Adonis laughed. 'No, but the Daijuar are more than just powerful. We have an understanding of ourselves, and the world around us. Remember, we are a race by ideal, not by blood. Perhaps there is something we know that could help you deal with the pain.'

Jaden shrugged. 'I don't want to think about it.'

'There is no need for it now. However, if you ever feel that you need to revisit events lost in the past, remember my offer.'

'I will,' said Jaden.

'Good. We hope to move from here soon. Will you be ready?'

Before Jaden could respond, Alyssa screamed from the rock pools. The gentle current had become faster and was now a rushing tide with so much water that Alyssa was being swept away.

'Alyssa!' Jaden cried out, racing toward her.

'Jaden! Help!' she screamed back to him, but already the current was overwhelming her, the rumble so loud her screams were barely audible. It was as if an entire dam had just burst further up the mountain, tossing her about like a rag doll as she was thrown under the surface constantly, bobbing up only briefly to take in what little air she could.

Jaden was racing to her, but was too far away to save her.

'No!' he shouted in vain.

Darkness fell then as if a cloud had blocked the sun, but a flash of light broke through the shadow with a powerful roar, and the air was filled with white light. Incredibly the flow of water changed direction. Alyssa was left suspended in the air as Adonis walked forward, pushing the water away from her with his endobraces. He signalled for Jaden to run behind him to get to her, and soon the water subsided and the stream returned to its gentle calm.

Alyssa had fallen heavily and remained down, exhausted. Jaden ran to her and helped her upright.

'Are you all right?' he asked.

Alyssa coughed a little, but nodded.

Jaden then noticed the wounds she had suffered, a cut above her eye and some bruising already starting to show on her shoulders. The Callibrian garments she wore were torn a little, exposing much of her neck and chest. Jaden took off the vest he wore and put it around her, he then held her to him to comfort her.

After a moment, he turned to Adonis and thanked him.

Adonis bowed in return. 'When she feels she is ready, we will leave.'

Jaden nodded that he understood, and then he turned his attention back to Alyssa.

Adonis wandered away to where he had been sitting, where Blair met him shortly after.

'He has seen our power,' said Blair.

'Now we wait.'

'His training will resume.'

They were interrupted as Tarsha returned with some berries she had found, and then her jaw dropped at the sight of destruction that now lay before her. 'What happened?' she asked.

'There was a flood. The Alliance must be in the area,' said Adonis. 'We should move soon.'

Tarsha looked bewildered at the now water-damaged scene before her. There were puddles where there had been dry ground, branches and leaves ripped from trees, and grasses and small plants all pushed over. Before she could say anything more, Adonis was moving past her.

'They are ready. We will go now,' he said.

Perplexed, Tarsha followed obediently, trying to make sense of it all as she did.

Together, the small company travelled for the remainder of the day without rest. They found a comfortable rhythm in which to walk, and avoided the sun as much as possible. By night, Jaden, Alyssa and Tarsha all wanted to rest, but were urged on by the Daijuar, who assured them they needed to make up for lost time.

As they pushed on, Alyssa had begun to drop in pace, and Jaden joined her so that she would not have to walk alone.

'Does it hurt?' he asked her, looking at the cut above her eye.

'No,' she said. 'I just need rest.'

'Me too,' he lied. Since finding her, he had felt a lot better. Even the sickness didn't seem so bad. He had started to believe that Alyssa was the cure he sought after, not the endobraces or Daijuarn healing. Just being with her made everything seem like it was going to be all right. There was a connection of a sort, something they both shared deep down that neither really understood. He would have thought that it was simply him falling in love with a beautiful girl, but now that he had spent time with Raquel and the Daijuar, he was guessing that things were not exactly as they seemed.

'Do you remember the sharp movement we were meant to speak about?' he asked.

Alyssa nodded and looked at him with wide eyes, waiting to hear what he had to say.

'I've had dreams about it since, but I'm not sure about it. What do you think it is?'

'I'm not sure either; it could be real or it could just be in our heads,' Alyssa said thoughtfully. 'But we both feel it, so either we've both been poisoned or there's more to it.'

'I agree,' said Jaden. 'Have you had dreams too?'

'No.'

'How long have you felt it?'

'I think always, but only strongly recently. You...?'

'Same. Maybe something is changing in the world,' said Jaden. 'Have you heard the whisper on the wind?'

'What whisper?'

Jaden laughed. 'Just me going crazy, I think. I keep imagining a voice speaking to me, but maybe it is just stress.'

'No,' said Alyssa softly, 'I think I've heard it too.'

'What does it say?'

Alyssa began to mouth words but only made some audible, going through her memory for the words she thought she had heard, 'Ice. Icy. I seek ... sense. I seek presence ... rue you. Through you. I seek presence through you. Go on while ... no, child, with you. I seek presence through you, go on, child, I'm with you.'

Jaden felt a chill run down his spine, as if a ghost had just touched the back of his neck. 'What do you think it means?' he asked, doing his best to sound unaffected.

Alyssa shook her head. 'I don't know.'

'Are you scared?'

'A little, but I think it is safe, or I am going crazy, too,' she said, looking at him with a faint smile.

Jaden reached out and held her hand, smiling back, hoping to comfort her.

'I almost jumped off a cliff, but the whisper told me I had to stay alive,' said Jaden, now realising how glad he was that he hadn't.

Alyssa turned to him again. 'You were going to end your life?'

'I was not myself, the attack had ... I was devastated. I lost everyone. I didn't know you had survived.'

Alyssa was silent. She was looking forward, now seemingly in a faraway place.

'Sorry,' said Jaden, 'I don't mean to remind you, it's just hard...'

'I know,' said Alyssa, squeezing his hand a little, 'I understand.'

Jaden could see the tears welling in her eyes. He knew she was thinking of her recent loss. She and her father had escaped, but only temporarily. Jaden had mostly evaded the Alliance scouts, but her father had not been so fortunate. Knowing the pain she felt all too well, Jaden stopped and embraced her. It took a moment for the others to realise they had stopped, but soon the two Daijuar were walking back to them.

'Why have you stopped?' asked Adonis.

'We need rest,' said Jaden, careful not to speak too loudly next to Alyssa's ear. 'This is far enough.'

The Daijuar exchanged glances before nodding and setting about making camp.

The forest had become thicker over the previous miles, making it difficult to find a place in which to rest. Despite Jaden's protests, they had to walk another mile, with him half carrying Alyssa, before they found another stream. Blair lit the immediate area with his endobraces, just enough so that Tarsha was able to collect what firewood was available, while Adonis called for Jaden to follow him to gather more from around the area. Adonis led the way, keeping the immediate area alight as Blair had done. They kept the light low to avoid confrontation with any Alliance scout wandering the area, and used strong bursts only when they were needed.

Jaden watched silently as Adonis scanned the area with the endobraces, sometimes using them to move rocks out of the way and clearing scrub. When they were almost ready to return to the others, Jaden paused.

'You saved Alyssa,' he said.

Adonis gave a quick nod, but continued searching around the area.

'I want to learn how you did that.'

Adonis now stopped what he was doing and turned to Jaden. 'It takes years of practice.'

'Can you teach me?'

'If there is time,' he said with a smile.

'We have a long way to go,' said Jaden. 'You can teach me along the way.'

Adonis seemed to consider the thought for a moment. 'Do you have the dedication?' he asked.

'I want to be able to protect Alyssa.'

'The Daijuar protect more than just one.'

Jaden knew what Adonis was asking him and was thoughtful. In truth, he wanted only to know how to use the Daijuarn arts so that he could make sure both he and Alyssa were always safe from any danger, but to be trained by the Daijuar would mean he would have to abide by their code. He would have to use his powers to protect the innocent in wars as well as Alyssa. He began to think of what life would be like lived in such a way; being unable to call a place home, to be always needed somewhere, and to knowingly place one's self in danger in hope of ensuring safe passage for others. War had already taken his home, so he was bound to no place. If he could be sure Alyssa was safe while he was away, it was a small sacrifice for being able to save her life in the way Adonis had earlier during the day.

'I will do what it takes,' said Jaden.

Adonis seemed satisfied.

'We will start training tomorrow. This is enough wood,' he said, and began walking back the way they had come.

But Jaden didn't follow.

Adonis stopped and shone the light back at Jaden. Jaden's eyes were closed and he was standing completely still in the moon and ring light.

'What troubles you?' asked Adonis.

Jaden began to sprint in the opposite direction, his own endobraces now coming alight.

'Where are you going?' called out Adonis, and quickly ran after him.

Jaden didn't turn to answer the questions. He kept on running as fast as he could, dodging through the trees that were lit from the left, then right and then left again his arms moved with his stride. Adonis had trouble keeping up, but always had Jaden in sight, and saw that he had stopped far ahead in a small meadow.

When Adonis arrived, Jaden was tending to a chestnut horse that had been grazing in the meadow. The horse seemed to be comfortable with him, nuzzling at him playfully as he petted it, and both appeared to be oblivious to Adonis standing just a few yards from them.

'Why did you run?' asked Adonis.

'This is Elijenda, Alyssa's horse,' said Jaden simply.

Adonis eyed him curiously. 'How did you find it?'

Jaden shrugged. 'I heard it call.'

'I didn't hear anything,' said Adonis.

'No,' said Jaden. 'I guess I didn't hear it. I felt it.'

Adonis cautiously moved around Jaden and the horse to the other side. 'You found her in the same way,' he noted aloud. 'How did you know where they were?'

'I don't know,' said Jaden. 'Sometimes I sense what's nearby.'

'How long have you had this ability?'

'Since the attack. Sometimes there are whispers. Other times there are movements. I can't explain it.'

Having nothing more to say, Adonis motioned for Jaden to follow him back to camp, Alyssa's horse following close behind without needing to be led. Once back at camp, Alyssa ran to them when she saw Jaden with Elijenda. As she embraced the horse, Jaden smiled and moved away, giving her some time alone with him. Adonis offered him a chance to light the fire with the endobraces as a test of his ability. He failed several times before his energy pushed the wood out of place. Adonis repositioned it so that he could try again. His next attempt provided the same result, and Adonis thought it time to step in.

'Imagine heat coming through you. The energy responds to how you intend it to. Feel it burn, there will be fire. Feel it freeze, there will be ice.'

'What about the emotion Vennoss taught me about?' asked Jaden.

'For more advanced users,' said Adonis bluntly. 'He expects too much from you. We will start with simple tasks. Feel it burn.'

Jaden concentrated on feeling fire flow throughout him. He didn't quite understand what he was meant to do, but imagined heat building in his heart before slowly releasing it through his arms in a steady stream. The endobraces began to glow with orange instead of white as Adonis encouraged him, and then Jaden increased the pressure on the release. His hands felt warm then and burned slightly. When he opened his eyes, smoke was rising from the pile of branches and twigs, and a fire was slowly being born on the side.

'Continue,' said Adonis. 'The fire must not go out.'