Versus

He began repeating the initial conversation he told her after the accident. That they could stop evil. Then he began to elaborate on how!

He explained that everyone at the school was Galen. Students and staff.

“Even the guard.” He further clarified.

“That explains his calm demeanor.” She thought back to the incident.

He continued that a Galen is a helper. That’s what they like to call themselves. A Galen was a person born having at least one Galen parent.

“Originally all Galens were pure-blooded. Meaning no human bloodline at all.”

“So, we are Galen, but not full-blooded?”

“Yes.”

He studied her face for understanding and waited for additional questions.

“So, are there still pure-blooded Galens?”

“Oh yes. That’s the most beautiful part, Emma.”

He began to explain to Emma that Galens have always existed. They can manifest to a human under certain circumstances and in those moments, there were relationships formed that ended with a new bloodline of Galen and human children.

“That’s us. We can have two half-blooded parents or just one. Our gifts are often passed down from one or both gifted parents.”

She was in deep thought for a moment.

“Manifest? I don’t understand, Sir.”

He smiled and sat up straighter in his seat.

“Humans can’t see a pure-blooded Galen.”

“Oh.”

“And we can’t see them or their realm without a biological Galen parent or our match. For their protection. This allows them to help without being seen or heard, even known about. The evil ones, they are similar. The rules are very much the same for them. Well, as far as I know. That’s why our college training is so crucial. We teach each student so much more than just how to develop a career path. We will teach you how to do your natural duty and to protect yourself.”

She looked sad while she digested that she couldn’t see this world he spoke of. Her parent was not an option. And her career path. She had ideas but wondered if that would all alter now too. What had her father’s career path been? Did he go to a school? Was he always bad? What exactly was she? So many questions came to life. Worries about so many unknowns.

“Well,…” She paused while she tried to figure out if he would hate her or be scared of her if she suggested that she was from something evil.

“You’re not sure where you are from?” He asked.

She nodded her head yes.

“Because you don’t know much about him. Your father.”

She looked up at him with shock. Shock that he knew her deepest fear but the tone he used was with such understanding that she suddenly felt a hundred pounds lighter.

“I don’t know sir. And I’m scared. Really scared.” She finally just let it out.

“Where you are from doesn’t make you. You have already chosen. That is clear.” He smiled at her and continued, “Everyone here made a choice. To be good or bad. It’s very difficult given what goes on around us every day. But you have clearly made the right choice. And just so you know, it can’t be undone. You can’t become evil. The knowledge you now hold of your father, well, that can’t undo who you chose to be. Our parents don’t make us. Any of us.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes,” he replied in his constant and reliable fatherly voice.

“Well, my mom doesn’t have any powers, or she would’ve already told me, right?”

“Yes. Do you want to tell me about your father? I can help.” He asked in a caring way. Not as though prying or nosey. He was clearly helping her identify the true answers to her many questions.

“I don’t remember much.” She started as she explained some of the experiences she had as a child and he stopped her in the middle of her story of the last time she saw him. When she thought he had killed her mother.

“That’s where it happened.” He explained.

“What happened?” She was dumbfounded.

“You chose in that moment. Your love and compassion for your mom outpowered your father’s power. The Diablenom usually provoke the change in their children and then begin training. He attempted to provoke you and when you stood in his way, to prevent injury to her, no other choice could’ve been made. This is rather interesting.”

He was smiling more than ever. He was taking notes now. She began to feel like a psych patient.

“I hope you don’t mind. I have some research to do before our next meeting. This is the only occurrence “I’ve” heard of, but there could be others. I’m going to reach out to the other Dean’s and make a query.”

“Other Deans?” She said in shock then remembered, “Oh, yes. Aala mentioned other colleges. How many are there, Sir?”

“There are seven colleges like this one.” He only hesitated for a second or two because her mouth slowly became wide open. She was in shock. She was trying to understand what this college, and her being here, meant. To think of that many of them was hard to grasp.

He continued, “Each college is fully accredited. We just have a stricter acceptance policy.” He laughed. “That’s our little joke.”

His face grew slightly more solemn.

“Our kind must exist in the world, as discreetly as possible, so we have found that placing our students in certain lucrative careers gives us coverage over our community. We try to have someone placed in most facets of government, medicine, business, philanthropy, so many others. We are everywhere but this must be organized, and it starts here. We train for careers, but we guide our students with our abilities as well.”

She had never thought about it before. You can’t have powers, good or bad, just running around doing their own bidding without chaos. But so much in the world seemed chaotic, so why is that, she wondered?

“There is so much evil in the world.” She kind of said what she was thinking. More as a statement than a question.

“That’s why we try to broaden our presence. We must be there, wherever “there” is. Sometimes we move, sometimes it’s temporary. We may send a group to an area that needs “special” attention.”

“Really?”

“Oh, yes.”

She felt a bit of anxiety wanting to well up but quickly began to refrain it. She could tell that her eyes were a window, as usual, her eyes began to feel as though they may release the pressure she’d had on her for eighteen years. She had wondered so long about a parent that can just be so cruel, so destructive, and then just abandon his family. Now to find out what he is, that she was part of what he was, she began to feel more scared than she was before. She heard what he said but was still terrified of what that made her. The tears were fighting to release some pressure she was feeling.

“You can talk to me. About anything.” His words were soft and genuine.

She began to cry. She placed her head into her hands and suddenly felt the couch give way beside her as he sat down. His arm was around her shoulder and he didn’t say a word. He just held her like one would expect a loving father would do.

After her sobs began to lessen, “I have a lot of research to do but that doesn’t mean anything bad, Emma. It just means some things are unknown. You are unique. We are all special here. We are ALL also good. And that includes you!”

She was wiping at her eyes, still not willing to look him in the face, just yet.

“Remember when I said you are safe here?”

“Yes.” Glancing slightly towards him.

“Why is that? Do you remember?”

“Only Galens can get in here.”

He didn’t say another word, he just stared at her and smiled. And waited.

“Oh!” Evident relief consumed her.

“Yes, now you see what I’ve been assured of. From the beginning.”

“I am Galen, or I couldn’t get in here on my own.”

“Exactly.” He winked at her. “When your mom came to visit, she was invited in by the guard at the gate. It’s a precaution. If a visitor comes with a student, they must be invited. We do so at games as well. Otherwise, the opposing team could never get in the back lot. That’s why we have rules that only allow them at the field. We don’t allow that many humans to roam around the school. For our safety you see?”

She began to nod her head as it began to make sense.

She was still troubled. “Sir, I have spent my entire life knowing that my father was cruel. I spent most of my life worried about mom after the day he nearly killed her. I didn’t know what he’d do if given the chance again. And then there’s my mom….the best person I’ve ever met. If she had powers, I would know by now, right?”

“Yes. You would know when you touch her. She also would’ve told you a long time ago. I’m sorry to say that she is not a Galen.”

“It scares me to think that my father is who I get my powers from.” She found herself sickened by the thought.