Shelby looked around. She seemed to be standing on an island floating in the sky. All around her stretched blue sky and thick white clouds. She looked over the edge of the island. Her view of the ground below was blocked by a fluffy white cloud. Turning away from the edge she looked at the scene below her.

She stood on grass of the greenest shade. On the opposite side of the island was a cherry blossom tree. Its pink blossoms were in fool bloom. Blossoms floated down delicately onto the grass below it. At the trunk of the tree was a wide, smooth rock. Its speckled white surface had been polished to a shine. It looked like a large dish under the tree. Sitting on the floor, and leaning on the rock was a man, dressed completely in black. He was a bold contrast to the soft scene around him. He lounged leisurely in the sun light that appeared to come from a sunless sky

Shelby took a step towards him when he opened a single blue eye. Shelby gulped. Why did she feel she knew this man? He closed his blue eyes slowly before running fingers through his brown-black hair.

"Come here my pet."

Shelby's skin prickled but she obeyed. She didn't sense anything wrong. And she was good at picking up on good or bad vibes.

"Sit." He instructed her. Shelby sat cross legged in front of him. He opened both icy blue eyes this time. He looked her over before leaning away from the polished stone. He pulled up one knee, resting a long arm on it. Shelby tried to place his face but it just wouldn't come to her.

They stared at each other for several moments. "You don't recognize me, do you?" He asked bluntly. Shelby shook her head. He sighed. "Well, that's just as well." He looked slightly irritated now. But the look was gone as soon as it came.

"You must be wondering why you're here, correct?"

"Correct." Shelby responded. She felt she recognized him for a moment, but the name slipped away from her.

"Well, see here. Your teacher- Lucas- He's a good mage but a poor teacher. I suspect he'll be able to teach you all the building blocks you'll need but the Gods think it's important for you to learn a few specific spells. That's where I come in." He spread his arms in a large sweeping motion.

"What spells exactly?" Shelby looked at him suspiciously. She wondered why the Gods were meddling in her affairs, but for some reason that didn't seem as important to her as figuring out the man before her.

"Oh, just a few bits on mind control how to leech a gift-"He paused and looked at her side long, adding to the suspense. "Resurrecting the dead."

Shelby jumped up, shocked. "What?!" she exclaimed. "The dead should stay dead, and that's interfering with the Gods work!"

The man simply smirked up at her and pulled her back down.

"Relax my dear. The Gods want you to learn these spells. That's why the sent me to teach you." He talked to her like she was a child. This only upset her more.

"Well, if they're so mighty as to meddle in my life why don't they bring back to life who ever it is that they want alive?" Her cheeks were a rosy color as she grew angrier.

He sat there and shook his head. He was still being patient with her. "The Gods have more important things to deal with." Shelby glared at him.

"Well, what makes you so qualified to teach me such spells?" Her words were harsh but he seemed not to notice. He looked down and plucked a strand of grass from the earth. His eyes looked tired and sad as he twirled the strand in between his fingers.

"Let us just say I have- Experience in the area."

Shelby nodded. Then she jumped up in a flurry of panic. She stumbled back as she tried to get away from the man. He looked up at her as she scurried away. Getting up on her feet she back away and stared at him in disbelief. "You- You're- You're-"She couldn't say it. He smirked and stood up to reveal his full height.

Shelby continued to step back as she struggled to say it.

"You're- Roger."

The former Duke of Conte smirked at her. His eyes danced viciously in the light.

"The one and only." He said his voice now cold and icy.

Shelby felt her foot slip off the edge of the island and she began to fall.