Ambush in the night!

It was now her sixteenth year, Isis was officially old enough to go off on her own to seek out Kero… the day that she had

planned to leave Kero came riding up to the skybolt's fort dressed in a white robe, she rode a tall, white steed with blue eyes

filled with an unnatural intelligence for a horse, Isis stared at Kero openmouthed in shock, her bag in hand, "K-kero!" She

exclaimed, "Where've you been?"

Kero looked down at Isis for a moment, almost uncomprehending of the young face before her, "Isis? My, you've grown

child… sorry, I had to complete training as a Harold before I could come back… by the way, this is my companion,

Sayvel…"

: Hello child… a voice whispered in Isis' mind.

The girl was startled, but not frightened: You're Sayvel?

: Yes… Kero missed you quite a bit you know… the companion stared at Isis: But you're not her true daughter are

you? Where did you come from:

: Wha- Isis began.

: Never mind… I can see that you don't know… anyway, hello.

: Hello. That was to be the end of there conversation, Kero had to fight her way to the stable to let her companion into the

grazing pasture just beyond, the throng of people was thick enough that Isis was pushed back, in a kind of stupor she went

back to her room and threw her pack onto her bed, that was to be the end of her journey…

There was a bonfire that night in celebration of Kero's return as a herald, Isis distanced herself from her adoptive mother

and sat staring into the darkness, the shadows shifted almost uneasily under her watchful eye, there was a strange buzzing at

the back of her mind, but she brushed it away. The fire was to loud… she wanted to get away… Isis hurried to the armory

and grabbed her sword… Eci Erif, she wanted to practice in her field, alone and away from the crowd so as to think. She

entered the trees and stopped, something wasn't right, there was the sound of laughter from the bonfire but- "We're under

attack!" She cried as a figure leapt out of the trees at her, "Kero!" Her voice wasn't heard over the fire so Isis ran towards

the light, ignoring her pursuer, "Kero! Kero!" She burst out of the trees to the surprise of the skybolts, "gather your

weapons!" She gasped, "We're under attack!"

There was a mad scramble for the armory as Isis turned back to her pursuer- and whistled, there was a crashing sound as

her horse Wobniar escaped from the pasture and swooped her up onto his back. She lashed out against the massive army

with her sword, trying desperately to keep them from the armory where her comrades were getting their weapons and armor

together, "Oh bloody hell!" She exclaimed, "Would you lot hurry!"

Kero was by her side quite suddenly, "Although it was rude of you to leave the bonfire… it was smart that you did so as

well, we would all be dead if it weren't for you, Daren was going to be here tomorrow, let's pray that he and his guards get

here before then or we may very well be a ruins… he was coming with Eldan as well so maybe Sayvel can speak to his

companion, Ratha, get them to quicken their pace…"

Sure thing… Sayvel grumbled, :Of course I'll be the one to communicate…

: Better than dying horse lady… Kero stated.

: True… Sayvel said silently: very true…

Isis thrust ahead of Kero, "So long as they come…" She shouted, disappearing in the enemies midst.

Kero slashed her way through the first wave of warriors, hoping to catch at least a glimpse of Isis, but got none, her

adoptive daughter was nowhere to be found, she trusted the girl though and brought her attention back to the current fight.

Sayvel brought her hooves down upon an unlucky footman as he tried to get beneath her, and began to kick at those who

were behind, turning bodies into bloody stumps as Kero strung her bow. Kero shot the arrow into the enemies' midst and

strung her bow once more as the rest of the skybolts joined her. One of her mages sent up a large array of fireworks, hoping

to get Daren's attention, to make him hurry, if he waited until morning the skybolts would surely be dead. Kero praised the

mage intelligent enough to do that, because at least if Sayvel hadn't told of the urgency, the fireworks did.

Isis stood on her horse's back gracefully, hands clasped as she called upon the earth to help her in this battle… a little

rumble came at first, and then the earth began to shake, nearly toppling Isis from the back of her horse, at least it was a

Shin'a'in- blood… it was able to wander the shaking battlegrounds as if there was nothing happening. Wobniar snorted and

struck out with his hooves, killing two warriors; Isis stared at the sky as a bright flurry of colors filled it from a short distance,

so Daren and Eldan would be there soon to provide relief for the half-drunk fighters… Isis was the only fighter that remained

completely sober because she had been too uneasy to drink at the bonfire. She thrust her sword into the heart of a fighter

who had tried to knock her from her horse. She let out an exclamation of pain and surprise as a sword was thrust through her

right leg and deep into Wobniar's chest, the horse screamed and fell, pinning Isis beneath it. The crafty girl called up a root to

pull the sword and horse away from her so that she could stand and fight once more. She grabbed her quiver of arrows and

strung her bow, letting loose three arrows at a time, killing two warriors and a horse instantly, the horse bucked, kicking

several men in the head, and fell, crushing several more beneath it's massive weight.

Again she loosed three arrows, though one went wild and hit a tree. Isis sighed heavily and grasped a man by the collar,

"Who are you and who do you work for!" She shouted, holding a dagger to his throat.

"Lionel… I'm a warrior of Ancar, we are here to extract our revenge for the missionaries' interference in our affairs two

years ago!" with that he thrust Isis to the side and reentered the throng of fighters.

Isis gasped, two years ago… that was when Kero had left, and they were here because Kero had interfered with their

fight… She stood slowly and entered the battle on foot, hoping to find Kero amongst the chaos. Several times during the

battle she caught glimpses of white, a horse trying to make its way to her, but unable to pass through the throng of

warriors:Isis you are my chosen.: She barely heard the voice before she was attacked from behind, even as she was locked

in combat with another warrior.

Daren's fighters found them just before dawn, his troops swept down upon Ancar's men, who fearfully

began to retreat, Kero watched in relief as they went, a lone voice caught her ear and she frowned, the enemy was now far

enough that Kero wanted nobody to follow for fear of being captured or killed, these men would go home with tails between

their legs…

Isis was being pulled back by the enemy, her wrists had been tied and she was being jerked away from Kero by the

retreating army, Kero was getting smaller… in desperation Isis broke away from her captor and ran through the lines, exiting

at the back, followed closely by several of them, "Kero!" She screamed, "Kero, help me!" She was dragged back into the

midst of the enemy, kicking and screaming for Kero as she went, something crashed down on the back of her head and she

knew no more.

Kero stared in astonishment as a small figure broke through enemy lines, and gasped when the voice caught her ears,

"Kero!" It called, "Kero, help me!"

Kero tried to run at the lines, but was held back forcefully by Alayl, "She'll find a way back to us… you'll just get captured

to if you go… you must understand you are putting the entire army at stake for just one girl!"

Kero burst into tears, "You don't understand!" She told Alayl, "How could you say that when she saved your life as a

child, nearly losing her own in the process!"

Alayl paled, "I know… but we can't now, they've disappeared…"

Kero looked at the spot where the retreating figures had been, there wasn't a soul in sight, "No!" She screamed, "Isis!"

Alayl looked at Kero uncomfortably, Isis was the only one who could draw actual emotion out of Kero, and right now this

was too much. She walked away from Kero, and looked at the man that took her place; he too was dressed in white robes.

: What's the matter Kero: He asked her, placing his hand delicately on her shoulder.

: They've got my daughter: Kero wailed into his mind.

Eldan faltered for a moment: daughter: He asked quietly: You never told me you had a daughter:

: She's my adopted daughter… nobody- not even her- knows where she came from. : Kero said softly.

: Oh…: Eldan said quietly: So, why did you leave her behind to become a herald:

: Because I knew she could handle herself, she's a strong girl and doesn't need me like she used to…:

: But she still had a great attachment to you… and she needs you more than ever... why did that army attack you:

: Because we defeated them two years ago… Ancar was getting his revenge upon the skybolts. :

: Those were Ancar's troops: Eldan exclaimed, making Kero wince: Then may the gods be with your daughter…:

Isis awoke and realized that she couldn't move, "Where am I?" she asked dazedly, "Kero! Are you there?"

She looked around dizzily and pulled at whatever held her, it wouldn't let go, "KERO!" She cried feverishly as another wave

of darkness swept over her…

A/N Okay… so here is chapter 2 peeps, enjoy, R&R plz…