Chapter 3 A new day begins

Chapter 3 A new day begins

Elara's mother struggled during childbirth, her high-level telepathic abilities only adding to the difficulty. As she gave birth to Elara, she was bombarded by an overwhelming number of thoughts. Desperate for relief, she sent out a coded telepathic message to past generations of telepaths in Elara's lineage. One of the recipients was a reporter named Luga, who was instantly curious about the origin and content of the message.

Luga sought help from his immortal friend Lamphaga, a repository of vast knowledge and wisdom. Luga, a former scientist who had discovered a supergene granting various abilities, had also been fired for secretly bestowing the gene for immortality on Lamphaga instead of the intended recipient, the founder of the Atlas Project for Genetic Ascendancy (APGA). This act had caused Lamphaga to vanish to a distant planet, but Luga, being a high-level telepath, could still communicate with him across vast distances. He sent Lamphaga the coded message with a simple caption: "Can you decode this message?"

Lamphaga's response was swift: "Wait a bit, that coded message will take 30 minutes to decipher."

Meanwhile, Elara's mother gave birth to twin girls. Elara, whose telepathic abilities had not yet developed, and Maya, who immediately floated above the nurse's head. The sight of the levitating newborn astonished the medical staff. They chased Maya through the hospital until she floated outside, crying loudly. Though she couldn't send telepathic messages yet, Maya could read the thoughts of others, which overwhelmed her. Her distress triggered a force field, creating a storm in a five-kilometer radius.

News of the mysterious storm spread quickly, but it was Elara and Maya's mother who ultimately calmed the chaos. She floated into the storm, embraced Maya, and the storm dissipated. This day became a memorable event in the town of Mindale. Inside the hospital, as Maya activated her abilities, Elara began developing her own telepathic powers. She started hearing the colors of plant sounds, which made her cry. Their mother quickly used her telepathy to send a calming song to both babies, soothing them to sleep.

When the twins turned one, their mother faced a difficult decision. APGA had accepted her into their program, but only if she brought one daughter. She chose Maya, who had developed her abilities early, unaware that Elara's telepathy had also emerged. Elara was sent to live with her aunt, who already had three daughters: triplets Amanda, Amansah, and Amaga. These three were ordinary humans, while those with abilities were known as Arcanians. Elara was mistakenly registered as an ordinary human.

Elara's mother, heartbroken by the separation, cried as she left Elara with her aunt. She sent a final telepathic calming song to Elara before departing. Elara cried as she watched her mother leave, but Amanda distracted her with a unique plant that sang when someone was sad. The familiar song calmed Elara, and she eventually fell asleep in her aunt's arms.

The triplets had distinct interests. Amanda loved plants and frequently asked her aunt to read books about them. Amansah was talented in drawing beautiful scenery, though her skills were typical for a three-year-old. Amaga, the mysterious one, enjoyed making jokes but could also tell sad stories that changed her behavior dramatically. Despite their differences, they all adored an orange kitten named Gingerly, which belonged to their neighbors, Madam Merinkle and Sir Hemingway.

Every morning, Elara listened to the whispers of the plants around her, particularly a singing plant Amanda had found. The plant, a rare and expensive type called Melodiflora, played a familiar song in Elara's mind. Amanda had discovered it in a hidden alleyway behind a coffee shop, where an old Arcanian woman had gifted it to her along with an ancient book about singing plants. Amanda's fascination with these plants grew, especially after learning their names and characteristics from the book.

For example, the Furioso Flora responded to anger with fast-paced rhythms, while the Melancholy Melodies played soft, calming music. Staccato Sprouts emitted quick, sharp bursts of notes, Harmonia Blooms responded to joy with upbeat tunes, and Sereno Stems produced ambient sounds. Amanda's deep interest in Melodiflora was fueled by the old woman's gift, making these plants a significant part of Elara's new life with her aunt and cousins.