When Arlen woke up the morning bell had not rung, when he looked at his watch he saw that it was six o'clock in the morning.
He got dressed and went for a run around the Academy. When he had been running for more than half an hour, and was in the art district, he decided to sit on a bench from which he could see the sunrise over the mountains. The rays of sunlight illuminating the sky and the city looked beautiful to Arlen.
—It's beautiful, isn't it?
Arlen jumped when he noticed that on the other side of the bench was a girl in her 30s or 40s smoking.
'When did she get there?'
"No idea..."
Arlen watched her closely and found her to have an attraction he couldn't explain.
—If you keep looking at me like that I'm going to think you want to eat me.
Arlen then turned his head and looked at the sunrise again, although he could no longer concentrate on it.
After a moment of silence, the girl turned to Arlen again.
—It's rare to see a student so early in the morning. What department are you from?
—Combat.
—Oh. And why combat?
—Because I want to be strong.
—Why?
—Because I want to be dependent...
Arlen wasn't sure why he was answering the questions, but he felt he had to. He was quite impressed with the girl.
—Why?
—Why do I want to be dependent?
—That's right.
—I don't want anyone to laugh at me, or my friends.
The girl was still smoking next to him.
—You seem pretty sure of yourself and no doubts. But why do you think you can achieve that in the combat department and not in any other?
When the woman asked him that question Arlen didn't know what to answer. The truth is that he hadn't thought much about it, he just followed his instinct and what once, he was sure, was his parents' dream.
—Well, I want to be a dependent, but I want there's one thing my parents talked about when I was little, being an explorer. The dangers you might encounter, but how cool it is to be the first one to explore something, to discover something. But well, I don't know if that's the answer you wanted to hear.
The woman took the cigarette out of her mouth and let the smoke out before answering Arlen.
—Yes, it is.
Silence fell between the two of them and Arlen couldn't hold it in so he asked.
—What do you do?
—I work as a painter and from time to time I teach some students.
—So you're a teacher at the Academy.
—No. I'm a painter. —She said in a rather serious tone that surprised Arlen.
—I'm sorry...
—It's okay, I just wanted to make it clear from the beginning. I paint and I make the people around me paint better.
—Why are you here?
—Here, at the Academy? —Arlen nodded. And after another puff the woman next to her answered. —For the beauty of it. To see how you grow and mature in two years. And because I'm looking for my model, someone who will make me paint more and better. Someone who will make me overcome my limits.
—And do you want that model to be a student?
—I don't care, maybe I'll get tired of looking here and find him somewhere else.
Arlen gave the woman a sidelong glance as he held his cigarette in his mouth. She was wearing a gray v-neck sweater and baggy pants of the same color. A light brown hair color and brown eyes. Arlen couldn't stop staring at her. When she noticed he smiled and held out a cigarette to Arlen.
—Do you want one?
—No thanks. I don't smoke.
The woman lifted her shoulders and got up from the bench.
—If you ever want to talk to me, come over here and ask for Ivonne. Bye, little one.
—Goodbye, Ivonne?
And Arlen watched from the seat as the woman left.
'A little weird?'
"'I don't know, but she seems nice.'"
'I don't think we have the same meaning for nice.'
Arlen got up from the bench and hurried out to the bedroom as he talked to Edgar.
Together with Caleb they got ready to go to class, today morning he had skills class with Brand. When they arrived they met up with the girls and, to everyone's surprise except Arlen, Kevin as well.
—How are we doing?
—But weren't you badly injured in an infirmary bed?
Olivia couldn't believe her eyes, although she thought Kevin's injuries shouldn't be as bad as they first thought, but Caleb, Laia and Brand were truly shocked. They had seen how the wound had gone through him from side to side and the technology, while it could mostly heal him, could not do it as quickly or as effectively.
Seeing this Brand approached Kevin curiously.
—How did you recover so quickly?
Kevin lifted his shoulders.
—When I woke up I was already like this. The nurse ran a couple of tests and found me to be perfect, so here I am.
Arlen had to try hard not to laugh at what Kevin had just said.
'When I woke up I was like this? What a genius.'
With Brand's permission, Kevin joined the class. Arlen took the opportunity to approach him.
—How are you feeling?
—As good as new. Thank you.
They both smiled at each other and bumped fists in greeting before the second day of class began.
—Okay, attention everyone. -Brand stood in full view of all the students. -You all have a skill and the way that skill works is different, but all skills work like a muscle. The goal of this class is to strengthen that muscle, your ability, and for that we have different things that will push your ability to the limit. But first things first, we will divide you into groups depending on each one's ability.
Silently Brand gave them a look and a smile, they all looked so innocent and novice, not knowing the hell they are about to go through.
—There are several training camps, each with different tools or things you can use. In this one will be those whose ability is to increase strength or have to do with changing some aspect of your body. In the next are those who can change the state of something existing, such as water or temperature. And in the third are those who can do something, but not maintain it forever.
The students were divided, although there was a moment of doubt as doing so would reveal their abilities to their classmates, but not that it would be secret forever, and after a few words from Brand the doubts were dispelled.
In one training camp Kevin and Laia were together, and in another Olivia, Caleb and Arlen.
—Laia? Wasn't your ability to create wind?
—Well, it's not creating per se. More like changing the state of it.
—Oh, sounds good.
—Yes...
Kevin had noticed that last one said a little sadly, but he didn't have time to mediate with that right now. He kept thinking about how limited his ability was and how to improve and make better use of it.
The main problem is that he had always used his ability to kill animals, that for a fight here is no good, he has to change how he uses his ability to finish off an enemy or at least to restrict it.
—You seem to be stuck.
Before Kevin knew it Brand was at his side.
—Yeah. I don't know how to approach using my ability.
—How have you used it so far?
—To create water needles or things like that for the purpose of killing animals.
—And you have doubts because killing is not allowed here of course.
Kevin nodded.
—In the last fight I was able to slow down Charles' movements a bit by making mud between us, but I don't know if it can work again.
—Your ability is to move water freely, isn't it? Why don't you go to the lake to train better?
—Is there a lake? But that's not the point, I have to see a way to use the water efficiently in order to win.
—I think you're focusing on the wrong things. Having the freedom to move water as you want on large scales helps you become stronger and strength gives you the freedom to do what you want. Try to expand the use of your ability, grow without fear.
After a moment Kevin decided to do as the teacher told him and went to the lake to practice. Brand knew that if he wanted to he could laze around all morning, but that was something he would leave to the boy's decision.
Brand went student by student of the training grounds giving advice on how to improve or answering questions from the students. But overall, the goal of his class is to push their limits, and for that they must train very hard, although it will not be easy.