he small girl charged down the dark road of the small town, her three male pursuers close on her heels. "Get back here you little bitch!" their leader hollered.

She ducked around a corner and briefly thought about stopping to catch her breath, but thought better of it when she heard a whoop from behind. A shriek of terror followed as a golden wolf careened out from a dark alley, snarling.

Without even shortening her stride, the tiny fugitive bolted around another corner. She was so concerned with her escape that she didn't notice the slender young man carrying a book directly in her path.

The pair collided and sat down hard on the road. "I'm sorry!" she cried, picking up the book that landed not far from her.

"It's all right." The male voice of her victim replied calmly.

"Oh!" the girl breathed. "I'm so very sorry. Please forgive me!" As an offering of peace, she held the book out to him.

"Let me help you up." The gentle voice answered as he extended a friendly hand. He was startled when she shrank away in fear.

Just as he was about to take a step closer to try again, she looked directly into his eyes. As she did so, a large, black wolf leapt out of nowhere. Instinctively, he brought his arm up to block the blow. Before his astonished eyes, the wolf melted into nothingness as soon as it touched him.

He looked down at his assailant again. She sat on the ground, gasping for breath. He could see half of a pale face and a crystalline blue eye peering at him warily from under a tumble of copper curls. The young man watched as she shook the hair out of her face to reveal a beautiful face and a large, dark purple hand print on her cheek.

"Who did that to you? Maybe I can help you." He said gently.

"No. Please." The girl begged. "You've done too much already."

He opened his mouth as if to respond, but the lovely girl was already back on her feet and running.

'Please don't tell anyone you saw me.' The thought formed in his mind like a ghost and it made him shiver.

As he watched her go, he tried to shake the strange feeling that washed over him and he began to wander back to where his friends were staying. He had only walked a couple of feet when someone grabbed him from behind and shoved him against a building.

"Where is she?" the large man growled menacingly.

"Where is who?" came the calm reply.

"I know you saw her. I saw her come around this corner. Which way did she go?"

"Oh, her." The younger man smirked. "She went down that alley there." He pointed the way.

"Now was that so hard?" the large man snarled and shoved his victim again before releasing him to continue chasing his prey.

He smirked openly now. The trio of men would have a hard time finding that girl if they were heading in the wrong direction. Hopefully, she could find a safe place to hide tonight where they wouldn't find her. 'We could have protected her.' He thought to himself. 'She would have been safe.'

She rounded a couple more corners and ran towards the river near the edge of town. Her heart told her that she would be safe there until morning.

It seemed like she had been running forever. Her lungs were burning and her legs felt like jelly. But this was her only chance to escape. If they caught her now, she would probably not see another morning.

The girl knelt in the soft earth of the riverbank and rinsed herself with the cool water before quenching her thirst. She reached out with her mind to check on her wolves and her pursuers. The golden, male wolf, Lonobn appeared at her side almost immediately, but his smoky colored mate and the men chasing her were out of her reach.

An image of a rabbit running in a field flashed into the girl's head and she turned to the wolf. "Go hunt." She smiled. "I should be fine for tonight. We'll continue in the morning."

The wolf regarded her carefully with his amber eyes. "I'll be fine." She reassured him as she scratched his ears. The golden wolf licked her cheek and loped off.

She watched her friend leave and hugged her knees to her chest. She closed her eyes and stretched the tendrils of her mind as far as she could, trying to extend her powers. At first, she could only sense one of her lupine companions, but as she concentrated more energy, more things came to her. Deeply concentrating, she eventually came to sense eight humans and both wolves.

The young seer touched each mind gently, trying to determine if they were friendly or not without disturbing them. Four of the humans seemed indifferent, the fifth was the one she ran into on the street. The other three were the ones that had been chasing her since earlier that evening.

'Please hurry back.' She called to her lupine companions. 'I think Faban and his guards are still following me.'

The wolves gave no reply, but she knew they would hurry back to protect her. The moon in the sky across the river was only a silvery sliver that was mostly hidden by clouds. This night was on her side.

She stared out across the water and allowed her mind to wander to the events that led to her hasty departure from home. Once, Master Faban had wanted her. She had been beaten every time she refused to go to his bed. The beating earlier had been the worst ever. It was also the first time he had not apologized. She fled the necromancer's palace, her home, just after she thought everyone had gone to sleep. Now he would kill her on sight. His seers were precious to him. They were his guards and first line of defense against those who would destroy him.

Her thoughts also wandered to the young man on the street only a few minutes ago. He had seemed very nice, but would probably help Faban. She ran right into him, dirtied his long, white robe, and messed up his beautiful, raven colored locks. His liquid brown eyes and soft voice caught her off guard, she almost begged him for help. But he was gone now, perhaps he would help her in the morning, or if she needed it.

On his way back to the simple house he was sharing with his brother and friends in this town, the raved haired man reflected on the girl that bowled him over. She was beautiful, he remembered, with delicate features like his own, he had memorized everything about her in a heartbeat. Her hair. Her eyes. Her pale skin. Even the bruise on her cheek. It was all burned into his memory.

'Stop it, Marron.' He scolded himself. 'You don't have time for a girlfriend. You are a sorcerer hunter. There are people using the forbidden magic. There are spells to study.'

Even as those thoughts crossed his mind, so did the vision of his first real look at her. The moonlight shimmered off her copper curls, her pale skin, and those icy blue eyes. Then he remembered the fear written plainly on her face when he tried to help her up. Only sorcerers and evil people were frightened of him, and she did not bear the mark of a sorcerer. He thought of the terror that she would have felt if it had been his brother and not he on the street and cringed.

Someone had hurt her recently as well. The evidence was still fresh on her face. The first sight of that bruise had nearly sickened him.

A strange feeling washed over him again as he felt his mind being probed. Last time she had given him a thought, this time it was like a gentle breeze then gone. He knew it was her again and was glad those men had not found her yet. Marron shook his head and continued on his way.

He wandered the whole time he was lost in his thoughts and looked up to see the small house he was calling home before him. A faint smile crossed his lips, all the windows were dark; he wouldn't have to explain his extra long walk tonight.

Marron entered the small house and quietly closed the door. Moving almost silently, he walked towards his room. "Marron?" the soft whisper from his friend stopped him cold.

"What is it, Tira?" he asked, turning to where her voice originated.

"Nothing. You were just gone longer than usual. That's all." She replied quietly.

He nodded without really hearing her words. "I'm going to read for a while." He responded absently.

In his room, Marron lit a candle and let his ankle length tunic fall to the floor without thinking. He stretched out on the bed and opened his book only to stare blankly at the pages. He couldn't seem to get this girl out of his head. Every time he closed his eyes, her face floated in. How could he concentrate on his spells when an innocent needed his help?

A light rap on the closed door startled him out of his thoughts again. "Yes?" he asked, struggling to regain his composure.

Tira opened the door slowly and poked her head in. "Did I wake you, Marron?"

"No, Tira." He almost smiled, glad for the distraction. "Come in."

She closed the door and looked around. His tunic was simply lying in a rumpled heap on the floor, he was usually so careful to keep his room neat. Sighing, Tira picked it up and hung the shirt on a chair. On closer inspection, she noticed the back streaked with dirt. Even in a fight, Marron normally managed to keep his robe a pristine white. Something was wrong. Everything tonight seemed out of character for him. Especially his empty stare.

"Marron," she started, sitting on the edge of his bed. "We got another assignment tonight. There is a necromancer named Faban ruling this town…" she let her sentence trail off when she saw the look on his face.

"Necromancy." He mused. "The blackest of all the forbidden magics. Do you know where to start looking for him?"

The pink haired girl thought for a moment. "No. But Big Momma said he would find us." Marron gazed in her direction, lost in the thought of that strange girl again. A faint smile played at the corners of his mouth and his eyes sparkled. Tira picked up on the smile and almost smiled herself. "Marron?" she asked laying a hand on his arm. "Are you okay?"

He nodded absently again. "I can tell something is wrong." She pestered lightly. "What happened on your walk? Your robe is dirty and you're not acting like yourself."

"I believe I met our necromancer." He started slowly and proceeded to tell his friend everything from the girl running into him to the strange feelings and men.

"There she is!" Faban shouted to his zombie guards. "Get her!"

The pair flanking the necromancer charged at the small girl still resting near the river. His most powerful, and beautiful seer, she could also be his downfall if she escaped tonight. She had to be stopped before she could get her strength back. 'Nicole, how could you do this to me?' He thought to himself before sauntering up to join his guards.

She heard the shouts behind her and jumped up. A light rain had begun to fall, refreshing her body a little. In the darkness, she could hardly see where she was going. Wet grass under her feet made the escape more difficult this time and the zombies easily caught up to her.

Each guard grabbed one of her small arms and they forced the tiny girl to her knees. "Why did you go running off like that, Nicole?" Faban purred, cupping her delicate chin tightly. He released her chin and slapped her face hard enough to snap her head back. "Leave us!" he growled to the guards.

They released the girl and she sank to the ground, dazed. Through blurred eyes, she watched them leave. Nicole focused again on her master. His eyes said it all, he intended to kill her this night. "Come back to the palace with me, girl, and I might be convinced to spare your life."

"No." she heard herself say. It was more like a dream than reality, almost as if she were watching this happen to someone else, but was powerless to stop it. She blocked her mind from the necromancer while she searched desperately for the wolves.

"What did you say?" Faban demanded, his rage reaching the boiling point.

"You heard me." Nicole spat back. "I said no!"

"No one dares deny me anything!" he howled.

The small girl never saw the boot as it came out of the darkness and slammed into her stomach, sending her sprawling. She recovered quickly and rolled out of the way as his foot narrowly missed her throat.

"No one leaves my employ. You should know that, you stupid little whore."

Another kick connected with her stomach followed quickly by one to the side of her head. Blood flowed out of her nose and mouth as she lay on the wet ground. 'Someone help me!' her mind screamed as the furious blows continued to rain down.

Then, as quickly as it began, the attack was over. "No one will find you here." Her master sneered down at her motionless form. She didn't even try to move. "You will die alone and painfully, as all whores should." He kicked her once more in the ribs as he left, fully intending for her to die in this forsaken place.

She waited until she was sure he had left for good before trying to summon the wolves again. This time, Kartik, the smoky bitch wolf appeared at her side. The wolf licked some of the mud from her face and whined softly. 'Please find help.' Nicole forced herself to send this thought to the wolf before allowing the blackness to envelop her.

The dark wolf charged through the rain, looking for some sign of civilization that could help her mistress. None of the houses near the river looked occupied, but she could sense humans nearby. Kartik turned towards the feeling and made a beeline for a deserted looking cabin.

Her delicate ears picked up two soft voices coming from inside. Against instinct, she sat on the front stoop and scratched lightly at the door. These people could help her mistress. The voices stopped, but the door remained closed. She scratched again and resisted the urge to bark to get their attention.

Finally, the door opened and a small girl with pink hair stood before her. "It's a wolf, Marron." The girl called back and turned to close the door.

'Wait.' Kartik forced the thought into the girl's mind and looked at the man who had joined her at the door. The wolf summoned an image of Nicole's face into each of their minds and then the image of her lying in the mud.

"Where is she?" the man questioned of the wolf. Kartik gave no response but turned and stepped away from the door.

Tira tried to throw Marron a questioning glance, but he was already out of the small house and running after the wolf. It looked like he was trying to tie his flowing white robe as he ran.

Marron followed the shadowy wolf through the blackness, only slipping a couple times on the wet grass. Alone, he would have had little hope of finding the young seer, but the wolf was an excellent guide and they located her quickly.

A large, golden wolf stepped between him and the gild, teeth bared. When the smoky wolf strode up, the pair touched noses and sat near the girl's head. Marron approached cautiously, fearing he might be too late to help her.

The knelt in the soft earth beside her and rolled her over. She had been barely clothed before, now her clothes were wet, muddy and torn. Her pale skin was cold to the touch and her breathing was very shallow.

Remembering some of the things his mother had taught him as a child, he placed his delicate hands on her face while softly chanting some arcane words. A soft glow surrounded them both as some of his energy was transferred to the girl. Her breathing deepened slightly, but she lay still.

Worriedly, the young mage scooped her up and held her close. The trek back seemed much longer and Marron really felt the cold and rain. His robe clung to his slender form uncomfortably and his raven locks hung in a sodden mass.

When the house finally came into view, all the windows were lit and smoke billowed from the chimney. As the pair, flanked by wolves drew closer, the door opened and a powerfully built blonde man stepped out. There was a smirk on the warrior's face and Marron knew he would hear several comments from Gateau on this subject. The wolves moved to intercept the warrior as he approached their mistress and her rescuer.

"He's a friend." Marron spoke calmly and the wolves instantly returned to his sides.

Gateau said nothing, but there was a mischievous glint in his cobalt blue eyes. Marron lowered his eyes to the girl in his arms. She seemed so fragile now, but was obviously much more.

Inside the house was warm. A fire blazed in the fireplace and a bathing tub was filled beside it. Tira and her sister, Chocolate, were waiting anxiously on either side of the rug by the hearth.

Marron strode over to them and knelt to gingerly lay his charge on the warm rug. She whimpered softly as he slid his aching arms out, a good sign.

As soon as he was clear, the girls flew into action. Tira began casting more healing spells while Chocolate started wiping the mud from the unconscious girl's face and body.

"She really needs something dry to wear." Chocolate commented, wrinkling her nose in distaste.

"I have a spare dress that would probably fit her." Tira offered quietly. "I've done all I can. She has to wake up on her own now."

"Do you know her name, Marron?" Chocolate asked, looking up from brushing mud from the copper curls in her hands.

Marron shook his head silently and Chocolate looked back at the girl on the floor. "Maybe we should get her into a bed where she can be more comfortable before Darling wakes up."

The mage smiled a bit at the reference to his brother. This girl would be safe here, from everything but his skirt-chasing elder brother. Carrot was a very good-hearted person, but he tended to frighten or annoy pretty girls, unwittingly of course.

Again, Marron scooped up the tiny seer, but Gateau stepped in to carry her instead. She looked like a doll in his mammoth arms, Marron thought his friend sensed rather than felt her weight. The blonde man strode into Marron's room and laid the girl on the soft bed.

'Who did this to you?' Marron wondered silently, sinking into the chair Chocolate pulled up to the bedside.

His friends noiselessly slipped out and left Marron with the sleeping girl in the soft glow of the candle. A spell book lay closed in his lap. Instead of studying his spells, he was studying her. He could sense something very powerful about her, but it didn't feel like magic. He knew of no magic that allowed someone to touch another's thoughts.

"Yes, master?" the black haired girl asked as Faban strode angrily into the tower of his palace.

He merely glared at the young beauty crouched at his feet. "Onica, dear." He finally spoke. "Tell me, is there another seer in this region?"

The buxom girl's eyelids fluttered momentarily. "Besides Nicole, master?" She spoke hesitantly. Onica regretted the words as soon as they passed her lips.

Faban's eyes narrowed and glittered with rage. "She must be killed." The necromancer growled. "Locate her, and the wolves she stole from me. Now!"

The seer hesitated for a moment. Nicole had acted like a big sister when she first came to work for Faban, nearly eight years ago now. Although Nicole was only two years older, she had taught Onica to control her gifts as a seer.

"Well? Where is the whore?" Faban demanded, interrupting her memory. "You know the consequences for disobeying me, girl."

Silently, Onica nodded. She knew when she couldn't win. Punishments here were swift and severe. Her eyes closed and she stretched out the tendrils of her mind, just like Nicole had taught her.

"I have located Nicole, Master Faban." She said dully after a few brief moments.

"She should have been dead by now." He mused. "No matter, she will be soon. Where is she?"

"In a cabin by the river, sir." Onica replied meekly.

"Guarded?"

"Yes sir."

"How heavily?"

"Lonobn, Kartik, three young men and two girls." She responded, adding silently 'The Sorcerer Hunters.'

Gently, Faban took her hands and helped Onica to her feet. A smile crossed his lips, but never touched his deep brown eyes. "You have done well, my dear." He purred, "I shall reward you well."

"Marron." Tira whispered, shaking his shoulder gently. "Why don't you go sleep in my room for a while? I'll stay here and keep watch."

"No, Tira." He answered sleepily. "I'm all right." He was lying and blushing. He had fallen asleep while he should have been keeping watch, a very embarrassing situation for him.

"Don't worry, Marron. I'll let you know if there's any change."

Marron opened his mouth as if to pretest again, but knew it was pointless to argue with either of the Misu sisters. "Thank you, Tira." He smiled gratefully as he rose.

Tira settled herself into the newly vacated chair and set about reading her own book. Someone would have to stand guard over this girl until her strength returned, and then she would be more able to fend off Carrot's advances.

Even Tira had a hard time concentrating on her book. The slightest sound caused her to glance from the door, to the window to the bed and back again. The aura radiating from the newcomer was also concerning her. "Even the most powerful sorcerers don't usually radiate this much magic." She mused to herself.

Trying to move without a sound, Tira got up to physically check the door and window. The rain continued and lightning arced across the sky. A sudden chill swept over her as she watched the rain. Tira glanced around quickly, wondering if it was the eerie silence of the storm or someone touching her mind again. Marron had explained it as best he could before, but even he didn't know what form of magic this girl possessed.

A soft moan from behind jolted Tira from her trance. She turned to see the girl struggling to sit up. Tira hurried back to the bedside and placed her hands on the girl's shoulders, gently pushing her back down. "Take it easy. I'll go get Marron. He's anxious to know you're okay." Tira smiled and started towards the door.

The girl resigned herself to lying down for now. "He is?" She managed weakly.

A brief nod was the only reply as Tira hurried down the short hall to her own room. "Marron." She whispered urgently. "Marron, she's awake."

Marron almost knocked heads with his friend in his rush to sit up. "Is she all right? I have to see her." He was so excited that he sounded much less than his seventeen years. Tira had to cover her mouth with her hands to contain the giggles that threatened to pour out. He rushed out and Tira decided to go back to bed and let them have a little privacy.

A thrill of anticipation raced up and down Marron's spine as he paused outside the rood. He was very nervous; not cool and collected like he usually was.

He took a deep breath and considered knocking on the door. Marron chuckled to himself and opened the door slowly. She was still snuggled under the covers of his bed and he felt a sudden urge to lay down with her. "How are you feeling?" He called softly, poking his head through the doorway.

When she didn't respond, his pride was slightly wounded, but he strode in anyway. Marron was a little more hurt when she shrank away from him. "Please don't be afraid of me." He started softly, perching lightly on the chair. "My name is Marron and I'd never hurt you."

The crystalline eyes focused on his amber ones and he saw they shone with gratitude. The spells he and Tira cast on her had removed the bruise, her ivory skin was absolutely flawless now. "Can you help me sit up, please?"

"Marron?" she asked softly after he had helped her up, "I need to know, did you feel someone touch your thoughts a few moments ago?" Her voice was little more than a soft whisper.

It took him a moment to comprehend that maybe more than just this one girl possessed this type of power. "I was resting, but I think so."

She nodded absently. "She touched mine as well. Onica's talents rival mine in diversity and intensity." Her eyes clouded over momentarily. "If she had touched only my mind, this could be different. My master made her locate us. It is no longer safe in this house. He will come looking for me very soon."

"If you stay here, we could protect you from both of them." Marron offered hopefully.

He felt the ghost brush his mind again. This time it left several thoughts. 'My name is Nicole. You've been wondering that for some time now. How do you expect to fight something as intangible as this, Marron Glace? Onica and I have enough control over our abilities to knock out entire armies that are still at least two days' march from our castle.'

Marron's eyes grew round with shock. "Yes, Marron." Nicole spoke aloud. "Our master has forced us to do such things in the past." She watched his expression turn from shock to horror and quickly continued. "But that was in defense, he really isn't an evil person."

"Why did you leave then?"

'Close your eyes.' Nicole sent, taking his hands. 'And open your mind to me.'

Marron did as he was instructed and found himself standing in a large bedroom within a castle. It was like he was reliving Nicole's memory, she was projecting it into his mind's eye.

She sat on the bed, waiting for something to happen. Her clothes were the same as when Marron had first met her, only whole.

There was a light rap on the door and a short girl with a well-developed body bounced in. "Master Faban is on his way up to see you!" She bubbled. "He looks very happy tonight."

"That's nice, Onica." Nicole replied gently, "But now is the time for your lesson."

The younger girl settled down quickly and sat beside Nicole on the edge of the bed. "Summon the fog."

Within moments, the entire room was filled with a thick, white mist. "Now, Onica. Shape the mist."

The mist shimmered and thickened into a likeness of first Nicole, then Onica, then a horse and finally a hawk. "Excellent. You've been practicing."

Onica beamed at the praise and let the hawk melt away as it still circled the room. "When are you going to teach me something new? These exercises are getting boring." Onica complained.

"Maybe tomorrow. You're almost ready. Go on. Your lesson is over for today, Master Faban is here."

Almost as if on cue, there was a loud thump on the door that made both girls jump to their feet. When the door opened, both girls curtseyed very low and Onica scuttled out, closing the door behind her.

"You are doing a wonderful job of teaching young Onica." He started, pulling Nicole close. "I am very pleased with her progress. Soon you two will be all I need."

The necromancer began to kiss Nicole's neck. The memory was so vivid that Marron could practically feel each touch.

"Please stop." He heard her voice say.

"What?"

"I said shop." She replied with a little more conviction.

Faban shook the tiny girl violently. "Ingrate!" He screamed and threw her down on the bed. "I feed you, clothe you, give you a place to live, and this is how you repay me?"

Still spewing a stream of insults, Faban tried to throw himself on Nicole. She managed to toll off the bed and evade him.

The sorcerer howled in mixed anger and frustration. Leaping off the bed, he slammed into his servant, knocking them both to the floor. He punched the side of her face, stunning her, before starting to tear at her clothes.

Resigning herself to fate, Nicole lay quietly on the floor while Faban spread his robes and forced himself inside her body. Tears of pain and shame slid silently down the sides of her face. She blocked the physical pain from the memory, but Marron could still sense it.

The images in Marron's head sickened him, but he allowed Nicole to continue replaying the memory of her brutal rape. He drank in every detail of her attacker, the necromancer running this town, intent on bringing him to justice.

The sorcerer soon tired of his little seer toy and rolled off her to close his robe. Faban scowled at Nicole one more time and kicked her in the stomach as she lay on the floor, silently crying.

Faban left without a word and closed the door behind him. Quickly, Nicole got to her feet and collected her clothes. One quick glance around her room and Nicole climbed out the window, fleeing into the night.

The courtyard was black as she dropped the last couple feet from the trellis to the ground. Soft earth littered with dry bones hardly cushioned her landing and footsteps. She could make out the silhouettes of the zombie guards stationed on the walls and around the courtyard.

The spells animating these undead were very powerful, giving them exceptional sight and hearing. A few guards turned towards her landing, but Nicole concentrated deeply and tried casting a simple spell to make herself silent and invisible to the guards.

There was also a pack of great wolves roaming the grounds. If an intruder happened to slip by the undead, the large wolves would make short work of them. That was the other reason Faban needed his seers. They were the only ones who could communicate with and control the great wolves. Nicole had been the one they responded to most readily.