Page 26 of Thrust into the Light

“I am Instructor Payne, yes the Gods had a sick sense of humor when they bestowed my gift upon me. This is a mixed class. There are those of you here who show signs of being some of the best in the class for physical endurance and stamina, and on the other end, we have those with the lowest. I know some of you have physical restrictions in place, and we will follow those in the next class. In this class, I want you all to give everything you’ve got. I need to see where we are starting, and how to improve. I know some of you hotshots think you don’t have any room for improvement, but one thing I have learned over the years is the best way to improve when you are at the top is toteach others. Now, ten laps around the field, I don’t care how you do it, or if you end up crawling across it at the end. You will get the ten laps in.”

Everyone begins walking over to the strange path around the grass. I follow behind them, not sure what we are doing. He is still talking, though.

“MATCHES! I don’t care if you’re here to offer support to your match, you will stay near the bleachers, I don’t care if your loved one loses a fucking limb, if you interfere it will be the last time you are allowed to be here.”

I look at Connor. I could lose a limb? It hurts to have one grow back. I look around for any knives or anything that could pull one of my arms off. Someone pushes me. “Move, freak, you’re in the way.”

I look around and don’t notice that everyone has started moving. The Faith girl keeps looking back at me. People are coming at me fast and I duck down and cover my head. I don’t hear the footsteps getting closer anymore and hear them getting farther away. I look around and everyone is staying on the strange path. I follow the path, trying to make sure I stay out of everyone’s way. Everyone is moving so much faster than me. I hear footsteps coming to me from the grass area. The Instructor is coming my way and fast.

“Alright, I’m just going to assume your name is Farlen based on the sunglasses and scars. This class is going to be very hard for you, as will your defense classes. I am the Instructor for them, so at least I will be a friendly face for you. I want to see how fast you can move. Healer Daniel has been very adamant that I take you slowly because of your condition. But I can’t get an accurate baseline unless I see what you can really do. You are not going to do the ten laps, but I want to see you move as fast as you can for the rest of this one.”

I nod. I try to move faster. It feels strange to move my legs this fast. The muscles in my legs don’t like it. I keep trying to get them to move faster. As I start going faster, I can feel my hair blowing behind me, kind of like when Connor carries meand moves fast. Everyone is still far ahead of me and people are getting closer to me. But I feel like I am moving faster.

I see where the Instructor is standing, and he is watching me. I can do this, I think I can go faster. I try to make my legs go faster, and it feels like my lung is being stabbed with a knife. It starts getting harder for me to breathe. I have a funny feeling in my throat and make a strange barking noise. I cover my mouth with my hand. When I look back down at it, there is blood all over my hand. I feel something in my stomach, much higher up than the funny feeling I get from Connor, feel like it’s moving.

I feel like I can’t breathe. Like something is pressing onto my chest and squishing me.

23

Connor

Everything was going so well. Farlen was making a good pace around the track until the Instructor talked to her. Then she started to jog. She looked so happy, and I was so proud of her. As she was getting closer to the end, she looked like she was in a lot of pain. I can’t fucking move from this spot if I want to watch her progress. Instructor Payne is keeping an eye on her. He was an instructor here when I was a student; I had him one semester; he was a hardass, but fair. As a shifter, he’s a lot larger than the non-shifters. He is also a match brother to Healer Daniel. So I’m sure he knows a lot of what is wrong with Farlen.

I look back up at her, and she has blood coming out of her mouth. Some women standing here are staring at her and are gasping. I fucking need to get to her. Something is wrong. Fuck the rules. I go to take a step, and Farlen starts to fall. Before I can even move, Instructor Payne has her in his arms.

“Someone call Healer Daniel NOW. Her heart isn’t beating!”

Fuck, not this again. Damn the rules. I run over to her and grab her hand. Please Gods, don’t do this shit to me again. I press her hand to my heart, willing hers to pick up the beat mine is thundering at.

“Connor, I understand this is your match, but I need you to step back. I’ve got to get her to the clinic now! Let go of her son. Meet us there.”

He stands up with my entire world bundled in his arms and fucking runs as fast as he can, everyone standing around staringat their retreating form. I run behind them, determined to be only one step behind. As I pass by the building, Farlen’s other match is in, I stop. He needs to know. I run into the hallway and push open his door. He is in the middle of a class, and everyone stops to look at me. My eyes lock onto his and it’s like he can read my mind.

“CLASS IS FUCKING DISMISSED, GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE AND GET OUT OF OUR FUCKING WAY NOW.”

I take off running, using that as my cue to get him to her. He doesn’t say a word as he keeps pace with me. I’m not the fastest runner, but he isn’t even struggling like I am.

“What happened?” He asks as we are at a dead-ass run. How in the fuck? I can hardly breathe.

“Her. Heart. Stopped. Coughed up blood.” I manage to get out, even though it’s stealing my precious oxygen.

His speed picks up and leaves me in the dust. Fuck, I can’t be the slow one in our match group. Looks like I need to pick up running again. I get to the clinic and run through the door. He is standing there arguing with another healer who is blocking his path.

“Connor?” the healer asks me. I nod to him. “You can go on seeing as you are her match.” As much as I want to rush back there to get to her, I can’t leave my match brother here.

“He is too. They both got the notification earlier in the day, and we haven’t had time to file the paperwork. Show him your phone so we can get back to her.”

He grunts and pulls out his phone to show the other healer. The healer reads the message and moves out of his way. When I get back to the treatment area, it is pandemonium. Apprentice Healers are running around trying to find things Healer Daniel is shouting at them to get. Both his hands are glowing and are focusing on Farlen. Instructor Payne is standing there looking so fucking pissed. I focus on his thoughts. His anger better not be at my match.

If he would have just fucking told me the extent of what was wrong with her, I wouldn’t have even attempted to get her to run.Fucking dick. Doesn’t he understand by not telling me everything that was going on with her could fucking kill her? I’ll beat it out of him tonight.

I stop focusing my powers on him. No need to listen to more. He had no clue what exactly was going on with her. Farlens body starts to convulse and both I and Fry move forward to help hold her down. Healer Daniel looks at the two of us. He must see the same look on both of our faces. He nods his head and continues to heal her. His energy starts to wane, and I am afraid of what he is about to say.

“I am almost out of magic. I cannot get her heart to start again.”

Fry loses his mind and starts punching the wall. Payne walks over and pins his arms down as he rages. I grab her hand and squeeze it. Come on sweet girl, come back.

The white glow from Healer Daniel stutters to a stop and he droops like he is about to pass out. He gives himself a little shake.

---