Disclaimer: 'If only, if only,' the woodpecker cries...

Review Replies:

Narm's Boreas: Okay, this is another short one. But I promise, Chapter 4 will be much longer, because it is a very big chappie. (Hint) Yeah, I knew that that was the line where Numair realized his love for her... I always though it was so sweet. -sigh- Anyway, thanks!

Razzi: Thank you very much! It means a lot to me when people review, because I want to hear what they think. That way, I can improve my writing.

Yasminai: D

Yoshi the Spork Queen: Hmpf! Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, what am I going to do with you! The /action/ is being written in to later chapters... Anyway... HI YOSHI! -waves back- xD

Corey: Thanks Coreh, my man! xD

BoB: Okay...

167 hits, 8 reviews. Sad really...

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Chapter 3

Daine darted into the window that she always left open.

Quickly resuming her human form, she grabbed a cloak, her bow, and it's quiver. She did this all very quietly so she wouldn't wake Kitten. If the young dragon did awake, Daine would have one more thing to worry about.

Forming into the body of a large eagle, the wild mage took flight, gripping the items in her large talons.

'Goddess,' she thought in a quiet prayer. 'Whatever this is, keep us safe.'

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Numair was on the large lookout tower on the North Wall of the palace.

Numair observed the beautiful scene in front of him.

The foreground of the scene he saw was filled with pastures, and closer to the palace wall, the Rider's Barracks. Beyond that was the Royal Forest, full of animals and various plants.

But looking up, he groaned.

'That's new,' he thought sarcastically, referring to the strange rippling in the sky.

He ran a large, tanned hand through thick, black hair. He could only hope that they were able to protect themselves from whatever was coming.

Ouna had arrived a few moments earlier, and was situating and preparing the Rider's for battle.

"Numair."

He was pulled out of his thoughts with a hand on his arm.

Looking down, he could see whom the delicate hand belonged to. It was Daine. Seeing her, he couldn't help but grin.

She didn't smile back.

"Do you know what is happening?" She asked as she adjusted her cloak. She had just shifted back to her own body.

Numair saw that she also had her quiver slung over one shoulder. Her bow was tightly gripped in her hand.

"No, Daine," he said worriedly, "Nobody has seen anything like this before."

"But surely someone has read-"

"No!" He said sharply, cutting her off. "Not even me," he added in a whisper that she couldn't hear.

She was silent.

Turning to her, Numair saw the hurt of dismissal in her eyes. He had put that there, and he hated himself for it.

"I'm sorry, Daine. I overreacted." He placed a hand on her shoulder.

She gave him a small smile.

"It's okay, Numair. I'm scared too."

Numair nodded.

"I just hate sitting here and not doing anything! Jon won't even let me test it with my magic to see what it is. He's afraid it is a magical drain or something." He turned to look at the sky.

"I know Numair, but he could be right. I can't feel any of the People. They've all fled. It's fair worrying," she said as she came to stand next to him.

He looked down at her. "I think maybe-"

Suddenly, Daine and Numair fell backwards, as if the had been pushed. Everyone with any type of magic fell the same way.

For a few moments, those that had fallen couldn't move. The second they could, Numair scrambled over to Daine.

"Magelet! Are you alright?" he asked, pulling her into a hug.

"Yes, Numair. I'm fine," she lied, trembling. She didn't like not knowing what was happening, and didn't want Numair worrying over her. "What was that?"

Numair pulled away to look her in the eye, her unruly brown curls framing her face. "It's the barrier, Daine,"he explained. "It's gone."

Both looked up only to see hundreds of various immortals where the rippling had been. All the different colors of magical fire chased after the creatures, as Numair's soon did.

Daine jumped up.