Ryu tried to take control of the white flame as he had in the past. But, once again, it didn't seem eager to listen to him. It continued to float at the bottom of his Spiritual Sea as though a fluffy ball of cotton.
It looked completely harmless. There wasn't an ounce of danger coming from it at all and it even allowed Ryu to probe it endlessly without the slightest hint of fighting back. But, whenever he tried to take that final step and grasp it as his own, it didn't react the slightest bit.
A part of Ryu felt as though this flame wasn't real. Though it had an effect on its surroundings, it wasn't tangible. It was almost like chasing a mirage in the middle of the desert that kept being just a single step away from you. It was like the flame wanted Ryu to feel as though he was delirious.
