Polarized

Bloody Mary

HUGE TRIGGER WARNINGS FOR THIS CHAPTER:  (I know Polarized is rated teen, but this chapter is more M-rated)
Vomit, blood and gore, dead people, dead animals, childhood trauma, lots of dark and disturbing stuff in general. Viewer discretion advised.

Hyacinth sat at her desk and looked at the stack of papers on her clipboard. The rays of the setting sun sneaked in through the gaps of the window-shutters, casting a faint glow on the studio apartment she had rented out in Edgewaters, Avriya. Her feet sank into the soft rug she had placed below her desk.

The healer had just recorded her observations from the most recent aura level evaluation trial, and some of its results were unusual, to say the least. Of course, about half of the students remained in the same divisions as they were in before. Skye, Hazel, Nova, and Luka to name a few of them. Nova and Luka were already in the top group, so they couldn't move up further, and the former, despite not having an incentive to go, chose to attend the evaluation anyway just so she could help the instructors with their jobs. Hyacinth smiled and shook her head. Nova, I swear people like you are keeping this entire community from falling apart…

It was no secret that Silver Run Academy and the mage training programs were severely understaffed, making Hyacinth work long hours as a teacher, a healer, a magic instructor, and advisor to the High Mage. In fact, she had just completed a twelve-hour shift, and wanted nothing more than to get under the covers and turn the TV on and her brain off. Perhaps she'd tune in to a sitcom or a feel-good family movie or some cheesy drama; anything to stop her from being alone with her thoughts and going into another downward spiral. 

Hyacinth clicked her pen with a nervous, half-hearted smile. TV could wait; she had students to evaluate. And so, she began reading the notes off her clipboard. 

Alexis Bingham

Strengths: Her mind-hearing is startlingly accurate. Her range is impressive, too— being able to hear the thoughts of people up to 10 meters away is a much longer distance than most telepaths can achieve. She's on-track for advanced-level aura magic for sure. 

Weaknesses: Alexis's visual telepathy is a lot weaker than her “hearing”— she can't detect images as accurately as inner monologue. She also doesn't seem to know when to turn off her abilities, much to the detriment of both her and the people around her. I tried teaching her a few mind-clearing techniques, but they don't seem to work. 

Previous group: Intermediate 2

Final group: 

Hyacinth paused, ruminating over her student's placement. Then, after a while, she put her pen down again. 

Final group: Intermediate 3. 

Hyacinth sighed. Alexis deserved the promotion; it's the least she could get for putting so much effort into her magic classes. Relieved to be done with the first bit of her task, Hyacinth began reading the rest of her notes.

Skye Everson

Strengths: I saw a lot of improvement this time around during her trial. It's clear she hasn't given up despite struggling with her aura. In fact, she seems to be working with it as opposed to against it, and is willing to improvise on the spot, like with her ice spear move. And though it's still present, her “sticky ice” issue seems to have gotten better from last time, too. 

Weaknesses: Unfortunately, Skye still has little control over her aura, and is all too prone to letting her frustrations get the best of her. Props for her efforts, but she still has a long way to go. 

Also, during evaluation practice, Skye's aura seemed to be a lot stronger than is typical for her. I won't judge, but it's clear she has taken some sort of magic-enhancing drug that time around. Auralillies, most likely. At least she didn't take them during the actual evaluation.