Lukas just finished running 20 kilometres and went back to the campfire outside the cabin. He planned to catch his breath, drink some warm water, and jump into the pond.
He had grown so much in the few months since his training began. Though he did not know it himself, it was nearing the end of February.
His skill was formidable, at least to the average fighter, maybe not to Bene. His strength was impressive for how young he was. He even grew about 5 or so centimetres.
Despite this though, on this day he was strangely light-headed. Like his mind was covered in fog, and he was walking on air. When he got to the campfire, he had to hold his head because it was all so disorienting.
Bene began to stand as Lukas approached.
"Are you all right?"
Suddenly, everything slowed to a crawl, like time was stopping. There was also a sound– no, a voice, ringing through Lukas' head. It only repeated a single word over, and over:
"Tor"
"Tor"
"Tor"
He didn't know what it meant, it didn't even sound like a word from his tongue. But as he listened to it, he couldn't help but be compelled to repeat it. His mind, muddled and unfocused, struggled to resist it. The last clear part of himself was hesitant. The voice was that of a siren, luring him into a trap.
He hesitated for a second, he was confident something great would happen if he said it. But didn't know if it would be good or bad for him. Eventually, though, he caved in, fearful his mind would split apart and dissolve if he didn't.
He took a deep breath, time around him accelerating as the wind entered his lungs, and focused his mind. Then, drawn from within himself, he spoke:
"Tor"
In an instant, the world around him fell apart and he found himself falling. However, the experience was indistinguishable from falling and being thrown or dragged.
Around him was a realm of a strange colour. His surroundings were blank, except for picturesque memories and what appeared to be flowing bands of a foreign material that Lukas had never seen.
Then just as suddenly as it started, it was over, and Lukas found himself in front of the campfire. He was still holding his head, and Bene asked him the same question from before.
"Are you all right?"
However, Lukas was in a bit of a daze, and he was unsure of what had just happened. He wasn't sure if what he had just seen was even real. So, not understanding the gravity of what had just transpired, he said once again:
"Tor"
Once more he was hurled through the foreign realm, this time it was considerably more draining. In fact, when the experience was over, a sharp pain radiated through his head. Like it was splitting apart. His body had no energy, and it was as if his head was filled with stone.
He was, of course, still in front of the campfire. He made a few unbalanced steps to the side before the sensation of falling returned.
Then, it all went dark.
***
A few hours later, Lukas awoke to find Bene watching over him. As he sat up, still a little dizzy, Bene turned to him.
"Are you all right? You just collapsed."
"I... I don't know... I just finished running, and..."
The words weren't forming in Lukas' head. He knew what happened... At least he thought so. But he couldn't put them into words. It wasn't that he didn't know the words, but that he absolutely could not form anything in his head.
"I felt really light-headed when I got back to the campfire... I was only a few steps from it... and I, uh, I heard a sound?"
"What did it sound like?"
"Um... it sounded like a low voice, repeating something at me. When I said it... I... I..."
"What did it say?"
"Um... it sounded like... Tor?"
"Tor?"
"Yeah... I had never heard that word before. But when I said it, it felt like I was being thrown backwards... or maybe I was falling...?"
"Did anything else happen?"
"Yeah... while I was falling, I saw this... realm around me? It was a strange colour, and I saw these weird... threads of something and flashes of my memories."
Bene was quiet for a moment. In deep contemplation, as shown by his now furrowed brow.
"You said Tor correct?"
"Yeah... twice..."
"Twice!?"
"Yeah...?"
Lukas had never heard Bene this shocked before. Bene rarely showed emotion, he was always a cold and distant person. So to hear him this shocked, both surprised and worried Lukas.
"Listen, when you approached the campfire, you took a couple of steps and collapsed. I never heard you say Tor, let alone twice."
"Well before I said it, I just got to the campfire and you asked me if I was all right... Then after I said it I was a few steps away, so I walked back to the campfire... You asked me again if I was alright, in the same way as before... I said it again and the same thing happened... Then I... then I don't remember what happened."
Bene paused for a moment.
"Well, you collapsed. But I don't recall asking if you were all right. I was going to because you didn't look too good. But you never said Tor. What you just experienced was almost certainly the initial awakening of your Frequency. However, due to the rest of what you said, I am unsure as to what it does. I have never heard of a Frequency even remotely similar to it. This coupled with the uniqueness of your aura, I believe we will have to test what it is later. For now, rest until tomorrow. Your Frequency seems to be very draining, so you will need energy."
Lukas rested for the remainder of the day, as Bene advised.