Update: changed Illeria back to Gil'ead,there was a small mistake with that. Thanks to eragon0123 again, you're a life saver.

Update: Added more description of Evalette, changed "Gil'ead" to "Illeria", and extended her journey from two weeks to two months. Thanks goes out to eragon0123 for another helpful review, as well as booklover1498 for pointing out that Gil'ead is now called Illeria.

Alright guys, sorry for the wait. I was really busy this week and wanted to finish this chapter yesterday but had some major writer's block :/ but I finished it today and I'm pretty happy with the final product. Obviously this is Fenrir's sister, Evalette's point of veiw. I wanted to switch things up a bit. Hope you enjoy and as always, please review! :D

Chapter 4

Left Behind

Evalette slowly sat up. She gazed around the now gloomy atmosphere of their small Teirm home. Colorful rugs patched over the cold wooden floor. Hundreds of paintings adorned the walls. Father frequently bought these exotic decorations from the trade caravans that made their way through Teirm. The flamboyant patterns now sat gathering dust, mocking their misery. Father had the benefit of still going to work in the mines, but Evalette had nothing to occupy her mind.

Nothing except Fenrir.

She still couldn't believe he had left. He hadn't left anything to let them know where he had gone. Her own brother, gone without a clue to his motives. She did know one thing though; Fenrir would never have left unless he really believed he needed to.

Evalette got out of bed and dressed in a bland, cream-colored tunic. Out of habit, she still stopped at the mirror that hung on the wall of her room. She tried to fix her hair so she would look somewhat decent, but she honestly just didn't care anymore. She gathered her light brown hair into a rough bun in the back and wiped the sleep from her deep green eyes. She ran her hand over her gently angled features. Though she had been sought after by many young men, she simply didn't pay any attention to them. Beauty meant very little to her, for it seemed to serve no useful purpose whatsoever. Father said she was just like her mother in that regard. Still, even though didn't hold it at a high priority, Evalette was secretly thankful for her looks.

She made her way out the back door and sat on a rotting stump. It was covered in moss and the soft, dying wood made it surprisingly comfortable. She sat alone in the salty air as the strong coastal winds whistled through her hair. Her eyes grew wet as they fell upon one of the old training swords that she and Fenrir had sparred with. She walked over to the weapon and picked it up. It was heavy with memories. With tears in her eyes, Evalette threw the blade into a nearby tree, where it sank firmly into the thick wood.

Why did you leave us?

Someone approached from the path that led to their house.

"That's quite the talent you have" the figure said.

Evalette turned to face the new arrival. The man was young, maybe early twenties, and had short blonde hair and blue eyes. But what really caught her attention was his clean, white robe. It hung a few inches from the ground, gently brushing over the tips of the grass. He wore a thick leather belt around it, keeping it gathered and out of the way of his black boots.

"Thank you" she said, hiding her suspicions.

The man walked to the tree and yanked the practice sword out of the wood. His arm flexed beneath his thick white sleeve. He spun the blade around in his hand as he spoke.

"My name is Kairarus. As I'm sure you have already suspected, I am from the White Fire Dominion" he said in a calm business-like tone.

Evalette tensed.

"Yes, I suspected so. How can I be of service?" she said fearfully.

Kairarus smiled at her feeble attempt at manners. She realized it was quite pathetic for the sister of a mage to pretend to show any good-will towards an agent of the White Fire Dominion.

"My dear girl, there is no need for such pleasantries. I am here only for your brother. He has evaded us thus far, much to our displeasure, and so we have need of your cooperation. I wish to keep our meeting brief and peaceful, so I will complete my introduction." Here he cleared his throat. "My name is Kairarus, and I am your Dauth Sundavr, your Death Shadow. An intimidating title, yes, but it only means that I am your hunter. Every mage has one. We are specially trained for our specific target. Mine is you. However, my more violent services are not required yet, as you have not yet shown signs of being a threat" he said with his stern, business tone.

Evalette did not speak.

Could every mage in Alagaesia really have a trained killer hunting them?

Kairarus took another step toward her.

"Where is your brother now? Surely he has contacted you since his foolish attempt to escape to New Carvahall" he demanded, continuing to walk towards her.

"No, hunter, he has not. I had not the slightest idea where he had gone before now, but I must thank you for telling me of his whereabouts" Evalette said calmly.

She was growing increasingly hostile towards these people, these assassins that have been hunting her brother, forcing him to flee his own family. Her fury drove her thoughts at an immense speed, going through strategies to strike back at the infernal Dominion.

"What a shame. Well, my lady, if you do find him, there is no need to contact us, for if you meet him, you will have led us to him" Kairarus said with a sly smile.

Her subconscious settled on a method of attack, and without thinking, she closed the little distance between them and grabbed the dull practice sword from the hunter's grip. She spun around, kicking his legs out from under him, and with a blood thirsty cry, swung the blade at the man's head.

She heard an amused chuckle. Her sword had dug into the dirt beside her target, leaving Kairarus laughing at her pathetic attempt on his life. She swung again. Once again her sword glanced off the invisible wall around him.

Gods, I hate magic.

She dropped the sword and sprinted away as fast as she could, knowing Kairarus would no longer keep their meeting peaceful. She headed towards the docks, hoping he would be hindered by so many witnesses. As she entered the market, people turned to look at the girl running past. As far as they were concerned though, she was no more than a child playing in the streets. She cursed their indifference, but dared not stop to plead for help.

Evalette ran up a pile of cargo and leapt to the rooftops. She slowed to keep her footing on the slanted roofs, but did not stop. She jumped down onto a street vendor's pile of ornate rugs and blankets. The man shouted at her, but did not give chase. She sprinted towards an old building that she, Draj, and Fenrir had used to hide before.

Evalette slid beneath the boards that blocked the doorway, and then huddled in a dusty, shady corner. She tried to slow her breathing as she listened for her pursuer. She heard heavy footsteps outside and tensed. The boards broke and fell to the ground, and Kairarus slowly entered the building. Evalette's heart was racing. She felt like she was going to die of anxiety before he even found her. Kairarus turned towards the corner in which she hid, and something snapped inside Evalette's mind. All the fear sank away and her vision became clearer. Her thoughts raced through hundreds of attack strategies. Her every movement was so quick, the world seemed to be moving in slow motion. She ran along the wall and then launched herself at the hunter. As she hit him square in the chest, she simultaneously pulled his sword from its sheath. They hit the ground with a crash and Evalette rolled away from him as he reached for a small dagger in his boot. She spun around and slashed the dagger from his hand. He grunted as the tip of the blade slit his hand.

How am I getting past his wards?

She quickly followed with another slice at his legs and he staggered to the ground.

Kairarus laughed through the pain.

"What a pleasant surprise. Your immense speed is incredible enough to slip through magical warding. However, while I am impressed dear girl, you have also caught the Dominion's attention, and so you will not be using your gift much longer" Kairarus laughed.

Evalette simply stood before him, her sword raised to his throat.

"Do not think that killing me will end your troubles, child. In due time, you will be assigned a new hunter, most likely far more capable than I" Kairarus said.

Evalette raised the blade.

"Let them come" she spat at him.

Then she brought the sword across his neck and there was a horrible slicing sound as he was beheaded.

As her fury faded away, she dropped the sword. She and Fenrir had sparred each other numerous times, but she had never killed anyone. Evalette slowly exited the old building and started to make her way to the outskirts of town. Though she was not a mage, she knew they would come for her. The wide open plains outside the city greeted her with open arms. She was now on the run as well.

As she neared the river that led inland, she saw a small dinghy sitting on the bank. Although she had never had trouble stealing with Draj and Fenrir, it seemed different now. Nevertheless, she needed to get far from the city, so she took the small boat and rowed towards Woadark Lake. The sparkling clear freshwaters accompanied her, easing her mind of fear and relaxing her nerves. She rested under a tree by the lake that night, listening to the wildlife around her. It was so different far away from the bustling cities of men. The birds' singing awoke her in the morning, and she continued on her way. Once she made it to the east bend of the Toark River, she abandoned the boat and continued on foot. Judging by the landmarks she knew, she proceeded northeast towards Du Weldenvarden. Evalette had no intention of seeking help from the elves, but the White Fire Dominion was weaker near Elven territory.

After a few days, she neared Gil'ead. She knew little about the city, and had no idea how strong the White Fire presence was there, so she chose to circle around it. She had a better sleep than usual, resting in a hay pile on a nearby farm, but then continued on her way. The next landmark she had made it to was Mt. Marna, where she slept overnight in a shallow cave. She had a particularly rude awakening by some sort of scavenging animal, but she quickly frightened the creature off and went back to her rocky, uncomfortable sleep.

The next morning, she left the mountain headed east, ceasing her northward travel. After a few weeks of walking, she began to feel the warm, dry climate of the Hadarac Desert. The dirt beneath her feet gradually grew fine and sandy. It was very different from the moist coastal air of Teirm, and she discovered that definitely did not like the desert. At this point it was becoming quite difficult to find water and food.

After some experimental hunting, she discovered that there were small rodents which had very poor eyesight. She simply referred to them as "Meat Mice" for that was all they were to her at this point. If she stayed still, they would scurry close enough to her that she could lash out and decapitate them. She felt bad for killing the adorable creatures, but after cooking them on very smoky fires built from the occasional tumbleweed, they were delicious, and her stomach thanked her. Finding water had been much more difficult however. Since there was no rainfall, she searched for the next best thing: plants. After some very painful experiences, Evalette discovered that the strange green balls which lay on the ground were actually plants. They were covered in needles, which made opening them somewhat of a challenge. She eventually settled on the least painful method. She used the now dull blade that she carried to slice open the top of the plants. She tossed aside the "lid" and speared the "bowl" that was left behind on the end of her sword. She used the sword as a handle to carefully lift it over her head and allow the plant's moisture to drip into her mouth. It held very little water, and sometimes a stray needle would come in painful contact with her skin, but even so, she continued, for Evalette knew she was making quick progress towards the outskirts of elven territory, fueled by her breathtaking speed, despite her hunger.

On her second month of travel since she fled Teirm, she was at the northern reaches of the desert when she saw a small wooden shack far off on the northern horizon. While she disliked encountering people for the fear of being reported to the Dominion, she could not resist the temptation of even temporary shade in this gods-forsaken desert. She altered her course and steadily made her way towards the hovel, her worn leather shoes shuffling through the rough sands. After another half-day of travel, she had made it to the shack. She opened the door and froze. Fenrir was lying on the floor, barely recognizable under the layer of burns and scars which plagued his body. On either side of him were two women dressed in dark green cloaks. They looked to be healing him, but she could not be sure, as she had very little knowledge of the workings of magic. They ceased their murmuring and looked to her. She was prepared for them to attack the unwelcome visitor, but the taller of the two women murmured something in a strange tongue that Evalette assumed was the ancient language. Instantly Evalette felt her mind begin to sink into sleep, and she slowly sank to the floor as the magic rendered her unconscious.