Disclaimer: I do not own anything, except maybe a few characters.

A/N: Hello all! This is Mystic writing. I hope you enjoy the story. Later.

Chapter 1

"Master Numair! Sir!" a young girl called. She ran down the hallway in a light blue dress with little white boots.

Numair turned around and bent to speak with her, "Yes? What is it Amy?"

"Sir, I finished that report you were talking to the class about. With my brains, I'll be sure to be a mage for the Queen's riders! Isn't that right? Sir?".

Numair smiled, "Yes that will be possible for you, but do not let your excitement get in the way of knowledge. That is a lesson I always teach. Even to Diane."

She held out the scroll to him and he took it and stuck it in one of his many pockets. She waved and ran off. Numair began his walk again, pondering all that had happened today; he was heading to the dining hall, so he had plenty of time to think.

First, early in the morning all the teachers had a meeting in one of the king's chambers. There was no war going on, so the king and queen had time and were very keen on how the progress was with future knights, riders, and mages. Now, in the meeting one of the teachers had said that one of his students, a young page took a nap in one of his classes and then twenty minutes later woke up screaming about stars and the darkness they seemed to have. Dark stars? That did not seem like a normal dream; there were no threats entering Tortall so it could not have been magic. But then, why did it seem like magic? It was all very confusing.

Numair stomped his staff in frustration while walking into the mess hall. Someone at a nearby table called his name and signaled him over.

He sat across from Alanna and grabbed an apple that was sitting untouched on her plate. She shrugged, not having any problem with it. Two other people were at the table; Kel and Dom. They were giggling and smiling at one another, they had since been married for a year and there love was still strong.

"Remember Alanna when we were that crazy about our loved one?" asked Numair.

"Yes, I still am. And so are you given that Diane just had a second child."

Numair laughed, "Yes! And I plan to give her a third! Are you going to have more children Alanna?"

Alanna signed, "Numair I hate to break it to you, but you and I are in our late forties. It would be hard to have more children. Mine are all grown up and out of my hair; you still have to raise both of yours. Your oldest is six, right?"

Numair frowned, "You should know, you're the adopted Aunt."

Alanna leaned forward, "Listen, remember that student the meeting talked about this morning? Well I wrote George to see what he thought, so we should hear from him soon. But I received a letter from one of my men on watch at one of the villages. He said that numerous children woke up screaming a week ago, yelling about demons, stars, and darkness. Seems that whoever is doing this aims it at children. And that village is right next to Snowsdale. We should take a ride out there to see for ourselves, the king will send us anyway once he learns of it."

Numair nodded, "This could be a foul mage. But this person is using strange magic. Who would harm a child? Maybe it's an immortal. Nonetheless, we must speak with the king."

She stood up, "Now then, we must waste no time. This magic could have more power that we haven't seen yet."

"Agreed." And he followed her out of the dining hall.

The moment they told the king of the news, he told a servant to prepare horses. Alanna and Numair would get one squad of the Queen's riders to accompany them. The king wanted them to leave at once. Diane was also along for the trip, her newborn was eight months old and she him in the care of the Queen along with the oldest. Everyone wished them luck at figuring this puzzle out and the company rode off into the night, heading towards Snowsdale.