"Well…" Alex began, choosing his words carefully. "What happened was more like a discovery of my abilities. In fact, she was the one who guided me in doing so. I didn't even know I could do something like that."
Julia narrowed her eyes at him while her hand remained in place as she mulled over his words. But his words and what Elina said were entirely different.
"That's not what she said," Julia replied. "From her perspective, it was your way of showing how much she meant to you."
Of course, no such words were spoken, but they might as well have said it. After all, the way the woman spoke about Alex gave that impression.
"I see…" Alex nodded. "But is there a reason why your hand is still down there?" His gazed moved downwards and Julia followed.
"Hehe.." Julia revealed a sinister smile and demanded. "You're not leaving here today until the two of us become connected on the same level… no… make it deeper."
Julia muttered with a possessive look in her eyes, already fantasizing about how the connection would deepen their love for each other.
'Hmph!' Julia snorted inwardly.'That bitch will rule the day she made found of me. I will prove to her that no one. Absolutely no one can have Alex; he's mine!'
'Yeah… She definitely has issues.' Alex thought as he studied her soul fluctuations. In other words, he could perceive the thoughts going through Julia's head. 'But I wouldn't have it any other way.'
"Of course." Alex agreed without hesitation. "Close your eyes."
Julia followed his instructions as Alex slowly took her hand away from his precious area and held them to his chest. He pressed his forehead with hers and initiated the connection.
While not a needed gesture, Alex was fulfilling her wish to have a deeper connection to him.
A thin thread of energy extended from the icosahedral core as it pierced the inner realm into the real one.
The thread extended till it reached Julia's soul. Then the thread changed to become a ward of colourless light that merged with Julia's soul.
'So this is how it worked.' Alex marvelled at the observation. 'The connection leaves a part of me in her, thereby granting her access to my abilities.
'But there is more…' Alex took a closer look and discovered what the connection also did. Aside from acting as a homing beacon for him, it also acted as a channel through which Alex could send his intent through.
That meant…
'Surprise, Julia.' Alex spoke through the connection and a knowing smile tugged at his lips. 'You're the first to experience this…'
Julia's eyes widened in shock as she abruptly raised her head to stare at Alex like she had seen a ghost.
"D-did you just…" Julia stuttered, too shocked to finish her sentence. The smile Alex gave was more than answer enough.
Slowly her shocked expression changed into that of excitement. She beamed brightly and closed her eyes.
'I can sense him!' Julia noticed the moment she focused within. 'Alex! Alex! Can you hear me?!'
Too excited about her connection to Alexander, Julia screamed her thoughts out to him, making Alex shrink back a bit.
"I can hear you just fine, woman." Alex chuckled. "You don't have to shout. Also, I played a few barriers around so you can protect your private thoughts."
The smile on Julia's face turned into a frown. "Why would I want to hide my thoughts from you?" She cutely tilted her head. However, the reply Alex gave made her blush deeply.
"Because I can hear everything otherwise… and I mean everything." The way Alex said it made her realize her blunder. Still, it was something she didn't mind having Alex 'seeing'.
Alex shook his head despite the heads-up he gave her. 'I can shut it out on my end if I want to, so there's no big deal.' Some of the things going through Julia's head were not for kids to know.
"I suddenly know some things like they've been a part of me for a long time.," Julia put the adult thoughts aside and lay on Alex's chest, getting comfortable. "You seem to have several abilities and at the same time none. How does that make sense?"
A flick of her hand conjured a small bluish-purple flame. She played around with the flames for a few seconds and then conjured the ice element, bringing two opposing elements to swirl in a captivating dance.
The feeling of wielding other abilities was surreal.
She couldn't believe the accident Alex had survived all those years ago would change him to such an extent.
"It's a bit complicated…" Alex said with a distant look on his face. He could have told her about the laws but it wouldn't make sense to her‒not until she reached the S-Teir. "But void energy allows me to have multiple abilities at once. Here…"
Alex raised his right hand, catching Julia's attention. He gathered energy in his palm, giving a live demonstration of what he could do.
"Void energy is versatile in that it enables me to manipulate the surrounding magical energy."
Initially, Julia watched with a calm gaze as the energy gathered in Alex's palms resembled fiery and chaotic energy clashing into each other.
Then the energies condensed until they formed a hot molten core the size of a tennis ball.
"From the energy, I can condense matter and give it whatever elemental affinity I want."
Alex carefully manipulated the surroundings and created solid rocks.
"Magical energy is in different forms just like there are many abilities out there. All I need to do is put the energies into their right configuration and then…"
Under the astonished gaze of Julia, Alex created an actual planet within his palms. It was a mesmerizing show. And in that moment, Julia felt like she had a spark of enlightenment.
But try as she might, she couldn't fully grasp what she was feeling. Alex noticed this and kept but stayed quiet.
'Just as I thought.' Alex reasoned with a profound gaze. 'Even if I give her a lot of clues, it would still be impossible to grasp at her level. It would only distract her…'
Alex closed his hand, dispelling the mini planet into gaseous elements and snapping Julia out of her daze.
"What happened?" Julia asked with a bit of confusion.
"I said we should go meet everyone." Alex proposed and floated off the bed with Julia in his arms… "We've kept them waiting long enough."
"Oh.. right."