“Thanks,” he says after flashing a smile. “I didn’t think I could win, but I wanted to get a taste for what I was up against. She’s one of the best in the class, or so I’m told.”
“Yeah, that sounds about right. Summer’s amazing.”
“That she is... I honestly didn’t have a shot... Hey, you were getting some training in for the exercise too, right?”
“Yup.”
“That’s awesome! Do you think we could train together sometime?”
“What? So, you can beat me?” I laugh. Malik wants to test his strength again, I’m sure, but I’m nowhere near where I should be. I haven’t tried to use my powers since I started my training with Mr. Ferris, and I’ve barely made any progress. I can barely summon my energy... If I fight him, I’ll lose, and then the word would get out that I’m not okay. Even if we start out without using them, there’s no guarantee that he won’t push for an exhibition match down the line. The fight I had with Von inspired him to join our class, so it’s fair to think he holds me in high regard. He only knows one side of the story though. Things haven’t been a walk in the park, and I’m only now starting to see a way out. “I’m undergoing a special training regimen to work on some things, so when I train in the mornings, it’s going to be solo work. Sorry. I haven’t been with the class for a while, so I’m doing my own thing until I get up to speed.”
“No worries. I get it.” Malik juts out his arm, tenses his muscles, and clenches his fingers into a fist. Electricity crackles down the length of his arm, and he smiles. “That’s why when the time comes, I know that we’ll both do our best.”
“Always. That’s the C.A. way.”
“And don’t go easy on me if we end up fighting. The new suits can take a beating, so be sure to give it everything you’ve got.” Malik powers down and flashes a toothy smile.
“Don’t worry. I will.” ...Whatever that amounts to.
I have a long way to go, and with every passing day the next exercise grows closer.
“All right, well, I don’t want to take up any more of your time. I know you’re busy. Plus, I have to shower and everything. See you later in class.”
“Word, man. Peace.” I change up my route to eliminate the chance that we go the same way. Malik was definitely looking to test his strength against me, but I’m not ready for that. The next combat exercise is a month from now, and my powers are still at a fraction of their strength.
When I make it back to my dorm, I fall onto my bed, completely exhausted from my training. It isn’t long before I find myself drifting off to sleep.
Not even twenty minutes later, I spring up from my mattress, my head pounding on one side while still in a daze. I had another nightmare, but this time it was about being kicked out of the program. There’s no way I can let that happen. I have to get over this. I can’t let Von win, not after how far I’ve come.
Chapter 7
I wake up just before my alarm rings, somewhat refreshed, but the dull pain in my head still lingers on from earlier in the morning. Somehow, I managed to fall asleep again. Von didn’t visit me again, so I was able to get some much-needed rest. I must have been too tired to brew up a new batch of horrifying scenarios.
As I get ready for the day, my conversation with Malik and its implications weigh on me, and even as the day progresses, I can’t get it out of my mind.
We’ll both do our best, right? I can only hope.
During Mr. Hoover’s class, I stick to what I can do—running and doing strength exercises to build up my stamina as much as possible. If I can improve enough, I’ll be able to land a hit on Mr. Ferris, and he’ll let me move forward with the next phase of my training. The combat exercise is only a month away, and I don’t know how long it’ll take for me to learn whatever Mr. Ferris has in store, let alone win the battle that’s apparently going on in my subconscious. I haven’t used my powers effectively in so long, I just hope that I’ll be able to bounce back when the time comes. As it stands, I lack the energy to use them nonstop while with Mr. Ferris, and I can’t even access them here.
Despite my resolve, my workout isn’t as productive as it was the day before. I’m still tapped, so I’m only able to do a fraction of what I’m capable of. Everyone’s training so hard, and I don’t want to fall behind.
Kaci and Tristen are sparring together again, and Summer is going up against Clarissa while Erik watches on the sidelines with Penelope, another student in our class. Both of them look tuckered out, so it’s safe to assume that they were involved in whatever’s going on now. I can’t make quite make out what’s going on... Summer isn’t rushing in like she normally does. Clarissa should be at a disadvantage if Summer gets in close, but she’s not opting for that. She’s keeping her distance intentionally, slicing at Clarissa’s threads from a distance as they come her way with a sword she manifested with her ice. What’s also strange is that Clarissa’s threads seem to be thicker than normal. I know she can change the density for a variety of reasons, but when she’s serious, she tends to go for stealth rather than power. It’s wild that even if her strings are visible, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s easier to stop them.
I watch as Summer evades them by incorporating acrobatics and offensive maneuvers to cut through her threads, but eventually her fatigue catches up with her. Clarissa’s threads wrap around her, pinching her appendages together.
They exchange some words to each other across the field until Summer gathers the strength to slice through them with a freshly created blade. They go at it again, and I finally catch on to what’s happening. From what I gather, they don’t seem to be fighting seriously, but rather training on specific things. Summer’s working on her defense, while Clarissa is focusing on subduing a moving target with denser threads. There’s no doubt in my mind that using her powers that way takes a lot of control. I don’t know how it feels to use Clarissa’s abilities, but increasing her output to make her fibers grow and move definitely seems like something that can take its toll.
After their second round, Summer looks over at me and smiles despite being hobbled over with fatigue. Erik turns around, following her eyes until he sets his sights on me and waves. “Yo, Aiden!” he yells. “How’s it going? Want to test your luck? I think you could give her a run for her money!” Erik grins.
I walk a bit closer, skeptical of what I’m getting myself into. The cuts along his suit are more apparent now as well as the dirt caked around various parts of his face. There’s no way I’m going to fight, but I can’t alienate myself from my team in the process.
“I’ll pass.”
“You sure?”
“It wouldn’t be fair. You guys all look beat. Give me a rain check. I’m working on something right now.”
“Com—”
“Don’t worry about him, Aiden. Erik’s just butthurt because he couldn’t last a minute against Clarissa,” Summer says between breaths, taking control of the conversation.
“Hey!” He turns to her in a flash of anger. “I don’t have powers like you guys! I was at a disadvantage.”
“Well, Aiden doesn’t even have a freaking suit on, so I don’t know exactly what you’re aiming for with this one. If Clarissa goes easy on him, that’ll defeat the whole point.”
“So...yeah...I have no idea what she’s talking about, but she’s right.”
“Erik’s just being a sore loser. It’s not even a competition, really,” Summer says after straightening up and adjusting her hair behind her ears. “Oh...wait...I know what this is.”
“Huh? What are you talking about?” Erik steps back, visibly nervous while Summer takes a step forward, a coy smile appearing across her face.
“Don’t play dumb,” she demands. “You know exactly what I’m talking about.”
“Honestly, I don’t, Summer... You’re just weird sometimes.”
“Whatever, I’ll play your game. How about this? Give me a minute to catch my breath and I’ll hold out for as long as I can without using my ic
e. How’s that sound? Who’s your money on, Penelope?” All of us turn to face her, and her face turns as red as a tomato.
“My mon—uh—I don’t—”
“All right, so I’m gonna go now... You guys have fun.” I don’t waste any time jogging away as quickly as I can while Summer, Erik, and Penelope sort out whatever’s going on. Summer’s being Summer, but her antics did just bail me out of a tight situation, so I can’t hold it against her.
After I make it back to the woods, I find a quiet spot away from everyone else and begin to meditate, just like how Mr. Ferris taught me.
I block out everything and try my best to keep my mind clear, focusing only on my breath and the sensation of my dormant energy.
Next time we face off, I’ll be sure to make him proud.
****
“Come on, Aiden, you only have two weeks until your exercise!”
“I know!” I shoot my fist towards Mr. Ferris, and he dodges it with ease by hopping out of my range. I follow up by releasing my energy, and a dark wave of flame launches towards him.
“Concentrate!” He dodges to the side of my flames and throws an uppercut into my chest, knocking the air out from my lungs. I keel forward, stunned, and he weaves his same hand around me and chops me in the back of my neck. I fall to the ground on all fours, my vision momentarily blurred.
“I’m trying,” I rasp. “But it’s hard when you keep on adding new tricks.”
“There’s nothing new about what I’m doing.” He laughs. “Again?”
“Yeah.” Since I’ve began my training with Mr. Ferris, I’ve gotten better, and to compensate, he’s been trying harder. He’s a lot faster than what he let on when I first met him. Some of that is due to his extreme concentration ability, but he’s also just plain fast and has an unpredictable fighting style. It works to his advantage. Over our time together I’ve learned how to keep up with him to an extent, but he’s a master of deception or kiting, as he’d put it. He always manages to slip out from under me at the last possible second or beat me to the punch with a devastating counter, but that changes today.
“Ready whenever you are.” Mr. Ferris backs up to give me some space, and I sink into my battle stance, focusing my energy for our next skirmish. I charge forward and swing at him, but he dances around my attack and counters with a sidekick. I block it with my forearm, bearing the full force of his weight. “Nice.” I shove his arm off of me, ignoring the pain and immediately unleash my flames in a straight-on attack. Mr. Ferris dodges to the left, and I stick with him, anticipating his movements from our countless battles. He may be able to react faster than me, but he’s still human, and that means he can be beat.
He throws a punch and I move out of the way to dodge it by weaving under. He follows up with a sharp butterfly kick, looking to put an end to our session. I’m not fast enough to dodge it, but I do see it coming.
His foot grazes the top of my forehead as it comes down while I sway out of the way, leaving him completely open. I dig deep, drawing into my reserves, and force out a burst of my energy that scatters outward like a buckshot. Mr. Ferris crosses his hands in front of his body and buries his head behind his forearms, quickly hopping back to minimize the effectiveness of my attack, but I’m not done. I reach deeper into my power until something clicks within me—a burning flow of energy—a rush that I’ve never felt before. “You’re not getting away this time!” A massive dark flame engulfs my other arm and morphs into an orb as I sling my hand forward. “Take...this!” I release the orb and it hurtles towards him, where it then explodes on contact. I shield my face from the fallout with my hands and plant my feet firmly to the ground. After the breeze passes, I fall to my knees, thick strands of my energy dissipating from my hands and into the sky above. I ball my hands into fists and tighten my core, refusing to succumb to the pain. My chest feels like it’s on fire, and my heart feels like it’s about to explode. I’m completely exhausted, but hopefully that was enough to get the job done. I can’t do much else, let alone, defend myself.
When my energy clears, Mr. Ferris is still standing, shirt ripped and visible bruises all over his body. He had somehow mitigated the damage, but he wasn’t all the way successful. If I had to guess, he used his extreme concentration to avoid the damage that he did.
“Heh. Nicely done... That confirms it. I had my doubts, but that last move of yours was all I needed. I guess I was right when I first bought you here.”
“What...what are you talking about? My last move? My...projectile?” I rasp from the ground, still trying to catch my breath. I hadn’t used one since my fight with Von. I’d been saving it for the perfect time—a time where I knew that I had a genuine shot at beating him if I caught him by surprise.
“No. Your powers...they’re similar to someone else. There’s a hero from an old legend, Emil, the Brave Wanderer. He had an ability similar to yours. He was a projection type who was able to discharge his energy, just like you. He’s gone by many names, depending on the story, but at one point he was known as the boy who called lightning from the sky. His energy resembled lightning whereas yours has a resemblance to fire. Emil’s energy was also light, and yours is dark. A binding trait that the two of you shared is that he was able to amplify his physical capabilities by shrouding himself with his energy...much like yourself.”
“Really?” I stand and point to my chest. “Me? I...I can’t do that.”
“Hmph...so you didn’t realize... Your last attack was brilliant. I was able to see it, but the way you set it up left me devoid of options. I positioned myself to protect my vitals as much as I could, but before your energy reached me, I realized that something was different. It was a new attack to me, your projectile, but your appearance changed when you launched it. Your body was shrouded in a cloak of your energy. It was brief, but it was there. I suspect that your fatigue and output were the culprit.”
“Yeah, I’m pretty pooped,” I confess, my hands now resting on my hips. “So, what does this mean? Does this mean I have some sort of legendary power or something?”
“Hardly, it’s just a story, but I thought it’d be nice to know. Powers are unique to each individual, but there are only so many in existence. The first person that Emil fought against in the main legend was another projection type who controlled fire. Fire elementals are usually strong, but that isn’t the case for everyone. Seeing that you’re in the advanced course, I wager you’re sitting at around a B+ as far as tiers go. Of course, there’s room to grow. Mr. Hoover explained it to you right? The rankings of powers... S+ being the highest and E being the lowest?”
“Yeah, vaguely.”
“Doesn’t matter. They have their place, but everyone can become great in their own way if they work hard at it,” he says after batting his hand. “Everyone has their own thing.”
“Right.” He says that, but I remember Uncle Erwin and his stint at the academy. He didn’t make it far at all.
“You good? I’m calling it for today. Well done.” Mr. Ferris touches me, dispelling his ability. “Tomorrow we’ll begin the next phase. Get some rest. We still have some work we need to get done.”
“Roger.”
“I almost forgot to ask. How are your powers coming along? Any updates?”
I sprout a small flame in the palm of my hand, even though I’m exhausted.
“Nah, it’s the same. I can do some stuff, but not enough to compete.” I relinquish the fire in my hand and close it into a fist.
“You’re gaining your confidence back, but we still haven’t reached the root of the problem...but don’t worry...it’ll be soon. I ju—”
“Just want to make sure that I’m safe, I know. I understand the risks.”
“Knowing and experiencing are two different things. See you tomorrow, Aiden. Take care.”
After being dismissed, I go back to my dorm, and go to bed to get some rest in before classes begin. I’ve been able to sleep as of late. The nightmares aren’t nearly as common, but it’s just like
what Mr. Ferris said; I haven’t really addressed the root of my problem, so my powers are still shoddy. According to him, I’m still afraid. I’m better off than I was when I first found out about what’s going on, but deep down, I know he’s right.
There’s always been doubt in the back of my mind, but after fighting Von, it’s gotten to the point that it’s dampening my abilities. No matter how hard I push myself, no matter how hard I train, the thought that it isn’t enough and that I’m helpless always finds a way to rear its ugly head. I gave it my all against Von, and I would have died if no one intervened. He held my life in his hands, and he could have killed me at any time.
...It’s like I don’t fully trust myself or my ability to push through anymore. I want to, but I can’t. Ms. Stacy told me it’d take time, but honestly, I’m over waiting. I tried asking her if I should fight against someone I trust to unlock my powers, like how I did when they first reawakened. She told me no, that powers don’t work that way, that it’s mental more than anything and that I can’t nurse a trauma by perpetuating it. Relying solely on pushing myself to that point just for the rush would only do more harm than good, plus there’re no guarantees that it’d actually work.
I’ve been scared before, I’ve been hurt before, and I’ve been stressed out of my mind. It’s deeper than that. My subconscious is throttling my powers as a form of self-preservation. It’s annoying, but at my core, my body thinks it’s for my own good.
The day flows by smoothly although my mind’s in a state of unrest. I’d tried so hard to land a hit on Mr. Ferris and after a month of relentless training, I finally did. Barely. It was only because of some new dimension of my power I’d unlocked, and it was only through pure desperation. I’d never been able to do it before, even when times were tough. Von would have brought it out of me if it were in me before. This new ability must have manifested as a result of my training. There’s no better explanation. I just need to learn how to access it. The next combat exercise is coming close, and I’m still in no condition to fight.
The Prodigy Page 8