Ariu drew her cloak closer to her body, and gazed down at the city of Down Town from the roof of her dorm. If the sun was visible, it would be setting soon, but it was just a yellow smear in the grey, polluted sky. Usually, looking at the city depressed her, but today, she was elated. Soon, she would be gone. She had finished her witch training, and she could get any job she wanted and do anything she wanted. She knew not exactly what she would do, but it was a great feeling to know she could do it.

The city was getting worse. The pollution humans had been creating for years was finally killing people and animals. Or maybe something else was killing the people.

See, Ariu was elated she would be leaving, but she was also confused. And she hated not understanding something. She, like almost every other Magician in the world, was wondering about the strange disease that was plauging the world. It only affected adults, and as far as Ariu knew, no one ever recovered from it.

It hadn't reached Down Town, or even the country Down Town was in. Yet. The borders were closed, and the King and Queen and their families were safetly locked away somewhere the disease couldn't reach them.

Ariu didn't have any adults that she would really miss when they died. Her cousin wasn't yet an adult, and Luma...Well, where Luma was, there was no need to worry about her. And she could take care of Lucy when her guardians died. They were legally in charge of Ariu and Aruin also, but they rarely ever saw them.

No, she wasn't worried about the adults dying much. She was just scared of what would happen when all the children were orphans, and there was no power, no one who could fly the planes, or take care of the zoos.

She imagined no one would be able to stand up and boss everyone around, so she would try to do it all herself. Queen Ariu. Hmmm. Nice ring to it. She could order all the kids around, and be their leader.

Aruin shook his head and sighed. It worried him when she acted like that. She seemed out of touch, and she was brutal.

Then something strange happened. He had a strange feeling. He was taking his final form, he could feel that in a few seconds he would change, and he gasped, "I'm changing, Ariu!"

The girl's eyes lit up and she grinned. But then something stranger happened.

"That's not such a good idea, is it?" someone behind her asked.

In the four years Ariu had gone to school, she had never seen anyone else on the roof. She looked behind her, and no one was there.

Aruin hadn't changed; he was in the form of a big wolf, and his fur was standing straight.

The voice continued, "If you really want to take over the world, your daemon will have to change forms, won't it." It wasn't a question.

"Who are you?" Ariu wondered if the voice-- the girl's voice-- had read her mind, because she hadn't been talking.

"Plus, it's not even such a good idea to try and take over the world today, is it? No. Even if you boss everyone around, they'll all still die."

Oh Gods... Ariu realized that the voice was in her head. And that it was the same voice she heard in a lot of her dreams. Only this time it was real.

"Hmph. You're right, except for the Gods part. But that is partially right, I suppose. I am the voice of your dreams."

The girl didn't know what to say. She couldn't see the person who was talking to her.

"I was sent to help you on your...journey."

"What?"

"You're the Chosen One," the voice told her. "And stop looking for me. I'm right behind you, but you won't be able to see me."

Ariu looked behind her, and her daemon moved closer to her. "Chosen One?" Her voice wavered.

"Yes, you are. Didn't you just hear me say that? But I'm not supposed to tell you anymore, except this: When you meet someone with my voice--this isn't my real voice-- they are going to help you with whatever you have to do. And also fhwgerhsagjafg akljaklrh sss...." her voice warped and trailed off, and Ariu jumped up.

She rubbed her eyes and realized two things at once. First, she had been dreaming, and second, the disease had reached Down Town.