ONE

Aeriel

"Aeriel!" a voice cried out to her. She opened her eyes to see him as he had been a full year and six daymonths before. Tears of anguish ran down his face as he called for her again, "Aeriel!" He yelled her name again and again, "Come back, Aeriel! Don't leave me!" He pleaded with her. If there had been any other option, she would have taken it, but she had not been given a choice. It was what she must do; it was for the good of the world… and for him.

She willed herself to wake from the dream that haunted her. She lay uncomfortably still on the too soft bed that Melkior had given her. She shut her eyes tightly to try to push any thoughts of him aside. 'Now,' she told herself mentally, 'Stop this silliness. This is no time to be so selfish.' She sighed to her self, clearing her mind and sat up. Erin was not in the next bed. It was no surprise as her shadow was always getting up before her, lately.

"Aeriel." A familiar voice echoed through her mind, "It is time to begin today's work."

"Yes, yes." She murmured as she climbed from the bed and dressed herself. She walked slowly through NuRavenna, heading to the large library that she had been guided to on the first day. There, she had been studying the writing of the Ancients.

"Aeriel," The voice within her spoke, "soon it will be time to leave this place and seek the rest of my sorcery. You have progressed quickly and have almost mastered our language."

Aeriel smiled slightly. After a few daymonths, she had managed to learn how to keep the bit of Ravenna within her from certain areas of her mind. She feared what might be said if it was found that he still haunted her thoughts and dreams.

Proceeding into the library, she began to head for the section that she had studied in since she came here a year and a half past. She stopped when the voice spoke again.

"That is not where we are going today. You know enough of our language to sustain you for the time being. Today you will begin studying the mechanism of this world. Please, head to the south wing." Following Ravenna's guidance, Aeriel found the area quite easily and piled the books and materials she would need onto a table and sitting at it. Her work for the day had begun.

It was not many hours since she had started that a voice pulled her from the book she was currently looking over.

"Aeriel!" the female voice called, "Come here!" Ignoring the protests of the voice within her head, she went to greet the dark girl, her own shadow and embraced her tightly.

"Erin!" she cried happily.

"I'm sorry that I haven't seen you often these past daymonths." The darker girl replied, "I have something to show you though!" She continued, pulling from the hug and dragging her light along. Aeriel only laughed and followed. Erin stopped abruptly, reaching her destination. "Here we are." She stated. Aeriel stumbled a moment, steadied herself then looked around.

"I see nothing…" she replied, dully. She took a breath to continue, but was cut off by a burst of laughter from Erin.

"Of course not, silly. They're wearing daycloaks!" she explained, still chuckling softly to herself. Aeriel watched the shadows as three duaroughs came into view; she laughed out in joy.

"Brandl! Maruha! Talb! But how? How did you get in?" she asked, hugging them each in turn. She ignored the feeling of anger rising from the pearl stuff and her own hope of someone else perhaps coming to find her. 'He has an oath.' She told herself, 'He cannot break it.' Talb pulled her from her thoughts with the answer to her question.

"Erin let us in of course." He spoke with a light scoff. Smiling, he continued, "It good to see you well, child." She only smiled in return and began to ask them what they had been doing this past year and a half. But two hours passed, before the pearl stuff became insistent and Aeriel excused herself to return to her studies.

Deep in her studies, no interruptions came until just before solstarset, this time it came from Ravenna's pearl dust.

"Someone is trying to get into the dome by way of the Pilgrim's Pass." It told her, surprised. Surprised and curious, Aeriel halted her studies once again and moved toward the entrance that she had once found. Nearing the area, she heard an argument in process.

"Melkior, let him in!" Erin was shouting desperately to the tall galom, but he would do nothing. His idea of what to do would not change.

"He cannot come in." he stated, simply, towering above her. Ravenna deemed it time to intervene. She spoke through Aeriel.

"Let him through for he has heard the Pilgrim's Call." She ordered.

Stunned, Melkior stumbled to continue his argument and explain his stance to the Lady, "But Lady, it's…" he was cut off by a cold look from her. He immediately silenced and opened the path.

A young man entered. He did not look as she remembered; his dark black hair fell longer, perhaps five inches past his shoulders. His face was weary, but composed. The scars trailing his face were no longer colorless. His eyes though, they still held their fierce determination and intensity. There was no doubt. It was him. Staring in utter disbelief, Aeriel could only manage a single, breathy word.

"Irrylath."

The Fuel of Life