Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ An Angel's Remains ❯ Chapter 4

Dalziel waited until the students had all left the training hall to talk to Sabin. “So, it seemed like she had more than a flash of celestial power that time.”

 

Sabin replied, “I wasn't sure you noticed, since you were working with the other students.”

 

Dalziel told him, “You don't miss something like that. So was she shifting power into her blades. It seemed like she must have, the way that you cut part through her sword without shattering it.”

 

Sabin nodded. “Yeah, she was doing it a little, though I don't think she realized it. I'm just wondering how she figured to do that all of a sudden, and where all that power came from. She shouldn't be able to draw that much power through the celestial mark that the students get, not even if she was able to fully activate it.”

 

Dalziel shrugged. “I really don't know Sabin. I guess she's just different. You don't seem to mind though.”

 

“She's really full of herself. She's like someone I used to know except not quite as mature.”

 

Dalziel chuckled. “Well, she is only nineteen. You're what, several centuries older than that?”

 

Sabin smiled faintly. “I guess you're right. And she's human too. I should try and remind myself of that.”

 

Dalziel nodded, his expression becoming serious. “Remind yourself as often as you need to. You wouldn't want to like her too much. Their lives are so short after all. Even our students will only live an extra fifty years at most.” Dalziel paused and then asked curiously. “Were you close to the person that she reminds you of?”

 

Sabin didn't respond at first but then he nodded his head, looking at the floor as if he weren't really seeing it. “Yes, very close. We were rivals and well… very close.” He didn't want to go into detail about his relationship and Dalziel seemed to understand.

 

“I see. Well, just try to remember. I find her extremely likeable as well, if it makes you feel better.”

 

Sabin told him defensively. “It's not that I like her. It's like I said, she reminds me of someone else.”

 

Dalziel gave him a searching look, as if he had doubts. “If that's all it is then I won't say anything more about the matter.”

 

***

 

Myara walked through the main doors to the library in Ivory Hall. It was impossible not to be impressed by its size. He classmates were fairly quiet as they entered the room. Myara noticed there were quite a few people there that she didn't recognize. Some of them looked like students, but some looked too old for that so Myara supposed they must be some of the other teachers that she hadn't met yet. The students began to disperse, most of them heading for a section of the library that must have been meant for students. Myara headed in the same direction as Greg and his friends, since she got along well with them.

 

Mr. Karith stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. “Just a second Myara.”

 

Myara paused, caught of guard by the request. “Yes?” She asked.

 

He waited until the other students passed by and then said. “I'd like to work with you on your skills with the language today. I want to test you a bit, if you don't mind. I want to see how quickly you can pick things up.”

 

Myara smiled even though she wondered what he was up to. “Sure.”

 

He turned her toward the opposite side of the room. “There are testing rooms this way.”

 

Myara walked beside him toward the testing room. She wasn't exactly what he meant by that but she wasn't sure she should ask. As they walked behind some shelves she asked, “Testing rooms?”

 

He glanced over at her and told her matter of factly, “They're for the quarterly and semester tests. Students aren't allowed to use them without permission so there should be one that's empty.”

 

She didn't really know what he was talking about, since she didn't know what they did for the quarterly and semester tests, but she nodded anyways. “I see,” she replied softly.

 

She hadn't really been sure what she'd do today, so she'd brought her notebook to study from. Mr. Karith opened a door along the back wall of the library. She clutched her notebook in her arms as they entered the dark room. Mr. Karith flipped on a light. The testing room looked little used, with cobwebs scattered in the corners here and there. She didn't hear a single noise coming from the rooms on either side of the one Mr. Karith had seemed to choose randomly. There was a table to one side of the room and the rest of the room was empty except for a few boxes.

 

Mr. Karith turned on the lights and said. “Come sit with me. If you'd like, you can write things down as we go, so you'll remember later.” He had a folder with him and he took it and sat it down in front of one of the seats as he walked around the table.

 

Myara joined him, sitting at the chair next to his and opening up her notebook. The first page of notes was the invocations that she'd learned from the book. She turned to an empty page.

 

Mr. Karith leaned forward, resting his arms on the table. “I wanted to start with some basics first. Some greetings and things like that. I thought it might be safer than invocations. And they should be easy for you, considering what you told me.”

 

Myara wondered if he was testing her because he thought she was lieing. She supposed it was possible, and she couldn't blame him for wanting to look into the matter further. “Sure.” She told him.

 

“Good. Then let's get started.”

 

At first Myara was actually a little bit worried that she might disappoint him but she recognized all of the greetings. She could remember Sabriel using them countless times. It was a relief to know that even though she couldn't call up those things from her dreams on her own, they stayed with her. She repeated all the greetings to him and it was like every time she said one, she remembered a different way to say it. “Do you mind writing those down in celestial for me. I want to remember how to write them too.”

 

Mr. Karith told her. “I made a list ahead of time actually. Before I give it to you though, can you repeat all those greetings to me.”

 

Myara nodded and started going through all the different greetings, goodbye's and pleasantries he'd told her. It really wasn't that much. She said all the ones she could remember.

 

“It seems like you remembered a couple that I didn't teach you, and you said them right too.”

 

Myara smiled at him. “Yeah, I think I did. That's good though, don't you think?”

 

“I suppose it proves you really do have memories of these things.” He opened the folder and took a paper from it. “Please treat that the same way you would any other information from your special classes, even though it's just greetings. And I would prefer that you don`t share it with your classmates. There are people who wouldn`t approve.”

 

Myara took the list from him and looked over it, studying the symbols closely. “I'll keep it to myself Mr. Karith. Thank you.” She lowered the paper onto her notebook. “Would you mind teaching me more? I want to remember everything clearly. I think remembering the language will help.”

 

Mr. Karith said. “Sure. We could keep working today but after this we're going to have to schedule something different. If we don't, the other students are going to start inventing stories about why we're spending so much time together. I would prefer not to be faced with those kinds of questions, since you've made me promise not to answer.”

 

Myara studied his face but he didn't seem to be blaming her for putting him in an awkward position. He was just saying it. “I have plenty of time after class.”

 

He accepted her answer and replied thoughtfully. “So I guess we could schedule something for after classes or early evening. I don't have any sponsor duties this year so my schedule is fairly open.”

 

Myara told him. “I don't think I'll always be done with my bladefighting class when the bell rings at the end of the day, so it might be better not to schedule anything for right after class. Maybe a half an hour after class ends? Before dinner?”

 

“That's fine. How about we start out with just Monday and Wednesdays after class. Every day seems a little excessive.”

 

Myara supposed she should probably agree. She did have other classes to work on besides this one and her bladefighting class. “That sounds good. I appreciate your willingness to help me Mr. Karith.”

 

He told her. “No problem. You should probably join your classmates now. Tell them you were looking around and went to the restroom or something. Don't tell them about this conversation at all.”

 

Myara nodded. “I'll do exactly as you say Mr. Karith. Don't worry. I won't get you into trouble.” She got to her feet and closed her notebook on the paper, picking it up. “I'll see you in class on Monday.” She left him there and joined the other students, taking a seat next to Michelle and asking her softly what sorts of things the students worked on in the library.

 

***

 

She walked out to the garden on the school grounds, even though the air was cool. She hadn't been making much time for her art work lately, which was regretable, so here she was. She figured a Sunday afternoon was a good time for it. She was pleased not to hear the sound of noisy students coming from the gazebo so she went there. She realized someone else was there and paused on the steps. As she looked closer she realized it was just Mr. Halley, so she continued.

 

He looked up as she came into the gazebo. “Myara, good to see you. Did you come here for a particular reason or just coincidence?”

 

Myara told him. “Just coincidence. I've been a little busy lately so I haven't had much time to draw.”

 

Mr. Halley gave her a sympathetic smile. “That's too bad. Maybe you could come to the art club meetings and practice there. I'd be glad to teach you some ways to put your drawings into color.”

 

Myara took a seat by him. “I think I'd enjoy that. You meet on Tuesday and Thursday at six right? Didn't you tell me that before?”

 

Mr. Halley nodded. “That's right. Any time you want to you can come, even if you just want to stop by once. I don't have a problem with that. So how do you like your new classes?”

 

Myara told him. “Well, I'm the assistant instructor in the advanced bladefighting class now. The other class isn't proving to be much of a challenge at the moment.”

 

Mr. Halley turned his attention to his own sketch pad. “I'm sure it will get much more difficult the longer you do it.” He told her.

 

Myara opened her own notebook and flipped through the pages. “It would be interesting if it did. I think I'm looking forward to that happening.”

 

Mr. Halley glanced up at her briefly and seemed concerned. “It might be different facing demons in real life. Things probably won't go as smoothly as they do when you dream about it. You really should study hard.”

 

Myara smiled and tried to reassure him. “Don't worry Mr. Halley. I know I need to prepare before I try to take on any demons. I'm really working very hard.”

 

He seemed to relax a little. “Well that's good. I just worry about you since you don't seem to have the fear or anxieties that most students have.”

 

“I just think that I have some insights they don't have Mr. Halley. It's not that I'm fearless or anything.”

 

Mr. Halley glanced at the notebook she had open. “Dreams aren't the same as the real thing, even if what you're seeing is like the real thing.”

 

Myara glanced at the drawing. He would be right, if she didn't know that the dreams she'd had were someone's memories, probably her own. Either way, they were a part of her. She didn't really know what to say to him. After a moment of silence he said. “I'm not trying to scold or anything. I just don't want you to be unprepared.”

 

Myara shrugged and sketched a couple of lines. “It's all right Mr. Halley. I think maybe I will stop by the art club sometime. I'll bring some sketches with me.”

 

Mr. Halley smiled and allowed her to change the topic. “All right. That sounds good.”

 

***

 

Myara was actually glad to get back to classes on Monday. She wanted to learn more about the celestial language, and about the celestials themselves. She wanted to feel like there weren't pieces of her missing.

 

She spent her special class going through her workbook with renewed vigor. She finished the second and third section of invocations. They were more simple ones, mainly for protection. Myara wrote them down in her notebook to make sure she memorized them later and finished as the bell was ringing. The book had about fifteen sections all together. She wondered if she could get through them in a couple of weeks and remember all the invocations and symbols in them. It would be interesting to see. Of course, she could only work on them in class, but at least outside of class she was going to be able to work on the celestial language with Mr. Karith a couple of days a week.

 

Her bladefighting class with Dalziel and Sabin went well, even though it wasn't a sparring day, so she didn't get to fight with Sabin or Dalziel. Jason and Kavan listened to her, which was nice, but there were several other older students who seemed to have decided she was a serious rival. She supposed she couldn't have expected things to go too smoothly. After class she showered and hurried back to Ivory Hall to meet with Mr. Karith.

 

He was waiting in their class room already, working at something on his desk. He looked up when she came in. “I was wondering if you'd remember.” He commented.

 

Myara scolded slightly. “I wouldn't forget an arrangement like that.”

 

Mr. Karith motioned a spot beside his desk. “Grab a chair and we'll get started.”

 

Myara took a chair from the first row and brought it up beside his desk.

 

He cleared away the papers he'd been working on and took out a folder. “I thought we'd work on some basic sentence structures and some words for things to do with school and studying. But first we should review the things you learned on Friday.”

 

Myara nodded. They went over the things he'd already taught to her. Then he moved on to the next lesson. Myara stayed with him, practicing for about an hour. She was really enjoying herself. It seemed like she was remembering quickly. She wondered if Mr. Karith thought so too.

 

He looked at the clock after they'd been working for some time. “Seems like we're about done.” He closed the folder that he'd been using to hold his printouts.

 

Myara looked up at the clock too, feeling a little bit disappointed. She looked down at the papers Mr. Karith had given her, with the items they'd studied all written out and translated. It looked like a lot but there were still so many things to learn.

 

Mr. Karith told her, “From now on, when you come in to study with me, try to talk in celestial. It should get easier as you learn more vocabulary.”

 

Myara nodded and gathered up all the papers in front of her, sighing as she glanced at the clock. “Okay Mr. Karith. I'll try that.”

 

He smiled, seeming to sense her disappointment. He told her encouragingly, “We'll work more on Wednesday.”

 

She got to her feet and picked up her notebook and the papers he'd given her. “All right. I'll see you tomorrow in class Mr. Karith.”

 

He nodded and took out whatever it was he'd been working on before she came.

 

She left him to his work, glancing back at him as she left. He was already absorbed in it, so he didn't even seem to notice when she left.

 

***

 

Myara opened the door to her dorm room and then stepped in and closed it quickly.

 

Jenny was changing her clothes. “There you are Myara. You want to come to dinner with me? Michael is working on something for class and won't budge from his room.”

 

Myara smiled. Michael was Jenny's boyfriend from that computer class of hers. Lately, she was always with him. “Yeah. I'd love to.” She put her books down and quickly changed from her uniform into some more casual clothes while Jenny wait patiently for her.

 

By the time they got to the cafeteria it was already starting to get crowded. It was sort of snatch and grab for food. Myara was able to get what she'd wanted but when she was done, Jenny had disappeared and she couldn't quite figure out where she'd gone. She jumped when Jenny took her arm, seeming as though she'd snuck up out of nowhere.

 

“Come on Myara. This way.”

 

Myara didn't even have time to respond. She wasn't sure where they were going at first but she allowed herself to be pulled along anyways. She realized where they were headed when she saw Jenny's cousin Rick with one of his friends.

 

He waved when he saw them.

 

Jenny took a seat next to Rick. “I'm so glad I noticed you here.”

 

Rick didn't seem to care either way. “Yeah, it's great.” He replied halfheartedly. He turned to Myara. “I heard you got into Ivory Hall Myara. Congratulations.” Rick told her with a smile.

 

Myara sat down on Jenny's other side. “Oh, that. It's no big deal.” She really wished he hadn't mentioned it.

 

Jenny immediately asked, “What's so great about that place? Myara won't even tell me what she's doing in her class there.”

 

Jordan leaned forward and entered the conversation, adopting a teasing, melodramatic tone. “They experiment on students and turn them into monsters.”

 

Jenny frowned at this statement and replied coolly. “That's not funny. I was serious.”

 

Jordon sat back and smiled. “I was serious. Right Rick?”

 

Rick nodded. “That's right. They turn us into monsters.” He said with exaggerated seriousness.

 

Jenny huffed and stabbed her salad.

 

Myara asked curiously, “So does that mean that you both have a class there too?”

 

Rick leaned forward against the table. “Yeah. We're in different classes though. Jordan is way ahead of me. I think he's ranked 3rd in Ivory Hall.” He looked over at Jordan. “Is that right?”

 

Jordan nodded.

 

Myara looked between them, confused. “Rank. I've never heard of that.”

 

Jordan told her, “They rank everyone right after the quarter finals. It jumps around a bit. Rick here is in the twenties somewhere. I think it's just laziness that keeps him there though.”

 

Rick shrugged and sat back. “What can I say?”

 

Jenny rejoined their conversation. “They actually rank all the students who go to Ivory Hall? What the hell do you guys do?”

 

Rick told her, really serious this time. “You might find out eventually but for now you'll just have to accept that it's a secret.”

 

Jenny glared at all of them. “That's so mean. I'm the only one here who doesn't know.”

 

Myara tried to comfort her. “It's the rules Jenny. We're not trying to exclude you.” She wished that Jenny didn't have to feel that way, although she could understand. She really wanted to ask Rick some more questions about the Ivory Hall, but she thought maybe changing the subject would be better. She looked up at a tap on her shoulder.

 

“Hey Myara, I wanted you to meet someone.” It was Alicia from her advanced bladefighting class. She had sort of a smug look on her face that Myara didn't particularly like. Actually, there wasn't much she liked about Alicia. Myara half turned in her chair as an older male student stepped up beside Alicia.

 

He looked down at Myara as if he were criticizing her every movement.

 

Alicia introduced him. “This is Blake. He already tested out of the advanced bladefighting class and he wanted to meet you.”

 

Myara nodded to him politely. “Nice to meet you.”

 

He didn't return her greeting. Instead he said, “I've been wondering ever since I heard. Just how did you get to be an assistant instructor. Most of us just graduate and join the senior bladefighting team when we're good enough.”

 

Myara had thought that some of the members of her advanced class were already on the senior team, like Jason and Kavan, but maybe she was wrong. She'd assumed they were on the team because they were helping out at the tryouts but perhaps they'd just been volunteers after all. She recalled Dalziel hadn't wanted to cause trouble with the senior team so she refrained from being rude. “I'm sure Dalziel just chose to do this instead because he didn't want to force a freshman on the senior bladefighting or martial arts teams. Are all the members of the senior team from Ivory Hall?”

 

Blake seemed to accept her answer. “That's right, we are, including him.” He motioned to Jordan and then added. “I suppose it would be too much for a freshman to join us, considering your lack of experience.”

 

Myara was surprised there was such a steep competition with the students who'd been recruited. Then again, the celestials competed quite fiercely in school as well, if she recalled correctly.

 

Blake motioned to Alicia. “Let's go.” He turned away from them and Alicia was quick to follow, sending Myara a last look of smug satisfaction.

 

Jenny waited until they were out of hearing and jibed. “What's her problem?”

 

Rick sighed and glanced at Jordan meaningfully before turning his gaze on Myara and Jenny. “That's just how they are over in Ivory Hall. Someone talented comes along and everyone scrambles to keep their place.”

 

Jordon laughed slightly. “Hey, don't include me in that bunch, all right?”

 

Rick smiled and waved a hand dismissively. “Right, right. You're not included.”

 

Myara told them, “Well, I have a bit of a competitive streak too. They should be a little bit worried I think. Right Jenny?”

 

Jenny was still sulking a little so she lacked her usual enthusiasm when she replied. “I guess so.”

 

Myara sighed and tried not to let Jenny's attitude bother her too much. It was to be expected. As for that Blake guy and her fellow students like Alicia, she was going to work her way far beyond their level. She could hardly fight with celestial power for ten minutes as it was, but with some work, she'd get stronger. Sabriel would have been able to do it for hours before she began to tire. It was depressing really, but maybe it was like learning to run. She wouldn't be able to sprint for a long distance unless she worked her way up to it.

 

“Myara, are you all right? You look like something's bothering you?”

 

Jordan's voice drew Myara out of her thoughts. She was a little surprised at his concern but it pleased her too. “Oh, I was just thinking about all the school work I have to do. Nothing to worry about,” she told him.

 

He looked a little relieved. “Good. I know things are a little weird over at Ivory Hall so feel free to complain to me any time.”

 

Myara nodded. “Thanks.”

 

***

 

She greeted Mr. Karith in celestial as she entered his classroom Wednesday afternoon.

 

He looked up and replied in celestial.

 

It took Myara a moment to realize he'd asked her to grab a chair. She pulled up a chair to his desk.

 

He told her, switching to English. “I thought I'd teach you some expressions that would allow you to talk about the weather. It's a pretty common topic of polite conversation.”

 

Myara could understand that, it was the same for humans. She told him in celestial. “Okay.” She didn't really remember how to say much more than that in reply.

 

He seemed to realize that because he told her. “You could say. `That's a good idea,' like this…” He said a sentence in celestial and then wrote it on her notebook for her. Then he added. “Or you could say, `I'd rather do something else,' like this…” he told her the other sentence as well and jotted it down.

 

Myara repeated them both and then thanked him.

 

He told her, “No problem, now let's get started.”

 

They started on the day's topic, covering pretty much any type of weather that Myara could think of and a couple of words for natural disasters like floods and earthquakes. Myara took it all in and finally Mr. Karith said something in celestial that Myara didn't quite recognize. He told her, “I said, `that's it for today.' I did have a question for you though.”

 

Myara took the paper he handed to her with the day's work written on it. Myara asked in English. “What's that?”

 

“The word for what is heyla, for future reference,” he told her. He picked up his pen and scrawled it in her notebook under the list she had there for that sort of thing. As he was writing he said, “I wanted to know what section you're on in the workbook. I know you're going through it quickly.”

 

Myara thought for a minute and then told him. “I'm pretty sure I finished section six today but I have to memorize the invocations tonight, I don't remember them word for word.”

 

He commented almost to himself, looking at his desk. “So you're half way through the first workbook. I don't think we should cover all six sections worth of invocations in one class period.” He looked up at her. “I'd like you to pick the three that you remember best and just say those tomorrow in class. I think it would be better if we went over the rest after class, if you can stop by.”

 

Myara nodded and said, repeating the sentence he'd taught her at the beginning of class. “That's a good idea.”

 

He smiled faintly. “Then I guess it's decided. I'll see you in class tomorrow.”

 

Myara said goodbye before she left. She was starting to get much better with the celestial. She sort of wished it was more like other foreign languages though, that she could get books for, to look through on her own. She would have liked to look over a grammar book and a book with just general basics of the language. Mr. Karith's lessons were helping but she had a feeling that she could pick things up even faster with the right sources. If she looked, perhaps she could find some books to read in the library. Students couldn't take those out of Ivory Hall but at least the library was open after class. She could even do her homework there or stop by during weekends if she wanted too. Her classmate Michelle had told her that even though most of the books were in celestial there were a few that were written by humans who had investigated celestial objects in the human world and there were supposedly copies of all the workbooks available for students somewhere. Maybe Myara could look through those if she could find the time.

 

***

 

Valerien Gareth walked into the Guardian's Library. It wasn't an establishment he usually frequented, but it had the birth and death records for all the celestials who lived in the city as well as records of those who had graduated from the special training schools, and he was interested in finding out more about the person his student claimed to have memories of. Sabriel Alaranth, also known as Esperia. It was the first time he'd ever used the library for that purpose. He went to the celestial at the reception desk. She looked old even for a celestial.

 

“Can I help you?” she asked him.

 

Valerien nodded and rested his hands on the desk, leaning forward. “Yes. I wanted to look up all the records on a specific person.”

 

The woman smiled. “That's no problem at all. We have most of those things stored in the database in the back. Would you like help?”

 

Valerien didn't think twice about saying yes. “That would be appreciated. Thank you.”

 

The woman came out from behind her desk and joined him. “It's this way then.”

 

He followed her to a room in the back.

 

Her fingers moved swiftly across the screen as she accessed the computer database. It was different from a human computer, since it was powered by crystals, and the touch screen was projected from below.

 

With the correct database up she pulled out a keyboard and asked him, “What was the name of the person you wanted information on?”

 

He told her, waiting in suspense for the results. “Sabriel Alaranth, maybe known as Esperia as well.”

 

The woman typed the information on the keyboard and it was only a moment before a page full of entries appeared. “Do you want this printed out or placed on a key?”

 

Valerian looked over her shoulder. He was a little bit surprised that there were so many. He pulled a small crystal key out of his pocket. “I have a key,” he told her.

 

She slid the key into the side of the database's main control structure and a moment later she pulled it out. “There you go. Anything else?”

 

Valerien shook his head. “No, thank you. This should be more than enough.” He said goodbye after some polite chit-chat and since he couldn't very well look over the information in the human world he went to the Kalarith main house, where he stayed when he was in the celestial world. Karith, the name he used in the human world, was a variation on the name of his house. A lot of celestials chose to use an altered name in the human world. His family wasn't very affluential, so they didn't have a very large a main house, and it wasn't near the central part of the celestial city. He wasn't really bothered by it much. He wasn't all that interested in the politics of the larger houses or the Celestial Council. After talking to Aiden about the so-called `perks' of being related to a member of the council, he was glad he wasn't.

 

He found his way to a set of rooms that was reserved for house members like himself and found it empty. He turned on the computer and inserted the key. He went through the information a bit at a time.

 

She'd been born about two hundred years ago and died about a hundred years ago. She'd gone to a decent elementary school in eastern celestial city and moved on to a junior school in the same area. She'd graduated and gotten a scholarship to the Golden Wing Senior School. She'd done well and since she'd stood out in both athletics and in celestial invocations, she'd been taken into the Celestial Guardians` Academy. She'd graduated and been enlisted into the ranks of the Retrieval Agency. They retrieved angels who had fallen and vanished into the demon or human worlds. She'd been stationed in the demon world. After that she`d received a few promotions, up to fifth rank Guardian. She'd died not long after the last promotion, in the demon world, but her body had been recovered.

 

There wasn't much more information he could get from the library's records, except some addresses. He knew she'd existed now at least and that she was dead, but the question really was how far he wanted to investigate the matter and to what purpose. Myara said she had some of Sabriel's memories, and he believed she probably did, but were they the same person? That was another question. Not only that, but was the power she'd inherited from Sabriel really her own? It was really occupying his thoughts lately. He looked up as someone else entered the room.

 

Tanya Kalarith, his cousin, looked surprised to see him. “Val, you came for a visit and you didn't tell anyone? That's unlike you.”

 

Valerien closed the entries he'd been looking at and withdrew the key. “I'm just doing some research.”

 

Tanya raised a brow. “I didn't realize that teaching human children was that challenging.”

 

Valerien ignored her sarcastic tone. Most of the members of his family thought that training humans was a waste of time, since they were so weak. Wouldn't they be surprised if they ever met Myara. If she learned the language, she might be able to compete on a level with celestials her age. He told his cousin. “It's not for my students. It's something personal.” It wasn't really a lie. He wasn't doing it for his students, although it was about one of his students.

 

Tanya looked curious. “And it looks like you don't want me to know about it. Isn't that interesting. Did you find something worth looking into in the human world?”

 

Valerien didn't want his cousin getting into his business. She was something of a glory hound, but she didn't like to work for things. She spent most of her time attaching herself to important people. He told her. “It's only of interest to me. I'm sure you'd find the topic boring, just like everything else about the human world.”

 

Tanya shrugged. “Who knows. Why don't you show me?”

 

Valerien told her, “You'd find nothing interesting on here, believe me, and I don't have time to stand around and talk to you about it. I have a few places I need to go.” He walked out past her and thankfully she didn't bother pushing the matter further. He knew of at least one person who had known Sabriel who was in the celestial world at the moment. Hopefully he'd be able to get into the Aerionon household to visit with Evan. Maybe he could chat with Sabin later, once he went back to the human world, but he doubted it would be a good idea, considering that he'd heard Myara worked fairly closely with him in class.

 

***

 

Evan offered him a glass of wine, which he accepted greatfully. He didn't get to drink celestial vintages in the human world. “Thanks for being willing to talk to me.”

 

Evan took a seat. “No problem. I was interested to talk to someone who'd been at the Elysiac Academy as well, since I heard Sabin decided to stay there for a while. That came as an unexpected surprise.”

 

Valerien told him, “Yes, I remember being surprised myself. He seems to be doing all right though.”

 

Evan looked relieved. “Well, I'm glad. It's a good place for him for a while. There are some people who haven't forgotten that he was fallen for a century or so, even though it's been at least that long since he returned.”

 

Valerien hadn't known that. It was interesting though, considering that Myara said she recognized him. “I didn't know he'd been fallen before, but I don't really think it matters now.”

 

Evan commented as he picked up his own glass of wine, “I thought everyone knew. So what did you come to talk to me about? I'm sure it wasn't about Sabin.”

 

Valerien sipped his wine and then sat it down on the table in front of him with a sigh. “No, it was about someone you used to go to school with. Sabriel Alaranth. Do you remember her?”

 

Evan nodded. “Sure. She was one of the top students at the Guardian's Academy. I was glad she became a retriever so I wouldn't have to compete with her.”

 

Valerien smiled faintly. “Did you know her personally at all, I was sort of wondering about what she was like back then.”

 

Evan took a deep breath. “Her personality? If you don't mind me asking, what is this about? She died a century ago.”

 

Valerien had prepared for this question in advance. He told Evan, “I recently came across some information about her that indicates… something unusual may have happened. I can't talk about it yet, but it could be important. So I'm trying to find out as much about her as I can.”

 

Evan leaned forward. “That's intriguing. You can't talk about it yet? Does anyone else know?”

 

Valerien told him with a faint smile. “One other person knows, but I can't tell you who it is. If you figure it out though, feel free to ask them about it.”

 

Evan asked with surprising quickness, “Does this have anything to do with Sabin's decision to stay there?”

 

Valerien told him as honestly as he could, “I really don't know. I haven't talked to him about his decision to stay.”

 

Evan looked intrigued but he didn't seem like he was going to ask anything more about it. He sat back in his chair again and relaxed. “So you want to know about Sabriel Alaranth. Honestly, I wish she was still around. You haven't spent much time around the city recently have you? You've been in the human world for a while right?”

 

Valerian nodded. “Yeah. Why? What does that have to do with anything?”

 

Evan sighed and then took a sip of his wine. “It's like a plague has been infesting the city. There are places where average white-winged celestials won't even go anymore.”

 

Valerian stared for a moment and then asked, “Why? What's happened?”

 

Evan shrugged. “Don't ask me, I'm just a protector. All I know is there are a lot more demons to expel from the city these days, and a lot more celestials going with them. That's why I wish she was here. She could return any celestial to a white-winged state, no matter how far gone they thought they were. I believe it's the reason they were so determined to kill her.”

 

Valerian shifted in his seat, feeling slightly uncomfortable. Thinking about a bunch of demons deliberately targeting that young, confused student… He was worried for her. “What would happen if she somehow came back? Or someone like her?”

 

Evan raised a brow. “Is this about that unusual thing that happened?”

 

He didn't know what to say to Evan.

 

Evan saved him by putting up a hand, motioning him to silence. “Don't tell me. What I can say is this. The Demon Lords would be extremely concerned, but it would still be good if she were here. I can't say more than that. Is that the kind of answer you were looking for.”

 

Valerian nodded. “Yes, thank you. As for her personality, could you tell me what she was like in that regard?”

 

Evan looked thoughtful. He told Valerian finally, “We weren't extremely close, but I'll tell you what I can remember.”

 

Valerien was relieved to be able to get some useful information. He hadn't really meant to talk about the state of the city. He listened to Evan talk about a few of Sabriel's unique personality traits. As he did so, he considered his next move. He supposed the next thing he should do is go to the regular, central library for Celestial City and see if they had any information on soul transfers, reincarnations, or even just memory transfers or psychic abilities that would allow someone to absorb memories. He wanted to know how Myara had gotten the way she was. Eventually others would realize how strange she was, and they'd want to know. It might be, though, that there was no answer.