Fear, love... and betrayal; that's what I feel about my new life.
It's a life I never asked for, at least not like that.
I certainly dreamed of adventure, of escaping from my ordinary life, but nothing prepared me for what would happen when my norma...
Looking up into the sky, my head and my heart full of uncertainty, my eyes catch the penetrating gaze of Mr. X. He stares at me, frowning as if he resents me. He probably noticed that I look different from the others...I've been unmasked. I come out of my trance and turn toward Flicka, smiling as if everything going on in my life were normal. Mr. X looks away and turns his attention back to Bethany.
"...So please give a heartfelt welcome to our dear professors and when you hear which one you are to be working with, please gather around him or her and we will begin to see the great diversity we are working with this summer. Let's start with Fire sign!
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For those who are gifted with the talent of the blacksmith and his incredible magical weapons, here is Colin."
The man who steps forward is well built, his head closely shaven and his arms covered in tatoos. He looks like a fierce fighter who wouldn't give the advantage to any adversary. He is holding a sculpted mace and bangs it against his other hand, grunting loudly as a salute. The hulking man then walks to the extreme left of the room where a few other individuals join him.
"For those who can see at night and can control light, here is Gaïa."
A serious-looking Asian woman steps forward, moving softly with feline grace while at the same time turning her raised hand toward the ceiling and making the ambient lighting crackle. She goes over and stands beside Colin and is quickly joined by five others.
"The eccentric Octave, for the regeneration of limbs."
A man with dangling greasy hair walks to the middle of the room, staring at the floor. He is covered in piercings and his obvious fragility and pale skin gives him a ghoulish look. He raises his head and smiles, revealing a toothless grin. Digging through the various sharp weapons attached to his leather belt, he chooses a machete that seems well sharpened and salutes us with one hand before cutting it off in a single motion. A groan rises up from the audience while in an instant the hand grows back, looking exactly as it was earlier. He rolls his hands as if he is a magician and is quickly joined by three others, all of them pleased with their future professor's welcome display.
"And next is one of the newest members of my team. I am proud to present Carmélie."
Then, a tiny blonde girl wearing a frilly blue dress skips through the crowd, holding a teddy bear in one hand. This must be a joke; she can't be a professor. The little girl turns around to look at her audience with a giggle. She then stops cold, gives us all a fierce stare and bursts into flame. Given the disconcerting image, I panic, but those around me applaud. She waves her hand and the crowd starts to scream. I turn around and find faceless hands reaching out to grab me, and unquenchable fire all around me. The whole room is suddenly an inferno.
"Carmélie, I think they understand your talent. So, for those whose gift is horrification, please follow my dear friend."
And with that, the room returns to its normal state and everyone seems to calm down. Flicka whispers in my ear:
