Kerrigan

Kerrigan sat waiting for Isah in the soft grass encircling the training ground, bathed in the gentle glow of the morning light, the sun already warm against his skin. The air was crisp and invigorating on this fresh Wednesday. But despite it, he was unable to enjoy it. The start of the week still lingered in his mind, and not just because of Professor Renard's announcement that there would be more duels for the upcoming Monday again. But because when he had returned home that day, his house was still empty. He’d walked into the kitchen and found a pouch and a note lying on the counter.

The words on the paper shouldn't have bothered him, but for some reason they did.

“Kerrigan, I'm sorry to say that I have to stay at the hospital for a few days. A big opportunity has come up for me at work that I can't pass up, but once it’s over, I promise I will be around much more. We need to have that conversation we’ve been putting off for too long as well.

Please use the money in the pouch for your meals while I am away.

I miss and love you dearly. Take care of yourself.

With all my heart, Mom."

His mother was going for a promotion? Kerrigan knew attending the Academy was expensive, but he didn’t think it would drive her to urgently pursue career growth. It was also so unlike her to leave behind just a note instead of discussing such matters face-to-face.

So the next day, he had expressed his concerns to Isah, who didn't seem too worried as her stepmother often stayed overnight at the hospital due to her workload as the chief healer; the hospital even provided small rooms for their staff to rest in. Still, seeing his worry, she told him that she would ask her stepmother about it. Maybe Kerrigan was overthinking things, but he couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off.

Finally, he saw Isah in the distance. Her black hair was tied up in a ponytail, swaying behind her in the slight breeze as she walked. She wore her customary training attire - a black sweater and long trousers. And as she got closer, Kerrigan could see that her usual smile was absent. There was an air of hesitation about her as she took a seat beside him on the grass.

"Kerrigan," she began slowly, her voice tinged with concern. "Yesterday, I spoke to my stepmother about your mother."

“What did she say?” he asked, and his gaze locked onto hers. She didn’t look away but he could see that she was worried. He started preparing himself for bad news.

“You said her name was Mara…Correct?” Isah asked.

"Yes, Mara Dorthon," he confirmed, his heart pounding with anticipation.

Isah continued, her voice betraying a sense of unease. "When I asked my stepmother about her, she started acting strange and evasive. She didn't provide any concrete information." Isah's words hung in the air, leaving Kerrigan perplexed. "I couldn't just leave without obtaining any answers, so... I might know where she keeps the key to her archived files."

Kerrigan’s eyebrows rose up in surprise. “You broke into her archive?”

"Well," Isah hesitated before admitting sheepishly, "Not exactly how I'd phrase it but…yes.”

Kerrigan looked at Isah. He had not expected her to go that far for him. Nor did he ever imagine her doing something like that.

“It’s all secrets when it comes to my family, and I hate that. It makes no sense that my stepmother should be this vague about a healer and her position.”

“Fair enough.” Kerrigan nodded in agreement. “So, did you find anything?"

"I did," she affirmed, and her expression hardened. "It appears that she hasn't worked as a healer at the hospital for many years now. She was transferred to another hospital."

“What?” His mother, who had been a dedicated healer at the hospital for as long as he could remember, hadn't been working there for years? He couldn't wrap his mind around it. It didn't make sense. "Moved? To where?” he asked, confused. Kerrigan’s mind was filled with questions. Why would his mother leave her job and then keep the pretense up that she was still working there? And where in the world was she now? Perhaps she had gotten transferred to another hospital but then wouldn't that be knowledge that could be shared?

“To the house of healing,” Isah replied, her brow furrowed in concern. “It's in the Undercity.”

Kerrigan’s heart sank at Isah’s words but at the same time everything suddenly made sense. Why she constantly was away for days, why she would get up so early and arrive so late and the odd smell that followed when she did. It was the fumes from the mines he had smelled. “I don’t understand why she has been transferred there,” Kerrigan said, shaking his head. “Or why it's being kept a secret.”

“I overheard my father once talking about the House of Healing, after he had returned from a council meeting. Apparently they had voted on sending them more funds. The place is known for treating rare and dangerous ailments so it’s not a place where healers are typically sent without a good reason. But they don't usually communicate with the Uppercity’s hospital about their patients.”

Kerrigan let out a heavy sigh. “This makes no sense at all. Do you know where it’s located?”

“No, I could find out. It will take a few days.” Isah bit her lip. “But…”

“But what?” Kerrigan pressed, raising an eyebrow at her.

“By that time, your mother might be back and if not…It's not exactly safe to just wander around the Undercity.”

“I agree but…”

"Kerrigan, I'm worried about you going down there without your Gift to protect you. Your sword skills have improved, but it's still risky." She might as well have punched him in the gut. But the worst part was, she wasn't wrong.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Kerrigan frustratedly ran his fingers through his hair. He could either wait for his mother to come back home and talk to her then, but who knows how long that would be? It had already been five days since he last saw her. His mind started racing with all kinds of possibilities - what if something had happened? She had been working there for so long without any issues, but that didn't mean it couldn't happen now. Kerrigan clenched his jaw, realizing that avoiding practicing his Gift was only holding him back.

He turned to Isah. Everything felt so calm being around her and she had perfect control over her own Gift. She had helped him with sparring so perhaps this was something he could ask about too. He knew it was time to stop letting his emotions control and hinder him.

"Isah, can you teach me the way you meditate? I want to start learning how to control my Gift."

Isah's eyes widened in surprise at Kerrigan's request, but it was quickly replaced with a smile. "Yes, I can definitely teach you. But are you sure you feel ready to begin?”

Kerrigan paused, taking a moment to feel the wind brush against his skin and watch how it rustled through the leaves on the trees. It was time to confront his past, to stop running from it. He had tried to bury it, but it had only grown stronger.

He took a deep breath and memories flooded his mind. He was seven years old again and had been asleep when the acrid smoke jolted him awake, choking on fumes. His mother had entered his room, grabbed him and then they were outside. He could still feel the searing heat from the flames and the image of his mother's tear-stained face, filled with despair as they were told by the Aqua Gifted—their last hope—that they couldn't make a rescue attempt due to the inferno's wrath.

Guilt had consumed him. How could he have unknowingly started the blaze that took his father away from them and destroyed their home while he slept peacefully? The guilt had only gotten worse as he had learned about the prophecy. How Uorsar had foretold that the next person that was blessed with the Ignis Gift would destroy and ruin everything in their wake. Despite his mother’s advice to distance himself from it, he hadn’t managed to do so. He had made a promise to himself to never use his Gift. But Kerrigan knew it was time to face it head-on, to get answers from his mother and make things right.

"I've been avoiding this for too long," he said with determination. "Running away hasn't solved anything."

“I agree,” Isah responded. “And I’m glad to hear you say it. We can start right away with a simple meditation technique that I do.”

“Alright.” If his mother hadn’t returned by the time Isah got the information on where this hospital was located, he had to be ready.

"Let’s begin then with closing our eyes," Isah instructed.

Taking a deep breath, Kerrigan closed his eyes.

“I want you to focus on your breath as it flows in and out of your body,” Isah said in a soothing voice. "Feel how it rises and falls with each inhale and exhale."

Kerrigan followed her instructions, feeling his breath fall into a steady rhythm that matched the beating of his heart. As they sat together in silence, time seemed to fade away. With each passing moment, he felt the tension leaving his body. They remained in this state for an unknown amount of time until eventually, his body was completely relaxed.

“As you continue to breathe deeply, bring your awareness to your core," Isah said. "Don’t try to pull on anything, just simply feel." And so he did. The familiar warmth bloomed within him, spreading like rays of golden sunlight. But this time, it surrounded him in a comforting and energizing embrace. Kerrigan marveled at the sensations, at how his body responded to the connection. He had always been too worried about losing control, that he had never let himself truly feel how his body reacted to his Gift.

“Do you feel alright to continue?" Isah's asked, piercing the silence. Kerrigan nodded, a quiet affirmation of his readiness. The overwhelming surge he had always worried about had transformed into something that felt manageable. He felt excited to continue.

“Allow your breath to fill your lungs completely," Isah continued. "And when you exhale, imagine directing the breath down to your core. Let the power residing there align together with the rest of you. Let it flow through you as you breathe."

Kerrigan did as she instructed. Each deep breath filled his lungs, and he focused it downwards to his core. The flames blazed fiercely, but he kept them under control. He felt a surge of energy flow through him, connecting all the different parts of his body together.

"Good," Isah's voice resonated with quiet approval. "Now, I want you to focus on your hands. Feel the warmth emanating from your core and imagine it flowing down into your arms and into your palms."

This was it. He pushed back against the tendrils of anxiety that threatened to consume him, refusing to be controlled by his emotions any longer. He had grown tired of it. He thought back on the duel, how exhilarating it had felt to actually achieve something he had worked hard at.

Taking a deep breath, he felt warmth spread from his core to right arm, then down into his fingertips. When he dared to look, tiny fires flickered playfully on his palm. A grin tugged at the corners of his mouth as memories of his introductory Aspectology class washed over him. He had spiraled out of control then. But now it felt completely different.

“Awesome," Isah's voice brimmed with genuine admiration as her gaze met Kerrigan's surprised yet elated expression. "Remember, you are in complete control. It’s a part of you."

Kerrigan focused his attention on maintaining the delicate flames in his hand, their warmth seeping into his very being. It was an intoxicating sensation, a magnetic pull that beckoned for more. And yet, he managed to remain calm, refusing to succumb to the allure. Slowly, he let the flames grow within his hand, basking in the surge of energy that rushed through him like a wild river. The fire was as large as his face and he could feel the heat emanating from it. Then after a moment, Kerrigan slowly let the flames subside, the warmth and glow fading until nothing remained in his palm. But, strangely, he felt more energetic. His mind didn’t feel as foggy anymore either.

“How do you feel?” Isah asked next to him.

Kerrigan turned to her, seeing the anticipation on her face. “I feel like I just woke up from a really deep and long sleep.”

“I figured,” Isah smiled knowingly. “You have been suppressing your power for so long, I’m surprised you haven't started looking sick on the outside as well.”

“I never thought it would make this big of a difference,” Kerrigan admitted.

"It really does, so starting from today, we are going to meditate every day before our sparring sessions," Isah said. "But try to practice on your own too. You don't have to pull on it, just observe and connect with your power."

Kerrigan nodded, though after so many years of neglecting it, he wasn’t sure if he could be holding back, even though he didn’t feel completely comfortable calling the flames by himself. But if his mother did not return in a few days, he couldn't still be scared to pull on his Gift if they were going to the Undercity.

“We should probably practice on some dummies as well,” added Isah. “If your mother still hasn't returned by the time I get the location, it would help with some target practice.”

The thought of using his Gift in combat made his heart race. And to his surprise, he felt both fear and excitement. “Target practice sounds like a good idea,” Kerrigan agreed. “I need to be ready, just in case.” He glanced down at his hand, still feeling the residual warmth from the flames he had conjured just moments ago.

“We still have an hour before our first class begins,” Isah noted. “Do you want to continue practicing or spar for a bit?”

“I wouldn't mind going over the meditation again,” he answered.

Isah smiled. “Alright, let’s focus on refining it then.”

And they both closed their eyes again.