The Otherworlders Academy - An Original Teen Fantasy

Ep. 2.9 (R) - It's Not As Bad As It Looks

Inez, Farid, and Ava are resting in the student lounge, savoring being the first ones to finish their field assignment.

As they're chatting, Inez suddenly straightens in her chair.

She has a strange look on her face, as if hearing a far off voice, calling to her from another realm.

Ava cocks her head and asks, "What is it? What's wrong?"

"It's Jake," Inez blurts out. "He's hurt!" She jumps to her feet and then runs out of the room.

Ava and Farid look at each other, confused, and then follow her out to the courtyard.

***

Gaping, Ava, Farid, and Inez watch as Patrick lumbers through the big iron gates of the school with Jake clinging, precariously, to his back.

Farid and Inez stand there, frozen and in awe, never having seen Patrick in bear form before.

But Ava immediately rushes up to him. She rests a hand on Jake's back and winces when she sees his wounds.

She lets her hand slip to Patrick's side and asks him directly, as if he were in human form, "What happened? How badly is he hurt?"

Patrick lifts his head and huffs. He grunts and bays as if relaying the story in great detail. But Ava understands him completely, nodding the entire time.

At one point, Ava's eyes go wide, and she turns to Inez and Farid. "Go get the Masters, quick!" she cries. "Jake's been attacked by a demon!"

***

The students are all gathered in the school's common room, waiting to hear the latest news about Jake's condition.

Master Liu is with them, trying to provide whatever comfort she can.

Headmaster Pierce and Master Achebe suddenly enter, having just come from the infirmary.

Ava and Patrick immediately stand, and the rest of the students look up eagerly.

Before he's bombarded with questions, Headmaster Pierce raises his hands and says, "I want you to know that Jake's doing okay. Although he's pretty beaten up, with enough rest and once his regenerative powers kick in, he should be fine," he informs the room.

Ava lays a hand on her chest and closes her eyes in relief, expelling a long, slow breath. When she opens her eyes again, she asks, "But some of his wounds looked really deep. Since they come from a demon, shouldn't we be more concerned?"

Headmaster Pierce looks at her and purses his lips. He turns to Master Achebe, silently inviting him to step in, since as a Panther Shifter, he's much more familiar with Jake's overall condition and prospects for recovery.

"He's healing, but slowly... a bit too slowly in my opinion," Master Achebe admits. "But given the extent of his injuries and the source, that's to be expected." He clears his throat, and then treading carefully adds, " We are concerned about one thing, though. There seems to be something in the demon's bite--something we've never encountered before--that overwhelms a Shifter's ability to regenerate and heal."

Ava gasps softly as Patrick's lips dip into a frown.

"It doesn't entirely suppress our abilities," Master Achebe assures them. "But it does slow them down."

The rest of the students look at each other, not quite understanding the gravity of the situation.

Any diminishment of a Shifter's power to regenerate and heal could put them in grave danger.