IX

Farewell

When her eyes opened the next morning, Sembri first looked at the window. A soft drizzle was falling, promising a cool day ahead.

"Right as rain, huh?"

She was going to take a walk in the downpour, as she and her mother used to do, when she realized she wasn't able to move. Laying beside her, with arms draped over her in a hug, was Hikari. Toren's head was nuzzled against her side. He had fallen asleep sitting beside the bed, still holding her hand. She saw Wasian curled up on the floor, a few blankets providing some relief from the wood floor.

Sai was sitting a few feet away, watching her. He smiled pleasantly and lifted Hikari to the side using his powers.

"Come on, now. We must talk."

They left in silence and walked out into the rain, ambling along the path until they came upon an area surrounded by trees, providing a dry spot to sit upon the ground atop the fir needles.

"Now then. I've gotten a lot of information thrown at me lately. I need to set some things straight. So, a demon lodged itself in you and tried to take over, correct?"

Sembri nodded.

"And somehow, Wasian was instilled with the power to infuse himself in another's mind as well. He went inside yours yesterday and his form in this realm of existence completely disappeared. What I need to know is, what happened inside that noggin of yours yesterday?"

Sembri explained to the best of her knowledge how Wasian created two of himself to wear the demon down before they combined forces and took him down. She left out no detail, including what she saw in the windows. Sai raised his eyebrows, but said nothing.

"He is gone, isn't he?"

"Yes, my dear. He won't be back for a long time, if ever. You two gave him a fight he wasn't expecting. He won't be too eager to face you again."

"And about Toren? What should I do?"

The old wizard hugged her around her shoulder. "Sembri, I think that you are plenty old enough to decide what to do for yourself in matters of the heart. The only advice I can give you is not to take it too lightly. Toren has been around for a good, long time now. He won't just be looking for a short-time relationship. He's getting to the age of wanting to settle down and have a family. Remember that, and you'll be fine. Just don't let it scare you off either. Toren's a nice boy, he will wait until you are ready as well. It's why I like him so much."

"Thank you, Sai."

He smiled at her. "Now, are you ready to have the ultimate exhilaration?"

Sembri's eyebrow went up in question.

"Flight! You must learn to take up your wings, girl!"

"I suppose. I'm just nervous is all. You won't let anything go wrong, will you? You'll be right there?"

"Of course, of course! I'm not about to miss this!"

She got to her feet and faced him. With the hint of a smile on her lips, she asked, "Then please, oh great and powerful wizard, would you be so kind as to teach me how to take to the skies?"

He smirked, also rising from the ground. ""Certainly. It won't do to have a Priestess who can't fly. Not at all."

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When Toren and Hikari awoke, Wasian was eating a breakfast of ham and eggs. Toren stretched, looking around the room.

"Where'd they go?"

Wasian shrugged and went back to his meal.

Hikari bounced on the balls of her feet over to where Wasian was sitting. "Come on, tell us! I know you know where they are. Come on, come on! Please?"

Sighing, he pointed out the window. The rain had stopped, leaving the trees dripping occasionally. Down the path, Sai was leading Sembri by her hand. Her feet weren't touching the ground. Toren smiled, but Hikari grew agitated at the sight. She stormed out of the cabin. Toren and Wasian glanced at each other momentarily before following her out the door.

"No, no, no! That's all wrong! Sai, you're teaching her like a wizard would think. She's a Priestess, she'll never fly if she's learning like that!"

The two of them turned back to see her standing in the middle of the path. Her arms were crossed, and her cheeks slightly puffed out. Her short stature only served to make her look more like a child who was told "no." She was so cute that Sembri had to hold back a laugh at the sight.

"Well, my dear little nymph," Sai started. "How is she to learn if not this way? It's the only way I know of that she will be able to fly."

"If she were only a sorceress, then yes, that would work. But she's not." She held her finger up for emphasis. "She is a Priestess. She must learn to borrow her wings, not pretend to have some imaginary ones like you are teaching her."

"Borrow them? What on earth do you mean?" asked Sembri.

"Just what I've said! You have to borrow your wings! There are thousands of Angels, just waiting for the chance. See, when you borrow your wings from an Angel, they are rewarded for their sacrifice. They become immortal beings once again for as long as you have their wings. They are allowed to live their lives as they would have, for a while anyway, had they grown up properly. Being chosen is a very big honor, and only those with truly changed hearts may be given the privilege. You see, you must call upon help in order for it to work. Understand now?"

Her brow furrowed while she thought, finally nodding. "But, I still don't see how this will work. After all, I'm only a mortal. How can I borrow their beautiful wings? It just isn't possible."

Sai chuckled a bit. "As hard-headed as ever, I see. You must believe, my dear girl."

"How can I believe in something that I know isn't there?"

"That is how magic works. You see, magic could never exist without someone believing in the impossible. That is why many forms of magic are seen as evil, the people cannot believe it can be done without the help from otherworldly powers. With you, this is half true, but it still could not be done if you didn't believe that it could be. That is what made you a Priestess, my dear. You believed as a child that Angels were real and that you could harness their power to help others. You must believe in your own abilities and that you can do whatever you wish. There is only one catch: you are only as strong as your will to go on. You, Sembri, have an amazing will. You are the most powerful person I have ever had the pleasure to know. Believe in yourself, and believe in the magic." He gave her a stern look. "Don't let that go to your head, now."

She smiled. "I understand, Sai. Thanks." She turned to Hikari. "I think I know what to do, now."

She walked to a clear area and closed her eyes. She spread her arms gently to her sides with palms upturned and tilted her face upwards. Silently, she began her prayer.

"I call upon the help of an Angel. I am in need of wings. Can one of you please allow me the use of your beautiful wings? I will keep them for one full hour in order for you to live as an immortal in exchange."

No sooner had the prayer left her did she feel the wings coming out of her back. She opened her eyes and looked down. She was just barely off the ground, but Hikari was laughing and doing cartwheels around her.

"You did it! You did it! Hooray!! Now try going higher!"

"How?"

"Use your thoughts. Your wings will do whatever you command them to."

Sembri told her wings that she wanted to go a little higher. However, she flew straight up. She screamed and said she wanted to be back on the ground again. The wings gently flew her back to the ground for a slightly rocky landing.

"Now," said Hikari, "You know how to call upon your wings. You must thank the Angel who lent them to you for them to return."

"Right. I promised I would keep them for an hour, though. So, I think I'll get used to them while I've got them."

Sai sighed. "Ultimate exhilaration, like I said. You grow used to having the power of flight." He smiled. "Practice all you want. When you're finished, Toren, Wasian, and I will have dinner waiting for you."

Sembri smiled in answer as she scooped Hikari up into the air, the little nymph laughing the whole time.

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A month had passed by, and Sembri's flying was continuing to improve every day. The five of them had become inseparable now, and Sembri felt as if she had her family back. Hikari had become her shadow, the nymph followed her wherever she went. Sembri wasn't sure anymore who was teaching whom. Hikari was also improving. She was slowly learning more and more about her new form. It was almost as if she were living in a new world, everything was so different.

Wasian took to the new form with ease. He claimed it was because of his connection with the shadows. With all she had seen, Sembri had every reason to believe him.

She couldn't believe all they'd accomplished. It had only bee a little over two months since she'd left her house in Banil, and she had already become so much stronger.

Her relationship with Toren was also growing into something more than friendship. There was never a moment when she didn't think about him. Every other week, when Toren would make a trip to town for supplies, she could barely sit still. Though she knew she shouldn't worry. Toren could easily hide his identity. He recently learned a new spell from Wasian that allowed him to appear as anyone, and he had enough gold on hand to get anything he wanted. She desperately wanted to leave the cabin. She had explored the woods to a huge extent, and had been able to increase her powers greatly, but she was quickly growing restless. She wanted to go out and feel like she was doing something worth while. However, she soon felt as if the world was too big and that she were merely a speck of dust, scared to move. Cain had been able to track Sai down, using his own magic against him.

"He searched the land, looking for my particular magic. I felt him latch on to it not too long ago. I am more than able to face him alone, but I will not put any of your lives in danger. I must leave you."

"What?! No! Please, Sai! I have so much more to learn from you!"

"Come now, Sembri. I can't stay. You know that as well as I do. I am not the one who will defeat Cain, you are. Prophecy says it is so. Even if I don't leave now, you must eventually face him without me. However, now is not the time. You have learned enough from me to figure out the rest on your own. Read your grandfather's journal. You will find a great deal has been restored. Keep working hard to achieve your goal, the book will help you along the way. I will return to you. Keep up hope, child."

Sembri nodded her head as tears welled up in her eyes. She knew this was goodbye, and that she wouldn't see her dear friend again for a long time. Sai hugged her as her tears began to fall freely.

"Now, I must leave you. Stay safe, and take care of one another."

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The next morning, it felt like they had woken up from a bad dream. They all had cried for a long time, afraid now that their source of knowledge was gone. It was finally Toren who spoke first.

"What do we do now? How will we know where Cain is? How will we know when to make our move? And what will we do when the time comes?"

Hikari giggled. "You seem to forget that there's a nymph with you."

He and Sembri looked at her, clearly puzzled by what she meant. Wasian rolled his eyes.

"Sembri, I have powers that you don't know about yet. This one in particular is a very dangerous one to use, but it will help us quite a bit. Nymphs can travel through things of nature. I can reappear in my physical form at any time I wish. I can go and spy on Cain and be back here in no time!"

Both of their mouths had dropped open.

"Well, why don't we try that? Toren, do you have any idea of where Cain might be?"

"Just in Talbithar. He's most likely in his castle, torturing people for information."

"Hikari, be careful, okay? And come back safe."

"Don't worry, I will."

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Inside the castle, Hikari could only find a few places with actual trees. Many of the "plants" were merely plastic decorations. She was walking around the grounds looking for something to help them when she heard screams.

Following the sounds, she found a small, barred window just above ground level. She joined with the grass that grew long enough to hand inside the window and saw Cain looming over a man who was strapped to a table face-down. Cain was whipping him with a cat-o-nine-tails, leaving the poor man's back red with whelps. Hikari was about to return with the news when she noticed something hanging around Cain's neck.

It was a stone the size of a pebble that was encased in an ornate, gold, egg-shaped locket. At the time, the stone was a dark black. It almost looked like oblivion itself was harnessed in it. Hikari knew she had to have it for Sembri. She quickly summoned all of her strength and courage together and appeared right beside Cain. She jerked on the locket to get it away from him, and rejoined the grass outside. Cain barely knew what had happened. Were it not for the sharp tug at his neck, he never would have noticed anything different. When he realized the stone was gone, he screamed in rage. He put an end to his prisoner's misery, then flew out of the castle, searching for the thief who stole his prized stone.

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Hikari arrived back at the cabin out of breath. She stumbled inside, stuttering her words.

"Hikari, calm down! What happened?"

"Cain…. In the palace…. Stole his…necklace for you."

She opened the locked and dumped the stone out into Sembri's hands. As soon as it hit her palm it changed from black oblivion to an azure blue. When she heard a loud thud, she turned to find Toren on the ground.