Light of Elliana: Book One—Of Tears & Darkness

Chapter Forty-Two: Tendelers

Later in the evening, the shadows had grown long among the jagged rocks of the windswept precipice, foretelling of the coming night. Nestled within a shattered stone hollow of the crag, gaped a cavernous fissure which sat dark and ominous. At the bottom of the twisting crevice, within the rocky bowels of the mountain, slumbered a heartless nightmare within its lair.

Black scales rasped on stone, gold, and gems, as Sadeene’s great form shifted, seeking comfort while digesting his meal. The great form stirred restlessly from time to time until troubled sleep once more claimed him. Years of blissful rest had gradually dwindled with Sadeene’s youth and were now only a memory. For, the Black Dragon was the oldest living thing on Aederan and the most powerful. The time of his demise had not yet arrived, and for now, he would savagely dominate all in the name of his master. Age was a relative thing to an Ebon One, and there were now many enemies for him to slay.

Resting within his treasure-filled stone bower, Sadeene sensed the growing power of the young Neeri and knew he was destined to confront her. Therein lay the problem, the great Black Dragon surmised, for it would be no minor affair.

“This bearer of the light was unlike the last one. When the evil Elliana had momentarily revealed her new champion, the girl’s purity had filled the ethereal realm, waking him.” The contact had been fleeting as if posing a challenge in passing to Sadeene’s dominance.

The Black Dragon’s mind instantly sought the source of the brief connection, yet it had vanished before he could locate her. This revelation had changed the nature of the conflict measurably. The Ebon One greatly desired to find and eliminate her threat. Forces were at work, concealing the young Neeri’s presence. All Sadeene’s efforts had been stymied, forcing the Adumorda Disciple to acknowledge he would be unable to destroy her quickly. Locating the Neeri by conventional means had failed miserably.

Perhaps, it was time to utilize more unconventional means to locate her. To this end, Sadeene listened quietly to the ethereal plane. He was searching for the life spark of a certain Tendeler, south of the manbeast’s city of Kandalare. The search was necessary, for the creatures had no formal names. They identified one another through a sophisticated sense of smell. Resembling huge moths, they possessed a certain level of intelligence. In adult form, each was five to six feet in length with silvery wings and a creamy abdomen.

What made them useful was their eight to ten feet long antennae. The Tendelers’ used the projections to locate energy life signs of large bugs or bats, which was their primary diet. When their prey was within range, they would send out signals. Those signals, both concealed their presence and imitated many small insects, thus luring the bats to their deaths. Since A’keen was a type of augmented life force, the Tendelers’ could sense a Neeri using their power.

The Dragon silently reminded himself he had to be careful how he treated and communicated with them. If they were too close to a significant discharge of A’keen, they could go into shock and die. It was a gamble Sadeene was willing to take. Finally, Sadeene contacted his unknowing winged scout by repeatedly sending out the thought.

“My friend—may you feed well when the sun goes down, and the winds remain gentle. I trust all is well and nothing has frightened you recently?” Sadeene realized this was the same Tendeler he had spoken to yesterday.

“Nothing now, not like fourteen sun cycles ago when I sensed the discharge

of great power,” the Tendler said amiably within Sadeene’s mind.

Sadeene felt this was exactly the sign he had been waiting for and proceeded delicately. “This concerns me greatly. Could you tell me what happened?”

“The female with a stick made blue fire and hurt mud-monster. The surface of the mother world moved, and the Lady of the Waters came,” the Tendler explained “The lady used great power, and the evil-one was no more. Almost too close—could not hunt for one solar cycle,” the Tendeler whispered in his mind.

“Would you contact me if you sense any more discharges as you experienced? It disturbs me, my friend, to hear she harmed you. I wish to make sure it never happens again.” Sadeene was eager to close the net formed by his scouts and assassins.

“It burns—me not like the fire. I will listen each time I hunt and will tell you if I sense it. You have been good to me, and I will try.”

Sadeene grasped his ruby amulet and let his thoughts flow through the red crystal. “Master of the heavens, your dark servant awaits thee.”

“I trust the hunt goes well?” Bemenah asked calmly.

“Our forces are even now hunting the prince in the dense forests, south-west of the Manbeast City of Kandalare. The Neeri witch, I sense, has found the accursed prince,” Sadeene let his thoughts flow freely.

“The Neeri and Prince Donovan are invisible to me; I curse my sister for this. The Neeri has begun to grow in power. They must not be allowed to meddle or interfere with our plans.” The Dragon could sense the master’s anger.

Sadeene sat quietly, deep in thought. He was trying to choose how best to inform the master of what else the Tendeler had told him. For some time, he had suspected the witch and prince were being aided and protected. Now, he knew it was true.

“You have been a faithful servant Sadeene. I sense—there is more you wish to tell me. Let there be no secrets between us.” Bemenah waited for Sadeene to respond.

“The Tendeler detected an Ancient Power which awakened and chose to act. The power flux it left behind was enormous. I believe our Dark Binders’ may not be up to the task, if any of the Demi-Gods enter the war,” Sadeene informed his master.

In truth—the Dragon was much concerned, for this would be a contest involving unknown, untested adversaries. In the background, Sadeene sensed pieces of an elaborate game moving. “What piece was the Elder Power? What pieces represented the Neeri and Prince Donovan? For that matter, what part represented he, himself?” Sadeene wondered.

“So—one of the lesser guardians has chosen to become involved. The Ancient Powers are eternally bound to Aederan and everything which lives upon it. Like the rest of our enemies, they will die.”

“Yes, of course, they will. It will take the combined power of several Dark Binders to complete the task,” Sadeene reminded Bemenah.

“You’re young, remain in hiding. When your forces destroyed Drennard, one awakened, which the cursed Fetwyn managed to slay. Soon, their entire might will be hard-pressed to stop one, let alone many,” the master reminded him.

In the Early Formation, when Bemenah and Elliana had first come to be, there was only darkness. In this eternal night, the master had created the Unhallowed Ones or Ebon Ones. They were black Dragons who were Sadeene’s ilk. They lived only to destroy and consume all sentient living matter aligned with the light. The unholy evil ones were not immortal, yet they had long lifespans and were formidably powerful.

“The raids within Caralon and Etmindor continue to go well, and the net is closing around the prince and Neeri. Soon, they’ll no longer be a threat to our plans.”

“Sadeene, I am deeply concerned Prince Donovan has continued to elude us. Have the wagons and wurms arrived, which I ordered eight days ago?” Bemenah asked.

The great Dragon noted the master’s mood had not improved with the news. Early planning had yielded relatively easy victories at first. Now—unanticipated seemingly minor setbacks appeared to be altering the scheme of things; Bemenah’s foul sister of light had chosen to challenge the dark powers covertly.

“Yes, even now, they are traveling towards the site of the last battle with the enemy.”

“Excellent, the wurms will dispose of the prince or flush him into the open where our men can kill him.” Bemenah looked at Sadeene with a sinister smile.

“Master, it shall be done!” Sadeene closed the mental connection between them. For the great Dragon had several misgivings about their current plans and felt far too much was being left to chance.

Elliana had remained silent for the most part since the defeat of her forces of light long ago. Arrogantly, Bemenah had taken it as a sign of his sister’s acceptance of the near-total destruction of all she had created. Sadeene had seen something else, which revealed itself for a moment before it vanished. Within her countenance blazed an inner fire which would be akin to bright, warm sunshine upon the ice sheathing a tree’s branches during winter. Unless stopped, her power would unerringly drive away the cold and return life.

Bemenah had responded to Sadeene’s revelation with anger, demanding loyalty, and complete obedience. As to commitment, the Black Dragon had unwaveringly and obediently followed his dark master’s commands since birth. However, this did not mean he was a mindless servant who would act through blind obedience. When facts proved Bemenah had missed something important, Sadeene had learned to bend his ear.

Elliana had fundamentally altered the enemy. The Dragon could not identify the essential changes, yet knew they existed, nonetheless. Abruptly an epiphany struck Sadeene with the force of a blinding thunderbolt. During those endless centuries of silence and Elliana’s stony looks, she had silently observed everything which had occurred. As the master wrongly assumed despair and grief consumed Elliana, she had been quietly planning her revenge. Bemenah’s sister had secretly planted seeds on Aederan and had carefully tended them. Now her labors had born fruit, which she was silently gathering.

Without being told, Sadeene determined the war for Aederan had not ended long ago. Instead, it was as if it had only begun. The game had changed and now would never be the same. Within this revelation came whispers which hinted at rising centers of power within the darkness and the light. As the Black Dragon lay within the twilight in his stony lair, he thought on all these matters.

The coming battle for Aederan would result in a defeat for the enemy, of course. It was unfathomable to believe the feeble alliance would prevail. The humans’ will and unity were weak, easily broken. Greed, thirst for power, and a reluctance to act together for the common good had always weakened the enemy in the past. Simple golden trinkets and shiny gems, even today, worked to buy allies in key positions of power. What one couldn’t buy could be quickly killed or destroyed, as Sadeene was about to do this night. One waged wars on many planes, of which the most powerful was within the mind. By carefully arranged actions, the great Black Dragon could render thousands of impotent, creating waves of useless enemy soldiers.

With a great heave, Sadeene rose from his bed of gold and gems. The massive beast climbed the solid rock floor of the passageway, worn smooth by thousands of years of use. To the East, the Manbeast’s had built another fort and staffed it with a large contingent of soldiers. The beasts were once again attempting to expand their influence, and it was time to make them fear the night. Sadeene leaped into the air, flying powerfully towards the East, as his thunderous roar filled the night air.