A short time later, a few doctors came in, and they were surprised to see Neska and her large form in their room. The male doctor bore dark skin and lightly colored hair, wearing a clean white coat that extended to his calves.

  He extended a hand of greetings. “I'm Dr Howell. I have been working on the Academy's medical grounds for ten years. I haven't seen many Lamia that have come through here. What’s your name?”

  She hesitantly extended her hand, being mindful that her claws were short but still sharp. She answered a few seconds later. “Neska.”

  Howell smiled faintly. “Well met. I do have to ask a few standard questions before we begin. I don't see any signs of harm to you. But, it looks like, based on the residue on your aura, you recently evolved?”

  She nodded sharply. “Yes.”

  “Oh, excellent! I do have one request: would you be willing to provide samples, scales, hair, blood work, and permit a few diagnostic spells? I prefer to ask, since I believe it's in the student's best interest to have a choice in their medical health. We also periodically use said information to compile data on the various monster and awakened species, purely from an academic perspective.”

  She paused a little bit longer this time. It dawned on her that any information derived from her might be used to combat or protect against other similar monster species. But, wouldn't that mean she would be protecting people indirectly? Or better yet, helping to understand the monster species, in a way that perhaps didn't involve coming blows?

  Yet, there was a nagging feeling she shouldn't divulge much. Others could use this information against her, including but not limited to the Seekers. She hadn't observed their presence in the city on the way in, nor at the academy. But that didn't mean they never came here.

  If anything, she wanted to know more about herself. “I would like you to provide me with the results of any tests before I would allow their disclosure," she requested politely.

  He raised his brow at that. “That's unusual, but I understand. I don't like information being shared without consent.”

  "Goodness, let the girl breathe!" Neska turned to see a dark-haired female healer at the doorway holding towels, what she thought might be a folded school uniform, and wearing a scowl aimed at the doctor. "Ask her questions later, Howell, will you?"

  "Sorry, Selkie," the doctor offered, then headed to the door. "We can follow up on this later, alright?"

  "Thank you," Neska answered, eying the new arrival, after Howell closed the door. "I uh...are those for me?"

  "Yes, goodness dear, you still look like you could use a cleaning. I can see the remnants of evolution fibers on you. I have to ask, are you alright?" the woman asked with concern.

  "It's...been a day. Selkie, right?"

  The woman nodded proudly. "Chief healer Selkie. You?"

  "Neska." She declined to give her last name, simply because she didn't know how well-known she was before she died. Or, how prominent Risha was before she left the academy.

  "Well met. I did take the liberty of grabbing a uniform for you to change into. Apologies if it might be a little big. There are only a few serpentine students on the campus, and it takes a bit of effort to custom-tailor the default uniform to accommodate everyone."

  “It’s okay, miss.” Neska’s trailing ‘s’ caused her to scrunch. “Learning to talk again…difficult.”

  "Oh, I've seen that difficult reality many times Neska. You're already doing well for someone who only evolved this morning. Some students can get by with hand signals, or, in rare instances, with telepathy. I daresay you sound like you’ve been through an awful lot.”

  The healer took a few minutes to finish cleaning her off, since she and Juni had been in a hurry previously. What it felt like was a pulling sensation as the healer suctioned the grossness off, forming in a sticky, churning ball of water, sludge, and stringy fibers. It wasn't much, but she appreciated the clean sensation.

  She let out an exhalation of joy. "Thank you."

  "No worries, I can't say I've seen many lamias. I've never seen your bright coloration before, either. Normally, they're duller, flat colors. This is almost iridescent green and blue." Selkie peered closer. "Gold bandings, too?"

  "So I'm...pretty?" she blurted out. Oh, gods, that sounded weird. Even for me. She couldn't look Selkie in the face as the woman began to laugh softly.

  "Pretty is a subjective word. Different, yes. Pretty to some? Most certainly. Oh, don't worry about your appearance, dear. Inside is what matters far more," she assured as she pointed to Neska's chest.

  "T-thanks," she mumbled. What is wrong with me? It's totally the evolution, it has to be why I feel out of sorts. Selkie helped her finish cleaning, and Neska appreciated the feel of the warm fabric as it removed whatever gunk had been inside her evolutionary shell. "So, how about...my health?"

  Selkie peered at her, running the length of her body, and Neska felt a slight chill go down her lengthy spine. Eventually, Selkie wandered back to her front, nodding proudly

  "I would say you're in excellent health. No scarring from a prior evolution, no deformities. Do you have any pains internally?"

  "No."

  "Appetite?"

  "I could eat a basket of eggs."

  "Chicken eggs?"

  "Whatever is the biggest egg I can swallow," Neska answered.

  Selkie laughed at that. "Do you mind if I examine your mana core?"

  Neska arched back a bit. "Will it hurt?"

  "No. But some people are sensitive about others examining what some consider a physical manifestation of or part of a soul."

  Several seconds later, Selkie's hands hovered over roughly where her heart was, beating at a steady rhythm. The healer seemed to be in a deep focus, and her eyes were half-lidded. Neska felt a faint tingle, and a current of energy that arced through her chest. Selkie's hand shifted backward, and after a few more seconds, her eyes snapped fully open, and she frowned.

  "So..."

  "Well, that's in good order. Though your mana core is...unusually pronounced, for Tier two." Selkie gave Neska a curious glance. "Did you Awaken late?"

  "Very. Can we maybe continue this later?"

  Certainly. Here, I'll give you a few minutes." Selkie then picked up the uniform set she'd carried in earlier.

  Neska ran the material across her fingers. Hmm. Feels warm. I like this feel.

  Selkie then took a step back toward the door. "If you need any help, just ask. How does it feel?"

  "Inviting." The feeling of texture and the softness of the clothes felt like a reliving of it for the first time. She ran one finger over the fabric, made of finely threaded fibers. The coloration of the uniform, green with gray and black trim, matched the uniforms of the other students.

  Even with the thin scales on her fingers, she could still feel the surface. It felt soft, woolly, and comforting, even slightly warm. “Thank you. May I have a moment to dress?”

  “Of course.” She latched the door behind her, giving Neska a moment of privacy.

  Neska pondered the new uniform after glancing at Jurik's road-weathered jacket. She swore it still felt warm; given his status as a font of bloodfire, she wondered if that magic left a residual effect on his jacket, or if it was magically enchanted.

  The lack of sound in the room brought her out of her contemplation. She realized that this was the first time she’d been alone since this whole journey started. It felt strange, not being in close to the others, minus brief trips to hunt down food.

  Well, let's try this on. Slowly, she took the uniform and slid it over her head, feeling it catch briefly before she extended her arms through the sleeves.

  She spent a minute trying to figure out exactly what she was supposed to do to adjust it, after she pulled it down as far as it would go. The uniform itself seemed to fit comfortably. If anything, she was glad that she fit into it without too much effort. A band of more elastic material kept it snug on the lower portion of her body, where it transitioned to her snakelike lower half.

  For this being the first clothing she’d worn, it felt comforting. It was a strange sensation; before, she’d been able to sense pain, along with hot and cold, plus pressure. But her sense of textures was somewhat muted.

  This felt like a brand new experience for her. Even if she had been human before, she couldn’t remember every sensory input. The memories associated with those feelings were still muddled, hidden somewhere in their mind. Or, so she hoped.

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  Given the narrow confines, she slowly inched her way out of the room using her rectilinear locomotion a few minutes later. Glancing around, she saw she was alone with Selkie in the hall. She felt a little awkward, being the first to be done. The healer nodded approvingly. “Well, looks like it fits well. Maybe I was worried for nothing."

  “It does. Thank you.” She tugged at the sleeve, testing her familiarity with her arms. Anatomically, it was almost the same as the healer, or any other human, except she had three fingers, plus a thumb. “I…everything feels…foreign. Like it’s not my body.”

  The healer folded her arms, and her composure relaxed. “That’s a common symptom between evolutions. Those who take on a radically different form report that sensation. It's called body dysphoria. Some even say it feels like being a prisoner in their own body, in the most extreme cases, where they haven’t mapped out their limb and bodily movements. Any tingling or numbness?”

  “No.” Neska held out her hands, splaying her fingers. Her limb felt steady; no jitters or random twitches. having digits again...It was not something she realized she missed. “I am...glad to have hands again.”

  “I can only imagine,” she said, offering her a handshake. Selkie’s hand felt warm beneath her fingers. And subtly strong. “I daresay you’ll probably see me often around the campus, attending to injuries or anatomical lessons. I also assist some professors with their classes. We aren’t just training the Awakened, we’re educating them. Especially for many who do not come back as they were.”

  “As they were?” Neska asked, confused.

  “Not whole. Missing pieces of themselves–personality, or memories.” She pointed to a window with a view of the commons. Outside, Neska noted the towering statue of the various monster species. “And…maybe for a time when we don’t have to worry about war, but what comes after," she added in a quieter voice.

  “What comes after, exactly? Peace, right?”

  The healer smiled faintly. “Peace has an upkeep cost. It’s earned, not given. That means the Awakened will need a place in the world after the battles are over and armies return home to their families. And I daresay most of them need it, after facing an ending of their own. Even if many don’t remember it.”

  Neska considered that for a moment. “Peace is earned. That’s…an interesting way to put it.”

  “Oh, don’t let me worry you. We’ve had nearly eighteen years of the Awakened, after the first wave of monsters destroyed so much. I believe we'll find a way to end the threat for good, one day. Either when the monsters no longer wish to fight, or those that control them are banished to whatever foul realm they originated from. I'm optimistic it'll happen someday. What about you?”

  “I’ll be the one to stop them.” Neska would never let Risha’s words fade. Maybe she was different. Maybe Risha told her only what she needed to drive herself forward, to pull off something truly impossible. “But, I certainly need to learn more, and fast.”

  “Goodness, where’s that academic drive come from?” Selkie asked, voice bordering on amusement.

  “I…my guardian…she taught me much. And to keep learning.” Neska glanced at the students walking outside, no panic or dread etched on their faces. It almost resembled…normal. “She said impossible problems only exist for those who refuse to think outside the box.”

  “Wise woman, that.” Down the hall, Neska could hear Juni’s high-speed, animated voice. The healer glanced in that direction. “Sounds like your friends are finishing up. If I might ask…I heard briefly that you have a rather unusual power.”

  “Witch powers. Or something close,” Neska answered. "I have to be careful who knows about it."

  “So, you could potentially have healing powers. It’s a secondary aspect of the class, tied to their blessings,” Selkie said, looking proud. “Maybe I’ll get a chance to see you more often, then. Healers and other students with supportive abilities are few and far between. Sometimes the strongest powers aren’t the ones that cause the most damage. You know?”

  The remaining indicators on her Interface indicated she likely had many more options on the table. “Yes. My hexes don’t all deal damage, but they are potent.”

  “Abilities are only limited by your creativity. Anyway, don't mind me. You should meet up with your friends."

  “It was good meeting you. Thank you.” Neska turned to see Juni coming out of the room, looking a little more energetic and wearing a school uniform that fit her smaller stature.

  “So, uh, that looks good on you,” Juni complimented a few seconds later. “What’d they say?”

  “Well, Healer Selkie chased off the doctors before they could ask a hundred questions. But at a glance, she said, I looked healthy. Let's not try to get swallowed by any more monsters-ss.” Neska tried not to, but started letting out a hissing laugh all the same when she thought about the absurdity of the previous day. Juni joined in too, though hers sounded higher-pitched, like one of the mimicking birds she’d heard flying around Risha’s house.

  “Yeah. Zero for ten, would not recommend again.” Juni shifted her legs uneasily, her words slower and softer. “I don't think I ever said thank you for what you did.”

  “And you'll never have to. I wasn't about to let that–” Neska stopped herself from saying the obvious word.

  Monster.

  It rang hollow. Wrong, even, and she folded her hands to her side. “I wasn't about to let Tanileth make a meal out of you. Not while I had a say in the matter.”

  “He had a name?” Juni's eyes went a bit unfocused, and she swiped silently through the air. One hand went to her snout. “Oh. He did. Must’ve meant something to someone.”

  “The first monster that I defeated said they only name the ones they don't want to lose. The rest…” Neska clenched her fingers into the hem of her uniform. “I gave him a name, so that he meant something to someone.”

  Juni’s ears perked up at that statement. “You named one?”

  “Yes. Even the Interface recognized it.” Neska peered at Juni, going through a range of expressions–from scrunching her brow, glancing left and right, looking as if she were searching for something.

  Juni's expression settled on perplexed. “Well, that is an oddity that the Interface recognized it. C’mon, I think Hadley and Jurik are–oh, hey!” She waved as Hadley came out of the other triage room a moment later, still looking a little weathered, but otherwise in good spirits.

  She focused on Neska, then Juni, wearing an amused smile. “So this must be a change of pace for you, huh?” She kept rubbing at something on her shoulder that wasn't there. Neska realized what it was she kept reflexively reaching for: her bow, most likely. Hadley winced as she tried to move toward them, teeth set on edge, and held her side. “One minus on fast healing? The nerves don't forget, even if it's delayed.”

  Juni glanced down at the patchy fur regrowing on her arm. “Yep. It’ll be at least a few days of discomfort for me. You?”

  “I’ll live,” Hadley assured them with a wry smile, leaning against the wall and taking a casual pose. “Given the tail scribblings that you've given us, I don't think it probably compares to everything you've been through.”

  "There is...more. But...given what happened." She drew closer, inching forward with her serpentine body. "I worry about who we can tell."

  Hadley peered around, then spoke in a subdued tone. "High-ranked seekers are monsters in disguise? A voice from the Interface wants you dead? deadly attacks on back-line towns? Yeah, I'd say it was crazy if I wasn't alongside you guys for half of it."

  “So, what happens next?” Juni asked. Jurik and Nevin strolled out of the room, looking confident, along with the other woman they’d met; Neska thought her name was Marie, but wasn’t sure.

  “We go for a walk to the headmistress's office. Nevin, it's still the building down on the right side of the row?” Jurik asked. Selkie had returned with his jacket, and he nodded proudly after seeing the now-spotless garment. “My thanks. How did you clean this so fast?”

  “Done it a lot," she shrugged. "One of the perks of the class, and it makes laundry day easier at any rate. See you guys around. Hopefully not as a patient."

  Moments later, they were outside a smaller building that looked like an extended office. A small row of desks was visible from the window, with scribes writing patiently in journals, speaking to students, or other visitors. Neska peered inside to see what else there was, but couldn’t make it out.

  “This is the headmistress’s main office. She lives on campus and only travels for emergencies. Resalio is a…pragmatic woman, you could say,” Nevin said, as if he were offering cautious advice.

  Upon entry, Neska noted that the hallway was adorned with various small statues and other commemorations. Likely, past heads of the Academy. What surprised her most was that the current headmistress was depicted on one of the busts at the end of the row.

  Wait. Is this right? Neska peered closer at the bust. Resalio wasn’t human. She was something close, though.

  She was very much in the shape of a humanoid, but with slender, long ears tucked behind wavy hair that weaved in the still air, almost as if by magic. They were more fey-like than even an elven. The eye shape was different–almond-shaped, and significantly larger than a human eye. She had heard the term ‘humanoids’ before, so perhaps the term was a generic term for human or humanlike races.

  She saw that the others were already down the hallway, and she undulated forward to keep up with them. Her body glided almost effortlessly across the smooth tiled floor, just like the hospital building. At least the access hallway was large enough to accommodate her.

  Nevin was already reaching for an ornate door colored a deep chestnut hue, with a large glass window etched into the upper half of the frame. He beckoned the others inside. She wasted no time and noted the floor transitioned to a darker tiled floor, highly polished.

  Nevin took off his helmet, put his hand over his chest, and bowed his head. A high-backed chair faced the fireplace in one corner, and Neska could see one pale hand holding what appeared to be a porcelain cup, steam slowly rising from the tawny liquid within. “Headmistress Resalio, we came here as soon as we were done with the medical examinations. Apologies for the delay–”

  An indignant hmph emanated from behind the chair. “I should have been notified the second they were brought onto the campus. I would have come to visit them personally had someone told me the details of what happened on our doorstep.”

  The woman rose from the high-backed chair, allowing Neska to see her. The woman before her very much matched the statue bust outside; she had slender, long ears and long dark hair tied into a pleat. She wore a pair of ornate glasses that rested just on her nose. She was thin, angular, and moved with an elegant grace as if every move were almost effortless for her.

  She smiled when she saw the gathered party. “Greetings, I’m Headmistress Resalio. I wish the circumstances of your arrival had been more opportune. It's not very often that monsters can breach the front lines and make their way so far and so close to the academy. Nevertheless, I'm glad to see that you arrived in one piece.”

  Nevin bowed gently. “May I introduce Lieutenant Jurik, currently on assignment escorting an Awakened–well, two, now. Corporal Hadley Feywind, of the village of Bergin, security attachment.”

  “Jurik? We’ve met,” she said, smiling proudly. “Can I convince you to stop running around doing dangerous things and stick around to train students, rather than head back into countless dangers?”

  “Alas, that decision lies with the military,” Jurik responded calmly. He kept his hands folded behind his back, as if this were routine. “Were it my decision, ma’am, I would oblige you. As it were, this is sort of a…personal mission for me.”

  Juni glanced up at him. “You don’t have to talk about it–”

  “I think I do. I escorted Juni at the last request of a friend, and an excellent soldier.” He frowned, eyes focused on the ornate desk with books stacked on it. “Juni is his daughter by birth. He wanted me to ensure she made her way here, so that she was safe.”

  The headmistress nodded. “In these trying times, I’m glad people still remember the importance of honor and protecting what matters. It’s a pleasure to have you here, Juni.”

  “Likewise,” the mouse girl said, with the headmistress walking around the desk to give her a small handshake, along with Jurik and Hadley. “I’d also like to introduce my friend, Neska.”

  The headmistress glanced at Neska, head tilted and a look of confusion crossing her face. “I was under the impression it was just you. And a lamia, no less!”

  “I found Juni running from monsters. I had…been running from them, too,” Neska said slowly, as the woman reached out for a handshake. “We protected each other, found Jurik…and there is much more.”

  Resalio froze. A hand raised to her lips, eyes filled with shock. “Neska…can I ask your surname?” she asked barely over a whisper. “Because your name sounds familiar.”

  That eerie, uncomfortable silence surrounding her only grew in intensity. “We speak in confidence here, yes?"

  "Unquestionably," Resalio answered. "Go ahead."

  She took a deep breath. "Neska Aksen. From Peolein.” Her tongue felt thick, like it took all the effort in the world to get out those few words.

  A world shattered in the span of the silence that followed. Resalio’s lips trembled, and her breath shuddered. Then, she reached in for a hug that surprised Neska with its subtle strength, even given the woman's light frame.

  “Risha’s gone, isn’t she?”

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