Chapter 8

The sun was high in the sky by the time the last students finished their orientations with the advisers. Other than Becca's explosion and the giant's fight against Naomi, nothing particularly interesting had gone on. In fact, Nick stopped watching a lot of the fights, and started trying to figure out how many students had passed the exam.

He was uncertain of the exact number, but he felt the total was roughly around 100 students. The Phys were the largest group by far, with roughly half of the students. The next group of size was the Ints, and Nick noticed only a handful of students had chosen Spiritual and Mystical.

"Anyone too injured to stand?" Naomi was in front of the group of Phys, having finally finished with the last first year. Only a few had been taken away by Keith, the rest, though injured in some way shape or form, stood up. "Good, seems we can continue with Phsy orientation."

"Don't make eye contact." Trent tried to warn Nick, but it was too late. It seemed Naomi had been scanning the group of Phys, and while everyone else was glancing away, Nick locked eyes with her.

"Nicky! Would you come help me?" She smiled sweetly.... dangerously sweet.

"Nice knowing ya." Trent whispered as Nick stepped forward, the first years parting around him.

"Thanks for the support."

"There's a good boy." Naomi patted him on the shoulder, pushing him lightly to turn and face the rest of the first years.

"Each of you has suffered an injury of some sort on another against me." Groans answered Naomi's statement. "Well, each of you except for Nicky." A feeling of dread filled his stomach.

"Physicals are the strongest and fastest of the four schools at the Academy. Along with that, we our ability to draw on physical energy gives us the ability to heal from almost any injury we may suffer." Nick really wasn't liking where this was going.

"Nicky here, managed to partially tap into that physical energy when he was fighting against me." She smiled devilishly. "As such, I figure he would be a good example to show you all just what your healing capability is."

It happened in a second. Naomi grabbed his arm, and suddenly her palm was in his elbow, a sickening snap echoing with the pain that shot through his body.

"Because he has tapped into the energy before, it will be easier for him to tap into it now, and use it to heal, to show you all it is possible." Her words were distant as Nick fought to stay conscious.

"Now Nicky, I'm going to need you to concentrate on my voice." She said it softly, gently, and Nick struggled to listen.

"I want you to focus on the energy within your body. It will feel like a fire within, grasp it, open yourself up to it, and allow it to flow within."

Nick remember the fire he had felt during his fight, and so he closed his eyes, searching throughout his body. Deep within, he could almost see it, a blue fire simmering within.

"That's it Nicky, now reach out, and invite it in." He called out to it with his mind, beckoning for it to flow within again. Slowly, he felt it starting to answer.

"Each and every one of you can tap into this power. As Physicals, we will train you, hone you, to harness the power, and increase the amount you can contain within. The more energy you can handle, the stronger your abilities as a Physical will be.

The fire was spreading through Nick, racing through his veins, filling him with energy. He could also feel it chasing away his pain, and amazingly, he could feel his arm repairing itself.

"As you all can see, he has tapped into his power, and his arm is now being healed. You will each heal your wounds now. If you need...motivation...I will be more than happy to inflict graver injuries upon you to incentivize you to find your powers." Naomi laughed at her statement, but Nick was certain she was serious.

Eyes still closed, he called for even more of the energy to come forth, and it felt as if he had released a dam. "Nicky...you can let go now." The concern in Naomi's voice pulled Nick away from the energy, and he tried to close it off.

"I, I can't" the blue fire he had been calling forth was changing, swirling with different colors, a torrent of power that threatened to burn him from within. A new pain erupted in his body, and he found himself falling to the ground, screaming.

"Nicholas!" Naomi's voice was drowned out by his screams.

The time has come. A voice in his mind, coming from the energy. Give yourself over to the energy Nicholas, allow me to be free. The voice was vaguely familiar, the voice from his dreams.

"How...how do I...make it stop..." his breath was labored, he could feel his mind succumbing.

Empty your mind, ignore the pain. Reach out towards my voice and give me control.

Nick was willing to do anything to make this pain stop. He sought out the voice in his mind, and just as the creature instructed, he opened himself up to it.

It is time. He could tell the creature was smiling. Suddenly, a new sensation crept into Nick, and the torrent within seemed to freeze itself. Then, slowly, he could feel it being sucked away, pulled out of his body, as if some other force was absorbing it. A few moments passed, and Nick was able to regain his composure. He opened his eyes, blinking away tears, and sat up.

Naomi was standing above him, her face a mix of confusion and concern, and as he looked around, all the other first years had similar looks.

"Are you okay Nicky?" He nodded in response, and pushed himself to his feet, wondering what exactly had just happened.

"I told you he would come." Nick turned around, and Beth was standing behind him, starring lazily into the sky. He followed her gaze, and his eyes widened. Wings outstretched, hovering a few feet above Nick, was the creature from his dream.