Kael did not stop training.
Even after Lyra ended the session, he remained outside, focusing on the sensation of the restriction and how it altered his interaction with the field. The more he worked with it, the more he began to understand its limitations.
It didn't remove his ability.
It filtered it.
He stood still, concentrating as he reached for the alignment again.
The moment formed.
Faint.
Distant.
But still present.
Kael adjusted his approach.
Instead of reaching directly for the alignment, he traced the space around it, following the edges of the sensation rather than the center.
The effect was subtle.
But it changed something.
The alignment stabilized slightly, becoming easier to hold without forcing it.
Kael frowned, focusing more intently.
"…That's not supposed to work," he said.
Lyra stepped closer, her gaze sharpening.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm not pushing against the restriction," Kael replied. "I'm moving around it."
Lyra studied him carefully.
"That should not be possible."
Kael let out a quiet breath.
"Yeah," he said. "I'm starting to hear that a lot."
He tested it again, refining the movement further.
The alignment held longer this time.
Not stronger—
But clearer.
Kael lowered his hand slowly, his expression thoughtful.
"…The limit isn't where they think it is," he said.
Lyra did not respond immediately.
When she did, her voice was quieter than before.
"No," she said.
Kael glanced back toward the city, where the authority figures remained.
"They're trying to restrict the output," he continued, "but the problem isn't the output."
Lyra's gaze remained fixed on him.
"It's the connection," she said.
Kael nodded.
That was exactly it.
The restriction wasn't stopping him.
It was only delaying him.