More Istavia art! This one’s inspired by a scene from Part 2 of The Legend of Istavia, my favorite section of the book ^-^ (It’s all one book, but the story’s told in 5 parts.) Here’s a snippet:

They ran until nightfall, when Vreith—who in spite of having sprinted the entire way, was not out of breath—finally set Zalek down.

“Sleep now. We will start again at dawn.”

Zalek tried to find a comfortable spot while the Lunadrel started a fire, but the forest floor was a lumpy maze of tree roots and rocks. He tried gathering some leaves to act as a cushion, but it was no use. He wasn’t even all that tired.

At home, if I couldn’t sleep... he thought, but stopped himself. Mom’s not here. Instead, he called out across the fire, “Vreith?”

“Hm?”

“Will you...will you tell me a story?”

“What?” Vreith turned on the boy, his silver eyes flashing in astonishment.

“W-well,” said Zalek, quivering under the Lunadrel’s glare, “M-mom used to always tell me a story before bed to help me fall asleep...”

Vreith cocked his head, an annoyed expression passing over his pale face. “Do I look like your mother?”

Zalek only stared at him with frightened, but pleading, eyes.

Vreith sighed, a note of resignation in his voice. Taking a moment to think, he began, “Once upon a time...”

* * *

“...the end.”

A twig snapped in the dark forest, somewhere beyond the fire’s dying light. Zalek jumped at the noise, his eyes wide with terror. “That wasn’t a very good bedtime story,” he said at last in a small voice.

“Well,” said Vreith coldly, turning his back on the boy, “I tried.”

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Poor Zalek...turns out Vreith only knows scary stories XD
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The Legend of Istavia and related characters © James Colton
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