"Torin?" Lexie asked. "Really?"

"Yes. Will that be a problem?"

"No, just…" She didn't expect Torin to be her student mentor. It didn't feel like their powers had a lot in common, seeing as how he had S-Rank unbound magic and she had C-Rank bound magic. Why was he selected? "How are the student mentors chosen anyway?"

"By a multitude of factors," Journeyman said, a tad cagily. "In any case, I think young master Torin Firebringer will be the ideal mentor for you."

"If you say so," Lexie murmured, although she wasn't so convinced.

"I've already informed your mentors of their position and your need to meet with them as soon as possible. Professor Stein isn't free till later, but Torin Firebringer should be just finishing gym class now and has a free period afterward. You can go meet him."

"Oh, okay." She hesitated then added, "Thank you."

He inclined his head. "You are most welcome, Lexie Sparrowfoot. I do hope you find what you're looking for here at Victoire."

"Yeah. I hope so, too."

A few minutes later, having acquired her uniform and her gym attire, Lexie cut across the courtyard, which had students sitting by the fountain, talking or walking to their next class, too. She felt like she was being watched, but to be fair, she had felt like that all morning. She didn't know if she was being paranoid and self-centered or if people were actually staring at her. Probably both.

She was able to identify each year by the uniform. The first years had one stripe on the arm of their robes, and the second years had two, and so forth. She didn't see any fourth years milling about, and very few third years. According to Xena and Dewie, the fourth years were barely on campus, as at this point they'd begun serious fieldwork. It was probably worse now with the increased villain activity, considering that even second and first years might be pulled in to deal with hero alerts.

The thought of twelve-year-olds acting as [heroes] made Lexie both amused and horrified.

It also reminded Lexie that it was almost her birthday. She didn't want to do anything special for it. Maybe she would just hang out with her father on a daddy-daughter date. They could go back to Indigo, or maybe her mother's hometown in District 8. Maybe it was time to learn more about her.

Following Journeyman's directions, Lexie went to the third tower closest to the forest, which was the largest learning complex on campus. She took the stairs to the top floor.

When she got there, the arched windows at the side overlooked the shore and the water crashing against it. A dense forest separated the campus from the beach. At the edge of the forest, there was a sculpture of someone fighting a large beast. She couldn't make out exactly what the creature was, but then it didn't matter because she began to hear the sounds of a fight as she climbed.

A door was open, revealing a room with entirely white walls, several robots on the side watching as two boys fought viciously in the center.

The other second-year students sat on the bleachers and were avidly watching the match. A few of them glanced at Lexie as she approached the doorway, and while they frowned, they didn't make a move to expel her, only whispered to themselves.

She recognized one of the girls on the base seats as the same one who had bumped into her at the Hartville game. She was giving Lexie a cutting look and an arched brow right now. Lexie hesitated, about to leave, and then she just decided to wait it out. She wasn't doing anything wrong by being here, since Journeyman told her to come, and she wanted to get Torin's attention. If he were truly busy, he could tell her to go away and come back later, but he would have to give her a time for that because she wasn't about to wait for him forever.

Meanwhile, Torin was entirely focused on the fight he was having with the other boy. He seemed to be jumping a lot and moving quickly to reduce the amount of time his feet spent on the floor. Lexie quickly saw why. It was because the other guy was morphing the shadows on the ground and even some of the ones on the walls in an attempt to trap Torin's shadow. Therefore, Torin never spent more than a second in one spot.

He was fast.

But so was his opponent.

Torin, at a point, suspended himself in the air, with a ring of fire at his feet, while kicking fiery flames at the other guy. The other guy then swallowed up the flames with dark voids appearing from his outstretched fingertips.

Amazing. Lexie had never seen anything like it, although it reminded her a little of Naem.

Torin shot another bolt of fire, and as the darkness encased it, he spread his hands apart, and the fire blazed even hotter, piercing through the dark cloud. The other boy frowned and made a fist with his outstretched arm to compress the darkness and swallow the fire.

It became a standoff, each person's power growing more and more until both darkness and flames spread across the mat, nearly reaching the bleachers, drowning out the light. A few people squealed and backed up. Magic cancelling silvers came on, and both fire and void disappeared.

"Boys," came the strict voice of a tall woman with muscular arms folded over her chest. She gave them a stern look. "Keep it in the ring. I'm not going to warn you again."

They cracked their necks.

"Sorry," they chorused.

"Can I help you?" Lexie jerked. She'd been so focused on watching the fight that she hadn't realized that the Hartville girl, Weiss Wavelost, had come to stand next to her.

"Nah," Lexie answered. "I'm waiting for Torin."

"His fan club isn't allowed in here during training." Obvious distaste dripped from her tone.

Lexie raised an eyebrow. Fan club? Torin had a fan club? "I'm not in his fan club. He's my new student mentor. I'm supposed to meet him here at noon, and it's noon." Well, two minutes to noon, which was as good as noon.

She gave Lexie another arched brow. "You're his new mentee?"

"Yeah." Lexie didn't blame Weiss for being surprised, since Lexie herself was also surprised.

The girl kept standing there, staring at Lexie, but Lexie refused to acknowledge her anymore. She wasn't about to let someone make her uncomfortable, especially when she was watching something so interesting.

She returned her attention to the fight, which seemed to be ending with a victory for Torin. Or at least close to it. He had managed to rip his fire through the darkness and encase the other boy with it, effectively trapping him without actually burning him. His opponent tried to fight back, but there was nowhere close for his shadow to form, and he knew it. His face showed his displeasure. He put his hand down, as the trainer said, "I guess this is your win, Torin."

Torin nodded and withdrew his fire, banishing it with a single wave. As the applause of his classmates rang out, his eyes finally met Lexie's.

She also caught the attention of the trainer. Her eyes froze on Lexie for a second before she grinned.

"You must be baby Sparrowfoot."

Lexie was getting used to being put on the spot because she didn't even flinch. She just nodded.

"Welcome to Victoire," The woman said, and Lexie couldn't tell if she was being sarcastic or not, but she said, "Thank you," anyway.

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Everyone stood as class was dismissed, and Torin walked towards her.

"Hey," Lexie greeted, but he didn't say anything and didn't acknowledge Weiss either. He simply held open the door so Lexie could walk out first.

Then, he strode out and continued walking ahead of her without asking her to follow him.

Lexie followed anyway.

It was awkward. He wasn't making conversation, and his mind seemed like it was somewhere else entirely. He was also sweaty, his hair sticking to his head, and his tracksuit drenched.

His legs were twice the length of hers, so she had to take two steps for every one of his. He walked quickly, too, and at some point it felt like she was jogging after him.

They returned to the courtyard, and he began heading away from it, toward the forest.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"The track field," he responded shortly.

"Why?"

"I got your physicals sent to me," he said. "They were terrible."

Lexie choked. "Well, terrible is kind of a strong word for it…"

He gave her a look, so she added defensively, "They were a lot worse months ago. I've been working out." Or rather, she had been working out, but she'd stopped after deciding to no longer participate in the AFC. She wondered if her muscles had atrophied since then. How long did it take for muscles to atrophy exactly?

Feeling uncomfortable under his regard, she shrugged. "What does it matter anyway? I wasn't recruited here to be a part of the main hero program; I was recruited to perform research, to be a Hero-Helper."

"Everyone who steps foot in this academy bears the responsibility of a [Hero]," he said. "It doesn't matter what your personal reasons for doing so are. You take an oath at orientation–or you would have if you'd come on time–and it cements your vow to protect and bring balance to this world. If you can't do that, then I suggest you drop out of the academy at your earliest convenience."

"Wow." Lexie was a little moved and miffed by his eloquence and vehemence. This was the first thing she'd ever seen him speak passionately about. "Did your mother give you that speech? Is that a Firebringer affirmation or something?"

He didn't say anything, but a heated blush told Lexie she was right on the money. He walked faster.

"We'll start with building your aerobic base," he mentioned. "Every morning, you will run laps on the field for at least two hours, at a moderate speed, no stopping."

"Hang on," Lexie said. "I've only ever done an hour without stopping before."

"There's a first time for everything. Following that, you will also begin lifting weights. Our weightlifting days will be thrice a week, full body. I'll show you the weight room after and send a plan based on your schedule. Any questions?"

"Um, no, but Torin, I really don't think I'll be able to do all that. It's a lot. Maybe we can start slow?"

He didn't even dignify that with an answer.

"At the end of the year, you get a grade from your student mentor, and one from your staff mentor too," he said. "It's pass/fail with a thorough evaluation, and that grade is one of the factors used to decide whether or not you move on with the program. It can be given at any point during the year. I've already failed two students who were assigned as my mentees, and though that didn't automatically disqualify them from the program, they ended up dropping out rather than trying to change my mind. Mostly because I was right about them. If at any point I feel like you're not ready or qualified to be here, if you do not represent the ethos of what it means to be a hero, I will fail you too." The words, though said in his typical deadpan voice, were enough of a warning. "Understood?"

She nodded. "Yup."

He paused and added, "If it makes you feel any better, I do believe you have what it takes to be here. You've already shown bravery and chivalry in Hartville. I know you're smart too, and strategic. You're also not afraid to do the right thing, even when no one else is backing you, and that's admirable. But having you graduate with a heroic spirit, without having the strength to back it up, will basically guarantee your death. So you have to get stronger, quickly. Things are looking to get very messy for all of us, and we need to be prepared. Understood?"

He sounds like a prepubescent drill sergeant, was Lexie's first thought, followed by, Is he saying this because he's worried about me?

Lexie couldn't tell with him, but she responded. "Yeah. Understood."

He seemed to think about it for a second, then attempted an awkward thumbs-up before continuing on his long-legged march.

Lexie smiled. Maybe he wasn't such a bad guy after all.

***

Lexie decided after the next gruesome three and a half hours that she hated Torin Firebringer with every fiber of her being.

She ran twenty miles. Twenty whole freaking miles. That was more than she'd ever done on a good day. That was nearly a marathon. Sure, he let her take stops every once in a while, to drink water and refuel, but then she always had to continue. By the end, her legs were wobbly and her heart was pounding, but she refused to drop down in the dirt and give him the satisfaction. She crossed the finish line with as much grace as she could muster, and then she gracefully flopped over.

Meanwhile, he just watched her dispassionately. This wasn't like Conrad's training, where he yelled out encouragement, advice, and jokes along the way. Torin was straight-faced and silent through most of it. Only when he felt Lexie lagging, he would say, "Pick it up," or more often, he would tut, shake his head, and note it down on a black pad.

Finally, once Lexie was done, he approached.

"I can't go anymore. I'll die, I swear." Lexie was scared he would ask her to do something else, and she couldn't do much more than breathe at this point.

"Not bad," he allowed. "Your endurance is better than I expected. We need to work on your speed and technique. Tomorrow we'll go to the labs and then the gym to do that."

"I don't think I'll have that in me tomorrow. Pretty sure my limbs will still be rubber by then."

He frowned. "You're a C-Rank mage, with no physical ranking. You can't rely on your mana all the time. You need a good aerobic base."

Lexie sighed and shook her head. "Fine, but if I die in between, you'll have to explain it to my dad."

He nodded like he took her joke seriously. He was standing next to her, and Lexie noticed that he emanated heat.

It reminded her of her discovery, with Cara being made of wind. Were Firebringers made of fire, too?

This awkward silence would be the perfect time to assuage that curiosity.

"Are you made of fire?"

He paused and gave her a look like she was crazy. Or at least that was how she would have interpreted it, had it not been for the fact that his expressions were hard to read. He seemed to always be serious and always deadpan, but now there was definite surprise in his gaze.

"Why would you ask that?" he asked.

She shrugged. "It's just something I thought about, and sensed."

He regarded her for a second and then asked, "The same way you sensed dungeons?" He didn't say it in an accusatory way, and if she listened intently, she could almost discern the curiosity.

"I guess you can say that," she said. "Also, you feel hot, physically."

He paused. "I don't know if we're made literally from fire, but fire is imbued in us at birth. Through our private contract with the Fae."

"Ah," she said. "So is that how your brother swallows fire?"

"He doesn't actually swallow it," he said. "He neutralizes it inside his mouth because it can't burn him. It doesn't go down his throat. The silver in his teeth helps with the neutralization."

"Oh. Why can't he just do that outwardly? Why does he have to inhale it?"

"For style."

"I see."

He checked his watch. "I think that's enough for today. If you have any other questions, you have my contact information. Text me at any point from 8 am to 9 am on Mondays, 7 am to 5 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and 2 pm to 4 pm on Wednesdays. I'm freer on the weekends but don't abuse it."

"Yes, sir."

"We'll meet here again at 7:00 am."

"Fine, but seriously, though, don't you think I should get some time to recover?"

"You don't have the time," he said. "First-years may start going into the field soon. You have to be prepared for anything."

Lexie sighed. She figured there was no convincing him. He seemed to take his job very seriously.

He was about to leave, then hesitated and turned back around.

"How are you doing?" he asked. "With everything…I mean, at Hartville and the rest?"

The rest? She didn't know exactly what he was talking about, but she guessed his mother had told him about her Uncle Max.

She answered. "I don't know. I'm dealing."

He opened his mouth and looked like he wanted to say something, but couldn't find the right words. Then he shook his head and walked away.

Strange guy.

Lexie went to Xena's tower after training. Xena was on her way out, but directed Lexie to the bedroom. It really was like a luxurious hotel suite featuring a large canopy bed with black and grey silks covering it, iron chandeliers, a suit of armor in the corner, which Xena used as a leather jacket holder, and a pristine white fireplace.

There was also a flat-screen TV, a chocolate fountain that was turned off, and a soda maker.

After Xena left, Lexie fell on the most comfortable mattress she'd ever felt and fell asleep almost instantly.

Only to be confronted by a nightmare.

It was the continuation of the last one when she'd been hiding under a table. The boogeyman had found her, and now she was running through her home, heart sprinting, as she tried to escape. He wasn't running. He was walking like a horror movie villain, having the time of his life, but he was still catching up to her quickly. Her little legs weren't enough to give her the speed she needed. Neither was Torin's training. No matter how hard and how far she ran, he would always find her. When he did, he would kill her.

She dashed into an open door and found a closet. She hid inside, knowing it was a bad idea, knowing he would still find her there. But she had no clue what else to do.

Her body shook in fear. She pressed herself as far back into the darkness as she could go, hoping it would shield her.

But she already knew it wouldn't, as she heard his heavy footsteps approaching the door, pulling it open.

His face was so familiar that the shock rocked her, and beat back the fear for a second.

It was the man she'd seen in Old Moulding with Tate, the one who'd creeped her out. She'd forgotten about him!

"There you are, you little pest," he said, reaching in to grab her. "I have you now."

"No, you don't," came a different voice, and suddenly the man was gone in a puff of smoke. So was the house and everything else in the dream, except for Lexie herself and a familiar, 7-foot-tall human-masked creature of the night.

"Naem?"

He stared down at Lexie, reaching out to pat her hair.

"Hello, my &hissing sound& human soul-spawn," he said. "How have you been?"

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