She could hear the bongs of the palace bell in her head. There would be 3 of them, for 3AM, but they didn't ring at night. Without really thinking about it, she reflected on the irony that those bells ran her life – to all appearances, at least. They led the life everyone saw; the play she put on every day of Page Alan. But at night, when Page Alanna trained, no one knew. Not even the bells.

By the light of the moon through the huge windows, she set down Coram's big sword, and began warming up, jogging, then running, and when her breath came hard, she settled down to stretch and limber up. As she stripped down to her practice clothes and socks, she felt it happen. Sometimes it happened for Page Alan, but usually only as Alanna. Something turned on, inside of her, lit her up like her Gift could light a fire.

This was why she wanted to be a knight, though she didn't know it. This light inside of her that only existed in the dark, where it was most needed. It was the light in Lightning that saved her on Myles's lands, and it was this light that she knew would save others when she had learned enough.

As she concluded her starting pattern with the sword and began to work in earnest, she felt it burning, and felt it grow. And as it grew it sang to her. Not as the choirs in the temples sang, but with a deeper, more powerful voice. It sang to her, and fueled her motions, and she knew: This is why.

"Only the strongest will survive

Lead me to Heaven when we die

I am the shadow on the wall

I'll be the one to save us all!"