AN: Anything recognized here is from Kristen Britian's Green Rider, the rest I made up... you know the drill. Sorry it took me so long to get this up here.

Chapter 2: Old Magic, Deep Magic

She felt it rising. The feeling of the Magic was hard to explain. It was an uneasiness in her stomach, a unsettling in her mind. In every way her body was telling her it was rising once more. She was worried about it. Walking into the Royal Tombs, she wandered until she came to the tomb of the First Rider. Bowing her head and taking to one knee, she waited for the Rider to talk to her. She swirled her red cape tight around her and disappeared just in time as the ghastly tomb keeper walked past.

Unsheathing her sabre, she rose from her bent position and wondered at her surroundings. It seemed the Rider was attempting to show her something, not tell her. Looking about, she smelt the pungent odour of a musty old cave. It was completely dark and she could not see a thing. Reaching her hand out, she felt a wall. Her other hand searched and discovered another wall to the side of her. Keeping both hands on the wall, she walked forwards in the darkness. She walked in the complete silence for several minutes until the walls became slimy. Recoiling in disgust, she continued walking along the path. The smell of water grew as she walked forwards. She once more put out her hand to feel the wall and it was not there.

She gave a gasp of surprise and curled her hand tight around the lion shaped brooch pinned to her cloak. It warmed at her touch and reassured her slightly as she continued walking forwards. And then, one step further, and it went cold. She attempted to hold it, to use its gift, but it was not working. "Gods save me," she whispered. Once more, she attempted to use her gift, but it did not warm. "Great!" she muttered. She refused to go any further with her brooch no longer there.

It seemed she did not need to. Stopping, she stood for several seconds before she realized she had stopped at all. And then it happened.

Light burst from the middle of the cave. It simply exploded, and it seemed to shower her. Finally, she could see her surroundings. She was in the middle of a grotto, with a pool of water in front of her. Yet it did not look like water… it looked like, simply, light. Shimmering, wavering light. In awe, she walked closer to the pool, forgetting to be wary about the fact her brooch was no longer responding. She seemed to be entranced as she stared at the light. She felt… warm. She felt like she could stand looking at the light forever. Reaching forward, her hand extended to feel the water… touching its surface, she felt a sharp tug on her hand and quickly withdrew it, breaking the trance.

"What…?" she wondered. There seemed to be no reason for her to be there and she turned to attempt to find the tunnel when the feeling in her chest rose to such a crescendo she felt as if her heart were about to burst. The feeling, the feeling of the Magic was simply filling her and seizing her very soul. Whipping around, she turned just in time to see It rise out of the water. She watched in utter amazement. She, a woman who had seen no magic beyond her arcane object, was astonished by the horrible creature/

A large dragon arose from the light. Its mouth was a gaping hole with teeth so sharp it was unbelievable. Its eyes were dark and all knowing, and it had the wisdom of the world locked behind them. As it rose, its great body coiled and uncoiled. Its scales were perfectly sculpted and different colours, all reflected off of the light from the pool. Swirling in the air, it advanced towards her. Mouth wide open, it came towards her, ready to devour her into the black hole. Just as she rose her sabre and the great jaws were about to close around her, she was plucked from the "jaws of doom" and thrown into a room.

Glancing at her surroundings, she saw the First Rider and practically stumbled all over herself in her haste to bow at her feet. "Rise, Sonya Harrowin," came the gracious voice of the First Rider. Sonya scrambled to her feet. "So. You have felt the rise of the Magic," she said. Sonya nodded. "My brooch..?" The First Rider nodded, "The magic near it was so deep and evil an arcane object could simply not function," Sonya gulped. "I felt It rising… and the dragon… the dragon of Kanmorhan Vane?" she requested. The First Rider shook her head. "No. What you witnessed was the rising of something greater, of darker Magic than Kanmorhan Vane could ever possess. This was the Dark Magic of the Earth… the dragon is rising to crush the Earth in its mighty coils. Sacoridia and all the other lands are no longer safe, Sonya."

"What can we do?!" exclaimed Sonya in horror. The First Rider smiled gently. " I do not know. But I may tell you this prophecy… it should help you on the way.

The Magic from the deepest core soon will duly rise,
and only one can save the earthfrom its own sad demise.
The magic in the tomb is waking, ever rising, ever growing,
Soon the Earth will fall to pieces, days are weakn'ing, they are slowing

Just one girl may save the earth, can stop the magic, stop its birth.

The girl who is not always here, can waver out and disappear,
She cannot, will not be cast asunder look for her, look for the Condor

"I'm afraid that's all I may tell you… I cannot change the course of the Universe. Remember this prophecy, Sonya, and you'll go far. I have faith…." The room slowly faded, and Sonya was left on her knee in the Royal Tomb. Straightening, she left the tombs feeling if she were no smarter than when she had arrived.

Karigan set out with the unshakeable feeling that she was being watched. She was unsettled and her horse could tell. Bouncing around on the balls of her feet, the horse was giving Karigan a bone jarring ride that reminded her of the first time she had ridden Condor. Condor. How she longed for his smooth gaits right now. Her father's horse was ambling along beside her. "Having trouble, Kari?" he called out teasingly. "N-n--o P-papa," she replied, her voice bouncing from the horse's bumpy gait. They had set off at a brisk trot, and had made good ground. They were almost to the intersection in which they could choose the Kingsway or "North" as the old sign said.

Karigan glanced at the woods around them and shuddered, reminded of the time in which she had met F'ryan Coblebay. She hadn't seen the ghost anymore and hoped that he had passed on. Her father asked if she was cold. "No, Papa. Just memories," she replied. He nodded. Reaching into her pack, Karigan pulled out a jar of priddle cream, as the biters were out in full force. Smiling, she remembered how much she had wished for the cream on her previous adventures. "Want some?" "Thanks," he said, and she tossed the jar over to him.

Not a good idea. The nervous horse she was riding immediately shied at the moving object. Karigan sat deep in the saddle and the horse calmed down slightly, but a sweat broke out on her neck. Karigan's father, Stevic, finally looked concerned. "Sh'toa shouldn't be that tired already," he commented. Karigan rolled her eyes. "DUH! That's what I've been trying to tell you this whole time," she retorted. Stevic shook his head at her. "Let's walk for a bit to cool her out, and then we can canter the rest of the way to the Kingsway." he said. Karigan nodded and pulled her horse back to a walk. The horse settled gratefully into a comfortable walk and Karigan finally relaxed and let her aching muscles rest. They walked until she was completely calm, and then urged both horses into a canter. Clicking her tongue and digging in her heels, they set off at a smooth canter. Karigan's green coat flowed behind her. Stevic looked at her and thought to himself that this was going to be his last ride with Karigan.

"Papa! We're here," her voice broke into his thoughts. Coming back to reality, he realized that they had arrived at the intersection. Karigan looked at the "North" road and couldn't help thinking that King Zachary had pruned it up a bit. "Just like I asked," she murmured. Still, the Kingsway Road was in much better condition and of course she turned her horse and followed her father down the road.

Smiling at all the passer-by's, her father and her continued on down the road. Karigan remembered when one of those very passer-by's had been an enemy by the name of Jendara. They rode until sundown, and pulled off into the forest to set up camp for the night. After the horses had been untacked, they settled down to rest. Karigan and her father never noticed a figure in a black coat standing nearby.

Condor refused to be settled down. The captain was shocked when he reared and would not let Mel touch him. "Condor, you love Mel!" she cried, and pulled the girl away from the flailing hooves of the horse. The horse's eyes rolled wildly, and he would not let the small girl touch him. The captain brought him out of the stables and walked him, and he cooperated, but he would not let Mel near him. The captain questioned Mel. "Did he let you touch him when he first arrived?" she asked. The girl hesitated, then nodded. "Alright. Just steer clear of him for now, okay?" Mel nodded and watched the captain walk away. Beginning to muck out the stalls. "Stupid horse," she snarled. "If you give me away, I swear I will kill you with my bare hands." Condor snorted nervously and danced in his stall. "Karigan was so proud she had a horse like you. So why did you run away, stupid horse? Huh?" Mel taunted the horse.

Condor stopped and looked quietly into her eyes. In his heart, he knew that was not Mel. Looking into her eyes, he saw a shadow of the Gray One. That was it. That crazy, scary, Shadowman had his friend Mel. He knew Karigan would come because he ran away. She could help. Condor trusted her.

The Black Coat stood in the clearing, out of sight in the shadows, away from the eyes of Karigan and Stevic. The Greenie. How she was remembered. How much trouble had she caused already. Karigan had thought the score was even. Not even close. The Black Coat shifted, then winced, and clutched at stomach, at a scar never healed. The sword cut would always cause pain, and it was a wonder the Black Coat still lived. The escape made was still a mystery, the Coat could not understand how they managed to get free. But it did.

"Now for revenge,"