Light was flooding through the blinds when Lin woke up. She had somehow fallen asleep draped awkwardly on her desk. Her textbooks and notebooks made an uncomfortable pillow underneath her head. The alarm clock next to her bed read ten o'clock in the morning. She jumped up quickly and started to gather her textbooks and other school supplies scattered about the room then slowly put them back down a minute later when she realized she didn't have any classes that day.

She went over to her desk and pulled the new blank journal towards her, deciding that she would write about her dream, or what she remembered of it. She tapped her pen lightly on her head then brought it down to the first unblemished page. Right as the pen touched the paper she heard a series of faint rapping sounds on her window.

Lin turned towards the sound immediately and saw, to her surprise, a small white bird fluttering about the tiny windowsill trying to catch hold of it. It looked almost like a sparrow, except for that it had tufts of feathers pointing out on either side of its head like an owl.

She walked over to the window and opened it, not really sure why or what she expected to happen. The little bird had flown away and was nowhere to be seen.

~

"The Shadows are beginning to show interest in her," chirped the little white bird.

"Of course, they would...with our interference and her powers starting to awaken, I would be surprised if they didn't," replied the man with an ornately decorated pocket watch held up over his head with one of his hands.

"But Reiz...I don't know, they kind of seem like they might be a little too interested."

"Nonsense, but nonetheless we should guard her more carefully." Reiz paused and turned a few knobs on his pocket watch. "I think the last Keeper did a good job, what do you think?"

The bird nodded then hopped a few steps before it took to the air.

~

Lin rubbed her eyes and blinked. She was sure that she had just seen something like a small dark rodent dash out from under a bush and stop right in front of her. It had given her a loud hiss, as its fur stood on end, and then its eyes had started to change from a yellow to a glowing reddish-orange color. She jumped back a bit startled and bumped into someone and then it was gone.

"Sorry!" Lin said and turned around to face the person she had just bumped into.

"It's alright," a soft husky voice replied. "Are you hurt?"

Lin looked up at the sound of the familiar voice and locked gazes with two gorgeous silvery blue eyes.

"I'm okay," Lin said, feeling her face grow slightly warm. She had thought the man standing in front of her was attractive the first time she had met him a few days ago, but dressed as he was now he was utterly stunning. His long bright hair was tied up in a high pony tail with a dark blue ribbon. He was wearing an old fashioned dark brown suit with a dark crimson red vest and black pirate looking boots.

"If I may ask, where are you headed?" the man asked and hesitated for a second, "I would like to accompany you, if you don't mind."

Lin blushed. "Umm...I was going to the store, but I'm okay! You don't have to come." Lin mentally kicked herself for rebuffering him. "Ah, I mean...you look like you were going to go somewhere important."

The man looked down at himself then back at Lin. "Ah, oh! Yes, but safely escorting you to the store is more important." Lin gaped at the young man a little confused and he continued, "I mean those rodents may look all cute and fluffy until you get close and try to pet them..."

Lin couldn't help it, she burst out laughing. A mental image of the young man trying to pet a cute little rabbit that had gone vicious was playing through her head.

He grinned. "Anyways, shall we go?"

Lin nodded and they both started to walk down the sidewalk towards the nearest grocery store.

The first minute seemed extremely awkward for Lin, as they walked in silence. She looked around trying to think of something to say to break the uncomfortable peace. "So, umm...you work at the mall bookstore?" Lin paused slightly, "Uh...I don't know if you remember...I dropped that journal..."

The man smiled. "I remember."

"So...umm...you work there? When did you start?" Lin asked again.

"I just started recently, but it's more of a part time job."

"Ah..."

They walked in silence for a couple of more minutes. "This is nice," the man said and stretched his arms up over his head. "Although...A storm is coming," he stated then pointed in the direction of some dark clouds that were slowly growing bigger in the distance.

Lin nodded, but kept her eyes on the man. She couldn't believe that she had not noticed the quiver full of arrows nor the gigantic bow slung over one of his shoulders until now.

"You know, they say that in lightning storms a battle is being fought between–" He stopped when he noticed Lin was staring warily at him, or more specifically, at his weapons. "Oh! These...ah ha ha...that important place I was headed to before we met..." He paused and lifted the bow over his shoulder and held it out to Lin. "I was about to go to practice."

Lin hesitated to take it; the bow was beautifully bent and carved out of what looked like ivory with intricate details along the shaft. Silvery designs swirled all around it that almost resembled some sort of runes. "Archery practice?" Lin asked and gently grasped the bow with her hands. It was smooth to the touch and lighter than she had expected. "It's so light...I thought it would be heavier."

The young man smiled. "Or, you are stronger than you think."

Lin blushed and handed the weapon back to him. Just then a bolt of lightning lit up the darkening sky.

"Well, I suppose we should hurry and get to the store before we are rained on."

Lin nodded and they picked up their pace a bit. "Do you always wear...uhm...such nice suits to practice?"

"Hmm...what do you mean? This is what I usually wear."

"To practice?"

"Yes, to practice, to lunch, to dinner, on a stroll...I wear this all the time, well not this exact outfit, but similar ones like it. Why? Is there something wrong with that?"

"Oh, no! It's just, I didn't think you would wear something like that to practice a sport, I guess..."

He smirked and leaned in closer to her. "Well...I do change into something more appropriate when I am actually shooting."

Lin felt her face flush red hot when he got near. "Umm...Well, it looks like we are here!" Lin almost yelled while she motioned her arms in a wide gesture to show off the store's building. She heard the man give out a small short laugh, as he watched her flap her arms up and down like a bird.

"I see. Well, I guess this means good bye." He paused and smiled. "At least for today..."

Lin nodded and tried her best not to completely turn red. "Yeah, I guess...umm...see you around," that said, Lin turned and darted into the store without glancing back.