I had to get put on the most basic course today. Ugh! Luckily it's just for today though. This afternoon I have my skills test. When I do that they'll know that the low course is a waste of my talents. I mean, I know fire is difficult to use, but I can do that now, and I want to be able to train to fight with it. I hope this works out well. It would be awful to be the new girl who can't use her powers right.

I was tired when I finished my demonstration, but that's only because to melt all of that ice takes a lot of power. In real fighting, you aren't calling up a lot of power all at once like that. You call it up in short bursts and it has time to replenish before you start again. That is much easier than the low-level courses like the ice thing.

A boy is coming into the gym. He's cute, a blonde and he has dark brown eyes. You don't see many of those. He's also fairly tall and athletic. What's he doing here?

Blondes are usually the weakest symbol though, and they tend to only end up as healers at best. Most of them don't even do that. Usually they aren't even allowed to go to schools like this. I guess they must have started some kind of inclusion program or something. That's nice.

"Are you Lillyana?" the boy asks me.

"Y-yes," I stammer. Calm down Lily, play it cool, "You can call me Lily."

"I'm Hendrix," he says.

I'm blushing! Why am I blushing?! What are you doing Lily?! Stop blushing!

"I'm here to give you your skills test," he says.

"You... but you're just-"

"A blonde, yeah I get that a lot. People usually just focus on that."

"No, I didn't mean it like that. I don't feel that way about blondes. I used to be one myself. I was going to say that you're just a kid. Are you actually qualified to give me the test? You know kids usually aren't given these kinds of responsibilities."

"Says the first redhead in hundreds of years who's only 14 years old."

"Yeah. Sorry," Stop being so nervous! He's just a dumb guy! Get over it before you get hurt! He probably has a girlfriend anyways. Stop thinking like that! You don't want a boyfriend to begin with so stop caring about that!

"It's okay. I'm used to being underestimated. You probably wouldn't get that though," he says.

We stand there in awkward silence for what seems like forever. What is wrong with me?! I know better than to let myself be won over by a pretty face!

"So, shall we get started?" he asks.

"Y-yes."

"Good. First, we should test the strength of your powers. Do you see that giant ice block over there?"

I look over and see an ice block like the one from training, only this one is about 20 times larger than the one from before.

"Yes."

"I want you to melt as much of it as you can."

"Okay."

I call up my power. An instant later I feel the rush of power in my hands. I can't see it, but I know that my hair is glowing and now resembles fire. I feel the rush most in my eyes. Like there's fire in them, but doesn't hurt. The ice melts. I keep melting ice for a few more minutes. What's that? The ice is gone now, and I can see clearly that now there's metal there instead. I glance over at Hendrix.

"Don't worry, keep going," he says, "It's still part of the test."

So I keep going. This carries on for about five minutes longer with the substances getting harder and harder to melt. I'm beginning to feel the power leave me. Finally, I have to stop.

"So, you really can do that," he says.

"Um, yeah. Don't act so surprised. I've been able to for a year now," I say back

"I'm sorry, there hasn't been a redhead in 300 years. Can you blame me for being a little surprised?"

He's got the same look on his face as the kids in training today. He looks surprised, confused, disbelieving, and slightly scared. I'll admit, I kind of enjoyed seeing their surprised looks. It's always fun to surprise people with your powers and see their reaction when they realize how much they underestimated you.

For some reason with him, it's different. I like his expression the same way I liked the others, but for some reason, I don't want his to be scared of me.

. . .

OH NO!!!!! I think I'm developing a crush on this boy!!!! No!!! What is wrong with me!!! I know better than this!!! Why am I letting myself get like this over some guy!!

No. It's okay. These feelings will pass. Within a week or two I won't care about him at all. After today I'll probably never even see him again.

"Now we need to test your reaction time," he says.

We do a few more tests, involving accuracy, reflexes, and control. They involve among other things shooting at moving targets that seem to appear out of nowhere, legibly writing with fire, and burning things to a certain degree or a little bit at a time.

"Alright then," he says after an eternity, "That's all the information they'll need. You did a pretty good job. You'll definitely be at a high level."

"Thanks."

"Oh, wait. It looks like we need one more thing."

"Okay, what is it?" I say knowing what he's going to ask.

"Your eyes. Normally we can tell what they are by looking at them what they mean. But, yours are different. They've been switching between an emerald green and a sky blue this whole time, and every time you use your powers they've been turning a weird amber color. They're actually kind of pretty."

I'm blushing, but this time it's not just because of my traitorous mind making me like this guy (Although it doesn't help that he might be flirting with me when he said my eyes were pretty. Wait! What am I saying?!). It's also because I hate it when people ask about my eyes, and I can't even give a good explanation and have to explain that I don't fully understand my own powers.

"I, um, I don't actually know what powers my eyes have."

"Really? You don't know the power of your own eyes?"

"Well, they've only been like this for as long as my hair has been like this. I haven't had much time to figure it out, and they never show much power most of the time, and when they do I can't control it and it never makes much sense what happens. I don't know, I just haven't figured them out yet."

"Oh yeah, that's right. You only got your red hair about a year ago. What caused you to go and earn that symbol anyway? I mean it was really brave, but it was also incredibly dangerous and no one has survived it in about 300 years. What could have caused you to go do something like that?"

"A thing caused it."

"A thing? What kind of thing?"

"A thing! It's none of your business. I don't want to talk about it."

"Alright, I was just curious. I guess if your eyes have been like this for a year now, we'll probably find out what they do soon enough. These things tend to reveal themselves after a while. Pretty much the only reason we have to ask what eyes can do in people with unusual eyes is just so that it's a bit safer."

"Where did your eyes come from? Usually, the eyes of blondes are a lot lighter than that."

"Believe me, I know. My eyes used to be really light. Something happened with me and some friends when we were kids, I'd rather not talk about it."

"That's okay. I guess it's probably not any of my business."

"Not anymore then how you got your hair is mine. Anyway, I've got to go. I'm on the dueling team, and we've got practice in about ten minutes. See ya."

"Yeah, I have to go too. Bye."

"Bye."

I walk away. I actually do have to go. I have a lot of homework to do. He's older than me. Only 10th grade and up get to be on the dueling team.

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It's later now. I'm talking on my computer with Avalyn, my best friend back where I used to live. 

"So, how's your new school? Did you make any friends yet? Have you met any cute boys?" she asks me.

"The school's pretty good. I had the skills test today. The boy giving it said I did really good on it. I'll probably get put on a high-level course."

"A boy gave you the test?"

"Yeah, apparently he's a prodigy or something. He's on the dueling team."

"You like him."

"What!? No! I don't like him!"

"Mmm-hmm. Is he blonde?"

"Yes. He's a blonde, and he has really dark eyes. He said it was from something that happened to him and some friends when they were kids. But, that doesn't matter at all because I don't like him!"

"You like him."

"I do not!"

"Uh-huh, you always fall for blondes. My mom's calling me. I have to go. Bye."

"Bye."

Why do I have to be like this? Why can't I learn from my past mistakes? It's okay, he's on the dueling team. I'll probably never see him again. Someone's calling me. It's the school, they're probably going to tell me what level I'll be set at. I pick up.

"Hello," the person on the other line says, "Is this Lillyana Hebert?"

"Yes, that's me," I say

"Hi, I'm Karissa, I work in the school office. I just called to tell you that you will be set at a base level of 19 in your power training class. You should be very proud. You're tied for highest level right now with a girl named Rivka."

"Wow. That's really cool. Thanks for telling me."

"Of course. Bye."

"Bye."

Wow. I can't believe I actually tied for the highest level. I guess at least one good thing came out of today. This might actually be a good year.

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A new person, a new location, a new life.

"The girl is growing more powerful. She's now tied for the highest magic level in her class."

"Who is she tied with?"

"A girl with black hair and blue eyes."

"Black hair and blue eyes? I haven't seen that since– Never mind. What is the black-haired girl's name?"

"Her name is Rivka. Would you like me to start watching her as well?"

"Yes, If she has a power that can match that of Lillyana, even without red hair, we must keep an eye on her."

"Do you think that Rivka could be–"

"No. She can't be. Natalya died many years ago. Keep a close eye on both of them. If they are as powerful as they seem, we need to know when they're ready."

"I will give the order."

"I've been waiting for this for so long. We can't let the girls get away this time."

"We won't. I'll make sure of it. However, I think that I'm living proof that you should never count someone as dead unless you see the body."

"You, my child, are an exception. In any case, it won't make much difference to the plan and is therefore irrelevant. We must focus on the task at hand. This time we will make sure that the plan succeeds."

"I won't fail you."