"I'm supposed to do what?" I asked, trying to make sure I'd heard Kalia clearly after finishing yet another training session.
Over a year had passed since we began our training within the dome, and since I discovered what she called the minaiha technique, I found that most of my training revolved heavily around it. She forced me to use it almost every chance I got, hoping it would become second nature to me.
Luckily, with Kalia and Ysevel's help, it had.
"I told you that we need to bring you up to the fourth stage as soon as possible," she began with a shrug. "The way I see it, this technique is something you've been able to hone to its maximum potential in the third stage. So, the next logical step to gaining strength is to break through to the fourth stage by forcibly maintaining your third throughout the day," she concluded, getting a nod of agreement from Ysevel.
"Is that how you did it?" I asked Ysevel, who took a moment to think before answering. "Not exactly like that," she began shaking her head, flicking her braided silver hair back and forth as she did so.
"My mother taught me to use both Ethereal mana and dark mana in increments through meditation. It was actually Siraye who taught me a similar technique to the one Kalia's suggesting. Of course, that was all done behind my mother's back," she replied with a curt giggle.
"But to address Kalia's point, I do think it's a good idea for you to do that, especially now that you can harness it to your current degree during a fight," she continued with a warm smile. "It will also force you to control it better. Staying in the third stage outside of battle is a challenge in and of itself, after all," she said, giving Kalia a wry glance.
"What do you mean by that?" I asked bluntly. "Since your augmented speed in the third stage will not only be used for battle, you'll also have to learn to restrain yourself when performing more menial tasks like eating or drinking," she said with a slight giggle, likely imagining my struggle to eat as a piece of food suddenly soared across the dome.
"I see," I replied pensively, considering the possibilities of what she just said. "Well, when should I start this?" I asked Kalia. "I would have had you start it much earlier, but I wanted to make sure you had mastered it before we moved on," she replied briefly. "Ah, so the past year was merely conditioning me to use it until I reached this point," I said with a prolonged nod.
"Precisely, but you still have much to learn before we fully try to break you into the fourth stage. However, to answer your question from earlier, you can start right now," she said with a gesture. "Alright," I replied, reaching into the Wraith realm.
My eyes began to glow as I observed my surroundings. There wasn't too much of a difference between using Ethereal mana and Wraith mana in the third stage, with the obvious exception of having to tread the line between the mana both existing and not existing in both realms. It was a balancing act that, while in a fight, always seemed to make more sense due to the very nature of combat itself.
However, this was something else entirely.
"So how long do I have to keep this up during each cycle?" I finally asked, noticing that I'd spoken much faster than usual. I could tell I wouldn't like the answer, given the smirk that grew instantly on Kalia's face. "Until you break through the fourth stage," she said wryly. "Even when I'm asleep?" I asked, raising my eyebrows in surprise as I forcibly slowed the movements of my mouth to speak more deliberately.
Is that why Taegin sounds the way he does when he speaks? I thought to myself, noticing the sheer effort it took to do so.
"If you can manage to do it while you sleep, your growth towards the fifth stage will be exponential," Ysevel chimed in. "However, seeing the amount of effort it's taking you just to speak, I think we have a while before that becomes a reality," she continued with a slight chuckle.
"Thanks for the vote of confidence," I said sarcastically. "You only ever grow when you're put under pressure, so think of it as a friendly competition of sorts," she said, kissing me on the cheek. I could feel every part of my skin that her soft lips touched radiating with mana in response. It felt like someone had just put a warm bowl of soup up against my cheek, causing me to rub it slightly.
It was a strange feeling. In a fight, whether it was in training or in actual combat, I could feel every bone and muscle in my body as if it was the only part of my body that I had left to control. However, using the third stage so casually meant that other sensations that weren't usually blocked by the feelings of combat were now intensely amplified.
I feel like that might be a problem, I thought, feeling the blood begin to rush to my face when I realized exactly where my head had gone with my new information.
Ysevel looked at me with a knowing smile, and I could only guess that Kalia had understood what I was feeling through our cores' connection since she suddenly turned her face away awkwardly.
"I-in any case, it's time for dinner," Kalia said to break the silence between the three of us. "Irun, Athar. Time to eat," she called out through the faceplate that immediately covered her face. "Coming, Lady Kalia," Athar called back, just barely managing to block Irun's mana-infused punch. It sent a shockwave across the dome that was palpable even from where we stood.
He's gotten a lot stronger since we first met, I sent Ysevel and Kalia. Indeed, but it's a shame his core was forced into the body of his alternate, Kalia began with a morose tone. It will be difficult for him to be welcome in either realm, now, she continued, observing the playful manner in which Irun wrapped his daemonic arm around Athar's shoulder, shaking him encouragingly as he congratulated him for blocking the attack.
I don't think he's a bad person at heart. I think it's just a matter of him finding where he belongs, I replied with a mental shrug, getting a soft chuckle from Kalia in response. My clan would never accept it if he stayed with us, and even if they did, there would still be those who would look down upon him, she said in a dejected tone.