Hiro frowned slightly, she looked disappointed that she hadn't gotten the knack of it yet. "We'll get you there eventually. We just need to find an approach that works. Don't worry." He was confident she would be able to do it. They just had some hurdles to clear to reach it.
She then recalled seeing a classmate burning alive by her own magical flames. She seemed scarred by the experience. It was something he hadn't thought of. "You know, I've killed people before. Bad people. Monsters. Things that shouldn't be alive, like abominations. There was a plant monster once, it tried to poison me and my friends. I burned it to death. I've burned many things, people, orcs. It was always to protect people or myself. I wouldn't kill for fun or pleasure, I don't like having to kill, but it's the path of the warrior I took. But the first time I burned something, I remember smelling a sickening odor. It made me sick to my stomach. But since then, I haven't really felt that since. That was a long time ago. If I remember right, it was myself. I burned myself." He looked at his hands and sparked a flame in them. The flames burned and danced in the palm of his hand, but there wasn't the smell of burning flesh, just the smoky smell of combustion. "But I don't smell it much any more. Even when I kill someone, someone who's bad. Like an orc who's coming after me with an axe in his hand ready to chop me down. I can burn him to death, but not get bothered by the smell, I may be immunized or used to that thing. I try to make it a swift death, that's all I can do. Even my enemies, I don't want to see a person suffer in death, like just set them on fire and watch them burn. I don't suppose you've killed anyone before, right? You've fought, you learned swordplay, you've learned magic, but have you ever used either against someone with 'killing intent?' You get scared, you feel afraid, your body shakes, the blood on your hands. You have to be strong, but I'm afraid it could take away some of your humanity. The ability to kill, it's heavy." He waved out the fire in his hand, extinguishing it. "I'm not sure if that's relevant, or something you've gone through. Or if that even helps you. Those who cannot stand the sight of blood, or death, better avoid combat, and better avoid healing professions too. Even helping people who are injured, you're still surrounded by death and blood.
"Anyway, Greysia, you have to be strong. It's scary to face danger, to face death, to see someone die, but you have to have the courage to continue, and not give up." He seemed slightly distracted until she suddenly took his arm and took off with him. "Ah, hah, right, okay!"
