I is back! Thankyou!

Dormouse: Thankyou for being my most consistent reviewer! Just to clarify, Klael didnt send the email, some pommy bastard did- it was a real email. People can be so cruel. Although that'sa good idea...sorry about the nicknames people. From now on it'll be first and last only. Nicknames will only be for Clarke and Kasprowicz (Pup and Kasper) and Watson and Warne (Watto and Warney) because of same name-ness.

Hatpig: Hooray! a new reviewer! I'm glad you like teh story. Sorry again about the nicknames, but surely you've heard of Shane Warne? Still, it is most unfortunate that you are american and dont know about the joys of cricket! I'll add an explanation at some point.

WARNING: SHORT CHAPTER AHEAD!

Chapter Five: A Winter's Break

At last the Australians were back in Australia. They had two months off before they headed off to India for potentially the toughest tour yet. They would use that time to train and stay fit.

For the Sons of the Clayr, it also meant study. Study of spells, study of varying notes on their panpipes. And training with the swords and the flying boards. This meant that every day Adam, Brad, Damien and Justin would square off against one another in sword-practice, and, over the other side of the country, Matt and Shane would battle it out. Then they would retreat to practice spells of defence and spells of attack.

For Damien it meant studying a book that Lirael had given him called Practical Healing Magic. He knew that he must memorise every spell in the book if he was to be a true healer. He would practice, too.

For Adam it meant that he spent long hours with Sanar and Ryelle, who were visiting, learning how to focus his Sight. Adam and Ricky could See vague futures of their team-mates. All they had to do was focus on the person, and they got some sketchy details of their future. Under the Clayr's tutorial, this became even stronger.

For Justin it meant learning about the history and lives of the Clayr. He was immensely interested in this, particularly a rare phenomenon called Bonded Clayr. It also included strict defensive training, including diamonds of protection and arrow-shields.

For Brad it meant learning how to imbue objects with Charter Magic. If he was to use his ball with any sort of adeptness, he had to learn this. It might also come in handy for future battles, and so he practised on a wide variety of objects. His wife, however, was not amused when he tried to make the knives cut the potatoes by themselves.

For Matt, it meant physical training. This great strength allowed him to be able to use far stronger Charter Marks than the others, for he would be able to withstand them. He began learning the Master Charter Marks, anxious to be able to really strongly finish off the Dead.

For Shane, it meant physical training too, but also lessons on objects. It meant that he would be able, in the end, to create Charter-spelled swords and even, perhaps, be able to imbue greater objects, such as a stadium, with spells of forgetting or protection, as he began learning Master Marks.

Lirael flitted anxiously about the country, popping in on them whenever she could. She kept Seeing them in great danger, but she wasn't trained enough to See what it was. She was not comforted by the fact that Adam and Ricky began to dream of danger also.

They boarded the plane to India still with these doubts and fears in their minds.

Woo hoo! Another chapter! Dont forget:

Should the final and thereby most powerful enemy team be England or New Zealand? Review your answer!

Next chapter: the tour to India!

I know I said Sri Lanka, but I write this at home with no access to this site, so...you get teh drift. Sri Lanka will be soon.