Ryder absently pulled her bed sheets up. Her body tossed and turned, trying to escape the dream. The bottomless feeling of falling, being the only trick strong enough to send her consciousness plummeting back to reality, throwing her body upright.

She sat gasping in her bed, her hands strangling the sheets she still clutched. The pain in her hands bringing her back to the moment and out of the battlefield chaos of the dream. She stiffly opened her fingers releasing the cream-colored sheets, not noticing they were not the sage color of her own sheets. She flexed her fingers, trying to chase away the stiffness, there were deep divots in her palms. Her fingernails had practically cut her flesh open. She had been making such tight fists as she clung to the woman's drenched sky-blue blouse, trying to find the courage to turn her over, that she had been doing the same in real-life. She had never had a dream that existed both in her mind and in reality. She couldn't understand what the hell was happening with this rogue, God damn dream.

She let out a sigh, her head still too foggy to try and attempt to work out the unnecessarily complex question. She began to massage her palms, trying to rub out the deep imprints of her nails, to rub away the signs of craziness.

"Are your hands ok?" A gentle male voice asked from the other side of the room.

Ryder looked up alarmed. True panic struck when she saw the room, only now noticing the foreign bed sheets draped over her.

"Where am I?" She asked with rising alarm. She unconsciously began to squeeze the sheets again, erasing the work she had done of rubbing out her hands, her nails digging in.

She stared at the intruder in his long grey robe, with an ornate leather belt and gold buckle cinched at his waist. His hair and beard erred more towards the salt color rather than pepper. The softness of his expression kept Ryder calm enough so that she didn't run screaming from the room. He simply stood a non-threatening distance away, with his hands hidden in the opposite sleeves of his robe.

Ryder's heartbeat began to settle, allowing the throb in her hands to make themselves known again, but she didn't move to loosen her grip. "Where am I?" She asked again, expecting an answer this time.

The old man's smile grew a bit before he answered, the softness in his eyes becoming more compassionate. "You, my dear Ryder Shaw, are in my country home. I am Athos Stegma. Graynin brought you here after your rough passage through the gate."

The memories of Graynin and their run through the orchard came flooding back. "Tairin. Where is Tairin? Is he ok? Is he here too?" Her urgency to see him growing with her memories of that night.

"He is fine my dear, actually doing better than you in fact. He is out at the barracks." Athos must have picked up on Ryder's emotional drop at the thought of Tairin not being with her. He added, "He has been by your bedside for the last twenty-four hours, but I forced him to go out and get some fresh air. I will have to apologize to him though, I knew you would be waking soon, and I wanted to speak with you alone."

"What is going on? Why were those monster wolves chasing us? Why did Graynin bring us here?" Her questions pouring out to the stoic gentleman.

Athos let out a soft sigh, the way a teacher does when dealing with rambunctious young children.

He doesn't even know the half of it, Ryder thought as she bit her tongue, putting an end to what she knew was just the beginning of her questions.

"I will not be able to answer all of your questions at this moment, but I will tell you enough so that you understand what is going on." Athos paused, as if waiting for Ryder to agree to his proposal.

It seemed she had no other option at the moment, so she nodded.

A remorseful knowing claimed Athos' face. "The wolves were not chasing your group, they were hunting you Ryder."

Ryder's stomach sank.

"They have been hunting you since you were about eight years old. The Dakawolves, as they are called, were sent to the Shadow Realm, Earth as you know it, to search for the source of the influx of power growing in a realm where little power exists. Essentially you. My close colleague and I had anticipated this possible problem and sent Toby to be your guardian, and keep anyone, or anything, from discovering you as the source of the power. The wolves wandered your world not able to locate the source for it was too faint. But as you grew, so did your strength, when the wolves began to hone in on you I sent Graynin to collect you and bring you here to our realm, Esera. Where we can help you learn to use and control your maturing power."

Ryder sat there gawking at the old man, "What are you talking about? I have no powers."

"Ryder," Athos interrupted her, "I am going to pose some questions to you, and I want you to answer them honestly with a simple yes or no."

"Ok" Ryder answered skeptically.

"Do you feel as if you hear soft whispers all around you? Not in words so much, but rather as emotions and needs?"

Ryder stared at the old man, wondering if she was actually in some sort of psych hospital, and these were the questions that if she answered honestly would get her committed for life.

"That's a weird question, why would you ask me something like that?"

Athos pulled his hand free of the corresponding sleeve, revealing the colorful silk lining, and put his hand up, indicating she was to stop. "Remember I want you to just answer with a simple yes or no. I do not want you to try and explain things away or divert the topic. Now take a deep breath and we will try this again."

Ryder settled against the headboard and took a deep breath, still not sure what this old man was getting at, or what he wanted from her.

He smiled at her encouragingly and asked the question again.

Before her brain could stop it, her rebellious tongue answered "Yes." Her hands slapped over her mouth, but it was obviously too late. What had she just said!

Athos eyes smiled and didn't skip a beat. "Do you understand the desire of these whispers? Have you ever been able to answer their subtle call?"

Well the cat was out of the bag, and he hadn't called in any orderlies yet, so she actually thought about what he was asking. She had always tried to ignore the sounds she heard in the orchard, always pushing the sensation to the back of her mind. She knew what she experienced wasn't normal, but it had never frightened her. At times it actually comforted her, she never felt truly alone. There was always the sweet gentle hum of pleasant emotions wafting all around her. But as she thought back, she had never actually understood what was going on, or that what she experienced was some sort of conversation. So, she answered, "no."

The pleasantness of Athos expression seemed to sadden at her answer, but the emotion was quickly gone, "Ryder, I know you do not feel it fully yet, but you have elemental powers. Even in the Shadow Realm, where our people cannot feel their connection to the elements, you were still able to hear their call to you." Athos walked over to the side of her bed, and gracefully sat down on the edge.

"You are extremely special Ryder." He smiled at her the way a doting grandfather might. "There has never been someone like you born in either Realm, you are a one of a kind gift. And I am here to help you understand and guide you through your birth right."

Ryder suddenly burst into tears and buried her face in her hands. She had no idea why she was crying, everything Athos was saying was ludicrous. But deep down she felt the truth, that she had always known on some level. Athos began to rub her back in small circles, she was so lost in her breakdown that she didn't notice the tingling that generated under Athos' light touch.

She cried hysterically, her tears fueled by the release of the pressure of giving in, the relief and pain of facing so many things she had been repressing and ignoring. But most of all she cried for her knowledge, she knew nothing would ever be the same for her again.

After her ridiculous waterfall of tears had subsided Athos explained the layout of his home and grounds. Emphasizing where the kitchen was, making it clear that she needed to eat before she started exploring. Her lessons would start tomorrow. He promised that she would see him at dinner, but he had rounds to make at the nearby village which would take up most of his day.

After Athos left, Ryder just sat, slumped against the headboard trying to collect herself. Her eyes wandered around the room. It was simply decorated, yet still quite beautiful with its well-crafted decor. Out her window there was a small wrought iron balcony, and the large front yard beyond was outlined by a sandstone wall.

It seemed she had recovered as much as she possibly could at the moment, so she forced herself out of bed. She Found that the closet was filled with a wardrobe all in her size. How long have I been asleep? She wondered, as she rifled through the collection of finely made clothes.

The bathroom was even more beautiful than the bedroom, the floor and the counter were made of black and white marble, there was even a claw footed bathtub. She sat on the edge of the tub and turned the quartz knobs to start the shower, undressed, and showered with gratitude. The heat of the shower washing away more than dirt.

Walking into the grand kitchen, she was greeted by a plump woman who was aggressively whisking some sort of batter.

"You must be Ryder. I'm Paula, the head cook. Grab anything you'd like to eat, there are some warm muffins over there." Paula gestured towards the other side of the kitchen island with a nod of her head.

Ryder said her thanks and attempted to return Paula's vivacious smile as she collected some muffins and made her way out the side door.

She did however, almost dropped the muffins when she rounded the corner into the spectacular backyard. It reminded her of the beautifully kept grounds she'd seen on her mother's favorite TV show, Downton Abbey. The massive yard was split into two sections by a gravel walkway that was lined with clean cut hedges that led to a large fountain that looked like the yards crown. The path circled the high spitting fountain and continued its way to a forest of weeping willow trees.

"Wow." Ryder couldn't help but say out loud.

She finished eating her muffins as she strolled up to the large fountain. She paused as a dozen brightly colored koi fish swam swiftly to take shelter under blooming lily pads as she looked over the slate stone edge. Ryder couldn't help but lose her concerns of why she was here and was just grateful she was.

She made her way through a wall of wispy willows, some strands reaching out as if to touch her. Athos' words about her connection to the elements came back to her. She paused, closed her eyes, and opened her senses to the moment. She felt the warmth of the sun's rays hitting her face, the soft brush of the willow branches, as some found her bare forearms and gently brushed her skin. She felt so alive, but she did not feel like she could control anything that was happening around her. If anything, they were manipulating her.

The breeze picked up and carried sounds of clattering, and the murmur of voices towards her. Ryder's eyes shot open. She ran towards the noise. Breaking through the last frays of the willows she emerged onto a large open space with short cut grass and what could only be the barracks at its center.

A deep male voice cursing pulled her onward. Rounding the corner of the building she saw a man casually standing in an arena, holding a beautifully carved wooden sword, smirking down at someone laying in a heap on the sand. The heap was a frustrated Tairin.