Akkad waits

Akkad sat in the sun on the south side of the stables and watched the horses graze. He had nothing to do til they left on the Water Rite expedition, so he welcomed the few hours off he had to do nothing.

The sun seemed to cover him and energize him. The heat seemed to charge him like a power cell. and it felt good. He puffed little fireballs in his hand absentmindedly, he began sculpting the flames with his fingers and his mind he morphed the flame into a tiny sapling, then a minitaure tree ablaze with flaming leaves. He had gotten quite good at these miniature scultures of flame. It helped hone and control his powers like Darka Wells, his blacksmith master, forced him to do.

He got lost in the heat of the sun and the staring mindlessly into his flaming hand as he slipped slowly into a daydream.

Happy memories, Alicia McKarrin holding him, telling him about his mother, teaching him, trying to make him feel like a part of her family. But the happy memories turned hard, struggling with his anger, not knowing why or where it would come from, erupting like a volcano with no control. Hurting others because they hurt him. Then finally, the day he became what he is today. Cruel boys and girls, picking on Akkad. Losing his control, Losing consciousness. He emotions erupting into physical flames, and the school burning to the ground with the mean ones in it. But also his beloved Alicia.

He recalled nothing of the incident, other than being shocked awake as he was dowsed with water. Untouched, unburnt, unharmed, but scarred for the rest of his life.

Akkad awoke with a start at the feeling of water being thrown on him. Alva Stepp, stablemaster stood over him with an empty bucket of water in her hand. "Ya damn fool," she yelled "You trying to burn down the stable and the pasture at the same time."

Akkad glanced around. A ring of charred field extended from him for about 20 feet, and the side of the barn he was leaning on was beginnning to char and blacken where he touched it.

" you were breathin' awful hard son," Alva said. "An flames were a risin'. Had to put em out. time for yo to get up and get goin. You can help me with provision til the others get here."

Akkad got up, dripping, thought about Alicia and the look of anger, disgust, and betrayal on Lars McKarrin's face when he learned what had happened to his wife and the other children. and felt the heavy weight of despair fall squarely back onto his chest.

He spun in place and followed the stablemaster around the corner. "Maybe," he thought "I will never have to see this place again."