As they all gathered again, and the headmaster took the stage again, he was this time accompanied by a woman with ghostly pale skin and snow-white hair, the eyes of this person were of an icy blue.

°Huh, she doesn´t look like what I expected, when they said an ice-kin would be joining us. She is smaller than the headmaster.° Mor said.

°What did you expect? Some kind of big milker muscle Mommy? Also, she is at least half a head bigger than you.° The human said confusing Mor.

°A what now?° He asked the human, who just sighed.

"Dear students! Here with me is Miss..." The headmaster began, then pausing for the woman to offer her name, which she didn´t resulting in a few seconds of aquard silence.

°What´s that stick, she has on her back?° Mor asked.

°Look better, this is no mere stick, this is a war-bow, see how big that thing is.° The human said.

°A bow? I thought the ice-kin was all about physical power.° Mor asked further.

°Are you this stupid? If she can draw that without using magic, she is probably able to fold you up easily.° The human explained.

°But I got a lot stronger, I think I won´t lose.° Mor said confidently.

°Yeah right idiot, I will drag your sorry ass back to Miss Amber after this one is done with you.° The human said.

"Well, please be nice to her, and if she asks you any questions please answer truthfully and please remember she is an honored guest." The headmaster continued while the woman just stood there eying the students.

°Is this a leather armor, she´s wearing?° The human asked.

°What´s leather?° Mor asked back.

°You kow cured animal skin? But there aren´t any more animals, also it looks somehow dark and oily.° The human explained.

°Huh, you´re right, maybe she will answer us if we ask her?° Mor said.

°I really don´t know, she seems like the silent type.° The human said.

°But you know, looking at her and comparing her to our women, she looks more defined.° Mor said.

°Yeah, most of the soul-kin are almost malnourished, because of your "Magic is everything" mindset, a balanced diet is almost a foreign concept for you.° The human said.

°Yes, food is only there so you don´t die?° Mor said questioning.

°And you´re stupid again, why do you think you need more food now? Food fuels your body, and muscle growth. So contrary to the women you know, she is eating right and taking care of her body, in human standards she would be labeled as fit.° The human explains.

While the headmaster kept on talking, the women just wandered off at some point leaving a confused headmaster alone on the stage.

"Well then, get back to your classes, please." The headmaster ended his speech.

After everyone returned to their lessons, Mor saw the ice-kin a few times, sometimes sitting in at a lesson, sometimes just walking by, but never showing any kind of emotion.

"I´m disappointed," the woman thought, "seems the soul-kin have lost their sense of honor and their sense for battle. All I can gather from them is complacency for whatever they were gifted with at birth, no need for self-improvement, a very sorry display."

While she was sure, no one was near her, she let out a sigh of frustration. Seems my time here will be over more quickly than I expected, and without good news. I expected something more of a training center than sitting around listening to fireplace tales and a few magic exercises so they won´t be completely helpless, but nothing on how to fight for real.

After the lessons, she continued to wander around and observe, and generally, her first impression was reinforced. After their classes they were lounging around, socializing, or learning from books, very disappointing. Then it happened while she walked by a few students, she overheard them saying something.

"Look, there, he´s running again." The first said grinning.

"How can he be so stupid? No matter how much he runs, he will never get stronger." The other joked and both broke out in laughter.

The ice-kin looked to where the students were pointing, and indeed other than all of his peers this one was running, and she could instantly recognize that this was not just to get somewhere faster, there was a rhythm to it, a rhythm she knew very well. Maybe, her first impression was false, maybe the souls were not as useless, as she thought. With that, she began to follow this strange student.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

°Why do you think, the ice-kin doesn´t talk to anyone?° Mor asked, while they were running.

°I can´t guess, but if I would really have to. Maybe she is shy, or maybe she is annoyed for needing to be here.° The human said.

°Maybe, if it is something like that our peers, will not be helpful with their attitudes. I surely hope she doesn´t run into Ranbor, then our credibility is done for.° Mor said.

°I think that might be funny, because she could probably beat that asshat senseless.° The human jocked and both snickered, Mor just a bit breathless.

"He´s laughing!" She thought, "Is he having fun, running?"

Even the old tales of the soul-kin never told of someone fond of running, they were always known to be those magical powerhouses, but at least they had training in battlefield and support magics. So she kept following.

°I think that´s enough running for today, let´s get to the training room, time to hone our magic again, after our three days pause.° The human said and Mor nodded before breaking into a sprint for the last distance to the training center.

Something is off, with this one. This one might even be worth speaking to, she hid around a corner as the strange one sprinted by, taking a good look. "Form is rough but good, too bad I can´t see anything of his body with those robes," She thought regretfully and once again trailed the student.

°Well let´s get going, time to drain your magic.° The human said

°Still didn´t give up hope for finding some way to get more spells out of our meager reserves?° Mor asked.

°Of, course there has to be something, because if not the older folks wouldn´t have more magic than someone in their prime!° The human grumbled.

°Yes, I understand, this doesn´t make sense to you, so you don´t want to accept it.° Mor sighed.

°Good, then less talking, more using magic!° The human ordered.

She watched in amazement, as the strange one picked up a stone and said something about "First the classic", he held the stone and made a throwing motion. The ice-kin was surprised, as the stone raced away from the hand of the youth crashing into a target and leaving a sizable dent.

"This is scary." She thought to herself.

She would need a sling to get a stone to such a speed, it´s still nowhere close to her bow, but still if that hits right it would drop someone without protection and unbeknownst to her a small smile crept onto her face.

"This one would have been a good choice for the coming-of-age ritual of the ice-kin." She mused.

She was so distracted by the strange one, that she didn´t hear someone else walking up behind her.

"Look at that, the barbarian is watching the peasant," Ranbor said smiling and was promptly ignored by the woman.

"Hey, you. If you want to see what the soul-kin can do, you should watch me!" Ranbor boasted further.

The ice-kin slowly got annoyed, if that idiot was shouting so much, she would be noticed by her target, she slowly turned around and put a finger to her lips to quiet that nuisance.

"Seems, she wants you to shut up, Lord Ranbor." The Emeror said, and the other two, escorts shook their head disapprovingly.

"You´re right Emtsor, that is very disrespectful for someone who isn´t even able to use magic. They should show more respect for their betters!" Ranbor said, raising his voice.

The ice-kin sighed at that, this one seemed to be the perfect example of the soul-kin vanity, and worse, the strange one seemed to have heard that and stopped his exercises, she could hear his steps coming closer to see what the interruption was about.

°Did you hear that?° The human asked

°No? What?° Mor asked back

°I thought it sounded like Ranbor, trying to bully someone again.° The human said.

°Let´s go look, I don´t like the idea, that someone has to go through the same as me, we can probably help.° Mor said, and they went to take a look.