Chapter 10 : A Spark of Connection

Elian, despite his burgeoning magical abilities and connection to the mysterious Crimson Hand, was still, fundamentally, an infant. He was surrounded by other infants, a sea of faces and cries and gurgles. He had largely ignored them, focused as he was on his own development and the whispers of his destiny. But as he grew, as his awareness expanded, he began to see them not just as fellow occupants of the nursery, but as individuals, each with their own potential, their own stories.

He started to pay attention to their cries, their babble, their fleeting expressions. He noticed that some were stronger than others, their cries louder, their movements more vigorous. Some were quieter, their eyes filled with a sadness that belied their age. And some, a select few, seemed to possess a faint aura of energy, a spark of something… more.

He focused on one such infant, a girl in the crib next to his. She was small and frail, her cries weak and infrequent. But Elian could sense a faint energy emanating from her, a subtle hum that resonated with his own.

[Infant: Unit 87A (Name: Anya)]

[Properties: E-Rank Talent (Potential: Locked), Malnourished, Prone to Illness, Possesses Latent Light Magic Affinity]

E-Rank? Another one? He was surprised. He had assumed he was unique, the only one with such a high Talent level in this room full of F-rank infants. But here she was, Anya, with a Talent level equal to his own. And she possessed a Light Magic Affinity, just like him.

He felt a surge of excitement. He wasn't alone. There was another like him, another with the potential to become something extraordinary. He wanted to reach out to her, to connect with her, to share his knowledge and guide her. But how? He was still a baby, unable to speak or even crawl.

He thought of his magic. Could he use it to communicate with her? He focused on his Magic Affinity, trying to channel it into a form of connection. He imagined his feelings reaching out to her – a sense of recognition, a shared understanding.

He felt a drain on his energy reserves, but he pushed through it. He concentrated on Anya, sending her a feeling of warmth, of companionship.

He waited, his heart pounding with anticipation.

A moment later, he felt a flicker of recognition from Anya, a sense of… knowing. Not words, not thoughts, but a shared feeling. She recognized him, somehow.

He felt a surge of warmth from her in return, a sense of… togetherness.

He had done it! He had connected with her, mind to mind, heart to heart. He felt a surge of exhilaration. He wasn't alone.

He focused on a small toy hanging above her crib, a wooden bird with faded paint. He used his magic to make it spin, slowly at first, then faster and faster.

He felt her wonder, her fascination. She understood that he was doing something special, something beyond the ordinary.

He spent the next few hours connecting with Anya, sharing his feelings, his excitement, his hopes. He couldn't explain about Talent or the Crimson Hand in words, but he could share the feeling of it, the sense of destiny, the potential for greatness.

He felt her excitement mirroring his own, her eagerness to connect, to understand. He knew that he had found a kindred spirit, a fellow traveler on the path to greatness. He promised, in his heart, to teach her everything he knew, to guide her, to protect her.

He also sensed something else in her, a flicker of fear, a vulnerability that resonated with his own. He knew that she needed him, just as he needed her. They were two lonely souls in a world that didn't understand them, two sparks of potential in a sea of mediocrity.

Together, they would rise.

"We should practice," Elian thought, the feeling of determination radiating from him. He wanted to share this with Anya, to help her understand, to help her grow.

Anya responded with a feeling of eager agreement, a sense of… readiness.

Elian, ever resourceful, had already been considering this. "We start small," he thought, the feeling of patience and methodical progress strong within him. "We focus on what we can control."

He showed her, through shared feelings and visualizations, how to manipulate the Material Energy of small objects, how to levitate them, how to change their properties. He couldn't explain the intricacies of the Weave, but he could share the feeling of connection, the sense of control.

Anya, eager to learn, responded with a feeling of focused concentration, a sense of… trying.

At first, she struggled. The block wobbled, threatened to fall, then crashed back onto the mattress. But Elian encouraged her with feelings of support, of… belief. He shared his own experiences, his own initial struggles, his eventual triumphs.

Slowly, Anya began to make progress. The block rose a little higher, stayed suspended a little longer. A feeling of joy, of… accomplishment radiated from her.

They practiced for hours, their feelings intertwined, their connection deepening. They levitated blocks, spun toys, and even managed to combine a few scraps of fabric into a crude doll. They were limited by their infant bodies, but their shared feelings, their growing connection, transcended those limitations.

As they practiced, Elian noticed something interesting. Anya's connection to Light Elemental Energy was stronger than his own. She could make the wooden bird glow with a soft, white light, a feat that Elian couldn't replicate.

He felt a surge of excitement. Together, they could complement each other's strengths, learn from each other, and become even more powerful. He shared his observations with Anya, the feeling of wonder and admiration clear in his connection with her.

Anya, in turn, shared her own intuitive understanding of Light Magic, not through words, but through shared sensations, through feelings of warmth, of light, of… creation.

They continued to practice, their feelings and energies intertwined, their bond growing stronger with each passing hour. They were no longer just two lonely infants, trapped in a world that didn't understand them. They were partners, allies, friends. They were the future.