I woke up in the infirmary.

I had no idea this school even had one, to be honest. Or was it that I’d just forgotten?

Wasn’t I here just last month?

It felt like I’d slept for a long while. I was groggy, and tired and… sleepy and… The fuck?

I wasn’t alone of course. There were two bandaged mess on the other side, both cuffed for some reason. I had a cute lizard sleeping peacefully on my head and a black kitten on the side. I also had a cute lady sleeping next to- no, it was just Shia.

Judging by the sunlight coming through, probably close to early noon. “How long was I out?” I said.

She didn’t wake up.

She was soundly asleep. And drooling no less. Why do young girls always drool? My sister was like that, and Nisa too.

Or maybe this was just random and I got lucky… or rather unlucky? Anyway, I tried talking to her but she was just nodding in her sleep and didn’t bother waking up.

So, after a while I kind of gave up and kept my eyes at the ceiling. Somehow, I didn’t die. No, I had a feeling I probably did die but came back alive.

Somehow… Rexen was there. And he’d come to my rescue through Rexy. The last time Rexen had healed my finger. This he’d healed my chest then? I saw scales instead of skin there, in a vertical line. Yup, definitely Rexen’s work. The mark on my hand was pretty much the same if not a bit more elaborate; it also came with a rather complicated array of red spikes. But wait, none of my scales were hidden and… Busted?

Definitely busted that was for sure.

The fact that I still wasn’t executed was proof enough that the church didn’t want me dead… yet.

“Hmm…” Shia woke up. “Sol?” She said.

“Yeah, what’s up, Sis?”

“You’re alright…”

“I’m fine. Thanks for coming to rescue me,” I said. I had no idea when she’d come or what she’d done but I had a feeling she came after me.

Even if she wanted to, she couldn’t come out after the curfew hours due to our new dorm rules. But she still did. I was glad… but- “But don’t ever do something so dangerous,” I said. “You could have di- AHHH!!”

She punched me, on the literal fucking chest! Sharp pain radiated through my whole body as bits of blood trickled. “Like you’re one to talk!” She roared. The drooling cute sleeping sister was gone. Replaced by a monster. “YOU COULD HAVE DIED!”

You’re literally killing me now!

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

“Sorry,” I managed. I didn’t bleed much. The cut healed itself. Apparently, although the wound was healed, the scales didn’t adhere well to my skin. I suppose it was just emergency patchwork by Rexen and I would heal with time? Maybe?

She sighed and calmed a bit. “Do you have any idea how worried I was?” She mumbled, looking away frowning.

I guess she did worry. She worried a lot… “You know Sis I’m…” I stopped. I couldn’t. I couldn’t say it.

“What?”

I stared at her face. She thought she was looking at her little brother who’d almost died. But… “Thanks. Love you Sis.”

She snickered. “Yes, as you should.”

I let out a snicker as well and we talked for a while.

Apparently, it’d been a week since then. The academy declared I’d caught the culprit and burned him alive. The headmaster tried to stop me, so I gave him some ass whopping and now he was in a coma.

Didn’t she say crossfire at first?

“Well, that’s a bunch of lies,” I said.

“No, this guy really burned them both good,” Shia said.

“Well, I’m sure Rexy had nothing to do with it.” I tried to close in on Shia but I couldn’t, so she leaned closer. “It was actually her father,” I whispered.

“Oh. So that big cutie was… where can I meet him?” She was super excited for a second there.

“Don’t even think about it.” I rolled my eyes. “Alustur died?” Then who were these two bandaged mummies?

“No, that’s just what we declared. Or more like, I did,” she winked. “I didn’t let them touch either of them since you said you wanted to question them.”

You did what?

Was it me or was this sister just too damn dependable? Take my respect, damnit.

They’d actually woken up from all the commotion but their whole body was covered and that included their mouths, so they probably couldn’t talk. Which was good cause I didn’t want to deal with them.

“Where’d you find this guy though,” I said.

A kitten.

“Abandoned warehouse.” She patted the sleeping cat. “I used to hang out there and knew the cat had given birth there. I kind of liked her too…

“Before you… before you curse them,” Shia said. “It was mom.”

“What?”

“Mom hired Alustur and some other mercenaries and pressured the headmaster. She wanted to get rid of all the lesser bloods. She’s one of the cardinals and in charge of this city and… she had to.”

“So, she was responsible…” I mumbled.

“Please don’t hate her… she’s still our- my mom.”

…

I sighed. “Sure.”

I was done with this anyway. Hatred, rage, revenge, brought me nothing. It only pained me. The dead wouldn’t come back. And this kitten would never get its mother back.

And if I died, so many sacrifices would be in vain.

“Why would she need to kill kids?” I said.

“The church wants all lesser human children with no talent and magic eradicated.” So that’s why they always targeted the ordinary ones?

“She’s going to kill me too in time I suppose?”

“No.” Shia said. “Look at these two. They’re one of the strongest in world. Yet, look at them. They messed with you and are in that state. No one can kill you.”

I wanted to laugh at her face. I wanted to say, that she was wrong and I was pretending to be all strong; I was powerless. Fucking powerless. It wasn’t me who beat them. It was Rexen.

And now having been oust, I was going to be persecuted. “No, the church would still want to kill me,” I said. “If not for my abilities, then this cutie,” I said.

“I’m sure no one would want to kill a deity bearer.” One of the mummies talked!

You could talk! Sounded old. So the other one was Alustur? Both were staring hard.

“A deity bearer?”

“Your drake is the child of a deity. It used that child to manifest in our world and thus scorch us. And seemed to listen to you. Thus, you’re a deity bearer. The church would be wary of you and they would want you among their ranks to pacify you. But they won’t be foolish enough to hurt you and have the deity descend once more.”

Okay, okay, I was confused to say the least.

Deity? Rexen? That guy? Seriously? And what descending? He was clearly living a good life in that fucking cave!

If anything he was ascending not- Aw.. aw… aw… my hand stung a bit. Yup, dude was listening. Just remembering about him made me smile. Thanks dude. I gave his daughter a pat and focused on the two mummies in front of me. Time to get serious!