The dream was old, one that she'd had for as long as she could remember. It automatically closed off her mind from the Web when it came. The other guys were curious, but they never asked, and she never offered.

"Raven, I have to go," he whispered. "You know I have to."
She nodded, but didn't look up at him. "I know."
One hand was playing on the hilt of the sword. "Raven..."
"I love you." She lifted her head and gazed up at him steadily, golden eyes burning. "I know you have to go. I'll wait for you."
He leaned down and kissed her swiftly, wanting to remember this moment without tears springing into his eyes in the middle of the battlefield.
When he pulled away, she was gazing up at him. She reached up to trace his face, memorizing his features one by one.
"Hey, there's no need for that," he chided gently. "I'll be back."
"I want to be able to see you even while you're gone." She reached up and drew him into an awkward hug, as he was wearing armour.
He jumped when the trumpet sounded, and pulled away, settling his helmet on his head.
"I love you," he whispered, turning to go.
"I love you, too, Korbin..."
He vanished into the group of soldiers at the city gates.
Raven was spun around in the rush as hundreds of girls flocked to the city gates to tell their soulmates goodbye.
Raven watched the girls struggle through the crowds of faceless, battle-garbed figures, desperate to find the ones that they loved. She shook her head. Korbin wasn't one of them, a nameless drone going out to wield a sword against the mighty Blackgaurd. Korbin was in her heart and in her soul. Korbin's was the face that entered her thoughts and made her smile. His hair was shockingly white in contrast to her dark curls, his eyes pale with no colour of their own, changing colour with every expression and mood. They were a guileless, laughing blue when he'd just pulled a prank and was smiling innocently. They were almost black with passion in the moments before he'd lean in for a stolen kiss in the moonlight, chartreuse when he'd hold her close and whisper softly in her ear. They turned stormy and grey when he was angry or hurt, soft violet when he was happy...Raven could read his soul through his eyes...

Two Blackguard were holding her back. Her heart was screaming inside, soul sobbing wildly. Her love was beaten and broken, and the Blackgaurd had him bound tightly to the tree, getting ready to kill him, set his body aflame and tear apart his soul. Tears began to stream down her face as fire began to dance along the roots of the tree. He was gazing at her, face blank but eyes flashing a myriad of colours. She might have screamed when the flames reached his body, for his eyes closed, and he died. With a cry she broke free of her captors and lunged into the flames, clinging to his body.
The Magus Blackguard must have finished the chant, becase she screamed again when she felt his soul shatter like broken glass, shards flung across the universe. Her soul broke, then, as she sank lifelessly against him, flames devouring her hungrily.
Around them the heavens bucked and heaved, thousands of souls broken and soulmates torn apart.
Out in the universe, a single shard of the soul named Corbis was circling the earth, seeking entrance. It dove, suddenly, seeing a body about to come to life, and filled it.

The boy lifted his head and opened his eyes.
"Hello. My name is Chadstone."

Asia bolted up, breathing hard.
"Bad dreams again?"
She turned.
DJ was leaning in the doorway, smiling, gazing with those impossibly blue eyes.
Asia sucked her breath in sharply. Chadstone...