I woke up with a sharp jolt of pain running through my entire body. The cold of the pavement seeped through my clothes, and every breath was a reminder of the punishment my body had taken.
In front of me, kneeling in the middle of the alley, was Tenzin.
He didn't say anything. He just watched me with that severe, ancient expression he always wore.
—Tenzin…— I tried to say, but my voice came out as barely more than a whisper.
The pain forced me to close my eyes for a moment.
—Don't speak yet.
I opened my eyes again and looked at him, confused.
—You shouldn't feel ashamed. The boy you fought wasn't ordinary. He's a user of spiritual energy… although, judging by the way he uses it, it's obvious he doesn't know that himself.
Those words took a moment to settle in my mind.
—Spiritual… energy?— I murmured.
Tenzin placed a hand on my chest. The moment he did, his expression changed; his eyes widened slightly, a mix of surprise and confirmation.
—You did it!
—Did what?— I asked with difficulty.
—You now possess spiritual energy, and not a small amount. For the time you went without gathering it, I don't understand how or exactly when, but you accumulated a considerable quantity all at once.
I took a deep breath and, pausing often, explained everything that had happened the mission, the reward, and the surge of energy that had passed through me days earlier.
Tenzin listened in silence, without interrupting.
—This system of yours never ceases to surprise me.
He stood up slowly.
—But the origin doesn't matter. What matters is that we can finally move forward. Now I can truly teach you how to control spiritual energy.
Carefully, he helped me to my feet and took me home. I spent the rest of the weekend recovering.
By Monday, I could move normally again, though my body still felt heavy.
That Monday night, Tenzin called me quietly and we went out together. We walked to a nearby river, to an old tree far from the city, where the sound of the water drowned out everything else.
—This place will do— he said, stopping at the riverbank.
He motioned for me to sit.
—Spiritual energy is neither brute force nor magic. It is the extension of your will through what makes up reality. It circulates with you, responds to your mental state, and manifests when the mind learns to sense it.
—Once your body has it, it naturally uses it to reinforce itself—to increase strength, speed, or recover more quickly from damage. It isn't magic; it's limited to your body. But everything begins with feeling it.
—Then how is it that you can create fire or things like that?— I asked, not fully understanding.
—It's simple. That only happens during your second awakening. There are only three known awakenings. The first is when your body becomes aware of spiritual energy and uses it naturally. The second is when your mind can manipulate it through your desires, allowing you to control a unique ability, known to everyone as an Anhelion.
—What about the third awakening?
—If awakening is already rare for humans, reaching the third awakening is a complete anomaly. The third awakening occurs when one achieves a deep understanding of their desires and how they use their Anhelion, causing it to evolve into something more.
Tenzin sat behind me and placed his hand on my back.
—For some reason, your body doesn't naturally use the energy you already have, so I'll help make it circulate until your body learns how to do it on its own. You'll feel it as if every vein in your body is being swept by a surge of electricity. Remember that sensation.
I closed my eyes, and in an instant I could feel every part of my body, as if I were conscious of the blood flowing through my veins.
—You should be feeling it now. Stand up and throw a punch at that old tree.
I opened my eyes and stood up. Facing the tree, I threw a straight punch with all I could muster.
The moment my fist touched the surface of the tree, it went straight through the trunk without my arm suffering any damage.
I stood there, frozen.
—That was spectacular, haha…
—Your first spiritual energy strike. Your technique is garbage, but it's a start.
For the first time since everything began, I felt something other than fear or confusion. I felt that I had taken my first real step.
—Now do a thousand more!