Fireheart

Chapter 3

Schools were put in place today. They're to make it easier for our Clans to sort our members, while teaching them the history of our young nation. I only hope it helps the future Clan Leaders. Shifters and Immortals are hard to find, having the Schools should make it much easier. I've never trusted Muz, so having almost indestructible soldiers should be good.

-Excerpt from the Journal of Shamol

Phoenix happily took the stage and smiled at each and every woman in the audience.

"You guys have been here since the day you turned 5, studying the complex nature of the Clans. What you don't know is that the Clans have been fighting. I urge you, when you are put in your Clans, please try to make friends with memebers of the other Clans. And the Ungifted"

I could feel the heat from Rebecca's cheeks in my own seat.

"It's important now that you do. We don't need war. In the thousands of years Clans have existed, there's been no war. Unless you want it that way."

He looked around the auditorium to see who would react.

"As of now, this moment in time, I urge you as Gifted people to join the Clan you're most recommended for. If all out war breaks, we need all we can to quell it."
Phoenix scanned the auditorium again, and then looked right at me.

"My name is Phoenix, and I look forward to seeing who is Yong'in."

I swear the fucker winked.
He didn't come back to the seat, but kept going left out of the auditorium. Hopefully I never see him again.

"Now, we will be diving you into groups. If the females will exit with me out the left, and the males exit with the master out the right."

Me and Rebecca grabbed hands, and followed the Mistress out the left of the auditorium. No one talked, but I could smell the singed nerves, and hear the quickened heartbeats.

The Mistress stopped and turned into a bland room, with enough chairs for all the school's women to sit in. There had to be at least 40 here, testing.

Me and Rebecca sat down, still not talking.

"Now then," said the Mistress. "We can only test eight at a time. So get comfy. You'll be here a while."

The Mistress picked eight girls from the front of the room. Rebecca squeezed my hand hard, and I tried to return the gesture.

"What do you think they test for?" whispered a redhead in the back of the room.

"Shut up, Margie." said a familiar Annika. "Just hope you don't have to fight."

"What I would do to hit her." Rebecca said, keeping her voice low.

"Remember when you did?" I teased, trying to get her to smile.

Luckily for me, she did. And she laughed. And then I laughed. And we kept talking about our favorite moments at the School. Soon enough all the women were talking. Everyone sharing their favorite moments with their friends. No one noticed as the Mistress came in and kept taking girls with her.

Until it was our turn.

Before she left the room, I grabbed Rebecca's arm.

"Rebecca," I said, keeping my voice gentle.

"Yeah?" she responded, suddenly completely focused on me.

"I love you." I said quietly.

She smiled and nodded, and we followed the Mistress out of the room, leaving the chatting women behind.