Inside the creaking old house, faint light from the dawn sky began to touch the edges of the world. Pale outlines glowed faintly in Jimmy's vision—branches, beams, the gentle flutter of leaves outside. It wasn't sight, not in the way others knew it. But to him, it was enough.
He sat in silence, legs folded beneath him, breath steady, as the realization slowly settled.
He had awakened.
And not just in body.
"So this… this is my Whisp Space," he thought.
From within, he felt it—something intangible but deeply present. His talents had taken root. Two of them had already revealed themselves:
Sense – the reason he could perceive the world in high-contrast outlines, like black ink brushed with glowing ash.
Eye of Insight (Whisp Only) – still dormant, still mysterious, but echoing with quiet potential.
He tilted his head slightly.
"Sense… I can understand. But Eye of Insight?"
"Only for my Whisp… what does that even mean?"
Before his thoughts could settle, a presence began moving toward him—graceful, warm, familiar. His new perception let him feel her long before she stepped inside.
Nun Lisa.
Just like before, her figure traced in soft white lines against the darkness.
Jimmy shifted slightly and reached out to speak.
"Uhh… Unhh… Akh…"
A hoarse noise escaped his throat before he remembered.
He couldn't speak.
He hadn't spoken a word since birth.
He paused, then gave a small, sheepish smile—and signed slowly with his hands:
"I have awakened."
Lisa knelt beside him, eyes warm, and nodded without words—joy quiet in her expression, yet deep in meaning. But she didn't ask what talents he'd gained.
Instead, she gently placed a bowl of warm soup in front of him, and asked softly:
"Do you remember the man—the one who took the Whisp egg?"
Jimmy paused, then slowly nodded.
His fingers moved again, cautious, inquisitive:
"Did you catch him?"
Lisa's smile faltered. She brushed a hand through his hair and said gently,
"We're working on it. That man is… dangerous. Cunning. We need to handle it carefully."
She looked around, making sure no one was nearby, then leaned closer:
"You have to stay here all day. This secret place of yours—it's safe for now. I already made some arrangements."
Jimmy frowned, disappointment clear on his face. His hands moved quickly:
"How long was I unconscious?"
Lisa hesitated. Her thoughts were conflicted.
If he finds out the truth too fast… it might crush his fragile hope again.
So she smiled faintly, her voice calm.
"Only three hours. Not days."
Jimmy stared at her for a moment. He didn't push further—he simply trusted.
Then, his hands asked one last question:
"What about the Whisps who helped me? The cotton ones, honeybee, and the others?"
Lisa gave a soft chuckle and looked toward the door.
"They were here. Some went back to the riverside, others scattered into the woods when things settled. Your cotton friend—she left some threads behind. The honeybee stayed until the morning breeze came. They did what they could."
She stood and smoothed her robes.
"They'll return again, Jimmy. Whisps don't forget the ones they trust."
Jimmy looked down at his hands, then back toward the lightening sky.
For the first time in his life, he wasn't just surviving.
He was awakened.
And that meant everything was about to change.