Nighttime near the western end of Corus. Once again on the Winter Solstice, Veralidiane Sarrasri snapped her eyes open, once again knitting her eyebrows and using her Wild Magic to shape bat ears, trying to hear a faint, almost wailing sound in the distance. Her teacher, friend, and lover, Numair, sensed her stirring with his intense magical gift and turned in his bed looking at her questioningly. Her expression slowly melted to awe. Both kept silent while he lit a small dim candle. Finally after prolonged silence he calmly spoke "the barrier?" "No" he said to himself, "it was sealed by gods and I as much of Corus should feel it too." He looked out the window to the dark city, sprinkled with dots of light from The Dancing Dove Inn, recalling.

Dawn of the last Winter Solstice gave an abrupt wakening to all creatures with the mortal magic Gift, immortal magic, or Wild magic. The magical barrier between the mortal and immortal realms had, as Numair had said, "evaporated". The immortals were released from the immortal realms. War raged in the mortal realms. Diane and Numair's presence led to disturbance in the Dragonlands. And The gods fought to control their sister being, Chaos. Everything interlocked in what looked like one great catastrophe, which finally had to be settled by Father Universe and Mother flame.

He turned back to Diane, waiting, his presence patiently by the border of her mind itching to go in and relieve her anxiety. The dim light flickered and now he could see the droplets of sweat forming on her upper lip. She continued to stare at the nothingness in front of her face. Her gaping mouth moved though her eyes stayed locked.

"I must find it" she wheezed.

"What? find what?" he asked calmly but concerned.

She turned to face him, her haunting blue-gray eyes wide "I don’t know, its calling me . . . they’re calling me".

"Calling your name?"

"No" she whispered as if to end the short lived conversation.

She slipped out of bed and reached for her coat and boots. Her tall friend grabbed his long black robe symbolizing his mastery of his magic stage and followed her out muttering to himself.

"She hears something calling so she decides to go out roaming the streets of Corus at . . .at . . .eleven sharp" he realized with a shudder.

The night chill returned Diane’s senses to her and only now does she realize how silly she must look in a nightgown, coat, and heavy boots. "No time to change", she told herself, " time’s running out."

"What did you hear?" asked Numair his dark eyes pleading and worried. No answer. If she explained the complicated yet simple messages in her head he would spend an hour performing tests, making inferences, explaining possibilities and talking away an hour of precious time needed to reach . . . her destination.

He did not question whether she knew what she was doing. The last time she went searching for some unknown thing she found a baby dragon who proved to be very useful in many areas.

"Let me guess you, found another dragon"

"No" she replied sternly. "Skysong was the last dragon in the mortal realms and the barrier’s sealed now." He got unnerved at her using the real name of her dragon instead of Kitten.

They continued walking. Now they were out of the city and in a light forest. Numair couldn’t help noticing they were walking directly west in the direction of a very bright star.

" Diane, could I reach into your mind? Your . . .strangeness, searching for the right word, might be due to some magic." "Bad magic" he added.

Library

Tortall Palace

Story text © Lady Star
© Lady Star