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[Jonahs]

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Jonahs skipped merrily down the shore watching his reflection in the water and playing tag with the tide as it gently rolled up the beach. He was happy.. and why shouldn't he be? Life for him is a grand adventure, as it should be for all children. My thoughts were far away from there, or I would have seen or sensed what was about to happen.

With all the force of a child at play, Jonahs ran full speed into a wall and staggering backwards sat down hard in the sand. The tears began to well up immediately and grabbing his head in his hands Jonahs began rocking back and forth, sobbing.

Using magic, I quickly stopped the swelling while making the bruise and bump go away. "There.. there.. my boy. It was only a bump on the head.. you'll be fine in a moment." I said to him as soothingly as I could.

Wiping the tears from the his eyes with the back of his hand, Jonahs gently probed the spot on his head where the remembered pain was. Taking a deep, shuddering breath he got to his knees and began looking around. "What was that?" he asked, his voice full of hurt and confusion.

"It appears to be a magical barrier of some kind. Simple, yet eligant in it's design. I don't think it was meant to be permenant, since I can see it weakening even now." I replied absently, as I studied the barrier.

Jonahs, stood up and cautiously moved forward, groping for it with his hands before him. As his hand touched it he jumped back in anticipation of the attack that didn't come. Then stepping up and gently placing his palms against the wall, began running his hands out in all directions. Quickly finding the edges, he traced the peremeter of the box then asked, "Why is it here?".

"There appears to be something drawn there in the sand.. I think it" I started to answer.

"Oh! It's a map!" He interupted me, "But it's upside down". After tilting his head this way and that while craning his neck, he finally turned over into a handstand resting his legs against the barrier. "There that's better! Hey, I've been there.. and there.. and there too! That's Britain, and that's Yew, and that's Trinsic, and.. What are those letters for?".

Looking over the map in the light of the setting sun I commited it to memory. And pondering the letters and their placement on the map, "Good question Jonahs. One that demands our immediate attention, I think."

"An adventure?! Where do we start?!" He exclaimed, pushing himself off the barrier with a flip onto his feet.

"To the north.. the swamps and Britain beyond." I answered absently, my thoughts already roaming the lands beyond our sight.

Jonahs turned and began running along the shore toward the bridge back into the city, all thoughts of magical barriers already replaced with the sights and sounds of the new adventure that lay ahead. "Do you think we'll see the pretty lady again?" he asked, lightly panting.

"Perhaps...".

Laughing, he sprinted across the bridge, dove into a shadow, and was gone.