Page 52 of The Blackened Blade

There was a small trickle of water running in the distance, the sound of small animals scurrying about the forest and if I focused hard enough, I could hear the sound of a few sparse voices in the distance in the academy.

Opening my eyes, I head to a large sturdy tree on the opposite side of the clearing. One I had used before when testing the strength of my punches, and that had leftmewith more cuts and bruises than I had givenit.

Let's see if anything has changed.

Tightening my fist, I pull my shoulder back and position myself in front of the thick tree. I push forward in one quick jab, throwing as much strength as I can into the hit. Splinters fly in the air from the bark as my fist makes contact with the tree.

I pull my fist back out with a few splinters and cuts in my skin, but my healing is already closing up the wounds and working quicker than ever before.

My eyes flicker back and forth between my hand and the tree, a huge hole and fist print now embedded all the way to its centre.

A shaky breath leaves my lips.

How was this possible?

It had felt as if the bark was a sheet of cardboard rather than a half a metre thick tree trunk.

I take a step back, my eyes widening at the damage my one punch has caused. I look back down toward my hand, all of the cuts and scrapes now completely healed as a small disbelieving chuckle leaves my lips, my eyes flickering back and forth between the tree and my fist.

It seemed my healing had also jumped up a few notches. Before it would have taken at least an hour for those small abrasions to heal whereas now they were gone in less than a minute.

Was this because of last night? Did the fight with the beast push me past what I needed to reach a new level?

But to be this strong after one night…?

I shake my head, my eyes falling to my feet.

Or was this something else?

Was it related to the new little marks sitting on my ankles? Or something to do with why I felt so refreshed this morning after that weird dream?

There were just too many unanswered questions. I didn’t even know how or why I was brought back here and to ten years in the past. Whynow?

I’m grateful and all, second chances or miracles like this don't happen,ever.But why me?

Is this just another thing I should be thankful for and not question?

A vivid image of glaring blue eyes comes to mind as my own eyes narrow toward the tree. Black blades and strange images. Black markings appearing on me that I never had in my previous life. And now strength and healing that surpasses anything I could have imagined at such a young age.

Maybe I need to start looking into things. I needed to try to find out more about myself and what this strength was. I always thought I was a witch with no power, but now I think I was never one to begin with.

Witches and warlocks didn’t have physical strength like this, and I certainly wasn’t a shifter.

I’m pretty sure I’d remember turning into an animal.

Maybe I don’t take after my parents…but then what was I, and where did this power come from?

I look toward the sky, large grey clouds floating around the sun and dimming its light as I sigh.

I’d have to tackle one thing at a time.

Time.

It was something I now had a lot of, my only ally here. And with it, I would collect every puzzle piece and place everything together until the picture was whole again.

I’ll deal with whatever will come, one day at a time.

Right now, I should train.

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