Page 64 of Deucalion Academy: Pawn Of The Gods (The Dominions)

I was learning slower than the others, but I did know proficients were students in their third year at the academy. Theron impressed upon me the weight of graduating to proficient. By the third year of training, fifty-five percent of the average starting Sisyphean class was dead. Thirty percent of the starting Titan class was gone.

We were looking at survivors.

“These men and women have powers closest to the kind of dangers you’ll face while protecting Olympia. Fire wielders, hypnotic abilities, shape-shifting tricksters, regenerators, speedsters, fliers, iron skins, magic bearers, elemental molders, and seers. What you’ll do is simple,” he told me. This was only for my benefit.

“They will attack. You will defend. This should go without saying, but I’ll say it anyway. You cannot move to another opponent until you’ve defeated your first. The same applies in battle because out there if you cannot defeat your monster, you won’t move on... since you’ll be dead,” he deadpanned. “Any questions?”

I braced myself as the question hit the air. “How do I do this without a power?”

Jeers assaulted me immediately.

“Still a lying traitor,” Niles scoffed. “She hasn’t learned her lesson.”

“No one’s buying your shit, coward. Stand up and fight like the rest of us.”

“Quiet.” Kazran kneeled on the platform, boring over me. “You do have power, Galanis.” He spoke slowly like he was talking to a child. “You just haven’t figured out what it is yet. Lucky for you, this is your first step toward finding out.”

“How so?”

He swept a hand over the proficients. “What if you’re a daughter of Hephaestus and impervious to fire? Can’t find out until you get burned. What if you sprout wings and fly? Won’t know until you jump off a cliff. By the culling, we’ll know without a doubt what your power is or...” He clicked his tongue. “Or fate will have granted you a more merciful end than what awaited you during the culling. Either way, this class is your salvation.”

Gaping, my bugged-out eyes watched his retreat. I wished there was ambiguity in what he said, but his meaning was unmistakable to everyone listening. Self-mastery would throw everything it had at me until I was either killed, or a power suddenly appeared and saved me. If a power did not appear, the culling would finish what this class started.

“Don’t let him scare you,” Nitsa whispered. “We’ve all got your back.”

“Break into groups of ten,” Kazran called. “Newcomer, hang back. I’ll tell you where to go.”

I watched my friends shuffle off with guilty looks and mouthed “sorrys.” So much for that. No one would have my back.

The group split into packs of ten and each followed a proficient to their own corner of the stadium. There was only me waiting beside the platform, asking myself if Instructor Kazran was planning to see me burned or thrown off a cliff.

“Galanis,” he barked, waving me over. “Here.”

I turned toward him and froze. A group of five stood in front of Kazran and a tall, long-haired woman with battle armor and a bored expression. It was Alexander, Sirena, and her handmaidens.

“Why?” I asked, not moving a muscle. “What’s her power?”

“You’ll find out soon enough. Come. Now.”

I considered arguing, then I considered what Kazran’s punishment would be for disobeying him. Scrolls or worse?

I’m not going to find out.I walked up to the group, stiffening with each step. Alexander’s stare was a thousand needles digging into my skin.

“I’m not without mercy,” Kazran said. “You’ll go last to see how it’s done. Learn from them and formulate your plan for defeating Proficient Catherine.”

I glanced at my simple white tunic and brown pants. “Can I have armor or gear—?”

“Have you had a single combat class?”

“No.”

“Then what would you do with gear?” he asked, brows cocked. “Throw it at her?”

Sirena and her friends burst out laughing, heating my cheeks. “But what if—”

“Try not to kill her,” Kazran said, turning his back on us. “Begin.”

It was just the six of us.

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