Chapter One- Allies and Enemies
by Sin



  Twelve years later, the boy known as 'Blessed' could be found in any number of places. From the giant water fall of the Northern woods, to the Realm of the Faeries, located deep within Mer'ode nos Tir'os'ne, meaning Light Forest. As of this moment, however, he was at the former, walking on a fallen birch overtop the water's falling edge, munching carelessly on an apple as he balanced. Glancing down, past a swash of blue hair that brushed by his face, he saw a form sitting on a rock, near the falls' waters, crashing forcefully into the rocks near the figure.
  Finishing the apple, he sprinted that last 6 feet of the felled tree to other side and climbed artfully down the cliff face, his feet touching the earth below within minutes. Turning to see the figure, he discovered a girl sitting atop the rock. Approaching carefully, curious as ever, he stood near the waters' gently swaying edge, behind the cover of tree and bush, studying the girl. She wasn't really a girl at all. Her skin was a light golden color, and her eyes were the purest aqua blue-green he'd ever seen. They seemed to glow and call to him. Her hair flowed well past her lower back and was like a curtain wrought of gold, catching the sun's rays and displaying them finely. Staring, he emerged slowly from his hiding spot and walked toward the beautiful nymph perched atop the boulder.
  The girl, noticing him now, watched his movements, her eyes still shining. He paused after wading into the water up to his knees, crossing his arms over his chest, hoping to appear peaceful. A little hesitant, for fear of frightening the lovely creature, he called out softly, his young elvish voice ringing in the wind. "Greetings. I mean you no harm... My name is Saerleon. May I have yours..?" His words seem to startle her, because she leaned back, preparing to slip of into the deeper water surrounding her place. He panicked at the thought of losing her. "Please, I did not mean to scare you!" he said, hoping to gain her name at the least. "I only mean to ask your name as a formality." Her gaze froze and she looked at him, appearing confused. She cannot understand me, he thought. He sighed, turned and left the chilled water, sitting wordlessly on the shore, watching minuet waves tap against the edge rocks.
  A moment later, he heard a soft splash, imperceiveable to human ears, but obvious to his elven hearing. He looked up, expecting to see her, playing in the water. But instead, he saw nothing.

~*~

  The elven boy had appeared out of no where, startling the young Na'ron'oss where she sat. Looking up, she watched him warily as he waded into the water, looking at her the entire time. He stopped a little later, half way to his waist, in the cool water. The Na'ron'oss almost giggled at the site of the young elf crossing his arms over his chest, trying to appear tough. Then, he called out some words, sounding very much like a chime come to life with his elvish tones. She didn't speak Elvish, in fact, she didn't speak at all, so she couldn't be sure of what he was saying. She pulled back, ready to slid into the water if the child, for that's what he looked, proved hostile. A look of despair came across the young elven features before more gibberish words.
  She looked at him, trying to convey how much she could not understand without seeming aggressive. The Na'ron'oss almost laughed at that too. Her, youngest of her race, appearing agressive was a thought that merited laughter, were the circumstances different. She barely carried the knowledge of fifteen summers, while the second youngest of her kind held 48 summers. The boy, apparently understanding, just sighed and, slumping his shoulders, walked back to the shore before seeming to disappear into his own thoughts.
  Seeing this as her opportunity to change back and meet the boy on her terms, she pushed off the slickened rock, sliding below the waters' turbulant edge and surfacing behind the falls. He golden skin rippled before warping and twisting into the features of her true self.

~*~

  When his refined elvish ears caught padded feet slipping out from behind the deafening noise of the waterfall, he whirled, his dagger out. The dagger was magnificent to behold seeing as it is crafted of a special metal, created by the La'r'os'n'Ziu'wji, Elves of Night or Dark elves. At some sword point during the War of Elves, or De'stra'n nos La'r'os, the Mer'ode nos La'r'os, Elves of Light or Light Elves, got ahold of it and created this dagger. Blessed by Goddess of the Wind, the dagger has six bigger wings from the hilt concealing magic to make the dagger light and effortless to wield. Two more small wings closer to the blade allow it to levitate and float to the user's hand, creating easier battles. There is a light blue sapphire veined with dark onyx also on the hilt. This gem was found by the La'r'os'n'Mer'ode, Light Elves, during the war against Dwarves. The gem is believed to have been created by the Goddess of Wind and the Goddess of Darkness, who mixed their powers to strenghten the dagger. The dagger had been a gift from the village elder on the day of his birth, such a gift was eagerly accepted by his parents and marveled at by his kin.
  The golden wolf payed the marevelous dagger no heed and walked slowly over to him, yawned and layed down next to his feet. Eyes wide with wonder, he sheathed the dagger and sat next the wolf, noticing its eyes and fur colored the same as the girl from earlier. I wonder if she and this wolf are somehow connected..? he began to ponder. However, before he finished, he heard a female voice, as lovely as any elf's, speak within his mind.
  I am a Na'ron'oss, my name is Ne'yarus. I am the same as the girl you saw earlier, she told him.
   But, he thought to her, how..?
  She laughed in his mind, and he decided that the sound was pleasant. It is a trait of my clan. We are born as wolves, but may hold human form for a short while. Na'ron'oss would mean, she fumbled with the difficult pronunciations of the elvish language. Changling, she finally decided on.
   Yes, that is right. He nodded, agreeing with her, thinking quickly how weird it was to be conversing with an animal.
  She sharply interjected his thoughts. Yes, I suppose it is weird. I don't recall any of my clan speaking of this. I will have to ask them when I return.
   The thought of her leaving sent a pand of anger mixed with fear up his spine. But, he thought, putting much emotion into it, I do not wish you to go! Can you not stay with me? Or visit Tjiar'sr at the least?
  She sounded intrigued, and it showed on her face. Tjiar'sr? What is that?
   He smiled. It is my lovely home. It houses many elves, just like me.
  Just like you? Your face, your eyes, your hair? he couldn't determine from her face nor her voice if she was mocking him or curious.
   He chose his reply carefully. Well, not just like me. We all have differences, like Sora'no, his eyes are black with hair so light, it is almost white. And Ka'yir'a, she is shorter than most and her eyes are white. He paused. She has no sight.
  Perhaps I will go. But I need to clear it with my clan first. May I visit you there? She asked, her beautiful voice tinted with curiousity.
   He thought about it carefully. He had been ready to kill her, because she was a wolf and known trouble-maker. When he returned the thoughts with an answer, it was a little saddened. No, you had better not. The La'r'os'n'Mer'ode-- that is Light Elves or Elves of Light-- are very kind to allies, but their enemies are not taken kindly too. Wolves are not an ally. He hoped he had conveyed the severity of the reply.
  She nodded. Indeed you have. I will meet you here, again then, in a quarter cycle. She stood and walked away, the action mentally hurting the entire time.

~*~

  Walking away from the small elf was hard. It felt as though she had been crying, and she could feel the weight of depression begin to settle on her. However, to keep the demons at bay, she cancelled out the mental hurt with the passion of duty. She broke into a run, the intense need to hurry back to the elvish boy speeding her forth.

~*~

  Watching Ne'yarus pad silently away from him, Saerleon felt like crying. He felt as though she would never return, though he hoped she would. And as the young La'r'os'n'Mer'ode stood, and began his walk home, all he thought of was the importance of seeing her again, being back here in one week.
  When he walked into Tjiar'sr, meaning peaceful, two short masses of brown hair with merry brown eyes came bounding at him, tackling and knocking him down. Straining to shove the tangled pairs of arms, and legs that were the twins, Far'ona and R'eter'a, off of him, he ended up adding his own arms and legs to the writhing pile of body parts.
  "Hi Saerleon! Did you bring me anything?" gushed the sister, Far'ona. She giggled and pulled herself from the group.
  "Aw, he didn't bring you anything, Far'ona! But I bet be brought me something, didn't you, Saerleon?" the brother replied in his sugar-sweet tone, R'eter'a. Wriggiling carefully free from Saerleon's flailing arms and legs, he stood up.
  Saerleon, standing to his full height, looked down at the two nine year olds. Smiling, he produced two green pears from a pouch at his back, laughing at the looks on there faces.
  "Do not be so picky! I may not have brought you anything at all!" Saer grinned before pulling two small objects out from his hip pouch. Two identical green gems, roughly the size of a token, worn smooth by sitting, pinned, behind a bigger rock at the falls. "Here." He handed each a gem. "Those are emeralds. They are very pretty and very expensive. I have let them sit in the water to be turned and smoothed to this perfection."
  They carefully crandled the gems in the palms, turning them this way and that, excited by the thought of owning something expensive at their tender age. Grinning, they thanked him and then sped off to show their parents and whatever elf happened to wander their way.
  Shaking his head, yet smiling, Saerleon walked to his own home. His house, like most in Tjiar'sr, was crafted into the side of a giant red oak, the building itself was very sturdy but looked as though it would fall at any moment.Looking around at the city, he smiled at the simple beauty around him. Then, turning back to his task, he went inside to see his parents sitting at the table, with a fair-haired elf seated at the dining table.

~*~*~*~

  Saerleon paused, staring at the figure seated in his house. His name was Sora'no, and he had been a rival of Saer's since his seventh summer. While Sora'no held two summers over Saerleon, he still could not best him in thing such as sword and balance. Saerleon could run faster than him as well, and this just angered the unnusual elf even more.
  Sora'no had always been thought odd because most of the La'r'os'n'Mer'ode were not comeptitive, unless for joy of game. But Sora'no, held a simple race in high importance and always assumed he must win. It was just bizzarre for an Elf to be so difficult. His parents knew that sora'no disagreed with Saerleon more than the other children, and knew of their rivalry, but paid it no true mind. However, they did know, so why would they invite Sora'no in..? He could not begin to fathom the reasons.
  Looking up, his mother's green eyes smiled brightly. "Welcome home, Saerleon." she greeted in her calm, measured elvish voice. "Sora'no has brought us news of you."
  Saerleon was curious. What could Sora'no possibly say that was about him..? A lot, he thought, and none of it good. His mind still hovered and flitted about Ne'yarus. With Saer's answer, or lack of one, his mother continued.
  "He told us you went to the falls, and he followed, to challenge you. He observed you for a short while before watching you climb down the cliff side and speak with who he informs me as a lovely girl." Her smile brightened, as did her tone. Saerleon knew what was coming now.
  "So...Your father and I were wondering if you were going to let us meet your new...friend."
  Saer sighed. How was he supposed to let them meet Ne'yarus; she is a wolf. But she said she can hold human form for a while, he thought and then something else struck at him. Does Sora'no know about her..?
  "Did you notice, Sora'no, that she did not speak to me and left?" he asked, trying to sound nonchalent. "She does not understand Elvish, or at least, that is how it seems." his mind fluttered at talking about her.
  Sora'no glared at him before answering solemnly, "I did not watch you the entire time. I left when you chose to wade into the water." Saerleon's mind fretted quickly about being scolded for carelessness, but that was over taken by the joy that Ne'yarus would not be hunted. His father looked at Sora'no before looking to Saerleon. "You waded into the water to meet with something that may have been dangerous?" His father's voice wall icily calm, but his eyes were concern filled.
  Saerleon glared at Sora'no's gloating face before turning to his father. "No, father, I waded to my knees so I could speak with her. But it seemed to frighten her and she left." His own voice was calm, and melodical, chiming with the tones of Elvish youth. His mother sighed, the long breath filled with disappointment. Ever since his twelfth summer, his mother had been none too subtly hinting at marriage, and this was just a chance that she had leapt at.
  Sora'no stood and bowed at the waist, smiling to Saer's parent's, and beckoning Saerleon outside with him. Saer followed somewhat reluctantly, expecting a challenege or rebuke of some kind, but when he reched the outdoors Sora'no grabbed him roughly by the wrist and pulled him close. Sora'no whispered into Saer's ear, his breath tingling and warm, his words soft and lilting, though Saerleon heard clear enough the cool threat. "I do not understand what went on between you and that girl, but understand this: I know you spoke to her. I know not how, but in any matter, she will not be yours, I will have her. And if I am refused, no one shall have her." His callous smirk was unbarble as his words settled fully into Saer's mind.
  One moment everything cleared from Saer's mind, except the thought of danger to Ne'yarus. The next Saerleon had Sora'no pinned, his knee placed at the center of his chest, and his dagger at Sora'no's pale throat. He growled out a warning before the other Elves came to view this display, "If you so much as think about her, I will kill you." The sudden burst of anger sated, he stood, glancing left then right, turned and walked into his house without so much as a look back.

~*~

  Sora'no rubbed at the bruise on his chest from the knee of his rival. Disgraceful! he thought. Being bested by so small a child was pitiful and the fact it was his rival... The day's hope, which had looked promising at dawn, now darkened with the failing light. Sora smiled though, despite his bruised chest and and soreness across his throat. Saerleon rarely gave Sora an advantage, and for him to unwittingly do so this time, was a great deal.
  Smirking, he watched back to his own household. With that girl as an advantage, I will... he paused, letting his mind wander.
  Suddenly, a quiet voice in his mind startled him. Will what? The low, seductive voice asked. What will you do to the boy, Saerleon?
  After the inital shock of hearing- feeling- anothers voice within him, Sora'no timidly answered in his mind, Well, I suppose I would... His voice trailed off, trying to buy time to think of an answer. He hadn't really thought about it yet. It was just the thought of getting to Saerleon that caught him.
  The voice laughed. I see. Did you know that the paticular elf, Saerleon, has the Goddess of the Wood's blessing? Did you, little boy? She taunted him.
  Sora, feeling his blood boil, narrowed his eyes and shouted angrily into his own head. Of course I knew! Why do you think his name is 'Blessed'? His parents knew when they--
  No! she interupted, suddenly angry with him. They did not now Mer'ia blessed him. They named him that because of they're own luck, you foolish child.
  He sulked and felt terrible for making her angry, in fact, the thought of displeasing her sent shivers up his spine and aches through his head. Accept my apologies... he hesitated before asking, Who are you, anyways? Please tell me.
  She laughed, the sound harsh, cold and hateful. But it had an odd satisfaction to it. She smiled, he could feel it; a cool and evil rush within his mind. I? I am a Goddess, Lah'os. you know me as the Goddess of Darkness, or the Goddess of Pain. Whatever you silly elves call me, it makes no difference. You, boy, are to call me Goddess Lah'os, or My Goddess. Her voice became a sultry purr. And you will learn that I can be kind, or I can be harsh. It is your choice, my warrior.
  His own voice sounded pained and scared to himself, and he cursed for it. But, Loh'- He stopped himself. But, Goddess Loh'os, how am I to do this? How will I convince others that you are true..?
  Her voice was, again, enraged. Because, stupid elf, I am a Goddess. If necessary, I will take to material plane form and prove myself to live. Her voice calmed, once again beckoning. The other boy, Mer'ia's Blessed, had met with a girl today. Her future was shaded to my eyes. She was the girl you saw earlier. I can see nothing of her nor about her, but it is of no concern. Mer'ia's Blessed has great potential. You are my Chosen, so you, too, have colossal deeds in store for you. And I will help, dear, dear boy...
  Sora'no was completely stunned by the information just given him. He felt giddiness raced over his body, joy surging through his limbs. My Goddess, what shall we do..?
  She smiled, the link told him, the small grin was formed of ice and hate. She replied, I will tell you as I feel necessary, eager child. Do not worry. Be patient and reap the rewards. Just study Mer'ia's Blessed and be wary. Protect him from the shadows, if need be. I may have use for him, if his heart holds some darkness...