Prologue:

The only sound in the small dorm room was the click of computer keys as Willow's hands practically flew across the keyboard. It had taken her almost two and a half years to build contacts in the pagan online community, but with determination and a little help from some files she had found on Jenny Calendar's computer, Willow had found acceptance in the exclusive group. It was through the community that she had met the person she was currently instant messaging. The computer made a quiet beep, and the window changed as the reply appeared on the screen.

~MysticTree~ Merry Meet! Evening Trav.

~TimelessTraveler~ Hey Mysty. How was your day?

~MysticTree~ I got a 98 % on my dissertation on Neurological Disorders, and I got the highest grade in the class on my history test.

~TimelessTraveler~ That's fantastic, I knew you could do it.

~MysticTree~ Yeah, I love my history class. We just finished the Celtic clans and we're going to start the Welsh next week.

~TimelessTraveler~ I'm glad you're enjoying it. How is everything else?

~MysticTree~ Pretty good. I've been working on my concentration, and focusing like you said. It's helping quite a bit.

~TimelessTraveler~ I'm glad. Emotional control, focus and concentration, can really improve your casting abilities.

~MysticTree~ Yeah, I've noticed that my spells have been better lately.

~TimelessTraveler~ It's getting pretty late. Shouldn't you be getting ready?

~MysticTree~ You're right. I should be going. Same time, right?

~TimelessTraveler~ Yes. Same as always.

~MysticTree~ Just checking. I'll see you then.

~TimelessTraveler~ Be safe.

~MysticTree~ Always.

End Prologue

Chapter 1

The fight started out slow, but soon began to gain in speed and intensity. He seemed to move with an almost effortless grace, while his female opponent appeared to concentrate greatly as she avoided his advances. If an observer had been present they would have been hard pressed to say when exactly the swords had been brought into play, but they were, and the sound of steel against steel soon echoed through the air as the two parried and blocked each other's moves.

As the moves became more frenzied, the man was able to penetrate her defenses, leaving a long cut on her shoulder. Momentarily distracted by the pain in her arm, she stumbled and was unable to block his next move before he made contact with her lower abdomen.

Her left arm moved to block the wound, her feet stumbling slightly as she tried to counter his next thrust. The slight loss of balance was all the opening he needed and a sharp clang was heard as he knocked the sword out of her hands. The bright fluorescent lights reflected off of the man's blade as it cut through the air in a smooth arc, headed towards the neck of the young woman who lay on the ground, her short red hair falling around her face.

There was nothing unusual about the fact that the young woman stood in her shower at 10:30 at night, but the red tinted water swirling around the drain betrayed the normality of the action. The young woman hissed in pain as she ran the wash cloth over her stomach. Continuing to clean herself, she listened to the soft refrains that drifted in from the small stereo system in the next room. As the minutes went by, the water turned a light pink before finally becoming clear as all of the blood was washed from the woman's body.

Shutting off the water and stepping out of the shower, she dried off, then wrapped her thin form in a large navy blue towel. Slowly walking into the adjoining bedroom, she took off the towel and used it to ring out her hair so that it was no longer dripping water onto the carpet. Dropping the now wet towel, she carefully made her way to her dresser where she opened a fairly large and well-stocked first aid kit.

Removing a tube of antibacterial ointment, she liberally covered the lower left portion of her stomach, as well as her left shoulder and a small section on her right calf. Next, she took several pieces of first aid tape and used them to place butterfly sutures over the wound on her abdomen. Once she had closed the cut, she taped several layers of gauze over it. Repeating the process on her shoulder and leg, the woman proceeded to examine the various other bruises and cuts that littered her pale skin.

Deciding that the smaller injuries did not need further care, she slipped on a lose t-shirt. Turning off the light and slipping between her pale yellow sheets, she allowed the soft music to lead her into slumber's waiting arms.

End Chapter One