Chapter 13 ~ Learning
~ Queen Sebastian Tail? ~
I feel like I know who Tail is. I responded at the name. As if my name was Tail. I felt a strong sense of Deja Vu, as if I had been there before. I also felt heart warmed by the Shad. I felt awkward inside. I felt not myself. I felt like I was not myself. Or maybe I was. Maybe there were two of me, or I had split personalities. Maybe I was the reincarnation of 'Tail.' Hah. That would be so funny. But yet fitting. And it would explain a lot. A whole lot.
I looked around. Only Fallen was awake. I walked over to Fallen and nudged her. For some reason, I felt mildly attracted to her. Fallen put on a smile and scratched behind my ears mechanically. In a voice entirely not her own, she said,
"Hey Shadow, good morning."
I stopped. Hey Shadow? She looked confused, too. She dismissed it as... habit and kept on rubbing my smooth fur. I dismissed it as an accident. But part of me wondered. It had felt so... RIGHT to be called Shadow. It had taken both me and Fallen ten seconds to notice. Hmm... This was all too strange. Morganthe going, Malistare coming back, Lauren going, us all saying or thinking things awkward... I wondered what had happened. I'm sure someone, somewhere knew what was happening. But I didn't know that person was all five of us.
As Lydia went to all her classes I walked around aimlessly. Eventually, when Lauren went to her Death class I came in. She disguised herself in the Shadows, a pure definition of invisible. I listened intently. Finally, Dworgan gave a short lesson on how to summon the creatures of Death. I would practice this, because, for some reason, I couldn't just live on the makings of being a pet alone, I felt driven to learn and respect Dworgan for no apparent reason. I learned about summoning and how to use both bargaining, pleading, and charming or hypnotizing creatures to make them obey. I could do that. I could do anything!
A wave of self-pride took over my mind. I could do ANYTHING! I could summon a Scarecrow, or maybe even Katzenstein's Monster! I could do anything! I almost stepped into the light, but then I regained my self control. WHAT had come over me! I shook my head, annoyed at myself. How could I let that come over me? Class was over. I better go back out. I slipped away, unnoticed. Her next class was life. I may as well look at that, too.
I almost slept through all the optimism and channeling, but I picked up some tips on summoning the Pixie spell. I leapt into Lydia's backpack and slept all the way to the dorm room. In the dorm room I leapt out onto her bed. She rubbed my fur mechanically, too. I smiled, but hid my confusion behind my glistening light blue eyes. Why did everything seem so... So... Similar? Like both Fallen and Lydia pet me the EXACT same way, and the way they look at me... The way I feel about them would be the same if Lydia didn't own me... Something was wrong here. Something didn't add up.
Huh. I decided to keep that out of my mind. Lydia has just fallen asleep and I was the only person, or pet, up. I decided to sneak a peek at her Death magic book. For some reason, I could read it! I studied all night, because I never got tired. As I studied, I let my mind wander a bit. I came upon something I had overlooked. Most pets COULDN'T do anything a normal wizard could do... I guess I was just special. Come to think of it, Queen Shadow could cast a few spells, too... Coincidence? I don't think so...
The book taught me how to use Dark Fairy. I learned a few tips, too. I could become a fine Death student! Well, shadow Death student... I got up and took a peer at Lydia's notes on the Death Trap and secretly learned that, too. I would be a Death wizard... Again. My eyes snapped open. AGAIN? I almost screamed as I was teleported to my own mind and listened, and shared, another echo.
"La- Tail, Tr- Death- Wi-,
*Screaming*
A-HHHH-HHHH M- RUN!
Ah, La- h- fr- I me- no h-
h- m- g- day.
*Crying*
w- h- y- done?
La-? Who are you? "
I woke up sweating. This is was the second time, for Fallen, Lydia, Caroline, and Queen Shadow too, but I didn't know about them. I thought about it. It was a ceremony of… someone with LA in the beginning of their name, becoming a, Tr… Transcended Death Wizard! Then screaming? Someone or thing named M had come, probably Malistare or Morganthe… Or was someone trying to, maybe, warn M? Hmm… and this new, raspy voice, maybe M, looked to be a friend. Then someone else talked with her, maybe a friend, is sad, crying even. Then the raspy voice that first was friendly sounds evil with a nasty edge to it, and denies knowing La. What has happened? Wait… It's La Tail! So that explains it, I guess I do somehow know Tail! But how? And what was she doing? What happened in this fragment of reality, this small Echo of truth?
I would have to find out later, because my mind was attacked then, with an onslaught of trespassing spirit.