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The atmosphere in the training yard had shifted, becoming charged with a mixture of anxiety and determination. The challenge of forming the bridge between the lower and middle dantian had taken a toll on many of the rookies. The emotional intensity of the process was something none of them had anticipated. It was as if their hearts were being laid bare, every hidden feeling and unresolved conflict surging to the surface.
Thanos felt the weight of it all pressing down on him, but he forced himself to focus. The connection between his lower dantian and his heart pulsed with raw energy, a river of emotions threatening to overflow. He could sense the struggles of the other soldiers around him, their breaths ragged and uneven as they fought to maintain control.
Sheila's calm, authoritative voice cut through the tension once more. "You've taken the first step toward mastering your emotions. What you felt was a surge of everything you've kept buried—fears, desires, regrets. It's normal to be overwhelmed, but you must learn to channel that energy. Emotional strength is as crucial as physical power. Now, we will proceed to the next step: forming the bridge to your upper dantian, the mind."
The mention of the mind's connection sent a ripple of unease through the group. If connecting with their hearts had been this difficult, what awaited them when they tried to bridge the gap to their minds?
Thanos straightened his posture, pushing his doubts aside. He closed his eyes again, centering himself. Sheila had said this journey was a solitary one, and in this moment, he understood why. No one else could do this for him. It was his struggle alone.
Begin by stabilizing your breath," Sheila instructed. "Let it flow naturally, in harmony with the rhythm of your Qi. Feel the energy in your lower and middle dantian, and when you are ready, gently guide it upward, towards the center of your forehead and let your upper dantian be forrmed.
Do not rush. This process requires precision and patience."
Thanos took a deep breath, feeling the Qi in his lower dantian stabilize before slowly guiding it upwards. The energy flowed like a stream, moving through the bridge to his heart and then ascending toward his mind. As it reached his upper dantian, he felt a sharp clarity, as if a fog had lifted from his thoughts. His mind, once clouded with doubts and fears, now felt sharp and focused.
But the clarity came with its own challenges. The thoughts that had been suppressed, the insecurities he had buried, all began to surface. He saw flashes of his past—his parents, the day they told him they were proud of him for choosing the path of a soldier, the uncertainty in their eyes as they tried to mask their fear for his future. He saw Darius King again, but this time, the scene played out differently in his mind. The mech was winning, Darius was losing, and the city was burning. The fear of failure gripped him, threatening to unravel the connection he had just formed.
"Steady your mind!" Sheila's voice was a lifeline, pulling him back from the edge. "Do not let your fears control you. A strong mind is one that can see the truth without being overwhelmed by it. Accept what you see, but do not let it dominate your thoughts."
Thanos gritted his teeth, focusing on Sheila's words. He acknowledged the fears, the doubts, but he didn't let them take control. Instead, he let them pass through him, like leaves in the wind. The clarity returned, and this time, the depressing thoughts returned once more. He tried to hold on to reality, tried to focus on Instructor Sheila's voice, but he was pulled in by his thoughts.
Thanos found himself in new age city facing off the mech that had attacked the police department and was laying waste to the city, and this time there was more of them!!
The invasion has begun, a full scale war between humanity and the alien enemy.
The enemy battle ships blew up buildings and layed waste to the land beneath them. He and his team did their best to fend of the enemy but.... They all dropped dead one by one, he watched them die. Darius came to protect him and he fell too. He looked up with fear in his heart as the foot of a mech threatened to crush him underneath its feet.....
He opened his eyes gasping for air. He stared at his hands, they were trembling, he had never felt more fear in his life before. Or rather he had, but he kept it buried deep down.. .... ....the fear of failure, of not being enough when he is needed the most.
Sheila Obarisiagbon spoke, "Your journey as a cultivator hasn't truly started until you win the first battle of your mind, this is where you will be left alone, I will be here to pull you out when you fall too deep, but the fight is yours to fight alone"
Around him, the others were also struggling, some more visibly than others. He heard the sharp intake of breath from Shino beside him, the quiet whimpers of those who were losing their battle against their inner turmoil. Yet there were also sounds of success—steady breathing, calm exhalations, signs that some had managed to form the bridge successfully. One of which was non other than Seth Gordon.
Seth Gordon, the Vice Grand Commander's son. Thanos noticed the calm in Seth's demeanor, the controlled rise and fall of his chest. There was something about him—an air of unshakeable confidence that Thanos couldn't fathom, even as it ignited a spark of rivalry. Seth was the genius everyone spoke of, the one expected to lead them all. But Thanos had no intention of being left behind. If Seth could do it, so could he.
He closed his eyes and tried again, and again he failed. He opened his eyes once again gasping for breath realizing that this ... Was not going to be easy...