I died once. Second chances never got a second thought.  Things were black and white.  Roses or daisies.  Heaven or hell.  Living or being dead.  Well, actually things aren’t so black and white.  I died once, in a horrible accident.  I’m alive again, and my open eyes can see the grey.
My name is Krista Lee Wood, and dying changed my life.  Since then, I’ve gone back to college, gotten a new perspective on life, and found out the reason for my so called survival.  After college and work, whenever I was suppose to be sleeping, I was training.  After rising up from the ashes I didn’t need to sleep at all.  Perks I guess.
What is that brought me back, you ask?  A simple touch of dust, not necessarily the magical kind.  What I thought was fine snow was actually something else, something that has yet to be explained to me.  And there’s not a whole lot of explaining to do, because since I’ve met the other’s like me, all I’ve been doing is intense physical, mental, and emotional training.
“Hit harder, use that muscle and don‘t let it go to waste.”  came the non-chalant voice ringing to my ears.
A vertical swing of my Bo came crashing down to the ground, missing it’s target by an instant.  A whistle came screeching, and looking toward the noise only got me a back fist in the face.
“You should be more careful.  Haven’t you learned anything?”  asked the same non-chalant voice.  “Yonxi, maybe you should let me take over again.”
Unfortunately my opponent was fast.  His name was Yonxi, and to be quite frank, he wasn‘t human.  His appearance broadcasted this out on it‘s own.  He was just over seven and a half feet tall, long silver-white hair falling past his waist.  His eyes were an amber-gold, standing out fiercely from his fair skin.  How he was so fast I can’t comprehend, other then his inhumane look.  So what exactly he was I don’t know.
A kick to my gut and the Bo flew loose from my relaxed grip as I hurtled toward the ground, landing on my side with a resounding crack.  My hands pushing me off the ground, I spat an excess of blood that worked it’s way from my pierced lung, looking at Yonxi the whole time.  Another perk of being the so-called undead- any wounds no matter how grave heal themselves instantly.  Even if they should be fatal.
“Looks like I got a few more broken this time around.”  Yonxi chuckled, trying to make light of the rigorous training.  He held the bo, letting it rest on his shoulder.
“Which is why she should be training with me, I’m closer to her level.”  came the voice from behind, calm and cool as always.
This voice belonged to Rikka Teryth, who is supposed to be training me.  A hardcore, hardened, uncompromising soul who thought it a good idea to let me spar with someone whose level I’m sure is unreachable for myself.  At least at this point.
“AIYA!”  A complementary front kick hit Yonxi on the chin.  Barely, but it was a hit none the less.
“Getting better.”  He said, then looked from me to Rikka.  “So, Madam Teryth, has this little one passed training?”
Rikka’s vibrant green eyes passed from her colleague to me, seeming to bear into my soul.  A shudder went down my spine, and as they had always been terribly noticeable this time was no exception.  Her expression lightened a bit.
“As mediocre as this one is she is the only one in quite some time that has shown considerable ability.  She passes with reservation, of coarse.”
“Well of coarse, it’s not like were putting her in a tactical or vital position right away!”  Yonxi chuckled.  “So, we should get her cleaned up and ready, the guys will be eager to have a new playmate.”
“Playmate?”  I questioned, looking at both mentors.
“Go ahead and pass out, you look more then exhausted.”  Rikka said, and I could have sworn there was a hint of care in her tone.
“I am not!”  Still defensive, as always.  “I’m not tired at all!  Besides, isn’t there something I need to do still?”
“No.”  Rikka said, finally coming out of shadow for the first time since training began.  “Not right this moment.”
She was tall, not Yonxi-tall, but over six feet easily.  Rikka‘s long, wavy straw-blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail.  Her eyes were the same green you could see from the shadows, only… more neon.  Apparently not human either.  She wore a sage colored pair of pants, and a shirt that had purple ribbon on the front, criss-crossing like the laces on shoes.  Over the entire outfit she had on a long sage sheer jacket, and a simple pair of sandals for footwear.
“Well, well, finally leaving the cloak behind?”  Yonxi asked.
“Miss Wood, I’d appreciate it if you stayed at your apartment.”  Rikka ignored the comment.
“My house.”  I corrected.
“Gees, the rumors that your ugly are certainly wrong!  What classic beauty abounds you, my dear!”  Yonxi commented, though Rikka ignored it once more.
“Your Apartment.”  She reiterated.
“My house that is actually my parents because they pay for it.  My sister lives there too.  I’ve lived there for the past 19 years of my life.”
“And now your living in an apartment.”  Rikka said.  She seemed intense, perhaps annoyed with my lack of knowledge as to where it was that I apparently live.
“The address is 410 Compass road, Tamarack Building.  You’ll be in room 10 on the second floor, positive not negative.  Don’t ask, you’ll find out soon enough.”
And sooner then I could blink, I was standing on a busy sidewalk.  People were pushing past me on either side, it wasn’t any use to try and keep track of anything.  Tall buildings were stretching toward the sky on either side of me, big glass windows staring out at the road.  And then I noticed I wasn’t on a sidewalk; I was on a high bridge reaching over a shallow body of water.
The water was crystal-clear, shimmering phosphates lighting it up iridescently.  Fish swam by, as did other aqueous creatures that I’ve never seen in my life.  The floor of the lake, ocean, whatever it was, was white sand, littered with… pumice boulders maybe.
“Hello, I’m Priscilla Demesne.  You are?”
“Kri-”
“Wood, training under Rikka Teryth?”
“Yeah? How’d you know?”
“Let’s say word get’s round quickly here, especially with you training for as long as you did.”  She smiled genuinely.
“Oh.”  I said, nodding like I knew where ‘here’ was.
“Tamarack Building, Room 10 on positive 2, correct?”
“Huh? Oh yeah, yeah that’s where I’m supposed to be living.”
“Well that’s a far ways from the Shallow Quarter.  Let me take you there.  So, miss Wood, If I may call you that, are there any questions that you have?”
“Uhm, yeah.  What exactly-”
“Are you doing here, what is your purpose?”
“Yeah…”  This was unnerving as it was creepy. She seemed to know everything I was going to say before I even said it.
“That is only a question you can ask yourself, and therefore only you can answer that question.  It’s the unspoken question, don’t ever mention it again.  Are there any other questions Ms. Wood?”  She didn’t glance back nor did she break her brisk pace.
“Uhm, well… what is this place for one?” I asked, taking a look around.  The cobblestone bridge was long, extending farther than the eye could see in either direction.
“This is the Boundless Domain.  The name speaks for itself, this world is borderless, and can expand exponentially when need be.  The current area is about the size of your Neptune, I believe.  I can keep going on and on, would you like me too?”  Priscilla turned around suddenly, so suddenly I nearly ran into her.
“Oh sorry!  Uhm, so how far exactly is my apartment?”
“Good question…  From here it’s about a four day walk, and we need to get there within the hour.”  She then flipped a phone open, dialed a number, then left a message.
I was about to ask another question, but Priscilla held up a finger.
“Don’t worry Ms. Wood, everything is being taken care of.  I called an associate and he will be here in a few minutes.”
“Where am I going?  And why is it so soon?”
“This is the last time Rikka or Yonxi get a pupil.”  She rubbed her temples.
“Huh?”  I was undeniably confused.  What did they have to do with where I was going?  I was getting used to them being in the past, at least Rikka.
“You’ve passed training and now your getting into a job, well, career of sorts.  Not to be put on the spot, but you’ll be in a ceremony in which you’ll be congratulated for your achievements then awarded a position.”  She put a hand on my shoulder, nearly making me shudder.  “Krista Lee Wood, I don’t really have anything more to say to you other then I hope we don’t get to work together.  You wouldn‘t do well in my line of work.”
“Ms. Demesne, may I take your charge?”  said a gruff voice from behind.
“Yes, please do.  If you don’t go now she’ll be late.”  Priscilla said, shoving me toward the edge of the bridge.
To keep from falling over, I tried to put my hand on the ledge but instead someone reached for it.  I looked up to see a young man, his large hand engulfing mine.  The man was standing on a ship’s banister, leaning dangerously off the side.  Effortlessly, he pulled me up, just by my hand, and whisked me away.  Ok, so he just pulled me onto the deck of the ship, but whisked away just sounds better.
“Edmund, stop dawdling and trying to be dramatic!  Take her and leave!”  Priscilla raised her voice, frighteningly.
He called out on order, and the ship pulled away from the  bridge.  It took my breath away, ascending from the bridge, toward the skies.  After a while, you think I’d get used to living in the unusual, but this was my first ride on a Pirate Ship that sailed the endless skies.
“I am Edmund Vincent Henry, Captain of this timeless vessel!  My fair maiden, how may I be of assistance?”  His voice was smooth, not gruff like it was before.  Assuming he was the owner of the gruff voice.
“She needs to get to the Great Hall.  And you are no captain, not of the Arrear!”  Came the voice from earlier, only with more pronounceable drunken slur.  I quickly turned to look where it was coming from.
It belonged to a giant of a man, with wild and unruly hair.  He dressed like a pirate would, judging from movies I’d seen.  Other then that, there wasn’t much else to say about this character.
“I am Captain Asheterumiokwazi.”
“Ok.”  I said abruptly instant.  His surly appearance and voice were daunting.
“Call me Jack Bob.”  He seemed annoyed, judging by his expression. “Follow me please, below decks, that’s were you’ll quickly get ready.  I have a friend available to do your hair and make-up and whatever else girls need for big events.”
And standing there at the stairs going below deck, was my worst enemy.
“Hi Ms. Teryth.”
“Don’t talk to me unless it has to do with your appearance.”
I was about to say yes ma’am, but I had flashbacks to training.  Running up a thousand stairs, steep stairs, with two full buckets of water trying to spill them.  All for saying ‘hello’.  Glad I reconsidered.
I did follow her rather quickly to the lowest deck.
“You have full recommendation from Yonxi but not from me.  That easily gets you into a specialized unit.  I‘d prefer if you got into a desk job, simple enough.”  As soon as we entered the room, she shut the door and locked it.  I swallowed a scream.
“Go take a shower and I’ll explain things to you.”
So I undressed and jumped in the shower.
“Yonxi has more faith in people then I do.  We’re both notorious for failing students as soon as their admitted to us.  No one will ever be good enough because the bar has been lowered, and we will still believe in high standards.  However Yonxi sees potential in people, it’s a natural talent of his.  I hope your done washing your hair by now.”
I was too busy listening to the story, though I think she knew and that’s why she mentioned the washing of the hair.
“The only reason I’m telling you this is because I don’t want you to cry the first day of duty for whatever reason.”
I nodded my head as I finished up with my shower, soon turning off the water.  As soon as I had the towel wrapped around me and stepped out of the shower, Rikka had a pressed uniform thrust into my hands.
“This is your uniform that you’ll be wearing for formal occasions, special holidays, special holidays you‘ll be working on.”  Rikka went to a vanity and starting sifting through the contents of it’s drawers.
I put on the uniform, then admired myself in front of a full body mirror.  I had a white undershirt and skin-colored, thigh-high stockings.  The uniform itself was a button-up jacket and a pencil skirt, good because it went to about my knees.  Color wise it was navy blue with burgundy accents.  It was brand new and just warm off the press, after a much welcomed shower it felt so good.
“If you find a skirt unsuitable there is a pair of pants for you at your apartment.  You won’t have time to go there until after the ceremony though.”
I turned and saw that she had my make up and hair accessories ready for me.  So I sat down and got all made up like it was senior prom (which I didn’t go to).