19.

Ivy awoke in the barracks the next morning, earlier than everyone else. She looked beside her, seeing the neighboring bed was empty, and had been untouched. A deep frown crossed her face. Worried, she left the barracks, walking across the castle's courtyard. Her breathe visible in the cold morning air. 

Spotting Scathach, she ran over, asking, "Scathach! Hey, have you seen Kaly?" 

"No." 

"I haven't seen her at all. I don't even think she went to bed or anything." 

Scathach's expression was one of annoyance, but there was almost a sadness underneath, "It's not my problem. None of this is. Whether or not she or you die or quit, it doesn't matter." 

Later that day, Scathach had everyone gather around her for the next lesson. 

She started by activating her energy, a dark purple aura rippling around her. She held up her arm, and her energy shifted, disappearing around most of her body, forming around her forearm. "Fortitude," she demonstrated. Looking at the crowd, she looked for someone who she thought would be one of the most physically strong. "Taber. Come here," she said. "Hit my arm as hard as you can," Scathach ordered. She pointed at him. 

Taber felt something heavy pulling him down. Confused, he reached behind him, and noticed a sword had appeared in the empty sheath slung over his back. "How…"

"I made it just now. Hurry up."

"Alright," Taber unsheathed the large sword, and wound up, slashing at her arm. 

The blade dented horribly as it connected with the aura covering Scathach's arm. 

He tried again, this time shattering the sword, leaving a jagged hilt in his hands. 

"Fortitude," Scathach said again. "Very useful. When proficient, this energy enhancement technique will save your life." She had them all attempt the move.

"Now this, I know I'm good at!" Ivy said, activating her energy with a deep breath. Focusing, her right hand began to spark and fry the air with energy. 

"The key is to not let your energy escape from you," Scathach said. 

"What I'm going to teach you now, is an advanced technique that very few even know is possible, much less can use," said Scathach. "First, I'll ask: Does anyone know what to do if someone hides their energy?" 

The group of trainees looked at her blankly. 

"Alright," as she stood there, her aura dissipated. "Despite the fact that you can't see it right now, or even sense it, my energy is still active. Though it's not as strong as it would be if it weren't concealed." She pointed at a random trainee with two fingers. 

"A-ah!" the trainee screamed as Scathach lifted her in the air, moving her around the sky with two fingers. 

Setting her down with a thud, Scathach said, "Even though I can't preform the abilities I usually do, I can still manage. Now, if you were on a mission, and you encountered me, how would you defeat me when you wouldn't even know I was a threat?" There was a long pause. "That was not a hypothetical question." 

"I got something," Pearson said, his hand in the air. 

"Yes."

"I have an ability that basically long story short, only energy users can even see. So based on people's reactions, I'd be able to tell." 

"That's a good idea," Scathach nodded sincerely. "But, barring Pearson here, I'm willing to bet none of you have any way of detecting me. You would all be dead."

'Wait, so how would we go about hiding our energy like that?"

"This technique leads into that. Move your energy into your eyes and brain so you can see and register the energy that you are sensing on a subconscious level. So you can see how fortitude lead into this."

Ivy's eyes began to glow brightly. She squinted, as now she could almost see too much--the harsh sun blinding her, as she was able to hyperfixate on everything--the pore in Scathach's skin two yards away, the red dragon-bug crawling on that blade of grass by the tree…Feeling like she went too deep into a swimming pool, a pressure filled her head, as she pushed her energy back into her eyesockets, and up her optical nerve. As it reached her brain, she felt a tingling in the middle of her forehead, and an explosion of color entered her vision. Everything was breathing. Everything was alive. Everything had an individual aura. 

Ivy gasped looking around in awe, then her face felt hot, quickly averting her eyes away from the group. 

"Geez this is almost like X-ray vision!" Pearson said, looking around, mouth agape, then flashed a look at Scathach, before looking back at the treeline. 

"Yeah, you don't want to put too much energy into it too quickly," Scathach said, crossing her arms. "It'll tire you out. But if you really push it, and are proficient, you can see someones internals. If you use just enough, you can see hidden energy."

The next day, after a grueling morning workout, Scathach instructed them all to bathe in the local river that ran behind the castle, and to spread out as they see fit. 

Ivy, bucket and soap in hand, walked far down the river bank, until she couldn't hear anyone. After taking her robe off, and leaving the bucket, she hoped in. The current was slow, barely even a pull.

As she submerged, suddenly she jumped up, whirling around staring at the treeline, making eye contact with the grinning silhouette.

"How'd you know I was here?" Kaly asked. 

"I felt you," Ivy smiled. 

"You knew it was me instantly? You weren't scared?"

"Yeah, I knew. And no."

"I could still be dangerous. I could be wanting to murder you, or do something else."

Ivy looked Kaly up and down, then leaned back into the water, "The thought never occurred to me."

Dropping her clothes by the riverbed, Kaly dove in. 

Afterwards, as they both dried off, Kaly asked, "So what does that whore have you all doing?"

"Are you talking about Scathach again?" Ivy laughed. "You did miss something pretty cool that she taught us. 

"It's not an insult. She by definition IS a whore." 

"How?" 

"I've heard people say this, but I guess she picks a trainee every year to be with. You haven't heard this?" 

Ivy's eyes widened with curiosity, "Really? How does she pick? Like is it gonna be the top trainee?" 

"I dunno how she picks. I didn't ask her." Kaly shrugged. "But what did I miss?"

Ivy smiled. 

Kaly raised her eyebrows in shock, "Your eyes are… glowing…is that energy?"