[Saraphim]

No one had touched the Great Light. No one. Never in the life of Nephil, or indeed the lives of the Elders, some of whom had seen more than a hundred summers. It was the heart of the city, and it was said that it brought luck.

So it was, that when the Dwarf-creature had grabbed the Light, the entire cavern of Rhunians had frozen in their tracks.

It was as if, with that simple gesture of reaching out and taking the Light, the Dwarf had reached out and taken the soul of the people of Rhun.

We never thought to gaurd it, thought Nephil quickly, while he dared not move his body, Never. No harm has ever come to it before.

One of the other Dwarves made as if to crash his axe down onto the Light, and the Rhunians stiffened as one. But they still did not move to stop the thieves.

They slowly edged out the door. No one followed them.

The Light could still be seen as it moved down the carverns, but soon it would be gone. Forever.

Nephil thought of something. He broke from his frozen body and ran from the room.

No one followed.

The last of the party was disappearing down a corner. But Nephil wanted the one at the tail end.

"Quendi!" called Nephil, hoping it would answer.

It stopped and slowly turned, surprised to be called by that name.

One of the men stopped as well, and looked questioningly at his friend.

Nephil stopped and held his arms out, showing he had no weapons. The man drew his sword, but niether Nephil nor the Quendi noticed.

"Yes?" It questioned.

Nephil was shocked to find himself talking to the enigma that had haunted his thoughts since he saw him in the forest, but he collected his thoughts.

"Are you...truly...immortal?" he asked.

"I can be killed. But if not, yes, I live for eternity."

The Quendi looked at Nephil, judging him through his eyes.

"I am Raendin,"

"Nephil," he said.

The man put his hand on Raendin's shoulder and the two quickly ran from the hall, following the Light.

Nephil stared after them, deep in thought.

~~~

It was some days later. The entire city was present in the largest cavern. The Elders stood in the middle, looking harrassed and tired.

Maulka was standing near them as well, proclaiming as loud as she could that the thieves must be stopped, the Light returned.

Nephil had been only vaguely following the events as they unfolded. He stood fairly close to the middle with Corith.

Suddenly he heard his name and felt hundreds of eyes on him. On of the Elders had asked him a question.

"Well?" said the old man,"Should we go after them? You were the one who ran out after they did...the unthinkable. Sould we go?"

Nephil cleared his throat. Thoughts rushed through his mind, of the Quendi, of the Dwarves, of the half-starved catch. The question echoed in his mind, and he knew with certainly that if they went after them, the intruders would not live to see another sunrise. The Light would be returned, and life would return to normal.

"No," said Nephil, and the entire carvern began to murmur. His voice grew stronger, "No. We should not. We have lost too many, and the Quendi...the Quendi cannot be killed. By any means. We will lose."

The absurdity of this statement almost made Nephil laugh, but the Elders, unbelievably, took him seriously.

Nephil turned and left the room, pushing through his people. He left the main hall, and turned down the exiting tunnel.

Outside, rain fell in torrents, but Nephil climbed a rock outcropping oblivious to the slippery ground.

He faced west, the direction the intruders had come, and where they would be going now.

He thought of them, making thier way through uncharted forest, fearing pursiut.

But they had the Light. And Nephil wished them luck.