Chapter 1: Nightmare (a rather short chapter)

 I seize to the side of my bed and suddenly smash into the dirty wood flooring.
What the hell?!
My body ignites with energy although, truthfully, I feel like surrendering. But my pride is too big for that. With muscles tensed, and I leap into the air bracing myself for some enemy to come at me. I rub my eyes and look around. Nothing is here... I must have had a nightmare again. I recount the events of my dream that I could remember:

I stare into the face of Wolf DeathBringer. My best friend... He offers a hug. But I take more than that. I completely let down my guard and cry into his shoulder. My sobs echo in the dead world. Everyone I love is suddenly gone... except him. I continue to weep, but he crumbles into dust, as if he were a poorly made puppet. One second I was filled comfort... and the next, I was alone.
My mouth opens and I shreik into the blackend world. Hot waves electricity flow from my body.

Suddenly I'm in a new setting. Before me is a person in a black hooded cloak. The masked person suddenly slashes me with a huge scythe and thier hood falls behind them. My body limply falls. As I become engulfed my burning blood, I vaguely see the face of my attacker and with every oucne of strength I might have posessed, I stand, and make an effort to lunge toward him. But I end up sending myself off the side of a cliff... falling, falling... right toward the sharpest rock I have ever seen.


Could that dream mean I'll lose people close to me? And what about the part where I die? Ugh... maybe I watch too many horror films...?
The clocks reads 4:40 am.  I don't think I'll get back to sleep, so I decide to leave my dorm and walk around Ravenwood's georgeous stone paths. Bartleby is in a sleep-like trance and doesn't notice me slipping between shadows. I venture over toward the death school remains. Malistaire sure did a number of damage here... The power that man must've had-

My body tembles and a presence flows into me. Ah crap. Not again.

A bit of background: I can contact the dead... actually, the dead can contact me. Which is approprite, I suppose. I AM of the Death school. Anyhow, my family has this ability to receive visions from spirits. It was cool the first few times, but now it doesn't amuse me.
The Spirit show me a Black Rose, and a piece of Onyx.
I return to normal, holding a black rose.
 Dawn peeks around the horizon and it's time to prep for the day.
7 long hours of learning the art of death. Whoope.

So what did the Black Rose mean...?