Disclaimer: Ariana, Loretta and Joseph all belong to me.

Chapter 10: Astral Beginnings

That night, I was asleep. I knew I was asleep because I had been dreaming pleasant dreams of Seifer and myself living in our own home and married. While I was in the dream, I felt a lightness of my body. Something on my face felt like it was peeling back, like the skin from a sunburn feels. After the peeling sensation stopped, my body felt light and my senses seemed to have been heightened. While the room was pitched in total darkness, I can see strange colors surrounding everything. It was as if I was inside of a painting of some sort with all the colors. That's when I noticed I was hovering in mid-air. I looked down to the bed only to see my body laying beside Seifer's. I felt an electric jolt and I quickly sat up in bed out of breath. My body was trembling, but not from being cold or from fear. I smoothed my hair back with my hands and looked at Seifer who was sleeping peacefully. I slowly laid back down and eventually fell asleep.

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I walked through the town of Mysidia alone which was unusual for me since Seifer was always by my side. He had asked what was wrong and I told him that I needed to be alone for a little while and gather my thoughts. I could see the worried expression on his face and convinced him that it had nothing to do with him.

I was so lost in thought that I didn't notice Steena making her way toward me. "Something is troubling you," it wasn't a question but a statement of fact. I nodded and she asked, "Would you like to talk to me about it?"

"I'm not sure if anybody can help me with this...thing," I confessed my fears.

"You can let me be the judge of that," Steena smiled.

As we walked slowly through the town, I told Steena of the dream I had the night before. I omitted the part about Seifer and I being married, I assumed that was only a simple dream with our close relationship. I, of course hoped that one day he and I were married, but this was not the time to think about those things. I did tell Steena of the floating above my body and the unusual colors and Steena listened to every word I put out.

"This sounds to me like astral projection," she told me.

"Astral projection?" I repeated.

Steena nodded, "Astral projection is the ability to make your soul temporarily leave your body and go on travels to anywhere in the world that you want. The colors you have seen could possibly be what your astral eyes were seeing."

I looked at her in confusion, so she continued. "Perhaps we can visit somebody whom is the authority of this subject?"

"Okay," I told her. She lead me to a small house and when we arrived at the doorstep, Steena opened the door without even knocking. She turned to me, "This is the residence of our town's Shamaness. She lives on the second story of this place and does her thing on the first story."

I looked up above the house and seen only one story, "Where's the second story?" I asked.

"It is there," Steena smiled. "It is concealed behind magic so it looks like the house is only one story."

Steena walked into the house and I followed. I walked into the place and noticed how strange it was. There were magical symbols all over the walls and floor, talismans hung from the windows and in various places, incense burned in the room causing little wisps of fragrant smoke to travel in the air, and the only furniture I could see were a few cushions on the floor, as well as a rug and a small table.

"Welcome," a female voice greeted. An elderly woman sat on one of the cushions. Her hair was gray and it fell past her shoulders. Around her neck were dozens of amulets and necklaces, the hands were adorned with many rings and she wore a black robe. Beside her was a red-haired teenage girl and a blue-haired teenage boy. "I am Ariana and beside me is Joseph and Loretta," she introduced. "What have you come to me for?"

I looked to Steena and Steena nodded to me. I told Ariana the same thing I told Steena earlier. After I was finished, Ariana seemed like she was thinking on my words. "I would like you to do a test," she finally said. "Sit down," she waved her hand in front of her to the cushion opposite her. "Joseph, you know what to do." The boy stood and made his way over to me. He sat behind me and placed his hands on my shoulders.

"I want you to relax and close your eyes," Ariana told me. I tried to relax a little. "Imagine yourself, your soul above your body...Imagine your soul as a ball of light...Imagine that ball above your head and feel it...Feel the sensation as your soul strips off your body..." Ariana continued giving me various instructions and soon I felt that same peeling feeling as I did earlier. Soon enough, I was seeing the strange colors.

"She's through," Loretta announced. I looked back to my body and seen Joseph holding me by my shoulders. After seeing my body in front of me, with me on the outside, I felt a snapping feeling I hadn't noticed earlier. I then opened my eyes and felt my body trembling like it did before.

"That trembling sensation you are feeling is the result from your attachment back to your body," Ariana began. "The soul must reattach itself to the holds that bind it to the body."

"What is the use of astral projection?" I asked.

"It is useful in the military or when you feel you are in danger. For example, if you think your home may have an ambush or trap in it, you can use this skill to safely enter your home to make sure everything is in order," Joseph said from behind me.

I could see how that would be a useful skill after all. "However, there are some monsters that can see the astral body and attack it, the Cockatrice for example," Ariana told me. "You already have the abilities of a mage, astral projection will continue to be part of your life but you are fortunate to have the chance to control it willingly. Are you interested?" I thought about it for a minute and nodded.