Light Chasers: A Novel of Lasniniar

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

Something in the Air

Iadrawyn stood frozen in place. A seemingly endless field of green stretched before her, the long grass swaying in the breeze like a rippling wave. How had it grown so quickly? Rolling, green hills could be seen in the distance: Vila Eadros. Now that they were within viewing distance of their destination, the pull within her became even stronger.

Closing her eyes, Iadrawyn took a moment to savor the open air. It was fresh and vibrant, without the familiar, rich scent of trees. Valanandir stood at her side, not questioning her long pause.

She knew she was postponing the inevitable. The edge of the forest stood behind her. It had been all she could do to leave its reassuring canopy to rescue Valanandir. Now the open sky loomed overhead once more. Valanandir stood calm and waiting, looking around with curiosity. He was probably used to being out in the open as a sailor. She realized it must have been strange for him to be in the woods without being able to see the sky, although she found it difficult to imagine such a thing. Squaring her shoulders, Iadrawyn forced herself to look up.

A wave of vertigo threatened to overwhelm her. Even with her protective blindfold, her eyes watered from the bright light overhead. She blinked rapidly to clear them. She realized this sky was quite different from the one she was used to. The gaping void of darkness was gone, replaced by a brilliant blue. Fluffy-looking white things seemed to float, suspended. A few moments of watching them made her realize they were moving. Disoriented, she looked away.

Her gaze was drawn to the source of the light. An impossibly bright disc hung in the eastern sky. She couldn’t look at it long. The light was too intense. She took a deep breath, reassuring herself that nothing was going to fall, or it surely would have done so by now. She turned to Valanandir.

“Let’s go.”

At first, Iadrawyn had to force herself to pay attention to where they were going and the trail behind them. She found her eyes constantly being drawn upward. She noticed as time went by, the disc of light appeared to travel westward in the opposite direction of their course. She was unsure whether this was its usual behavior or some kind of sign. As the hours passed, the feeling of oppression faded and the strange, new sky became familiar.

Valanandir spoke little as they walked. He seemed equally mesmerized, but unafraid. He kept pace beside her, despite his healing injuries. She took heart from his quiet resilience and determination. He was completely unlike anyone she had ever met. For the most part, the elves of her tribe enjoyed their comforts and weren’t very adventurous. Their insular nature had made them xenophobic and overly concerned about social status within their own limited world.

“Are all Sea Elves like you?” she asked, breaking the long silence. Valanandir gave her a look of what she assumed was confusion, c*****g his head to the side. It was difficult to read his blindfolded features.

“How do you mean?”

Iadrawyn considered her reply. “Compared to my people, you seem quite adventurous and adaptable. My tribe has become self-satisfied, staying within their boundaries, and seldom leaving the village.”

“All my people have a love for the sea, but we express it in different ways. I have always been very curious. My parents were both sailing warriors, who died in battle against the dark forces. I was their only child, so it was natural for me to follow in their footsteps.

“Many of my people have never been off Arindaria. I grew up being raised by my aunt and uncle, who fish to feed our people. My best friend is a shipwright. Others are craftsmen or ambassadors to the Sea Folk. Few leave the island in search of battle or adventure anymore. The dark creatures have killed too many. Of the three ships I sailed with to find battle on the mainland, I am the only survivor. My people most likely believe I am dead, and I doubt more ships will be sent.” His voice sounded sad.

“Are you certain you want to continue traveling with me? Perhaps you could find a way back to your island. The Sea Folk helped you. Perhaps you could get one of them to send a message.”

Valanandir shook his head. “Going back to the coast means risking being found by your tribe’s search parties or a drakhal. I don’t know what we will find once we get to Vila Eadros, but I want to find out. I can’t explain it, but I feel like it’s something I need to do.”

“I’m sorry you cannot go back to your own people, but I am selfishly glad I won’t be traveling alone.” Iadrawyn smiled. She was also happy to hear Valanandir’s explanation about why he needed to come. She felt the same way, but she couldn’t imagine trying to explain it to anyone from her tribe. They would never understand.

Iadrawyn watched the sky in fascination, her blindfold on the ground beside her. As the light hours ended, the fiery disc disappeared into the west and the sky went through a myriad of changes, fading from blue to pink, to violet, to darkness. Now a pale, silvery-white crescent hung suspended in the heavens, like a glowing nail paring. Scattered silver pinpricks of light glimmered overhead. It was the most incredible sight she had ever seen. Valanandir sat beside her in the grass, equally entranced.

“Whatever has happened to our world, it can’t possibly be the work of the dark creatures,” he murmured. “It’s too beautiful.”

Iadrawyn nodded, unable to tear her eyes away. She didn’t know how long they sat like that, neither of them wanting to sleep. It seemed like only moments, but she suspected it was quite a bit longer. A rustle in the grass from the south finally caught her attention. She pulled her gaze away with reluctance.

A murmur she had failed to notice grew louder and more distinct. Iadrawyn strained her ears, trying to make sense of what she was hearing. The harsh syllables of the Black Tongue made her heart hammer in her chest. It was a group of drakhalu. Dragons did not walk without making quite a bit of noise, and the Fire Folk rarely spoke at all.

Iadrawyn looked to Valanandir. He was crouched beside her, his knife already in hand. She realized she was gripping the hilt of her own weapon, for all the good it would do them. Drakhalu could only be killed by a wooden stake to the heart or decapitation. She wished she had taken the time to gather some stout branches to sharpen before leaving the woods.

Both elves remained motionless. The slightest movement would cause the grass to move and attract notice. Even though the drakhalu seemed unaware of their presence, they continued walking straight toward them.

Iadrawyn wished she could understand what they were saying. Were these creatures a search party summoned by her village, or just another pack that had stumbled across their path? Either way, confrontation seemed inevitable. The drakhalu were only a few feet away. They should have caught the elves’ scent by now.

Iadrawyn’s eyes met Valanandir’s. He gave a grim nod. They would make a last stand together. It frustrated Iadrawyn that their efforts to escape should come to this. Still, she was glad she had gotten to experience the changes in the world, if not for very long. She took a deep breath, committing herself to the attack. If she and Valanandir didn’t move now, they would lose the element of surprise. Iadrawyn launched herself at the approaching creatures. She heard Valanandir somewhere just behind her, joining the fray.

There were three of them.

Judging from their surprised expressions, they had been unaware anyone else was nearby. Their pale skin seemed to glow in the darkness. Iadrawyn threw herself at the one closest to her. It was a female. Her amethyst eyes widened as Iadrawyn made contact, slashing with her knife. She couldn’t kill the creature with it, but she could wound her as much as possible.

The female drakhal didn’t seem to know how to react to Iadrawyn’s attack. She stumbled backward, trying to ward the blows with her hands before reaching for her own knife. Behind her, Iadrawyn heard Valanandir fighting off the other two creatures.

Iadrawyn was thrown off by the drakhal’s uncertainty. Why didn’t the creature try to use her strange eyes to bewitch her into becoming her next meal?

Iadrawyn and her opponent exchanged cuts, but Iadrawyn was clearly the more competent fighter. The female drakhal bled strange, dark blood from several wounds, including a gash on her forehead that disappeared into her black hair.

Iadrawyn could hear Valanandir struggling. It was time to even the odds. She feinted to the left, drawing the female in, while switching her momentum to the right at the last moment. Iadrawyn flipped her blade into her hand and gave the drakhal a smart rap on the temple. Her opponent crumpled to the ground.

Iadrawyn whirled to help Valanandir. He was being pressed on both sides by the remaining two males. He could do little but deflect and sidestep their attacks. Iadrawyn didn’t want to hit one of them from behind and have them stumble into Valanandir. Still, she could use the element of surprise.

Gripping the hilt of her knife tight in her fist, she tapped the closest creature on the shoulder. The drakhal turned, probably expecting his female companion. Iadrawyn slammed her dagger-weighted fist into his face as hard as she could. There was a satisfying crunch as his nose broke. The creature howled in pain before launching at her.

Now Iadrawyn had to focus solely on defense. The drakhal slashed at her from all angles, his battered face dripping with dark blood. Its coppery tang filled her nostrils. She could feel her arms growing heavy. Her blocks became slower. Her opponent sensed weakness and continued his unrelenting attack, scoring several hits. He smiled, white fangs gleaming. His tongue darted out of his mouth to taste his own blood. He savored it before smiling even wider. His bloodstained grin made Iadrawyn shiver.

Valanandir was still too busy with the other male to come to her rescue. On the ground, the female drakhal was stirring. A tide of despair rose within Iadrawyn. She could only hope the creatures would kill them outright. The idea of spending thousands of years as a drakhal made her physically ill. She forced herself to swallow and tasted bile.

Iadrawyn ignored the stinging pain of her wounds and forced her leaden arms to keep moving. She noticed for the first time that the sky had become completely dark. The glowing crescent and sparks were hidden. An ominous rumble made her jump back. The drakhal seemed equally surprised, his red eyes widening before continuing his attack.

Several more rumbles echoed across the darkened sky, followed by a crackling bolt of light. It shot from the heavens to the ground several feet away before disappearing. The air took on a scorched scent. Iadrawyn’s skin tingled.

What was happening? Was this the apocalypse her people had predicted?

Iadrawyn held her trembling arm ready to defend, but the drakhalu were mesmerized by the phenomenon, the fight temporarily forgotten. Another rumble boomed almost directly overhead. Another crackling zigzag of light followed, this time only a few feet away.

Iadrawyn was startled by a large drop of cold water landing on her head. She looked up, only to have another land on her face. Within moments, the entire sky was unleashing a torrent of water, pelting the combatants below. Iadrawyn’s clothes became plastered to her body. Her hair flattened against her scalp. It was a strange sensation, but in some ways refreshing.

This new development proved more than the drakhalu could bear. The one facing Valanandir shouted something to the others in their own tongue. The creatures abandoned the battle, fleeing south. In moments, they disappeared into the darkness.

Iadrawyn looked over at Valanandir. His puzzled expression mirrored her own. Was it possible the dark creatures were just as confused about what had been happening lately? Perhaps they believed all the strange phenomena were the work of the elves.

“Why didn’t they try to mesmerize us?” Iadrawyn asked, breaking the silence.

“Those were lower caste drakhalu. They were not powerful enough to rely on the tricks of their more powerful brethren.”

“How do you know they were lower caste? I thought all drakhalu were the same. They look the same to me.” Iadrawyn tried to pinpoint the difference between the ones that had attacked them and the one who had visited her village and came up empty.

“Higher caste drakhalu don’t need weapons. They are the weapon. Only the weaker ones would need to rely on a knife. Purebloods are the most dangerous. These ones must have been elves who were turned.” Valanandir tilted his head to look up at the sky, allowing the drops of water to fall on his face. “What do you make of this weather?”

Iadrawyn frowned before answering. “I think it’s snow.”

“Snow?”

“Well, not snow exactly. Snow is just frozen moisture. The weather is warmer now, so it’s melted snow. This storm is something else though. I have never heard of anything like it. The drakhalu seemed to think it was our doing.”

“What do we do now?” Another flash of light in the distance briefly illuminated Valanandir’s worn features.

Although she felt for him, Iadrawyn forced herself to be practical. “I think we should move on. We can use this weather to provide us with cover. I know we’re both tired, but if we stay here, we risk those drakhalu going back to wherever they came from and telling others of our campsite. If we move now, the water should make it impossible for even drakhalu to track us. Our scent will be washed away.”

Valanandir said nothing, but gave a grim nod. They gathered their scattered belongings. Even though they were both already soaked, the water continued to fall from the sky. Iadrawyn drew up the hood of her cloak and shouldered her pack before looking to make sure Valanandir was ready. Together, they began walking east.

Iadrawyn forced one foot in front of the other. She was exhausted. They both were. She and Valanandir had traveled all through the dark hours, binding their wounds from the fight with the drakhalu as they went, under the steady downpour. Now the disc of light was back in the sky, and the falling water had finally stopped. Their eyes were bound once more, and Vila Eadros rose before them.

Iadrawyn didn’t bother backtracking to cover their trail. The weather would take care of that for them, and now that it had cleared, she was too tired to do more than trudge onward. Her clothes, boots, and hair were still damp, making every step feel heavy.

Her only consolation was the increasing sense of certainty they were drawing close to their goal. What had begun as a distant pulling sensation had slowly grown to a living pulse that tingled. Even Valanandir could feel it now. Every few moments, she caught him scratching at his arms. Her growing desire to locate the source of these strange feelings had become irresistible. Despite her exhaustion, she couldn’t stop her forward momentum if she tried. She had to find whatever had caused all the changes in Ralvaniar and these strange feelings within herself. It was her destiny.

Iadrawyn stumbled, startled from her hypnotic thoughts. Valanandir was at her side, gripping her shoulder to prevent her from falling forward. She gave him a grateful smile. She was glad he was with her. She knew there was a reason she had felt compelled to rescue him on the beach. It seemed like a lifetime ago. He was also a part of her fate.

The gentle, grassy slopes of the hills were right in front of them now. Iadrawyn forced herself to focus. They had arrived. What they sought would be in the heart of Vila Eadros. She knew this as surely as she knew her own name. Wordlessly, she beckoned Valanandir onward.

Together, they wound their way between the hills. Iadrawyn felt as though she were a scrap of metal being pulled by a strong magnet. There was no resisting.

At first it wasn’t noticeable in the daylight, but a white glow seemed to be coming from the same location as the pulling sensation. Even with her blindfold, it became almost unbearably bright.

Iadrawyn had ceased to notice anything else, her world narrowed to discovering the source of these sensations. She knew they were close. Her skin prickled. Just a few more steps and she would find it.

A hand gripping her arm distracted her. She shrugged the hand away without looking back. She was so close…

The hand grabbed her shoulder, turning her around. Iadrawyn nearly screamed in frustration. She found herself facing Valanandir’s panicked features. His face had gone pale.

“What is it?” she snapped.

“We have to take cover!” He pulled at her arm, but she refused to move.

“Leave me alone. I have to find it!” Iadrawyn tried to shrug his hand away once more, but Valanandir’s grip remained firm.

“Come on!” He gave another tug, this time more forceful. Iadrawyn stumbled in his direction against her will.

“I’m not going anywhere. Let me go!” She struggled in his grip.

Valanandir used his other hand to grasp her chin, forcing her to look up. An impossibly large shadow passed overhead. Iadrawyn felt as if she had been doused with cold water.

“Dragon,” Valanandir breathed in her ear, confirming her fears. “Now come on!”

Chagrined, Iadrawyn allowed him to lead her into the shadow of the closest hill. She hoped her idiocy wasn’t going to get them killed. They crouched together against the hill, their eyes glued to the sky.

The dragon circled several times before landing. Its silver scales were almost blinding in the light. They had a rippling blue sheen that made the creature’s movements almost hypnotic. Iadrawyn and Valanandir were forced to shield their faces with their cloaks as the dragon landed, its enormous wings stirring up loose grass and dirt. Somehow, the large creature managed to make its movements appear graceful. It tucked its wings to its sides as all four legs touched the ground.

Iadrawyn pressed her body against the side of the hill, hoping they would escape notice. Surely two elves must seem like ants to such a creature. Perhaps it had not seen them before it had landed. Valanandir’s silver eyes were wide with terror. She remembered it had been dragons that had attacked his ship and nearly killed him.

The dragon’s long neck wound from one side to the other, clearly searching. She could hear it sniffing the air. Iadrawyn closed her eyes and reached to grasp Valanandir’s hand. He gave her an answering squeeze, which gave her the courage to open her eyes.

She immediately regretted it. A fresh wave of terror washed over her. Beside her, Valanandir uttered a faint moan. His hand slipped from her grasp.

The dragon was looking right at them.