A few weeks of classes with the children proved useful. By the end of the week, I knew how to turn on the lamps that required energy, the history of Limbo, how CiCi had formed the Spirit Warriors with the help of Malakaii, and more about the Tisin and how souls moved through the cycle that fueled this world as well as many others. Things were much clearer, though there were still many questions to be asked. One day, Leon met me after class, a grin on his face as he looked at me. 

"Hey, Yuzuki. You ready for some real training?" Leon said cheerfully. I nodded, interested in getting to do something different. He was shirtless again, and I couldn’t help but admire his complexion and the form of his muscles. His flawless brown skin was pretty, my skin now pale like the color of a light pink and cream pearl probably seemed so pale in comparison to his earthy tone. 

"I’m looking forward to working with you. CiCi is outside waiting with Estrakulius. You should see the sheath that he got hooked up for him. It's really pretty. Anyway, don't worry, you and I are going to be working pretty closely for the next few weeks until you readjust to this new life and new style. After that CiCi will probably place you in a squad under one of us." he explained, holding the exit doors open for me. I gave him an odd look before stepping through the exit.

“Will I still be attending classes here too?” I asked him and he shook his head.

“Nah. Claus told us that you have learned a lot quickly, and you were putting in extra study hours. He says you’ve learned the basics about this place already and it’s time to get you into something more suited for your age.”

“So I don’t have to deal with the kids anymore,” I said, unable to stop the breath of relief that escaped me. He looked at me oddly, a small grin on his face.

“You don’t like kids?” He asked curiously, and I shook my head. 

“There are a few exceptions.” I found myself repeating the answer I had told Claus a few weeks ago. Leon laughed and nodded.

“Yeah, I can see how being around a bunch of kids all day long can be exhausting.” He said simply, and I didn’t bother to correct him. 

As he led me around to the back of the building he was explaining to me how the process of placing me in a squad would work, but I'll admit, I was having a hard time listening. I was too busy looking at his raven black hair, glistening almost blue in the direct sunlight of the late afternoon. I was too busy trying to figure out how he might have gotten the scar pink against his earth-colored skin. And I was trying very, very hard not to admire the muscles that seemed to ripple under his skin as he moved, even without being tensed. His muscles were ripped and yet lean, visible and yet not intrusive. I was almost disgusted with how perfect he looked and I would have been if my eyes did not like looking at him so much. 

We came to a large arena in the back of the school, where there must have been classes in the skill of fighting, and I found myself excited at the prospect of getting some physical exercise. Within the arena in her usual white attire, the redheaded Head Chief turned, and in her arms, a long box. It was made of cherry wood and intricate designs swirled along the wood in a lighter shade of ashe. 

I stopped hesitantly outside of the gate and waited, however, CiCi never stepped forward and Leon took the gate with ease by simply planting a foot on the bottom rung, and walking up the other two dividers like it was a ladder before jumping down. Using my hand as leverage I swung my own legs over the low fence and followed him next to her. 

Beaming at me, she held the box out, and with intrigue, I unlatched the intricate metal clasps and  I opened the box to the hilt of my Soulmate poking out of a mahogany saya, the sheath of a katana. The clear lacquer made the dark wood shimmer as if it were underwater, and just under it, etched and carved into the wood were intricate designs of feathers in honor of my blade's shape. 

This saya was not like others though, for instead of the sheath being tight against the blade, it had been designed to protect the edge while securing only the tip of the blade in wood that was even in the bottom of it to keep it from sliding out. The ribbon at the top of the saya matched what was on the handle of my weapon, and there was also a little kozuka on the sheath. It was the perfect size little pocket for the tiny little knife that slipped onto it and I looked up, my eyes wide. 

“Thank you.” The saya was beautiful and it took my breath and words away. I ran my hands along the wood, unable to help the large smile that glued itself to my face as I admired the new accessory. CiCi nodded as if my reaction had been graded and she was most pleased by the grade she could give me. She called over her shoulder as she left to Leon:

“Don’t you have a training session to do?” With that, Leon stirred beside me and got straight to work after helping me attach my blade to my hip comfortably. He showed me different defense poses, correcting my stance each time I got one wrong. 

“You’re not a killer anymore. Ease up. Defend. Strike only when it strikes at you. Take your time or you’ll get tired out. Remember, the things you are fighting now are usually going to be much bigger than you.” Eventually, when he was confident enough, he and I tried a small spar. Unfortunately, old instincts kicked in a few seconds after he launched himself at him, and I nearly gutted him like a fish. It was by pure coincidence the unsuspecting man had been able to dodge the upward strike I had aimed at his abdomen. 

“Woah!” He said as he rolled to the ground, looking up at me with wide eyes.

“Sorry… I’m sorry.” I was embarrassed, but he grinned as he stood up.

“Okay, so you know how to fight. For sure. Probably better than I do. Sparring with me isn’t going to do you any good, is it?” He asked, running a hand through his raven-black hair.

“It could do you good though,” I said pointedly, before putting a hand over my mouth. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that offensively.” I said as he looked at me in shock before laughing. 

“You’re as sharp as your soulmate, Yuzuki.” He said and I shook my head.

“I am not skilled at talking with people. I’m used to just silencing them.” I admitted. “Sometimes, my mouth opens and the words that come out offend even me,” I answered and Leon grinned. 

“Good thing I’m pretty thick-skinned.” He answered. “We’ll meet up here tomorrow morning. I don’t think I can do much more to teach you. There isn’t much of anything about fighting you don’t already know. Tomorrow though, expect something new.” I nodded, and went back to my residence, curious as to what he had in mind for me. 

The next morning, he did not disappoint me. I walked to the arena and he was leaning up against a large wooden crate. When I drew closer, I could hear roars and the sounds of sharp talons against the wood. I looked at him curiously and he grinned, standing up straight as I approached.

“Today, you’re gonna face you’re second Tisin. I didn’t get the largest one I could find, but I think it’ll still prove challenging enough. You’re going to learn using live enemies.” Leon said, patting the wood crate. I frowned a bit, discomfort spreading through me.

“I was an assassin, but I don’t believe in cruelty. I am not like the people who trained me…” 

“Good thing the goal is to cleanse the Tisin and return it to the soul cycle. You’re going to have to learn how to fight these things eventually. And it’s better in a controlled environment. I’ll be here to help you if things get out of control.” Leon said as he opened the crate, and a large Tisin barreled out. It had the body of a horse, but it had the upper body of a human. Attached to the arms instead of hands however, were large bird claws. The tail was a barbed whip, and on all four of its hooves, there was a long protruding spike. The red eyes on the humanoid face glared at me, being the first thing it saw and it let out a vengeful scream and began to charge. 

For days I would show up to the arena, and Leon would have gone out and caught a new Tisin, and I began to learn how to fight these creatures effectively. Eventually, I began to understand exactly what he was talking about, and we began to coordinate team efforts. He was teaching me to work with future squad members he said, and I was ashamed to admit that teamwork was not my best virtue.

As weeks went by, this method ended up becoming counterproductive. We began to be able to read each other's bodies and predict what the other wanted to do. One could say learning someone on such an intimate level you know every fluid motion he’s taking by a simple movement of the foot, or flick of a wrist - we grew a bond. Slowly he was transforming me from a vicious killer into a Warrior who knew what to look for and could cleanse a spirit with no hesitation.

Not only did Leon teach me how to fight Tisin, but he also educated me more in-depth about the Soulmates that everyone wore. I remember that first lesson vividly - it was when I first noticed how pleasant Leon’s company and teachings were.

It was a time when the world around us looked as if it were just one large meadow. The sky was a deep blue and the grass was tall and thick, whispering in a gentle breeze that made the blades swish to and fro. Every other day, everyone who was not up to the Brave level had to appear and train with Leon for an hour, working on stamina, strength, and reflexes. I’d lingered after the session to talk to Leon, and when the scenery had changed to this, Leon had smiled a bit, grabbing his weapons and placing them in the grass before plopping himself on the ground and staring upwards. 

“I assume you have more questions, Knowledge Seeker?” he asked me, teasing me about my inquisitive nature and I sat next to him, giving him a small ungrateful glare. He’d only laughed as he rested his hands behind his head. He seemed comfortable lying there, so I followed suit, resting Estrakulius beside me. 

“I do. Probably enough to aggravate you.” I admitted after a moment of silence, and Leon’s brown eyes turned to me, a knowing playful grin on his face. “I want to learn about Soulmates. Everyone has been too busy teaching me about everything else, this has been overlooked.” I admitted hesitantly.

“Well, what do you want to know?” Leon had always encouraged me to ask him the questions I felt were pertinent. No one besides Claus had the patience to deal with me, or the time. But no matter how busy these two were, they stayed and made sure that I was able to learn at my own pace - the faster I learned, the more I learned at once, and the happier I was. 

“When I awakened, and mine formed, he spoke to me. But it’s  been months now, and I have not heard him speak to me again since.” I told him cautiously. Before now I had yet to tell anyone he’d spoken to me, except Claus who’d not said much about the matter. Leon’s face melted into an expression of shock, and he turned on his side to face me better, propping his head in his hand. I immediately felt alarmed - was it bad when your Soulmates spoke to you?

“He’d spoken to you? Are you sure?” He pressed, his face furrowing in what appeared to be surprise. I nodded, my cheeks burning as his brown eyes seemed to gaze directly through me. His stare was intense and it was always hard to look away.  Such notions bothered me, as I had never had an issue looking at someone before, nor had I ever had an issue looking away. Perhaps it was just simply because he was so intense, and also prettier than most women in the Warrior City.

“How else would I know his name is Estrakulius?” I told him evenly, trying to appear unbothered by the turn this conversation had taken. Leon grunted in response, his eyes traveling down to my Soulmate who sat in his saya comfortably between us. I remained quiet because I had come to be familiar with this heavy silence. Before answering anything complex, Leon liked to think deeply about the question asked him. In most of these cases, the silence felt too long and made me squirm uncomfortably, and this was one of those times. 

“I see. So he introduced himself to you. That’s rare when first awakening. See… once a Soulmate has separated itself from you it becomes its own entity. They have a personality, a name, and likes and dislikes. The stronger the bond between the wielder and the Soulmate, the stronger the two will be. It is difficult for a Soulmate to make contact with their wielder however until after the first few Tisin’s they have slain. This is because the Soulmate cannot make energy on its own. It must depend on the energy gained from the cleansings it performs. There are five levels of strength for a Soulmate and its Warrior that we know of. Usually, they cannot make contact and speak with their wielder until the second or third stage of power. The fact that Estrakulius was able to communicate with you so suddenly is ...strange. ” As I listened to him intently, I turned to face him in the grass as he spoke. I could not help but be concerned. Not only was my arrival and sudden awakening strange, but my sword on top was also peculiar. 

“From the beginning, please tell me about them, Leon. I don’t want to be confused.” I said, sighing.

“Alright then. The first level of strength for a Soulmate is the awakening. The actual formation requires the strength of the wielder. Until the person is strong enough to handle being separated from a part of their soul the ability stays dormant. When you awaken and are able to forge the weapon that is the first level.  Each Soulmate takes on a shape most suitable for them and their Warrior. The next level does not occur until you have cleansed a few Tisin. The energy that goes into your blade feeds the dormant spirit inside of it until they are strong enough to show its potential." He paused, and I nodded at him, to show I was still listening.

"Depending on the souls of the wielder and the Soulmate, that is when you will be able to get to know and communicate with your Soulmate. For instance, Dennahayy, my Soulmate was a normal set of tomahawks when I first awakened. The next level is when she and I were able to communicate. I found out Dennahayy is female and her name. The next level of strength is usually indicated by a small change in the weapon, another decoration, or an addition to its abilities. Dennahayy’s was the engravings in her handles and we were able to use our energies together. When I need to be, I am able to swing faster, and stronger. Not all Warriors make it beyond this point, usually, Transcend like us do. After a while, it felt like Dennahayy and I became stronger. That’s when Dennahayy gained her feathers, and I found out then that I am able to manipulate the ground we stand on to some degree during battle. Depending on your connection with your Soulmate, there are times when you two are able to merge and use your strengths together. It makes you stronger and faster, boosting your abilities. But it takes a while to recover your energy when you do this.'' While he spoke, he moved Dennahayy between us so I could look at her. 

Dennahayy was a beautiful two-pieced Soulmate as tomahawks. Her handles were about eight inches long, with small engravings of bears and mountains that seemed to be burned into the wooden handles. Wrapped to each end was a long white and brown feather, dangling from the base of the triangularly carved stone attached to the handles. One side of the stone is flat and wide, whilst the other comes to a jagged point, that seems dull - until it’s embedded in a soft part of the body.

“You must be very strong for your Soulmate to have had the energy to speak to you even for that short time. Now that I think about it, Estrakulius is much more decorated than any other newly emerged Soulmate that I have ever seen.” He paused, looking over at Estrakulius curiously, and I picked up my Soulmate and held him out to Leon, pulling him partially out of the saya so that he could see the ridges in the metal that made the blade look like a feather. 

“He came out exactly like this,” I said softly, running my hands along the jeweled hilt gently and Leon shook his head. 

“I’ll be honest, this is a first for me. But your blade looks like it’s already fully powered up… it came out of your soul ready for the hardest kinds of battles you may have to face. The only other person I know of who had a fully powered-up Soulmate was Cici. You’ll have to ask her about her experience. But, from what I can tell, your Soulmate emerged fully developed. Perhaps he just needs a few more souls to be able to have the energy to communicate with you. Think of it like fatigue. Before you came here if you didn’t eat for days, you’d be lethargic and exhausted, right? Maybe it’s like that. Or maybe he’s just waiting for you to be ready. There’s a lot we still don’t know, and rare people like you who have special circumstances are all but unknown to us. I don’t think even CiCi has figured out how she came here or why her Soulmate came out fully developed. But, in time your Soulmate will talk to you.” Leon said softly in a reassuring voice. Looking up at his face now, I was surprised to see his expression was filled with what I could only describe as respect and wonder as he looked at me. My cheeks burned as I looked back down at our Soulmates on the ground between us, unsure of how to react.

“I am afraid of being inadequate. From what everyone has said, I will be depending on my Soulmate a lot in the future. What if he does not like me?” I confessed, my own hand going to the hilt of Estrakulius, stroking the wrapped wood gently with my fingertips.

“He is part of you. He cannot help but like you. And he will also be depending on you to sustain him, keeping him charged with energy. You will care for him, and he will care for you. The bond between Warrior and Soulmate is a partnership, but more than that, it’s a symbiotic relationship. Our weapons are part of ourselves. From the moment they awaken to be separated from them is almost painful, if someone else touches them without permission it’s like a violation. They are a direct extension of your existence. I am absolutely certain Estrakulius will adore you when he is able to talk to you.” Leon said gently, his hand reaching over and gently touching my cheek as he spoke. “Besides, what’s not to like about you, Yuzuki?” With this, I looked up at him, my heart pounding with his words. My stomach turned - but in a pleasant way. I did not understand this feeling, so I gave him a weak smile instead of responding. Just what in the world was going on with me now? 

“If you knew me the way I know me, you would know what’s not to like,” I said softly, my mind drifting to the countless amounts of people I had murdered on the Empress’s or my father’s orders. 

“If you knew you the way I know you, you’d understand why that’s hard to believe,” Leon answered and I laughed. I stood up, shaking my head.

“I’m going to go rest. Tomorrow I find out which squadron I’m in, and learn my new duties.” I said quickly as my cheeks burned. I turned from him quickly and almost ran to my quarters. All night I lay in bed and tried to sleep, but all I could think of was the warm spot on my cheek where Leon’s fingertips had grazed, and his intense dark earthy gaze. It was well into the night before my heart stopped pounding and sleep overcame me.

The next morning I stood in CiCi’s office with my Soulmate, heat rising in my cheeks and chest as Leon and CiCi grinned at me. I was enrolled under him, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. The way he made my heart leap and my cheeks burned made me feel uncomfortable and vulnerable in ways I had never experienced. I hated it, and I wanted the intense feeling to quit clawing me in the chest from the inside. But how was I supposed to get myself under control if I had to be around him constantly? 

What frustrated me further was Leon made it clear I wasn’t to go on patrol any time soon either. I was to learn all the stations within the city first. I spent days walking the city, getting to know the citizens that lived within the warrior city, dragging on conversations that didn’t need to be had, and dealing with children coming up and giving me random gifts of flowers and treats. I had to learn how to operate the canons on top of the wall and learned the lookout duties. The emblem embroidered on the chest of my uniform was actually a communication device, and Leon would check in on me often. 

It was quite a while before I was allowed to leave the city, and the first time the request was granted I immediately planned to visit Malakaii and Alice. Leon wanted to escort me there and he seemed much more excited about it than he should have been. 

“Why are you so excited about this?” I asked him as he led me to the stables. 

“Because I’ve been waiting for a chance to teach you how to fly the horses!” He said, and I couldn’t help but get excited. 

“I forgot the horses could fly!” I said, grinning. We were passing Kora, who had taken the opportunity to come and see me now and then, and I ignored the look she was giving Leon and me as we walked closely, talking. Her eyebrows were raised, and a large grin was on her face that looked like gossip and trouble.

“I figured you did, or you probably would have been way more stubborn about getting to leave sooner.” He said laughing. We arrived at the stables and I immediately found the mare I had traveled to Warrior City on, petting her nose as she sniffed me in greeting.

“So how do they fly again?” I asked him as he prepared the horses. I’d offered to help saddle them and prepare them for the journey, but Leon was a man who was too prideful. He made me sit down and watch him as he groomed them, softly murmuring to them as if they were people, rubbing their ears and manes before throwing the blanket and saddles on them. I watched his deft fingers strapping the saddle on and Leon turned to me, a small grin on his face.

I grew more nervous the closer he got to being done saddling them up.  What if the horse fell? What if I fell off the horse? Was it windy? All these worries roamed through my head as he continued to ready the horses.

“So how do the horses fly?” I asked again, wondering if I knew how it was done and if I would feel better about it. 

“We are not a hundred percent sure how they do it. I’ll admit if I could grow energy wings I’d be flying myself. We train them to fly on command. We don’t use it for long trips because flying tires them out faster. They have a way of focusing their energy, and creating wings with it. It’s hard to explain. I think what we should be focusing on is showing you how to do the commands and stay on top of the horse when they take off.” Leon concluded, chuckling. After he’d prepared the horses he took me out to the arena we’d first sparred at. Getting on the horse and riding was no issue. I’d done it several times. We warmed up the horses by romping around in the field, laughing like children. But when it came time Leon led me to the edge of the arena. 

I watched carefully as he urged his horse into a full gallop. He led the horse by its head, and they raced along the field, until the horse was at max speed, and then with a gentle urging of Leon’s hands on both sides of its neck, the horse jumped into the air, its body shimmering a brilliant spectrum of color. Wings burst out of the horse's shoulders. They were brilliant blue, sparkling in the sunlight and each wing was at least double the length of the horse's body. They appeared to have the presence of feathers but even from this distance, I could see the wings were not solid. Instead, they were literally shaped energy, transparent and the decor was merely for show as they strained against the weight of the horse's body and Leons until it caught a breeze and rose with ease, circling in a wide, lazy motion. 

Eagerly I followed suit, racing my mare across the field and when she jerked up into a jump, I clung to her main. At first, it was bumpy, and I felt as if I was going to tumble down to the ground. Each flap of the wings jerked us in an odd direction until she caught a breeze and it lifted us up smoothly into the sky. I remember desperately telling myself not to look down but Leon slid his mount up near mine and let out a little laugh.

“How are you doing Rookie?” He called out to me and I cringed at his teasing. I thought of all the rude gestures I’d learned since coming here, contemplating showing him exactly how I was doing. However, his laughter rang out again. “Don’t be afraid. She will sense it and it will trouble her. Take a look down!” Against my better judgment, I did as I was told. The first thing I noticed was my mare’s energy wings were a light creamy pink. I could see through them below. People walking along the Warrior City looked like little toys, the houses and buildings like little doll houses. Beyond that, the scenery of the day shimmered unsteadily through a haze. Before, when I had been down there, it had been the scenery of a desert but from up here, everything looked obscured beautifully in shimmering light that held no designated color.

“Why does it shine like that? Is the world changing?”

“No. That’s just how it is from up here. We see through the illusion almost. We don’t exactly know, but while you’re up here, we can’t see what’s going on on the ground when it comes to the World changes.” Soon, I found myself comfortable, and enjoying my time in the sky, and by the time we had reached Malakaii’s little cottage - I was absolutely in love with flying. 

A few weeks went by and I got to go out more often, patrolling the path back and forth to Malakaii’s house, visiting them often. Leon gave me permission because it allowed an extra pair of eyes to watch the trails between Warrior City and the old man’s.

Malakaii was eager to teach me things, but never eager to talk about himself. I found that usually was the case when speaking to one of the other four Transcended, and even I was guilty of being inadequate enough to share my own stories with them. When I finally had gotten the story of his transcendence I was moved to tears. Malakaii, as one of the few who had transcended this place as I had, remembered his story as fresh and painful as my own. I also remember, not because of the sadness that echoed within his booming voice, but also because that was the day everything had changed. I had sat on the hardwood floor of his cottage during a visit, wearing a simple cotton white dress, Alice on my lap as he finally told us of his ascent to limbo. He spoke between puffs of smoke, each one a different scent, the ferret and badger making themselves comfortable along his lap snuggled together.

"The land was flush with greenery and was ruled by monarchy. Cities would hold grand citadels surrounded by middle-class houses, and then the peasant’s flea-bitten communities would guard those. It was a time when magic was at the end of its peak. Disrespect had tainted the old religions. Avalon and the Faye had all but disappeared deep within the mists of the Isle where they hid from us. Wizards were laughable. In the prime of my time, I was known as Malakaii the Great. Okard, the last female dragon had chosen me as her companion. We would go on adventures together when I needed her. Most of the time though, you could find me in a palace or a castle, hosting the needs of kings and queens while she and her mate would raise their young. It was a good life. But after Drako, her mate, the last male dragon had been killed by people and their misconceptions of the creatures, things went dark fast. I could feel her pain when he was murdered, the tearing of her heart and soul. So I rushed to her side and found her at the base of the mountain their nest was on. Their children were all grown and already murdered. See little ones, when a dragon mates, they mate for life. Most often if one of them dies, the other will die of heartbreak." I had known of dragon speakers and the universal strength of dragons. However, Yuki had never told me this aspect of the dragons, perhaps because it was sad. I listened intently as he continued to speak. "I camped by her side for weeks. One day, I was trying to convince her to eat, her beautiful opalescent scales were dimming. She'd lasted a month after Drako had been killed before she showed signs of decline. She was literally alone in the world except for the little old wizard who cried when he thought of losing such a dear friend. The last of her kind. The fact that she was weak, heartbroken, and declining in health did not stop the king's guards who came on patrol from drawing their weapons. Reports of her helpless cries and her lingering on this spot had reached the king, and he'd come for entertainment. She was not willing to put up a fight, but I was. I fought them off for a time, as rubies and diamonds and opals fell from her eyes as tears. But I was an old man, no longer young and magic wore me out faster. Eventually, I did not have the strength to muster any more magic. I was fatally wounded, and only then did Okard rise. Hell cannot compare to the rage of a female dragon who's had everything taken from her. She put up a hell of a fight and in the end... she took down everyone that opposed her. But she too had been hurt already. So she curled her body around me, and together we died. I remember being wrapped in her claws gently, and moving through space before everything was a simple blackness for a long time. It was Okard that brought my soul here, retaining my abilities safely. " 

When he finished speaking, I could only sit there and wipe away the quiet tears that had formed in my eyes. I had always had a sensitive side, and though I could not comprehend the pain that Okard went through with the loss of her mate, and being the last of her kind to survive. My heart had reached out to her. I knew the feeling of loneliness, but even I could not imagine being that lonely. For a creature to give themselves to another so completely that they simply shut down and lose the will to live once that partner is gone. It was a beautiful thing, and yet so tragic. 

What kind of sadness had to overtake a creature of that power to succumb to the urge of death? And Malakaii who had loved her enough to put himself on the line. Though he was not her mate, she’d tried to save him - and they had both died protecting each other. That kind of love, I knew in my heart could not be tainted by anything. The love Okard had for her mate and Malakaii, and their love for her. Not even the cruel actions or words that had led them all to their deaths. 

"What happens to a dragon’s soul once they die?" I asked him bluntly when I recovered and was able to stem the tears. I found over time that I lacked tact and often times my ability to say or ask sensitive things so utterly straight-forwardly often got me in trouble. But never with Malakaii. It was like he understood that I was unable to dance around things delicately, that I felt there wasn’t enough time even in death to tiptoe around things. Malakaii turned his eyes towards me, taking a long puff off of his pipe before blowing wine-scented smoke at me.

"Well, they are too unique to be reborn on Earth, not to mention the fact that there are no dragons on Earth now to create new fetuses for these souls. They are too big to be born as regular reptiles. So they come here if that’s what suits them… they are able to pick and choose you see. So they could come here or they could pass to the other levels of existence if they want to." He answered after a while of raising his eyebrows at me. Of course, this answer had only driven me to ask him again, another potentially tactless question.

"Not that I am aware of child. I've never seen a genuine dragon soul become a Tisin. According to Okard herself it is because their minds are so vastly full from the moment they develop cognitive ability within their eggs they are able to clearly see the paths they can take. They are able to know what kind of dragon they want to be before they hatch through the collective knowledge from hundreds of other dragons. And since that is a choice they have over life, becoming a Tisin for them is quite impossible." He answered smoothly and I blinked in relief. The last thing I ever wanted to face was a Tisin who had once been a dragon. 

But then I realized, that if Okard had brought him to Limbo, that meant he had to know where Okard was! I raised my brow at him questioningly but Alice cut me off before I had a chance to interject again, butting in with a plethora of questions of her own.

“So if dragons can come here, how come I’ve never seen one? And where is Okard now? Why haven’t I met her before?” she demanded standing, throwing her small hands on her hips. She glared at him, her brown eyes flashing in an irate fashion. The look was so cute coming from this little girl that once we got over our shock we both burst out into gentle laughter. This of course drew a little stomp from the little girl. “I’m being serious!” she whined. Malakaii stood up and wrapped his arms around the little girl, still chuckling. The sleeping ferret and badger had slipped to the ground in a heap of fur and wiggling and squeaking. 

"I dare say!" Uriana, the mongoose declared in her motherly voice, and she sent an angry glare up at Malakaii before promptly beginning to straighten her fur out. Khaos simply climbed up my leg sleepily and quietly, coming to rest on my shoulder. He wrapped himself around my neck and closed his pink little eyes. I had found out that they were creatures that like to sleep most of the day, and that they were most active during the sunrise, and during sunset. 

"I can see I have greatly wronged you." He said laughing. I watched as she looked up at Malakaii with such hope in her eyes that I couldn't help but let out a little laugh which I quickly covered with a cough. "But you see Little One, Okard is not a pet. We have a mutual respect for one another. She comes and goes as she pleases, she is not mine to simply summon to show off." Malakaii told Alice very gently. "Do you understand?" He knelt down and cupped her cheek with his old and gnarled hand. Watching this, I couldn't help the stirrings within my heart that I felt. He acted as if this child was his most precious granddaughter, not simply a ward he had rescued and taken in. 

"I understand Malakaii. Will I get to see her someday?" Alice asked softly, the small pout on her lip could not be denied. Still though for such a young girl to have been told such a thing, she took it in stride.

"I am most certain you will as I am most certain she will adore you," Malakaii answered in return. Alice's face lit up with joy, and she nodded, seemingly satisfied. I was incredulous. If I were her, I would have not let such an answer satiate me. I would have pressured and pressed and begged. I was almost jealous of the girl’s maturity. She turned to me now, her brown orbs shimmering excitedly. Outside was an environment where snow raged and though we were not so affected by the cold, a fire was roaring in Malakaii's furnace as he sat down in his chair, and Alice grabbed my hand.

"Yuzi! Come look what I have learned about recently!" she tugged me towards the center of the room where a few papers and different flower plants were scattered about on the ground. Following obediently to oblige the young gangly girl, I leaned down over them, experimentally taking a look at the plants.

"What is this Alice?" I asked gently touching a leafy green plant with small yellow flowers upon it.

"That one is chamomile. It's a flower that is great in teas because it calms you down, and helps with fevers. The flower just by itself is great for people who are having panics, you know because it's even more potent at calming when you smell it. And, if you boil the flower and use it on small skin irritations, rashes, and stings it helps relieve it too. It tastes good too, I like mine with some honey. But Malakaii doesn’t use any sweetener, he likes his stuff bitter." Alice told me grinning. She was always so eager to share with me what she'd learned recently. Dutifully, Alice had kept me updated with the things Malakaii had been teaching her - and sometimes the information even stuck in my head, and I would pass it on to Kora. The more time I spent with this little girl, the more attached I became to her. Ever gentle, sweet, loving Alice. I smiled at her and nodded.

"Quite a nifty plant. If I remember right, Lavender helps calm people down too right?"

"You remembered! Yep. In fact, Lavender and Chamomile together are a powerful anti-anxiety remedy. Here, look what I made you." Now she held up a small little bag. It was cloth, a simple bright purple. It matched the ribbon on the hilt of my Familiar who was currently sitting against the wall at the door.

"Of course, I remembered. Lavender is my favorite now. What is this?" I asked, taking the bag that was tied shut, my fingers which still looked long and slender and alien to me reaching to untie it.

"Don't do that! It's a little medicine bag you just keep on you. Leon is taking you out on your first patrol soon, right? So if you get nervous or scared, you just squeeze and sniff the bag. Here, do it! Look, it’s got lavender, chamomile, anise star, peppermint and white desert sage." She smiled happily, rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet as she spoke to me anxiously. I closed my fingers around the bag inquisitively squeezing before bringing it to my nose. The scent that wafted out of the bag smelled literally of spring and joy. 

"Thank you, Alice... I will keep it with me always." I told the girl who was grinning ear to ear obviously pleased that she did a good job. I reached down and tied the ends of the drawstrings to the sheath of my blade.

“So, you really like it?” She said, eagerly, and I laughed, reaching over, interrupting my hands from tying it onto Estrakulius’ sheath to ruffle her hair.

“I do. It smells like my favorite season. I’ve always loved the way spring smells.” I told her, once again bringing the sachet to my nose.

“My favorite season is Fall. Well, it would be if Limbo had seasons. Malakaii taught me what the seasons looked like on Earth when he was alive. I like Autumn because I love the oranges and reds and yellows. I like brown too. Like your eyes.” She said, babbling carefree. “Why do you like spring so much, Yuzu?” I had been content to simply listen to the girl, hoping she would find something else to yammer on about. Listening to her innocent thoughts spill forward out of her mouth made me feel carefree and without worry. The question startled me, and I had to pause and look at the medicinal bag Alice had so generously made me. 

How does one explain to a child that spring represents rebirth and revival? That after the dead of winter, life springs forth once more into full blossom, like an invincible continuous cycle of hope? That I had always hoped one day, I could be like a flower, and blossom anew once more too. 

“Because spring reminds us all that no matter how harsh and cold the winter is, life will always find a way to continue. And besides, I really love flowers.” I said smiling, and the little girl smiled brightly. I looked back at Malakaii to see him watching us intently, the scent of bubblegum rising from his pipe to reach my nose. I felt a distinct embarrassment, knowing that his keen mind was working my words, and potentially dissecting their meaning. I brought the packet to my nose again, and just as I suspected, Malakaii spoke up, interjecting his thoughts into my sensitive mind. 

“So, now that life has continued, what kind of flower do you think you will blossom into?” The question was simple but the meaning behind it wasn’t lost on me. I smiled a bit, and looked at him, cautiously. I didn’t want to really be drawn into a conversation that led to me being sentimental and philosophical. I hadn’t really grown into a ‘talk about my feelings’ kind of woman - I didn’t ever really think I could. 

“Something beautiful, and hard to grasp,” I answered vaguely.

“I take it a rose is not original enough?” Malakaii mused, a wry smile crossing his features.

“Roses are for wimps,” I said, taking the sachet and beginning to tie it onto the sheath. No sooner had my fingers gotten done tying the strands together did the door burst open, and Leon stood there. I was surprised as my eyes met his, noticing immediately he was wearing what appeared to be a buckskin shirt over his chest, Dennahayy at his side.

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Memoirs Of The In-Between Table Of Contents

Memoirs Of The In-Between: Chapter 6

Battle Training And A Day Interrupted

A few weeks of classes with the children proved useful. By the end of the week, I knew how to turn on the lamps that required energy, the history of Limbo, how CiCi had formed the Spirit Warriors with the help of Malakaii, and more about the Tisin and how souls moved through the cycle that fueled this world as well as many others. Things were much clearer, though there were still many questions to be asked. One day, Leon met me after class, a grin on his face as he looked at me.



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Memoirs Of The In-Between: Chapter 6

Battle Training And A Day Interrupted

About the Creator

Hope Martin

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