Terreis felt the entrance of Mysia into her mind. Many couldn�t feel it. She would be annoyed if it was probably only Mysia�s concern that prompted the intrusion. Mysia could not speak in words. Only images. Terreis saw a campfire burning then a small explosion as a rock exploded from the heat. Then Mysia�s presence was gone. Terreis turned towards the keep. She felt the heat radiating from it.
�It is going to explode!� she screamed. �That�s why they ran!�
A hush fell over the land as if the Goddess Adah had taken a deep worried breath herself. The stones shuddered. The explosion rocked the earth, lit the sky like the sun had fallen upon them, the sound deafened the ears. The shock wave sent people and trees to the ground. Large rocks of all sizes cut jaggedly still burning flew through the air.
Terreis hit the ground splitting open her head in the process. She felt the wave of heat scorched over her back. Her nose was assaulted with the odor of burning. Her ears rang in silence a trickle of blood escaped her left ear. Her eyes burned with halos of white spots in her vision. �Mysia!� she cried.
Mysia ran back to the battlefield. She ran past the bodies littering the ground. She knew where her sister laid for she saw with Terreis� eyes when she sent her the mental image. She ran past the cowering civilians. The dead children. The dead warriors. Those who wandered in a land with no sound and no sight. Those who crawled blind, deaf, and burned. She watched as smaller rock sent of smaller explosions. The rock pieces still a flame even the ones stuck in the bodies of unfortunate victims.
She found Terreis lying on the ground. She was on her stomach. Her back was burned in some places. Not too bad, but enough to leave scars. Her leather armor was burnt and her thin cotton undershirt was burnt. She had an enemy�s sword clutched in her shaking hand.
Mysia laid down next to her. She felt Terreis stiffen and try to pull the sword towards her. Mysia covered her hand softly with he own. �Its over, sister,� she whispered.
Terreis heard not the words. She knew in her head though that the battle was lost. Hope was extinguished. She could no longer hold back tears. Everyone was lost. The oldest woman, the youngest child, the priestess, the soldier, the teacher, everyone even the ponies and the dogs. The Reclaiming would fall upon them now like scavenger birds upon the dead, killing all who believe in the Goddess Adah.
�We have failed the Goddess Adah. The Secrets will be lost,� cried Terreis. Within the walls of Themis had been the Secrets only the Moon Priestess knew. Was she alive still? Or had she died within the walls that held the Secrets.
�She has failed us. We fought for her and she abandoned us,� hissed Mysia. �She failed you but I will not, sister. I will save you,� she promised the unhearing Terreis. �I will save you,� she whispered to herself.
Mysia pulled Terreis up to her feet. She fought the urge to let her lay as she cried out in pain. The enemy would come and sweep the land. They had to get away. Far away. She wrapped her arms around Terreis� waist. She felt the raw sticky sore on Terreis�s back and gagged. She pushed her onward. Mysia was petite while Terreis was tall and despite her thinness hid toned muscles of years of training. Mysia found it difficult to drag her semi-conscious rambling sister through the battlefield. She had to be strong and ignore the sight of dying women she had spent her entire life with. The sight of dead friends and dying children. She had to save her little sister. It was her responsibility. Daddy had told her to watch over Terreis. She had promised him. She had promised Terreis that she would save her. Not her stupid Goddess Adah who left her children to be slayed.
It took nearly a half hour to drag Terreis across a field that when cleared could be walked in ten minutes. She needed something. She stretched inside her mind and reached out for the answer. She twisted soundless in the ocean of primal consciousness. She saw through her own eyes the appearance of the Reclaiming�s soldiers returning to their fallen prey. Then her mind found the answer. A horse freed of its rider was by the creek. She sent it her heartfelt plea. Then left its mind. Would it come?
Mysia broke into a hysterically happy laugh as the horse rushed out of the forest. A strong broad chest of rustic reddish brown heaved with heavy breath. Its raven hair gleamed despite its many tangles. Its deep dark eyes were more black then brown. It had lost its bridal along with its rider. There was a gash with blood on its soft black muzzle. Mysia placed her hand softly on its strong forehead sending her feelings of relief and graciousness a moment. The horse bent down as Mysia pulled Terreis up onto its back. Terreis fell forward onto the horse�s neck. Mysia grabbed the saddle and pulled herself onto its back. She quickly tied her sister�s belt to her own as well as to the saddle�s horn. She grabbed the horse�s mane and yelled, �I trust you!� The horse leaped quickly into the forest and galloped off. Mysia closed her eyes and hugged her and her sister closer to the horse�s strong neck.