The smell of smoke wafting from Rygar's jacket numbed my senses as I walked. With lead feet, I dragged myself down the dirt path toward the training arena. My mother's actions weighed heavy on my mind. Why would anyone erase a person's memories? Especially their daughter, someone they supposedly cared about. I kicked a rock and it bounced twice before came to a halt in the grass.

Sage took a bite out of the muffin she'd swiped from the mess hall. "What do you think your mother's reason was?" she asked, as she wiped the crumbs from her lips.

I shrugged and stuffed my hands in the pockets of my jacket. "I don't know. I'd tell you if I could remember," I replied, staring down and my toes.

"Okay, that wasn't funny," she said, nudging me with her shoulder as we walked. "I'm sure your mother cares about you, or she would have told the Fire Circle exactly where you were years ago. So stop sulking already."

She had a point, but I still couldn't help feeling betrayed by my mother's actions. "Yeah—I guess."

"Hey, wait up!" Vega hollered behind us, half out of breath. The skirts of her long blue-grey dress kicked up as she ran. Her dress was plain and lacked decoration like most of the uniforms the Travelers wore. It was clear there were a few different styles of required dress for duty, but they were all the same distinct color. Guild members that were off duty wore pretty much whatever they pleased from what I could tell.

"Wanted to...catch you before...training," Vega said, stammering for breath. She took in a deep inhale then let it out. "I sprinted most the way here." She glanced back over her shoulder as if to assess the distance. "I thought you'd want to know I got into the Hall of Records to look for prophecies." She reached into the pocket of her dress and pulled out a paper. "Here," she said, handing the parchment to me.

"What's this?" I asked, looking at the paper.

She paused in thought, then said, "I don't know exactly. I had the registry open checking a few references I wanted to look up when I ran my finger down the column of prophesy numbers and the print shifted."

"Shifted? What's that supposed to mean?" Sage said, turning around so quickly, the muffin she held tumbled from her grasp to the ground.

Vega's auburn curls bounced over her shoulders when she nodded. "Yeah, like someone inserted Wren's name between two prophecies. When I lifted my finger, the line disappeared like it was never there. It was weird, so I thought I'd better check the stacks to see it there was anything to it. That's when I found that sealed parchment." She pointed to the paper. "When I picked it up, your name scrolled across the front of it."

I looked at the seal stamped with a cluster of stars, then flipped the page over. "Are you sure it's for me? There's nothing on it."

"There was a second ago. Here let me—" The moment Vega touched the paper the words, please deliver to Wren Delacroix, scrawled across the folded page in a tight handwritten script. When she let go of the corner, the words disappeared again. "See. I didn't imagine it."

I rubbed my fingers over where the words had been. Nothing—it was like they were never there.

Sage leaned in over my shoulder, dusting the dirt from the fallen muffin. "Well, what are you waiting for? That's far from the most amazing thing I've seen happen since knowing you."

I cracked the seal in half and unfolded the page. Sage and Vega looked over my shoulder. Words scrolled across the paper like someone was at a desk writing a note in front of us.

Wren, my dear little Weaver,

I guess not so little anymore, huh? Your mother and I always knew you'd make it back to Acklemar. Having visions is both a blessing and curse, at least that's what your mother says. By now, you're probably are aware of how gifted your mom is with her predictions. However, when it comes to you, your path is yet to be determined, and even your mother can't see what the future holds beyond your return.

Tomorrow, I leave for the Assembly of the Guilds. I have received a summons, and even with your mother's pleading for me not to go, there's little choice if I value the safety of you both. Given her reaction, I can only assume, we will be separated for longer than I hope. If I'm delayed, I fear I won't see you until your return home, which saddens me greatly.

The journey you'll face over the next few years will be a challenging one, especially, without knowledge of your past. But with ways to track magic and elemental use on Earth, binding your memory of Acklemar is the only way we can think of to protect you without being there by your side. I only hope that one day you can forgive us.

You have great strength within you, use it to pull your memories forward, one at a time. Astra will be able to help you. When you're ready to know more, you'll know how to release the hold on your past.

I look forward to seeing you when we both return from our travels.

With much love,

Dad

PS. Astra's collection of magical arts contains a wealth of knowledge. If you seek them out, I think you'll find them most rewarding.

Big fat tear drops splattered my father's inky script making it run. Until now, dad had always been someone Gran had spoke about or commented on how my eyes resembled his. Holding his note in my hands, I felt the heartbreak of his words bore into me with the realization of the length he'd go to, to protect me. A wave of guilt clung to me like rain drenched clothes. My eyes rested on the page as my mind absorbed what I just read.

"Both of them," my voice cracked breaking the silence, "were trying to protect me." I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand.

"Of course they were. Why would you think otherwise?" Vega said, lifting the page from my fingers. She picked up the hem of her dress and dabbed the page trying to dry it off.

"But where is he now?"

By the way she wrinkled her brow and twisted her dress with her fingers, I knew she had no idea. "I think your mother knows. She had a vision one night and said she'd seen him. The next day she set out to bring him home, but—"

"Woo, let me," Sage said, holding her hands to her head like a fortune teller ready to foretell some great prophecy. "She never got there because the Fire Circle found her." Then she threw her hands in the air like something magical would happen.

I sighed and rolled my eyes.

Vega just stared at her not quite knowing how to react. "Is she always like this?"

I sniffled and gave a lopsided smile. "What? Inappropriate? Yup—she's usually worse, I think she might be holding back."

"Hey, I'm right here you know," Sage said, not looking like she really minded our banter about her. "Come on, let's go kick Gargie's butt." She cracked her knuckles and smirked.

When Vega opened the door for us, she leaned in and asked, "Are you sure she's sane? No one takes on Rygar without ending up in a healer's care."

"Let's just say, if Rygar so much as places a finger on Sage, it won't be her I'm worried about," I whispered back.

"Well then, this I've gotta see." She walked past me to the wooden rail surrounding the arena's dirt floor, climbed over the top and sat down letting her feet dangle over the edge.

Training mats were pushed together to form a square at the far end of the room. I couldn't help notice the distinct smell of sweat lingering on the air. Inside the ring, two racks, at either end of the arena, held various weapons.

Rygar stood the middle of the arena and clapping his hands."Ladies, so good of you to join me." His voice echoed off the walls. "You're late. That's two laps of the ring for every turn you've kept me waiting. That's minutes to you, Wren."

He pointed to the contraption on the wall with an hour glass, and a couple of smaller timers attached to it. As the small glass flipped over the dial moved. If I understood how the unit worked, we were seven turns late.

"Ah, Gargie, here I thought you didn't care," Sage said in a warm buttery tone. She sauntered a few steps closer to him then smiled. "Gargie if you wanted a good view of my behind, I could just stand here and save you the trouble of you craning your neck."

Rygar's pursed his lips and remained silent. The redder his face got, the more the vein in his forehead bulged. Without moving his eyes from her, he crossed his arms, and stood in a stoic immobile stance, making him look every bit like the gargoyle name Sage had given him.

"All right, suit yourself." She turned and dusted off her rear as she started to run.

"Sage," I whispered when I caught up. "Would you stop calling him Gargie already? It clearly pisses him off." I took in a gulp of air. "Personally, I don't think I can run more than fourteen laps of this ring without puking."

"No promises, it's way too much fun egging him on." She ran like she wasn't even going to break a sweat from little our punishment. "Tell you what," she said turning around to face me as she jogged backward. "If you puke, I'll hold your hair for ya." She raised her brows and gave me a smirk. Then took off ahead of me with her strawberry blond hair bobbing with each stride.

Oh geez.

After taking my last step past Rygar, I bent over and held my knees, gasping for breath.

"Now that you're both warmed up, how about we run through the basics with..." he dragged his hand over the wooden rack holding the weapons looking to select one.

"The staff," I said loud enough for my voice to echo throughout the room. Although I had no recollection of doing any training in martial arts, my palmed itched to hold it in my grasp.

Rygar looked over his shoulder and said, "The staff? You're sure?"

I pulled myself to standing and stared him down. "Yeah, I am."

He rubbed his chin, then pulled the staff from the rack and tossed it at me.

Without taking my eyes off him, I threw out my arm and snatched it out of the air.

"Interesting choice."

Sage walked over and stood next to me, leaning on the pole in her hand. "Hey, cryptic one, you say that because—?"

"Because she's the only one who's ever bested me, and she did it holding that staff."

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