The old woman brought the two somewhere in the middle of the forest. “We are going to train here. We are going to learn the first three basics, afterwards the most important thing comes.”

  She sat down at a stone beginning to explain. “Before we start the training, I better explain to you what this is your about to learn, everyone has a soul. And soul has energy to make it simple: you’re just learning to control your soul’s energy. In fact, it’s nothing different than what you know has maybe chi or aura, name it however you want. Veylan already knows a little of the first basic: being able to let out your soul’s energy, if you can do this the two other basics are basically just controlling the energy you let out.”

  Both were curious, especially Riven “But how are we going to learn this, beside that why does this energy feels so threatening?” The old woman replied “Don’t be so impatient! But I think I should explain more what the use of letting out your aura is. There is multiple. You can threaten people, but the type of threat is different depending on the intent and personality. One other underrated aspect in my opinion is being able to feel, by letting out the energy you can feel. Objects, humans and other animals. Even with texture and size, at a certain level some people claim to even feel fear and other strong emotions with it. But about how you are going to learn it, there are unfortunately not many ways. I prefer a mix of multiple methods. Sit down and meditate! Try to find energy inside, concentrate on it!”

  Veylan found his energy pretty quickly, Riven on the other hand had problems. After hours trying to concentrate without success Riven thought he is maybe incapable of learning it “Am I doing something wrong? Is it maybe not possible for me?” He thought while hyperventilating. The old lady noticing it said “Like I have already said, patients! Besides that, Veylan is much further because he already could do it. But maybe it’s also the method, I like to categories it into two how to learn it. Calm concentration, meditating for example. Or life threatening. Maybe you need danger and many emotions?”

  For Veylan mediating worked well, Riven went into a cave that shouldn’t have dangerous threats. “This going to get interesting…sigh…” From a dark corner something fast flew in his direction, he turned around and there he could feel it: his soul. Even though it was a bat the emotion was real “So this is how it should feel like…interesting…”

  Even though he already walked deep into the cave for minutes he didn’t encounter any really dangerous threats “Was the old hag maybe tripping? Is this the right cave?” Mumbling this he found a completely black cat, Riven, seeing it he patted it and almost wanted to cuddle with it. Until it slowly goes away, like it’s asking Riven to come with him. A tunnel later in little cave room the cat brought him to a room full of other cute black cats. After padding and playing with all of them he realized “Shit, I should’ve encountered some threats. By kitties!”

  Turning around a cat blocked his way, nonnormal. A cat almost as tall as Riven looking like it’s about to attack. “Oh, fuck. Don’t tell that’s your kids…” There was one problem only the fewest would’ve think in this situation, most would think how they could kill or escape it. But he was thinking differently “If I kill it those kittens need to survive without someone taking care…” Before the big cat even attacked, he almost cried because he didn’t know what to do. There he felt it again, his soul energy.

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  Ultimately Riven just sneaked past the big cat and ran again up. He was not even an hour in there but at least he could show the old lady a little bit of his energy even though she almost couldn’t feel it.

  After Veylan was done practicing, trying to spread out his energy as much as he could the old woman said “Good, good, you’re an owl…” Both Riven and Veylan were confused about what she meant.

  Next day nothing changed, Veylan continued meditating and Riven went again into the cave.

  Deeper in than yesterday he found a little cliff like thing in the cave. “How deep is that? Maybe something like eight Veylan′s?” right as he found of this the part of the cliff broke and fell down all the way down.

  “Shit…” As he stood up, he noticed he fortunately didn’t suffer any injuries, but it was deeper than he expected. Even the tendril arms reach was too low to get back up from there. “Well, I have no other option, don’t I?” He could’ve go either left or right, he went right.”

  The path leads further down, while slowly the water level rises and rises until it is at chest level. After a while the path almost disappears “Sigh…I think the only to come further is if dive for a while, if I lose orientation. I am dead.”

  After mentally preparing it began.

  Only after seconds under water, he reached a flow like state, even though he couldn’t take a breath it was quite comfortable down there. But then. He felt something pulling his feet. Began to fidget and kick around like his crazy but it wasn’t letting go.

  As he touched his ankle to look at what, it was something like a hand.

  This scared the fuck out of him, some see grass or something else would’ve calmed him down but this, it was so terrifying for, he began to scream under water. This was how he managed to let out his aura for the first time; he could even see his aura and tried to control it towards the hand. It was letting go of him and he managed to get throw the diving stage.

  As he calmed down again, he thought “Did I just? Is this my soul energy?” He was so fascinated he tried it and succeeded, from his chest and fingertips he managed to get a little bit out. There he realized she was right! It was really the training method while I couldn’t do it!”

  Meanwhile Veylan has the same problem now. “Something is wrong…it feels like I don’t make any progress anymore…am I doing something wrong?” He asked the old lady. “I also noticed but it’s no wonder the stronger you get the harder it’s going to be to make progress without any items. All the strongest people never could’ve achieved such a strength with pure training, what really boosts soul energy so much are items! Besides that, you just completed the Alecti exam. Did you maybe have while exam some boost of your energy through whatsoever?”

  An explanation later from Veylan the old lady was just saying “So, so, it’s okay…to be honest, I think your soon ready for the next but don’t get too cocky. Your friend is soon going to make huge progress! I feel it…”

  Riven finally being able to use his energy for the first time went on in the cave, it was almost addicting making so much progress in so short time.