Prologue

“Kousetsu, it is not wise to go off on this trek alone, especially since Ikaya is still young.”

“I understand, Munsoli, but I can’t let him get close to finding us, for all of our sakes.”

Kousetsu continued to pack her belongings into her sack. The fire in the corner of the hut began to die down and the wind outside howled. Munsoli, walked over to Ikaya, who was sleeping on the bed next to where her mother was packing. He brushed her red hair to one side of her face while her mother picked up her stuff and headed for the door.

“Kousetsu, please reconsider what you are doing! Your leaving Ikaya with nothing but questions that none of us can answer, she hasn’t even learned how to control her abilities yet!”

“She will learn, just give her the staff I made. She’ll be able to find the strength she will need to figure her powers on her own. After all,” Kousetsu said, moving the hanging cover to one side of the door, “she is her fathers daughter.”

With that Kousetsu left the hut and disappeared into the forest, leaving Munsoli with the sleeping Ikaya, just as the last cinder in the fireplace burned out.