To Light a Candle

To Light a Candle

File:ToLightACandle.jpg
Author	Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory
Cover artist	Todd Lockwood
Language	English
Series	Obsidian Trilogy
Genre	Fantasy novel
Publisher	Tor Books
Publication date	2004
Publication place	United States
Media type	Print (Hardcover and Paperback)
Pages	856 pp (paperback edition) & 656 pp (hardback edition)
ISBN	ISBN 0-7653-4142-5 (paperback edition)
OCLC	63256568
Preceded by	The Outstretched Shadow
Followed by	When Darkness Falls

To Light a Candle is the 2004 second fantasy novel of Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory's Obsidian Trilogy.

Plot

Vestakia, Kellen, Jermayan, and Shalkan reach back elven lands saftley. Kellen is still very week from his dealing with the key stone. Before they arrive Idalia sais to her self she now wants to be with Jermayan because of a war that will eventually start with the Demons and because elf knights will live as long as her with a war. Vestakia is scared that the elves will hate her and try to kill her, but Jermayan promsies that he will not let that happen. When they get their all the elves freak out and want her removed. Jermayan, Shalkan, and Kellen says if she goes we go. So the let Idalia use wild magic to figure out if she is. She gives her a truth potion. She tells the story of what happen its the truth. Idalia tells Kellen to let her heel him. Shalkan tells Kellen not to look at his hands (kellen has not seen his hands since he touched the key stone Jermayan always try to heel it when kellen was a sleep and told him never to take the bandages off) Kellen looks any way and sees that his hands are completeley raw. There is no skin on it. He can see his bones in some places. He starts to panic and ( panic for a Knight-Mage is very bad for him while Anger is good for him). Shalkan forces Kellen to look in his eyes and Kellen feels at peace. While Idalia, Andoreniel, and the other members of the elf council will take the price to cure Kellen hands for all he done for them.

They easily cure Kellen and he can not believe what happens. They all go home and get ready for a grand feast for Kellen, Jermayan, Vestakia. Before Idaila confronts Jermayan and tell her she loves him and wants to be with him for their life. Jermayan want to get married , but Idaila is not sure about that. When elves marry they get linked in a special way. Idaila fears that the link will tell Jermayan what she turned into to stop the rain. The feast starts and Kellen sees how beautiful Vestakia is. Even as a demon the elves mange to take a lot of her demon looks away. Then Idaila takes Vestakia away suddenly. Kellen then remembers he has to be chaste and celibate for a year and a day or Shalkan will kill him even know he friends with him.

The next day Kellen and Idalia go to the war chamber and start making plans. The elfs decided just to take all elven children in the 7 cites. To the elven strong hold. Kellen thinks they should do more, but the elfs take their time at everything including war. Kellen now goes to the House of sword and stone. To learn how to be a knight even more. Idalia loves Jeryman now and spends time with him. Also now when she does wild magic she does not ask for a price. She also revies that the price of controlling the weather was her death. She thinks that either 2 reasons she does not have to pay the price. 1 she will die soon so the magic will not make her. 2 the price was a test and since she gave up her life she will live and not have to pay any more prices.

Meanwhile back in Armethalieh Cilarnen Volpiril is a top student young high mage. His father is on the council with Lycaelon Tavadon. His father is the one that wanted not to get more lands and to take the border all the way to just the city. Cilarnen one day sees his sister having a party in his yard and sees the lady Amintia. Who he falls in love with. Cilarnen ask his father permission, but he refuses to let him talk to her and says it will take away from his studies and Cilarnen is one of the top students.

When the elfs decided to move prince Sandalon and the other children to the elf fortress of the crowed horns. 10 elfs and 10 unicorns escort him and about 6 children. Ice trolls and other creatures take them. Only one unicorn survives while all the children are kid naped.

The unicorn barley makes it back to Sentarshadeen alive and warns them. Kellen is sick of the elfs wating even in something this important. So he tells them he going to rescue Sandalon if you like it or not. So Kellen, Idalia, Jermayan, Vestakia, Shalkan, and about 6 elfen knights kellen befriended while learning to become a knight leave to go look for the prince.

Back in Armethalieh Cilarnen and his friends are making a magic item to help the shortige of food in Armethalieh because of the bounders not being outside the walls and not getting any food from local villages. Anigerel pretends to be their friend, but then gives them away to Lycaelon Tardavon. Who been wating to get Cilaren father kicked off the council of mages. He blames his father for giving him ideahs and the other boys who fathers are on the council get kicked off too. Anigerel takes their place. Lycaelon adopes Anigerel as a he says he has no son after what kellen did. Anigerel helps Lycaelon get back their lands and cut off all contact with elfs and other folks. That's is because they will try to warn them of the Endarkened. Right as they are discosing this a elf from Sentarshadeen comes to tell them. They do not even give him a chance to speak and says if he does not leave they will kill him. They then banish Cilarnen and do the same thing to him as they did to Kellen. Send the Outlaw hun after him. Once he outside he meets the elf. The elf sais he will help him escape.

Kellen, Idalia, Jermayan, Vestakia, Shalkan and the knights find the place where the children are hiding. Idallia has a cloak that makes invisible and hides sound and smell. Idalia decides to go in and help them. The things that kidnap them are half-elf, half-goblin made by the Endarkened. That is why they can get into elven lands and help get others in elven lands. She gets all the children out including Sandalo. However Sandalo nurse Lairamo and Idalia can not fit under the coat Lairamo takes the cloak angry in leaving Idalia and goes ahead. Idalia tries to be quiet but gets caught and falls off a cliff.

Kellen decides he Jermayan and Shalkan will wait. While Vestakia and the knights lead the children back to Sentarshadeen. Jermayan wants to run in their but Kellen tells him to wait. Idalia barley awake sends a bat with wild magic to get help. It reaches one of the last dragon Ancaladar. Who is happy that he has never found a bond with a wild mage or elf. Because when a wild mage forums with the dragon the person gets unmaimly magical power. However if the mage or elf dies then the dragon dies. That is why he is one of the last dragons. He has been in hiding because the Endarkened want him to join him. He decides since he is a creature of ligh he must help the wild mage at least. Maybe even bond with it. So he finds Kellen and the two of them fight of some of the elf goblin hyibirds and save Idalia. When he heals her the wild magic does not ask for a price which is curris. They all get out and Ancaladar ask if he can go back To Sentarshadden with them. He sick of hiding and hunting for ever for food. So he goes with them. They meet up with Vestakia and the others.

The elf Hyandur helps Cilarnen escape and get outside the lands. On the way they see one of Cilarnen dead friends destroyed by the outlaw hunt. Cilarnen is in shock first for what the city done and second for traveling with an elf. Hyandur and Cilarnen reach Marryvile were Cilarnen is even more upset that he has to be with Centars. Hyandur the next Mourning leaves Cilarnen in Merryvile to go back to the elfs. Cilarnen now has to work and live with the Centars and is not happy about it.

The group safley makes it back to Sentarshadeen. After they arrive Ancaladar wants to bond with Jermayan making him first elf mage in thousands of years. Jermayan at first want to decline ,but then accepts. The elfs decide to get their army up and allies to attack the shadow elfs. Kellen is upset with this. He thinks the demons are using the shadow elfs as a distraction because if they really wanted the children they could of easley cought them after they rescued them. The elfs say that they cant leave this threat in their land.

The elfs also decide to try agian and moving the children to their fortress of crowed horns. This time kellen will be going with them. While Jermayan and Ancaladar fly them. They reach the fortress safley. Kellen thinks it is great, but it has weekness the elfs do not think of like underground. He tells master Tyrvin who is the leader of the fortress.

They go back to Sentrashadeen and they are must all go to they city of Ondoladeshiron to get with the rest of the elven troups and get ready to fight the shadow elfs. Kellen rides with the unicorn knights and at first finds friends with them. While Kellen is their he meet Atroist an other wild mage who lives in the wild lands near were the demons are. He knew Vestakia mother. Kellen wants him and the other wild mages of the wild lands ( there are more wild mages their then any other places because that is were they are needed most) to come help. Atroist does not want to leave the people because the demons would easley kill them. So Kellen comes up with a plan. He wants the elfs to allow safe passage for the wild land folk thro their lands and they go into the wildwoods were they will be safe. Atroist agrees and sais if the people are safe all the wild mages will come and fight for them. They have to get premison first before. They council sais the will debate it. While Kellen their he meets the leader of the army General Redhelwar.

While the council debates. The elfs go to war aginist the shadow elfs. They go to their first shadow elf village the place were they held the children. The elf army easley kills them and with Vestika help kills every last one. The elfs at frist were hestite to kill them. Since they are part elf. There are lots of casuilties tho. Kellen still thinks this is a distraction by the demons.

Back in Merryvile Cilrnen is adopting to his new life. He like the people he lives with Gardner and his daughter Sarlin. He still tells him selfs these are only centars, and someday he will return to Armethalieh. Deep down he loves them and has become friends with them. One day an elf messenger comes and ask the centar warriors to go to war and come to elfen lands as soon as possible. They accept, but no one telles Cilrnen why they are going to war.Before they go 2 wild mages arrive. First is a human male named Wirance. The other is the first ever Centar Wildmage named Kardus. Since Centar cant do magic Kardus gift is knowledge. If he wants to know something he can have it answered ,but their a price like regular wild magic. Cilrnen leaves early because he is scared of the wildmages and think they are evil. As he leaves he meets a man who think he is Kellen. Then the man turns into a demon and is about to attack Cilrnen. Cilrnen brings his magic up and blocks the attack. He is shocked that he still has his magic. The demon flys off and heads to the dinner table. Starts killing everyone. Wirance cant stop it and the centar warriors cant hurt it. Cilrnen comes up see half of the village dead and he uses his High Magic for fire on it and it burns and dies. The wild mages are in shock and cant belvie simple High Magic defeated while their Wild magic did nothing. As the mourn the lost one including Gardner. The wild mages want him to come with him to tell Kellen about what he did. He agrees and while he leaves Sarlin kisses him and sais to come back. Meanwhile Demon Queen Savilla is really angry. First why a demon attacked a worthless center village without her approvel she does not understand why he would do this. Especially so close to Armethalieh. Then Second how he died and what killed him.

Kellen for doing so good aginist the first battle of shadow elfs is promoted and has people at his comand, but gives up Shalkan. Vestika rides Ancaladar and finds the next shadowelfs place. Near the elf city of Ysterialpoerin it is bigger cave system then first and has to entrences. It is the oldest elf city and the most closest on how elfs use to live before the war with the demons. While the army traveling their coldwards attack them. Kellen once again shows how amazing his Knight-Mage skills are. Once they get to Ysterialpoerin some shadow elfs and Wargs kill the scouts and come and attack the army. Kellen relizes that they mean to go around the army and burn Ysterialpoerin. So him and his command go and stop the before they destroy the city. The shadow elfs have this new fire that can not stop burring by any water.

When Kellen gets back and meets with Redhelwar. All the comanders have a metting on what to do. Kellen suspects that the shadow elfs want to burn Ysterialpoerin. So Redhelwar divides the army into thirds one to protect Ysterialperin and two for each entrance. Kellen wants him and Idalia to scout ahead under Idalia invisbilty cloack and draw a map to locate the shadow elf villages. One of the comanders Belepheriel gets in an argument with Kellen because Kellen is doing stuff diffrent then how elfs in the past have done them. Kellen gets so angry he challenges him to a duel but Belepheriel declines and walks out. Redhelwar does not want Kellen and Idalia to go becuase he does not want to risk them. Kellen decides to go any way. While he sneaks off Shalkan, the unicorn knights, and the elfs under his comand all catch him and want to help. They go get Idalia and help him get out of the camp. So Idalia and her horse and Shalkan and Kellen go off to scout.

Kellen and Idalia go inside and their tons of bobbie traps that would kill tons of elfs. Once Kellen gets to the end tons of Goblins come out and Kellen kills 100s him self. Idalia is missing when he done he also notices. The minitue lots of peopole head into the shadow elf village the whole cave would collapse killing more then half of the army. Kellen quickly finds Idalia heading in the oppiste way. She under some type of transe. A Duergar who draws any one end execpt Knight-Mages. Kellen quickly kills it ,but some crystil spiders stop idalia from going to it. The Crysil Spiders tell Idalia that all the shadow elfs have left and their are traps everywere, but goblins and Duergars are still are hear. The crystil spiders hate the shadow elfs becuase the hunt their kind. They Crycstil spiders ask Idalia if they could wait one day before the army comes in. Idalia agrees. Idalia goes inspects Kellen and notces that a goblin has posined him. She quickly gets him out. When they are out their the elf army is ready to go in, but Shalkan sais he will kill any one that goes in into Kellen and Idalia get out. Kellen tells Redhelwar about the cyrsil spiders, traps, and how the shadow elfs are gone. Redhelwar is happy with Kellen from saving him from this big mistke, even know he disobeyd oders.

Main Charaters

Kellen Tavadon: the main protagonist a Knight-Mage

Idalia Tavadon Kellen Sister, Loves Jermayan, powerful Wild Mage

Jermayan Elven Knight who loves idalia, is a friend of Kellen, first elf knight in tousands of years after bonding with Ancaladar.

Vestakia Demon/Human cross with a human soul but looks like a demon, friend of kellen, can sense when demons are near.

Shalkan Kellen friend, he in unicorn

Cilarnen Volpiril Mage at Armethalieh gets banshed and goes to live at merryvile

Ancaladar Dragon that bonds with Jermayan

Minor Charaters

Andoreniel King of Elfs

Sandalo Prince of Elfs (child)

Ashaniel Queen of elfs

Lycaelon Tardavon Leader of Armethalieh

Anigerel Lycaelon secerty who trying to get on high concil and is a spy for Endarkened

Queen Savilla Queen of demons/Endarkened main antagonist

Prince ZyperisPrince of the Endarkened

Redhelwar The general of the Elven army

Belepheriel Elf comander that dislikes kellen.

Adaerion Kellen Elf Comander.

Literary significance & criticism

"Lackey and Mallory combine their talents for storytelling and world-crafting into a panoramic effort. Filled with magic, dragons, elves, and other mythical creatures, this belongs in most fantasy collections." - Library Journal

Awards and nominations

-New York Times Bestseller -Best science fiction, fantasy, or horror, VOYA