VANYEL  ASHKEVRON
Vanyel Ashkevron, the Last Herald-Mage of Valdemar, also known as the Shadow-Stalker. He's one of those beautiful guys, who's made even more wonderful through his angsty, torture-ridden life. *sigh* When he was sent to Haven, he met Tylendel, one of his aunt's Trainees. Tylendel, an apprentice Herald-Mage, who is openly shaych. The two Lifebond to each other, but are forced to hide their love to keep Vanyel's father from snatching him back home.

When 'Lendel's twin brother is killed, Lendel goes a little crazy. During his revenge, his Companion, Gala, repudiates him, driving him completely insane. He unfortunately kills himself. *sniff* This of course adds to Vanyel's angst-ridden life, causing him to attempt suicide himself several times. The first, directly after 'Lendel's death, is stopped by Yfandes Choosing him. When Savil closed the Gate Tylendel had created with energy borrowed from Van, the energy returned to him, awakening a myriad of powers, including strong Mage-Gift, Mindspeech, a bit of Empathy and a slight touch of Healing. It also made him forever sensitive to Gating.

Poor, tortured Vanyel is taken to train his Gifts in the forest of the Tayledras. He learns to accept his Gifts, as well as his sexuality and what happened to Tylendel. He becomes the most powerful Herlad-Mage in Valdemar, but lives a lonely life. He tries to keep all relationships as casual as possible, as he feels his friendship could be a threat to anyone close to him. He is not exactly mistaken, as he is a very powerful man with no few enemies. Eventually, he meets Stefen, a young Bard who falls in love with the famous Herald-Mage. Vanyel does his best to keep the relationship platonic, but eventually cannot resist. Soon it is realized the two have Lifebonded (and coincidentally the reincarnation of 'Lendel!). Poor Vanyel soon becomes the only Herald-Mage left in Valdemar, and must travel to stop an evil and unknown mage from invading Valdemar. In a twist on his old nightmare, he dies of the Final Strike, along with Yfandes, and succeeds in destroying the entire army.

Stefen visits the site, and tries to kill himself, griefstricken, only to be confronted by Vanyel's ghost. Vanyel has been allowed to "haunt" the forest, and after Stefen spent his life convincing all of Valdemar that "ordinary" Heralds are just as competent as the now-extinct Herald-Mages, he was allowed to join his lifebonded.