IGRIS POV
Once again, my head went under the water, but this time, something was different. Despite the water's coldness, I felt like my body was on fire. I felt as if a boulder had been placed across my chest. I tried to do anything, but my body wouldn't listen to me, and then it just stopped. The sensation faded and then returned, stronger this time. It was peculiar. Particles of red light began to emanate from what I could only assume to be my core.
BOOM!
Particles that seemed to be erupting from my core suddenly burst, eviscerating the house. My body quickly fell to the first floor landing on my butt, there was an opaque layer of smoke. I looked at my body. Except for a few flame flares that I had to quickly pat off to stop the spread, I didn't seem to be badly affected by the explosion.
I then saw a figure approaching me at a rapid pace. As it got closer and closer, I noticed it was my father, his face embodied in worry. I could only think about how much trouble I was about to get into for all the commotion I'd just caused. "Fa—" father quickly embraced me, but he cuffed my head in his arm, with the biggest grin I've ever seen on his face, while he began leading me out from the smoke.
We emerged from the smoke, and I noticed the distress on Stella's and Mother's faces—Mother's swollen, red cheeks and her stunning dark-green eyes full of tears. On the other hand, Stella had dried tears on her cheeks; her face was flushed, and her eyes were piercing right through me. Her hands were trembling and red as well.
I gave them a remorseful smile, knowing that I had only made them anxious, but before I could even say anything, they came running to me. Stella merely smiled slightly at me while mother fell on her knees while embracing me.
"Igris, I… I'm so happy that you're okay." Mother's voice came out more high-pitched as tears streamed down her cheek. She then grabbed my face with both of her hands and gave me a firm look in my eyes before she gave me a kiss on my forehead, "I'm glad you're okay." She stifled as tears flew.
"I- I'm fine, mom." Hearing her voice quivering caused me to get slightly emotional. I wrapped my arms around her before returning the hug.
After a few minutes of my mother regaining her composure, my father cleared his throat before he made an announcement: "I don't mean to interrupt your little reunion, but I'm proud to announce that our son has awakened!" Stella's and Mother's eyes were wide with disbelief. Mother covered her mouth with her hands, while Stella smiled warmly at me, as if to say, "You've done it at last."
I let out an awkward laugh. "So, what are we going to do since the house is gone?" Everyone turned their heads, almost forgetting the situation we were in. "Umm..." Mother turned to my father, "Hmm, I would say we could rent a place, but most of our money is gone, so I guess we'll have to crash at the landhearts place."
Mother then unexpectedly ran her hands underneath my shirt, placing her hands over my core—a boy's core is located in the chest, a girl's is the belly button—before emitting her mana into it. A light green color emitted from her hand as she emitted her mana. I could feel what was like a breeze flowing inside of me; it slightly made my body shiver, but it seemed like my core accepted what my mother was doing.
"Darling, Igris has a natural affinity for wind," Mother exclaimed, beaming. Her eyes were bright and excited, and there was no sign that she was just crying. My father immediately ran over and put his hand where my mother was while exuding his mana. My body experienced a sudden and intense burning sensation. I felt as if my blood vessels would explode. The power that he was giving out radiated from my core. Bright red particles flew through the air, encircling us before enclosing us in a dome.
The temperature began to rapidly increase, beads of sweat rolling down my face. My father's face looked a little sad... did my core reject his flame element? The crackling of flames is the only thing to be heard. I could feel the flames intensifying, soaring wildly throughout the air. Before all the flames converged into a tiny ball, I felt a feeling I had never felt before. My senses became flooded with his flame element as his element began seeping into my core. I couldn't feel anything, but it felt like scorching flames were attempting to escape my body. When I clenched my eyes, all I could see were red specks floating around.
The specks were forming, then went dim. The pain stopped. Opening my eyes, I saw my father standing slack-jawed. "Igris, h… how did you manage to do that?" he mustered out. "Do what?" I'm completely oblivious to what he meant. "Your cor—nevermind, my son is a natural!" my father exclaimed proudly while lifting me into the air.
He swung me around a few times before stopping and taking a look around. "Okay, it's getting late, so let's get moving. If we leave now, we might reach the landhearts before the sunrise." My mom tilted her head, confused. "What is the plan for getting to Venotrox? Right now, we don't even have a carriage." "Well, it looks like we may have to walk." My mother sighed, while my father laughed awkwardly. "But traveling at night is dangerous, and I don't think you'll be able to keep us safe if something were to happen." Mother remarked while chuckling mischievously.
Father's face shattered. "H- honey, you don't mean that, right?" He said it nervously, and mother didn't reply; she turned her head while making the "Hmph" sound.
After they talked about what to do for about five minutes, it was decided that we would travel on foot for me, a lucky soul. My father said that he would give me a piggyback, meaning no walking for now, and so we were off.