Chapter 16: First Sigil

Anna watched her teacher, Alice, bustle around the classroom, organizing drawings, papers, and a large bag for the upcoming lesson.

There weren't many supporting teachers to choose from, so it was technically natural she went with someone she recognized. At least, that was Anna's thought to convince herself. But she couldn't shake the feeling that it was all some kind of setup!

She had just discovered—after choosing her—that Alice was among the top Bastion supporters. Someone of such importance that she was only at the academy for the first year!

At this point, Anna would have to be inept to not understand that she was more than a little… prioritized. At first, she thought it was just some favoritism, but someone clearly wanted her to be treated with exceptional consideration. She thought it was her purity, but Alisha couldn't have known she had that before she awakened—something the woman herself confirmed.

A theory she had last week, one quickly proved. Even though she didn't attend the 2nd combat training due to a lengthy interrogation, she still instantly joined all the courses she desired.

While Anna was tossing the idea of using her high purity for non-attuned combat Sigils, seeing Jack's lifeless body was a grim reminder of how easily death came in a world with unfathomable powers. And despite Aria's arrogance, she wasn't immortal; someone was after her, and they weren't someone of low standing.

It didn't take much to solidify her decision. One realization hit her shortly after Aria's ambush; if she went full support, she'd be back in her old shoes, relying on others for her protection. That, or just playing a passive role in her own defense.

So, she chose hybrid.

Alisha assured her there were still infinite possibilities for non-elemental powers.

Technically, Anna could fill up on combat-related Sigils and find one supreme healing Sigil to make up for it! Not that she'd do that, but it was possible. The solution probably came in whatever Apex Sigil she chose.

A few minutes passed before Alice took her spot at the front of the class, lightly clearing her throat to quiet down the chattering class.

Her blue hair was short and swept back on one side. She still wore those sky-blue doctor scrubs and had a graceful, calming face. Partner her physical appearance with her soft, motherly-like voice, and it would be impossible to tell that she was actually quite narcissistic! A truth that Alisha and Aria both informed her of—to be wary of her.

"I'm happy to see that at least some of you aren't seduced by the fleeting prospect of power." She shook her head and ruefully sighed. "Bastion doesn't have enough people like us."

She didn't actually sound upset by that. On the contrary, she seemed relieved when she saw how small the class was. Alice was a tough one to decipher, but Anna had a few ideas.

Alice continued, "I say that, but supporters have more power than anyone, just not in the physical sense. We're kind of like nobility in Bastion." She paused and leaned forward on the podium, smiling at her students. "At the same time, it's an easy path to enter but can be… quite annoying later. You see, Bastion doesn't get a lot of supporting-class Sigils, and since there are so few, it's a battle to get your hands on the good ones, even with the lower amount of us. That's why your future will either be A, climbing the ranks of Bastion into a command role. Or B, joining an expedition squad and finding your own Sigils."

"What's an expedition squad?" One of the many girls in the class asked. 

Anna looked back and lightly shook her head, reminded of how awkward her interactions had become over the week. There were only a few people around her, and even they were sitting a bit away.

What started as an announcement without too much detail about what happened to Jack ended up sparking an unnatural wildfire about Aria killing him. 

The entire island started chattering about it, and it was soon after revealed that Aria was not an Earthling. 

Aria herself had been absent for a week, but people still avoided Anna due to the rumors of their friendship and that she was somehow involved.

Regardless of the motivations, Aria did kill someone, and it was intentional. 

Alice warmly nodded at the girl. "Expedition squads are the most dangerous thing you can do… but also the most impactful; you explore worlds, conquer dungeons, curb threats, and everything in between. In other words, these are the people who bring back most of Bastion's Sigils." She shook her head and raised a finger. "However, they are also the highest death toll. And that's with people like us—like me, or better."

"Oh…"

Alisha already made it clear how dangerous Bastion was before Anna even joined the academy. Still, that was, without a doubt, the future Anna foresaw for herself. She would create an expedition squad and travel worlds while protecting her race and others. She'd discover Sigils, bring some back, and save people! That was similar—at least in practice—to what Aria wanted to do, so it lined up.

"What's our role usually?" A man asked.

Alice thought about it for a moment. "Supporters vary, actually. You might think you'd be in the backlines healing injured allies, but that's only in major expeditions. Normal squads don't have time for the length of healing processes. In most cases, you'll be required to aid the fight. That's why support isn't categorized into separate sections like buffers, curses, healers, so on and so forth." She sighed. "You need all of it these days."

"So we can't be just healers?"

"No, no—you absolutely can," Alice said, shaking her head. "But there's less… value in that. At least, to squads. Not only would you need a guardian, but you'd only exist to heal wounds. Most consider it a wasted space unless you can make the operation faster and more efficient. Speed is essential in these missions, and healing takes time."

Anna felt even better about her choice. That did remind her that Alisha mentioned top-tier healing Sigils—the ones Anna would need to make the hybrid path viable—tend to use quite a bit of capacity. Was Alice going to mention that?

"But what are the options for people who want to focus on that?" 

"Joining missions where they can afford a triage point, usually. Full healing means you have more than one type of healing Sigil." Alice raised her fingers to count her points as she continued, "Maybe one that targets a weary soul, one that boosts healing passively, or one that just heals injuries on the surface level. You then need more that can target specific ailments like poison, curses, or deep injuries."

One injury might need 5 different healing Sigils!

"Are there Sigils that can do all of that?" Anna asked.

"Maybe?" Alice smiled like she had just heard a childish dream and shook her head. "There's a lot we don't know, so I can't rule out the possibility."

"Oh."

Alice chuckled. "Killed your dreams? Don't worry—even just mending a bone is more valuable than a mountain of gold."

"No, I'm happy to be here and learning from you… ma'am," Anna hastily said, bowing her head.

Alice smiled warmly, shaking her head. "The other option is staying in Bastion as a doctor. You can gain quite a comfortable position for yourself like that." Alice shrugged. "I'm a full healer, and I chose to stay in Bastion as a private healer until they asked me to teach. Sometimes, when there is a back line, I am there. But I much prefer ensuring the strongest of us live on to fight again."

"Is that... frowned upon, ma'am?" Someone behind Anna asked.

"Why would it?" Alice dryly chuckled. "You still do your duties, and nobody would dare mistreat someone who will more likely than not be the difference between their living and dying. But yes, it does happen sometimes, obviously, but well..." Alice smirked. "They learn, eventually."

"O-okay."

It didn't sit well with Anna to use her position as a supporter to try and gain influence. But people who went all in on only healing were probably few and far between, so she couldn't entirely fault them for seeking loftier positions.

"Are there a wide variety of specific healing Sigils?" Anna asked.

How many different Sigils existed to treat the same thing? Furthermore, were there abilities that could heal but could also do much more? Sort of like two sides of the same coin.

"Remember what I said? There are." Alice expanded her foggy grey ring around her hand. "My primary healing ability is called Mystic Threads. You saw me use it, Annabelle; this one—basically—works by connecting to my patient on the deepest physical level," The inside of the ring filled with a grey fog, and threads spread out swishing in the air. "It can do much more than heal, but I'll leave that to your imagination." She winked, dismissing the threads and her ring.

"So are there abilities where the primary application isn't to heal, but it can be used as that? Or vice versa." Anna said.

Were those tentacle-like things an Apex Sigil? She knew from Gromak that it was probably best to not ask, even though Anna didn't share the same fear.

She didn't want to have to hide her own powers from her allies.

Alice nodded. "Yes—some." She raised a finger. "Remember, there is an infinite number of Sigils that do things beyond our comprehension."

"What about our fighting capability?" A girl asked the question that Anna would have asked next.

Alice scoffed and looked disgusted, but that expression vanished just as quickly as it came as if it were an illusion. "If you wanted to be a fighter, this isn't the path for you." She crossed her arms, "But, yes, we can use any Sigil that isn't attuned to an element. And there are combat ones. But surely, my precious students wouldn't taint their supporting powers. It would be lunacy to choose support and then still try to fight. A waste of both paths."

Anna avoided that steely green gaze.

"But, ma'am... how do we defend ourselves? You said squads don't want supporters they have to spend a lot of effort to protect, but if we can't protect ourselves either way…"

"Supporters will always lack in defense," Alice answered, then sighed ruefully. "That's why they want someone who has some defensive-type supporting abilities, like the projected barrier. As long as they aren't wasting manpower solely protecting one person."

The more she spoke, the more Anna felt confident in her path. She found it surprising hybrids weren't more common, considering everything Alice said. They want supporters who can do more than heal and can protect themselves to some extent! It all seemed a bit silly.

Either way, Anna wanted to make her own squad, so whatever norms there were didn't matter. If academies like the one on Earth became widespread and the students proved a great aid, then people could be a little more choosey with who they chose for their squads. Anna wouldn't suck up to someone else to join their squad!

"No more questions—listen closely…" Alice said.

That was pretty much it for the introduction of the class.

Alice proceeded to tell them about how healing Sigils could work, but that was a brief overview since their functions considerably differed. She spoke more about how healing Sigils only healed skin level. Some reached deeper, and there were even ones more akin to granting blessings. 

Most of the lessons talked about the politics of healing and support and what could be expected of them should they progress. Alice discussed things like procedures, target priority, safety, and the types of supporting abilities.

Anna barely paid attention.

It became abundantly clear that Alice was an elitist about her status despite how graceful and amiable she seemed at the arena two weeks ago. If it were up to her, they'd only go full healer and dabble in politics, a side of Bastion that hurt Anna to learn existed. Using their power for fame and fortune.

When she was finished, Alice finally went beneath her desk and pulled out a bag. That movement instantly woke up the students, rustling in their seats and holding barely contained excitement.

Anna included—her eyes shined at that bag.

"I know it was boring, but those were things I needed you to know before handing these bad boys out." Alice untied the bag, smiling knowingly. "Surprise! You get your first Sigils today! They'll always be helpful, no matter how far you progress. They're called Hyper Enhancement—common, but, again, used at the highest level."

Alice pulled it out—Anna's first sight of how human power was built.

A quarter-sized orb that looked like a larger marble, with myriad colors floating around the translucent insides. Within those colors, indecipherable symbols bounced like they were alive.

They were mesmerizing, a real piece of fantasy and the incomprehensible.

Anna wanted to have one just for collecting; she could probably stare at it all day!

"How many... Hyper Enhancement are there?" she asked.

Alice's smile widened. "The beast we get them from is annoyingly common," she continued while she laid out 23 of them. "This Sigil takes a portion of your mana and sends it into your subject's body to boost their natural processes: mana speed, natural healing, and even stamina regeneration." She held one up to the students, smiling warmly at it. "It's a rare type of Sigil, one that does multiple things. With enough control and progress, you can even have it enhance senses… or dull them."

"Progress?" Someone asked—a woman who sounded just as mesmerized as Anna felt.

"Come grab one." Alice tossed the bag aside, then spread her arms out like a merchant displaying his product. "Sigils get stronger as you get stronger. They can either get new effects or have their current effects improved. Better control, potency… who knows the growth they can have?"

Anna waited until she was the last before grabbing hers, slowly reaching toward the beautiful orb-like thing. She grabbed it slowly as if it would shatter in her grasp.

It felt like an ordinary marble. She rolled it around her palm and put it close to her eye for investigation—she even sniffed it. But it emitted no sounds or smell, despite how much activity happened within. The unknowing would assume it was a fancy gimmick, some kind of toy.

Anna added collecting Sigil's to her future goals. 

Alice cleared her throat, grabbing everyone's attention. "I can tell you're excited, but there are a few things I need to warn you about." She paused for everyone to give her their full attention. "First, don't just absorb Sigils willy-nilly; you're at your most vulnerable during the process, and it could take hours. In fact, some Sigils can take a whole day to fully absorb, and the longest we've had was a full week... Secondly, you need to give it your full attention when it starts until you can feel it dissolve. If you mess up, you could die." 

That was the first Anna heard about the risks, details someone decided, for some reason, shouldn't be in the encyclopedia. 

"Does that mean our barriers are gone while we absorb it?" Anna asked.

"Yes, and your senses are heavily dulled." Alice waited for more questions, but none came. "Good. Let's get started, then. Place the Sigil in your open palm, then activate your ring with the focus being the object in your hand like you want to will your mana into it."

Anna did so, and it was unexpectedly easy.

Her black ring formed vertically around her palm, and she immediately felt something akin to a vibration in the air around the Sigil, along with a faint, almost mechanical whir.

Gravity seemed to force the thing downward, pressing on her skin.

She commanded her mana into the orb, trying to treat it like it was an extra arm, similar to how she activated enhancements. 

The Sigil's whir intensified for a second as it began to rotate slightly above Anna's palm. She felt the formation of a connection like a thread slowly inching from within her toward her palm. It began to feel like she was creating… an extra limb.

Once the connection formed, the orb slowly dissolved into a rainbow mist, flowing downward toward her hand like an hourglass. All Anna felt was a cool breeze on her palm as the mist went within her.

For a few minutes, nothing happened other than the mana moving within her body. She was waiting for a storm to come, and her mana was prepping for it.

Her suspense didn't last much longer. The dam broke, causing her mana to behave as though ferociously rushing through the newly opened pathway.

It didn't bring any significant pain but an unpleasant sensation of tingling across her body, like a swarm of flies buzzing within her.

Many in the class made grunts and groans; Anna bit her tongue before she did the same. 

Her mana felt like it was in a perpetual state of trying to activate a spell that didn't exist, an extreme discomfort that felt similar—but worse—than waking up with a sleeping arm.

Surprisingly, the intensity of the vibrations and discomfort seemed to get lesser with each passing second.

It might have only been because it was a low-level Sigil, but it was no challenge at all. 

Within a minute, the tingling faded, and her mana was as calm as a lake.

Too easy.

Something within her was different, a new limb she could activate at will and a fundamental knowledge of what it was. However, she didn't know the extent of what it could do. 

Anna smiled.

Magic—her magic. Her first Sigil.

It wasn't as grand as she expected a year ago, but it was something—a beginning.

"You were the first, Annabelle." Alice suddenly said right in front of Anna.

Anna jolted and snapped her eyes open.

Everyone around her was still shaking and groaning occasionally; not one person in the room was awake, and some still had the orbs over their palms.

"Why?" Anna mumbled. Well, probably her purity, but she didn't want to get Alice's attention since she was on a hybrid path.

"You have a natural affinity toward non-elemental Sigils," Alice had a beaming smile, and she looked at Anna like she was a proud parent. "You were born to be a healer!" 

"Really?" Anna faked surprise. "Is that a thing?"

"Yep, and you don't just have a slight affinity—you have one of the best I've ever seen! Wanna go try your new ability?"

"Uh… what about class?"

Alice clicked her tongue and glanced at the other students, appearing briefly dissatisfied. "You're right, I'm too excited."

Plus, Anna already had someone in mind to test it on, and she wanted her to be her first.

Whenever she got back, anyway… Anna could wait.