Descendants of Magic

CHAPTER XXXIV. - THE ART OF TRAINING, MASTERY THROUGH CONTROL

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.