Chapter 8: Eudora

I find myself back in the 1st year's lecture hall, but this time it is for General Education. Professor Hastings is drowning on about the curriculum. From what I can tell this class is going to be a mix of current events, economics, and government. I'm interested in learning all this information, because I know it's going to be important for me in the leadership track, but I am too excited for my first magic class to really listen. As soon as the bell rings, I break new speed records packing up my backpack and do my best not to run to the magic classroom. Gia struggles to keep up with me as I dodge students in the hallway making my way to the basement. Unsurprisingly, we are the first students to arrive. The room is dark and the walls are lined with shelves filled with books and what I assume are magic tools. There are no desks in the classroom, just stools that are arranged into a circle and a few tables on the outer walls. As soon as the door closes behind us, silence hits us as if we have been transported to a different dimension from the loud crowded hallway just beyond the doors. Gia and I make our way to the circle of stools and take a seat. A guy I don't know enters and sits across from us and when Ryland enters he takes the stool next to me. 

"Hey gorgeous!" He smiles. "I've been looking forward to seeing you all day."

"Just because Jays not here doesn't mean you can flirt with her." I look past Ryland to see Aren entering the room with Charlotte and Max right behind him. The entire class is now present, but there is still one stool remaining.

"Welcome! I see that everyone found this room okay. I'm glad to see so many new faces." I jump. I didn't hear the professor enter the room. Professor Solace hobbles into the center of the circle of students and continues, "Let's start by taking attendance." She pauses and looks around the circle at all seven expectant faces. "Looks like everyone is here. Since for many of you this is your first magic class we will be going over the basics. For my returning students, today will be a review." She clears her throat and then continues, "There are four categories of magic that people can have an affinity towards. Ryland, can you tell me what these four categories are?"

Ryland stands up, "Environmental, Spiritual, mental, and physical."

"Thank you." Professor Solace nods and Ryland retakes his seat. "Bennett, can you give me examples of each of these types of magic?"

The student I didn't recognize stands up. "Physical magic is magic that affects physical abilities, like strength or speed. Mental magic is magic of an advanced mind, like telekinesis, mind reading and super intelligence. Spiritual magic is the most vague of the categories, but it is magic that has to do with one's spirit, like healing, luck, and emotional manipulation. Finally, environmental magic is magic that uses or affects the environment, like rock manipulation or the control of weather." Bennett says quickly and then sits down.

"All shifters have an affinity for one type of magic. Within this affinity is where their special ability lies. We are here to figure out everyone's special ability, if you don't already know it, and refine your control of that ability. Shifters and shifter descendants are the only magic users that have magic in their blood. This type of magic limits you to only have one special ability, but it also means your blood is extremely valuable. Other magic users such as witches and wizards, aren't magic themselves, but they have the ability to harness magic around them. 

In the placement testing you probably noticed me using magic tools to assess your magic. I am able to do this, because I am not a shifter, I am a witch. I have to use tools because magic has a way of balancing itself. Creatures like yourself, that are made of magic, have limits to the way they can use it. Creatures like me, who can harness magic, are limited by our need for tools and ingredients." Professor Solace pauses to look around the classroom. She wobbles over to the empty stool and uses her cane to slowly lower herself into it. "Now Aren, will you please tell us about your magic?" 

Aren stands up and walks to the center of the circle. "I have an affinity to spiritual magic and my special ability is healing. I can use my spit to heal major injuries, and my blood can bring someone back from the brink of death." Aren retakes his seat.

"Bennett, your turn."

Bennett stands up and takes the spot at the center of the circle that Aren has just vacated. "My ability is the best out of everyones, I can manipulate the earth."

"How is that the best? Isn't that just a limited version of telekinesis?" Gia asks.

Bennett frowns at her, "Telekinesis can move things, I can manipulate the earth." He puts emphasis on the word manipulate.

"Yeah, that doesn't explain anything." Gia shoots back.

"Do you want me to show you?" Bennett glares at her.

"Yes, if you…" Gia isn't able to finish her quip, because the ground under her sucks her and her stool down. Where Gia had just been sitting, is what appears to be an undisturbed floor.

"Thank you for your demonstration Bennett. Please return Gia." Professor Solace looks disappointedly at Bennett. 

"Are you sure? I could leave her down there a little longer. She has enough air for an hour." 

Professor Solace just sighs, "she really shouldn't miss any of this class." 

"Awe you're no fun." Bennett responds, but Gia is suddenly sitting exactly where she was before.

"Holy shit! Was I just under the classroom? That was wild." Gia looks excited. Only Gia wouldn't be shaken after being trapped under the earth. Professor Solace continues with calling on the upperclassmen. 

"Finally, Ryland, please tell us about your special ability." 

Ryland gets up and swagers to the center of the circle. I can't help noticing his round, perfect, ass. "My ability is physical. I have enhanced speed." I'm surprised by how simple his ability is. 

"Thank you." Professor Solace struggles to stand and Ryland walks over to help her. He holds her arm steadying her as they walk to the center of the room. Once she looks steady, Ryland retakes his seat. "Do any of you first years have a guess about your magic?"

Gia immediately stands, "I think I might be psychic." 

"Your power is spiritual, so that would make sense. Is there any reason you think you're psychic?"

"I get a weird feeling before bad things happen, and I am a great match maker." Bennett scoffs and Gia shoots him a glare. 

"Very interesting." Professor Solace says ignoring Bennett's interruption. "You can probably read auras and have some future sight." Gia plops back down on her stool and starts bouncing her leg. She looks deep in thought. "Does anyone else have any ideas about their abilities?" No one responds and after a few seconds Professor Solace turns to Max. "You have a mental ability." Then she turns to Charlotte. "You also have a mental ability. I want you two," She points from Max to Charlotte, "to partner up and explore your mental abilities. Discuss your talents, try new things, get creative." She then turns to Gia. "Since your ability is spiritual and you already have a good idea about what it is, I want you to partner up with Aren." Professor Solace then addresses Ryland and Bennett, "You two are partners again this year. Try not to destroy anything." That leaves just me. Professor Solace turns to me. "You are with me." She then slams her cane against the floor. "Everyone spread out and get started. I will be around in a few minutes to hear about your training ideas." 

Everyone stands up, their stools scraping against the floor, as they rearrange them. I pick up my stool and walk over to Professor Solace, standing with her while we talk.

"You never told me what category my magical affinity is."

"Is that a question or a statement?" Professor Solace rebuffs.

"A question."

"Well, I didn't tell you, because I don't know."

"How do you not know?"

"I wasn't able to discern it. We will have to keep trying." Professor Solace looks giddy with the challenge of discovering my magic. "In all my years, I have never failed to discern a student's magical affinity. You definitely have magic, extremely powerful magic, if my inability to assess it is any indication. It felt like your magic was blocking my tests." 

"So how are we going to figure out what my magic is?" I ask.

"I am going to have you take turns working with each of the groups. Hopefully one of their strategies will help you discover something about your magic. In the meantime, I will reach out to some friends, and pick their brains about you."

"Okay, sounds good." I say nervously. I don't like that my magic is difficult to decipher. 

"You can start by working with Aren and Gia. I am going to help Max and Charlotte work out a plan." Professor Solace hobbles over to where Max and Charlotte are sitting, relying way too much on her cane to walk. I spin around searching the room, until I spot Aren and Gia in the back corner. I grab my stool and join them explaining that I am working with them for the day. 

"Okay, Aren just told me that the best way to train spiritual abilities is to use them, though, I don't know how that will help in your case since you don't know what your ability is." Gia explains. 

"Maybe you guys should tell me about how you figured out your spiritual abilities? That might help me get an idea of what I should be looking for." I ask.

"Well you already know the basics of mine, I've always had a knack for knowing about good matches. It's not just romantic relationships though, I'm also really good at knowing who people will work well with and stuff like that. The last couple of years I've started noticing weird feelings before bad things happen, and I've been having weird dreams. When I found out I had magic, I assumed it had something to do with those feelings. Have you noticed any weird feelings?" 

"No, I haven't had anything abnormal like that happen to me." I frown. "What about you Aren? How did you figure out your magical ability?"

Aren blushes and looks a little sheepish. "I didn't have any weird feelings, but I figured out what my magic was when I made out with a girl and a cut she had on her leg disappeared." 

Gia turns to me. "Have you had any experiences that you can't explain?" 

"Nothing comes to mind." I ponder. "One time I ate an entire cake and didn't feel sick after."

"I don't know if that is a magical peculiarity or just impressive." Gia responds.

"I was there when she did it. There was definitely something peculiar about it." Aren elbows me teasingly. Electricity zips up my body at the contact. "Keep thinking Ora, I'm sure there is something. I'll rack my brain as well and see if I can remember something that happened when we were kids."

"Thanks Aren." I smile up at him.

Before we can continue, Professor Solace walks over to our group. Aren immediately stands, giving her his seat. "And what strategies have you come up with?" She inquires.

"Since we already know our magic, I mean other than Ora, we are going to practice using our abilities as much as possible. I am going to continue volunteering with Nurse Stone, like I did last year, and I am also going to explore different ways to use my abilities."

"What are the ways you are going to explore?"

"Well, I am limited by having to share my bodily fluids with someone, in order to heal them. Last year, I discovered that my spit can be mixed with ointment and then rubbed directly on wounds to heal them. This year I am going to explore more long ranged ways to heal." 

"Interesting, I like it. Gia, what do you propose?" 

"I am just starting to figure out my ability, so I am hoping to push my clairvoyance more. I was thinking, maybe I would watch some of the shifter training matches, and see if I can predict who will win."

"That is a good start." Professor Solace nods and then stands up. "Your homework is to practice. Class dismissed."

Since magic was our last class of the day, Gia, Aren, Ryland and I decide to go outside and hang out in the quad. Ryland uses his speed to run upstairs and grab a blanket for us to sit on. The september sun is still hot, but it feels good to get some fresh air after being in the basement. 

"That was a great first class." Gia states, a smile wide on her face.

"It was great for you, since you know what your magic is. You have an idea of what to practice. I have no idea what to do." I layback on the blanket and put my arm over my eyes shielding them from the sun. I feel a poke at my side and glance over to see Ryland smiling down at me from his seated position.

"Maybe your magic is sexy." Ryland says winking at me.

"Sexy? How is that magic?"

"Like a seductress. Yeah the way you affect me, you could definitely be a seductress." I know Ryland is just flirting with me, but what if I am some sort of succubus? I don't know anything about my biological mother, so anything is possible. 

"Just stop Ryland. She is going to think you're being serious. If you don't have any actual ideas, then keep your mouth shut." Aren says from the other end of the blanket. 

"Okay serious ideas only. What if Ora's power is luck." I crinkle my nose at Ryland's suggestion.

"I'm definitely not lucky. I was attacked by one of my suitemates, before classes even started, and I'm forced to still live with her." I point out.

"Okay that is true. You are definitely not lucky." Gia says while laughing.

"What if it's protection magic?" Aren adds. "You've had a lot of close calls, but you always manage to survive. When we were little, there was an assassination attempt on your father, but the poison ended up in your cup. You manage to hold on to life long enough for an antidote to be made and administered. What if your magic protected you from the poison long enough for you to get help?" I ponder that over. I have had a lot of close calls throughout my life, that I have managed to survive, but protection doesn't feel quite right. It is a start though.

I smile and sit up. "Yeah maybe that's it. I'll discuss that with Professor Solace at the next class. For now, should we test your theory?" I wiggle my eyebrows at Aren, and he looks concerned.

"How do you suggest we test the theory?"

"I don't know. Maybe I'll go to the dark forest and see if I can survive." I joke.

"Nope. I don't think putting you in life threatening situations is a good way to test my theory. Either you live and we are just as unclear about your magic, or you die and then we know for sure your magic isn't protection." Aren argues.

"Yeah, I don't think risking death is worth answers." Gia adds.

"Hopefully, the mental magic students have a better way to test my magic." I sigh and lay back down beside Ryland.