It's here!!! *smiles broadly* Yes, we have done it, my friends! Here it is, for your viewing pleasure: Summersea Saga, the most excellent and awesome sequel to Twisted Tortallian Tale. *Wild applause with people jumping out of buildings just to get a look* ^_^

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Tamora Pierce. If it doesn't look like it's from her, then it DOES belong to me and please ask if you can borrow it before you do! Which reminds me, I'm not making jack squat off of this so do me a favor and DON'T sue me because the most you could get is a ton of notes for stories that would mean nothing to do and some chocolate wrappers from my last splurge…^.^;;

Quick little summary: My friends and me loved writing the first one so much *grins* that we decided to do another! Some of your original favorites, plus some new ones that got dragged along this time, none of them with the same group as before, or in the same settings either…it should be a most interesting tale indeed. ^_~

Just to make things easier on you all this time, I'm going to post the groups as they come up in the story and in general who they are and what they do in my author profile. That way, if you get confused a lot, all you have to do is copy it from there and you have yourself a list you can confer to anytime you want! ^_^

*Lights start to dim, author's voice fading into the background*

Now, may I present the beginning of…Summersea Saga…

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Prologue

Two years and three months have passed since the 'Tortal Trip' (as those who were sucked into the other world like to call it) happened, and some things had changed since then. They haven't forgotten their experience, no, if anything it is something that dwells on their minds constantly for some. It has changed them, for the better or the worse none really know, but their lives have changed regardless.

Some have moved on to other schools, graduated from high school, gotten into college, you know the drill. But some parts of their lives haven't changed, and it is those parts that will have them chosen once again for one of the wildest rides of their lives.

Some of them are going for round two. The only question is, what the heck are they supposed to do they do now?!

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Trystan crossed her legs neatly, smoothing her desert-mage robes out of habit as the young woman to her right poured them all wine in tall, glass vessels of exquisite design. "'39?" she asked politely as she tasted it carefully, letting the flavor soak into her tongue before swallowing the bit that was in her mouth.

"1940," replied the younger woman with a slight smile. "T'was the best I could do on such short notice…" She adjusted the cowboy hat that sat on her head, a blue button-up shirt and faded jeans being her attire.

Trystan rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "I'm sure, Grendal."

"Sorry I'm late!!" A young boy popped into the room out of thin air, his tousled curls and bright, green eyes giving him the look of perfect innocence.

"Why in the world do you continue to assume that form, Devan?" asked Grendal impatiently, getting him a bottle of juice from the counter. "You know you can't drink any of the good stuff while you're in it and you'll have to change back anyways before we go one with the arrangements for next week…"

"I happen to like looking like this," he said, straightening his tunic and leggings before running a hand through his hair to make it lay down flat in an attempt to make himself look all stiff and proper. He broke out into a grin as he failed miserably. "That, and it makes people underestimate me so much…"

"That is not always a good thing, brother," said Trystan seriously, though her eyes smiled down on him as he took a seat at the table. "What were you in a hurry about, though? I thought you hadn't had a group for a month…"

"Make it six," he groaned, slamming his head on the table none to gently. "I was late because I was trying to amuse myself with making huge sandstorms in the east in patterns and designs that the windmages wouldn't be able to unravel."

"I take it didn't work?" asked Grendal with a slight grin. "You know, you could just move the book again…"

"To where?" demanded Devan, sitting up quickly with his green eyes flashing. "Everywhere I've sent it all I get are these weak, boring, completely and totally sucky groups that never seem to enjoy themselves or amuse me with their antics no matter what I do!"

"You know…" said Grendal as she sat down, a shot of whiskey in her hand. "Wasn't there that one group that you really liked a few years back, Trystan? You could send yours there…"

"Yes, I remember the ones you speak of," said Trystan with a fond grin. "Making the king mad, robbing the rich blind, cooking for nobles, fighting constantly…yes, those were a few of their many peculiar talents…I suppose I could get you the spot…"

"Please??" begged Devan, giving her puppy eyes as he clasped his hands in front of him. "I will be eternally in your debt…"

"You already are," replied Trystan with a wry twist of her mouth, waving him off with her hand. "Yes, I will, Devan. If anything, just to get you to stop looking like some dog that's been whipped…"

"He is, though!" protested Grendal, ducking the cup that was thrown at her head. "Hey, none of that now! This is my house you know."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!" he cried, ignoring the younger of the sisters and launching himself at the older on.

"Stop acting like your ten, for goddess sake!!" growled Trystan, casting him to the side and throwing a spell along with it that returned him to his normal state. He pushed his longish brown hair out of his eyes and stood up, stretching to his full six-foot frame as he worked the kinks out of his back. "Here's the place," she gave him a map of North Carolina, one of the schools there highlighted in red. "Send it there, and I promise you won't be disappointed."

"Thank you!" He grabbed the map, disappearing once more with a happy grin on his face.

"Little brothers," sighed Grendal, shaking her head as Trystan suppressed a laugh. "Anyways, about next week…"

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Olivia drove through the packed streets of Charlotte, nimbly dodging her way through traffic from plenty of experience before pulling into the high school that appeared on the left. Beside her in the seat sat a huge, dusty, leather-bound book that her mother had asked her to bring in that morning for Mr. Payne. She had no idea what it was, what it was for, or where her mother got in the first place; then again, she didn't really care either.

Pulling into her old place at the back of the school, she gathered her things and got out of the car; long, dark brown, curly hair framing her pale face as dark brown eyes peered at the scene around her, trying to figure out if anything had changed since her last visit.

Of course, nothing had, and she quickly made her way into the band room where most everyone was at that moment, several other students and teachers joining her along the way. Providence was holding a band/orchestra/choir/drama (basically, all the Arts) festival that weekend in honor of Mr. Payne who would be retiring with in the next year. Students, band directors, teachers, choirs, and actors from all over the US had been invited, many politely declining but a few here and there paying their respects to the renowned Director by showing up for the few days.

Opening the door to the locker room, she pushed past several students; her eyes going every which way as she silently tried to find the directors and drop off the book so she could go on and find her friends fast…

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"Hey, Olivia!!" yelled Randy when he spotted her across the room, running through everyone with his usual goofy grin plastered on his face as he tried to get to her side. "Wait up, will you?!"

She turned slightly, seeing him out of the corner of her eye with a slight smile. "Randy, what are you doing back?" she asked, slowing down enough to let him catch up with her before resuming her pace once more. His short, black hair and well-built frame complimented his kind, hazel eyes and easy smile.

"I could ask the same for you," he joked, giving her a half-hug as he did. "We both graduated year before last June, remember?"

"I know, I know," she replied nudging him in the ribs with the same arm that held the book.

"Hey, what's that?" he asked, taking it from her and slipping away to a semi-blocked nook in the wall. She followed quickly, growling in mock anger as she tried to get it back from them.

"Come on, lemme have it so I can give it to Payne before I find the others!" she said roughly, trying to get it from him as he held it over her head.

"I just wanna look at it!"

"Just for a second, then, alright?!"

"Promise." Randy smiled triumphantly and brought it back down, still held open with his finger as he balanced it on hand and turned the pages with the other. Its pages were gilt at the rim and the front title and tooled frame filled with the gold-substance as well. Its edges were covered with a thin, metal brace and the corners decorated with brass tips.

"Wow, were did you get this?" he asked, turning the pages as it revealed line after line of hand-written calligraphy, the ink a deep blue, green, red, or yellow by turns that seemed to grow even more splendid in the light.

"My mom wanted me to give it to Mr. Payne," explained Olivia quietly. "I never thought…wow…what's the title?"

Randy flipped it over, being sure to keep it open to the page he was looking at. "The Circle of Magic & The Circle Opens: The collected works of Tamora Pierce. Man, I would love to know where she got this…"

"I think many book collectors would," added Olivia breathlessly."

"Hey, Randy, Allie's looking for you!" said Bryanna, coming up beside them noiselessly as she got a good glimpse of the book. Her blue eyes narrowed as she recognized it somewhat. "Hey…where did you get that…??"

"Mom wanted me to give it to Payne," replied Olivia with a shrug. "You ever seen something like this before?"

"Yes," replied Bryanna, her pace quickening as it all began to come together in her mind. "Randy, for the love of God, don't close the book!"

"What?!" He stopped what he was doing, looking at her oddly. "Bry…are you alright?"

"Yeah, just don't close it," she replied. "I have to…go get someone. They've seen a book like this before too…"

"Who?" asked Olivia suspiciously. "Bryanna Reeves, what's going on?"

"I will explain everything if you promise not to close the book," replied Bryanna, backing up slowly so she could run for whoever it was the moment she got the promise that everything would be ok. "Olivia, this is serious…"

"I don't see why," said Randy, giving her an odd look as he started to close it, his hand still inside. "It's just a-"

"S'cuse me!" Bryanna felt herself vault forward as she was shoved from behind, running into Olivia who knocked Randy's hand out of the book, effectively helping the pages meet… *poof*

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Trystan stood beside Devan calmly, watching as he excitedly scanned the pages of his version of 'Happening in the last fifteen seconds: Summersea Edition' with interest.

"Be careful with this group," she warned him cautiously, not wanting to do his job for him but knowing the kind of chaos he would be up against. "Several of these people and their actions can be very…upsetting at times."

"I will, I will," he muttered, back in his little kid form as he muttered a few words to send the Trio on their way before turning his back on his sister completely so he could set up his scrying mirrors.

"Devan!"

"Alright!! I promise I will be careful Trystan, ok??" He gave her an exasperated look, on that made him look all the more like the child form he was sporting even though he was trying to be serious.

"Fine," she replied with a sigh. "I have to go, another group will be coming through soon and I have preparations to make…"

Devan stood up from his work. "As do I."

"Good luck."

Both siblings vanished from sight in the blink of an eye, each to their own task and duty with a purpose.

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Olivia, Randy, and Bryanna appeared in a niche in the wall at Lightbridge, one of the colleges for young and old mages alike to learn how to use their magical gifts. They were dressed in student garb, Bryanna and Olivia wearing a dark blue dress with a sleeveless, light blue-trimmed white- over tunic. Randy wore a dark blue shirt with leggings and a light blue tunic-trimmed white- as well. All of them had the same, star-shaped emblem embroidered just below their right shoulder, the mark of Lightbridge students with the white trim marking them as trainees.

"Where in the world are we?" asked Olivia quietly as she got her bearing, looking around herself in awe. "This…this place…holy cow…"

"I think the question is not 'where in the world', but 'where in the universe'," replied Bryanna quietly, glancing about as she tried to recognize where they were. Perhaps it had been the same book as before, she hadn't gotten a good enough look to really tell, though, before she had been pulled in… "What was the title of the book, Randy?"

"Uh…Circle of Magic…or something like that…" he replied, scratching his head after thinking about it for a moment.

"Circle of Magic…" repeated Mouse, biting her lip for a second. If she remembered right, that meant they weren't in Tortall…which opened up a whole other can of worms for her to deal with… "Well, crap…"

"What's going on?!" demanded Randy, grabbing Bryanna's shoulder and spinning her around so he was facing him. She could see the fear in his eyes, no that she could blame him for she had been afraid the first time around as well.

"Look, I can explain things, but only if you'll give me time to before you jump all over me," replied Bryanna quickly, getting a nod from each of them before continuing quickly. "Ok, the book you were holding? It's sort of like a portal to another realm. And when you close it, it takes you there… There's only one way to get home, and really the only way to do that is to take the role you've been given until your path crosses over with others from your world. Some you'll know, some you won't, but eventually we do all meet…and then we come home."

"So, what, this is like a scavenger hunt for other people?" asked Sarah incredulously. "That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're having a bad drug trip and have somehow pulled us along with you…"

"And the question of the day," said Randy, running a hand through his hair as he processed it all. "What do we do now?"

"You go along with the plan I've given you, of course," said an old man who appeared beside them, his bent frame draped richly in the finest of robes with his thin, snow-white beard nearly touching the ground.

"The plan you have given us?" asked Olivia sarcastically. "And who the hell are you, old man?"

"I am the Sir Mage," he replied with a twinkle in his eye. "The mage who rules over all in this land, and keeps his eye on those who are brought to 'visit' his realm."

"Then you know Trystan," said Bryanna shrewdly.

"I see you speak of my sister," he replied with a light laugh. "Let me say, youngling, your group came recommended by her! Now, as for the details of what you are to do…"

"Recommended?" cut in Randy. "What are you talking about??"

The old man sighed, obviously pressed for time. "I've been bored because I haven't had any amusement with my watch for quite some time. My sister spoke of the group who came over a year in your time before, and I jumped at the chance to have some fun for once. Apparently, your antics had her doubled over with laughter quite often…especially when you were forced to take in that little girl Kara…"

"Enough of that," cut in Bryanna, turning an interesting shade of pink. "What are we doing here this time, hm? None of us here have read the books…we have no one to 'guide' us like some did…"

"You are students here at Lightbridge," explained the mage quickly. "Ones that have just earned their title of Journeymen. That means you are now going to travel around and visit other mages to learn of your gift. Right now, the head master is about to send for you and give you everything you need before kicking you out for the next several years."

"Mind telling us what the gifts are ahead of time before we go?" asked Bryanna quietly, seeing a young girl draw near to them with a slip of paper in her hands.

"Healing, Ice, and Light," replied Sir Mage with a grin. "I will be keeping my eye on you all, younglings. Good luck." With that he disappeared, leaving them on their own to take whatever fate he had decided to hand them and do the best they could with it…

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The three of them were brought before a gentleman in his mid-forties or so, with a receding hairline and crow's feet around his eyes. Stooped over slightly from pouring over old, dusty volumes for so long, his countenance was one of great wisdom and even greater power as he beckoned them to sit as well.

"Come, come," he said, smiling slightly as he put on a pair of spectacles so he could read the profiles in front of him. "Bryanna…Olivia…and Randy…I take it you are the three who recently passed your Journeymen's tests?"

"Yes, sir," lied Bryanna, taking over for all three of them immediately.

"And your records show that you have spent enough time together that sending you as a group alone, since your mentor died this last month, would not be such an unwise a decision as it would first seem." Bryanna just nodded, keeping her eyes downcast, as she wasn't very sure on how to respond to this. "And your father, Olivia…he would take it well that you are traveling with commoners and not someone who is highborn?"

"I, uh…I guess so…um, sir," she replied slowly, trying to act the part as felt herself tense up some. "He would have to be fine with it…wouldn't he?"

"Yes, he would," replied the Headmaster firmly. "It is good to know, though, that he might have given up some of his hatred for the common born. After all, there are so many more of us than you 'High folk'."

"I…suppose so…"

"As for you, Bryanna and Randy," he went on, shuffling around some papers some more. "As your parents were unable to provide for any more than your tuition as usual, we have agreed once again to give you grants based upon your performance here at the university and will continue to provide you with the travel-items you need as you go about visiting the many mages who you are to learn from." He pulled out a satchel from behind the desk. "Here is your map, instructions on how to get where and in what order, and thirty silver crescents to take care of your meals along the way."

"Thank you, sir," said Bryanna in surprise.

"Yeah, thanks," added Randy, bewildered into silence once more.

"Here are your new tunics, your olds ones have been replaced within your wardrobes as well," he said, handing them all the same light blue tunics as before but edged with a tan strip this time instead of the white.

"Thank you, sir."

"Yes, thanks."

"Yeah, what they said."

"Good luck, then, young ones," he said, rising from his seat. They did the same, standing across the desk from him nervously. "Your things are packed, your mounts readied, all that is left is for you to go."

"Thank you, sir," said Olivia, bowing instinctively as the others followed her lead carefully. They were then shooed from the room, taken down to the main courtyard, and showed the mounts they were being given to ride for the next several months, and possibly years. Three fine mares stood there, each one exactly the right height for the person who was to ride them in three different colors. Bryanna's was the same light-brown with gold hairs interspersed through it just like old one, Olivia's was solid black with a single diamond of white on it's forehead, and Randy's was a red-brown with white stockings and a stripe down his nose.

"You be takin' good care a these three," said the holster as he helped Olivia mount, as she had never really ridden a horse before in her life. Randy managed somehow to get up without help, and Bryanna swung herself up as she remembered from the old days with the ease of long hours of practice.

"We will," she promised with a slight grin, patting her mare on the neck gently. "Do they have names?"

"That'un you be on is Mouse," replied the holster lightly. "'Ers is Crystal, and 'is t'would be Flamedancer."

Bryanna rolled her eyes when she heard the name of her horse, but thanked him just the same. Stupid, son of a meecrob Mages and their freaking sense of humor…she would have to have a word with him about that next time she saw him. Whenever that might be…

"Let's go," she said, urging her mount towards the gate after consulting the map carefully and being sure that she knew where they were going. Some how or another the other two's horses just followed automatically, which was good or they might've never left at all. As much as Bryanna hated riding sidesaddle, there wasn't a whole lot she could do about it right then. Maybe she'd be able to trade it for a regular one latter on and get her hands on some leggings like Randy's…

"How long do you think it's going to take to reach this place?" asked Randy as he held onto his pommel awkwardly.

"A day or two," replied Mouse calmly over her shoulder.

"A DAY or TWO??" replied Olivia, not liking riding on her horse already. The mare was beautiful, and was probably very nice to watch when she was galloping over and open field. But riding sidesaddle for the first time and very sure she couldn't keep it up much longer…a day or two sounded like an eternity!! "There is NO way…"

"We can stop in an hour or so, if you like," said Bryanna over her shoulder. "We should reach the next town by then…" She checked the map, finding her predictions to be correct. "And stop there for dinner and find an inn to sleep in for the night."

"Works for me," replied Randy with a shrug. "Let's do it."

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Trystan and Grendal watched over their brother from the Lady Mage's tent in Tortall, sipping glasses of wine while Trystan kept on eye on her lil bro and one on the scrying bowl before her that held the image of her newest arrivals in Tortall.

"He is doing fairly well on his own, you know," said Grendal, touching the brim of her cowboy hat lightly before taking another sip of the wine her sister had given her.  Probably a '34 or so…her mind wandered over her favorite vintages before snapping back to the present. "I think it would be best if we just left him alone…"

"Alone, but not unwatched," replied Trystan with a nod. "He is young and arrogant…as well as out of practice. I will not interfere unless I see fit."

"Which will be everything five minutes," replied Grendal, shaking her head with a grin. She said a few words, spelling the bowl Trystan was scrying in. "You can't go see him unless it's an emergency, ok?"

Trystan smiled slightly. "What defines an emergency?"

"A life has to be on the line," replied Grendal shortly, scratching her nose. "Or our 'cause' be in jeopardy before you can do anything."

"Alright," replied Trystan with a nod. "I will be good unless I see that happening, ok?"

"Good. I have to go," said Grendal with an approving look. "Someone's calling me, probably Tammy. I'll talk to you later, sis."

"Ok, Grendal. Bye."

"Bye."

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Bryanna pulled up in front of the inn where they would stay for the night, her rear sore from hours of riding all day and her stomach growling for some decent food. Breakfast had been biscuits and some butter on the run with a skin of water apiece and lunch some old bread and cheese they'd bought from a woman along the road. Dinner the night before hadn't been much better, having gotten the dregs from the caldron of soup and mugs of stale ale. Not that they could really complain, food was food, but it would be nice to have some hot soup and fresh bread for once with perhaps a hot scone or pie to go with it.

"Here," she said, handing the stable boy a few coppers. "Get them watered and fed proper, as well as a rubdown for these poor beasts. Make sure it's done right, because I will check later on them…"

"Yes, ma'am," he replied quickly, the coins disappearing into his pocket  before he took the reins from them with ease. "Your bags will be taken up for you, ma'am."

"Good."

"This had better not be what I have to look forward to for the next couple of years," sighed Olivia as she stretched out her back. "Or there will be hell to pay."

"Oh, stop it," sighed Bryanna. "It's not that bad, you know. In a few days, you'll be back to normal…not that your mood will improve much but still…"

"What was that?!" Olivia stared the smaller girl down. "Don't you ever-"

"Let's go get something to eat," cut in Randy, putting an arm around them both and leading them to the main room. "Smells pretty go to me, whatever it is they're serving tonight. Olivia muttered something under her breath about long, slow deaths by fire; but other than that made no attempt to resist him and sat down at the table to have a quick meal.

Each of them fell to their own musings as they supped on the vegetable soup and side of chicken the place had to offer. Once the plates had been practically licked clean, and the mugs of cider tipped up to catch every last drop, the three of them set off from it to find their first master Mage. Bryanna lead the way as she had the map, easily reading it's lines and symbols as she'd had to do back in Tortall.

Their search lead them to a small building near the edge of town, no sign out front to designate who it might belong to other than a small star over the door. They looked at each other and entered carefully, putting their heads in the door and glancing about the apparently empty shop. Rows and rows of shelves filled with crystals, powders, and other mage-goods.

"Hello??" asked Randy hesitantly.

"Someone there?" asked a brisk voice from the back, each person turning their eyes to see a small, old man walking towards them with a kind, stern look on his face. "What do you younglings want, now?"

"Are you Master Tomlin?" asked Bryanna, stepping into the shop entirely so her Lightbridge emblem could be seen.

"Yes, I am," he replied, noting the emblem with a nod. "Come along, then, younglings. I have you for a week of training before you're going on to the next of your teachers." He turned and walked away from them, going towards the back of the shop once more.

Bryanna shrugged to the other two and followed, them close on her heels a moment later.

"Have a seat, have a seat," he said, motioning to five mats laid in a circle. Once they were ready and situated, he drew a circle around them all with a crystal that made a glowing line on the floor. "We'll be ready to go here in a second…"

"May I ask, Master Mage, what you are doing?" asked Randy, watching dubiously as the mage completely the circle and stepped inside. A bubble formed around them, cutting them off from the rest of the world.

"A ward, of course, boy," he snapped with a grin. "I'm taking you back to the very basics of training, as I always do with Journeymen who have just gotten their browns. We will start with meditation and end right before dark tonight with simple gift calling."

"Works for us," said Olivia with a slight grin, glad she was actually be going to taught everything instead of learning on the fly as Bryanna had described for them a few nights before.

"Get comfortable," the mage ordered. "Clear your mind of all thoughts. Everything…and breath with me…" They breathed in to the count of 7, held it, and breathed back out. "Good…now again…" They continued on like this for several minutes, eventually getting to the point where it was just habit and they no longer had to count to know how long they had to hold their breath or breath in or out.

"Now, look inside yourselves…" ordered the mage. "See your magic…your power…draw it inside yourself as you might draw in the air you breath. Let it fill you up…but don't let it spill out."

Bryanna saw hers as a soft blue, the glowing magic slipping around her like water as she began to draw it inside herself. It filled her form perfectly, keeping constant control over it as it tried to escape her firm grasp.

"Good! Now…draw it in even more into a small form that you alone can see…and identify with. It matters not what it is, as long as it is something you know…"

Sarah saw her power as a white laced with bits of blue and purple, some of it escaping her grasp as she attempted to draw it into the shape of an ice crystal. She had most of it in hand…almost all of it…but she couldn't manage more than that.

Randy grappled with his as well, trying to form it into the shape of a small sun. Still, his control was not that of Olivia's or Bryanna's as he sighed in frustration at his incompetence.

"Stop," said the mage, shaking his head as he rose to his feet. "We have more to go over than I thought. You there, youngling."

Bryanna started slightly. "Uh…yes, sir?"

"Go take a walk, or something. This is mere review for you, I can see. As for these two…we have work to do."

"Yes, sir." She rose to her feet, bowing to him before glancing at the other two and heading out the door. Tomlin re-raised the barriers he had dropped to let her out and concentrated on the other two, bidding them to go over the exercises once again.

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Bryanna wandered along the streets of the small town, occasionally stopping to admire some pretty bauble at a stall but knew she could not afford to buy anything at the prices theses people were selling them for.

Some kids ran along the streets as well, some of them obviously from the poorer part of town with their rags that were more holes than cloth and dirt-stained faces from never getting a good wash.

"'Ey, you," said one of these urchins, coming up and tugging on her dress lightly.

"Yes?" she asked, curious as to what this young one had to say.

"Be you a mage?" the young one inquired, a hopeful look in his eyes.

"Of sorts," she replied, bending down slightly so she could look him in the eyes. "Why do you ask?"

"Muh sis…" he said slowly. "She be very 'urted, miss. Be it you can 'elp 'er?" He regarded her carefully, his mouth set in a line.

Bryanna mused to herself lightly over the turn of events. Healers couldn't be that common around these parts…but they still should have one within the town. "Isn't there an adult or mommy or daddy who could help?" she asked hesitantly.

The boy shook his head. "Only one is old Betta, she ain't to nice to us younglings, neither."

"Then I will help you," conceded Bryanna with a shrug. "Where's your sister now?"

"Over 'ere, miss." He lead her to behind a building, the young girl sitting with her back against the wall, pale with the pain that was surely washing over her as Bryanna noted the way her wrist was turned.

"How did this happen?" asked Bryanna in concern, kneeling beside the younger girl and probing the crushed bones instinctively.

"One of the older boys," was all the brother would say, setting his face in a hard look. Bryanna just nodded and went to mending the bones as best she could, some how knowing by feel exactly what to do as she worked to restore and strengthen the muscles around it as well.

By the time she was done it was almost dark and Bryanna was nearly exhausted from her work. Rocking back on her heels, she inspected the wrist from the outside with her hands. It was whole again, totally and completely whole.

"There," she said, rising to her feet slowly. "Run along home, now. Before you get in trouble."

"Yes, ma'am," he replied quietly, quickly running away with his sibling as they looked over their shoulder at her from time to time in awe.

Bryanna allowed herself to rest for a moment before drudging back to the inn, finding their room empty and without even bothering to change flung herself into a deep sleep from which her tired body felt it might never awake. That's how the other two found her when they arrived later that night. Though Olivia really didn't care what had happened to her, she helped Randy take off her boots just the same and get her under the covers at least.

Both of them went to bed soon after, extremely tired themselves and ready for the soft mattress that awaited them.

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

*Sighs* And that, my friends, is the first chapter of Summersea Saga. Tell me what you thing, how much you like/love/are in need of/ dislike/hate/despise/wish to kill it. (Please, only choose one!!! 0.0)

Anyways, on a lighter note, there is something I must now take care of real fast…

1) &~~~#~~~&~~~#~~~&~~~#~~~&~~~#~~~&~~~#~~~&~~~#~~~&

2) %~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%

3) ^O^O^O^O^O^O^O^O^O^O^O^O^O^O^O^O^O^O^O^O^O^O^O^O^

4) ~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~

Please vote on a new border because I've kinda gotten bored with the old once that always went between the sections. You know, having done it for 33 chapters straight with sometimes 34 breaks in a chapter…you get the idea. Anyways, let me know in your review what you would like to have!

Thank you!

~Crosseyedbutterfly~