Adlena
Sprite of the Crystals
Light of Delos
 

Adlena gazed across the meadow. On the far edge near the sea, Alcea, like Adlena, watched the woodland fairies dance and play in the sweet grass. The air elemental was in good humor this day and let all who watched see his wondrous display of white, orange, and yellow wisps across the horizon as the sun began to set.  Adlena sighed. She would rather watch more, but knew she had little time before darkness to collect fireflies for her lamp. The sun setting and rising to mark time was all they had. Time was simply now plus light and dark, yesterday, and tomorrow. When the sun set, the time was darkness. The sprites, the woodland fairies, nearly everyone and everything hid from the darkness. Few, like Adlena, moved about using a lamp made of fireflies, or a stick with flames for light. But flames burned out and fireflies grew weary and dimmed letting darkness reign tell morn. 
Adlena was part sprite, part fairy, but most of all Alcea’s finest student. Each night was total darkness. There always was a fairy or two, a lost fawn, and once even a bear cub too far away from home when the darkness came. Their hope and their light were Adlena and her lamp.  Adlena knew about Alcea’s wish for a light to soften the darkness. She also knew the sun could do nothing. Fire would be to harsh and dangerous. Nothing could be done unless there were a second sun to give just the tiniest bit of help.
Adlena shook her head to help clear her thoughts. She grabbed her lantern, opened its small door. Her firefly friends were already waiting for their nightly task. Darkness came quickly. From far above, the air and water elementals watched the faint light from her lantern mark through the forest. Feeling playful, as usual, Air sent wind to blow out the light, but it could not enter the lantern.  Adlena pulled the fabric of her dress around the lantern. “Ha,” exclaimed Water. “You can’t blow out light from bugs. Let me have a try. Give me clouds.”  Water opened them and sent torrents of rain down on the trees. Both elementals laughed as Adlena’s disappeared.
Clocked darkness Adlena felt a large fern brush her side. She tore loose a leaf to use as an umbrella as she stumbled ahead. Not able to see she dropped the leaf and she fell to the ground. Crawling, she used one hand to feel her way and the other to hold her lamp of fireflies underneath her and out of the rain. Suddenly the land stopped pushing back against her outstretched palm. She faltered, then tumbled as she fell. She landed hard. Her lamp broke open and dazed fireflies darted away.
Adlena sat up, sitting silently in the darkness. She wasn’t injured but did not know where she was. She looked upward. Just darkness but no raindrops sprinkled to her face. Her hand pressed against cold stone and helped support her. When she shifted, her hand touched more stone, but this time, not flat and smooth. She felt angles, smooth sides, and rough sides. Light suddenly flowed from her and to the stone. All around her multicolored lights filled the cavern where she sat.
In awe, Adlena marveled at the crystals. She recognized some but had never seen so many or of such size. Smoky, rose, and clear quartz, thrust out like pointing fingers. Amethyst clusters sparkled.  She saw tiger-eye stones and agate. She slid her hand along the quartz nearest her. Light from her aura flowed from her fingertips, into the quarts and exploded into colors. When Adlena withdrew her hand, the light blinked out and darkness claimed the space.
Another explosion of light nearly blinded her. Adlena used her free hand to shade her eyes. Again, the source of the brilliant light was her aura flowing from her other hand and through the crystals.
“I see your light,” a voice said in her mind. “It’s the loveliest thing I’ve seen in the cosmos.”
Adlena looked up again. She saw a round opening at the top of the domed room. Through it, her colored lights swirled together in a beam of light. “Who are you? What are you,” she whispered. “Are you an elemental?”
“No. Not me,” the voice answered. “I’m not much of anything. I’m here among the stars. I’m not big enough to be a planet. I’m to old and slow to be a comet. The elementals tease me and throw stones. I don’t like showing myself with my face scarred by the rocks.”
“What are you doing? Why are you speaking to me?”
“I’m sorry. I saw your lights and had to stop. Oh, I’m sorry,” the voice said when a gentle pale golden ray of light encircled Adlena. That was my fault. Sometimes sunlight reflects from me. The light isn’t very bright or warm. I’ll move on.”
“Thank you. You sound kind. But wait!”
Adlena should have asked the elementals for their permission, but she didn’t bother. She knew what she could do with the crystals, was a very special kind of magic. She made a bargain with her new friend. He would travel around the world of Amerath, reflecting his kind and helpful light to be a guide in the time called night. He would have his times of rest when Adlena would come to show him her crystals. He could wax and wane, be full or dark.  Adlena felt proud and asked him let all see his face. Now everyone would know of Delos the moon of Amerath.