The White Shadow Saga: The Stolen Moon of Londor Read Online Free Page A

sweet sound of the battalion's voices raised in cheer. The
warriors had already crossed the river and were gathered with the
company that had been left to guard the passage. With no reason now
to remain vigilant, all were in the valley for celebration. The
news of battle's end had been told, and praise was given to the two
leaders as they approached the opposite bank. Swords were raised
high into the night sky. Taking the lead, Randor directed Gildan to
the water's edge. Gildan relaxed and let the soft breeze cool his
sweaty face as he gazed blankly toward the high pass. Slowly his
strength was returning to him.
    Randor's eyes were drawn to the stilled water
as he looked at the twin moons' reflection there. He took one step
into the river; then something stopped him. A powerful sense of
befuddlement filled him as he watched the moonlight on the ripples.
Many ripples spilled over one another, distorting the once perfect
mirroring of the moons as Randor watched in horror, feeling
confused and yet powerless to find any resolution to this sudden,
strange feeling. He tried to shift his sight, but a greater power
locked his eyes to the celestial forms in the water. When the
ripples ceased, only one moon's reflection remained.
    "My vision falters," he whispered. And slowly
he raised his head and stared at the sky, saying, "This must be a
nightmare." But much though as he wanted it to be, it was not. Only
one moon now shone down on Londor. "Gildan!" he gasped.
    The elf broke free of his stupor and noticed
Randor's weakened state. "What happened, Randor?" he asked in
panic. Rushing to the wizard's side, he caught him just before he
fell.
    "Look into the heavens, I ask."
    Gildan looked upward in confusion and
soon saw the source of Randor's fright: the moon, Beldas,
was gone . He blinked his eyes
rapidly, trying to refocus, but when he looked again, he still saw
the empty spot in the heavens. "But how…?" He looked to Randor.
"Did you see what occurred?"
    "I--I do not know," was his pain-filled
response. "I watched it vanish in the water's reflection."
    "Did magic cause this?" Gildan grew cold, and
his fear began to creep into his soul. "Did it disintegrate? Did it
fall into the Black Void?"
    Randor did not reply, and the Obinoth around
Gildan did not see what had occurred either to Randor or to the
moon. Gildan lifted the wizard higher and placed his arm under
Randor's, aiding him across the river. The elves, concerned for
Randor, followed the two leaders across unbidden. Telsar and
Faragen strode through the water and were at Gildan's side, aiding
him to the best of their ability. As they reached the western bank
of the river, Randor dropped in a swoon. His pipe broke free from
his trembling lips, and his hat was caught away by the wind and
skipped end-over-end across the river cobbles. Randor clasped his
hand over his chest, feeling a sudden, growing pain, as Gildan
hovered at his side and tried to keep him awake. The rest of the
Obinoth, now aware of the moon's strange disappearance, looked
about themselves in shock and began to wail in anguish at the
world's unthinkable loss.
    Gildan, sobbing now, knew not what to do. His
body gave way to shivering, and his mind reeled with dizziness. No
wizard, and least of all Randor, ever fell in sickness.
    Gildan and the two lieutenants knelt around
the motionless Randor, dumbfounded; the three elves could only
exchange worried glances. Gildan removed the sweaty strands of hair
from Randor's quickly paling face.
    "Is he dead?" Telsar asked.
    Gildan pressed his fingers to Randor's neck
and felt about. "I do not feel the blood pulsing through his
veins." For the first time in his life it became difficult for him
to speak. "Let it be said that he passed after Beldas, leaving a
void here on earth to match that left in heaven."
    It was a tragedy beyond all knowing, for the
elves depended utterly on the formation of the heavens. The moons,
Beldas and Cadmor, were the source of all mana bestowed on