The story's Hero:

short dark hair with a slim build

smoky sapphire eyes

His first day at school

bus taking him far away

to where he will learn

A call for their names

as he says his, he hears one

a name, "Sophia"

Their first class begins

students come with pencils, books

and leave with magic

In a dream that night

a cloaked girl gives him a book

he wakes, it's still there

Quickly hiding book

he dresses and goes to eat

questions unanswered

He talks to teachers

question here, another there

mentioning the book

At last, an answer

a single word he's given

"Necronomicon"

He continues class

on the outside, unperturbed

on the inside, scared

That night there's more dreams

hooded figure from before

he approaches it

Frail white hands lift cowl

raising the hood to reveal

a seen before face

He stands there, stunned still

as she approaches slowly

A girl dead six years

He asks a question

wondering how she stands there

after a gas leak

Her response is brief

answered in just a light smile

The first she's given

Then learning begins

grueling training, strengthening

naught save practicing

Weeks flying by

With Winter's arms reaching forth

taught: awake, asleep

His teachers take note

recognizing his new skills

testing his limits

further and further

they push him past his classmates

soon he's all alone

First trimester gone

weariness starts to set in

he sleeps without dreams

A week of whole sleep

then she comes back and asks him

"what do you value most?"

What does he value?

he replies without thinking

he answers Death, "her"

That kind happy girl

classmate, studying magic

The girl named Wisdom (Sophia)

Death now stumbles back,

shocked to the core, then tells him

tells him what to do

The next night, no sleep.

He sneaks in Sophia's room

drawing on the floor

Preparing with care

making sure every piece fits

then magic begins

Strands of pure light seep

whirling about her: a storm

settles upon her

Afterwards, he leaves

the only mark on upon her

a silver willow