Supernova by C.L. Parker

And they’re not above using unnatural forces to get what they want.”
    Kerrigan nodded her head, reasonably sure she understood.
    “And what about Dominic?”
    “Ah, yes. Dominic.” Her gaze fixated on the empty corner of the room. She smiled gently before turning back to Kerrigan. “Remember those unsavory people I spoke of? Well, there are some who would benefit greatly if they were able to strip Dominic of his free will. You must make sure that they do not succeed, Kerrigan. Your paths have crossed for that reason. There will be an unbreakable bond forged between the two of you. He will help you along as you discover who you really are, and as you learn more about your abilities and each other, the bond will grow stronger and stronger.” Her solid features began to dissipate, making her look more like an apparition.
    A dull ache spread across Kerrigan’s brow, growing at an alarming rate. She felt like she might be coming down with something, but she fought back the urge to lay down because she didn’t know how much time she had left with her grandmother. She was desperately trying to commit everything she had learned to memory, but she still had questions.
    “Grammy, what abilities are you talking about?” she asked, trying to concentrate on her grandmother’s fading appearance. The dull ache in her head was becoming stronger and her body began to feel lethargic.
    “Oh, silly me. I forgot about that part, didn’t I? The Light, of course. You are a Guardian of the Light, Sunshine. And, the Light will help you accomplish your task. You have only to will it, and it will be so. It is why I’m here now. You wanted me to be here when you came into the room, and so I am here. But it is time for me to go. I’ve stayed too long,” she said with a tone of sadness and finality as she stood and started toward the door. “I will not appear in this way to you again, Kerrigan. It takes far too much of your strength.”
    “Wait, Grammy!” Kerrigan reached out toward her grandmother, but her hand went straight through Availia’s fading form. “Please don’t go!”
    She stood up to follow Availia, her head spinning and her legs feeling weak and shaky as she stumbled toward the door. She wasn’t moving nearly as fast as she wanted, her feeble attempts to increase her speed falling short, and the simple task of lifting her legs became more and more difficult. Through her blurred vision, she saw Availia disappear through the closed door and in her disoriented state, Kerrigan continued after her. She had apparently misjudged the distance and placement of the door because the next thing she knew, her body was slamming into the hard wood. Excruciating pain ricocheted through her head, and her blurry vision went dark as she felt herself falling to the floor.

    Kerrigan awoke in her bed the next morning feeling dazed and confused. She looked around, almost expecting to see her grandmother still by her side. The only thing she found was the familiar surroundings of her own room. It must have all been a dream. A very weird, confusing dream, but a dream all the same. It had felt so real.
    “Something is seriously wrong with me,” she murmured to herself as she wiped the sleep from her eyes.
    A soft knock sounded at her door. “Kerrigan, we’re about to leave.” Priscilla turned the knob and peeked her head inside. “Thought you might want to come down and see us off. After all, it’ll be a while before you see us again.”
    She attempted to sit up, but when she lifted her head, a dull throb began in her forehead and traveled to the back of her skull. “Ugh, I feel like I either got hit by a Mack truck or went on a serious alcohol bender last night,” she said while rubbing the right corner of her forehead.
    “Are you okay, sweetheart?”
    “Yeah, I’m fine. Just give me a minute, and I’ll be down.”
    “Okay, well, we’ll see you downstairs then,” her mother said before pulling the door to.
    Kerrigan managed