It took them two weeks to leave the pass; the ride was long and hard, and to Eri, seemingly endless. She had never ridden a horse before, and the pain in her legs was enough to banish her worries about her father completely.

She had decided that her father should know what she had done; she didn't want him to worry. Eri had left a note on the table, explaining her actions- explaining that she had to leave.

Papa,

I know you must be worried. I just want to let you know that I am safe, and that I chose to leave.

I can't tell you where I'm going or you'll try to stop me, but I just want you to know that I chose, that I'm safe, and that I'll be back one day when I've done what I have to.

Love forever,

Eri.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The city was big. Bigger then she had imagined, bigger then she had dreamed.

They entered Corus at the end of the third month of travelling. It was so big, she could hardly believe it. Liana said nothing of her amazement, just chuckled and told her to close her mouth or she's swallow a fly. And there were a lot of flies, even in the winter. The city was humming with noise; traders and merchants bartering, the noise of the royal guard riding down the narrow, busy streets.

Then, out to her left she saw something amazing.

The sea.

The blue expanse glittering, smelling of salt and seaweed on the wind. She looked up and saw white gulls wheeling overhead, calling harshly to those on the land.

She smiled up at Liana and said, her voice barely heard above the noise of the crowds, "Where are the Shang trained? Is it here in the city?"

Liana shook her head and pointed to a large complex of beautiful buildings on the hill in the middle of the city, "That there is the palace. We go there to get a basic check-up on you, both medical and magical."

Eri raised her eyebrows and hesitantly asked, "What do you mean, magical?"

Eri had been taught to avoid magic, those who had the Gift were unwelcome in her village, and, she knew, in many of the villages scattered across the far northern reaches of the Kingdom. Magic was something not spoken about, her father had made the sign against evil whenever magic came up in their conversations. While she didn't share her father's fear of magic, she still felt a little wary of it.

Liana's reply didn't really help.

"Magic is tested by a mage of the palace. They're find those who are magically gifted and send them to those who can train them in the ways of magic. We are taking you to the mage because if you are gifted, I need to know."

"Why?"

"Because, Eri, the gifted are not allowed to join the Shang."

"Why?"

"The gift is seen as, well, not really cheating, but a way to achieve supremacy over an enemy without giving them an opportunity to defend themselves. We of the Shang also view it as a disadvantage to learning our art."

"Why?"

"So many questions! Still, the only unwise question is one not asked. Well, the Shang view the gift as a disadvantage because, if a child has the gift, it must be trained as well. Anyone with the gift that isn't trained is a great danger to themselves and to others. The gift can be a destructive force, though it is usually used for good. There are few mages powerful enough to cause real trouble, and most of them are loyal to the King."

Eri opened her mouth to ask another question then closed it as the road took a sharp turn, and began to climb the hill towards the palace.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The Goddess was angry.

She had tried several times to finish the child, the mistake her silent brother made, but to no avail. It was only a mercy that her attentions had not been noticed by him. He was fierce when he was angry. After all, her brother was the most powerful of them all; even she would one day die, diminished into nothingness by the passing of countless ages.

She sat, staring down at the world through a portal, a crack in the realm she and the others inhabited. The battles in the south had weakened her, but She was not yet weak enough to let this abomination be.

She frowned as she remembered the child Daine. A child of a lesser God, she had been allowed to live, though her life had been fraught with worry and pain.

This child was different.

She was the daughter of the Dark one; she was human only in the form she had taken. She had not formed in a mother's womb, no one awaited her arrival eagerly, no mother or human father for the little human. She was an annoyance that the Goddess couldn't afford, a thorn in her side. She was a powerful force in the human world, although she didn't know it yet. And during her watching she had learnt she sought to become Shang! The Goddess couldn't avoid dealing with the girl sooner or later, but she had things to attend to, more urgent things.


The girl would be unaware of her power while she was among the Shang, the Goddess had made certain of this. However, anyone with a strong enough gift to overcome her shield would unleash a massive amount of power through the girl. It was a risk, for the girl was potentially as strong as her father, and if the Gift were released it might do a lot of damage in its uncontrolled form.

The girl would undoubtedly be killed if her gift was released, but that was what She wanted after all...

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Well, she has no gift, and otherwise she's perfectly healthy. She's very fit as far as I can tell, and she should do well in your order, Jaguar."

"Good. And here is your payment."

Liana handed the man a silver crown. Eri was surprised. A silver crown was quite a lot of money just for a check-up.

Liana saw her surprise and smiled, "That wasn't just for the check-up. To be honest, it's a bribe. The money I gave the mage was to ensure a safe passage to our training house."

"Why? Where is the training house?"

Liana gave a somewhat carnivorous grin, showing her very white, somewhat sharp teeth.

"It's in a place not usually frequented by tourists. Our base is in the shady side of the city, near the docks. It's under a warehouse, and all the entrances are guarded by our people."

Liana laughed at Eri's expression of bewilderment.

"Wait, before you ask. Why we hide our base is because there are those that would have our order ended. No, not the government, but a few nobles with quite a lot of power have sent spies into our midst before, and so we chose to hide the base underground."

"Will I spend all my time there?"

Eri didn't mind the dark; in fact she rather liked it. She had always enjoyed going out at night, the animals were her only friends. She liked to sit and listen to them speak to one another, the harsh, deep voices of the bears, and the sweet light voices of sparrows that chattered happily as they sat on her shoulder.

"No, we have many outdoor courtyards and gardens that are connected by tunnels. Most of your training will be outdoors, but you will sleep and live in the underground rooms. Until you turn fifteen you will share a dorm with the other girls, but you will then be given a room of your own. When you turn eighteen you will be tested to determine your rank among the Shang, the highest of which is the Dragon. Once you have finished your training, you are free to go where you will, but there may be times when the order needs you, and as such you are bound to us and must come if needed..."

Eri nodded, paying careful attention to everything Liana told her. The words sent something shivering down her spine; the words seemed to be coming in a dream.

She kept listening until she realised that they had come to a large warehouse. She stared around, looking for the guards Liana had told her about.

"They are hidden child."

She looked up at Liana. The tall women seemed to have a way of reading her mind.

"The guards do not show themselves unless they are needed. Now come, we must go inside."

Eri quickly looked around at the warehouse, and stopped as she spotted something hidden near the roof.

"I think I can see a guard."

Liana stopped, and turned back towards Eri.

"Where?"

It seemed a little strange that she would believe her so easily, but she still pointed towards the hidden figure.

"There, behind that group of chimney stacks. Kneeling behind that cluster of three."

Liana stared at the roof for a moment, and then glanced at her questioningly.

"I cannot see them. Are you sure you can?"

Eri paused, about to say that she could feel the guards life on the roof, but stopped, and answered with a simple "Yes."

"Very well."

Liana glanced at her once more, and then barked a word so quickly she couldn't hear it.

Men appeared from nowhere, dissolving out of the woodwork, and stepping out from behind carvings and hidden places behind the boards of wood. Eri frowned at the roof until a man appeared from behind the chimneys, his form silhouetted against the cloudy sky.

Liana glanced down at the girl beside her before shouting another word in the same strange language, after which the guards seemed to disappear.

"Well spotted girl," Liana said, though a slight frown still creased her brow, "I think you will do very well here."

Eri smiled at her, and kept smiling as Liana led her to a passage in the far corner of the warehouse then down it into a series of dry tunnels that smelt slightly musty but seemed comfortable. Liana led her though the darkness to a room, behind which there was a light, and the faint noise of murmuring.

"In here Eri, this is your dormitory."

Liana smiled as Eri stepped forward and gripped the bronze doorhandle. She held her breath and turned the handle, stepping into the light.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I haven't updated for a while (as you may have noticed) and I am sincerely sorry. With one thing and another I just haven't had the time or the motivation. Thanks to wildMAGICuser whose review got me going. I hope I'll be able to get the next chapter up soon, but no promises...