Kaoru's hands quaked. He tried to still them. He couldn't. They trembled more.
Rei had trained him for hours. Nights spent in solitary practice. The energy he couldn't master. Tried to control it. It flickered like a dying flame. Bright for a moment then it died out quickly.
Rei watched him. She stood few paces away. Expression was unreadable. She didn't speak much. Hours had slipped past. The pressure to succeed hung in the air. Kaoru felt a heavy weight. It was the weight of her expectations. It pressed on him.
"Focus," Rei's voice broke the silence. It was sharp like a whip. "Do it again."
Kaoru swallowed hard. His throat was dry. His hands were steadied. Inside him heat built up. It was like trying to hold onto a spark in a storm. He reached out mentally. He was searching the familiar pull of the Veil's energy. It remained elusive. Still just out of reach.
"Kaoru," Rei's voice cut his concentration. "You're thinking too much. You're trying to control it. But that's not how it works."
Kaoru opened eyes. Confusion crossed his face. "What do you mean? Isn't the point to control it?"
Rei shook head. "Control is illusion. The energy of Veil doesn't bow to your will. Stop fighting it. Flow with it."
Kaoru frowned with frustration. "Flow with it? How do I do that?"
Rei stepped forward. Her expression softened little. "Think of it like breathing. You don't force body to breathe do you? You don't try to control the air. It just flows through you. Same goes for the Veil. Stop struggling Kaoru. Let energy move through you. You'll be able to harness it."
He stared at her. Still uncertain. Yet, there was something in her words that felt right. He closed his eyes again. Tried to push aside doubts and frustrations. Didn't want to keep failing. He couldn't.
"Clear your mind," Rei continued. "Breathe in. Let energy fill you. You're not forcing it. You're merely letting it in."
Kaoru took deep breath. Tried to quiet thoughts. Pictured energy as water-like fluid. It was flowing and natural. For the first time he tried not to command it. Instead he tried to become a part of it.
Initially there was silence. Then a shift. A flicker. He felt heat, yet this time it didn't feel alien. It felt like it was always there waiting for him to acknowledge. His heart rate slowed. His breath steadied. Energy started moving. It flowed through him similar to a current.
Now he could feel it. He could feel the pulse of the Veil. Air surrounding him shimmered. A faint blue light swirled around his hands. It began as minor. Just a faint glow. But it grew as Kaoru relaxed into flow. He extended his hand. Light surged. It danced across his skin. His eyes widened open in disbelief.
"I… I did it," he whispered, amazed at the energy flowing through him. "I actually did it…"
Rei nodded, her expression softened into a rare, approving smile. "See? I told you. You're stronger than you think."
However, the light flickered quickly. The warmth in his chest faltered. Energy started to ebb. Kaoru's breath quickened. The light around his hands sputtered out.
"Dammit," he muttered, falling to his knees. "Why can't I keep it going?"
"You're still learning," Rei said calmly, crossing her arms. "You're not expected to master it overnight."
Kaoru held tight his fists. Frustration surged within him. "Time is not on our side. Something is approaching, right? The actual conflict is starting. I must be ready."
Rei's gaze became more intense. Her eyes narrowed. "You are correct. This is why I'm motivating you. Yet an important truth must be grasped. Can't rush this. You can't force it. You will burn out. It is about trust. Trust in yourself. Have faith in the Veil."
Kaoru glanced up at Rei. It was a struggle to grasp the implications of her words. "How do I put faith in something as this? It is not natural. It is not like anything I've known."
Rei stepped in his direction. Her expression softened. "I get it. Difficult to put faith in something not fully graspable. Yet this is what Seeker status is about. You are entering a world that exceeds your understanding. Choices must be made, sometimes without all the answers."
Rei paused. Her gaze became more intense. "So when time arrives it's going to feel like only the Veil's power keeping you safe. Trust will be key. Trust that you can handle it. That you can control it. That is essential."
Kaoru nodded with slowness, absorbing her counsel. "I'll attempt."
Rei gave him a small smile nearly invisible. "That is what I seek. Now, let's see if you can hold onto it a bit more."
Kaoru took a deep breath. He cleared his mind again. The Veil's pull persisted. It was stronger. It was like he was connected to something vast. It was something unknowable. He tried again. Energy gathered in his hands. It swirled around his fingers. It looked like liquid light. This time was different. He focused on becoming it. The light brightened. Warmth surged. It didn't flicker out.
He held on. But this time it wasn't with force. It was with patience. His breathing slowed. He focused. Energy flowed naturally. It moved through him. The room lit up with soft fire. He matched his pulse to the rhythm. The first time he truly felt connected to Veil.
He opened his eyes. The light was steady. Energy no longer felt foreign. It felt familiar. Like part of him. Controllable.
"Good" Rei said. Her voice was steady. "Now we're making progress."
Kaoru's heart raced. Chest tightened. It wasn't fear fueling this. It was excitement. There was power. For the first time, he felt he could manage it. No longer just reacting. He was in control.
Rei looked at him sternly. Nodded. Kaoru understood this was just start. Power flowed from the Veil.
He still had much to learn. The real battle was looming ahead. Yet, he was not ready.
To be continued...