The cold evening air bit Eliot's skin as he stepped out of the warehouse. The setting sun, now just a thin orange line, cast fading light on the rooftops. He pulled his thin jacket tighter, feeling very exposed. The city sounds – distant cars, faint voices – seemed louder, each one a possible sign of danger.
He moved carefully, staying in the shadows, his eyes constantly looking around. The red dot on his System display pulsed softly, guiding him. It was a few blocks away, in what looked like an older neighborhood. The thought of walking towards an unknown thing, possibly another "unregistered host" or something much worse, sent a shiver down his spine. Hunter-Alpha was out there, and he was basically a bright sign yelling "unregistered" to whatever system was tracking him.
Every shadow seemed to grow longer, every rustle of leaves a potential threat. He hugged the walls of old, crumbling buildings, using the fading light to hide. His energy was still very low, barely enough to lift a tiny stone, let alone defend himself. He relied only on being sneaky and the vague hope that this anomaly wasn't a trap.
As he got closer, the red dot on his internal map became steadier, less flickering. It pointed to a small, plain building, hidden behind a larger, old market. From the outside, it looked like any other empty building, its windows boarded up, paint peeling. But the System insisted the anomaly was inside.
Eliot paused across the street, hidden by a clump of overgrown bushes. He strained his senses, trying to hear any sound, any sign of life. Nothing. Just the slow, steady hum of the city. He focused on the building, willing his System to give him more information, anything more than "DATA NOT ENOUGH."
A faint, almost unnoticeable tremor ran through the air, like a distant echo. It was similar to the feeling when he used his own mind-moving power, but it felt… different. More raw, less controlled. He felt a faint pressure behind his eyes, a strange connection.
"System," he whispered, "what is that?"
ANOMALY SIGNATURE STABILIZING. HIGH CHANCE: UNREGISTERED HOST. SENDING OUT UNCONTROLLED ENERGY.
Uncontrolled energy. So, it was another one. But uncontrolled? Was it someone who hadn't figured out their powers yet, or someone whose powers were too much for them? A wave of understanding washed over him, briefly pushing away his fear. He remembered the pure terror and confusion of his own awakening. This person might be just as lost, just as hunted.
He took a deep breath, the decision forming in his mind. He couldn't just leave them. If they were struggling, maybe he could help, and in return, learn. This was his chance to get information, to understand what he was facing beyond the confusing System messages.
He moved across the street, his steps light and determined. The back entrance of the building seemed less secure, a thin wooden door hanging slightly open. He pushed it open carefully, revealing a dark, musty inside. The air was thick with dust and the smell of rot.
The red dot pulsed brightly now, guiding him further into the darkness. He moved through what seemed to be an old storage area, with boxes and broken furniture all over the floor. Then he heard it – a faint, almost silent whimper.
He followed the sound, his mind-moving power ready, though still weak. He rounded a corner and stopped dead.
In the middle of a small, dusty room, lit by a single, flickering streetlight coming through a crack in the wall, was a figure huddled on the floor. It was a young woman, about his age, her body shaking uncontrollably. A faint, almost see-through shimmer came from her, making the air around her ripple like heat haze. Around her, small objects – tiny stones, wood splinters, even a broken piece of glass – were floating, spinning slowly, seemingly without her trying.
Her eyes were wide with a mix of terror and pain, unfocused. She was trapped, overwhelmed by her own new power.
ANOMALY. HOST CONNECTION SEVERE. SYSTEM OVERLOAD ABOUT TO HAPPEN.
Eliot felt a deep sense of recognition. This wasn't a trap. This was him, just days ago, lost and terrified. He held out a tentative hand, a single word forming on his lips.
"Hey."