Disclaimer: Valdemar and concepts belong to Mercedes Lackey!

Notes: Whee! ^_^ This fic is a joint venture between Senashenta and Fireblade! That’s right folks, we’ve decided to co-author something! Urk! Gasp! Beware! “Come The Dawn” takes place between the reign of Randale (Last Herald-Mage) and the reign of Theran (Brightly Burning), and in the fine tradition of writing Valdemar fanfictions that are based on Prophecies or Legends, we have created yet another one! ^.^;; The two of us will be alternating chapters as we write them, beginning with the Legend, which was written by Fireblade because Senashenta couldn’t write verse if her life depended on it. :p lol.

Come The Dawn

Prelude: The Legend

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Earth. Air. Fire. Water.

Elemental sons and daughters

Born to Valdemar in times of need

An epic war they did precede

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River, Wind, Stone and Flame

Tragedy did they proclaim

Born they were, titanic power

To battle away their darkest hour

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Air Companion, eyes of gold

Ethereal are you to behold

And Chosen, you, with power great

When you call, the winds abate

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Water spirit, eyes of blue

Serenely flowing through and through

And you of sacred rivers three,

Too, you flow, along with she

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Firey one, with eyes of flame

Truly suits you, does your name

Chosen, too with temper extreme

Through you truly lives the dream

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And so-calm Earth, with temper bright

Eyes of green, filled with delight-

But Chosen filled with sorrow deep

For human blood, you truly weep

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Four and four, all of eight

Together all of you await

To save your country, world and home

To help keep Valdemar all our own

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So ride! All eight, ride to your doom

To battle away the deepest gloom

And when at last the dark is gone,

Then again shall come the dawn!