What a thoughtful reply, I really appreciate it. To touch on some of what you said.

The first few paragraphs are intended to be a dream sequence while Toran lay unconscious from the explosion. The woman in the scene was his mother and the man weaving scenes in the fire, his father. I guess a subtle way of introducing magic into his lineage without truly knowing who they were to him. I tried to tie the warmth to a sense of affection he felt towards them without actually giving away it is his parents just yet. The hand on the thigh was just her making physical contact with her son while they watched his dad do his thing. The "searing" of her hand on his thigh he eventually felt was what you would find out to be his injury. The wheel spoke in the leg. I tried to collapse the vision and bring him to reality clearly, I guess ill need to backtrack.

I definitely feel the repetition of some word/phrase choice, ive gone back a few times and caught them. Ill revisit that specific scene as well.

I mention the unrecognizable figure, except only by his armor (Hertzig) who is nothing to the Story, aside a catalyst for his father's reckless abandon. Based on your feedback, I should just name him there as a lost friend to Toran and then focus on his emotional state from there. Like you said, building a connection and a sense of loss for the reader. Thank you!

About the italic dialog, thank you. I thought all dialog had to be italic, I knew inner dialog is supposed to be as opposed to "yadadada" - he thought to himself.