Lyra quickened her pace as she rushed to Special Talents.

She was late and Professor Sheeks didn't look like the type who would wait for every student to arrive to start the lesson.

Lyra sighed remembering what caused her to be so late.

She had been in the dormitory alone, thinking about what had happened in Henchman Training, when the door slammed open.

Hester stomped in, face red. Lyra had not said a word, knowing how dangerous Hester could be when she was angry.

That's when Hester marched up to her, held her by the collar, and growled, "The Class Captain spot is mine."

“You already told me that,” Lyra pointed out.

“Just want to say it again because you don't seem to be getting the message,” Hester snarled.

"I am getting the message. We all know that you want the Class Captain spot, Hester," Lyra had replied quietly.

"Then what's with you being the same rank as me?!" Hester raged.

"None of us wants to end up an animal or plant, Hester," Lyra said calmly. "I just want to ace my studies here, that's all."

Slowly, Hester stopped grasping her collar before she let it go.

"Just let me beat, Colten. That's all I want," Lyra said.

"But beating Colten means beating me! For your information, he's rank is higher than mine." Hester retorted.

"Oh relax, Hester," Lyra said. "We're first years! Not second, not third. Plus, shouldn't you be worrying more about Sophie. From what we've seen, she has quite the potential."

Hester didn't say anything as she spat on the ground and walked out, slamming the door loudly behind her.

Lyra didn't move for a moment, thoughts running through her head.

Let's say she did beat Hester. . . what would become of her?

Well it's not like she's some weakling who can't fight. She'll protect herself.

Lyra smiled.

Yes she'll protect herself indeed.

She then turned to stare at the clock only to see there was only a minute till Special Talents.

And now here she was, sprinting towards the classroom.

When her hand finally met the doorknob, she quickly turned it. Instantly, all eyes turned to her.

Hester, miraculously, had arrived on time.

"Late, I see, Lyra?" Professor Sheeks frowned.

"I—I—I—" Lyra faltered for words, as Hester stared at her, daring her to say she was the reason she was late. "I have my reasons."

Professor Sheeks shook her head disapprovingly. "Unlike Lady Lesso, I don't fancy sending my students to the doom room. You're lucky you're not very late. Now, hurry! Chop! Chop! Go sit down."

Lyra quickly plopped into a sit in between Sophie and Dot.

It appeared that each Never had to show off a unique talent to the class for the day's challenge. The more potential shown, the higher the student's rank.

Lyra resisted the urge to smirk. She should do just fine. After all, she had one talent that could wreck the whole school.

The first five kids failed to produce anything, with Vex whining he didn't even know his talent.

"Is that what you'll tell the School Master at the Circus?" Professor Sheeks thundered. "'I don't know my talent' or 'don't have a talent' or 'don't like my talent' or 'want to trade talents with the Ooty Queen'!"

"She had me till the last bit," Dot whispered to Lyra.

Lyra stifled a laugh.

"Every year, Evil loses the Circus of Talents!" Professor Sheeks yelled. "Good sings a song or waves a sword or wipes their bottom and you have nothing better? Don't you have pride?! Don't you have shame?! Enough! I don't care whether you turn men to stone or turn men to dung! You listen to Sheeba and you'll be number one!"

All eyes went on their professor.

"Now, which monkey is next?" Professor Sheeks boomed.

The woeful displays continued. Green-skinned Mona made her lips glow red; Anadil made her rats grow an inch; Hort sprung a hair from his chest; Arachne popped her on eye, Ravan burped smoke and Dot touched her desk and turned it to chocolate.

"Mystery solved," Sophie marveled.

When it was finally Lyra's turn, Lyra knew exactly what she was going to do.

She closed her eyes, focusing on every ounce of magic she had. . .

Slowly, one by one, weapons of all kind appeared around her. From swords to cannons and from cannons to guns. Arrows surrounded her, all pointing in the same direction.

She could hear the students around her cheer in awe and Professor Sheeks's cry of joy, as she silently counted.

'Three. . .

Two. . .

One.

Her eyes open, glowing bright yellow, as all the weapons fired at the empty wall at the front of the classroom.

Lyra waited to hear the loud sound of explosion only to hear nothing.

Confused, Lyra's eyes stopped glowing when she heard the loud gasps from the people around her.

She turned to see smoke (or was it mist?) covering the the classroom. As the smoke cleared, a cry of shock escaped Lyra's mouth.

Colten stood in front of the wall, his hand outstretched. The wall which she had aimed at had dealt no damage, instead, a ball of frozen ice floated in front of it.

Colten then clenched his fist, and the ice exploded into snow, Lyra's weapons' attack all gone.

No one said anything for a moment.

Then the whole classroom erupted into cheers.

Professor Sheeks was even crying tears of joy. “Now that's what I call talent! That's what will help Evil win this year's Circus of Ta—”

“Not so fast,” A voice thundered through the room.

Everyone stopped cheering to see Hester snarl, “It's my turn now.”

She then grilled the desk with both fists, clenching tighter and tighter until every vein bulged against her reddening skin.

Something moved on Hester's neck and the class frozed.

Her tattoo lurched again, like a painting coming to life. The red-skulled demon unfurled one wing, then the other, and swung its horns at Sophie, opening slitting, bloodshot eyes.

"I told you to watch out." Hester grinned.

The demon exploded off her skin in full-bodied life, tearing towards Sophie and shooting fire bolts at her head.

Stunned, Sophie fell backwards knocking a bookcase to the ground. A fire bolt ignited her robes, making Sophie roll over to stamp out the flames.

"HELLLPP!" Sophie screamed.

"Use your talent, incompetent blond girl!" Professor Sheeks barked.

"She should sing," Dot chirped. "Would kill everyone in the room."

As the scene continued, with Sophie dodging the demon's attacks, Sophie suddenly had an idea.

She spun to the window and let out a gorgeous whistle (most likely hoping for a kind, noble animal to save her)

Black wasps smashed through the window and swarmed the demon on cue.

Hester jolted back as if she had been stabbed.

Sophie's eyes bulged in horror as she whistled again —

But now bats stormed in, sinking teeth into the demon as the wasps continued to sting.

Alarmed, Sophie whistled louder and higher, only to see a cloud of bees, hornets and locusts, besieging the roaming creature as Hester violently convulsed.

The other students were screaming now, batting the swarm away. Sophie stood paralyzed, not sure on what to do anymore.

The swarm, however, had no mercy. Hester was now choking her last breaths—

Sophie threw herself over the demon, thrusting her hand out at the swarm. "STOP! "

The swarm went dead still, and like scolded children, whimpered obediently and fled out the window.

Wheezing, the demon clawed back to Hesree and collasped back into her neck. Hester choke, coughing up phlegm. She gaped at Sophie, flooding with fear.

Sophie dove to help her. "I didn't mean — I wanted a bird or a —" Hester recoiled from her touch.

"Princesses call animals! I'm good! 100% good!" Sophie cried into silence.

"Thank you Beelzebub!"

Sophie whirled.

"Looks like a princess! Acts like a princess! But a witch," Professor Sheeks whooped, wobbling to her feet (Anadil had tripped her). "Mark my words, This year's Circus Crown is ours!!!"

A smoky "𝟏" appeared on Sophie's head.

A "𝟑" above Lyra, a "𝟐" above Colten and a "𝟒" above Hester who could barely stand.

Lyra stared at Sophie, awestruck. This girl was no normal Reader or a normal witch.

She was dangerous.