A/N: Well this chapter is really tiny but I couldn't be bothered making it any longer, I was kind of busy with the heap of homework I got. I have a plan though. -friends who can read the screen groan- me: What? I've already converted my English teacher!- (I argued that you go to school 5 days a week and spend the other 2 doing homework, she actually laughed and didn't set homework for the first time this year. See Carole? I have proof.)

Disclaimer: The world and characters -I know, I know! Do you have to rub it in every time I read over this?- you recognise all belong to Tamora Pierce.

Chapter 10: Falling

…NO! NOT OUR FREEDOM!...

The very world seemed to morn as the heavens split open releasing rushing torrents of rain onto the dishevelled beings below.

A peal of thunder lingered in the air accenting the haunting memory of a scream. But for a moment there was stillness, utter silence as they stood in disbelief -or savouring triumph in Roger's case-. Then a bolt of lightning seemed to split the sky in two, followed closely by a deafening crack of thunder. A howling wind sprang up moving like a ripple out from the old keep. The land around it seemed to stir as though it was an ancient being awaking from a century long sleep.

Aly and Nawat stood motionless on the roof for a single numb moment. Their eyes were fixed on the place Dyami had gone over. All of a sudden time seemed to speed up again. It broke free of whatever had held it to a single moment. Rushing forward and dragging everyone along with it, leaving ruins where a moment before had stood lives. Tears streamed down their faces and they rushed to the edge. Smiling slightly Roger lifted his hands and began to incant softly. All on the roof stood mesmerised unable to look away as dark magic cloaked them. Heishi and Aleda collapsed to their knees and the expressions on Aly's and Nawat's faces could only be called pained.

…No…

The word echoed softly around, snapping Aly and Nawat to the present, though Aleda and Heishi seemed to become statues.

…Do not despair… Do not let the darkness fill your hearts. Do not despair for then all will be lost…

Roger swung wildly around. The screamed his fury, "No! I won! You don't dare disobey my orders-"

...You won nothing, and now you will lose everything… While we gain everything…

"Give up!" Roger snarled. "The only being who could defeat me is now dead."

There was a smug silence. …Do you really believe we'd let the only one who could free us die?...You lost true control over us the first day you caused us pain…

Shadows surged forward, a clump of them moved to the front and parted. Dyami stepped from their midst. Turning to the shadows he smiled,

"Thank you, for breaking the fall."

…You bring us our best hope for freedom, without you we are condemned…

Roger snarled, "And with him you die or come as close as I can make you come to death!"

Daggers of his strange gift flew whistling through the air. They crashed into the barrier Dyami threw up as the shadows fled away from the roof and to the relative safety of the ground below the keep.

The former Duke's eyes glowed like coals, casting a flickering, hellish (A/N: Happy Kyra?) light over Dyami as he let the barrier drop, magic taking the form of light and flowing back into his out stretched hand. He lifted it skyward and said something inaudible. Light shot from his hand and the storm that loomed above them dispersed.

"This ends today." He looked up at the now clear sky, which lightened as dawn approached. "The fighting, the killing," he looked toward the battlefield to the north, "the war." He turned once again to look at Roger disdainfully, "all that and your threat to this world."

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Nomru stood with others staring up at the keep, none could forget the magic that had flashed there through out the night despite the storm. Even harder was the latest, the sheet of light that dispersed the storm. He blinked, and forced himself to look away from the keep.

Another day of fighting, another day of simply trying to survive. He looked to the north. The small rebelling army still refused to recognise Dove as queen of the Isles were visible on the next rise. That had been their advantage. They had been dug in well before any of Dove's forces could reach the area. They had the choice of defensive positions, and extra time to add fortifications.

They faced a log palisade, with a fairly broad river at its back, a steep slope before them. Their archers could rain arrows down on them, from the higher ground before they where close and their engineers had been hard at work leaving Nomru's men to find the trenches and traps that dotted the landscape the hard way. They obviously had some sort of food source inside that palisade, and the river was a good source of water. Relatively protected from the elements they could abide in the safety of their walls for longer then he could maintain his army outside. After all, they only needed one man on their 'wall' for every ten of his, not to mention their superior fire power which included a few catapults. Nomru knew that unless things improved throughout the Isles and he could be give re-enforcements they were going to have to retreat, leaving this area to these men. The magic in the air wasn't helping his situation doing nothing but shortening the amount of time in which he could try to reclaim this place. The men were convinced that the magic was to harm them. Once they had been attacked magically, once. That had been all it took and then doubts were flying.

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A/N: As I said that was very short, I hate homework…as you may have gathered. Anyway, as usual please review!