Vor lay back on her bed depressed and stressed, High School sucked, constant stress and panic attacks, surrounded by people terrified her. An average day drained her to the point of tears. She knew just knew that College would be the same, she could easily cope with the classes, just reading the books had got her through so far and her She knew just knew that College would be the same, she could easily cope with the classes, just reading the books had got her through so far and her teachers were easy to deal with. Most of them knew and understood her issues and the counselor assigned by the state seemed to help some.

College applications had been and gone, the essays, the letters, the recommendations went perfectly fine it’s just in interviews she sucked. She couldn’t escape the headaches and nerves, knowing just knowing she’d be found out. The time spent overanalysing every touch every movement for fear of a blow or an uncomfortable touch. Her first boyfriend had been the first and physically at least the worst, she remembered everything and somehow the bullying that followed was worse than the reaction.

She was waiting for the mail and what she knew would be another rejection, flinching as the sound of the heavy parchment hit the mat. She knew she’d have to get the letter before her aunt opened it and berated her for screwing up another interview and the threats of being forced out of her childhood home well at least till she turned twenty five and could take control of the trust her parents had set up before the crash. She stood slowly sighing popping her back swearing under her breath as she padded down the stairs leaning heavily on her left leg. She grabbed the letter and retreated to the bathroom running a hot bath and easing a cigarette out of the pack, inhaling with a sigh of relaxation as she sank into the honey scented water, a knife from her handbag easing the letter open she began to read what she was sure was another sorry but you haven’t been selected missive.

As she read, absently noting the heavy Vellum and unfamiliar script that seemed to blur and shape itself into readable language right before her eyes, she noted two things. The first that she seemed to recognize that the script wasn’t written in any language familiar to her regardless of the fact that it was immediately obvious in its meaning, the second was that it wasn’t a university that she remembered applying for. It seemed that she had come to their attention through some other means, maybe her guidance counselor she mused or her essays being displayed after a community college class and competition. She had been offered a place studying a double Major Behavioural Psychology and Forensics with a minor in Intelligence Data analysis.

It felt like something was squeezing at her head, something was pushing at her, almost as if her life was being overwritten as it seemed to blur before her eyes. She remembered scents and sounds; tastes and touches that she couldn’t have experienced. She remembered a family that loved her in a way so outside of her experience it was almost terrifying. She remembered a new form and a new name, the clang of steel on steel and the weight of battle plate and a spear. She saw her place in the world, of an age long since passed into myth. A bet set into motion, spurred by pride and overconfidence. As she sank into the bath she felt complete. She knew, in the way one knew that the sky is blue, who she was. She knew she would see- could see all that is true; learn the secret histories of the world; and those things that the masses decried as myth were in fact the true reality. She was… her life made so much more sense now, that aching emptiness filled partially by mood stabilizers and hormone treatments was suddenly filled. Her existence explained she knew who she was and all because of this letter… she needed to go, needed to believe.

There was a bet to win.