Chapter Seventeen - Part One: New Job

"She did what?" Eriene asked, but it was more of an accusation then a question.

"Blew em' right across the gym, she did." Allister chuckled over his cup of coffee.

They had returned to the Sect for Eriene to look over Leta's rib and see what damage she'd done to Koa.

By the time they'd made it back to the district, her side had already begun to feel marginally better, though it still hurt to take deep breaths.

The older Chosen confirmed that Leta's rib was not broken, but cracked and looking well on the way to healing. When she gave her diagnosis, she added that she fully expected Leta to be good as new by tomorrow night.

Koa had a concussion that was deemed 'mild' by the time they had sat him down in a chair and put a cup of black coffee in his hand.

Eriene shook her head, "I know we'd been told that she could use the power of lightning, but to see it in action…"

"Is it really that uncommon?" Leta inquired skeptically, an eyebrow raised at how serious they were acting from her little display.

"Very much so." Eriene confirmed, "The Doctor can use small amounts of electricity, but not to the magnitude that you've shown."

Allister shrugged, "She could be a Tinker."

Leta frowned. "A what?"

"A Tinker. They're a class that focuses on tha ability to fix things that are broken, but they're also famous for being the inventor's a tha Arisen world. A well known Tinker back in tha day's credited for creatin' tha Baghdad Batteries."

"Really?" She'd never actually seen one, but her mom had been part of a research team that had interacted with them.

"Aye. Bit of a jack of all trades, them Tinkers." Allister nodded, as if that had settled it.

"But she doesn't show the ability to use magnetic fields that Tinkers have been noted to control." Eriene pointed.

Allister pouted into his cup. "Well then, I'm stumped."

A loud yawn had everyone turning their heads to see Ismene hobbling out of her room, Bonnie close at her side.

"It's cause she's… yawn… a new job." The Priestess blinked, looking at everyone and frowning. "Where's Atreus?"

Eriene opened her mouth, paused, then tried again, "Perhaps my hearing starting to go. Did you just say Leta is a new Talent?"

"Oh, yeah. Totally one of a kind. Limited edition. Never before seen." Ismene mumbled, staggering over to find her beloved espresso.

"A new Class?" Eriene repeated, gobsmacked.

Leta felt a weight in the pit of her stomach at how the older woman was acting. She'd acted so calm and put together before, a rational and composed individual in a sea of madness. Now her voice slightly hire pitched and her face pale as if she'd seen a ghost.

"That… doesn't sound good." Leta added finally.

Eriene took a deep breath and placed her tea cup down with shaky fingers.

"Dear, I am centuries old. In all the I have walked this Earth, I have never seen or heard of an Arisen that hadn't already been documented and accounted for. To even consider that a new Class has appeared… it's…"

"It's damn well terrifyin'." Allister huffed, finally finding words after being rendered speechless. "It's wonderful and frightenin' all at once."

Leta gulped, "But, it's all good, right? Yeah, it isn't in that little job book, but it's not like it's a bad thing-".

The front door opened and Atreus walked in, seeming in a much better condition then when he walked through the door last night.

"Ah, there he is." Ismene smiled, shooting back a shot of espresso as if it was tequila.

Atreus's signature frown deepened, "I don't like it when I walk into this room and all of you are staring at me, and I especially don't like it when Ismene is awake and waiting for me with a smile."

"Ohhh trust me, it's not me you're going to be cross with." The Priestess grinned like a mischievous child.

"Dear, you're going to need to sit down for this." Eriene gestured to a chair at the dining room table with a pleading look.

Atreus sighed, complying, "Now I really don't like where this is going."

Allister nodded, his face crumpled like he was about to give a speech at a funeral. "So, ya told me ta take our greenhorn ta the gym and get a feel for er', aye?"

"Yes…" Atreus said slowly.

"Well, we did that, an while we were testin' er' combat abilities… somethin' happened."Atreus squinted at the giant before asking cautiously, "What?"

There was a moment of silence before Koa pipped in, groaning, "She threw me across the room with a lightning bolt, sir."

Atreus turned to the Warrior in confusion. "Repeat?"

"She punched me with a lightning bolt, sir." Koa winced as he adjusted himself in his chair, "Blast felt as if I'd been tasered several times over while it was throwing me clear across the room. I probably would have kept flying if I hadn't hit the wall and got a concussed."

Atreus gave an annoyed look, "We already knew she had a Talent with electricity. Eriene was researching what Class she could possibly be."

"That's the issue," The elderly woman rang her fingers in nervousness, "There isn't anything."

Atreus opened his mouth, paused, then asked incredulously, "I'm sorry, what?"

Eriene swallowed, "The Talents that she's showing - the electricity, the absorption, all of it - there isn't anything in the book that says of a Class that can do what she can."

The General shook his head in confusion, looking affronted by the concept. "That's impossible. You missed something."

"No, dear." Eriene held her ground, "I've looked, and looked. I've reread everything front to back. And there isn't a Class that can do what she can."

Atreus's face went slack with a growing sense of horror. "What are you saying.""Surprise!" Ismene squalled, holding the neck of a bottle of Scotch in the air like she was about to celebrate, "It's a new Class!"

Atreus said nothing, staring from Ismene to Koa, then to Leta, then back again in bewilderment that was slowly morphing into shock and alarm.

Everyone was silent, save for Ismene was was pouring drinks for everyone.

"A… A new Class?" Atreus breathed. Leta was tempted to take a picture because she'd probably never see this man have this expression ever again.

"Yep! Totally one of a kind." Ismene sashayed over to the General, glass in hand and presented it to shocked man. "Bottoms up."

Atreus took the offered cup and immediate downed it, breathing heavy. He looked like he was about to start hyperventilating.

The man took a deep breath before seeming to steal himself. Fixing a hard gaze on Leta, he growled out, "What other Talents do you harbor other than Electricity and Telekinesis? Speak quickly."