Flight!
I'm...alive?
Awareness came to her slowly, and with it pain. She took a moment to take in her surroundings, and saw that she was in a tent, the same style as hers, though not her own. She looked at herself-her arm was wrapped in white cloth, blood still seeping through the bandaging.
The healers should've been able to take care of that, Kris thought, confused. What happened?
"Kris! You're finally up!"
"Julika?" She looked up to see her old friend. "What happened?"
"What do you mean, 'what happened'? We were ambushed! How can you ever forget that?"
"I think I remember..." Kris could remember the ambush, and the injury to her arm-but there was something she was forgetting...
"You saved us, Kris. I don't know how you did it, but if you hadn't we'd all be dead."
"I-what did I do?" Her mind seemed to be blocked. Her horse had been killed, and then-then what?!?
"Some kind of magic thing-you know I don't understand that stuff! You'd have to ask one of the mages, except-except-" Julika's face fell.
"Except what?!" Kris demanded, feeling somewhat irritable.
"Except that you were the only one with the Gift that survived," Julika sighed. "As it is, about a third of the company's wiped out, and another third's hurt." Kris let it sink in for a moment, and then cried out.
Ashira-dead? No, that couldn't happen! She had been alive just-just-
"How long have I been asleep?" Kris demanded.
"Two days," Julika replied.
"Did Ashira die in the fire?" Krissen asked slowly.
"She was trying to get as many of the injured out as she could. Not thinking about herself," Julika said. Tears were beginning to come out of her eyes, too. "I'm sorry-I know how close you two were-"
"Can you leave me alone? Please?" Kris asked. Julika nodded and made a quick exit.
How could they kill Ashira? She was my only close friend... How could they take her away from me? And whatever I did, it wasn't quick enough to save her...
What did I do? Julika said I saved everyone! But I don't know that much magic, how could I pull off so great a spell?
The answer finally came to her.
I lost control. She shivered, as she realized what a dangerous realization that was. If I did it once, I'll do it again, and I won't be so lucky as to have an enemy to lash out at.
That really scared her, and her mind continued on the same wavelength. If I wiped out the bandits, what's to stop me from wiping out my company? I never learned to control my Gift very well--there's the biggest mistake I've made in my entire life! Why didn't I listen to Ashira? And now Ashira's gone, I've failed her!
A piece of paper on the table beside her bed caught her eye. It was a note worth quite a bit of money, signed by the captain, as a bonus for killing all the bandits. Her eyes widened-that was enough money to get anywhere in the Eastern Lands! Go anywhere-that's it! I can leave! If I'm not near my company, I can't attack them! And maybe I'll find a teacher, so I can learn control!
But-where could she go?
There was another paper on the nightstand, her letter from her brother. He said she was always welcome there...
There are plenty of magicians in Corus! I'm sure one would teach me! She actually smiled, and got out of her bed. Her legs were fine, though weak after two days of disuse. It was about an hour after sunset, but the camp looked rather empty already. Although they had won the last battle, the company was in a time of mourning, not rejoicing. Many of the dead had been burned in the fire during the attack, but those dead on the battlefield had to be cremated, and she could see the light of the cremation fires still burning.
She came to her tent and packed as if in a daze, taking what she needed and leaving what she didn't. She wrote a short note, just to say that her injury was crippling, and ended her contract, so she was leaving the company. She left it on her bed and headed for the stables.
Her second mount, Morning Star, was alive and well, much to Kris's relief. She saddled the mare quietly, led her out of the stables, and set her bags behind the saddle before mounting the horse.
"We're going to Corus," she whispered.
The Dancing Dove was as busy as usual, so no one noticed the newcomer. A woman who'd not been there before, a woman who kept rubbing her arm that had been healed-for free-by a healer she'd just met! What a strange place Tortall was! She was pretty, with short blond hair and big gray eyes, but there was no shortage of pretty women in the Dancing Dove. Even her odd uniform didn't make her stand out.
However, her grip of the language was far from perfect, and she got a funny look when she asked for a glass of cider. She took it to a seat by the fire, and watched the people coming and going. Her mind was on something completely different. How would she go about finding a teacher? Would her brother know anyone?
A man caught her eye. He was dressed in everyday clothes, but carried no visible weapon, so he was probably either a Shang warrior or a mage. When he pulled out a book, Kris decided that the second guess was the correct one.
Everything inside her told her to go over to him and talk to him, the strength of her desire to do so frightening her. Strong emotions were what made one lose control...
But he was a mage, she reasoned, and would be able to teach her. And perhaps help her with the Tortallan language...
"What are you reading?" she asked nervously.
"Hmm?" The man looked up, and she noticed the black streak in his blond hair. "This? It's not much, really." He didn't go back to his reading, but stared at the young woman standing beside him. "You can sit down, if you like."
"Thank you," the woman replied. She sat beside him. "So, you're a mage?"
"Yes...my name's Zeddicus. Zeddicus Zorander. Call me Zedd, though. I don't believe I've met you before...?" the man trailed off.
"Probably not, but I'd like to ask your help all the same."
"What can I do for you?" Zedd asked good-naturedly.
"Teach me...Tortallan? Please?" the woman asked.
Zedd's eyes widened. "All right," he said. "And what did you say your name was?"
"I didn't tell you yet, but my name is Krissen. Krissen...Keliri."
The Beginning...