Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or this world that they are in and I am making no money out of this. I just want to write a sequel to a really good book that I wish had one.

Chapter 8

Lan looked up from his book, it was the end of school for the day and the teacher leaving to go home, and the rest of the class was standing up to go as well.

When he was gone, Kalira leaned over his shoulder from the seat behind him "you ready to go" she asked. He didn't look up from his books, but replied in the negative.

"Lan you really don't need to keep studying, your so far aged your making the others feel bad".

He looked up guilty. "I'm not trying t-"

"To make them feel bad, I know." She made an exasperated sigh "it's just a convenient excuse to avoid Tyron".

By now the classroom was empty and Kalira was making an annoyed expression. "Now come on, it's time to go."

"All right." Lan stood up packing away his books and following Kalira out the door. As they headed downstairs and exited the building Lan caught a tiny glimpse of the palace and once again felt that longing.

As they were passing through the gates Lan felt someone grab his shoulders, spinning Lavan around.

Lan found himself facing Tyron. "Well well Scrub, you've been avoiding us. And look who's with him, it's the dead horse."

"Dead horse?" At that Tyron laughed.

"She hasn't told you yet has she? Well it doesn't matter either way. Were gonna make you pay for avoiding us" and with that Tyron aimed a ouch at Lan. But it never connected, instead Kalira stepped in the way and the blow sent her sprawling.

Something inside Lan snapped, an instinct guided him as rage boiled inside and his head started to hurt. He stepped between Tyron and Kalira, and flames leapt up between him and Tyron.

He was shocked, he was summoning a wall of flame. He didn't know how but that wasn't important right now, he needed to get Kalira out of here. "RUN!" She screamed,and they ran, Kalira giving directions when she had judged that they were far enough away, they slowed to a walk she and Lan asked the question that was on his mind. "Kalira how did I do that? Summon the wall of flame I mean."

Kalira looked at him like he was an idiot "with your gift." At Lan's puzzled expression she continued "I'm sorry I forget, you don't remember."

"Remember what?" Lavan asked, curiously.

"Me, Pol, Tuck, your time as a Herald."

That made Lan stop in his tracks, disbelief evident in his expression.

"Those visions you had when looking at the Karsite boarder, those were memories. The way you hit Tyron in the side, your self defence training. Bye the way, what made you hesitate after your roll dearest?"

Flabbergasted at this revelation Lan answered as best he could "I-I saw you, but you weren't you, you were a horse. So what happens? Why can't I remember any of it?" This was it, this was something was telling him that this was what he had forgotten.

"Because Lan were in here" at this she poked his forehead "I assume you've noticed the washed out colour, the difference in the way Tyron acts and that feeling that you had forgotten something." At Lavan's astonished expression she laughed.

Before he could ask how she knew she said "you weren't very good at controlling your facial expressions when getting that feeling. Right now you are in a coma, and a kind old lady is taking you back to Haven."

"That still doesn't answer my question, why don't I remember?"

"Because you've blocked off those memories, because they were too painful."

"So why am I here?"

"As to that, I'm not sure. My best guess is that your mind went back to a less painful time for you."

"Then why am I not back in Alderscroft?"

"Because the pain you feel needed a place where it could manifest."

"Tyron and his cronies?" He asked cautiously.

"That's right-we want this next left." She took her wait off him and started walking on her own. As Lan followed her, he turned all of this over in his mind, it was a shock and he almost didn't believe it, except something told him that Kalira was telling the truth.

"Do all the other students know about this?"

At this she gave a slight snort. "No they are all just your memories"

"Then how do you-"

She stopped abruptly and turned to face him, a mixture of emotions on her face, sadness and determination battling for control. "Because I was your Companion." She smiled. "Well I used to be."

"What does that mean?" He asked as realisation dawned on him. "That horse I saw, with a crossbow bolt in it's side, that was you."

"Yes" she said quietly, almost a whisper. "I died and you released your gift in an attempt to slay yourself and the Karsites."

At this, Lan remembered, like it had jogged his memories free from the block he had put on them. He fell to the ground in despair. Kalira ran to his side, he couldn't have an emotional breakdown now. She put her index fingers on his temples and closed her eyes in concentration. It had been long enough that his pain had settled somewhat, and she that was what allowed her to do her trick.

Slowly Lan felt his pain turn into a dull ache. "Come on Lan, we need to keep moving."

"What did you?"

"A temporary emotion suppressant."

"Are you a memory too?"

"No. I'm real, I am really here Lan. Now I have to tell you something important, my death allowed me to give you one final gift."

Lavan's mind was racing "what gift? How much damage did I cause?"

"Lan, I cannot tell you what the gift is, but know that just the mere knowledge of it's existence is enough. And only one Karsite remained, and he was captured by the Valdemaran forces."

"Good."

"Now that you know who you are, your fear is going to try to catch you, to keep you, trapped, your amnesia is what was keeping you safe." She looked at him with those silver eyes "I cannot stay much longer, now that you know the truth. But the old woman who is helping you has untrained Mindspeech and Empathy. And Lan before I go, I love you."

She stroked his cheek lovingly "goodbye. We will see each other again." And with that she dissolved into a silver mist, leaving Lavan alone in the alleyway.

After what felt like an eternity, Lan got up and wiped the tears of grief from his eyes, to his surprise he was in the alleyway where the thugs that Jisette Jelnack had hired tried to kill him, he turned around and looked around, when he caught sight of the sky over the Palace and Collegia, his jaw dropped.

There was Herald Pol, a scar on his nose, but otherwise ok. He wore a somber expression, and as Lan watched he realised that this was real. He was picking up Pol with the limited range his weak Mindspeech had.

He started sprinting towards the palace winding dandelion zigzagging through the busy streets and narrow alleyways, just as he reached the gate he heard Tyron's voice which stopped him cold.

"Were you going Scrub." Lan remembered Kalira's warning and said, it was all he could do to control the dragon, keep it on it's leash.

It had been inactive for months, and it wanted to burn. But instead he turned around, for the first time seeing the Karsites behind him. "It's Lavan Firestorm and with that Herald Pol disappeared, out of range, Tyron sneered and the Karsites charged, but just before they could grab him he managed to touch the gates, and with that, the world went black.

Lan sat up. Breathing in fresh air, he felt like he was back in his body, and the world was it's natural colours.

Then he saw it, an old lady being cornered by three thugs, he saw on hanging back, a bow in hand. And with that the emotions of Kalira's death came back, but his rage at these men was not as strong, they were not Karsites, he had avenged Kalira.

No this rage was that these men were about to kill a defenceless old lady. And with that, the dragon stirred, the real one, and just as the archer let loose his arrow, sot too did Lan unleash the dragon, and just like he practiced, he incinerated the arrow, and as the archer was about to notch another arrow, he burned the bow to ashes.

As the other thugs turned to help their friend, he summoned walls of fire to surround them leaving a side open to retreat. And retreat they did. He would not burn people, he still felt guilty about the first Firestorm he had called.

Killing Karsites was one thing when they were invading and burning their prisoners alive. Bu Killing people who were probably motivated by greed was different.

No he would not kill if given another option, that was not the Herald way.

Then as he let the flames die down, the old woman rushed to his side. He could feel himself falling back into the coma, could vaguely see what was happening with Tyron and his Karsites.

He locked his arms around the old woman's neck and quickly whispered in her ear. After that the coma claimed him.