Her father and brother were called in. Llani knew in the oldest stories that this sort of thing COULD happen, but noone had been a witness to it for a thousand years. Her family were whispering out of earshot, but she could sense what they were saying regardless.

Her father grabbed his cap and left the house as her mother turned to her. “Your father is fetching the Clan Elders. They’ll know what needs to be done.”

A few hours later, it had been decided. Llani was given a satchel with some provisions and granted a teary farewell from those in the village she knew and loved all her life. It was a bittersweet, but necessary departure. She would begin her long journey to the distant Proud Spires, Home of the Wizards.

Her eyes fixed on the horizon, she could see the shadows of the Spires in the distance. She set out and sang a quiet song of travel, adding a verse about how she felt about homesickness.

Her eyes fixed on the horizon, she did not see the Shadows of Evil gathering about her.