Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ An Angel's Remains ❯ Chapter 2

She sat up in bed slowly, rubbing the sleep from her eyes so that she could read the clock that sat beside her bed. It was three in the morning, way earlier than she usually woke. The dream she'd been having was far, far different from her usual. She could easily have described it as erotic. She threw off her covers and went to her desk, keeping the perfect form of the angel she'd dreamed about in her mind. In her dream they'd begun as foes, but somehow ended up being drawn to one another. He wasn't just an angel, he was a fallen angel, one who walked among demons. She turned on her small desk light and sat down, grabbing several sheets of paper from her printer. Her pencil flew as she drew several quick sketches. She glanced over at Jenny just once, when her roommate started to stir. She didn't have any need to worry though, Jenny was a deep sleeper and quickly settled down again, wrapping the blankets tighter around herself.

 

She returned to the first sketch when she was done with basic outlines. It showed him as he held a fiery sword. Under the picture she wrote before she could forget, “Sabin and his sword Ashe.” She hardly ever remembered names but she wasn't really surprised that she remembered HIS. He had hair that was unusually colored for an angel, and even for a human. It was a deep red that brought to mind things like raspberries or even blood. It was unfortunate that she wasn't good at adding color to her sketches. She drew in the details of his incredible physique as well. He had the lean body and muscles of a fighter and he was taller than she was, or at least the person she dreamed of being. He had to be at least six feet tall. Myara's pencil lingered over the sketch before she forced herself to move on to the next.

 

The second sketch showed him with a glass of wine in his hands, leaning back in his chair. Just like the first sketch, he was wearing clothes that were normal for the angels. His long sleeved shirt fit his form precisely, giving an attacker nothing to grab onto. The only point at which it didn't cover his skin was the circular hole in the back, so that if he should manifest his wings, his clothing wouldn't tear. The only thing that wasn't normal about the clothes was that they were black. Black was a rare color for an angel to wear, at least so much of it. But perhaps it was meant to match his black wings. All fallen angels had black wings. She really liked the picture, Sabin had the look of a man getting ready to seduce someone.

 

The third showed him with silken sheets hanging around his waist, his upper body bare, his dark brown eyes full of promise. The scar she vaguely recalled having given him was visible across his right shoulder. It was still red, which she supposed meant it hadn't been long since that time.

 

The last sketch was one in which he slept peacefully, his arms strewn across the bed and the blankets tangled around him. His hair, somewhere in between short and medium length, was in complete disarray. As she drew in more details of his chamber, like the lute in the corner, she remembered the song he sang to her. It was in the strange language. She normally forgot what and how people had said things as soon as she woke up. This she remembered clearly. On the back of the paper she wrote down the words. It was awkward, because she knew that they weren't supposed to be written with English letters, but she rarely remembered the symbols she dreamed about. As soon as she finished writing the words down in phonetics she wrote down what she remembered them meaning, although her memory was already growing somewhat vague. At least she didn't forget the tune though. She went back to the sketches when she was done, concentrating on the small details. She fervently hoped she had more dreams like this one, though she thought that real relationships might be ruined for her now when she compared them to her dream relationship. Well, whether or not she had more dreams like it, she was going to make sure that she didn't forget this dream. She hardly noticed when Jenny's alarm went off at six.

 

Jenny got up and turned on the lights, rubbing her face.

 

“Good morning,” Myara greeted her. Since it was no longer necessary, she turned off her small desk light.

 

Jenny gave her a half awake. “Morning.” Then she disappeared into the bathroom. When she came out brushing her hair she asked, “Did you take a shower yet?”

 

Myara shook her head. “No, I really want to finish these drawings.”

 

Jenny came over and glanced over her shoulder. “What a hottie. Did you dream about him last night?”

 

Myara nodded faintly, shading in a couple of areas. “Yes, and I don't want to forget what he looked like.”

 

Jenny chuckled as she walked back to her own side of the room. “I wouldn't want to forget a face like that either.”

 

Myara finished some more details and looked up at the clock. She still had a little bit of time before she should take her own shower and get ready for class.

 

Jenny hurriedly finished getting ready and grabbed her bag. “If you're not planning on leaving yet, then I'm going ahead. I'll see you later Myara.” She opened the door and gave Myara a slight wave.

 

Myara barely glanced up. “Bye Jenny.” Once Jenny had gone she forced herself to put down the drawings and take a shower. She took a quick one and got ready faster than usual just so that she could get to class a couple minutes early and work on her drawings a little more. She had a history class first thing. She skipped breakfast and sat down in Mr. Loren's class about ten minutes before the actual start of class. She opened her notebook and sketched furiously. Mr. Loren seemed to realize she was focused on something and didn't bother her.

 

****

 

Leaving Mr. Loren's class to go to her geography class she was more than a little distracted. She held her notebook open in her hands, glancing at a couple of sketches. In an unusual fit of clumsiness she actually ran into someone coming around a corner and dropped her notebook , her morning's sketches falling out onto the floor. “Oh no.” She knelt to pick up her sketches quickly.

 

The stranger she'd bumped into knelt to help her. “I'm sorry.”

 

His voice sounded familiar for some reason. She glanced up. “No, I wasn't paying… attention.” She paused as she studied his features. She hardly noted that he was studying a couple of her drawings from that morning. She was too intent on staring at his face. He looked so familiar. She got to her feet even as he did.

 

He smiled as he handed her the drawings of Sabin in bed. She felt her cheeks flush as she put them in a neat pile. “Thank you. You're not a student are you? I've never seen you.”

 

He shook his head. “No, I'm just visiting to give a demonstration to Dalziel's advanced class. I didn't realize Sabin had been here recently. I'm sure he'd be flattered that he has a fan but I won't tell him, don't worry.”

 

Her heart fluttered slightly. “You know Sabin?” She looked at the drawings in her hands and then quickly put them away inside the pages of her notebook.

 

He shrugged. “He keeps mostly to himself but yes, we spar occasionally.”

 

She nodded and couldn't quite understand how she could have dreamed about someone who she didn't know. It was bizarre. She asked him. “Do you think Sabin will be here again sometime?”

 

He shrugged. “Hard to say. What did you say your name was?”

 

Myara offered him her hand. “My name is Myara Selwyn, but everyone calls me Myara.”

 

He took her hand, clasping it gently. “Nice to meet you. I'm Evan Arron.”

 

Myara remembered where she'd seen him before as she released his hand. In her dreams. He'd been one of her fellow students. She'd trained with him. It was a bit of a shock to realize. She nearly lost her grip on her notebook but she remembered she was holding it just in time. She pulled herself together. She hadn't dreamed about him for a long time. She could be just imagining that he looked similar to someone she'd dreamed about. His name hadn't been Evan Arron anyways, it had been something like Evan Aerionon. She didn't know how to ask him about something like that though. Even if he said his name was Aerionon at some point, it would only make things even more confusing. So she didn't say anything. “Well, maybe I'll see you later. I spar with Dalziel sometimes. Right now I really need to go to class.”

 

“Sure. Didn't mean to keep you.”

 

“Thanks, hope your demonstration goes well.” She slipped away and headed for class, her head full of questions.

 

***

 

Dalziel was waiting for her when she arrived at the practice hall. “There you are. I was afraid you might have forgotten our agreement.”

 

She smiled. “How could I? I've been looking forward to it.” She sat her bag down against the wall. She'd brought the two swords she practiced with along with a towel and some clean clothes in case she decided to shower here. She already wore a set of practice clothes under jacket and long-sleeved shirt. They were the usual type of dark, loose cotton pants and a form-fitting tank top. She asked him. “Do you mind if I warm up first?”

 

He motioned to the empty hall. “Feel free. I need to warm up a little bit myself.”

 

She smiled at him as she took off her shoes, her jacket, and her t-shirt, and left them by her bag. She did a few quick stretches before taking out the swords from her bag. She thought they were a beautiful pair. They were both the same size and made of a fairly light metal. They were made in an eastern style, longer than a wakizashi but shorter than a katana. Someone not used to them would have had a hard time adjusting to their length. The were generally referred to as double-blades as the Temple of Skye. They had no special name but she had chosen to use them since the first time she'd seen them in one of the temple's weapons displays. For some reason, she had known they would be perfect for her.

 

Dalziel was doing some complex katas on the other side of the room to warm up. Myara went to a clear area far from him to practice. She slipped into a state of concentration, her swords spinning around her. The blades moved with increasing speed until finally she came to sudden stop. She found that Dalziel had paused to watch.

 

“You do that very well. Those are your preferred weapons?”

 

She nodded and brushed back a small strand of hair that had fallen out of her ponytail. “Yeah. I practice with them whenever I can. Excuse me.” She walked back to her bag and put them away. When she stood and turned Dalziel was standing in front of her.

 

He offered a wooden practice blade. “This should be fine right?”

 

Myara nodded, taking it from his hands. “Yeah.”

 

***

 

Gasping for air, she sat up in bed. She groaned as her breath came back and clenched her arms against her chest, unable to forget the sensation of dozens of spears piercing her skin and filling her body with agony. She shivered and waited for the sensation to pass.

 

Jenny was still sleeping easily, snuggling in her thick blanket.

 

Myara laid back down slowly and looked at the clock. It was five already. She stared up at the ceiling. Sabin had been there at her side as she died, driving away the demons who had waited to trap her, too late to save her. He had held her, and cried. It felt so real. It still seemed strange. She could still feel the pain but it was a shadow of what it had been and continued to fade. She lifted her pajama top, leaning into the moonlight and looking for scars on her body, but there were none.

 

She climbed out of bed, her hands shaking. She wasn't sure she'd be able to draw but she wanted to draw that moment when her dream self died as she remembered seeing it. She had to try several starts and threw away a few papers. She had finally remembered the name that she was called in the dreams. She had been called Sabriel Alaranth, that was her birth name. However, the name she'd earned in the demon world was Esperia, the light in the dark.

 

She rubbed the back of her neck. Reliving the sensation of dying had made some of the things she dreamed about clearer, if they were just dreams. She was beginning to think there was more to the dreams but she couldn't imagine how.

 

She sketched with intense concentration as the shakiness left her. She drew herself as she remembered herself, as she imagined she must have looked, with spears piercing her body and Sabin holding her in his arms, trying to remove the spears to heal her in time, the demon bodies strewn about around them, the desperation in Sabin's eyes, the resignation in hers. She finished a rough sketch and then drew it exactly as she remembered seeing it, with Sabin leaning over her and the demons in her peripheral vision. Her pencil flew swiftly, with an urgency she rarely felt.

 

As usual, Jenny's alarm went off and she sleepily climbed out of bed. Jenny wasn't much of a talker in the morning anyways. After Jenny got in the shower Myara worked a minute longer and then forced herself to set the sketches aside. She dressed quickly and brushed her dark hair out before taking her homework and her sketchbooks and leaving early for class.

 

***

 

She sat down in Mr. Loren's class far before class started. He wasn't there yet but the door was unlocked when she slipped in. She sat down in the back and took out her drawing notebook. She had calmed down a lot since she woke up and was actually thinking of going back to the dining hall and grabbing something to eat. She glanced up when Mr. Loren entered the room.

 

He gave her a smile. “You're here quite early aren't you Myara?”

 

She returned his smile but knew she lacked her usual cheer. “I wanted to work on a few things.”

 

He sat a cup of coffee on his desk as he sat down. “Well, I hope you aren't on a deadline to get them done,” he chided gently.

 

“Don't worry Mr. Loren, I did my homework last night. This is personal.” Mr. Loren was the oldest of all her teachers. He looked like he'd seen many years and yet he was still as sharp as any of her other teachers, and still as spry. She asked him, “Mr. Loren, do you think that dreams can have meaning?”

 

He looked rather caught off guard by the question. “Of course. Dreams are very personal things that reveal a great deal of our subconscious. Is there any reason you ask?” Mr. Loren sipped his coffee, seeming undisturbed by her question.

 

“Not really, I just had a strange dream last night. It was disturbing,” she told him.

 

He took out some papers and asked as he began looking over them with his red pen in his hand. “Would you like to talk about it?”

 

She twirled her pencil in her fingers a few times before telling him. “I dreamed that I died. But the dream didn't bother me nearly as much as the feeling that it really happened to me. I remember it in such great detail.”

 

Mr. Loren glanced up at her as if checking to make sure she was serious before saying, “Don't worry Myara. Dreaming that you died doesn't indicate that you're going to die any time soon, nor even that something horrible is going to happen to you soon. It's merely your subconscious trying to give you a message about something that`s very important to you.”

 

Myara nodded her agreement. She knew she wasn't going to die that way, it was just that she felt like she already had. “I'm sure you're probably right Mr. Loren.” She got back to her sketch and he returned to his papers but she still couldn't stop thinking about it.

 

***

 

Myara went to spar with Dalziel with one thought on her mind. She had to meet Sabin. She needed to know if he was the same person she dreamed about and she had to know why. She dropped her bag at the edge of the practice hall and found Dalziel already warming up. She began her own stretches and asked him. “Dalziel, you have a friend named Sabin don't you?”

 

“Sure. He comes here sometimes to do demonstrations. Did one of the advanced students tell you about him?” he asked.

 

Myara didn't want to lie to him but the truth was too strange. “I heard he was a great swordsman. Do you know if he's going to come soon? I'd like to see for myself, and see if he wants to match against my double blades.”

 

“I could see if he's interested in coming to do a demonstration, and spar with you perhaps. Nobody beats him though, just so you know. He is the best. He may not even agree to spar with you. He is rarely willing to spar with students.”

 

“I understand.” She and Dalziel got to their practice and ended it a little early. Myara left before the students for the junior martial arts team could arrive and went back to her room to shower rather than showering in the locker room. Jenny had mentioned that morning that she was going to go hang out with some guy from her computer class, so she wouldn't be in their room. It was a chance for Myara to be alone and think things over.

 

***

 

She woke slowly from a dream that was like a real dream, with a mixture of things from her real life and her dreams contributing to make the whole. She'd been having that sort of dream for the past week or so. She laid in bed later than usual. She remembered a little bit more of the language that they used in her dreams. She was starting to remember the small details more clearly. She waited a few more minutes and then got out of bed and wrote them down in her notebook, at the top of one of her pages, along with what she thought they meant. There was a long list of them now, as she remembered more and more of them. Dalziel had told her that Sabin would be coming to do a demonstration today, at last. She had hidden her excitement. Even if she dreamed about a real person in her strange dreams, it didn't mean that they had a relationship in real life. Although, maybe it meant that they would eventually or that it was possible they would. She didn't know but she wanted to find out.

 

***

 

“Tirsten, you've got to agree on this one. I want to recruit her now, before any demons start noticing her. I want her to have celestial protections in place,” Dalziel told him.

 

Tirsten sighed. “Well, I agree that she must be recruited Dalziel but you see, you aren't the only one who has expressed an interest in recruiting her.” Tirsten took out a folder and tossed it to him. “Aiden has been working with her on some artwork she created. You'll find it interesting. Go ahead and look.”

 

Dalziel opened the folder and looked through the sketches. He was surprised at the accuracy of the representations of the celestial city and the accuracy of the sketches of the demon world as well. “She drew these?”

 

Tirsten nodded. “Yes. She told Aiden she dreamed about these places. She must have some form of sight that allows her to see into the other worlds. I can't imagine how she would be able to create such accurate representations otherwise. She's going to have to be recruited carefully. It might be best to let Aiden talk to her first. He can take her to Ivory Hall and get her initiated.”

 

“Are you going to do it today?” Dalziel asked.

 

“Yes, Aiden is eager to do it soon. She's going to be called to Ivory Hall this morning at the start of class and Aiden will meet her there.” Tirsten sat back against the padded leather back of his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. It was as if he were daring Dalziel to find something wrong with his decision.

 

Dalziel had no choice but to give in. “Okay. Tell him not to take too long with her. Sabin is coming to do a demonstration today and I told her she could meet him. She wanted to spar with him.”

 

Tirsten chuckled. “She has some high aspirations if she hopes to beat Sabin.”

 

Dalziel had to smile. “I must agree. But she is good, exceptionally so for a human. I wonder if those dreams of hers have something to do with it.”

 

Tirsten shrugged. “Perhaps, just be careful what you say to her. We usually don't tell our recruits that we're celestials, merely that we fight demons. Aidan has been instructed very carefully in this matter, as well. She isn't to know about us yet.”

 

Dalziel nodded. “I understand.”

 

***

 

The bell for class had barely begun when the dean's voice came over the speakers. “Myara Selwyn, please report to Ivory Hall.” Myara couldn't imagine what she was being called to Ivory Hall for. She looked up at Mr. Loren.

 

He gave her a small smile and told her. “Congratulations Myara. Students only get called to Ivory Hall when they've demonstrated exceptional behavior.” His words eased her worry and she got to her feet and collected her books. She felt her cheeks flush as everyone stared at her and waved to the students that were her friends before leaving. Everyone knew where Ivory Hall was. Like Ebony Hall, it was off limits to most students.

 

She stood in front of the hall, hesitating in front of the heavy wooden doors. They opened before she could open them herself and Mr. Halley stood there. She was surprised to see him there. “Mr. Halley?”

 

He smiled at her and motioned for her to come inside. “Come on in Myara.” She stepped through the doors and Mr. Halley closed them behind her.

 

She looked about with wide eyes, her jaw slackening. It was a beautiful building, the internal architecture and the scrollwork made her feel like she was in a dream. She finished looking around and turned back to Mr. Halley.

 

“I'm sure you're wondering why you're here. Well, your drawings have brought our attention to you. Combined with your exceptional fighting skills they make you a perfect candidate.”

 

“A perfect candidate for what?” she asked.

 

He headed down a hall, motioning for her to follow. “Myara, I'm aware that you're a follower of the Temple of Skye. That being so, you believe that demons exist, and that their power can be countered with celestial power, right?” She nodded.

 

“Yes, of course,” she told him.

 

He went on as they turned down a smaller hallway. “Well, at this school, we recruit people to do just that. To fight demons.” He paused and turned to look at her.

 

“You're serious?” she asked.

 

He nodded. “Yes. This building is where we have our special classes, for those who we've recruited.”

 

Myara asked him, “So you're going to want me to take my classes here now? What if I said I didn't want to? What would you do?”

 

Mr. Halley sighed. “We get that question pretty often. You don't have to join, but if you said no, I'd have to make you forget this conversation. If you change your mind at any point, that's the only repercussion. And really, if you accept, not much will change right away. You'll only need to take one class here, and you'd switch to Dalziel's advanced bladefighting class. Unfortunately, my class may need to be replaced to work your schedule out but we can talk about that later. So, are you willing? Or would you rather forget?”

 

“No, I don't want to forget.” She told him. She definitely didn't want to forget. It was too similar to her dreams. It had to mean something.

 

He looked relieved. “Good. Since you've decided to accept we're going to have to give you some sort of protection against demons, since otherwise you could be corrupted by them as easily as anyone else while in training. Will you be willing to let us place a celestial mark on your body? It will be necessary for your training.”

 

She wasn't all too keen on that idea and she asked him, “How big a mark?”

 

“Not that big. You don't have to accept of course, but if you don't we'll have to keep a closer eye on you and you may not be able to participate in some training activities just yet. Is there a question of you believing whether or not demons exist?”

 

“No, I believe. I'll do it. I just don't want it someplace where my parents will see it. Most people don't believe in this sort of thing and that includes them.”

 

Mr. Halley smiled. “I understand. Don't worry, it's easily hidden.”

 

***

 

Myara left Ivory Hall with just enough time to make it to the practice hall for the beginning of one of Dalziel's advanced classes. She had expected her back to be sore but apparently a celestial mark didn't hurt the way a tattoo was supposed to. It was a silvery circle with a swirling design on the inside. She'd asked Mr. Halley what it was exactly and he'd told her it was like “a mini gate” that drew just a trickle of power from a source in the celestial world. Supposedly, the longer she had it the stronger the tie would grow and the more power she would be able to draw through it.

 

She hadn't had enough time to change out of her uniform after she left Ivory Hall but she'd had time to collect her gear. She now knew one of the reasons she hadn't been allowed into the advanced class earlier, and the senior bladefighting team. All the students there were already initiated into the ranks of demon fighters.

 

Myara hurried as much as she could. Sabin was giving his demonstration in both the advanced and beginner classes but the beginning and intermediate classes had already passed. Myara had been told she would be switched to the advanced class soon so it was all right for her to go to a later class. She saw Sabin standing across the room as she entered and felt her heart stop. He was really the type of person who stood out, what with his hair. It was exactly the same. She realized she was staring and quickly looked away. “It was just a dream.” She told herself. It was hard to convince herself of that though, when he was standing right there, so obviously the same person.

 

She placed her bag by the door just as she did when she came to spar with Dalziel. Jason, the student she'd fought with at the tryouts, joined her.

 

He smiled in a friendly manner. “Hey, I wondered how long it'd be till you joined us.” He offered her a hand. “Congratulations.”

 

She wasn't sure what he meant at first and stared at him blankly, her mind still totally focused on Sabin, despite trying not to look at him.

 

He raised a brow.

 

His words penetrated and she took his hand and laughed nervously. “Oh yeah, thanks.” She released his hand and brushed back a strand of hair that had fallen from her ponytail. “I guess I'm a little out of it today. I'd better go let Dalziel know I'm here.”

 

Jason smiled and looked amused at her behavior. “I think he already does,” He told her, motioning to Dalziel, who was walking toward them. He added. “Everyone is a little out of it their first day.”

 

Dalziel joined them. “I was wondering if they'd get you out of there on time or not. I see you've already started to get yourself introduced to everyone. You'll have more time for that later. Why don't you go and get changed while everyone warms up and then we'll get Sabin's demonstration started.”

 

Myara nodded and picked up her bag. “Of course, I'll hurry.” She went into the girl's locker room and quickly and changed out of her uniform. She carried her double blades out with her as well, in the hope that Dalziel would let her practice against Sabin. As soon as he saw her come out they got the demonstration started. Sabin, introduced as Mr. Pierce, showed them several complicated kata's and then he and Dalziel sparred. He was the same, exactly, as her dream. He was using a wooden practice blade with Dalziel, but he still had that graceful way of sidestepping his opponents attacks, no matter how quick.

 

“Do you suppose he dyes his hair?” Someone whispered.

 

Myara couldn't see who'd spoken, and she didn't hear a response. She was sure he didn't. She turned her attention back to the sparring match. Sabin and Dalziel eventually broke off with neither actually winning the match. The students applauded and Dalziel looked at the clock on the wall. They didn't have much time left until the bell rang.

 

“All right, you can all go change and head out.” He told them. The class, mostly boys but a few girls, headed for the locker rooms. They hadn't done much so showering wouldn't be necessary.

 

Myara didn't follow the others but walked up to where Dalziel and Sabin were chatting amiably. She had her swords clenched in her fist.

 

Dalziel smiled at her as he noticed her approach. “This is my sparring partner at the moment,” he told Sabin.

 

Sabin looked over Myara with only mild interest. “Nice to meet you,” he told her, but his voice was cool.

 

She gave him a friendly smile, forcing her mixed emotions to remain hidden. “You too. Dalziel told me you don't like to spar with students. Is there any way you could make an exception?”

 

Sabin looked at Dalziel.

 

He smiled and told Sabin, “She might surprise you. She's not bad at all.”

 

Sabin studied her and then motioned to the far side of the practice hall. “We'll see then.” Myara followed him as he unsheathed his sword, noticing that it wasn't Ashe, the one from her dream.

 

“Not using your usual sword?” she asked him, testing.

 

He looked surprised as he glanced back at her. “No actually, how did you know?”

 

She managed to smile and shrug. “Lucky guess. That one doesn`t suit you.” She unsheathed the doubled blades and tossed the sheaths to the side, feeling even more confused. But that wasn't a good feeling to have before a match, so she tried to push it aside.

 

Dalziel came to judge them and as he dropped his hand they began.

 

Myara didn't fall into her usual meditative daze. Her heart was beating faster than ever and she was feeling things she`d half forgotten that she felt in her dreams. She had fought him there so many times before. They spun in graceful circles around each other and Myara felt almost whole in a way she couldn't have described, as if the reality of her dreams was merging into real life. Was she just going crazy? She avoided locking even one sword with his. He had been fast enough in the past that he could lock one of her swords with his and grab the wrist of her other arm. Then he'd just shove her over. She knew when he was going to win. She felt his sword tip at her neck and froze, her swords halting. She was breathing hard and he was giving her the strangest look. She could only wonder what he was thinking. She didn't dare say anything.

 

“You yield?” asked Sabin.

 

“Yes, I yield.”

 

He lowered his sword. “You were right. She did surprise me a little,” he told Dalziel, who was watching from the side. Then he turned to Myara. “For a student, you're not bad.”

 

She smiled but felt confused still. “Thanks.” The bell for the next class had already rung, while they were sparring. Myara didn't even noticed until she looked at the clock hanging on the wall.

 

Dalziel saw her glance up and told her, “Don't worry Myara, you'll be getting a new schedule tomorrow anyways. Most students take their first day as an initiate to think about the things they've discovered.”

 

Sabin looked surprised. “First day?”

 

Dalziel nodded proudly. “Yeah. She's been sparring with me since the first week she got here though.”

 

Sabin looked over Myara more carefully. “How old are you?”

 

“I'm 19. I've been practicing most of my life though.”

 

Sabin smiled faintly, as if amused. She wondered if it he was a celestial like in her dreams. That would explain his amusement at her remark. If her dreams were true at all, then that was possible. “Most people don't get that good just by practicing most of their life. You must be a natural.”

 

“That must be it,” she told him, not knowing what else to say.

 

He turned to Dalziel. “Well, it's been fun but I should be going home. I have some things to do.”

Sabin went to get the sheath to his sword.

 

Myara picked up her own sheaths and slid her blades into place, but as she watched Sabin she wondered if this would be the last time she saw him unless she said something to him. If he went off to the celestial world and didn't come back she'd never find out if anything she saw about him was true. If that was even possible… She was slightly skeptical of her dreams still but so far, everything in them seemed to have some truth to it.

 

“I'll see you around Dalziel,” Sabin said, heading for the door.

 

Dalziel waved. “Later.”

 

Myara couldn't decide what to say to him, if anything. She finally made up her mind at the very moment he reached the door. “Wait Sabin!”

 

He paused and turned, looking back at her.

 

She ran up to him and leaned close, whispering with a giant leap of faith, “If there's someone you're missing, you might want to take a look around... in the human world. You might find something interesting.” She didn't want to see him look at her like she was crazy, nor did she want to answer his questions if she wasn't, so she slipped out of the practice hall without bothering to collect her bag. That person she dreamed about… she was already dead wasn't she? Were they somehow Myara's own memories?

 

***

 

He simply watched her go, startled by her words. They were too well timed. But she couldn't have known what he was thinking, nor why he was so eager to leave. She had reminded him of Sabriel, every move she had made in their match had been exactly the same. It was like he was taken back a century. It was painful. For a moment he'd even felt as though Sabriel were there, her aura shining through as the blades flashed between the two of them. He had not wanted the match to end, he'd wanted that moment to last forever. Was she trying to say that Sabriel would or had already returned somewhere? If that girl knew her, or had trained with her, then it might explain her skill and her style. He hardly even noticed Dalziel come up behind so he was surprised when Dalziel rested a hand on his shoulder.

 

“You all right Sabin? You look like she just kicked you and you were surprised that it hurt.”

 

He took a deep breath. “That's what I feel like too. She just surprised me. She reminded me of someone just now and I think that maybe she knows it.”

 

“She is very unusual. Did you notice her aura, when you were fighting? For a time, it looked like she was a celestial. I'll have to report it to Tirsten. He's told us to be careful with her, since she has dreams that have shown her the celestial and demon worlds. She might just realize we aren't human ourselves.”

 

“Oh, I think she already knows.”

 

Dalziel dropped his hand from Sabin's shoulder. “What makes you say that?”

 

Sabin shook his head. “It's personal and I'd like to keep it that way. I think I might stay for a while Dalziel. Do you think Tirsten could make room for me?”

 

Dalziel looked surprised by his request but said, “I'm sure that if you ask him he'll do what he can.”