Chapter 15: The Revealation

Dominik's eyes fluttered open, and the dimly lit room slowly materialized around him. The air was heavy with the scent of old books and stale air. He blinked several times, trying to shake off the haze. His head throbbed, and his body felt heavy, as if he had been asleep for an eternity. A soft voice pierced the silence, pulling him from the depths of his exhaustion. "Dominik," Fleur called, his tone curt but laced with concern .

As he turned his head, the faint glow of the bedside lamp illuminated Fleur's worried expression. Dominik tried to speak, but his throat was parched. He managed a weak nod, and Fleur quickly fetched a glass of water, helping him drink. The cool liquid soothed his dry throat, but his mind remained foggy.

"Grandfather?" Dominik croaked, his voice hoarse from disuse. Fleur's gaze drifted toward the door before returning to his face. "They're in the common room discussing your condition," she replied gently. "Master Saul asked me to let him know when you woke up." Dominik nodded again, closing his eyes briefly as he tried to gather his scattered thoughts. The last thing he remembered was the excruciating pain and the strange visions that had flooded his mind.

Dominik nodded again, closing his eyes briefly as he tried to gather his thoughts. The last thing he remembered was the excruciating pain and the strange visions that had flooded his mind. Now, he felt a sense of unease, as if something was profoundly wrong.

"Has the test been completed?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes, it was concluded a couple of hours ago," Fleur responded, her tone cautious.

A few minutes later, his grandfather entered the room, his face a mix of concern and determination. He motioned for Dominik to follow him. They walked in silence to his grandfather's room. On the way, Dominik broke the silence. "I believe Master Saul must have told you what the scan revealed. You look tense. What's going on?"

"All will be revealed in due time," his grandfather replied, his tone grave.

Once inside, his grandfather gestured for him to sit. "Dominik," he began, his voice heavy with emotion, "I know you're incredibly smart, and you have a lot of questions. Take a seat, and I'll answer some of them."

Dominik took a seat, his mind racing. "What's going on, Grandfather?"

His grandfather took a deep breath, looking his grandson directly in the eyes. "The truth is, we've suppressed your memory for almost a decade now."

Dominik felt a chill run down his spine. "What? That's absurd. Suppressed my memory? Why? How? When?"

"First, let me ask you, have you read about elementals?"

Dominik nodded, a sense of dread building within him. "Yes, I know about the elementals. I know that the core lobe is why they can control the elements at the very least."

"Good," his grandfather replied, relief flickering in his eyes. "Then you understand its importance. I brought you to Turin not just to train you for the consignment, but to consult with the master on whether or not the IGE48 could trigger your condition again."

Dominik's confusion deepened. "What condition?"

"You were born with an abnormally large core lobe," his grandfather explained. "At first, it was great; we celebrated you as a genius because you could potentially control all the elements. But soon, you began randomly starting fires and losing control. Practicing and honing your skills only made the lobe expand more rapidly, and it began to harm you. Your body was too small to contain the power."

Dominik's heart pounded in his chest. "But... how? I'm the son of a Class 4 man, and my mother is supposedly Class 5. How is this possible?"

His grandfather sighed. "Both your parents are elementals, but that's a conversation for another day."

Dominik felt a surge of anger. "So, what else haven't you told me?"

"Not only was your core lobe abnormally large, but it also grew rapidly. The power became too much for your small body to handle, and you started experiencing backlash. It became worse when you developed psychomental abilities. The pain was so intense that you attempted suicide three times."

Dominik's eyes widened in shock. "Psychomental abilities? What are those?"

"No one fully understands them," his grandfather admitted. "But they allow a person to manipulate others mentally. The pain got really bad, so we had to cut off most of your core lobe and put you on suppressors to prevent regrowth. These suppressors also caused memory loss as a side effect."

Dominik felt like he had been hit by a truck. The weight of the information was crushing. "But I don't remember taking any drugs," he said, his voice barely a whisper.

His grandfather looked away, guilt etched on his face. "Your mother has been slipping them into your meals without your knowledge over the years."

Dominik felt a surge of anger and betrayal. Tears welled up in his eyes. "Why didn't anyone say anything?"

"We were told not to mention anything that could upset your mind. Your mental state was very fragile after the removal of the lobe. It took a year for you to gain any sense of normalcy. You were so traumatized that the sight of someone controlling the elements sent you into shock. That's one reason your parents stayed in Ahnduim, a third-tier city where elementals are rare."

Dominik struggled to process the information. "So, the memory flashes I've been having...?"

His grandfather nodded. "I was worried when you mentioned them, and the scan confirmed my fears. The suppressor stopped working, and your core lobe has grown back to twice its original size. Over the next few months, you'll regain more of your memories, your abilities, and the pain that comes with it. Don't worry, everyone here will do everything we can to help ease your pain. We're in this with you, and I'll also inform your mother of everything."

Dominik nodded absently, overwhelmed by the revelations. "You said both my parents are elementals. How so?"

His grandfather stood up and turned to face the window. "That's a topic for another day."

"So, we've been here before?" Dominik asked, trying to piece everything together.

His grandfather nodded. "This place is practically a second home to you. The masters might start interacting with you differently now that you know the truth. You will also begin elemental training tomorrow."

Dominik felt a mixture of betrayal, anger, sadness, and confusion. The weight of his past and the uncertainty of his future pressed heavily on his shoulders. "But I never asked for any of this. Not the consignment or all that is being dumped on my shoulders. I never asked for any power either. The headaches I've been having are unbearable, and you're telling me there's more to come. I don't deserve any of this," he said, his voice shaking with anger as a single tear rolled down his cheek.

His grandfather moved closer, sitting beside Dominik and placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I know this is a lot to take in, and it feels overwhelming. But please understand, everything we did was to protect you. We never wanted to hurt you. You've been through so much already, and I promise we'll face this together."

Dominik looked at his grandfather, tears welling in his eyes. "I just... I feel so lost."

His grandfather pulled him into a gentle embrace. "It's okay to feel that way, Dominik. You're not alone in this. We love you, and we'll do everything we can to help you through it."

Dominik felt a mix of emotions as he leaned into his grandfather's embrace—anger, sadness, and a small glimmer of hope. He didn't know what the future held, but for the first time in a long while, he felt a sense of support and reassurance.

"Thank you, Grandfather," Dominik whispered, his voice trembling.

"Everything was done in your best interest, and none of us meant to hurt you. Dom, it's a tough road ahead of you," his grandfather said softly. "Good night."

As his grandfather left the room, Dominik sat in silence, grappling with the storm of emotions inside him. His world had been turned upside down, and he knew that nothing would ever be the same again.

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