Dear Mama,

    I have just received news that you entered town. But be careful, a man called Jaxon Pilkar is looking for the Sword of Sun and it will be dangerous for you to be in Sun Village. But I know how you are frightened by nothing and will probably come anyway. Please be careful.

    With love and respect,

                            -your dearest Lea-

    Raina and Xander ran for what seemed like hours, until they were out of the woods. Raina had to sit down on a rock because she was so weary. 

    Raina still had the glowing Sword of Sun clutched in her hands. Xander wasn't wounded, but he felt dizzy and sat down. Raina sat beside him and stared at the sword. "Xander," she said. "Mother Sun said that your family wanted the sword. Is that true?"

    "No. Don't you trust me, Raina?" Xander asked, staring at her. 

    "I-I can't be sure. Why did you come with me if you 

weren't after the sword? Why would you help me?"

    Xander smiled. But then he turned away and whispered, "You wouldn't understand, Raina, how I feel everytime I saw you in the morning, walking down to Evangeline's shop."

    "First of all, what is that supposed to mean?" Raina asked suspiciously. "Second of all, that is kind of creepy, watching someone like that."

    "It was the only time you ever came down from your home in the mountain."

    Xander turned back to her and placed his hand on her hand that still grasped the Sword of Sun. "You can call 

me creepy, crazy, whatever you want. But I would only describe myself as a boy in love."

    Then, suddenly, Xander kissed her and his hand pulled the Sword of Sun out of her's. Raina was so surprised, but was filled with a strange happiness.

    She regained her senses and pulled herself away from Xander. Then she realized that the Sword of Sun was no longer in her hands. Xander had taken it during the kiss and now wielded it.

    Raina stood up and saw that his eyes were filled with pain as he pointed the sword at her. "Stay back Raina," he said slowly. "Please."

    Raina was too angry to respond. She closed her eyes and a long spear suddenly sprung into her hand. Xander's eyes widened as he said, "So you are a witch."

    "No. I am a sorceress," Raina said as she lunged for Xander, throwing the spear right at his head. "You lied to me!"

    "I had a job to do!" Xander protested as he dodged the spear. "But I swear, everything I said about loving you was true."

    "Hah! Really? Your stupid lover-boy tricks can't fool me now!" Raina made a long sword and they began fighting like they had on the mountain ledge. Raina was

a much better fighter because of her powers and easily beat Xander till he was lying on the ground with the Sword of Sun still in his hands.

    Raina picked it up and was about to finish him off once she stopped. She remembered how quickly she had slain the guards at Evie's shop. And how Evie had told her to stop. She was just a monster, killing people who were just doing their jobs. Xander grabbed his sword from its sheath and sliced Raina's leg, right where Captain Komani had cut her before. Raina screamed out in pain as she slashed Xander's arm with the sword. She crumpled to the ground and Xander rushed to her side.

    Raina felt him pick her up before she blacked out.

    Raina awoke tied to a chair. There were three figures standing before her. One was an older man with spectacles. The next was a woman with dark hair. And the third was Xander, failing to meet her eyes. "Xander what have you done!" she yelled, tears staining her eyes.

    She was surprised by a hard whack on the back of her head. Another man walked up from behind her. Captain Komani smirked and said, "Well, Raina, now that you are awake, you will confess that you are a witch and your powers were inherited by your mother."

    "I am a sorceress," Raina spat. "And I could easily kill

you all right now!"

    "Not unless the Sword of Sun has been destroyed," the man, whom Raina had guessed to be Xander's father, Jaxon Pilkar, said. "Which it has."

    Those words hit Raina with the force of a thousand lightning bolts. She, and all of her friends back in the woods, whom she had betrayed, were all powerless now. "I can still defeat you," she said, not letting her fear show.

    Jaxon sighed and left the room with his wife. Captain Komani gave Raina a withering glare, then left as well. "I am sorry that I cut your leg," Xander said after a long pause. "I never meant to hurt you."

    Raina raised her head and didn't respond. But a soft spot in her stony figure urged her to ask the question that was glued to her mind. "That kiss. . ." she started, then trailed off. "Did you mean it?"

    Xander got down in front of her and said, "Yes. I admit that I was told to befriend you and follow you by my father and Captain Komani. But, as a little boy, I always wondered who the strange family in the mountain were. And after your parents died I tried to force myself to go up there and talk with you, but I couldn't do it. So I joined Komani's forces once he arrived here-"

    "So that you could see me?" Raina finished.