I was sitting in the classroom and scribbled my questions down on the paper and when I couldn't think of anything else, I just kept doodling into the notebook. Bryant kept his seat which is close to the food and also to me. He peeked over my shoulder from time to time and whispered short answers to some of my questions. He got scolded multiple times but not by Mr. Hale, by his fiancée, Ann. Bryant gave her the what expression everytime while shrugging his shoulders and pointing on my notebook, letting her know that he is just trying to help me out and is not slacking or disturbing the ongoing lesson which I have no idea what's it about since I filtered most of the information I heard. I am not focusing on what they are discussing almost at all and my brain is rather kept busy by thinking about the next class, in which they might make us fight, based on what Bryant told me. Besides that I got quick answers for my Overflow question and the leaving academy one. Apparently the amount you need to release or how often, depends on each descendant so that didn't help me at all. Especially since Bryant described it as you-just-have-to-feel-it type of nudge inside your body and you know when the release is coming overdue. The amount also depends on your type of powers. My powers are categorized as active and I have to release it out of my body. If I release too little, I will have to do it more often, and on the other hand, I could release too much and then burn out or basically this thing called Overload will happen to me. Bryant's solution to this is yet again: just gotta feel it. But he did mention that most people have years to practice they powers and then keeping them under check is like a second nature. Since I didn't have that luxury, I will have to just keeping doing it until I get used to the signs and figure out when my body is letting me know that it's time to release some of the energy. I noted it down next to the Overflow question and as I was writing the last words, Bryant leaned closer and whispered so he is not disturbing the class or Ann.

Bryant: How did ya go without Overflowing all those years though?

Me: Good question. My source was locked so probably that contributed to my body not storing a lot of energy. And sometimes there were weird accidents happening around me, thanks to not knowing about my powers. I guess that helped to release some of it.

Bryant: What in great Athena?

Ann: Can you please keep the conversation to yourself, some of us are trying to study here.

Bryant: Her source was locked, Ann! Never heard of that happening in ages.

Bryant yelled out after he learned about my source being locked away and that alarmed not just Ann, but the whole class. He then lowered the volume of his voice and Ann didn't scold him again. Instead her interest was now focused on me, like the rest of the class. Everyone in the room turned around to face me and they started to bombard me with questions one through another so I barely could understand what they tried to ask me. Mr. Hale asked them to pay attention and then decided that the locking of my source is a good topic to discuss, so he changed the lesson towards that and started asking questions. I apologized for creating a chaos and disturbing the class but the topic caught everyone's eye and as soon as Mr. Hale gave them a green to go, they started to analyze the whole situation.

Ann: In the past, this method was used to hide certain members from the descendant community.

Athena 3rd year student: Why would anyone want that?

Bryant: The herding.

Me: Herding?

Ann: Some descendant communities hold very close together, up to the point that it's more like a prison or a cult. They track you and your whole family and there is no way to hide yourself. And if they catch you, you will have to follow their rules, fit into their society and take up positions you don't want, just to satisfy the needs of the community.

Athena 2nd year student: Those are all just rumors though. It all ended ages ago and now in the modern era, everyone has a choice.

It sounds similar to the Ares descendant situation that Reilly mentioned. No one here probably knows about the existence of Ahris so I can't really join the discussion with a proof that it's still ongoing even in this era. I was wondering if that was the reason for locking my source but one of the students noted that I am a Zeus descendant and their community is pretty free. I also doubt that they would want to get rid of a person that has his powers but then I realized I am not even Zeus descendant. I've been etching that part into my brain, to not reveal my origin like my source warned me to, so hard that even I was fooled by it and kept thinking that I am from his line. The discussion continued as they listed all of the reasons someone could lock a source of a person: to hide, revenge, out of spite. None of those are my case or I might be all of them. To hide the fact that I am Ulferonn's daughter, revenge coming from my half brothers because I am an illegitimate child, and then queen Aetha locking it out of spite because her husband cheated on her and I am the result and living memory of that betrayal. It doesn't matter which one of those it was since the lock wasn't permanent anyway. I don't want anything from them and if I can successfully integrate myself into the Zeus community while not being a descendant from their line, I am planning to just live my life like a normal person, with ability to blast lightning though.

The rest of the lesson continued with the discussion about the importance of the descendant communities or the source locking and the time flew so fast that I didn't even realize the class is already over. Everyone contributed their knowledge or opinions without yelling at each other or arguing which felt nice and the whole discussion was civilized. Bryant was the one to break my focus on the doodling and told me that the class is over. I thanked him and quickly packed up my stuff. I wanted to go talk to Mr. Hale and ask him how he is holding up, if he feels better and how can I repay him. He cleaned the board and then went to organize the stack of papers he has on the desk. I tossed my backpack only onver my left shoulder and tried to maneuver through the small crowd of students so that I can get to him. He noticed me when I was close so I gave him a subtle smile and called his name. I noticed the dark circles under his eyes and how slouched he was. He looks exhausted. Mr. Hale only looked at me and then quickly walked over to a group of three students that are still hanging around the bookshelves to talk to them. He totally ignored me and wasn't even subtle about it. I was going to interrupt them and ask if we can talk for a little bit in here since we are forbidden to meet up in private but then Ann passed me on the way out, Bryant following her and tapping my shoulders, wishing me luck in Combats. Since I only have about fifteen minutes to change classes and get into the combat grounds area, I gave up on talking to Mr. Hale and left the classroom.

Reilly was already waiting for me in front of the door when I opened it. She was leaning against the wall and typed into the phone. I greeted her and she quickly put away her phone, jumped towards me and then when she was close enough, she interlocked her arms with mine and started to drag me away. Reilly asked me how was the first official class with me as a demigod but there wasn't nothing much to talk about since for the majority of the class I only scribbled some ugly drawings and didn't pay attention much. I was interested in this next class though so I told Reilly that I heard about some active powers and fights, then asked her if she can tell me more about the class.

Reilly: It is one of my favourite classes honestly.

Me: Don't you have enough fighting within the HQ?

Reilly: I do, but I am good, very good. Even here I am one of the best fighters so I am mostly excused from the duels and can do my own training. They only ask me sometimes to spare with someone or coach the worse fighters.

Me: Will you be my teacher too, Master Reilly?

Reilly: Haha, probably no. I am assigned to the fighters grounds and you with your powers will be probably in the open grounds.

Me: Because my power is classified as active, right?

Reilly: Pretty much. But you just have to tough it out. Did you eat?

I told Reilly about what was prepared for us in the room and what I chose to eat. She nodded in approvement but gave me future notes about different foods that might help me sustain me through the Combats better than just fruits.

Checking every hallway and turn, I noted the way towards the combat grounds. Last time I was here, I was coming with Draco who just dragged my half dead body and we started from a different point so I needed to note how to get into the grounds after each Controlling class, just in case I will have to go alone.

We passed the first rooms which were already filled with grunts and punching noises. Reilly explained that those small rooms are for working out and not actual combat grounds. Students usually go to warm up there first or when their bodies need to be strengthened, teachers create a work out regime for them and they have to attend the gym rooms as a part of their class. When we got to a split hallway, Reilly apologized that she has to go to her classroom and that she has to leave me. I knew that I cannot depend on Reilly all the time so I was okay with it and told her that I will be fine. The only problem is that I have no idea where I should go. Do I sign up for the training regime or what? I asked Reilly if she has any idea what to do and she swore under her breath that she is dumb and that she forgot that I wasn't assigned to a Combat ground yet. She grabbed my hand and then told me to follow her.

There wasn't any other option for me, of course I could be wandering around and asking people where I should go but that could take hours and it might affect my attendance, so I let Reilly drag me through the cold hallways. It felt weird because the whole school is being heated up so why is this section not? I understood that the spot from which we watched Samhain celebration is abandoned and there is no need to heat it up but there is a lot of students who are currently using the combat grounds. A shiver flashed down my spine and I got goosebumps all over my body. Reilly didn't seem to mind the chill.

Me: Why is the temperature in the combat grounds tempered to let-me-freeze-my-ass-off?

Reilly: Has to do something with using your powers and heating up your body naturally. Even working out will make you sweat. Also this way, you are getting accustomed to different environments where when there is a war, you are able to fight no matter what.

Me: "When" there is a war? Is it because of the riots started by the expelled students?

Reilly: That's been going around for years but they never amounted to anything. Still, as an Ares descendant, I see the logic behind this. Just wait when they change the temperature to mimic a scorching desert out of nowhere.

Me: Don't you think that it might happen though? I saw the power struggles around Aveus and the relationships between magicians and demigods are the greatest either.

Reilly: That's why I said "when".

Reilly only gave me a soft smile but I could sense that she is worried about it. Mostly because she would be in the first line of fight as an Ares descendant. And if it comes to us picking sides, I have no idea what I am going to do since I have good friends at Aveus. Maybe keeping my source locked would have been a better option for me, rather than using my powers against the people I love.

The conversation between me and Reilly went silent. All I can hear is the grunting of people who are sparring in this pit room, their bodies being punched, kicked or slammed against the mat. Reilly dragged me towards this room and she explained that it's her classroom. The space resembled more a fighting pit than a classroom. We were on the highest floor and then three floors under us is a square space used by students to spare. Each floor above the pit is serving as a station for spectators. Either teachers or other students. At the end of our floor is a staircase that led us into the bottom of the pit. No one looked at us when we arrived because they were all focused on their opponents. Only one person wasn't fighting anyone. An older guy, maybe in his 40s, dressed in all black tactical clothes while walking around the mat with his arms tugged behind his back. He is yelling out orders at the students, telling them how to improve their positioning and core or something like that. Reilly told me to wait outside the mat area and that she will go get the professor. It was obvious that the person she is going to call is that scary looking man with a buzz cut who is casually just strolling between all those kicks and punches. Reilly mimicked the professor and also moved through the sparring duos or even trios. I watched her lean towards the professor to whisper in his ear and point in my direction. The male who is probably some army general or something locked his eyes on me while Reilly kept talking to him, probably explaining what I am doing here. He nodded and then yelled out a command to the students so that they keep sparring on their own, then started to move with Reilly towards me.

Reilly: Professor Nalin, this is my friend Kaitlin Holland.

Professor Nalin: The Zeus descendant that got misplaced? Did they even figure out what happened with you?

Me: Something about an old broken magic gene from the Noion lineage was a part of my DNA. It presented first while my source was locked and then with unlocking my source, the Zeus gene overtook the weak magical one and I manifested fully as a demigod after.

Professor Nalin: Never heard anything like that happen with the genes but I am not a scientist so I suppose it is possible. Ms. Sutton explained your situation to me and we need to assign you. As a Zeus descendant you have connection to the thunderbolt and should be able to use lightning in result. That places you into the active grounds but if you wish to learn how to fight, you are welcome to attend my classes too, just tell Professor Radock when you want to train your body instead of your powers. I will take you to him now and get you assigned.

I thanked Reilly and wished her good luck, not that she needs it. Reilly is already fixing the laces on her boots. After she tightened both of her shoes, she stood up and took a few jumps to warm up and relax her body. Grabbing her arms from the side and pushing them against each other she loosed her muscles as she walked into the middle of the mat. Reilly took the professor on herself and started to instruct the fellow students on what they should do or what to avoid, then swapped places with them to demonstrate it. Reilly looked so natural coaching the students. Sadly I had to leave the fighting pit and walk up again to get assigned to a different combat ground. Professor Nalin walked with his hands behind his back as he explained some of the basics to me. I trailed after him like a lost puppy and tried to remember all the fighting techniques he talked about, fighting styles that might suit me but this topic is a Bermuda triangle for me. I only replied that I need to think about it and discuss it with Reilly because she might be able to recommend some workouts for me.

I hoped that we won't go to the combat area that I used through my Overflowing but I think my luck ran out for today. The fever made me delirious most of the way so I couldn't remember which room it is but as soon as we entered one of the rooms, I could see the scorch mark that is slightly fading but it still hasn't been repaired since then. I looked down on my feet and wished I was invisible right now. During my power release, I was here only with Professor Coldos, Mr. Hale and Draco, so no one else knew it was me who did this, but there are only two people at the Umbras that could do this damage that is clearly done by a strike of lightning, so they can tie this to me just following a basic logic. One of those people is me, the other one is Saxa who is also here. She is without her usual squad but after seeing her use her powers without any interruptions or adrenaline mixed with fear running through my veins is a feast for my eyes. She is dressed in her usual white, but instead of dress, she has wide satin trousers that are dancing with her every move, and a white blouse with puffy sleeves that are tightened around her wrists. She has her hair tied up in a high ponytail that is swaying from left to right with every blast. So elegant but so deadly. Her lightning strikes are precise and powerful. Instead of just summoning it from her body or from the skies, she is shooting the bolts out of her hands directly at these rock golems. Each golem appears with a wave of her right hand and then she lifts both of her arms with her fingers spread on each hand, waits until the lightning is charged and then she releases two lightnings at the same time to perfectly destroy the golem statue.

Me: I thought that demigods can't use spells. How is Saxa replenishing the golems then?

Male voice: Saxa also inherited a power of creation. She is a truly valuable descendant.

The sudden deep male voice made me jump and gasp. I pivoted on the spot to check who it is because I don't recognize that voice. Another male professor joined us. He looks older than Professor Nalin but they look similar. Dressed in the same tactical clothing, his hair shaved to his scalp and the way he carries his body is emminating the same respect as Professor Nalin or Principal Haydos does. He introduced himself as a Professor Radock and then he said that he will take care of "this" matter from now on. No thank you to Professor Nalin for handling "this matter", meaning me, or anything. And the first Combats professor doesn't seem to mind. I tried to focus on the conversation with Professor Radock but my mind and my gaze keeps shifting towards Saxa who is blasting the golems with no problems. She is panting a little bit now but that doesn't seem to faze her a bit. Some young student dressed in black tactical clothes like the rest of the students from the fighting grounds is keeping some sort of count while standing close to Saxa with a board in his hands and writing something down. Professor Radock let me watch her for a little bit but then he continued asking me questions.

Professor Radock: Saxa is advanced with the aiming and using her creation powers simultaneously with lightning but she needs to increase her endurance and numbers of lightnings she can produce. You will undergo the same training but first we need to figure out our current level. Please answer the following questions as short and as specific as possible. Your abilities?

Me: Lightning and electrokinesis.

Professor Radock: Nothing else? And what's this electrokinesis?

Me: Not yet, sir, and besides lightning I can magnetize air to move metal objects.

I added the sir in my response as a reflex but the professor didn't seem to mind it. I guess he really is from army and this class is literally just training us for war like soldiers but with superpowers. The professor noted something down into this small book that he took out of his side pocket on the black baggy pants and then continued with his questionare.

Professor Radock: Your strike limit?

Me: Don't know, sir. I never tested how many lightnings I can produce and I can't aim on targets also.

Professor Radock: Your energy output?

Me: What does that mean?

Professor Radock: Basically the amount or strength of your strikes.

Me: I summoned lightning blasts twice but I can limit the lightning to minimum and only summon is around my body if I want.

Professor Radock only hummed while noting something down again. Then he started to write something without asking any new questions and I only waited for him to be done. I would have been a dead person, probably turned into coal, dust and bones if he decided to throw me into the combat area today, where freaking killing machine Saxa is boosting up her lightning production, but for some reason he didn't do that. I guess I do have some luck left for today as I got assigned to other active combat ground. Professor Radock ordered me to follow him and told me that he will present my training regime when we arrive to the location.

It was weird to see Saxa so worked up and actually doing some exercises. I imagined her slacking off in these technically PE classes because she seems like the person that hates sweating but she diligently practiced like they told her to.

I was hauled off into this smaller room that is filled with those figurines that you use as a target for archery practice. Some of them are already so damaged around the painted red circles on the middle of the figurine that I doubt you can use them to practice again. We walked towards those ruined ones and then stopped as Professor Radock turned to face me and read his notes.

Professor Radock: Since you are not combat ready, you would be a danger to other students so you will practice on these figurines first. Your output, your aim and your limit. The stands on the figurines are made out of metal so you can use your magnetic powers to position them yourself and then use lightning to strike them. I will send someone to write notes and guide you during the first days of your practice. We need to get some measurements and evaluate your skills. From there, I will create a regime for you and if you are combat ready, you will be moved to the main active combat ground for duels. Professor Nalin also offered to train your physical attributes. Your height and weight?

Me: I am 5'5 and about 132 pounds.

Professor Radock: So around 168cm and 60kg. Good average built but I don't see much muscle on you. Strenghtening your body will help you to hold more power so I highly recommend visiting fighting grounds and get a training regime from Professor Nalin or one of his star students. Reilly Sutton is a great help in this area and she is in the same year as you, so I would seek her out.

Me: Reilly is my roommate, professor.

Professor Radock: Makes it easier for you then. Now, I want you to start the training I told you about. I have to attend to other students and oversee the duels but someone will be with you shortly to take notes for your evaluation. You can start by placing the targets but don't start striking them yet. I don't want you to Overload by accident when no one is here and since we don't know your Surge point, it might be dangerous.

My brain quickly scrambled the knowledge about those power points we learned in the special additional class. Overload means channeling more energy than my body can handle, Surge point is the amount I can channel before I burn into a crisp, and I don't know the levels of neither one of those two. Better off to just try and move only the figurines today, leave the lightning for some other time. But the question now is, how the hell do I do that?

Me: Imagine it, I guess.

I told myself out loud to get hyped up and get to work. Placing my bag on this bench near the wall, I get ready to use my powers on purpose and for real probably the first time in my life. Rolling up my sleeves of my grey sweater as I walked to the middle of the mat and then I turned to face the stack of target figurines. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, inhaling the cold crisp air into my lungs as I tried to focus on channeling my power. I stared at one of the lying figurines and imagined moving them, but they didn't budge at all. Keeping my eyes open without blinking, I kept watching that one figurine and pulling it towards me in my mind. It budged only by an inch which is weird because even if it's heavy, I did move bigger object before so the weight shouldn't be the problem. I walked towards the figurine and tried to lift it up.

Me: Lighter than the furniture I moved back in Ossilor dorm room. Maybe the energy level is not enough?

I started to analyze the situation and hopefully figure out why it's not working on my way back to the previous spot in the middle of the mat. I didn't have any knowledge or practice with my magic but thankfully I was a good student in the non-magical world and maybe it works on the same principle as good old highschool physics. To magnetize and move larger objects, I probably need to increase the amount of the energy in the magnetic field, so I started to imagine an area of electric field around the whole mat. The air around me changed a little bit in its' color. It is playing with a blue tint right now and I can also sense a soft tingling of electricity kissing my exposed skin and also my hair standing up. Focusing completely on the figurine, I imagine it moving towards me once again and this time it started to move in dragging jumps, few inches each time and increasing the distance between each pull. It was moving slowly and it will probably take me the whole class to just move maybe five of those into position and then lift them up with my weak arms. Or at least I thought so at first. Maybe my impatient thought was the reason for the figurine to get lifted up in the air and then being launched towards me with a force very fast.

Shit. I managed to dodge the flying bulk of wood in time by throwing my body against the ground. The impact was so hard that it scratched the skin of the bottom of my palms a little bit. I winced in pain and started to blow cold air against the exposed bloody skin to calm the pain, then I looked in direction where the figurine landed with a loud thud and breaking noise. It hit the figurines on the other side of the room and also a shelf stacked with bows. Maybe I don't need that much energy.

I went to clean up the bows first but gave up on the figurines because they are very heavy and the only way I can move to clean them is by using my powers and I definitely don't want to repeat what happened a few minutes ago.

I took a small break by sitting on the bench and searching for clean tissues inside my backpack so that I clean and wipe off the blood from my palms. Pressing the white paper tissue against the wound made me wince in pain but when I checked it, the injury isn't that bad, just needs a little bit of cleaning. Tossing the bloody tissues aside, I took out a bottle of water that I snatched from the Controlling class and poured it over new tissues. I used the wet ones to clean the dirt from the wound and then put the tissues on the stack of the already used and bloody ones. My hands were still wet from the cleaning so I flapped my arms in the air to dry them up and also to use the cold air as a way to easy the pain a little bit.

There is no time to be crying over a little boo-boo so I walked back into the middle of the mat and started to think about how to not weaponize the targets and only move them. I do need the amount of energy I used for the shield because without it, the figurines wouldn't even budge, but somehow I need to direct them. How to make them go a direction I want? I have the energy to start the move, I have a destination but I need to adjust the speed probably and also one thing to navigate them.

Me: In basic physics for a direction you need... a vector!

Something that will guide the object I am moving to the spot I want it to go. Imagining it rolling a certain way might help but I did that during the first attempt and it still flew at me like a cannon ball. Easiest thing I can use to point with is my fingers or my hands so I decided to try that. Lifting up my arms at first, pretending I am holding something as I point them towards the other destroyed figurine from the stack, then I summon the magnetic field. The figurine starts to shake, then move by bits, and then it got launched into the air, flying towards me. This time I focused on changing the speed but it still flew at me with force, landing in front of me and then rolling over more, almost hitting my legs. I stumbled with my steps backwards in order to not get run over by the figurine.

Female voice: You need to charge your arms with energy too if you want to use them as a vector for moving objects.

My heart is still beating fast from almost getting hit twice and now even more because I got scared by the sudden voice of a woman coming from behind me. It sounded familiar but I think I have heard it only once in my life, for a brief moment so I couldn't really pinpoint it to a face. Even turning around and looking at the person didn't help because I know the lady from somewhere but I can't remember where I saw her. She is dressed in older style brown dress, those people would wear maybe in the 1800s and reminded me of Professor Minertha but it's not her. The lady walked out of the shadows into the combat area while holding a little leather book and a pen in her arms. The light coming from the windows, which are placed directly under the ceiling and don't reach even to the half of the wall, illuminated her face better and then I could finally place her. It's Ms. Edite who greeted me when I first got to the academy.

Ms. Edite: Professor Radock called me to oversee your evaluation and help you with practicing your powers. This class is very dangerous since you will be testing your limits so listen closely to my advice and don't try to disobey or show off your powers. It will only lead to deduction of points for your studies or even worse, you might Overload. I will give you directions when I see that it's needed and point out mistakes, like your first one – directing energy to your arms will help you turn them into a vector or a steering wheel for your power. Try again.

I greeted Ms. Edite and thanked her for telling me how to use my powers properly. Just flapping my arms in the air doesn't mean that they are working the way I want them to. By the advice from Ms. Edite, I also need to channel my powers into the hands or my whole arms for me to be able to direct the figurines.

I lifted my arms in the same way as I did before, then imagined the small voltage electricity flowing around them. I waited until the blue crackles appeared and danced around my arms and then proceeded to summon the magnetic field. For the object to move, I picked the second figurine that is lying on the mat near me. At first it started to shake and roll from side to side, but then it started to slide away. Pushing my arms away from my body, I directed the target to move where I wanted it to. When the figurine landed where I wanted it, I focused on making it stand up. I dropped my arms next to my body, turned my injured palms to face the ceiling and then I slowly started to lift my hands. At the same time as I was lifting my arms, I focused the energy field on the head of the figurine and pulled it up. The sight looked so creepy, like this is some sort of horror movie and the wooden target is possessed by a demon or a ghost and now it's being moved on its' own. But it was me doing this. For the first time in my life, I felt control over this power that scared people around me, scared even me. The figurine got lifted on its' stand and I could stop channeling my powers. Ms. Edite only said good, another one, without congratulating me or anything. I expected at least some sort of little celebration because this is a big achievement for me but I guess we have no time to waste.

I moved onto the next figurine, channeling my powers again, dragging the target across the mat and placed it to the first standing one. Ms. Edite again told me to get another one and also noted something into the book she brought. With the third one, I sort of got the hang of how to use my powers but the third figurine felt heavier than the other two. I did place it next to the two but lifting it took me longer that the previous two targets. Ms. Edite instructed me to get another one so I focused on the fourth damaged figurine from the stack and started to move it. This one feels two times heavier than the third one and I can barely lift it. It's just getting dragged on the mat by a few inches with each pull. Even making it stand up was a tough task. The figurine dropped multiple times before I could make it stand fully. My lungs felt like they are being squeezed and my legs felt weak. I needed a break but there was no way I walk all the way to the bench so I let my knees break and I dropped on the ground panting.

Ms. Edite: It seems you are reaching your limites. One more should be the last before you exhaust yourself. One more.

I didn't want to do it. I just wanted to drop on bed and sleep for days but Ms. Edite was strict with her rules and told me to obey everything she says so I had to move another target. One more, just one luckily. I had troubles to stand up and keep myself on my feet but I started to channel despite feeling like a wobbly jello. The fifth target felt like I am dragging a boulder across the mat and it took me the same amount of time as all four figurines before. I did manage to move it into the position but I couldn't lift it up. I tried multiple times after it kept falling on the mat but I could feel a liquid dripping down my mouth and wetting my face. Brushing my lips with the back of my hand, I checked it and there was a blood smeared on my skin. Ms. Edite noticed it too and told me to stop. She informed me that there is still time left for the class but I should go to the infirmary and then go rest. She didn't need to tell me twice and I was already moving to grab my backpack and leave the combat area. I glanced at her as I was leaving to try and saw her still writing something down the scratching of pen against the paper resonated through the silent and cold empty room.

Barely lifting up my feet to take steps, I slowly progressed through the hallways and walked towards the infirmary. My body gladly welcomed the warm air which I was greeted with the moment I left the combat grounds area. All hallways were mostly empty because everyone else is in the class and it's just me who was let go earlier. I enjoyed the solitude and took my time to get to the infirmary. I just wanted to clear my mind but also my whole body feels heavy so I couldn't move fast anyway, especially on the stairs.

On my way to the infirmary I met a few students who were either going to the same location as I am or out of there. Also some other student's were moving between their classes and they had to change their classrooms. Still the atmosphere of the school was calm and the corridors weren't that busy. Even the infirmary isn't filled, besides two or three students who are sitting on separate beds, scattered around to room and waiting for the nurses or already getting their treatment. One of the nurses is sitting down behind a small white wooden table and is writing something into this rather large book. She kept sitting straight, not hunching over the pages at all and when she filled one page, she moved to another. Other nurses that were relatively free and weren't attending to anyone, are running from one point of the infirmary to another spot and carrying trays or boxes. I recognized one of the nurses that was assigned to me when I fainted and was brought here the first time. It is the same nurse that carred for Mr. Hale when he was admitted too. I greeted her and she halted with the small wooden box that's filled with small bottles, looking at me.

Nurse: What can I help you with, student?

Me: I was training in Combats class and then blood started to drip out of my nose. Ms. Edite told me to go to the infirmary.

Nurse: I see. Choose a bed and I will be with you shortly, I just need to take care of these.

She nudged the little box she is carrying and I understood. My injuries on the palms are that bad and besides being tired, I don't feel sick so I can wait a few minutes. The infirmary is relatively big and most of the beds are empty. I didn't want to sit next to the other students that are already here so I chose an area that had about five empty beds in a row, no one occupying them. I dropped my bag next to me and then placed my hands on my thighs, palms up so that I am not touching the clothing and disrupting the healing skin.

No one is really talking and the only sounds you can hear is the pen against the paper of the large book and then rustling of the dress and aprons as the nurses are walking around. All of that was interrupted by a loud scream of a male student that is sitting on a bed in the furthest right corner. Another nurse ran towards him and then a second one, to help hold him down while the nurse that was there first was twisting his bloody arm. It wouldn't be a bad sight only if there wasn't a bone sticking out through his skin. The nurse handed him a stick, telling him to bite down and then counting to three before pushing one half of the arm down and fixing the bone, pulling it back under the skin. The two nurses were jerked front to back as the guy's screams were muffled against the stick in his mouth but he was still squirming in the bed because of the pain. I couldn't watch the whole scene so I turned around and made myself think of something nice instead of that gore wound. What the hell happened to him? I closed my eyes and wanted to be transported into a flowe field or someplace quiet but I was brought back into the infirmary by the nurse stopping next to my bed and asking for my hands.

Nurse: We should treat those wounds first and then I will give you something to replenish your energy. The nosebleed seemed to have stopped, which is good.

The nurse left but was back soon with a small metallic tray in her hands which she placed on the nightstand next to the bed. It had bandages, Q-tips, some tiny bottles sealed by a cork and then a sand-colored ceramic bowl. She uncorked two of the bottles and then poured the liquids into the bowl, letting them mix. With one of the bunch of Q-tips she had on the tray she mixed the liquids even more and then used the infused tip with a brown liquid to go over my scratched palms. A hint of alcohol hit my nose and I scrounched it, also because I winced from the pain the liquid caused on the wound. It's probably a disinfectant. The wounds turned into a darker shade of red while she uncorked the third bottle and then leaned it over the ceramic bowl. White powder started to fall out of the bottle and turned the brown liquid into a yellowish paste. With another Q-tip, she took a good amount of the paste and then spread it over my wounds. When she was done, she bandaged my hands and then left to go get something else. I wiggled my fingers while staring at my mummy hands and waited for the nurse which returned with a cup of a steaming liquid. God I hope it's a nice cup of tea and not some bitter healing mud. The nurse handed me the cup slowly, telling me to take it easy with my hands and then just take slow sips. I pulled the cup closer to my face and took a whiff of the aroma. Smelled like flowers so I risked it and took a first small sip. It is a plain tea. Or at least at first, it tasted sweet and I enjoyed it but after a few seconds, the aftertaste in my mouth turned into something very bitter that it made me almost choke. The nurse only chuckled and as a true healer, she explained that everything good for the body usually tastes bad. I agreed but this bitterness is something out of this world. My face scrunched and I moaned displeased, not wanting to drink the tea but the nurse gave me a soft smile and told me that I will feel definitely better when I finish it. Reluctantly I went for a second sip when the nurse crouched in front of me.

Nurse: May I also remove your shoes and treat your legs?

Me: I only hurt my hands today.

Nurse: Yes. Those wounds are recent but I can sense your feet have been also cut.

I realized that my feet were banged up and cut while I walked barefoot after I was transported outside the academy grounds and all I did was get them treated by Draco, then just left the bandages he put on without removing them or changing them for a clean ones. The nurse took of my shoes and socks, then asked me to lift my legs and place my feet on the bed. She undid the bandages and held my feet a few inches above the blanket to examine them.

Nurse: This treatment is pretty good but it's still not enough. It might leave some scares. I will take care of those cuts too and give you something to help the bruising.

Me: Thank you. Can I ask you, what happened to that guy over there?

Nurse: Shifting accident.

Me: Is that some sort of sport or class around here?

Nurse: Shape-shifting. He is an Artemis descendant with abilities to shape-shift into animals. Usually the descendants have one, some have two animals that they can shift into but some students try to get more forms.

Me: Did he try to get a third one?

Nurse: No. Dave is a good student and is following all the rules. It's just that sometimes the transformation fails and is incomplete, or the shift back misalignes the human bones wrong. Animal bone biology and human is different so you need to know every detail of the form you are shifting into. Even then, accidents like this might still happen. But that's why you have all the classes where you can learn.

Me: But he will be alright?

Nurse: Of course. He might be forbidden to shift for a few weeks to let his bones heal but David is never discouraged by his mistakes or failures, and you shouldn't be also. You just have to train to get better and when you remember these wounds, you will see the progress you did. All done.

The nurse patted my now again bandaged feet and encouraged me in my training. I wasn't really disappointed for hurting myself during the class and was actually proud of what I achieved so her encouragement wasn't necessary but I still took her words to my heart. Maybe if I train hard, I will learn how to control my powers and won't hurt anyone with the freak accidents anymore. I thanked the nurse and hopped down from the bed to put my socks and boots back on. Taking my bag with me I left the bed area and was on my way out when the nurse stopped me and asked me to get myself signed in. She pointed towards the direction of the nurse that is writing into the large book and told me to go to her.

I stood behind the nurse who is focused on writing so hard that she didn't notice me. I cleared my throat to catch her attention, which I successfully did. The nurse wasn't startled by me making that noise. She must be used to it by now because she wasn't surprised at all and instead did her work casually by asking me some questions.

Administration nurse: Name, year and descendancy.

Me: Kaitlin Holland, 1st year and Zeus descendant.

Administration nurse: Cause and injuries?

Me: Uhm, training in Combat class, cuts on hands and feet.

I lied about my feet getting hurt in class too but I couldn't really reveal that I got transported outside the academy grounds. And I have already lied about me being a Zeus descendant anyway which I am forced to do but it still makes me feel guilty.

The administration nurse noted everything down and then told me that the treatment section will be filled by the nurse that worked on me. After that, I was free to go. I glanced over at the Artemis student, David, to see how he is doing. His arm is already fixed by a cast and he is lying there in his bloody clothes, knocked out. Better to sleep off the worst pain I guess.

Ms. Edite excused me from the rest of the Combats class and told me to rest for the whole day but I had no other classes today. Seeing the broken bone and all, I didn't want to go eat lunch even though my stomach was churning. The bitter disgusting tea helped me bring back some energy to move around but I still wanted to just go back to my room, drop on my bed and have a lazy afternoon.

My feet felt better with the ointment that the nurse put on the cuts so I walked on the stair with ease. It felt like stepping on clouds, like my feet are not hurt at all. I wasn't complaining about it and swiftly moved up on the staircase to get into the Zeus dormitory.

Our room felt warmer that the rest of the school for some reason. I don't know if it's because I spent some time in the cold Combat grounds or the rooms have different temperature but it felt nice. There is also a nice flower aroma sprayed around which smells like roses or something similar. All of this combined and also me lying spread on the bed, made me fall asleep pretty quick.

I didn't bother changing my clothes and just slept until I got woken up by someone touching my shoulders and calling my name. When I opened my eyes, I could see Reilly who seemed worried about me. In the backround I could hear two other voices talking to each softly so I peeked from behind Reilly to see who it is. Nima and Gaia are sitting on the couches and are casually chatting but when Nima noticed that I am up, she stopped talking and nudged her head at me which made Gaia turn around.

Reilly: I went to pick you up after the class but Professor Radock told me that he was informed about your injury and left early. What happened?

Me: I got injured so bad.

I pouted and then showed my hands to Reilly. She pressed her lips together, pulling the corners of her mouth back and making and annoyed face. I started to laugh and then sat up on my bed. Nima and Gaia also asked me if I am alright and what happened, so I decided to go sit down with them and talk. I sat next to Nima while Reilly joined Gaia on the other couch.

Me: I just slipped during training and scratched my palms, it's no big deal. But I did manage to control my powers and use them properly. Didn't last long though.

Reilly: That's amazing, Kaitlin. What did you do? Blast off Saxa?

Me: Luckily, I wasn't paired with her. If you could see what she is able to do, you wouldn't even think about fighting her. Me instead, I was on a cleaning duty basically. All I did was move around targets and place them for me to hit but I didn't get to do that. I was exhausted using my electrokinetic powers before I could even summon just one lightning bolt. Ms. Edite told me to get treated in the infirmary and then I got back here to rest. Which also reminds me...

I turned to face Nima who is sitting on my left side and is enjoying a cup of coffee. Explaining what I saw in the infirmary and what I heard about this Dave guy, I asked her about the details about this shape-shifting power. She told me that David is a 3rd year student and an Artemis descendant but not from her bloodline. Sometimes the bloodlines share similar powers but sometimes the abilities are completely different, like it skipped some families and appeared in others. Nima explained that her bloodline is good with animals. Some have talents to tame them, some can even communicate with them. David's family is able to shift into animal forms. They are famous for being bear shifters.