The sound of waves crashing against the side of the boat woke Kira up out her deep sleep. Automatically her magic flooded her body, suppressing the sea sickness. She raised herself up out of her rickety bed and went in search of Tyara. Sending her mind out she found her with Zill, who had a profitable evening last night, on deck. Reaching the deck the cold breeze shocked her. Without thinking she threw up a shield around herself. Something tingled at the back of her mind. She concentrated on it and saw it form into how to shape magic to warm the air around her. Walking over to Tyara and Zill she encompassed them in her shield, earning a thankful look from both of them, then, a shocked face from Tyara as she felt the warm air stir around her.
"When did you learn that?" Kira smiled mischievously and tapped her nose. Tyara rolled her eyes and turned back to the ocean in front of here. 'So, how did you discover that?' Tyara knew Kira could hear her thoughts. Kira stood next to her and placed her hand on Tyara's.
"I searched the magicians mind last night. All of his knowledge was past to me. And he thought he was too good for me. HA!" The last sound produced a huff from behind her. The magician was staring at her as he emerged from below deck. He stumbled over to his stool and sat there, alternatively staring at her and out at the sea. Kira wanted to demand what his problem was but knew that if he wanted a fight that he would easily overcome her, and she had no way of escaping. Her eyes wondered around the boat, watching the crew fussing around. A bump alerted her to a presence in the doorway to below deck. A boy, older than her by a year or two, staggered out rubbing his head. Kira smothered a laugh, which the boy saw. He glanced and smiled at her. She smiled back and nudged Tyara, who spun around. As she looked at the boy she nudged Kira back hard.
"Stop flirting and come over here! You're late for lessons." Both Kira and Tyara raised an eyebrow as he past. He stopped just before the magician and sat on a stool a servant had bought out. "Today we will practise your shielding capabilities....." He stopped as he noticed Kira watching them expectantly. He lowered his voice and continued with his instructions. She turned back to the railings and huffed. Zill looked at her sympathetically.
"You want me to have a word?" Kira smiled at him.
"He's a magician. You can't get close to him." He frowned.
"Why must you always assume I meant to kill him?" He sighed with dramatic emphasis. "I suppose that's what I get for being the most dangerous thief in all of Kyrilia." Tyara patted him on the back with mock sympathy.
"I did think you would kill him." She winked at Kira. "Just beat him a little." He gasped and stalked off with over dramatises. Tyara laughed and went to follow him. Kira turned back to the ocean.
Hours past. Kira just remained at the railings, watching the endless non changing scene pass before her. Wave after wave crashed against the bow. Spray splashed over the side. Kira shielded herself from the spray. It hissed as it made contact with the invisible barrier.
"That's pretty good. Who taught you?" Kira spun around. The boy was standing right in front of her. He was smiling again, cheekily. Kira blushed. He past her and looked out over the water.
"My father taught me a bit. The basic stuff, really. I learnt the rest...." She hesitated. What could she tell him? "By watching others." He turned and smiled. He backed off and walked to the other side of the boat.
"Let's see then." Kira looked at him questioningly. "Raise your shield." Kira instinctively raised a powerful shield as a force strike hit her.
"Are you serious?" He laughed and threw more at her. To her surprise they were weak. Really weak. Her father had told her that as she was a natural that she would be more powerful than normal magicians. His rain of strikes stopped. She strengthened her shield. Clearly he was trying to lure her into a trap. Lower her shields strength so he could surprise her with a strong blast of magic. Sailors on the ship had started to gather around. From many of them came cheering and bets. Kira looked at him. "You wanna play? Fine!" She sent a wave of powerful force strikes at him, one after the other. His face creased with concentration. 'He couldn't be that weak, surely.' Kira thought. She sent another strike, minimum strength at him. His face creased with more concentration. Kira stopped and started to walk over to him. A blast of power erupted from him, knocking her back a few steps. Gathering more magic she struck from all sides, causing him to fall to his knees. Kira rushed over to him and knelt. A crash came from the door to below deck.
"What have you done?!" The magician strode out and stood before the boy and Kira. "Jason, are you ok?" The boy looked up and mumbled. Standing up Kira turned to Jason.
"Sorry." She turned and went to walk to the door when she saw it. A boat approaching at rapid speed. The magician was shouting at Jason about using magic without his permission. Kira closed her eyes and opened her mind. Immediately she found him. The mind she had been following. Torean! Her eyes flew open.
"Everyone get under deck NOW!" By now Tyara had emerged. Everyone quietened and was now watching Kira.
"Who do you think....?" Kira stopped him with a glance and pointed. Tyara's question shouted in her mind.
"Torean." Kira said the word clearly. Tyara's face crossed with several emotions at once. Finally she settled on scared.
"Who is this person?" The magician was now looking through a tube at the fast approaching boat. Kira explained, with interjections from Tyara. "Everyone below deck. NOW!" The sailors moved down followed by a forced Tyara, who was being guided by Kira's magic.
"You too." Kira twisted around and was about to argue when she saw the magician was talking to Jason.
"But master Valark?" Valark shook his head and pointed toward the door.
"If we fail, you must communicate what is happening to the king of Elyne, ok." Jason nodded his head and scuttled away. Valark turned to Kira and scowled at her. "How did you know?" She shrugged.
"I have good eyesight?" He laughed once then went serious again. Kira looked away, at the approaching boat. She could just make out Torean. "I can read minds." The magician nodded his head in understanding. "You're not surprised?" He laughed but this time it was real.
"All magicians can read minds. They just have to have skin contact. You must be incredibly powerful. Was that you yesterday?" No anger laced his voice, just curiosity. She nodded. "Then why did you not take the secrets to Higher Magic?" She was about to reply when a blast of magic tingled her senses. She spread a big shield across herself and Valark. Torean was staring at her, a sneer on his face. Valark now moved to the front of the boat. Kira moved as well. Spreading her shield it encompassed the bow of the boat. Torean stopped the boat suddenly, causing a wave to sizzle against her shield. A pressure appeared on her shoulder. A strange sensation swept through her. Magic. She glanced over and saw Valark smiling. A memory explained what was happening. A surge of power splashed against her shield. Hastily adding more magic to her shield she closed her eyes and concentrated. Her mind sort Torean's. She anticipated his moves so she could strengthen her shield to counter.
'How is she doing this?' Torean was thinking of ways to draw her into attacking. She smiled. 'She can't be....' Abruptly her mind felt pain like a thousand knifes driving into her skull. A shriek broke out of her mouth. Kira sank to the ground, her shield slipping from her grasp. She opened her eyes and just saw the flash of Torean's strikes hit another invisible barrier. Valark's face was creased in absorption. Kira recovered and felt the next mind strike coming. An idea flashed into her mind. She created a thin barrier around her mind. The feeble mind strike bounced against it. Kira thought about throwing one back but she didn't know how. Lord Valark hadn't learnt it. Kira stood and sent flashes of power at Torean. Lord Valark was too deep into shielding to notice. Torean laughed and sent more in reply. Colour flashed and died as the exchange continued. Kira was losing power as quickly as Valark. She sensed his alarm at his failing strength. Kira felt fear starting to grip her. Her strikes were now going wildly off course. One hit the side of the boat, causing the wood to splinter.
An inspiration burst into her mind. Concentrating, she sent a line of strikes toward Torean's shield while simultaneously sending more under the water. All the strikes assaulted at the same time. The strikes on the shield failed but the ones underneath the water struck the base of the boat. Torean's look went from pleased, to disbelief, to fury. The boat started to sink as the strikes stopped. Kira smirked and carried on her attack. Torean spread his shield to encompass the whole of the boat. Sending weak strikes all around the ship confirmed it. Hastily the boat started to head off, away from Kira.
"He's getting away!" Kira shouted. When no confirmation came from Valark Kira looked back at him. He was collapsed on the floor. She hurried over and stooped down. She let her hand rest on his fore head.
'You are powerful, young one.' He smiled as he knew she could hear him. 'Take what I know.' The book of higher magic flashed into her mind.
"NO!!!!" Kira screamed and flung herself away. "I don't want it! No!!!!" He sighed and his face relaxed.
"Fine but you will have to learn it eventually, to defeat him." He stretched out his hand. "Take what I have left." She stretched out her hand and a spark of electricity jumped from his to her. The rest of his magic pooled into her. She let go of his hand and looked over to the shrinking ship that held her father's murderer. Something inside her impulsive made her walk to the front of the boat. Gathering magic she created a weak shield around the boat, just to handle the stray spray of the sea. She drew together more magic and focused on unfurling the sails. As they unfurled she sent her magic out and the boat shot forward. The sails snapped open, gathering the wind giving the boat an extra boost. Her mind once again sought his. But her eyes found him first. She had used most her magic gaining on him. Now she was the hunter, and he the hunted.