"So, does this have anything to do with why I seem to have lost my slayer abilities?" Illeanna asked.
The doctor, a Dathrian healer, nodded.
"A lot of the surviving slayers have either lost their abilities or they've been diminished. We can't tell if this ower reduction is permanent or not, but in your case, we think it is."
"Oh."
"You see... well... you know how Dathrian DNA mimicks human DNA so that we can pass for them on Earth? And this is why we're able to procreate with humans?"
Illeanna nodded.
"Well, honey, I'm afraid that your Dathrian DNA was only mimicking the slayer gene. Once your Dathrian physiology had identified that it was this gene that Heritage was targetting, it decided to reject it. It took awhile because your body was already weak from trying to fight off Heritage."
"So... I'm not a slayer at all any more?"
"No, you're not."
"Will it ever come back?"
"I can't say for certain, but I believe the rejection is permanent."
Illeanna drew in a deep breath.
"So, I lived, because I was never really chosen in the first place? Because I was a fraud? What is it, like, ninty percent of the slayer population is now dead, and all that's left is a bunch of weaklings and me, who was never a slayer in the first place? What on earth have I even been doing here for the past two years, training for a destiny that wasn't even mine to begin with?"
"Just because you are no longer bound to the slayer destiny does not mean the last two years have been wasted, Illeanna," the doctor said firmly. "Only a few of your classes were slayer-oriented, and then too, just because you no longer have super strength, agility or speed doesn't mean that the skills you learnt in martial arts and weapons are redundant - you may need to practice to get used to your new reaction times, but you still know "What about demonology?" Illeanna asked sarcastically.
"No doubt you will be more aware of the effects of these creature, and know what signs to look for, even if you don't hunt them. After all, you now what precautions to take against vampires, don't you? I know this is hard -"
"No, you don't. You have no idea."