Chapter 25

“Would you like to check out the counseling center or do some solo research during this time?

“I'd like to take a look at the counseling center,” I said, feeling confident.

Being i had no idea what my ability is or how to find out, working with people who could help was my best bet.

Lucius nods before turning to Draven, “you should head to the infirmary and get checked out, then back to class.”

“I will call you to my office about your punishment later.”

“W-” Draven starts, unhappy at being told to leave.

“Katie, I'll take you to the center and introduce you.”

“Alright,” I replied, briefly glancing at Draven's sour face before following after Lucius.

As Lucius and I walk down the pathway a nervous kind of energy has me curious about what my life has in-store.

“So, could you please tell me a bit about how abilities are discovered, professor?” I asked, keeping my voice quite so only he could hear.

“Well shifters awaken their powers at an early age, usually around five or so.”

“Really, that early?”

“Yes, most cases have the ability to present slowly and grow over time. This makes it easier to tell which abilities a shifter has and helps them get control over them quicker.”

“So, why has my ability been hidden from me for so long?” I asked, biting my lip in worried confusion.

Why am I different from the others?

“Well, that's the thing, it seems that something happened or someone placed a seal on your ability when you were very young.”

Lucius runs a hand through his hair, his profile looks striking as the sun dances over his face.

I quickly shake those thoughts away, “Katie focus.”

“Who would do that?”

“Well if your abilities were sealed then, I'd say your father most likely.”

“My father?”

I knew very little about my dad and I didn't remember much since he died when I was so little. But why would he do that to me?

“That's only speculation, it's possible something else caused your abilities to be locked. We won't know until we start looking into it more.”

As we continue to walk, Lucius goes on to tell me a bit about shifters and how their likelihood of someone with two human parents having produced a shifter child hasn't been seen before.

So, he's saying since moms human, my dad was something else. A race that even Lucius isn't sure of. Is that why he's helping me, because he's curious about what I am?

I mean as a scholar and a professor of biology I'm sure my unknown origins are intriguing him. I can't help but sadden at the thought that he's only helping me because of his curiosity.

I'd really like to have someone in my corner just because they care about me.

Before I knew it we arrived at the Counseling Center.

“Good afternoon everyone,” Lucius said, greeting the counselors when we walked in.

“Headmaster Wild, to what do we owe this drop by?” an older woman asked, removing her reading glasses.

“I've brought a student who will be joining A Class very soon,” Lucius Said, introducing me, “this is Miss. Katie Sterling.”

“She would like your help figuring out what classes would be best suited for her before her transition period is over.”

“Oh, I see,” the older woman says, giving me a kind smile, “it's been awhile since any of the A Class students came here for help.”

“My name is Ester, and the other two are Marcus and Joy, we are the councilors here at Lupine”

Ester holds out her hand to me, the other two giving small kind waves accompanied by smiles.

“We were mainly set up to help the A Class students,” Joy, a kind brunette, with a very scholarly look to her said.

“But, as you've probably noticed, most A Class students think they know everything, and don't need our help,” Marcus adds.

He looked like he stepped right out of an anime, a perfect recreation of the “hot guy with glasses” that seems to show up all the time.

“So, if they barely visit what -,” I start to ask, curious how they spend their days.

“After I took over, I opened up the counseling center for all students,” Lucius said, checking his phone, “so that their knowledge and guidance wouldn't be wasted.”

“It's been an interesting and fun adjustment,” Ester said, smiling, genuinely happy.

Lucius said, turning to me, “ I have a meeting I must get to, so I'll leave you to them .”

I nod, sad at the thought of him going but I ignore it. The door swings closed, I focus on the councilors before me.

“Okay, where do we start?”

“Well, first off, what is the nature of your ability?” Marcus asked, opening up the thick book before him.

“Um, I'm not sure,” I said kinda embarrassed, "I didn't even know about this stuff until a few days ago.”

“Oh wow,” Joy said, surprised but seemingly excited, “how unusual."

“Um, I guess,” I responded uncertainly, “it's been a lot.”

“Ah don't mind Joy," Ester said, walking me into the center, books lining every inch of the place.

“She gets excited about new things, always excited to learn new things.”

I nod as I look around, taking it all in.

“I know what you're probably thinking, but only people with abilities can see the ancient texts that way none of the ordinary students stumble upon anything.”

“Is this an ability that allows you to do that?” I ask, curious.

“Indeed, it's Joy's ability of glamore,” ester explains, “it allows her to create false images on things or people that she wishes to.”

I want to ask more, but Marcus's voice cuts in.

“Since you don't know what your ability is or its nature, we'll ask you some questions and then use an artifact we have to see if we can get some answers.”

“Really? it's just that easy to find out?” I asked with excitement.

“It's really that easy,” Marcus replies smiling, pulling out a pen, “only ancient abilities are harder to figure out, not impossible, just harder.”

“Ancient abilities?”

“Yes, powers from the beings at the beginning of creation,” Marcus explained briefly, “but there’s no need to worry about them.”

“Now, let's see what kind of ability you have,” Joy joins in, her excitement palpable.

“Okay, I'm ready,” I said excited and determined.

The questions that they ask me are all pretty basic. like my parents races, if anything happened when i was young, if i noticed if anything unexpected happens around me.

I answered what I could but I know none of my answers are very helpful.

“Interesting,” they say together.

“Im curious," Marcus starts, a furrow in his brow, “how did you find out you had an ability?”

“Oh um, i accidentally found out about shifters,” i start to explain, “Lucius found me and he tried to erase my memories.

“He couldn't do it, my ability stopped him I believe."

“Fascinating," Joy said with a dreamy look in her eye.

“That is very intriguing," Ester said, “no one can push away Lucius's ability like that.

They all turn to me, their gaze intense, “are you sure there isn't any other instance, maybe something recently that seemed a little weird or anything?”

Thinking back, I went over the last week or so when my normal life started going downhill.

A brief flicker of something comes to mind, from the night of the party when I got drunk.

“Um, well I'm pretty sure it was just a drunken hallucination," I said thinking about when I looked up at Adrian when we first met, "I thought for a second I saw my eyes shine gold, in the reflection of someone else's eyes.”

Silence fills the room, “I was really drunk at the time so it's probably nothing,” I quickly say.

“Oh this is getting good,” Joy said, her entire being practically radiating joy.

“The golden color could be key, it's of an old and powerful nature,” ester explains.

“Whats that mean for the classes I can take?” I asked uneasy, if it's old does that mean there's no classes that I can take to work on it?

“It means that you can have your pick of any classes you want,” Marcus said smiling, “if we're correct, which we usually are, you have a power that is suitable for being used for most if not all abilities."

“I'm not sure I get what you mean?” I said , confused.

“It means that you can take all of the classes you want and utilize everything you earn because you don't have a regular ability," Marcus explains.

“If it's what we think, you have the adaption creator ability,” Ester adds.

“Which means you can create and use any ability you want, and even create new ones,” Joy beams.

How the hell can I have some type of overpowered ability?