No, really. She’s immune to pain, completely, and we can say that from experience. Over the years, Ollie’s been stabbed, tortured, bitten by otherworldly aswangs and had her rather less-than-fair share of broken bones. Yup, we feel her pain… nonexistent.

And President Bogrov seems determined to add to this list, pushing her to the forefront of the endless war that’s been going on, on earth, despite Ollie’s ignorance of the word aswang up until the night they’d met.

She might not feel pain but she’s still mortal. She can die! There’s a reason that pain exists. But, Ollie agrees anyway. She’s got nowhere else to go, no hopes or loved ones. She’s alone in a world that exploits her condition and the president is offering her a home, a place to call her own, food and shelter, friends… Did I mention her chosen mentor has the deepest, fiercest eyes Ollie has ever encountered, not that she’s had cause to look into many’s so consciously. It’s his she can’t seem to get away from.

He, on the other hand, can’t get away soon enough. It’s clear that he doesn’t want her around, he certainly makes no secret of it.

But, then, since when has Ollie ever taken orders? Besides, what once felt like a curse, now appears her greatest strength. Too many lives have been lost in the war against the bloodthirsty aswangs and Ollie’s condition makes her the perfect soldier, to tip the scales. No, she’s staying. Her only uncertainty is her abnormal connection to the aswangs, which allows her to communicate with the beasts.

Think you have what it takes to survive Fear University? Enrolment starts here. Audio-recorded lectures available here.