The Shadow.
The border between the Material Plane and the Void. Few even knew of its existence, and fewer still could reach it, and then even fewer could walk it. For someone to do so, they would be walking a tentative line between these two planes that were also known as the planes of Life and Death; a very dangerous task. For if one were to stray too far into this void, they'd be sucked into the land of Death, becoming a part of that plane of existence where… well, you can figure it out from there. It takes intense concentration and skill to find that extra dimension, and just as much mental strength and discipline to stay in it.
When you are in that border area, you attain a level of stealth none else can hope to find. Your image fades; light that would reflect off of you normal passes through, making you almost invisible, so much so that most couldn't hope to see you until you're nearly in their face, at which point, if you're a Rogue of even minor skill, it's already far too late.
There it was!
He could see it now! The slight gray line shining from between the planes of existence, the realm of Life a shimmering white luminescent field; the realm of Death an expanse of darkness where everything blended into a non-descript blur. The Shadow was there, the faint border that wasn't quite white enough to be a part of the Material Plane, but not quite black enough to be amassed with the Void.
Sitting crossed legged, eyes closed, deep in meditation, Roa reached out with his mind, trying to reach that border. His progress was very slow-going, his mind inching its way into the Shadow, his physical form wavering slightly. His heart skipped a beat. He was so close to his goal! But in that distracting thought, his concentration nearly slipped, and he fell back a few steps in his progress. With a will of iron, Roa stopped his backward momentum and forced himself onward. A minute passed, and finally, with one last powerful push, Roa stepped into the Shadow, his material body fading from view.
He opened his eyes and found everything around him strangely duller, colors turned grayer, but also oddly clearer. Before, when Roa had first entered the room known by the select few who knew about it at all as the Entrance, there had been nothing but an empty room with a single elevated, cylindrical stone in the center. Now, as he slowly scanned the formerly empty space around him, he saw many cloaked figures standing at attention at regular intervals, faces shrouded by the cowls of their cloaks. And standing straight in front of him, his hood down and grin wide enough to take in his ears, was his mentor, a tall, dark man with angular features and icy blue eyes. Staring at Roa with his stunning, soul-piercing eyes, he said simply, "Congratulations, graduate. Welcome to the Guild."
Roa's eyes bolted open and he shot up straight into a sitting position, his light blanket flying off of him. Cold sweat ran like bullets down his face, his tunic drenched at the neck and shoulders, and his hands trembled so much that they hardly held his weight as he leaned back on them.
Beside him, noticing the movement, his traveling partner, Nadia, rolled over and sat up beside him, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright Roa?" she asked, though she already knew the forthcoming answer, as she'd heard it many times before.
"Fine… I'm fine," Roa said breathlessly, chest heaving. After a couple of minutes, Roa's breathing regulated, his heart stopped pumping quite as hard and fast, and his sweat was cleared away. Assuring Nadia one last time that he was alright, he lay back down and went to sleep. Well, tried to at least, but he just couldn't shake the dream away, the memory replaying through his mind over and over, the image of his former mentor, of that ice cold, razor sharp gaze looking straight into his eyes, into his soul, constantly assaulting him, allowing him no peace that night.