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Description
Chapter Two
She was in a castle, the great hall, the room was large and mostly dark.  A light came from somewhere in the room, she moved toward it.  As she got closer, the room got brighter, till she could see skeletons that hung in the rafters, they danced about, laughed at her.  The light was coming from a firecreature and it had a man in its clutches.  Suddenly she was in the mans body, she could feel the firecreature tightening its grip.  The creature started to laugh and then it started calling out her name and shaking her . . .
“Raya!  Raya!  Wake up!”  Colin shook her again, trying to wake her from her sleep.  She groggily came to.
Colin looked down at her worriedly, “Are you all right?”
“It was just a nightmare,” she sat up holding her forehead in one hand.  The dream was all too vivid and much too real.
“You were tossing and turning a lot, mumbling too,” he told her.  “You woke me up when you practically rolled into me,” he added remembering when he awoke that morning to find Raya’s face inches from his.  It had been quite a fright.
Raya’s cheeks reddened with embarrassment.
“You get dressed and I’ll make us some breakfast,” with that said, Colin left the tent.
After getting dressed and pulling her hair back, Raya emerged from the tent and found a private spot to empty her bladder.  When she returned, Raya found breakfast to be ready and waiting.  After eating and washing the dishes, Colin and Raya packed up their things, deassembled any spells that had been cast and set out on their way, having decided to stay together for awhile.
Conversation continued, the two finding out things about one another.
“There was a lot of moss in the clearing where we slept,” Raya commented lightly.
“I guess that’s what comes of being part earth mage,” Colin sighed.
“Where are we headed anyway?”
“Rosethorn, the nearest safe town or village.”
“There are no others on the way?”
“All the old safe ones are either ruled by tyrants or have been ravaged by free elemental creatures and mages.  Rosethorn is the closest town still intact.”
“Oh,” Raya hadn’t realized how much damage the kingdom was suffering from the mages.
A distant crows cackle reached their ears, Colin cocked his head to listen to where it was going.  No sense in using magic, Colin thought.  After all, most messenger birds can sense it.  Another cackle reached their ears, it was closer than the first.  Colin dragged Raya off the path and a short ways into the forest.  He stopped under a thickly canopied tree.
“Let me go,” Raya said, trying to wriggle out of Colin’s strong grip on her.  He released her.
Putting a finger to his lips, he motioned upwards towards the crow.
“Why are we hiding?  It doesn’t matter if that sees us or not,”  Raya whispered angrily.
“Because we have no idea of the crows destination or intelligence.  If it’s controlled by a mage, they see all that the crow does,” Colin paused to listen before continuing.  “For all we know this bird is being hunted by someone who doesn’t want this information to be known.”
Rayas face drained and so did her temper.  “I’m sorry, I’d forgotten.”  If a messenger bird reported them before they reached Rosethorn they’d be as good as dead.
The crow was barely audible anymore, but they waited awhile longer before venturing back to the road.  Both were still tense from the crow encounter.
They walked in silence, ears alert to the slightest sound.  Two more birds passed overhead.  Both times the two of them scuttled into the forest and hid until it was safe to continue.
A short time before midday Colin pointed out an abandoned town.  They skirted the edge, travel cloaks drawn, giving it as wide a berth as possible.  In the next two hours Raya and Colin encountered three more ravaged towns.  In the one they had had to go through, they spent some time constructing a disguise.  They could be just another pair of travelers, bound for yet another unknown destination, or pull their cloaks up tight, almost monk like, and make themselves as small and invisible as they could, passing through virtually unnoticed.  A third idea of being runaway lovers was quickly rejected,  Anyone like that wouldn’t be running through the town, and the vision was still fresh in Raya’s mind.
The plan chosen was to pass through as unnoticed as possible.  So, hoods drawn up tight and cloaks wound close, the two set into and out of the town.
A quick pace was set to put as much distance between them and the town’s walls.  After awhile, a thought struck Raya.  “Are we going to make it to Rosethorn by sunset?”
“No, we’ll have to camp.” Colin continued, “It won’t be safe to pass any of the towns at night.”
“Then where shall we camp tonight?”
Colin gazed at the sun through squinted eyes, “Let’s search for a good clearing now and set camp, no use in being caught too close to dusk without shelter.”
Raya shivered slightly to herself blaming the cool breeze.  She knew what it could be like after dusk.  She turned her thoughts back to the more current affairs.  “You know Colin, looking into he sun isn’t good for your eyes.”
“But neither is looking at you.”
“Stuff your flirtatious nature and save the compliments for when we’ve found a campsite.”
“Alright.”
After a few scratches and bruises and a thorn through Raya’s foot, they found a suitable clearing.
Colin pushed Raya back a bit and he sat down on the ground, hands laid palms down on the earth at his sides.  A short time later a tall, spelled hedge formed a closed circle.
Colin stood and stretched.  Striding towards the hedge he beckoned Raya, who came up to him and followed him through the hedge.  Once inside, they set up camp.  Colin started a fire and Raya put her tent up.  Clouds were broiling on the horizon and the certain scent of rain was on the breeze.
Colin looked up and saw the tent.
“So, we’re in the tent again tonight?”
“Yes, there’s rain coming.  Just look at the horizon,” She gestured vaguely at the advancing storm.  “I’m going to refill our waterbags.”
“Hurry, the food will be ready soon.”
“Don’t worry,” and Raya disappeared through the hedge.
A creek ran close by to the hedge.  Probing the water magically to see if it was safe, Raya filled the bags full.  A sudden flash of fire magic on the horizon caught her eye and magic sense.  She was quick to return to the protection of the hedge.
“Colin,” Raya accepted the food offered to her, “Did you feel and sudden power flares?”
“Not that I remember.”
“Oh.  There was a fire magic burst to the northeast.”
Well I guess the magic dampening spell works then.”
“The what?”
“I set an extra spell in the hedge to hide any registers of power or magic.  Apparently it’s two sided.”
A raindrop splattered into the fire, causing it to crackle and hiss.  Colin collected the dishes and washed them quickly while Raya moved the rest of the gear needed into the tent.
Colin entered the tent slightly damp from the beginnings of the rain.  Shedding the damp clothing, he pulled on a pair of pants.
Sitting down on top of his sleeping bag he began to toy around with a healing spell he had concocted a few weeks ago.  Looking over the spell mentally he felt it for any weak spots that could cause complications in a patient.  A short ways into his work, Raya came out of the trance she had been in.
“A battle is to be fought.”
Colin snapped out of his mental workplace too quickly, losing most of the work he had just done.  Swearing under his breath he looked over at Raya.  “A what?”
“A battle.  A firemage and earthmage.  No wonder there was a flare of fire magic.”
“That also explains the messenger crows.”
“Yes, it does.”  Her voice seemed tight to him, she was holding something back.
“Raya are, are you alright?”
“I’m, fine.  Just fine,” she fought to control her voice and emotions.  She couldn’t be mistaken about who she had seen.
“You don’t sound fine.  Raya,” Colin gripped her shoulders and looked straight at her.  her head hung down.  “What are you holding back?”  She turned away slightly, hoping to avoid any questioning.  “Please, tell me.  No one can help you if you won’t tell them what’s wrong.”
She looked up to Colin’s face, a tear escaping her watery eyes.  Underneath her sadness a fierce anger burned.  “The firemage who is in the battle tried to kill me when i was twelve.  He was in battle with a mage of air.  I was merely an obstacle in his way.  Since I escaped him, it seems as though he has been hunting me down to finish a job left undone.  Each time he gets closer.  Someday soon I’ll have to confront him.  I’m not ready yet,” Raya sobbed silently, as much in anger as in sadness and fright.
Not exactly sure of what to do, Colin pulled her close and did his best to comfort her.  The memory of when Raya had done the same for him seemed so long ago and not just yesterday.
After her racking sobs died away, her whole weight leaned in on him and she succumbed to sleep.  Assured she would rest peacefully, he put her to bed.  It didn’t hit him until he was nearly in his own sleeping bag that she had dressed for sleep and braided her hair before going into the trance.  Quite an amazing woman, he thought to himself sleepily, Quite a woman.
*                                        *                                        *
In the distant mountains a firemage sat before a roaring fire in his large study.  The rain outside lashed against the windows and thunder boomed every few minutes.
The door opened creakily and a young man walked briskly to the firmage’s chair.
“Sire, the girl has been reported nearby.”
“Very good, you may leave.”
“Sire, if I may inquire, why not just forget about this girl?  Surely she can’t do any damage.”
“This girl is the only mage of the four, complete mastery of every element.  I hunt this girl down because if she lives, the era of magedom will come to an end, and this kingdom will see the restoration of the great-bloodlines.  The era of mages has seen it’s dawn, and with each day she walks the world, the sunset draws closer.”
After pausing for a moment he continued, “One day her power will be great enough to reweave the four elements, by that time, no one, mage or not, will stand in her way.  She is the so called Savior written about by the ancient prophets.  One day I shall meet her in combat, only one of us will survive the battle.  I don’t intend for that person to be her.  You are dismissed, but do not speak to anyone of this conversation.”
The young man backed out of the room, head giddy from the information he had just been supplied with.
As the young man left the firemage thought to himself, A pity really, but if the information reached the wrong ears, he might as well have told the enemy himself.  It would be better this way, no one would notice the sudden death of the serving boy.  Any price would be better than his own life, almost.

Description
Chapter Two
She was in a castle, the great hall, the room was large and mostly dark.  A light came from somewhere in the room, she moved toward it.  As she got closer, the room got brighter, till she could see skeletons that hung in the rafters, they danced about, laughed at her.  The light was coming from a firecreature and it had a man in its clutches.  Suddenly she was in the mans body, she could feel the firecreature tightening its grip.  The creature started to laugh and then it started calling out her name and shaking her . . .
“Raya!  Raya!  Wake up!”  Colin shook her again, trying to wake her from her sleep.  She groggily came to.
Colin looked down at her worriedly, “Are you all right?”
“It was just a nightmare,” she sat up holding her forehead in one hand.  The dream was all too vivid and much too real.
“You were tossing and turning a lot, mumbling too,” he told her.  “You woke me up when you practically rolled into me,” he added remembering when he awoke that morning to find Raya’s face inches from his.  It had been quite a fright.
Raya’s cheeks reddened with embarrassment.
“You get dressed and I’ll make us some breakfast,” with that said, Colin left the tent.
After getting dressed and pulling her hair back, Raya emerged from the tent and found a private spot to empty her bladder.  When she returned, Raya found breakfast to be ready and waiting.  After eating and washing the dishes, Colin and Raya packed up their things, deassembled any spells that had been cast and set out on their way, having decided to stay together for awhile.
Conversation continued, the two finding out things about one another.
“There was a lot of moss in the clearing where we slept,” Raya commented lightly.
“I guess that’s what comes of being part earth mage,” Colin sighed.
“Where are we headed anyway?”
“Rosethorn, the nearest safe town or village.”
“There are no others on the way?”
“All the old safe ones are either ruled by tyrants or have been ravaged by free elemental creatures and mages.  Rosethorn is the closest town still intact.”
“Oh,” Raya hadn’t realized how much damage the kingdom was suffering from the mages.
A distant crows cackle reached their ears, Colin cocked his head to listen to where it was going.  No sense in using magic, Colin thought.  After all, most messenger birds can sense it.  Another cackle reached their ears, it was closer than the first.  Colin dragged Raya off the path and a short ways into the forest.  He stopped under a thickly canopied tree.
“Let me go,” Raya said, trying to wriggle out of Colin’s strong grip on her.  He released her.
Putting a finger to his lips, he motioned upwards towards the crow.
“Why are we hiding?  It doesn’t matter if that sees us or not,”  Raya whispered angrily.
“Because we have no idea of the crows destination or intelligence.  If it’s controlled by a mage, they see all that the crow does,” Colin paused to listen before continuing.  “For all we know this bird is being hunted by someone who doesn’t want this information to be known.”
Rayas face drained and so did her temper.  “I’m sorry, I’d forgotten.”  If a messenger bird reported them before they reached Rosethorn they’d be as good as dead.
The crow was barely audible anymore, but they waited awhile longer before venturing back to the road.  Both were still tense from the crow encounter.
They walked in silence, ears alert to the slightest sound.  Two more birds passed overhead.  Both times the two of them scuttled into the forest and hid until it was safe to continue.
A short time before midday Colin pointed out an abandoned town.  They skirted the edge, travel cloaks drawn, giving it as wide a berth as possible.  In the next two hours Raya and Colin encountered three more ravaged towns.  In the one they had had to go through, they spent some time constructing a disguise.  They could be just another pair of travelers, bound for yet another unknown destination, or pull their cloaks up tight, almost monk like, and make themselves as small and invisible as they could, passing through virtually unnoticed.  A third idea of being runaway lovers was quickly rejected,  Anyone like that wouldn’t be running through the town, and the vision was still fresh in Raya’s mind.
The plan chosen was to pass through as unnoticed as possible.  So, hoods drawn up tight and cloaks wound close, the two set into and out of the town.
A quick pace was set to put as much distance between them and the town’s walls.  After awhile, a thought struck Raya.  “Are we going to make it to Rosethorn by sunset?”
“No, we’ll have to camp.” Colin continued, “It won’t be safe to pass any of the towns at night.”
“Then where shall we camp tonight?”
Colin gazed at the sun through squinted eyes, “Let’s search for a good clearing now and set camp, no use in being caught too close to dusk without shelter.”
Raya shivered slightly to herself blaming the cool breeze.  She knew what it could be like after dusk.  She turned her thoughts back to the more current affairs.  “You know Colin, looking into he sun isn’t good for your eyes.”
“But neither is looking at you.”
“Stuff your flirtatious nature and save the compliments for when we’ve found a campsite.”
“Alright.”
After a few scratches and bruises and a thorn through Raya’s foot, they found a suitable clearing.
Colin pushed Raya back a bit and he sat down on the ground, hands laid palms down on the earth at his sides.  A short time later a tall, spelled hedge formed a closed circle.
Colin stood and stretched.  Striding towards the hedge he beckoned Raya, who came up to him and followed him through the hedge.  Once inside, they set up camp.  Colin started a fire and Raya put her tent up.  Clouds were broiling on the horizon and the certain scent of rain was on the breeze.
Colin looked up and saw the tent.
“So, we’re in the tent again tonight?”
“Yes, there’s rain coming.  Just look at the horizon,” She gestured vaguely at the advancing storm.  “I’m going to refill our waterbags.”
“Hurry, the food will be ready soon.”
“Don’t worry,” and Raya disappeared through the hedge.
A creek ran close by to the hedge.  Probing the water magically to see if it was safe, Raya filled the bags full.  A sudden flash of fire magic on the horizon caught her eye and magic sense.  She was quick to return to the protection of the hedge.
“Colin,” Raya accepted the food offered to her, “Did you feel and sudden power flares?”
“Not that I remember.”
“Oh.  There was a fire magic burst to the northeast.”
Well I guess the magic dampening spell works then.”
“The what?”
“I set an extra spell in the hedge to hide any registers of power or magic.  Apparently it’s two sided.”
A raindrop splattered into the fire, causing it to crackle and hiss.  Colin collected the dishes and washed them quickly while Raya moved the rest of the gear needed into the tent.
Colin entered the tent slightly damp from the beginnings of the rain.  Shedding the damp clothing, he pulled on a pair of pants.
Sitting down on top of his sleeping bag he began to toy around with a healing spell he had concocted a few weeks ago.  Looking over the spell mentally he felt it for any weak spots that could cause complications in a patient.  A short ways into his work, Raya came out of the trance she had been in.
“A battle is to be fought.”
Colin snapped out of his mental workplace too quickly, losing most of the work he had just done.  Swearing under his breath he looked over at Raya.  “A what?”
“A battle.  A firemage and earthmage.  No wonder there was a flare of fire magic.”
“That also explains the messenger crows.”
“Yes, it does.”  Her voice seemed tight to him, she was holding something back.
“Raya are, are you alright?”
“I’m, fine.  Just fine,” she fought to control her voice and emotions.  She couldn’t be mistaken about who she had seen.
“You don’t sound fine.  Raya,” Colin gripped her shoulders and looked straight at her.  her head hung down.  “What are you holding back?”  She turned away slightly, hoping to avoid any questioning.  “Please, tell me.  No one can help you if you won’t tell them what’s wrong.”
She looked up to Colin’s face, a tear escaping her watery eyes.  Underneath her sadness a fierce anger burned.  “The firemage who is in the battle tried to kill me when i was twelve.  He was in battle with a mage of air.  I was merely an obstacle in his way.  Since I escaped him, it seems as though he has been hunting me down to finish a job left undone.  Each time he gets closer.  Someday soon I’ll have to confront him.  I’m not ready yet,” Raya sobbed silently, as much in anger as in sadness and fright.
Not exactly sure of what to do, Colin pulled her close and did his best to comfort her.  The memory of when Raya had done the same for him seemed so long ago and not just yesterday.
After her racking sobs died away, her whole weight leaned in on him and she succumbed to sleep.  Assured she would rest peacefully, he put her to bed.  It didn’t hit him until he was nearly in his own sleeping bag that she had dressed for sleep and braided her hair before going into the trance.  Quite an amazing woman, he thought to himself sleepily, Quite a woman.
*                                        *                                        *
In the distant mountains a firemage sat before a roaring fire in his large study.  The rain outside lashed against the windows and thunder boomed every few minutes.
The door opened creakily and a young man walked briskly to the firmage’s chair.
“Sire, the girl has been reported nearby.”
“Very good, you may leave.”
“Sire, if I may inquire, why not just forget about this girl?  Surely she can’t do any damage.”
“This girl is the only mage of the four, complete mastery of every element.  I hunt this girl down because if she lives, the era of magedom will come to an end, and this kingdom will see the restoration of the great-bloodlines.  The era of mages has seen it’s dawn, and with each day she walks the world, the sunset draws closer.”
After pausing for a moment he continued, “One day her power will be great enough to reweave the four elements, by that time, no one, mage or not, will stand in her way.  She is the so called Savior written about by the ancient prophets.  One day I shall meet her in combat, only one of us will survive the battle.  I don’t intend for that person to be her.  You are dismissed, but do not speak to anyone of this conversation.”
The young man backed out of the room, head giddy from the information he had just been supplied with.
As the young man left the firemage thought to himself, A pity really, but if the information reached the wrong ears, he might as well have told the enemy himself.  It would be better this way, no one would notice the sudden death of the serving boy.  Any price would be better than his own life, almost.