For weeks, Palim had been experimenting. His recycle ability fascinated him. The more he used it, the more he realized it wasn't just about turning objects into energy—it was about how efficiently he could manage his body while doing so. He had figured out early that stamina was drained first. It was a weakness he had to address.
He stared at a wooden branch in front of him, the same type of branch he had recycled countless times. His infant hands trembled slightly as he reached out, focusing his mind.
[Recycle: Wooden Branch]
The branch dissolved in a soft glow, leaving behind a small, familiar rush of energy. He immediately felt the pull on his stamina. But this time, he controlled it. His focus was sharp, directing the energy to trickle in rather than flood.
[Strength: +0.02]
[Agility: +0.02]
[Stamina: +0.02]
"Again," he thought. His mind was wired, like an engineer testing the limits of a machine. He picked up another branch, repeating the process. The rush of energy was more controlled, but he could feel the strain building in his tiny body.
"I need more control," he murmured internally. He couldn't afford to exhaust himself like before.
The first weeks had been disastrous. Every time he recycled, his stamina would deplete rapidly, forcing him to collapse, drained and powerless. His family thought he was just a sleepy baby. But Palim knew better. He needed to push past this limitation. He was far too weak to explore the true potential of his ability.
One morning, after days of thinking, he decided to change his approach. Rather than using all of his stamina at once, he began to stagger his attempts. He would recycle a tiny object, pause, wait for his stamina to recover, then try again. It was tedious and time-consuming, but he noticed the gains were more stable.
A leaf from the garden became his next experiment. The decaying, fragile object crumbled in his hand as he focused.
[Recycle: Dried Leaf]
The energy was almost nonexistent. Disappointing, but expected. "Recently living matter is more effective," Palim reminded himself. But he wasn't interested in power just yet. This was about stamina control.
He recycled a handful of pebbles next. Tiny things, but the exercise wasn't in their value—it was in how he managed the energy flow.
"Slow and steady." Palim's mind, though confined to a baby's body, worked like a scientist's. Over time, he noticed that the trick wasn't just about stamina—it was about unbalancing his gains. He had begun to intentionally stagger how he recycled, to see if he could make his stamina grew faster than other attributes.
It was a delicate game, like tuning the variables in an equation. He had days where he failed—where his body shut down from exhaustion, and he woke hours later in a daze. His father, Ruth, would carry him back to his crib, none the wiser about what Palim was truly doing.
But there were victories too. Small, incremental changes. His stamina now grew slightly faster than his strength or mana. It wasn't much, but it was progress. He just needed more time. "It's all about optimization," he thought, "How can I sustain this long-term?"
He spent hours refining his technique, always in secret. The game panel in his mind flickered occasionally, showing his gained stats.
[Strength: +0.01]
[Agility: +0.00]
[Stamina: +0.1]
A smile crept over his face. Success, however small, was still success.
The door to his room creaked open. Becca's voice rang out like a bell. "Palim!" She giggled as she bounded over to him, her energy infectious.
Without waiting for him to crawl over, she grabbed his tiny hands. "Come on, let's go play outside!" She pulled him out toward the garden, her enthusiasm impossible to resist.
The garden stretched out before them, bathed in the warm glow of the sun. Palim took a deep breath, enjoying the scent of the fresh grass. The place felt like a sanctuary, untouched by the complexities he had in his mind.
Becca danced ahead, laughing as she chased a butterfly. Palim watched her for a moment, wondering how life could be so simple for her. He wished he could join her fully, but his mind, even at this age, was always analyzing, always thinking ahead.
Becca turned back, rushing to him again. "Come on, Palim, stand up! I'll help you!" Her little hands wrapped around his, and she began pulling him upward.
Palim wobbled, his legs shaky as they tried to support his weight. Something was wrong. His body wasn't just weak—it was tense, on edge. He looked around, sensing something. A feeling deep in his gut.
From the house, their mother, Elena, watched them with a soft smile. But her instincts flared. She moved outside, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the garden. Something was off.
Palim continued to try and stand, gripping Becca's hand for balance. But the strange feeling in the air intensified. He didn't understand it fully, but it was like the very air had shifted.
Elena's hand raised. Her magic flared to life.
[Detection]
Her eyes widened. Mana trembled in the air, coming from the nearby forest. Dark and twisted. She froze, the realization sinking in. Demons. And they were close.
"Ruth!" Her voice cut through the air, full of urgency.
Two dark shapes emerged from the treeline. They moved quickly—too quickly. Demons, their swords drawn, eyes burning with malice. They ran straight toward Palim and Becca, their speed terrifying.
"Becca, Palim!" Elena screamed, sprinting towards them. Fear gripped her heart. She threw her hands out, magic pouring from her fingertips.
[Barrier]
A shimmering dome appeared around her children just as the first demon arrived. Its sword slammed into the barrier, sparks flying as it tried to break through. The demon snarled in frustration, beating its blade against the magic shield.
Palim's eyes widened in horror. He couldn't move. Couldn't speak. The scene before him was something out of a nightmare. This wasn't the peaceful world he was used to. The violence was real, terrifyingly real.
The second demon was faster. It slipped around the barrier, its eyes locking onto Elena. She saw it too late. She tried to cast again, but there wasn't enough time.
Palim watched in frozen terror as the demon's blade swung in a deadly arc. The metallic sound of a sword cutting through flesh filled the garden, and in that moment, everything shattered.
Elena's head hit the ground, followed by her lifeless body.
Palim's world went dark.
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