He watched her. The hooded and cloaked girl who rode through the woods, despite the sheeting rain. Who could she be? Not a local. Locals never wore cloths like hers. Her cloak was a soft green, with blue trimming. The tunic was gray, but she wore a leather jerkin over it. She wore, not a skirt, like the ladies of his town, but trousers. On her back was a quiver full of arrows. And a sword belt with a sword that seemed to repel the rain hung at her side. Who was she?

As she drew nearer he could start to make out some of her face. She had a finely shaped mouth, and a soft chin. Her eyes were a sharp amber, which was strange to him, and all around her was an aura of power and confidence. He feared her a little, mainly because she was armed and he was not.

" Come out of the shadows. I shall not harm you unless you wish to harm me." He started at her voice. Was she talking to him? Surely not. He was well hidden. " All things are hidden before they are found. Come out before I come in search of you. I am weary and short on patience. Now stop spying on me." Hesitantly he crept from his hiding place and on to the road.

" How did you know I was watching?" The girl smiled.

" It is a trick I learned on my fathers knee, boy, and I would not tell you it for the world, not that I would the world come to think of it." He wondered about that. What did she mean? " I wish you'd put up some sort of shield. You're coming through loud and clear." The girl said wincing.

" Who are you?"

" I'm Cora." The girl dismounted, drawing his attention to the horse. It was a black stallion, with a star like white spot on its head. It wore no bridle, and no saddle. The girl must be know a lot of horsemanship to be riding bare back and with no bridle.

" I'm Alato."

" Strange name." She started walking, the horse miraculously following her. " This is. my horse." She said. He wondered what the horses name was, and why she had censored what she was saying.

" It is because of his name. He is. The King of Horses. You may have heard of him, and many want to try and break him. That is how I met him. I was only a child then. I was watching some traders horses when I saw them trying to force him to wear a bridle and saddle so that they could ride him. I stole him while they slept, and he has ever been my friend since." Alato knew that that was a brief summary of what was probably a long story. " So is there a town around here? I need to find an Inn."

" My village is only a few minutes from here."

" Good. I've been traveling for several days, and I know that both of us need to rest a bit before moving on."

" Why does your sword repel the rain?" He hadn't meant to say that, but it was to late now. She didn't answer him for a moment.

" It is Solant, the Sword of Fire. Of course it would repel the rain." Alato didn't know that much about swords, but he knew this one. It's past was one of great, and sometimes terrible deeds. The most resent had been over a thousand years ago, and after that, it had disappeared.

" So the Sword of Fire reemerges?" He asked, knowing the people in the town would be very unhappy about her being there with Solant.

" Yes." The rounded the next bend, only to see his town in flames and under attack by winged beasts that spit fire and seemed to suck up the souls of the dead. " Fire Raiders!" Cora's eyes seemed to come alive with fire as she unsheathed her sword. One of the Fire Raiders spotted her and screeched. " Where is Zaron you cowards?" One of the Raiders separated from the swarm.

" He is dead. We are free to kill as we wish again!" Cora's face showed grief for a split second.

" Who has done this?" Her very words sounded as if they carried a great deal of power. She was shaking with anger.

" Delamo." Cora's face contorted with anger. She pointed her blade at them.

" ENFORNO!!!!" Fire encircled the blade and shot at them. The screams of the Raiders ran in Alato's ears. They did not even leave ashes to be swept away by the wind. Cora sank to the ground. Alato left her to sort out her thoughts and went to look for survivors. He found none. Only a mare with a scorched leg. He found his way back to Cora. She was making a pile of bodies and burning them.

" Cora?" She turned to him. There were tears on her face.

" Zaron was my brother. Then I am the last of my kin, as are you. Will you join my journey? It will be dangerous to stay here alone."

" I will come." She nodded and mounted her horse. Alato mounted his mare with difficulty. She nodded him toward the road leaving his village.

" Come on. We'll have to scamper to make it to the next village by sun down."