A/N: I do not own the Young Wizards characters, they belong to the awesome Diane Duane. I hope you like! Dai Stiho'!

Rememberance of a Wizard

Clouds hung overhead, giving everything in sight a dull, blunt look. There were not many people out for fear of getting caught in the rain. But, it had been cloudy like this for 3 months, and still rain had not fallen. Although, there was one person who did not mind the idea of getting wet, because he hoped that it would wash his pain away.

Kit Rodriguez, a boy of 14, was walking down the sidewalk with only one thing on his mind: her. He wanted to talk to her again; see her again. She was the one that he had met when he was 12, and became the girl that could listen to his thoughts. She was the one that would listen to him whenever he needed someone to talk to. She was the one that understood him best and he was the same for her. She was the one that he would dream about, but they were never good anymore, for most of them were now memories replaying themselves in his tired mind. In times like these, he felt like a prisoner in his own head, forced to watch a horror movie that had no 'stop' button. He could not stop the images that flashed before him no matter how hard he tried, and he always tried…

The biggest war that any wizard had ever seen was happening in various parts of the Milky Way Galaxy: the galaxy of humans. On the red planet called Mars, Kit Rodriguez witnessed Nita Callahan's final attempt to be forever known as a Silent Lord…

Wizards were everywhere. Humanoid and alien wizards were fighting a losing battle. The noise made Kits ears scream and throb in pain. There were shouts and screams inside of the gigantic air bubble that never seemed to stop. All Kit knew was to attack the enemy before the enemy attacked him, and the enemy was always attacking. He would send out killing spells at every enemy he could get, and unfortunately, he saw more of them than his allies. Everything was a blur of bodies, flashes and colors of various spells, the red powder of the Martian soil, and the dark red of settled and fresh blood.

Kit waved and pointed his weapon, his car antenna, and BANG! molten metal exploded out of its sliver tip and hit a leaping peryton, spraying its blood over Kit. He was breathing heavily and wiped blood off of his antenna. The 14 year old was scratched and wounded with ripped jeans, bloodied shirt, and somewhere in the deadly battlefield was his other sneaker. Kit brushed his sweaty hair out of his eyes and saw her.

Kit walked down the sidewalk with his hands curled into fists in the pockets of his long black coat. He remembered that he had worn this same coat to Mrs. Callahan's funeral. He recalled Nita, his best friend from this galaxy to the next, sitting in one of the fold-out chairs at her mothers' funeral just staring with unfocused eyes, that were full of new tears, which were in danger of falling and running down her thin and extra pale cheeks. Kit hated to see his Nita like that, so he sat next to her and put one of his strong arms around her shaking shoulders. Nita, whose eyes were now red from crying, looked at Kit and gave him a little, appreciative smile. Kit gave her a little, understanding smile back. Kit loved to make her smile, but his heart ached when he saw a new tear run down her tear-stained face.

He loved so many things about her. He loved to see her stare at the moon at night with love and admiration in her illuminated grey eyes. He loved to see her eyes sparkle as if they had her beloved stars burning from within; but he noticed that they only sparkled when she was looking at him. He loved it when she would laugh at his jokes and when she would ask him if she should send her annoying sister to Pluto. But right now, he needed her laugh because when she laughed, he laughed, and he had not laughed, nor smiled, in a long time…

Nita, his best friend, the girl that he would trust his life with and did countless times, looked at Kit from across the battle field. Her usual light brunette hair was now darkened with her own blood. Her left arm was bleeding freely, with the blood soaking into her light blue shirt, and her left leg was practically an open wound, which was surrounded by . Kit could tell she was in pain even though she had her back to him. But he saw his Nita stand proudly on both of her legs and he could feel commanding power flow around her. Kit leaped over his fallen comrades and enemies and sprinted to her with his sock flopping lazily on his shoeless foot.

Then, he skidded to a halt, for he saw the flash of a perytons' human eyes to his right out of the corner of his own. It leaped out in front of him from with only one intention in mind: kill the enemy. But Kit stopped just short and the wolf flew passed him with its claws in front it. He immediately sent out a killing spell, and the only evidence that a pytron was there, was from its splattered blood on the red floor.

Kit then looked at Nita's back though a gap in the fighting and he saw a ball of what looked like spaced string that faintly glowed yellow from within, clutched in her right hand, hidden behind her back: her kernel; her personal universe. She was standing about 20 meters away from a rather handsome man with red hair that seemed to burn with anger.

This man had a black suit and cape made of empty space. He had made that cape to anger the irritating wizards, for empty space, in his hands, was what almost destroyed their pathetic home planet. At his side, he clutched a menacing sword with fresh wizards' blood stained upon it, in his right hand. Nita and the Lone One both stared at the other with pure hatred and anger in their eyes. Kit knew what Nita was going to do and in that moment in time he stopped breathing.

Kits' was both horrified and proud for Nita as he heard her speak the last words that would ever escape her pale, bleeding lips.

"Fairest and Fallen, greeting and defiance! Once the Silent Lord, always the Silent Lord, Lone One!"

Kit had tears in his eyes as he remembered those words. He would often hear those words while he lay in bed, and all was quiet. He would know that he would see her again in his nightmares when he heard her pained voice.

He knew that she would do anything to save Life even if it meant to sacrifice her own. He didn't bother to wipe the tear that slowly crawled down his sad face; people were used to seeing Kit crying for Nita, so he wasn't embarrassed to let the tears fall.

Kit slowly passed buildings and people as he unwillingly remembered that night. He was brought back to the present from a loud blast of a car horn. He found himself standing in the middle of the crosswalk; he didn't remember stopping. He saw a red-haired man in a black car waiting impatiently for him to move. Kit ran to the sidewalk, his heart was pounding from the rude awakening from his mourning. He continued walking to his destination…

The Lone One, the creator of evil, howled with furry. The howl was not even close to being human and it made Kit feel an icy chill crawling into his soul. He had never heard something so horrid…yet, it suited the monster that stood before him.

Kit saw the wizards and perytons stop behind the Lone One and Nita. Kit took a second to look around the entire battle field. Everyone actually stopped in mid-movement to look at the One that let loose the hideous roar. In that moment, the battle noise stopped, and everyone looked at their leaders: the Silent Lord and the Stranger.

With evil glowing in his eyes, the Lone One threw his sword with the strength of 30 men and the blade cut through the air heading toward Nita. Kit knew that there was no shield spell that could stop His sword and he knew that Nita would indeed fulfill her task if she was quick enough.

Nita brought her right hand between herself and the sword just in time for the sword to make contact with her kernel. The sword immediately sliced her universe and would have gone through Nita, too, if the sword didn't shatter into thousands of pieces. The pieces then flew everywhere and landed on the stained red floor.

The Lone One roared loud enough for the entire universe to hear. He howled in anger and pain. His cape started to wrap around himself as if a gust of wind had picked it up. Empty space began to enclose upon him and it would not let him go no matter how hard he tried to fight it off. The weapon that he had used on the humans was now turning on Him.

Meanwhile, Nita went rigid as if she had ice water being poured down her back. Kit knew what was happening, but could do nothing about it, nor tried; he knew that she needed to do this. Then, Kit heard a voice inside of his head; a voice that used to interrupt his thoughts during class to say that she was bored or to say that her sister was being a pain. But, this time was different:

Kit, the small, weak voice of Nita said. I love you Kit. You'll be the first I see in Timeheart.

Then Kit saw the Lone Ones' red hair be engulfed by the blackness that reflected his heart until there was a black space on the surface of Mars.

Nita collapsed onto the red floor with her two halves of her kernel; she was at deaths' door, and was about to knock.

The empty space on Mars then seemed to shudder, and then the ball of blackness zoomed over perytons' and wizards' heads to the edge of the air bubble and broke through it, letting icy, suffocating coldness in and oxygen out.

Kit saw a little red-haired figure quickly seal it shut. Dairine, and all of the other wizards and dark creatures, saw the black shape being pulled to some unknown place. The only way they could tell that it was moving was because it would cover the stars for a split second and you could see its path.

The movement then stopped. Then, on the red floor, the two halves of the kernel began to glow brighter and brighter. The yellow light then began to pulse, sending out its bright light and a warm wind over the allies and enemies. The wizards seemed to stand taller, including Kit. He could feel warmth entering him and melting the icy chill that imbedded itself onto his slowly-breaking soul. But the evil side cringed and howled like the wolves they were. The perytons then seemed to fade and their howling seemed to decrease, one by one; they were disappearing. Then there was no more evil left on Mars, but the few wizards on the red planet continued to drink in the warmth as if they were all desperate flowers drinking in the warmth of the golden sun.

Kit knew that Nita was almost dead, but, he didn't want to let her to go. The halves of the kernel let lose one last pulse; the brightest of them all, completely engulfing all of the wizards in yellow light. The last time Kit saw Nita alive, and not in his nightmares, was when she was engulfed by her own sunlight. Good-bye Kitsaid her small voice. Kit saw Nita look up from the blood-covered ground at him with a small, pained smile on her face. She loved the sun, and at least she was able to be close to it before she left this world. She took her final breath…

Light and warmth overtook and blinded Kit and the next thing he knew was that he was standing in his moonlit backyard.

The Lone One and perytons were banished from that galaxy and will be for a while. When the wizards of Earth see the black mass shoot across the bright stars, they know that another person would have to sacrifice themselves to keep him out.

In all of the manuals of wizards, a passage was added:

Juanita Teresa Callahan:The FirstSilent Lord of the Milky Way Galaxy

May she be silent, but let her voice ring through the souls of humans.

Kit rememberedsome of his allies bring Nita's body back to earth. He saw her, and noticed that she had a look of peace on her pale face. At least he knew that she was away from all of the pain and destruction now. Now, she could see her mother and all of her loved ones whenever she wanted. But, Kit and the rest of her family and friends were still down here, without their Nita.

He had attended her funeral and he never thought that he would see the day that he would be crying and not have Nita's comforting presence next to him. Instead, it was Dairine, Nita's little red-headed sister who sat next to him and told him comforting words, for his sake and her own. From that day on, Kit had never smiled and never spoke her name aloud…

Now, Kit was walking along soft, short, green grass. Even the grass reminded him of Nita; she would often have conversations with it. But, instead of seeing Nita sitting on the grass with new green stains on her jeans, he saw grave markers. He wanted to see her again. He decided that on this day, May 17, he would visit his friend.

He walked slowly between the markers so that he could read them and think about the people around the world that was suffering like him. He saw some of them say Beloved Wife and Mother, and Beloved Brother, and Will Be Missed. Yes, Kit thought sadly, will be missed indeed.

After walking and reading, he finally found it; he finally found her.

R.I.P

Juanita Teresa Callahan

1976-1990

Beloved Daughter, Sister, and Friend

Will Be Missed Until We Meet Again

Her stone grave marker was under a large maple tree; the largest in the entire graveyard. Kit had felt a small happy bubble burst inside of him when he found out that she would be put under there. She loved nature and the stars and the sun, and he had grown very fond of them, too, over the past two years.

Kit then knelt down in front of the grave marker and began to softly cry. He missed his Nita; his wizardry partner. He wished that she would pop out from behind the maple tree and shout with a big smile on her pretty face, "Surprise Kit!" but he knew that wishes like that do not come true.

After a few minutes of falling tears, Kit felt a breeze lift his dark hair. But, this breeze was not the kind of breeze that you would expect on a cloudy day, for it was warm; odd. Then, something caught his eye, something white and red above his head. Kit looked up into the maple leaves through watery eyes and saw something that he never thought that he would see again: his missing sneaker. Kit had never returned to Mars because he knew that he would always visualize Nita's death, so he never retrieved nor wanted his shoe. But, there it was swinging by its laces which were tied to a branch. Kit looked around to see if anyone was watching him; no one was around or even near for that matter. He then stood up and untied the shoe. He examined the shoe and sure enough, it had red Martinian dust inside and out. Kit wondered how it got there and why didn't he see it before.

He then felt the warm breeze pick up again. He knew that breeze even though he had not felt that warmth for about 3 months, which was when Nita had died. He did not see how it was possible that on that day, in that spot, at that time, the warm breeze would appear. Kit then felt eyes watching him and he quickly turned around. He saw the grave markers that he had past and the black gate that separated the graveyard to the sidewalk. He then saw someone staring at him; a girl. He couldn't believe who he was watching through his red and puffy eyes. The girl had light brunette hair, which gently surrounded her pretty face, and was wearing a light blue T-shirt and jeans. Kit stared into the face of his best friend that was 20 meters away, but he could still see the stars sparkling in her grey eyes. Kit, still clutching his shoe to his chest, now knew that his friend gave him his sneaker and the breeze. Kit, his heart bursting with pain and misery and joy, his soul being ripped in two again, and his eyes becoming full of fresh tears, knew that there was no spell that could bring back the dead…and so did Nita.

Kit could see the stars sparkle brighter as her eyes also filled with tears. There was a look of pain and sorrow on her face as the tears slid down…and at that moment, rain started to fall. Kit looked at his grey-eyed friend crying and could feel the clouds' tears running down his hair and face; he was crushed.

But, Nita, even though she knew that Kit missed her with all of his broken heart, gave him another small smile. Kit began to cry harder, his tears mixing with the rain, and his shoulders started to shake, because he was watching her smile; he loved it when she smiled. He had almost forgotten how beautiful she looked when she did that. But, even though she made him cry and feel alive again, he was starting to break; how could she do this to me? Kit desperately wondered. Why did she come back?

Because I love you, said her voice, in his head. Kit looked at her with wide teary eyes.

Then, Nita laughed a little through her crying, and the sun peaked out from behind the clouds, but the rain continued to fall. Kit turned his face to the sun and closed his eyes, drinking in the sun like the lonely, desperate flower he was as he stood a little taller. The sun had not been out for 3 months, and it felt so good to Kit. The sun continued to shine, but Kit turned back to Nita, and opened his eyes to find…nothing; she was gone. Kit knew that she, somehow, had come to see him, even though she was in Timeheart, and that alone made him feel a little warmer inside. She came to see me because she loves me. I love you, too, Nita, thought Kit. He could feel the warmth of the sun and the cool rain falling all around him and smell the cool, damp grass, and he felt a little better.

Kit looked around to make sure that no one was looking. He then took off his right shoe and put on the dirty red-and-white one. He then looked up to the sun, which was only showing a little of itself. He was full of happiness, but he did not know why. His friend was there with him and then left him again, but seeing her made him feel joyful. With his other shoe in hand, Kit looked at the grave marker…

R.I.P

Juanita Teresa Callahan

1976-1990

Beloved Daughter, Sister, and Friend

Will Be Missed Until We Meet Again

I Will Always Love You Kit

Kit stared at it. He felt a small smile begin to creep onto his wet face. He knew that she could not come back, but she was still there. She will be the shadow on his bedroom wall at night. She will be in the trees and the grass. She will be in the stars above, watching over him. And she will be in the grey clouds and the sunlight, letting him know that she was there.

Kit's smile grew and the suns' light revealed a little more of itself. Nita doesn't want me to be sad, thought Kit. Besides, I know that she will be watching, so I will never truly be alone. After all, I'll see her again…someday.

With a smile still on his face, the warm breeze picked up again, and Kit was finally happy.

"Happy Birthday Nita," Kit whispered, "I'll see you around."

With that, Kit walked out of the graveyard, proudly wearing his mismatched shoes. As he walked straight and proud on the wet ground, the sun ray began to follow him. Kit looked back to find her behind him, and his smile widened. He ran down the sidewalk, splashing in the forming puddles, with his other shoe swinging around him, and with the beam of sunlight following him. With a laugh escaping his lips, the rain in his eyes, a smile on his face, and Nita on his mind…he ran home.

I guess you could say that the rain washed his pain away.

The End