Cursed

Mr. Vincent looked at her in satisfaction and said, "Correct. Now, who can tell me what the definition of a warrior is?"

A voice coated with a thick accent (it sounded like a mix of a British and Australians) broke through the silence. "A warrior is someone who is trained to act upon an instinct that they have refined over many years of vigorous training and combat."

Everyone whipped their heads around, looking for the source of the voice. Serina was the first person to see who it was, and as soon as she did, her heart stopped. It was Dustin. He smiled as her eyes met his and continued, "A warrior is someone who is brave, but not recklessly so. A warrior knows which battles are theirs to fight. They are loyal, strong, and determined."

His voice seemed to grow stronger and more powerful as he spoke, and it was like he was speaking to everyone, but no one at the same time. Then he stood up straighter and started walking to the center of the classroom. He continued to speak, all the while, never taking his eyes off of Serina. "A warrior is smart, quick, and agile. A warrior knows when and where they are supposed to be. A warrior doesn't go to war so that they can die, they go because they are needed or believe in their cause. A warrior is not invincible, and thus they know to be afraid, but to not let that fear control them."

The last few sentences had barely been a whisper, but everyone was dead silent, so they had heard every word. He finished speaking in the same volume and tone as he had began, after a few moments of silence. "A warrior is all of these things, but the most important thing to remember is that a warrior, " he paused, then continued, "is vulnerable."