Anna and her parents were rushing to the hospital because the doctor called saying that her grandpa was in trouble. Everyone was already crying because they knew what it meant. When they got to the hospital they rushed in to see doctors and nurses surrounding him. Anna went straight to her grandma and watched with tear-filled vision. Her grandma's eyes never left her husband. Anna held her in comfort and felt her shoulders drop. She sighed and looked down, the room becoming dark as the sound of the the flatline filled the air. Everyone's focus was on the man in the hospital bed but in the back of Anna's mind she wondered why the room had gotten so dark so quickly.
Once the room was cleared out, Anna and her grandma were left alone. "Nan, how are you?" Anna asked gently. Then suddenly the room became dark again. Anna looked out the window to see that the sun wasn't coming in. She was taken aback. "Nan, did you just do that?" She asked and pointed to the window. Her nan looked up to where she pointed.
"Do what dear?" She asked.
"You moved the light, didn't you?" Anna asked again. Her grandma looked to her knowingly.
"You have the gift." She began to smile and the sun slowly creeped back into the room. "I thought for sure it would be lost, but you've got it." She said and held her hands out. Anna placed her hands in her Nan's. "How long have you known? How did it happen?" She asked.
"Wait, Nan, how do you have it? What is it?" Anna asked.
"Answer me first dear and I'll tell you everything." Nan replied.
"I've known for about three years." Anna responded.
"How did it happen? The first time I moved sunlight I was searching for someone very dear to me. When I found her I pointed at her and the light seemed to also point in her direction like a spotlight." Nan explained.
"I... I moved light away from someone." Anna explained with the least amount of detail as possible. She couldn't reveal vampires to her grandma and risk revealing Vlad and his family.
"Moved away? What happened?" Nan asked in confusion. "The power only triggers by a dire event without training." She added.
"I... my friend was in danger and I was running up to him and it just happened while I was running." Anna came up with. The look in Nan's eyes changed. She knew something. Then a smirk began to form on her face.
"You're talking about a vampire, aren't you." She knew. Anna's eyes widened.
"How did you know?" She asked in surprise.
"Dear, we're Light-benders. We are the antithesis of vampires, their natural foes. Of course I know them. I dusted many back in my day, when I was a part of the League." Nan replied.
"What league?" Anna asked.
"Back in the fifties there was a league of Light-benders that worked in conjunction with the Slayers." Nan explained.
"You killed vampires for a living?" Anna asked in shock.
"Heavens no! I only dusted the ones dumb enough to come out during the day. And it was more like a side gig. I did have a job." Nan explained.
"But, do you hate vampires?" Anna asked, worried about telling her about Vlad.
"Only the ones that cause trouble." Nan replied.
"Have you ever been friends with vampires?" Anna asked.
"Once. But I never kept company with them. They always made me nervous." Nan replied.
"Why? They can't drink your blood." Anna asked.
"What do you mean they can't?" Nan asked.
"You didn't know? Our blood is volatile to vampires. Our cells store sunlight which means there is sunlight in our blood." Anna explained and Nan looked at her quizzically.
"How did you figure this out?" Nan asked. Anna paused, thinking about how to explain it without exposing Bertrand.
"I had a scientist friend who experimented on my blood. They were the one who helped me figure out what I am." Anna explained.
"Oh, dear I'm sorry I never told you. I thought you wouldn't have the gift because of your father." Nan said.
"Is it hereditary?" Anna asked.
"Yes. I got it from my mother and she from hers, and hers. Our family goes back thousands of years with the gift." Nan explained.
"Has it always only been woman?" Anna asked.
"Perhaps. My sister and I both have the gift. My uncle did not have it and neither did his children." Nan responded.
"Were his children all boys?" Anna asked.
"Yes." Nan confirmed.
"Well, it does seem like only women had the gift." Anna said. Nan thought deeply, going back in her memory.
"Now that I think about it, all the members of the League were woman as well." She said.
"Maybe only women can be Light-benders." Anna suggested.
"Perhaps so, dear." Nan replied. Anna looked back at the window and a thought came to mind.
"How did you move the sunlight from the room without using your hand?" She asked.
"Oh, well, overtime it becomes second nature and the sun will link with our emotions." Nan explained. Anna was impressed. "There is much you need to learn. How about I teach you." Nan offered.
"Really?" Anna asked with a smile.
"Of course dear. I'll teach you everything I know. After all, your gift will become more powerful with age. Wait until you learn that you can bend other types of light." Nan replied.
"I know that. I can bend candlelight." Anna told her.
"Really? You're that strong already! Maybe we should see if you can bend artificial light." Nan spoke.
"Artificial light?" Anna asked in confusion.
"Like the lights in the room." Nan nodded and then looked up to the fluorescents in the ceiling. Without moving a finger, all the light in the room was directed at Anna.
"Woah!" Anna exclaimed. In an instant, the light returned to its original state.
"You try. This will be your first lesson." Nan said. Anna looked up at the light and lifted her hand upwards. She directed all her focus on moving it but it didn't work. "Oh well, it is to be expected. But don't worry, you'll learn soon." Nan spoke. Anna's shoulder's slumped. "Aw, dear don't be deterred, it all comes with time. It took me many years to generate light without it even being daytime." Nan said to reassure her.
"You can do that?!" Anna asked in shock.
"Yes. It will come to you some day."
