Heartfelt thanks to everyone who has reviewed! And to think I hesitated to post that story at all!

And extra thanks to Isaac Blast, whose request for my picture of Will actually somehow made my muse return and made me finish the story that evening. But then I was waiting for something from him which I never actually got. So I decided to post anyway, but keep an eye on his stories.

I'm really sorry I waited this long to post. My current muse demanded a vacation and the plot bunny passed its sell-by date while I was being too lazy to start research, so I've been working with a muse pulled out of retirement and a stale plot bunny.

Many thanks to my (Malaysian) beta, Xrai, for helping me to write a story taking place on the other side of the world. I, personally, have never been anywhere farther east than Italy, but I've done my best to learn.

If there is actually an Indonesian out there, I apologize for any mistakes in language. My source is Malay, and while I did try to look up words, I had trouble with that. I am positive that "search" is "cari", but I'm not sure of anything else. Anyway, you are welcome to correct me.

And now… for something completely different.


The Ocean

Anna surfaced for breath and then dove down again. She had never known another ocean than the one surrounding her small island, but she was still in awe of it. A million fish around her, every color possible, coral and sea anemones and everything else below her. She only moved her arms and legs enough to stay in one place. She didn't like to frighten the sea life any more than she had to. She treaded about a meter under the surface, far above the bottom. It would take her entire breath to get down there, and then she would just get a headache later for her trouble. Unlike tourists, who liked to take air tanks down to the bottom, Anna could watch from high above.

She surfaced again and touched the arm of her brother, Yusuf. He was two years younger than her, only ten, and he tired much more easily. She pointed towards the shore. He scowled and shook his head. She nodded emphatically, and they came up together. "I'm not tired," Yusuf insisted.

"I say we're swimming back," Anna said. She was the older one, and he had to listen to her, no matter how much he sulked about it.

Anna pressed her goggles, her only protection from the ocean, against her face to make sure they would stick and took Yusuf's hand. He didn't try to pull away. They headed back towards the pier.

Under them… a whole world. A world in danger, according to adults, but Anna couldn't bear to think of that. She just watched the schools of fish swimming through the coral, rocks, and seaweed. There was a stingray. And there was a lionfish. Anna was glad she was far above it – another reason she didn't like to dive to the bottom or even swim in shallow water. She did take care to watch for anything close to her or Yusuf that might be dangerous, but they had never been bothered near the surface. She didn't think anything would hurt them if they didn't hurt it.

The bottom crept closer and closer to them as they swam. Anna and Yusuf both looked for the dock every time they took a breath. Finally, a gray area in front of them focused into the shadow of a dock, a wonderful place for fish to hide, and a ladder up into the air. Yusuf went first with Anna just behind him.

Climbing into the world of air always reminded Anna of her age. She remembered every day to be thankful that she was still a child. She didn't want to be a woman. She didn't want to have to hide her body. She wouldn't mind covering her hair, since she had never paid much attention to it anyway, but she couldn't wander between the water and the air as she pleased if she was a woman. Not even in her family, which wasn't too bound to tradition.

"What do you want to do, kak?" Yusuf asked, using the slang word for "sister".

Anna pulled off her goggles, wrapped the cord around her wrists, and licked her lips, wrinkled from the exposure to salt. She didn't have a particular plan in mind, but you didn't let your little brother think there was a question. "Get a drink of something, and maybe go back into the water if you're not too tired."

"Yes!" Yusuf started to run down the dock, eager to meet Anna's demands and return to the water. Anna caught up with him and made him walk, like a respectable person.

They didn't mind walking down the dirt road without shoes – everyone was used to that. Anna just watched for glass and chickens, which could be mean if you got in their way.

She held Yusuf back until they got to a little café whose owner didn't mind children – even wet ones – coming in and buying on credit for their parents to pay off the next day.

The owner wasn't around, and his daughter looked at the two children with disapproval, but she gave them what they wanted. Anna was once again conscious of her age and lack of scarf, but this time, she wished she were older.

There were three people in the café, together at a table talking. There was talking in the back room, too. That was unusual. But she shook the thought from her mind.

They rested for a while, Yusuf giving in to tiredness. Finally, they got up, Anna leading Yusuf out and towards their house. She thought they should stay on land some more.

It took her a minute to realize that her brother hadn't wandered off for the moment and had actually stopped at the side of the café and was looking in one of the windows to the back room, probably wondering who was in it. She turned and glared at him, hoping he would notice.

He didn't seem to mind when he finally looked at her. "Kak!" he whispered, beckoning.

She hesitated. She couldn't imagine that he had found something so interesting in the back windows of an old, mostly empty café that she would want to see. Once, maybe, she might have been able to, but she was twelve years old, and she was beginning to find most of the things he liked, besides swimming, childish and silly.

"Come on!" he mouthed eagerly.

Anna sighed, rolled her eyes, and wandered back to him at a speed to tell him that she didn't really care about what he saw.

"Look!" he whispered in her ear. "Can you believe it?"

Anna sighed again and looked through the dirty window. And she was astonished. The owner of the café was sitting at a table with three other people – and hardly the people Anna would have expected to see.

One was an older woman whom every child in the village liked to tell stories about – frightening ones. She had been widowed long ago and had lived alone since then and was known for being rather unfriendly and an impossible person to argue with. Anna wasn't quite sure what made everyone talk about her, but they always had.

There was another woman, Sabah, much younger but also extremely stubborn, whom half the village kept away from. She refused to marry or live with her parents, but what was worse to them was that she had never worn a scarf and openly showed preference for the modern world over tradition.

But Anna wasn't sure how she could be sitting calmly – they looked calm, at least – with Ishaq at the same table. Everyone knew him, too, though the adults were only just beginning to pay attention as he gained on them in age. He was almost seventeen now, and he was the fiercest person Anna knew. He held tradition as the greatest thing in the world, and he loathed anyone who slid into Western culture. It seemed like he would have killed Sabah by now, which was probably what Yusuf had wanted to show Anna.

She stood at the window for a mystified minute, sense warring with curiosity, before reminding herself that she was twelve and the elder and above spying. "Let's go," she whispered.

"Don't you wonder what they're doing?" Yusuf whispered back, his eyes gleaming.

"No, because it's none of our business."

"I wish I could hear what they're talking about! Don't you?"

"No, because it's none of our business," Anna repeated. She grabbed her brother's arm, but he yanked it away.

"Aren't you even curious, kak?"

Of course she was. "No."

"Oh, come on. Why'd you stop being fun?"

Anna didn't think that deserved a reply. She grabbed Yusuf's wrist firmly and pulled him away from the window.

"An-na-a," he whined, twisting away, trying to look back. But it wasn't until they were past the back wall of the building that he dug his feet into the ground and stopped.

Anna glanced backwards and saw what had interested him – the back door of the room was slightly open. Yusuf looked up at her with excitement shining in his eyes. "I dare you," he breathed.

"Oh, no. I won't." Whatever it was, it wasn't going to be good.

"I dare you to listen."

"Don't be an idiot," she said. "Let's go."

He just grinned at her. She clenched her hands into fists. She was curious, and he knew it.

Little brothers were so annoying.


And she didn't even know what they were talking about. Only half the words meant something to her, and the meaning of the conversation as a whole was entirely beyond her. But they seemed to be very involved in the conversation, whatever it was, interrupting each other without courtesy.

Then, the older woman stopped suddenly and froze, as if trying to sense something just out of sight. Anna caught her breath. Ishaq looked at the woman, and the two of them jumped up at once.

Anna didn't have time to stand up. The boy grabbed her arms and pulled her in the door. She tried to twist away, but the woman said something strange, and Anna suddenly couldn't struggle anymore. Her legs wouldn't move.

She screamed then, though she knew Yusuf would not come.

"Shut up," said Ishaq sharply, shaking her slightly, but she didn't stop.

"Was there something wrong with your wards, Omar?" the woman asked the café's owner.

"Not at all," he said.

Anna took a deep breath and screamed again.

"Let her go," said Sabah to Ishaq.

Anna tried again to twist away, but Ishaq gripped her arms even harder. "She was spying on us."

"She shouldn't have gotten anywhere near," said the café's owner. "The wards should have turned anyone who isn't a wizard away from the door. Not the window, maybe, but they can't hear from the window."

"You can let go of her now," said the woman. "She won't leave."

Ishaq hesitated before reluctantly releasing Anna. She stopped screaming – she didn't want him to think letting her go hadn't been worth it – but backed away against the wall. God, please help me, she thought. They were crazy!

"Nadira isn't a wizard," said Ishaq gruffly. Of course he would use her other name. "Anna" was western.

"Nadira?" asked the woman.

"I'm Anna, Ibu," Anna said.

"Anna, then." She turned away. "She was listening. The wards didn't discourage her. She isn't a wizard, but she might be ready to be one."

"Nadira?" Ishaq snorted.

"How can you ever tell?" asked Sabah.

Anna pressed against the wall, wondering if she could run. But they'd catch her. She'd never be able to stay away from them. And each of them seemed to have half an eye on her. "What – what are you talking about?" she asked, her voice smaller and more wavering than she would have liked.

"This is a way to tell," said the woman. "She came to our door even though the wards were supposed to make anyone who wasn't a wizard want desperately to go somewhere else if they got close to it. So she must have something in her that makes her like a wizard."

"What's a wizard?" Anna asked, though she didn't expect them to tell her. They obviously didn't like to talk so other people could understand. It must have been code for something, but Anna couldn't imagine what. It didn't make sense.

"So will she be a wizard? Maybe she's supposed to be?" asked Sabah. "It was an accident that I came to you."

"You were fifteen," said the café's owner. "And you wanted something. We knew you were right. And Ishaq did, too. I don't know how anyone knew I was right to be a wizard, but they decided for me."

"Anyone can want something. We don't know her," Sabah said.

Want something? What sort of thing? Anna could never decide what she wanted.

"We don't need her. We have enough wizards here," said Ishaq.

"We never have enough," the café's owner replied.

"I don't know what you're talking about," said Anna, trying to make her voice loud enough to be heard.

"We should take her while she's here. Things change, and she might not be available later."

"What are you talking about?" Anna asked again, her voice finally stronger, but they still ignored her.

"She's only twelve," Ishaq pointed out.

"Twelve!" the woman said, then sighed. "Well, that makes her more powerful."

"But we don't want –"

"Who are you to say what we want?" asked the café's owner.

Anna wasn't sure whether to be grateful to Ishaq for supporting her. She knew he was only doing it because he didn't like her, but if he made them let her go, it wouldn't matter. She could only hope he would make them let her go…

"We should give her the Oath, I think," said the woman in a tone of decision. Anna pressed against the wall, holding her breath, wishing it would dissolve and let her out. She didn't like the sound of that. She knew there were groups in some places… But although she could see Ishaq joining something like that, he was the only person she knew who she thought might. Certainly not Sabah. Her heart was pounding in her head and her chest hurt with tension.

"I just wish we knew her," said the café's owner. "I don't know how anyone can be sure. It was an accident."

"We'd have to erase a lot of her memory if we let her go now," Sabah said thoughtfully.

"I think we have to trust that she wouldn't have come here if she wasn't right," the woman said. The man nodded.

Anna felt like she was watching from the ceiling, separate from her panicking body, empty of pain and calmer, but helpless.

"All right, then." The café's owner turned to her. "Anna."

"Nadira," Ishaq corrected.

"Full name?" asked the woman.

"Nadira binti Ahmad," said Ishaq.

"Anna or Nadira?" asked the woman.

Anna looked at them from too far a distance to answer. She could feel her heart still, but the rest of her body was gone from her control.

"She's terrified," said Sabah, taking a step forwards with concern on her face. "We haven't explained anything. She probably thinks we're plotting to kill Americans or something."

Ishaq snorted. "Of course she doesn't. She's not stupid enough to think we're that stupid. Anyway, they're fine as long as they stay on their side of the world."

Ishaq's anger and opinion of her thoughts brought Anna back to her body with a jolt, as if waking up from a half-asleep dream. "Anna or Nadira. What's a wizard?"

"Anna Nadira binti Ahmad," the woman decided, ignoring her question.

The older woman and man stood side by side looking at Anna. She pressed against the wall again, her heart beating in her throat. "Repeat," said the woman.

Her lips moved to the question again, what's a wizard, but she didn't manage to make a sound.

"In Life's name."

"They're not even going to explain?" Sabah asked Ishaq in horror.

"Did they explain for you? They hardly told me anything." He snorted. "It's always been like this. We can't make them change, even if it's unfair." His face twisted in the derision Anna was used to seeing in protest to new ideas, not tradition.

"In Life's name," the woman repeated.

Anna looked at the two younger ones and managed to whisper, "Bang Ishaq…"

"I'm not your brother," the older boy snarled, possibly embarrassed to be caught wanting change. "Though," he added with a touch of thoughtfulness and regret, "I may be your cousin."

"Kakak?" she whispered to Sabah.

"It's all right," said the young woman gently. "We're not terrorists; we do what is asked by God."

"In Life's name."

"Say it," said Sabah. There was pressure behind her words.

"In Life's name," Anna whispered.

"And for Life's sake."

Anna looked at Sabah's eyes and Ishaq's bowed head one last time.

"Say it," said Sabah.

"And for Life's sake." Her voice shook. She hadn't cried in public in years, but her eyes were too full now.

"I assert that I will employ the Art which is its gift."

"What?"

"I assert that I will employ the Art which is its gift."

"I – I assert that I will em-employ the Art – Art? – which is its gift?"

"In Life's service alone, rejecting all other usages."

"In Life's service al-alone, re-rejecting all other usages."

Sabah smiled at her and mouthed, "Don't cry."

"I will guard growth and ease pain."

Anna wiped her eyes. What did all this mean? It sounded good. It felt good somehow. But what did it mean?

"I wi-will guard growth and ease pain," she whispered.

And what about the pain they were giving her now?

"I will fight to fight to preserve what grows and lives well in its own way."

"I will fight…"

The words moved to something she could understand. And it sounded good, but she still didn't understand what she was really swearing to, and she wasn't confident that she could do what she was saying, or make the choices of what would be right if she was asked. But how she would be asked she didn't know.

"Looking always towards the Heart of Time."

"What?" She turned to the younger two again.

"Timeheart," said Ishaq quietly. "Like Heaven."

So this was religious. She hesitated.

"Looking always towards the Heart of Time," the woman said stonily.

"Looking always towards – towards the Heart of Time?"

"Where all our sundered times are one."

This was insane. Sabah was mouthing, "Say it," and Anna felt that she had to continue. "Where all our sundered times are one?"

"And all our myriad worlds lie whole."

"And all our myriad worlds lie whole." What was this?

"In That from Which they proceed."

It felt strangely like the world was holding its breath. Sabah closed her eyes and the woman looked down for the first time. Anna opened her mouth.

Something came over her then, and she realized that, of all her time in this room, this was the first moment that she could choose.

She didn't know what it was. Curiosity, maybe, but more, too. A feeling that there hadn't been anything for the wizards to worry about, that things were right. That she would come to be glad she had done this.

She said aloud, "In That from Which they proceed."

The air began to move again. The four wizards looked up. Three smiled at her, and Ishaq gave her another thoughtful look, but this one without regret. "You're a wizard, Adik," he said.

"I'm not your little sister," Anna snapped, coming back to herself. Finally, she found the courage to run for the door. Nobody stopped her. She kept running, not watching where her bare feet went, running in desperation.

What had she sworn herself to? What was she in now? What did all this mean?

"Anna!"

It was Yusuf's voice. Yusuf, who had sent her in there and not bothered to see what happened to her. "Where were you?" she shouted over her shoulder without slowing, bitter for being left and for the realization that, whatever this was that she was part of now, they would never be able to be as close as they had been before.

"Anna!" She could hear the fear in his voice this time, but that didn't slow her. She was furious. She was tiring already from running so fast, but the pain felt good, reflecting the pain inside her.

What had she done?

She was running to the water, she realized. She hesitated for an instant to find the pier she usually used and raced to the end, pulling on her goggles. She leapt into the water.

Here, she felt a wash of relief cross her. She took a deep breath but didn't go far under, realizing that she was too tired to use one breath for very long.

She looked around. A school of bright fish saw her and abruptly turned in the other direction to escape the large, strange creature that had just appeared. A larger, striped fish decided it didn't mind her motionless body and floated by. She smiled.

What's a wizard? she wondered, and her smile faded.

She surfaced for breath and came back down to look around again. There was a small male stingray swimming along the bottom a little way to the right of her. She saw a turtle floating, watching her.

She opened her lips a little. What's a wizard? she asked again.

She could have sworn the stingray stopped just to look at her, and the fish, too. The turtle stretched its neck up a little, looking right at her. A wizard, the ocean said, Is someone who takes care of us all.


Well? Was it any good? I'd rather hear that you didn't like it than wonder why I'm not getting any reviews, so be honest, please.

I have been having trouble getting motivation for writing, so don't expect another story for three to four months. I'll try to write another in that time.