears open.

The ground beneath their feet looked fouled, the air smelled of sulfur and
filth. Lucas thought that was a good word to describe the smell, filth.

The wagons were either burning or burned. The horses lay slain with
horrific cuts all across their bodies and the humans all of them were
mutilated beyond recognition.

Merol and Feldon drew their sword and spear respectively.

Feldon whispered something and a gust of wind blew at the stale air around
them. Dark ash rose from the ground and stuck on the horses' hooves and
their clothes.

"Ewww...what the fuck is this shit?" Lucas exasperated placing a hand over
his mouth and nose.

"Bah! Miasma...this is dark magic. Darkness has been here." Merol skewed
his face in disgust.

"Darkness is here." Feldon said calmly.

"Over here! A survivor!" Drake called out to them. He was horseback behind
one of the burning wagons.

Aer'andil led his horse there. Merol and Feldon walked there. Feldon
kneeled down and held the man's head in his hand raising it slightly.

"What happened here? Who...what did this?" He asked in the dialect of
Udelon.

The man was dying there was no doubt about that, he had a gashing wound
across his chest and one of his legs was severed. That he still lived was a
feat of some proportion.

"We...were attacked..." blood came out of his mouth. "They...didn't want
our wares...they took all of the kids...took them to...Ge..." more blood
came out of his mouth.

Feldon let out a breath and placed a hand on the man's chest wound. "Rest
my good man, let go of all your worldly worries." He said and started
whispering in Elvish fast. A black liquid substance came out of the man's
wound and levitated above. Feldon touched it and called out a
word. "Fendralth" The substance actually let out a screech and broke
apart. The man sighed and he was dead. He looked peaceful.

Aer'andil pulled back on his horse's reins and it stood on its two legs in
surprise as Feldon rose and spun around in one swift movement just as a
creature black as night leaped from the within the burning wagon.

The look on Feldon's face made the hair on the back of the twins' neck
stand erect. They had seen that before, on Merol's face when he had cast
them down and almost killed them all those years ago.

The creature had no real solid form as it changed between various different
animal-like forms in eye-blinking speed.

"Vig hana ninugahal jik hana Zah Dah! Gihurah Nivu hji melarn floigh!" The
creature screeched as Feldon held out the spear in front of him and twisted
it left and right before cleaving it on the creature.

Lucas understood what the creature said just before Feldon's spear cut it
in half. "For the Master of the Shadowlands. Exalted be his dark name!"
When the spear cut it in half it withered away evaporating as if it had
been made of water.

"Ivakor...so far away from Zah Dah? Shadows have been active this past
year." Merol said.

"What is an Ivakor?" Aer'andil asked the man.

"A creature made from miasma. It serves an overseer who serves one of the
Dark Generals of Zah Dah. It is made for only one thing. To gain
information while killing its victim. They are not foot soldiers...they are
the ultimate spy. You cannot see them, you cannot smell them you can barely
hear them before they strike. Only Elves, magic users, Speakers or a
combination of the above can see them when they are stalking their prey. It
did not cause this destruction. It killed the men while tearing at their
memories and thoughts to gain what information it could get." Feldon said
as he looked around hurriedly.

"How...how does that work...?" Aer'andil asked hesitantly.

"It...merges with you, covers you then it ravages your body while shredding
your mind taking what it desires. It also feeds off of you at the same
time." Feldon said.  "We must leave. Now. They are never too far away from
the overseer." Feldon mounted his horse, as did Merol.

"We can take him!" Beck said in a cheery voice.

"No, we do not want to beacon our location and destination to the enemy for
hundreds of kilometers in every direction." Merol said as he kicked his
horse and it sped up.

"Fuck, we're not even two days away from the Elven Isles and shit like this
happens." Lucas retorted with Segaru obviously unhappy about the situation
as well.

"I should be in the royal palace...not here...with peasants and black magic
monsters." He mumbled.

The day passed on without any more excitement. As the sun set behind them
Aer'andil saw a forest appear in the horizon.

"Are we going to go around it or through it?" He asked pointing at the not
so distant forest.

"Through it. We have not time to go around it." Merol answered.

"What of Gel Valir?" Feldon enquired.

"It has been silent for millennia and we have no choice. We must hurry to
Dara or Liandras' army will reach Lavonia and start the offense on the army
of Zah Dah without the Speakers of Dara." Merol replied.

"I remember seeing a map in Gel'anr, why not sail closer to the eastern
coast and travel under it?" Aer'andil asked.

"The sea between Dol'Anro and the north shore is avoided even by the most
seasoned sailors. Too many currents and reefs. We would need too long a
span without almost any wind to go as slow as possible and navigate through
the treacherous shallow waters and reefs. We have no time for it." Merol
finished and gave a signal to his horse to go faster.

"What is Gel Valir?" Segaru asked.

"An abandoned Nial citadel." Feldon said looking worried.

"Why fear it if it is abandoned?" Segaru pressed on.

"Abandoned by humans and elves." Feldon replied looking grim.

"We have no choice, we go through it. We'll keep an eye out for what crawls
in the night." Merol said.

"Both eyes, sword, hands, spear and magic." Feldon murmured.

They made camp for the night not far away from the outer stretches of the
forest.

They all felt drowsy after dinner. Aer'andil spoke up.

"Feldon...who...what are the dark Generals of Zah Dah?"

"We should sleep but I will tell you of one of them. Elinor Gilthian. I
think you two have met?"

Aer'andil shivered in cold fury. "Yes..."

"Not much is known for the seven Generals of Zah Dah. Rumours and whispers
consist of most of what is known about them. The Elves know slightly more
of some of them and one or two are complete mysteries on us all.  Elinor
Gilthian. That was not always his name but I will tell what I know. Rolein
Nilthag was a sailor that lived in a human city that no longer is. The city
was called Varia and it was near today's Yaria. It was a cesspool of a city
full of pirates, thieves, mercenaries and smugglers and the personnel to
entertain such..."men".  Rolein Nilthag was not a paragon of virtue either
and he loved to spend his nights ashore in the company of strong liquor and
loose women.  "One of them as was expected bore him a child. He rejected
having anything to do with her or his offspring and chose instead to change
base of operations to a city called Jathi, near what is today the northern
shore of Odrel.  "Not much is known after that of what happened to the
child but I think I can safely assume that he grew up in the streets of
Varia and sooner or later joined up the criminal gangs of the city. Nothing
was heard of it again for a time." Feldon paused and warmed his hands on
the fire.

"At the time I did not know any of this, I learned it all many...years
later. The elves hear all. We have eyes and ears everywhere in Valana. We
do not care about the affairs of men unless they trouble us. We care for
reports of darkness, shadows, black magic and dark spiritum uses." Feldon
said turning his palms near the fire to warm them on both sides.

"Dark spiritum uses?" Aer'andil asked folding his legs in his chest and
wrapping his hands around them.

"The equivalent of black magic for Speakers...nasty stuff if one knows what
he's doing." Merol said lying on his back.

"Back then I was one of the Pelari ial riathnol, the hunters of darkness."
Feldon continued but was interrupted by Segaru whereas the twins' eyes
bulged out and choked on the water they were drinking.

"Hunters of what? I've never heard of that Elven rank or military
designation." Segaru said with ample attitude.

"Pelari ial riathnol. No, you would not have. Only the High-King, the king
of Dara and the Elven Kings know of their existence. Not even the rest of
the Elves know of us. We are the elite of the elite of Elven military
fighting darkness and its agents. There are currently only ten of us and we
only report to the High-King or High-Queen, whoever is the rightful born of
the line of Glothoin. When I was one, there were only four of us. I had my
reasons for wanting that post so when Liandras who had already done quite a
lot for me offered I accepted without even thinking about it. Only the
High-King knows all of the Pelari ial riathnol and he is the one to train
them.  The hunters of darkness have but one objective, one thought and one
purpose. Find and eradicate darkness by any and all means necessary. It is
not easy being a hunter of darkness. You are required to have hatred and
anger, to be able and ready to do whatever it takes to defeat darkness."

"Why have hatred and anger?" Aer'andil asked.

"Because...how else can you do black magic or use dark spiritum to defeat
those who use them for darkness?"

"You...you've done black magic?" Segaru and Aer'andil exclaimed at the same
time.

"Yes, well I am no speaker so I can't do dark spiritum but yes black magic
I have done. In the service of the High-King of the Elves, I would do and
will do whatever I must. Have faith in the knowledge though that I have
never harmed an innocent with it.  "As a hunter of darkness I started
receiving worrying reports of an assassin out of Varia who was just too
successful, too sadistic and used black magic in killing his victims. I
departed Gel'anr and begun my investigation."

"Wouldn't the people in Varia know something was up if an elf walked
amongst them asking questions?" Micraal asked.

Feldon chuckled. He whispered something and his appearance changed to that
of a middle-aged human with a fat belly and a baldhead. "Appearance is not
always what it seems young one." Feldon said and then shapeshifted back to
himself.  "As I was saying I began my investigation. Shapeshifting or not I
had to be discreet, cautious and paranoid. The unknown assassin had already
killed a hunter as part of a contract. It took me a decade to track him
down and learn about him, of him. What I learned made my skin crawl and
what I saw would make anyone not used to the sight of gore and blood vomit.
"One night I followed him to a large house and hid waiting for my moment to
strike. Then I heard him talk...I will never forget his voice. In that
building where all of the bosses of the crime families of Varia. Everyone
had thought that the killings and assassinations were random but there was
a pattern. I had understood the pattern but did not know the reason for
it. It was all to smoke out the leaders of the crime families. He told them
who he was. Elinor Gilthian and that he had worked for them only to be
betrayed by them thinking that he would be moving against them. They had
had him killed. So for more than ten years he was killing their supply
lines, smugglers, financiers, weeding them out and in the process he had
created the most powerful order of black magic assassins Valana had ever
seen."  Feldon paused.  "There was even more than I had not picked up on,
being too focused on tracking him down I had missed stuff. He had converted
the whole of Varia...almost the whole of Varia into Beralocs..."

"Beralocs?" Lucas asked looking enthralled by Feldon's accounting of
Gilthian's story.

"Beralocs...there's many ways that one can be formed. They are creatures of
magic, black magic. They usually form when someone has such a deep-seated
hatred, such an unfathomable grudge against someone that that hatred takes
form. It starts in dreams, which become crippling nightmares before you are
consumed by it from the inside out, then the Beraloc finds another victim,
it fosters hatred and anger and festers the thoughts of the victim until
the victim surrenders its will to it and then he or she is consumed. Those
are...free-ranging Beralocs. Now if a user of black magic creates
one...that is really unpleasant as that Beraloc is controlled and
directed. When a Beraloc is created by black magic and consumes a victim,
its creator can order it to spawn off another Beraloc by a portion of the
victim's life energy."

"How do you kill it?" Lucas asked.

"Many ways...elven crafted weapons, speaker weapons and abilities, certain
magic spells. The best way is to kill its master and or think of the
happiest memories you can possibly think of and cast them into light
directly at it."  "So the whole town had been converted into Beralocs, save
a few survivors. When the crime bosses ordered their guards to kill
Gilthian, he laughed then he whispered the black speech of Zah Dah and the
guards lost their shape, changing back to their Beraloc forms. Gilthian
ordered the Beralocs to drag the bosses out to the city square.  "When they
were all out he ordered all of the Beralocs to eat them
alive...slowly...such a gruesome fate even for those criminals. When a
Beraloc consumes you, you are usually dead or very close to it having lost
your will and life force to it long before...but to be eaten alive and
conscious by one...I would not wish it on anyone. He let the Beralocs feast
on them and then in one command killed all of them...when the Beralocs lay
dead he called out for me. He knew I was there.  It took me five hours and
a few bits of my sanity to kill him but kill him I did. I cut off his head
and pierced his black heart. I burned the city and sent the few survivors
to the village of Yaria...The first time I heard the name of Elinor
Gilthian again was when you came to Gel'anr."

"Why was that child important?" Beck asked.

"Elinor Gilthian...it is an anagrammatism of Rolein Nilthag...Gilthian was
that child. When I killed him I had not anticipated that I would gain
access to some of his memories...he grew up on the streets, did whatever
errand he could, be it thievery, blackmail, intimidation and
eventually...he learned his father's name and where he lived. He went and
found him, found him with his family and snapped...he murdered his father
and his family and in that day whoever he was, whatever his name had been
before died and Elinor Gilthian was born from his father's blood. He
returned to Varia where he became an assassin working for the crime
bosses. He had no morals, no hesitation, no mark he would not kill. The
rest you know as much as I do. He was betrayed, the crime bosses thought
him dead, he came back...he killed them all I killed him.  "I do not know
what vile magic has brought him back but Elinor Gilthian nightmare of Varia
is no longer "just" a human." Feldon concluded rubbing his hands in front
of the fire.

"That is...sad...what if his father had not abandoned him? What if he had
taken him with him...? His life would have been so much different..."
Aer'andil said. It was the first time he had felt...pity for Gilthian.

"When did all of that happen? I do not know of a city named Varia?" Segaru
asked.

"This all took place roughly three thousand years ago. The line of Malais
did not even exist yet, not for roughly two and a half thousand years
more." Feldon told him.  Segaru snapped his mouth shut without speaking
what he had had the mind to speak a second earlier.

"You said...you said you had hatred...why?" Aer'andil asked looking sad.

"I...might as well tell you, sooner or later you'll find out anyways, it is
a wonder Norion hasn't told you already...Do you remember back in Gel'anr
when your father told you of Udala?"

"Yes...the only Elven city not in an island? Where Zah Dah now stands?"
Aer'andil said thinking what his father had told him.

"I was its King. It was the realm of the feline Elves...from small tabby
cats to huge lions. When Udala fell, I managed to get as many of my people
through the underground caverns away from Udala and the battle and
eventually to Gel'anr. Your father gave me sanctuary and the cat elves
spread amongst the islands.  Your father has helped me more than any other
Elf or human has before or since." Feldon said and removed a cracked thorn
bush circlet from his backpack.

"You...you were a King? Woah...that...I mean...Norion is...was...would have
been...I never knew..." Aer'andil mumbled with saucer wide eyes.

"Yes, he wanted you to love him, not pity him for his father's failure and
yes if Udala was still standing he would be its Crown Prince...although
things would be different and his name may not have been Norion Anorion."

"You didn't..." Aer'andil started saying but Feldon cut him off.

"Yes, I failed, Udala was my responsibility, my line had been its kings
since we were elves and I lost it. It is my failure to settle."

"If the fall happened almost three and a half thousand years
ago...Norion...I mean he's only forty, right?" Aer'andil enquired.

"Yes, my Queen was...lost to the enemy. Norion's mother and Norion above
all else were the reasons I stopped being a hunter of darkness. I had love
in my life and not enough hatred to be one. We should get some sleep."
Feldon said and lay on his back. Aer'andil knew it would be pointless to
try to learn more now Feldon had ended the conversation.


That night Micraal was not the only one plagued by nightmares.

"Submit to me, submit to me and Eri'Adar will fall, your country will rule
the seas alone. Wealth beyond imagining will be yours."

"No. Empty promises from a shade, I will never submit to you."

"You will, I can offer you unlimited pleasures or unlimited pain, the
choice is yours."

"Pain? I have passed the trials of three principles, there is no pain that
you can inflict upon me that I cannot withstand, away with you fiend."

Pain shot throughout his body and mind but he made no sound, nor did he
move in his sleep. Pain was nothing to him, or to anyone who had passed
through the trials of the three principles.

Next day Merol awakened them before dawn's first light. "We must reach
Padala's watch no later than nightfall so saddle up."

"Padala's watch?" Aer'andil asked rubbing his eyes.

"It is the closest human village to firefly forest. We need to get there
and get some supplies before going in the forest. The north of Valana is
not like the south, especially the west but the east we are at is
similar. The north is wild and untamed even with the presence of
humans. There are beasts of lore and magic up here that have gone extinct
in the south and the vast planes and ragged terrain aids in their
presence." Merol replied and mounted his horse.

The long ride without rest tired them all but Lucas Segaru and Merol seemed
particularly so by the time they arrived at Padala's watch.

"I just need some fucking sleep. Can't we sleep in proper beds for the
night and start for firefly forest tomorrow? I feel so damn tired." Lucas
whined dismounting his horse.

"No, we have an hour or two of twilight, we'll take advantage of it,
firefly forest is not to be travelled during night time so we need to move
for an hour and set camp with more than one fire." Merol said in obvious
irritation.

"I do not like sleeping in the dirt, I am not us..." Segaru started.

"The next person to whine I will punish harshly, shut up and go buy these
supplies." Merol cut him off and handed him a hastily scribbled note. "Take
Lucas with you. You two!" He pointed to the twins. "Visit the local tavern
and get us some warm food for the road and see if you can't listen in on
any...rumours from the loose mouths of the customers." He told them.

Lucas and Segaru left for the market mumbling under their breaths.

"Aye aye sir!" Beck said teasingly and off they all went.

"Micraal, you leave for the forest, you'll see a goat path leading to it
from the village, follow it and scout ahead, find us some good, and a
rather secure location to make camp then meet us where the two trees stand
alone and the goat path ends." Merol told the boy who nodded and spurred
his horse.

Aer'andil waited with Feldon and Merol by the horses as they tended, fed
and brushed them.

"Feldon...how many creatures of darkness are there? I mean if I'm going to
be High-King one day and be in charge of the Pelari ial riathnol I should
know these things...I think."

"You should indeed but I do not know them all, I know a lot but not all,
not even your father knows it all. To answer your question, how many
creatures of darkness are there? How many vices, sins and reasons to hate
be it elf or human are there?"

Aer'andil did not respond instantly, he thought it through for some
time. "I don't know...I know some..."

"Good, then you know why no one knows all of the creatures of
darkness. They are not natural. They are not born of a sexual interaction
between a male and a female of a species. They are the manifestations of
the darkness of the souls of mortals...and immortals. Greed, fear, terror,
hatred, lust, ambition, forbidden love, jealousy, the desire to have more
than someone else, to possess what you cannot, love, to protect someone's
country, family, the list goes on infinitely and all that that can be a
force for good can just as easily be corrupted and used for evil in the
right circumstances. Admittedly your father knows more than everyone else
as he has the combined knowledge and reports of hundreds of thousands of
years if not more in the Chronicles of Darkness."  Feldon told him while he
tended to his horse.

"Chronicles of Darkness?" Aer'andil finished with his and sat on the
barristers used to tie the reins of the horses on his legs dangling below.

"Tomes of knowledge on darkness, the creatures of darkness and the...nature
of it gathered and written from times of antiquity by the High-Kings and
Queens of the line of Glothoin...perhaps even before that. Not even I have
seen or read them, they are only for the eyes of your line but they are
ever incomplete from what your father once told me, constantly revised and
added to as is natural. Your father considers them the second most
important writing after the book of the pact."

"Where does that knowledge come from?"

"From life experiences of those that have written in them, from the Pelari
ial riathnol and their experiences and reports, from the reports of spies
and rangers, from sources I know not of...you'll have to ask the only one
that knows and that is not me."

"One more thing I have to ask dad when I...we get home..." Aer'andil let
out a sigh.

"Why keep all this a secret from the others? Wouldn't the knowledge on
darkness increase?"

"Perhaps...but so would the fear of espionage and treachery. It is not for
me to decide this, when I asked your father all those years ago during
training he said no and explained his reasons to me. When you are
High-King, you can decide otherwise should you wish to, and accept the
consequences of your actions either way." Feldon told him and secured the
saddle and reins, then the spear and bundles on the saddle.

"I guess you're right..." Aer'andil said meekly.

Feldon raised a brow. It was not like his protege to be timid or meek. He
looked at Merol, saw him clearly tired and irritated.

"Where are the others? We need to get going, I do not like Firefly forest
or Gel Valir I want us out of these parts as soon as possible." Feldon
asked Merol and mounted his horse.

"I do not know. What am I? Boy finder extraordinaire?" Merol snapped at
him. Feldon said nothing. He looked to be calculating something.

Segaru and Lucas came first carrying leather and linen bags and bundles.

"Why do I have to carry stuff? I am the Crown Pr..." Segaru was whining.

"I DO NOT CARE! CARRY THE SHIT!" Lucas snapped. Aer'andil looked at Feldon
whose face was emotionless. Aer'andil knew Feldon well enough by now to
know that he was thinking something deeply when his face was like that.

"Ah, there are the twins as well." Feldon said. "Hurry up we need to get
going." He told them.

Two hours later, they found Micraal on the spot Merol had told him. "Follow
me I think I found the perfect spot to camp." He told them.

Aer'andil remembered Night's forest. It was nothing like this one. There it
was mostly oaks and birch trees with large spaces between them. Here there
were mostly pine trees with parts that had almost no space between them
whatsoever. It made travelling through them on horseback a pain but Merol
and Micraal seemed to know where to go to, to avoid those parts.

They made camp for the night. All around them, the forest was eerily
silent. Merol surrounded them with bonfires.

"Isn't it too quiet? Where's the sounds of birds and insects and nocturnal
animals?" Aer'andil asked straining his hearing.

"No, you won't hear anything in this forest, all of the living animals have
long since learned that making sound here is tantamount to death and they
have evolved based on that. That's why I'm lighting up fires around us. Do
not want us being ambushed. The beasts here are...unpleasantly large and
resourceful. Batorn's come of age ritual for males is to come and live here
for a week...not all make it back...in one piece but it does teach them to
cooperate with each other or die. Why do you think Batorn's pikemen and
magic users have no equal amongst the kingdoms of men?" Merol said
agitated.

"I'll keep first watch." Feldon said and picked up his longsword.

"Why not the spear?" Segaru asked.

"Confined spaces are not good for long pointy things. Short pointy things
and maneuverability are better in tight spaces where one cannot swing
freely."  Feldon replied slowly.

"Beck, Drake what did you hear in the tavern?" Merol asked them.

"Something about a guy named Droholost and his Wyrms, whatever that is,
having trouble in the countryside by something or someone yielding silver
blades, someone else said that that may be the exiled prince of Eri'Adar? A
couple other guys said that someone named Garinha had won but not won the
civil war in Dara and was trying to consolidate her power now that the guy
keeping the throne warm was either dead or in prison but there are riots in
the streets daily and the army is not hers either. Something about her
maybe hiring mercenaries with dark spiritum to keep the civilians and army
at check while she consolidates her power." Beck and Drake completed each
other's sentences as they spoke.

"THAT BITCH! How dare she bring dark spiritum users in MY city...I'll
fucking kill her!" Merol exploded banging his fist on the forest floor.

"See the bright side of this, she may have the Stewart of the throne in
prison but everyone is pretty much against her and we can exploit that."
Feldon said calmly, his eyes scanning the forest left to right and from top
to bottom.

"What if he's dead?" Lucas asked.

"No, she would not kill him, she wants him alive, wants him to break and
tell the populous how she is the rightful heir to the throne. Otherwise,
the people will eventually rebel against her openly and a crowd of hundreds
of thousands, all of them Speakers, will overwhelm a bunch of dark spiritum
mercenaries.  Besides if she had killed him they would not be rumours she
would have his head on a pike on the City's gates as an example to others."

"So? She still controls much of the..." Merol started saying but Feldon cut
him off.

"No, she probably only has control of the Royal Palace, maybe one or two
other key locations. We will march through the front door."

"We and who's army?" Lucas exasperated.

"Everything on its time Lucas, everything on its time, for now...sleep."
Feldon said and turned his full attention to forest.

Aer'andil waited until everyone else was asleep and then sat next to
Feldon. He knew not to talk so he took out a twig from the ground and
started moving point on the soil.

"What wrong with humans?" He scribbled hastily.

Feldon held a thin twig and moved it on the ground.

"Firefly beast."

A few seconds later Aer'andil cleared the ground.

"Know what?"

"Yes. Be ready when I give signal."

"Which is?"

"You will know."

"Anything else stalking us?"

"Yes."

"What?"

"Darkness and shadows. Sleep."

Aer'andil lay on the forest floor, thick with fallen leaves and fell into a
troubled sleep.

It took them two days to reach Gel Valir, on the night of the second day
they saw the ruins. The ancient citadel lay on top of a small hill
surveying the forest. Its crumbling walls, parapets and towers dominated
the environment. Their architecture resembled that of the Elves but it
looked older, way older.

They entered the central courtyard and Feldon passed Aer'andil. Aer'andil
froze on his tracks and for a split second, he grinned.

"Lucas...we uhm...haven't fooled around for a week...want to?" He asked his
best friend.

Lucas stopped on his tracks and turned around to see his friend.

"Are you for fucking real? We are in the middle of a fucking evil forest
and you want to suck and kiss?" Lucas almost yelled at him.

"Yeah, why not? Plenty of bushes around to conceal us. Come on, I am sooo
horny!" Aer'andil said calmly, almost cheerfully.

"Get a fucking grip on yourself." Lucas spat at him.

Aer'andil's mood changed in the blink of an eye. "What the fuck is wrong
with you?" He said looking like Lucas had killed his mother walking in
front of Lucas cutting him off.

"Nothing, just leave me alone." Lucas told him and tried to walk past him.

Aer'andil pushed him back. "Fuck no! Tell me what the fuck is wrong with
you!" He yelled at him.

"Calm the fuck down both of you before you bring the whole forest on us..."
Merol hissed at them but Lucas had slipped over the edge.

"Want to know what's wrong with me?! YOU! The fucking prophecy, this
fucking land full of death and danger...I want to go back to Earth, I want
to grow old with my best friend, share my childhood with him, have
families, hang out...I have had enough of all this!" He screamed shaking
his hands around.

Aer'andil closed his eyes and opening them; he brought a hand to the
quivers around his waist and grabbed his bow with the other. In a blink he
had three arrows in his palm, one on the right side of the bow, string
pulled back, aiming at Lucas' head.



End of chapter 10. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed
writing it and that you felt what I felt while writing it.

Send your comments, critique, feedback and correspondence to the email addy
at the beginning. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed
writing it and that you felt what I felt while writing it.




Characters:

Chapter 1:


Marco Laurence/Aer'andil: Main Protagonist. An elf with sublime skill on
archery and bows, lightning fast reflexes, a being of extreme magic that
only intensifies as he grows up and beauty capable of enchanting
mortals. He transforms into a pure white phoenix.

Lucas Mack/: Marco's closest friend almost brother like. A speaker of great
ability. Cute in his own way and handsome enough for a mortal.



Chapter 2:


Merol Keen: Swordsman of unparalleled ability, a speaker of the royal line
of Dara.

Olan: Nothing is known about him, only that he wears a mask at all times
and has a huge black sword.

Naire Oira: One of the seven Generals of Zah Dah.



Chapter 3:


Micraal of Adar: a boy from Eri'Adar. Joins Marco, Lucas and Merol on their
trip.

Atrik Nakeros: One of the seven Generals of Zah Dah.

Kaern Vokol: one of the seven Generals of Zah Dah.

Captain Merdoc: A captain at the Eri'Adar army.



Chapter 4:


Beck and Drake: Twin brothers that follow Marco, Lucas and Merol on their
journey.



Chapter 5:


Elinor Gilthian: One of the Seven Generals of Zah Dah. An assassin of
unparalleled ability in stealth, cunning and an insatiable hunger for
torture.

Elrian Lavalas: Aer'andil's uncle, brother of his father.

King Trael Lados: King of Qazameria. He transforms into a black stallion.

Droholost: King of the Dragons of Vaser.

Imlathis: King Lados' lover, he is fourteen years old but he has lived for
five hundred years.

Liandras: High King of all elves. Guardian of the prophesy. He transforms
into an eagle. Thirty two thousand years old.

Felwyn Galay: High Queen of all elves. She transforms into a crane. Twenty
nine thousand years old.

Feldon Leolin: One of the best warriors of Gel'anr with spear and
magic. Thirteen thousand years old.

Nikorn: One of the seven Generals of Zah Dah.



Chapter 6:


Norion Anorion: An elven boy, son of Feldon, becomes friends with
Aer'andil. He is twelve years old but has lived for forty-two years. When
he gets older, he will transform into a black panther.



Chapter 7

Tha'ala: An elven girl in Gel'anr.

Elania: An elven girl friend of Lucas from the Speaker monastery in
Qazameria. She is from Qazameria.

Barthlos: a friend of Lucas from the Speaker monastery in Qazameria. He is
from crow's nest, a small village near Varania.



Chapter 9:


Boden: Elf-King of Dol'Anro, king of the wolf elves.

Hodrelth: King of Gel'Glidorn, king of the bear elves.

Nisal: King of Dol'Adur, king of the rabbit elves.

Locifar: King of Batorn.

Roden Malais: King of Rodenia.

Segaru Malais: Crown Prince of Redonia.

Ularos: King of Lavonia.

Jekal: King of Fadr.

Rioral: King of Udelon.

Nimer: King of Odrel.




Chapter 10:


Garinha: usurper of the throne of Dara.



Chapter 11:



Elven words:

Chapter 1:

Salath: Wind

Vorag: Ignite

Nailal: Elf



Chapter 2:

Riala: Beauty



Chapter 3:

Ikara: total

Volgath: silence

Lierni: return

Em: to

Hathi: normal

Herthal: penetration

Liorda: Control



Chapter 4:

Elion: Thank/s

Oal: you

Elduhost: elf-friend



Chapter 5:

Qazameria: flatland

Ilandri: peace

Felwyn: Sad

Galay: flower

Fendalas: Just

Nemue: sword



Chapter 6:

Droilin: Water

Trialo: thunder

Balos: Protect

Evi: The

Lanastra: Queen

Nil: And

Valom: Protect

Thalin: King

Navo: Rest

Ial: of

Xadothlo: scramble

Gadralo: engage

Tharvi: harpies

Kolstro: explosion

Arilth: thunder

Yadrol: air

Larith: freeze

Thel: for

Felirias: King

Endiron: honour

Gel'anr: land of mist

Glinthala: grace

Imo: one

Loth'irni: without

Dathol : fear

Raya: Sun

Lath: ray

Glamfladrin: despair

Teluviel: guards



Chapter 7:

Tha: love

Ala: child

Ceth: are

Vil: my

Endalin: life

Methalii: soul

Dol'Adur: fortress with holes

Elania: Infinity

Lamanos: strength

Lea: blue

Laros: water



Chapter 8:

Aru'viel: male word for "love of my heart".

Aru'vial: female word for "love of my heart".

Cthali: friend.

Chapter 9:

Erin: Wall

Salath'erin: Wall of wind.

Aru'vil: Plural word for "love of my heart".

Gathlail: Gates



Chapter 10:

Anasol: high

Vothi: have

Cendal: our

La'ari: fealty

Kerun: army

Thilo: turn

Anoli: into

Bethli'inl'lantel. Water and vapour

Wala: form

Horintil: circle

Elbrathril: closure

Herol: truth

Galar: stone

Limbathalin: Celestial

Gel Valir: Land of shadows

Pelari: hunter

Riathnol: darkness



Chapter 11:



The tongue of the men of Eri'Adar:

Chapter 4:

Anlos: home

Yni: of

Hadar: sadness

Gliari: Mountains

Go: the

Utheron: life

Karalas: mate

Fendralth: Banish



Zah Dah's speech:

Chapter 10:

Vig: For

Hana: the

Ninugahal: master

Jik: of

Zah Dah: Shadowlands

Gihurah: Exalted

Nivu: be

Hji: his

Melarn: dark

Floigh: name



Chapter 11:



Locations:

Chapter 1:

Manhattan: Come on...you all know it, real world city in Earth. :p



Chapter 2:

Night's forest: An ancient forest near Eri'Adar, full of magic, tall
conifer trees and secrets. Marco and Lucas' arrival location in Valana.

The town of the fords of Elandros: A small town on the banks of the river
Arin on the south of Eri'Adar. Named so nine hundred years before the start
of the story after a famed General of Eri'Adar.



Chapter 3:

Eri'Adar: Capital city of the kingdom of Eri'Adar. The city is renowned for
its navy that is based on the port of Raeri and a few other secret
locations. It is home of one of the two most powerful merchant guilds in
Valana.



Chapter 4:

Caves of sorrow: a cave system in the mountains north of Eri'Adar, or Anlos
yni Hadar as called by the locals.  The name stemming from the history of
Eri'Adar and its people.

Mountains of the Jokukar: Or Gliari yni go Jokukar, as called by the
natives are the mountain range north of Eri'Adar spanning from west of
Eri'Adar to after Rodenia. The name stemming from the history of Eri'Adar
and its people.


Chapter 5:

Fedria castle ruins: Castle ruins on the north borders between the realms
of Rodenia, Eri'Adar and Yaria.

Mount Ironhorn: One of the peeks on the mountains of the Jokukar.

The settlement of Yridrial: the human settlement from where the boat to
Qazameria departs.

Qazameria: One of the Elven isles. Land of the horse-Elves.

Ilandri: The capital city of Qazameria. Situated in the center of the
island.



Chapter 6:

Gel'anr: Capital island of the Elves, and home of the bird elves. From
here, the High-King and High-Queen reign.

Glinthala: Capital city of Gel'anr.



Chapter 7:

Lea'laros: Ferry port of Gel'anr.



Chapter 8:




Chapter 9:





Chapter 10:

Kilvi Vindro: A small fishing village to the north of Gel'anr

Padala's watch: A human village near the edge of firefly forest.

Gel Valir: An ancient abandoned Nial fortress on the foot of the black hill
in the Firefly forest.



Chapter 11:


Dara: City of Speakers. Merol's home Kingdom.



The Lineage of Glothoin:

Aer'andil son of Liandras son of Urelas son of Heldon son of Thruidil son
of Xandthlon son of Qerelon son of Berelos daughter of Lamerid son of Yolos
son of Imradol son of Teranas son of Glidaros son of Glidarathon daughter
of Vedaron son of Nadraoth son of Calaoth son of Malaroth son of Saradol
son of Feluin daughter of Ladrathlos son of Domothin son of Ianothlorin son
of Aarathloy daughter of Karadlos son of Menthral daughter of Fingoril son
of Derenia daughter of Fadlas son of Tereniath son Ventral daughter of Eoen
daughter of Rimbral son of Otaral son of Padra daughter of Glothoin.



Liandras' creations:

One he wields.

One created for Merol Keen.

One lost was a sword.

One lost was a spear.

One broken was a battleaxe.

Aer'andil's bow will be the last one.




Crowns and colours of the realms of Valana:

Chapter 9:

Udelon: A horse emblem and Red colours.
Odrel: A pig emblem and Green colours.
Fadr: Wheat emblem and yellow colours.
Lavonia: blue and red colours. Sea hawk emblem and metal sculpture on helmet.
Redonia: purple and yellow colours. Lion emblem and metal sculpture on helmet.
Batorn: yellow and white colours. Dog emblem and metal sculpture on helmet.
Dara: orange and blue colours. Griffon emblem and sculpture on helmet.
Qazameria: wild rosemary flowers and birch tree bark crown. Brown and green colours.
Gel'anr: elderflowers and pine tree bark crown. Blue and white colours.
Dol'Adur: Rabbit elves: jasmine flowers and olive tree bark crown. Brown and red colours.
Gel'Glidorn: thorn bush flowers and maple tree bark crown. Grey and yellow colours.
Dol'Anro: wolf's bane flowers and wild rose bark crown. Red and blue colours.



?

Poems to and from Aer'andil:

Chapter 9:

To Aer'andil from Norion:


"Art thou abroad on this stormy night on thy journey of love, my friend? The sky groans like one in despair.
I have no sleep tonight. Ever and again I open my door and look out on the darkness, my friend!
I can see nothing before me. I wonder where lies thy path!
By what dim shore of the ink-black forest, through what mazy depth of gloom art thou threading thy course to come
to me, my friend?"


To Norion from Aer'andil:


"Life of my life, I shall ever try to keep my body pure, knowing that thy living touch is upon all my limbs.
I shall ever try to keep all untruths out from my thoughts, knowing that thou art that truth which has kindled the
light of reason in my mind.
I shall ever try to drive all evils away from my heart and keep my love in flower, knowing that thou hast thy seat
in the inmost shrine of my heart.
And it shall be my endeavour to reveal thee in my actions, knowing it is thy power gives me strength to act."



?

Creatures of Darkness:


Ivakor: A creature made from miasma. It serves an overseer who serves one of the Dark Generals of Zah Dah. It is
made to gain information while killing its victim. They are not foot soldiers. They are the ultimate spy. You cannot
see them, you cannot smell them you can barely hear them before they strike. Only Elves, magic users, Speakers or a
combination of the above can see them when they are stalking their prey. It kills while tearing at memories and
thoughts to gain what information it can get.



Beralocs: There are many ways that one can be formed. They are creatures of black magic. They usually form when
someone has such a deep-seated hatred, such an unfathomable grudge against someone that that hatred takes form.
It starts in the dreams, which become crippling nightmares before you are consumed by it from the inside out,
then the Beraloc finds another victim, it fosters hatred and anger and festers the thoughts of the victim until
the victim surrenders its will to it and then he or she is consumed. A user of black magic can create one.
The Beraloc is controlled and directed by its master. When a Beraloc is created by black magic and consumes a victim,
its creator can order it to spawn off another Beraloc by a portion of the victim's life energy."



?

Wild Beasts:

Chapter 11:

Daghesi: a disfigured mix between a lion and a dog, but twice as big as any lions Aer'andil had ever seen,
with no eyes and an oversized nose. It stalks its prey from a great distance making it feel tired and constantly
irritated until it is so disoriented and tired it doesn't see them coming.



The Prophesy:

Chapter 11:




Evil's will ancient beyond aeons, first of all, it wills after aeons.
An offspring twiceborn of the Fairfolk, of high descend amongst the Fairfolk.
An offspring of the Speakers, highest and first amongst the speakers.
Together they shall be born, under a pale moon on the last of summer's days they shall be born.

Elf and speaker from death they must leave, from Valana they must leave.
To Earth they must go, to rise and train they must go.
To return when ready, to face the evil when ready.

Two shall guard the prophecy, two shall remember of what was before prophesy.
One of the Fairfolk, one of the Speakers. Two shall remember of offspring of Speaker and Fairfolk.
All shall forget of what was, all shall remember when offspring is told of what was.

Two offspring many a hardship will face, first of all evil they will face.
Many a league they will traverse in a quest, across Valana in a quest.
But cruel is not fate, there are unknowing mentors and guardians by fate.

War will come to Valana, it will spread from the Shadowlands to Valana.
Blood and destruction, no one can avoid the destruction.
War's wrath will spread, where will loyalties lie when it spread.

Elves fair and immortal will stand, Speakers loyal and stubborn will stand.
Human hearts are easily deceived, magic, sword or spirit will be deceived.
Orkhavoc stand for evil, unpossesing of requirement to resist the evil.
Wyrms of fire stand divided, for evil, for survival they stand divided.

To face what is neither there or here, they must go both there and here.
Primordial magic does not lie, but those that use it lie.
Wyrms inside them have fire, and their temper is of fire.

The speaker will be whole, with innate ability and fire will be made whole.
The Fairfolk will be whole, with Elven Grace and primordial fire will be whole.
Father of one must sacrifice to make offspring whole. Father of one must guide offspring whole.

To open the Gathlail Aeternae is to open doom, to use yesterday magic speak intent and will doom.
Death and creation, death can bring creation.
Creation and death, creation can bring death.

To undo what is neither here or there, one must understand what is here and there.
Neither here or there, only celestial essence can bring there.
Neither there or here, only fire can bring it here.
Neither here or there, it cannot exist in here and there.