Chapter 2: Olana's Visit
The air in the small house felt suddenly too tight, too heavy.
Alex's hand remained on the doorframe as he stared at the woman in front of him, his chest rising and falling in an unsteady rhythm. The words she had spoken still hung in the air, pressing against him like an invisible weight.
Fire Elemental Heir.
The words sounded foreign, unnatural—like they belonged to someone else. Someone in a story, not him.
He took a small step back, his body tense.
"You must have the wrong person." His voice came out steadier than he expected. "I'm not special."
Olana didn't move, her piercing green eyes watching him closely.
"The Orb only reacted to you."
Alex clenched his jaw.
"Then maybe it was broken."
A flicker of amusement crossed her features, but it was gone before he could be sure.
"That's not how the Orbs work, Alex."
He swallowed, his mind racing.
The moment his hand had touched the Orb, he had felt it—that strange, lingering warmth, the sensation crawling up his arm like a fire waiting to be stoked.
But no one else had noticed. No one had reacted.
So how did she know?
He exhaled, trying to force the tension from his shoulders.
"Let's say you're right," he said, crossing his arms. "What happens now? Am I supposed to drop everything and follow you?"
Olana finally stepped forward, crossing the threshold into his home without invitation.
"Yes."
Alex stiffened.
"Excuse me?"
She glanced around the small house, her gaze lingering on the simple furniture, the fire crackling softly in the hearth.
"I know this is a lot to take in, Alex," she said, turning back to him. "But time isn't on your side."
He frowned.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Olana hesitated, but only for a moment.
"You're not the only one looking for answers."
A cold feeling crawled down Alex's spine.
Alex moved toward the table, pulling out a chair and sitting down. His legs suddenly felt weak, but he didn't want her to see it.
He was about to open his mouth when Olana spoke again.
"You have a gift, Alex. The Church can help you understand it—control it."
Alex scoffed.
"You mean 'control me.'"
Her expression didn't change.
"The world isn't kind to those who walk alone."
Alex hated the way that made his stomach tighten.
She wasn't wrong.
He had always been different. Always felt separate, isolated. He could never explain it—just a deep, unshakable feeling that he was meant for something more.
He just never thought it would come knocking on his door.
"I don't trust the Church," he admitted, narrowing his eyes. "You talk about destiny, but I know what the Church does to people who don't fit their perfect image."
Olana sighed.
"The Church protects the world, Alex. We guide those with power to prevent destruction. But you—" She hesitated. "You're different. You'll need guidance."
Alex tilted his head.
"Or what? I'll explode?"
For the first time, Olana didn't answer immediately.
That silence said more than words.
His heart pounded.
"What aren't you telling me?"
She looked at him carefully, as if deciding how much to reveal.
"Your power is… unpredictable. Without proper training, it could consume you."
Alex's hands curled into fists.
He didn't like how that sounded.
Consume him.
He thought about the warmth that had pulsed in his fingers when he had touched the Orb. About how fire had always come so easily to him.
Had he already been losing control?
He shook his head, trying to clear the thought.
"You said others are looking for me. Who?"
Olana's jaw tightened.
"That doesn't matter right now."
Alex's frustration flared.
"Like hell, it doesn't."
She sighed. "There are people who would use you, Alex. People who see the Fire Heir as a weapon."
"And you don't?"
A shadow flickered across her expression, but it was gone too fast for him to read.
"I don't expect you to trust me yet. But you will, in time."
Her certainty sent a shiver down his spine.
The fire in the hearth crackled louder.
Alex hadn't moved, but something in the flames shifted.
They burned brighter, hotter, the orange glow intensifying.
For a moment, the flames responded to his thoughts.
His fingers twitched at his sides.
Olana watched the fire for a long second before turning back to him.
"You don't have time to be afraid, Alex."
His pulse pounded.
This wasn't fear. It was something else.
Something waking up.
Olana turned toward the door.
"I won't force you."
Alex blinked, thrown off by the sudden shift.
"What?"
"The choice is yours." She looked over her shoulder at him. "You can stay here. Pretend none of this happened. Keep waiting for a normal life that will never come."
She reached for the handle.
"Or you can come with me."
The fire flickered violently.
Alex felt his heart hammering in his chest.
His entire life, he had felt like something was missing—like there was a part of him that didn't belong here.
He had ignored it. Pushed it down.
But now, he couldn't.
Now, he had a choice.
Stay. Pretend. Ignore.
Alex's mind raced with questions. "Wait, so there are others like me?"
Olana nodded. "Yes, and I've already found one of them. My younger brother, Max."
Before Alex could respond, there was a sudden knock at the door.
Olana glanced at it and let out a small sigh, as if she had expected this interruption. Without hesitation, she pulled the door open.
A boy stood on the other side, dressed in a well-fitted travel coat, his bright blue eyes sharp with curiosity. He looked to be Alex's age, maybe a year older, with short blonde hair that fell slightly over his forehead.
He took a step inside, his eyes immediately locking onto Alex.
Then, he smiled. "Hello, Alex. Nice to meet you."
Alex froze, caught off guard.
It was rare for him to be greeted with such casual confidence by people his own age.
Most kids at school avoided him. He was different, and they knew it.
But Max… he wasn't looking at Alex like he was strange.
That made Alex feel a little less… alone.
Olana's voice pulled him back.
"I was hoping I could meet with your parents and talk about this."
Alex hesitated. His parents were always busy with work, but they would listen.
The streets of Arindale were beginning to quiet as the sun dipped behind the rooftops. The air was crisp, and the last merchants of the day were closing their stalls.
Alex felt a weight in his chest as he walked through the familiar streets.
The place he had called home for so long now felt… distant.