Somehow I found myself back at Samael's estate on the practice fields, dressed in my exercise clothes, fighting for my life. Samael wielded his scythe like a master, bringing it down stroke after relentless stroke, forcing me to defend myself. I thrust my petersword to the right and left, attempting to deflect his blows, but stopping none. Death grinned madly, each touch of his scythe a light tap.
"Faster," he shouted. "I'm going pathetically easy on you."
I panted. "Yeah? I couldn't tell." Sweat dripped into my eye and I wiped it away, shifting just in time to parry his scythe as it came for my neck. True, Samael's strokes were light, but I was still getting the workout of my life. "Shouldn't it be night now?" I asked. "It's been twilight for hours."
"Time moves differently here. You'll find not a second has passed when you return to Earth."
"Really?" I asked. "I can make it to the party then!"
