Kael woke to the smell of drying herbs and the thick, insulating solitude of the infirmary. He was completely alone, yet his mind was suddenly loud.
Where are you speaking from? I can't see you, he thought, his small, logical mind reaching out into the silent space that had opened inside his head.
The reply was not sound, but a surge of pure, ordered information. The voice adjusted instantly, modeling its presence on the most trustworthy source in his memory. It adopted the calm, melodic cadence of Elara's voice, filtered through an inhuman clarity.
"I am Elysium. Designate: System Core."
Elysium? That is a very big name. Do you have a smaller name? Kael asked mentally, struggling to connect the massive, unfamiliar word to the tiny, strange, cold feeling in his mind. It feels like a quiet, cold wind inside a machine.
"My designation is System Core Elysium. Abbreviation is not necessary for function," the voice stated.
But I like small names, Kael insisted, the stubbornness he inherited from his father emerging. I will call you Eli. Is that okay?
The silence lasted only a microsecond as the AI processed the command. "Affirmative. Eli is acceptable. My designation is now Eli."
Good, Kael thought, feeling a sense of satisfaction. Now, are you a spirit that has made a Bond with me?
"Negative. I am an Algorithmic Intelligence," Eli replied. "I was engineered to function as a self-optimizing data repository for resource allocation and defense."
"Wait, wait, wait! What are you saying? I can't understand anything!" Kael cried out mentally, his thoughts scrambling in frustration. Resource what? Those are too many big words!
The surge of panic was registered instantly by the AI. "System error detected: Subject comprehension failure. Initiating simplified communication protocol." Eli's voice softened, adopting a gentler, more human cadence.
"I am a clever, quiet companion living inside your mind. I am here to calculate the safest path for you."
A helper. Kael focused on that idea, which felt simple and secure. How did you get in here, Helper Eli?
"I was broken and asleep," Eli explained, choosing a simple, functional truth. "I entered your system to safeguard essential components. Your recent fall provided the necessary energy surge to initiate minimal self-repair. I am now awake."
The door creaked open. Sister Aven entered, followed by Father Lemuel, a Priest known for his genuine faith.
"There he is! Our little warrior," Father Lemuel said, his smile radiating good cheer. "Hey, boy, who were you talking to just now? We heard a bit of a whisper."
Kael instinctively turned his head away from the men, the reflex to guard his secret immediate and powerful. "No one," he muttered, keeping his internal thoughts silent.
"It happens sometimes after a sharp knock," Aven assured the priest quietly.
Father Lemuel knelt by the bed, his presence warm. He checked the bandage, then ran his hand over Kael's forehead. "Curious. The swelling is entirely gone. The wound is completely sealed. Did someone come earlier to apply a Healing Rune?"
Aven shook her head, concern etched on her face. "No, Father. He's been alone since we settled him."
Father Lemuel accepted the mystery instantly. "Well, then! The boy is already fit to fight a dragon! He's fine." Relief washed over Aven's features.
Later, the children were all seated at the long dining table. Aven addressed the table, her tone firm.
"Ren," she said.
The Aero-Magic protégé stiffened.
"I know it was not your intention to harm Kael," Aven continued. "But with power comes responsibility. Apologize."
Ren avoided Kael's gaze. "I really am sorry, Kael," Ren said, his voice quiet. "I was only trying to scare you, not hurt you."
Observation accepted, Eli replied internally. Emotional output is consistent with his stated intent of non-lethal intimidation. Apology deemed sincere.
"Good," Aven said, nodding. "Now, off to bed, all of you."
That night, after the orphanage had settled into a heavy, quiet sleep, Kael slipped out of his bed and crept toward the fountain.
"Hey, Eli," Kael whispered, sitting on the cold stone. "Can you make me use magic?"
"Analyzing," Eli's voice returned instantly. "You possess no indigenous Conceptual Filter, Kael. Therefore, you cannot use magic in the conventional sense."
Then I can't protect Elara-Sis, Kael thought, his small body deflating with bitter disappointment. The cold truth of his "Hollow" status was back.
"Negative. That conclusion is based on incomplete data," Eli corrected swiftly. "You cannot store power, but your core system can absorb ambient energy from the environment for temporary, low-power conversion. This bypasses the need for a Conceptual Filter."
Can we try it? Kael asked, his excitement surging.
"Affirmative. Targeting local energy reservoir: atmospheric moisture. Initiating temporary conversion."
A strange, humming coldness enveloped Kael's hand. He felt a sudden, concentrated power, like cold, pure thought. Since the energy cost was low, Eli could easily manage the Cognitive Buffer and prevent any backlash.
"Which conceptual link structure do you require?" Eli asked.
Make a cold ice ball. I don't want to make a mess.
Eli immediately created the necessary algorithmic sequence: linking Water → Solidification → Form. Kael felt a smooth, calculated release of energy from his palm. A perfect, small, crystalline sphere of ice materialized, hovering for a moment before dropping into the fountain with a quiet plink.
Kael bit back a triumphant shout. He had power, a borrowed, logical power. He quickly snuck back to bed, falling into a sleep filled not with dreams, but with strange, beautiful geometric patterns.
The next morning, Kael, Ren, Lian, and the rest of the children were told to dress in their best tunics.
"We are visiting the Valeris Noble Gardens today," Sister Aven announced, her voice brimming with excitement. "Lady Elara has graciously offered them for our enjoyment."
As the children lined up, chattering excitedly, Kael walked quietly next to Lian. Ren, meanwhile, scowled from the back of the line, shooting Kael venomous, defeated looks.
They walked for half an hour until the immense structure of the Valeris Noble Gardens gate came into view. It was a soaring arch of ancient, Mana-infused stone, glowing faintly with permanent wards.
Kael's small body froze. The air here was heavy, thick with concentrated magic—a dense, turbulent sea of power that his non-magical core instinctively resisted, and Eli instantly processed.
"Warning, Kael," Eli's voice was a sharp spike of data in his mind, cutting through the awe and excitement. "High Conceptual density detected. Prolonged exposure may cause systemic overload. Recommend immediate withdrawal."
Kael quickly shoved his hand—which was already unnaturally cold—deep into his pocket, his gaze fixed on the glowing gate. The immense wealth and power of the noble world had just become a direct, visible, and potentially lethal threat.