Captain's pragmatic investigation into Kael's abilities continued, now with a sharpened focus on his potential as a Void sensor. The possibility of gaining intelligence on The Void's movements and intentions was a desperate lifeline for the sanctuary. Elara remained the crucial link, interpreting Kael's fragmented perceptions and connecting them to the lore she tirelessly researched.
The lower observation chamber became their quiet laboratory. The air, though sterile, felt heavy with anticipation during these sessions. Captain adjusted salvaged devices, trying to create specific environmental stimuli – subtle changes in air pressure, temperature fluctuations (simulated), different qualities of silence – anything that might elicit a reaction from Vispera through Kael.
Kael would sit quietly, focusing inward, Elara's presence a steady anchor in his disorienting world. He'd push past the voids, the numbness, the blankness where Captain's face should be, reaching for Vispera's warmth. It was Vispera who truly sensed The Void; Kael only felt Vispera's reactions.
"Can you feel anything... different... now?" Captain would ask, his voice low, his gaze fixed on Kael's face, searching for any flicker of response.
Kael would focus on Vispera. Sometimes, the thrumming felt just like the usual dull pressure. Other times, Vispera's warmth would pulse with a subtle shift – a feeling of "Near." or "Far." or "Moving."
These were raw, intuitive feelings, incredibly difficult for Kael to translate into words or concepts. He relied on simple gestures, pointing towards the walls if the feeling was "Near," or sweeping his hand outwards if it was "Far." Elara would interpret, patiently, asking clarifying questions, "Near the walls, Kael? Near which wall?"
Captain integrated Elara's lore. "Elara, the legends mention 'currents' in the Void?"
"Yes, Captain," Elara would reply, consulting her notes. "Like dark rivers. Places where the grey is thicker, faster. Where manifestations might travel."
Captain would then try to simulate a subtle change in the ambient thrumming that might correspond to a 'current'. He'd watch Kael. Kael would feel Vispera's warmth pulse with a feeling of "Flow. Fast." or "Heavy. Slow."
Translating these "currents" into a usable map was almost impossible with Kael's current limitations. He could sense the feeling, but pinpointing its exact location or direction in the vastness of The Void was beyond him. It was like knowing a river exists, but not knowing where it is or where it's flowing.
And with each sensing attempt, however subtle, the Bedel demanded payment. It wasn't always a dramatic loss, but the price was always there. Sometimes it was a brief, terrifying moment where Kael would forget who Elara was, her face becoming a blankness for a second before the memory rushed back, leaving him shaken. Sometimes it was the loss of a simple skill he was relearning, like recognizing a specific shape or sound, that Elara would have to patiently reteach him.
Gus, watching from the doorway, would see only the struggle, the blankness, the moments of confusion. He saw the Bedel, the decay. He saw the child becoming less human with each attempt.
But Captain saw a desperate need for information. Elara saw a chance to understand the cosmic forces at play. And Kael, guided by Vispera's unwavering presence, continued to try, pushed by a deep, intuitive need to understand the grey world that had stolen everything from him.
The chapter ends with Captain, Elara, and Kael continuing the difficult process of trying to understand and leverage Kael's ability to sense The Void's subtle movements ('currents'), highlighting the challenges of translation, the lack of precise location, and the ever-present, unpredictable cost of the Bedel during these sensing efforts.