As they continued, the landscape changed. They passed a winding river, its crystal-clear waters reflecting the sky and birds flying in formation. They crossed an old wooden bridge that creaked under their weight. Forest animals peeked out from the bushes to watch the unusual race.
Exhaustion eventually overcame Kayn. His legs grew heavy. Unable to continue, he stumbled and fell to his knees, planting his hands on the ground to catch his breath. He let himself collapse onto the soft grass, staring up at the clear sky.
Finn stopped a few meters away, turning back with a serene smile on his face. He walked calmly toward Kayn, as if he hadn't been running at all, and stopped in front of him.
"You're a cheater," Kayn managed to say between gasps, lifting his gaze to meet the elf's eyes. "I'm sure you were using magic. There's no way you're that fast."
Finn smiled, clearly enjoying Kayn's frustration. His carefree demeanor reminded Kayn a little of his father.
"Good observation. I've been using wind magic to propel myself. I thought it would make it easier for you to catch me if I did that instead of strengthening myself with anima."
Wait, he could go faster than that? Seriously?
"Anyway, I never intended for you to catch me," the elf added, sitting down on a nearby rock. "I just needed to tire you out a bit."
"Why would you need me to exhaust myself before training? That makes no sense."
Finn interlocked his fingers, resting his elbows on his knees.
"Before we begin, you need to understand something fundamental," he said, placing a hand on his chest. "Anima is a radiant energy that resides in our bodies and flows through us at all times. Even right now, it's dispersed everywhere."
"Flowing through my body?" Kayn murmured, holding his hands in front of his face and examining them curiously. "I don't see anything."
"Don't worry, you will," Finn replied. "As I mentioned earlier, when anima isn't infused with mana, it's much more unstable. To use this power properly, you need to keep it under your control at all times. And the first step is to become aware of your anima. In other words, you need to feel it if you want to use it."
"Feel it? How am I supposed to do that?"
The elf stood up, extending a hand to help Kayn rise.
"Humans have a natural aptitude for this, so I don't think it'll be too difficult for you. We'll start with a simple exercise." He pointed to a large rock beneath the shade of a nearby oak tree. "First, I want you to sit there."
Kayn took Finn's hand and stood up, his legs still trembling slightly. He walked to the rock and settled onto it, feeling its cold, smooth surface beneath him.
"Now close your eyes and focus on your senses. Try to feel the energy flowing within you. Don't worry if you can't sense it right away—this is just the first step."
Obeying, Kayn closed his eyes and took a deep breath. At first, he only noticed the air filling his lungs, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, and the gentle whisper of the wind brushing against his skin. But after a few minutes, something else began to emerge. A warm sensation coursed through his body, startling him and causing him to lose focus. Surprised, he opened his eyes.
"Well?" Finn asked, watching him closely. "Did you feel it?"
"Yes… It was like a faint flame warming me from the inside."
"Congratulations. You've managed to sense your anima."
"That was easier than I thought," Kayn said, a hint of arrogance creeping into his voice. Finn didn't seem bothered.
"Don't get too comfortable. The real training starts now," Finn murmured with a mischievous smile Kayn didn't notice.
"Now that you've sensed your anima, the next step is learning to control it without losing focus. To do this, I need you to compress all that energy into a single point in your body. For now, try to gather all your energy in one place. You'll need to maintain it for a full minute."
Kayn nodded and closed his eyes again. He tried to feel the warm sensation from before. The energy began to move within him, swirling like a turbulent river flowing in multiple directions. Controlling it proved more challenging than he had anticipated. He took a deep breath, attempting to calm the storm.
He began guiding the anima to a single point, forming a luminous sphere within himself. However, the energy wavered and fluctuated as if it had a will of its own, resisting his control.
"I think I almost have it…"
A sudden sharp pain in his head shattered his concentration. The blow caught him off guard, destabilizing his anima. The energy dispersed chaotically through his body, leaving him breathless and staggering forward.
"What are you doing?" Kayn exclaimed, rubbing his head and glaring at Finn in disbelief.
"You mustn't lose focus for even a second. If I see your anima starting to become unstable, even slightly, I'll hit you. Understood?"
"Couldn't you have told me that before you hit me?" Kayn protested.
"What fun would that be?"
The sun climbed higher in the sky as Kayn repeated the exercise over and over, failing each time and earning another hit from Finn. Fatigue began to take its toll, but he refused to give up.
At one point, he felt he was close to succeeding. His breathing was heavy, and sweat dripped down his forehead, but he remained focused. Finn stood beside him, watching closely for any sign of fluctuation in his anima. Just as Kayn thought he had finally succeeded, the energy wavered for a moment.
Damn it.
"Twenty seconds."
Without hesitation, Finn delivered another blow, this time to Kayn's abdomen. The impact completely disrupted his concentration, causing his anima to scatter violently throughout his body.
"I almost had it!" Kayn shouted in frustration. He struggled to stand, searching Finn's face for some hint of approval, but found only the same impassive expression.
"That's enough for today," Finn said, standing up from the rock he'd been sitting on. "You've been overusing your anima."
"What are you talking about? I'm fine."
He tried to get to his feet, but his legs gave out beneath him. Exhaustion coursed through his body, forcing him back to the ground.
"See? That's what happens when you fail to control your anima's flow. It escapes your body without serving any purpose, draining your energy. Before you can wield that power, you need to control it so nothing goes to waste." Finn turned, heading toward the house. "Come on, you'd better rest. That wound of yours won't heal if you keep pushing yourself."
Kayn watched Finn's back as he walked away. He knew the elf was right, but frustration and fatigue clouded his thoughts. Accepting defeat, he decided it was best to stop for now.
The sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and gold. Kayn pushed open the door to the house, and a warm, comforting aroma enveloped him, reminding him that he hadn't eaten since breakfast. He had been too focused on training to think about food.
He collapsed into a chair at the worn wooden table. Finn approached and placed a steaming bowl of stew in front of him, much like the one he'd had that morning.
"Eat something. You need to regain your strength."
Kayn nodded silently, taking the spoon with trembling hands. The warm steam brushed against his face, but before taking his first bite, his thoughts drifted elsewhere. He remembered dinners with his family, the shared laughter, and the warmth of home—now distant echoes. A hollow ache settled in his chest. He lifted his gaze and saw Finn sitting on the old sofa, a newspaper in his hands.
"Aren't you going to eat?" Kayn asked.
"Don't worry about me. You worked hard today, so you need it more than I do. Besides, I'm not that hungry."
"It's still not enough," Kayn muttered, stirring the stew as he watched the chunks of meat and vegetables swirl in the broth. "I need to push myself harder."
"You shouldn't pressure yourself so much. Controlling your anima isn't something you can master overnight."
A heavy silence filled the room, broken only by the crackling of the fire. Kayn sighed, glancing at the dancing flames and losing himself in thought. After a moment, he spoke without taking his eyes off the fire.
"There's something I've been wondering... Why do you live here alone? I thought elves usually lived together in hidden forest villages."
Finn stared at the newspaper for a few seconds, seemingly ignoring Kayn's question. Finally, he set it aside, leaning back against the sofa.
"I used to live in an elven village not far from here. But that was a long time ago."
"Why did you leave?"
"We simply didn't share the same views. I felt that if I stayed any longer, I would regret it sooner or later," Finn replied.
Kayn remained silent, sensing he had touched on a sensitive topic, but he still wanted to know more about Finn.
"Did you ever think about going back?"
Finn sighed, looking out the window where the first stars were beginning to appear.
"I tried, but the place I left behind no longer exists. I have no idea what happened to my companions. Maybe the village was destroyed, or they moved to another forest. Perhaps it's better this way. I don't mind how things are now."
Kayn nodded, understanding Finn's situation. He set aside his questions and focused on finishing his stew. When he was done, he stood and headed toward the door leading to the bedroom. Before crossing the threshold, he glanced back at Finn.
"Good night."
"Rest well," Finn replied, setting down the newspaper. "Tomorrow will be another tough day."
Kayn offered a faint smile and nodded. He stepped through the door and entered the bedroom. The space was simple but cozy: a bed with thick blankets, a small window letting in the moonlight, and a table with an unlit candle.
He sank onto the mattress, feeling every muscle protest from the day's training. Closing his eyes, his mind remained active, replaying the events of the day.
"Tomorrow, I'll get it right."
The night had already taken over the land. Kayn lay on the bed, staring at the wooden ceiling. The distant murmur of the trees did little to calm his restless mind. He needed to find a way to focus his anima, and sleep wouldn't give him the answer; he needed to understand what he was missing. He wanted to try again.
He sat up carefully, sliding his legs off the bed, trying not to make any noise. The room was dimly lit, illuminated only by the silvery moonlight filtering through the cracks in the window. Slowly, he opened the door, listening to the faint creak of the hinges, a whisper in the stillness of the house. He held his breath, hoping not to wake anyone.
As he passed through the living room, he saw Finn sleeping soundly on the sofa, wrapped in a worn-out blanket. Kayn watched him for a few seconds. While he used the bed, Finn had to sleep on the couch, likely ruining his back. He tiptoed across the room, careful not to make the wooden floorboards creak under his weight. Reaching the entrance, he gently opened the front door, letting the cool night air wash over him. The silence was nearly absolute, interrupted only by the whisper of the wind through the trees and the distant chirping of crickets.
Closing the door behind him, he began walking along the path winding between the tall oaks. He arrived at the clearing where he and Finn had practiced all afternoon. Under the moonlight, it felt different now. He approached the rock and sat down, feeling the cold surface against his bare legs.
"This time, I'll do it," he whispered.
Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath, letting the icy air fill his lungs. He tried to empty his mind, focusing only on the anima flowing through his body like a powerful and rebellious river, refusing to be controlled. He tried to concentrate it in a single point, imagining the energy gathering at the center of his body. But, as with previous attempts, the anima seemed to escape his grasp, flowing freely through his body without obeying him.
The internal pressure exhausted him, a tension spreading from his chest to every part of his body.
"Damn it."
He opened his eyes, panting slightly. Once again, he had failed. He struck the rock with his clenched fist, feeling the hardness against his knuckles.
"There has to be a trick. It's impossible to gather the energy like this."
Then, a soft light caught his attention. He looked up, spotting a group of fireflies hovering nearby, illuminating the darkness with a faint green glow. Their lights flickered in perfect synchrony, creating a hypnotic display. Kayn watched in fascination, noticing how the fireflies didn't seem to force their light; they simply let it flow, a natural part of their essence. An idea began to form in his mind as he watched them dance around him.
"What if...?"
The question lingered in the air. He extended a hand toward the fireflies without touching them, feeling the gentle breeze from their wings. He closed his eyes again. He listened to the beat of his heart, the whisper of the wind, the distant murmur of a stream. He let his anima flow, without forcing it in any way. That was what he had been missing.
The next morning, the first rays of sunlight began filtering through the treetops, bathing the forest in golden hues. Finn walked along the path and stopped when he reached the clearing, spotting Kayn asleep on the moss-covered rock.
"And here I was wondering where you'd gone," Finn sighed, raising an eyebrow at the sight of the boy resting.
Kayn blinked, slowly waking up to the sound of his voice. He let out a long yawn, stretching his arms toward the sky as the morning light warmed his face. His hair was even messier than usual.
"Good morning, Finn," he greeted, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand.
"If I'd known, I would've taken the bed," the elf replied, crossing his arms. "You have no idea how much my back hurts after spending the night on the couch."
"I'm really sorry."
"Don't worry about it," Finn replied. "Now, are you going to explain what you're doing out here? I thought I told you to rest."
"I tried, but I couldn't sleep and came out to practice in the middle of the night. My plan was to go back after a while, but I guess I fell asleep," the boy admitted, scratching the back of his neck.
"I'm not surprised. You must've been exhausted from overusing your anima," Finn sighed, shaking his head. "I warned you not to push yourself too hard. Controlling your anima takes a lot of training, but you also need to rest."
"But I did it."
"Don't worry, I'm sure today you'll—" Finn's eyes narrowed in curiosity and surprise as he processed Kayn's words. "What did you just say?"
"I said I managed to control my anima."
Disbelief spread across Finn's face. He knew Kayn had no reason to lie, but still, he wouldn't believe it until he saw it for himself.
"Show me."
Kayn nodded without hesitation. He sat on the rock, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. Inside him, the anima began to flow smoothly through his body, like water in a calm pond. The energy concentrated into a single point, free of the turbulence that plagued his previous attempts. Finn watched closely, silently counting the seconds, alert for any fluctuation.
"Fifty-eight, fifty-nine, sixty…" Finn stared at Kayn in astonishment. He couldn't believe how much progress the boy had made in just one night. "Incredible. But how did you do it?"
"Last night, while I was practicing, I noticed the flickering lights of some fireflies. I realized that the fireflies simply let their light flow naturally. Until now, I'd been trying to force my anima, but what I really needed to do was let it flow. That way, the anima doesn't build up as much pressure and becomes much easier to control," Kayn explained calmly, leaving his mentor speechless.
"Kayn, how old did you say you were?"
"Fourteen, just turned."
"Look… I don't want to doubt you, but are you absolutely sure this is the first time you've practiced with anima? Have you never trained it before?"
"My father insisted I practice it a lot when I was younger," Kayn admitted with a shrug. "But I always thought I wouldn't need it because I'd get a guardian, so I refused. Now that I've failed the trial, I guess it's the only thing I can learn."
Finn nodded slowly, taking in the weight of Kayn's words. The wind blew, rustling the tree branches and carrying the scent of damp earth.
"For now, let's go have breakfast. You must be drained after using so much of your anima."
"You go ahead," Kayn replied. "There's something I want to try."
"All right, but don't take too long," Finn warned, turning and walking back down the path toward the house.
As he walked away, his mind replayed what he had just witnessed. When he reached the door, he closed it behind him, leaning against it. He let out a sigh he'd been holding back.
"Incredible. In just one night, he's managed to control his anima. Not only that, but he can direct it wherever he wants."
A chuckle escaped his lips. He remembered the first time he'd found Kayn in the forest, drawn by the intensity of his anima. He placed a hand on his forehead, gazing up at the wooden ceiling.
"Training him will definitely be worth it."