Kael leaned back against the wall of his room, staring at the glowing quest screen hovering in front of him.
Daily Quest:
10 Push-ups
5 Minutes of Meditation
Run 1 Kilometer
Rewards:
+10 Points
"Push-ups and running," he muttered, crossing his arms. "Yeah, I'm leaving those for last."
"Starting with the hardest task, then?" the system chimed in, its tone amused.
Kael shot the screen a glare. "Meditation sounds easy enough. Sit down, do nothing, and boom—done."
"If that's what you think," the system replied lightly.
Kael ignored the comment, sitting cross-legged on the floor. He rested his arms on his knees, closed his eyes, and exhaled dramatically. "See? Easy."
*Five Minutes Later*
Kael cracked an eye open and grinned. "All right, that's gotta be five minutes." He flicked his hand at the screen to check his progress.
Meditation: 0/5 minutes completed.
His grin vanished.
"What?" He leaned closer to the screen, his brow furrowing. "Zero? That can't be right!"
"Oh, it's right," the system said cheerfully. "What you're doing isn't meditation, Kael. You're just… sitting there."
Kael threw his hands up. "You could've told me that before I wasted five minutes!"
"You have all day to figure it out," the system replied, utterly unbothered. "Don't blame me for your impatience."
He groaned, muttering curses under his breath. "Fine. I'll try again."
*Five Minutes Later*
Kael sat perfectly still, his eyes squeezed shut and his face twisted in exaggerated concentration.
When he checked the screen again, it still read:
Meditation: 0/5 minutes completed.
Kael slammed his hands on the floor. "Are you kidding me?! I've been sitting still forever!"
"Sitting still isn't meditation, Kael," the system said, its tone faintly smug.
"Fine! I give up! Just tell me what I'm supposed to do!"
"Pathetic," the system said, though it sounded more amused than disappointed. "But I suppose it's only fair. Otherwise, we'll be here all day."
Kael grumbled something under his breath but kept quiet as the system began its explanation.
"Meditation isn't doing nothing, Kael. It's about focusing inward and taming your thoughts into a single flame. Your ichor flows through you like a river, but right now, it's wild and untrained. You need to calm it. Breathe slowly, focus, and feel for the flame inside you. Feed it. Control it. That's true meditation."
Kael frowned. "A flame, huh? All right. Let's see if this actually works."
Kael closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. At first, his mind wandered, and he felt nothing but frustration. But then he remembered the system's words.
He imagined his ichor as a small flame flickering in his chest—unsteady, wild, and weak.
Slowly, he focused on the rhythm of his breathing, imagining each breath feeding the flame. It grew steadier, warming his body faintly.
*Five Minutes Later*
The quest screen updated with a soft chime.
Meditation: 5/5 minutes completed.
Kael grinned. "Finally!"
"Congratulations," the system said, its voice dripping with sarcasm. "You've successfully done something toddlers in the Twelve Families learn at age three. Truly impressive."
Kael rolled his eyes. "You really know how to ruin a moment, don't you?"
"Always."
Despite the teasing, Kael felt a flicker of satisfaction. It wasn't much, but it was a start. And this time, he wasn't going to stop.