Powerless Revision 1 by Jason Letts Read Free Book Online

three cement steps to the door, which had a basic metal latch. Opening it, she felt even she could break it without much effort, and rust from the latch rubbed off on her hand. Inside, fifteen desks stood before a lectern. A heavy black board hung against the far wall, which had caused a crack in one of the wallboards, allowing in more light. A few materials, some for teaching and some for repair, lay in the far corner.
    The only point of interest for Mira was a bird’s nest nestled up in the rafters, but that led to droppings that found their way onto a few of the desks. Mira sat down in one of the uncomfortable wooden seats, listening to the crashing of rocks outside and trying to find something optimistic in this disappointing place.
    She thought about the two students she would be studying with, Vern and Aoi. The one seemed full of himself and the other much too volatile. Maybe the rest of the students would be easier to get along with. The promise of having a real teacher stirred some delight within her. Even the dullest, dreariest setting could be transformed under the guidance of a thoughtful and inspiring teacher.
    Feeling like she had seen enough, Mira left her seat and went for the door. Outside, Mira’s eyes widened. Thin stone slabs speckled the ground and a number of shallow holes had already been made. The work would be finished in no time. She walked along the edge of the forest, sure to stay out of the way. Before leaving, she turned to address the pair still hard at work.
    “It was nice to meet you. Good luck with the path!”
    Sadly, neither of them broke their focus longer than to mumble a quick “yeah, bye.” So much for immediately striking up deep friendships, she lamented.
    ***
    Retracing her steps along the forest path, Mira returned to the gate of Corey Outpost, where her father patiently waited for her. They immediately began the walk home, and Mira noticed her father behaving meekly.
    “So did everything go alright with the form?” she asked, surprised to be the first person to speak.
    Kevin roused himself. “No problem at all,” he said. “The meeting will be soon and then you’ll officially be a member of the class. How was the schoolhouse? You’re going to be spending a lot of time there, you know.”
    But the building hadn’t left as memorable an impression as something else. “Two students were there, a boy and a girl, and we talked for a few minutes. I just realized that’s the first time I’ve ever spoken to anyone my own age.”
    Kevin searched her face for clues to how she felt about this. But she kept her face free from any significant expression. “How were they?” he asked.
    “The girl had a very big temper for how small she is. And the boy? Well, I think it would be difficult for me to like him more than he likes himself.”
    “I’m sure you’ll make lots of friends in the class even if those two aren’t a perfect match for you,” he said.
    They walked along in silence for a while, each pondering the experiences they just had. Mira only posed another question when they had just reached their home.
    “Dad, what’s the Tournament Trial?”
    Kevin’s eyes widened and then he winced.
    “In each school year, all of the students are pitted against each other three times. The first and the last are to decide class rank. You’ll have to beat the others in special contests to demonstrate your ability and aptitude. Having a good class rank is very important to a student,” he said, almost in fear of his own words.
    The image of massive boulders crashing together came to Mira’s mind, and her mouth went dry.
    “Oh.”

Chapter 4: The Blood Stone
     
     
    Long after Mira and Jeana had fallen asleep, Kevin silently snuck out of the house and slipped into the blustery and turbulent night. Clouds raced overhead, waiting for the right moment to expel their watery store. A bright moon peeked through, giving everything a fleeting illumination.
    Hidden beneath a dark cloak,