Taja was racing down the side of the street when she saw her. A girl around her age ran out from behind a shed and into the street, right where some people were sword fighting. Taja gasped. What on earth...? But then she saw the little girl crying. Taja started across the stone road, but saw a runaway horse, which belonged to the enemy, charge out of nowhere. The horse reared up.

"Watch out!" she cried, horrified. But the girl who was trying to save the youngling didn't seem to hear her. She stood there, paralyzed. Finally, she had the sense to dodge aside. The girl hit the ground and didn't move. The horse ran up to Taja and whinnied shrilly. The horse was going to run her down. But then, Taja shouted something in a language she didn't know. The horse stopped and looked at her warily. Taja repeated the words, but this time, softly. The horse calmed down and nuzzled her gently. Taja went around the horse and mounted her as if she was an expert.

"What am I doing?" she thought. "I don't know how to ride horses!" But then, she said a couple more strange words and the horse started to trot briskly to the unconscious girl and the weeping girl. Taja got off the horse and shook the unconscious teenager lightly. When she got no response, she picked her up. To her surprise, the young woman was not that heavy. Taja laid her body on the horse and then picked up the little girl. She put the girl on the horse and mounted in front of her.

"Don't worry," she soothed the little girl. "I'll take care of you. Grab my waist." The girl nodded, hugging her from behind. Taja murmured a few more odd words to the horse. She's a mare, Taja somehow knew that. The horse galloped down the street in the direction of the gate.

Raine ran on, clutching a stitch in her side. Her pack was slung on her left shoulder and in her right hand, she held a sword, still in it's sheath. Raine was still trying to take in what had happened.

One of the soldiers had thrown fire!

It wasn't from a torch and Raine was positive that it wasn't a flaming arrow. The fire had materialized in the center of the enemy's soldier's palm. He had then thrown it at a soldier. Raine didn't know what to think. Was he a wizard? She had heard tales when she was younger, but she didn't really gave thought to them. Raine shook her head. But he could've been, now that she knew for certain that there was magic in the world. The fire had said it all.

Raine looked around. All she could see was trees. She had escaped the kingdom and ran into the forest surrounding most of it. But she didn't know where she was. She started to walk to her left. After a while she reached a clearing. Voices reached her ears and she hesitated. Then, she looked from behind a tree.

Taja got off the horse and helped the little girl off. Then, she pulled the unconscious body of the young woman off the horse and gently laid her on the ground. Taja saw that the teenager had a nasty scrape on her arm. The stranger's shoulder length sleeve was ripped, so Taja rolled it up. There was a stream nearby. Taja tore off a piece off the end of her own shirt and dipped it into the cool water. She used it as a bandage and tied onto the girl's arm. Then, she turned to the young one.

"Hello," she said, gently. The little girl looked frightened. Her face was covered with soot. Taja motioned for the little girl to come closer. "What's your name?" The little girl wiped her tear-streaked face. "Graciela."

"That's a cute name," Taja said, with a smile. "Come here." The little girl obeyed her and sat near her. Taja wiped off the soot on Graciela's face. "How old are you?" Graciela held up five fingers.

"Five years old? You're a big girl!" Graciela giggled. "I'm Taja. You can just call me that. May I call you Gracie?" Graciela nodded, clearly liking the nickname. "Do you know where are your parents?" Gracie shook her head. "I don't have parents. I live in a orphanage," she said slowly. Taja frowned. "You poor thing. Don't worry, I'll take care of you." Gracie grinned. Suddenly, Taja heard the rustle of leaves behind her. She turned.

It was a teenager around her age. She wore grayish, greenish clothing and had a sword in her hand. A pack was hanging from her shoulder. Taja didn't know what to think. The young woman didn't seem like a soldier. But she had a hard look in her eyes. "Hello," Taja ventured. The girl didn't say anything. She looked at her. Finally, she said, "Hi."

Taja nodded at her sword. "You're not a soldier, are you?" The girl shook her head. Finally, she decided that she liked Taja and walked closer. She saw the little girl. Her face immediately softened. "Hello," she said softly to Gracie. Gracie waved at her shyly. "What's her name?" Taja smiled. "Graciela."

"Cute," The girl commented, smiling at the little girl. She took off her pack and set it on the ground. She also set down the sword. Taja got a closer look at her eyes and did a double take. "Your eyes." Taja stopped. The girl cocked her head. "What about them?" she asked. Taja smiled. "I'm sorry, you might think I'm so strange to say this, but they're the same color as mine." The girl leaned closer and studied Taja's eyes. "Hey, I think you're right." Taja was about to say something, but the unconscious girl began to move. "I think she's waking up," she said, lifting Gracie off her lap and crawling to her. "Can you hear me?"

Isabel saw a light above. It got brighter and suddenly, she found herself lying on the ground. It felt like grass. She tried to get up but groaned instead. Her head throbbed and her right arm stung. What happened?

Suddenly, she remembered. She had tried to save a girl but got knocked out. But where was she now? She tried to move over. Then, Isabel heard sounds coming from her left. A girl's face loomed over here. "Can you hear me?" she asked, a friendly, but anxious, smile on her face. Isabel nodded, but soon regretted that when her head gave a painful throb. "Ow," she said, reaching a hand and touching the back of her head. It was a bump, but it still hurt a lot. Isabel managed to sit up. When she did, she began to take in her surroundings.