Essence Control Training

As the blizzard subsided, Ethan was panting, sweat dripping from his brow. Aria, though momentarily thrown off balance, steadied herself, her face fierce with admiration.

 Aria stepped forward, her posture shifting from adversary to mentor. "You have potential, Ethan. Your ability to manipulate ice is impressive, especially for someone who has just awakened their powers. But to truly excel at the academy, you'll need to master not only your abilities but your instincts as well."

"Instincts?" Ethan asked, curiosity sparking within him.

"Yes. Your power is an extension of yourself. It responds to your emotions, your thoughts. The more you practice, the more you'll understand how to channel your Essence effectively," she explained, her tone serious. "That means training your mind as much as your body."

Ethan contemplated her words, recognizing the truth in them. The power he felt surging through him was exhilarating, but he understood that it could be dangerous if not controlled.

"Not bad for your first day," she admitted, a proud smile breaking through her competitive facade. "But remember, in a real fight, you won't have time to think. You need to react."

Ethan nodded, "I'll keep that in mind", while catching his breath as he steadied himself.

"Also one more thing" Aria added, "you can't keep drawing essence every time you want to use your power, sometimes you'll not have time for that"

"What do you mean", Ethan asked curiously.

"When you turn essence into your ice power, where do you feel it is happening in your body?" Aria asks, deliberately trying to give Ethan the answer.

Ethan felt dumb since he never really focused on it, for him it just happened. Feeling the essence enter his body now he felt a chill next to his heart, "in my chest, right here" Ethan said as he pointed at the right side of his body near his clavicle.

"Good" Aria nodded in agreement ". Now, that is your core, it's the most important thing for an essence user, now close your eyes and channel the essence in to your core and keep it there, don't turn it into ice nor let it go free."

As flabbergasted as he was, Ethan instantly pulled more Essence into his body but this time, he only tries to keep it in, not doing anything with it. "Ok I think I got it" he said excitingly.

"Good, now take two minutes for yourself and fill up your core, after that we go again" Aria said with a wicked anticipated look.

"Alright, but don't blame me when you lose" Ethan jokingly said, while puffing his chest as he believed he now had a shot

Aria raised an eyebrow, impressed by his eagerness. "Alright. But this time, let's raise the stakes. I'll use my full power, and you show me everything you've got. Think of it as a warm-up for the real training."

Ethan nodded, adrenaline surging at the challenge. He could feel the energy around them, the Essence humming in the air. With a deep breath, he summoned the icy tendrils again, readying himself for her next move.

As they engaged once more, the gymnasium transformed into a whirlwind of power and skill. Aria unleashed a series of sonic waves, each blast sharp and precise, cutting through the air like a blade. Ethan countered with icy barriers, desperately trying to deflect her attacks while creating openings for his own.

"Focus, Ethan!" Aria shouted, dodging his ice shards while retaliating with a resonant pulse that sent vibrations through the ground. "Don't just react—anticipate!"

Ethan struggled to keep up, but he remembered her advice. He tuned into the rhythm of her movements, feeling the cadence of her power. As she charged again, he drew Essence from the air around him, creating a shimmering wall of ice that absorbed her sonic attack. The impact reverberated through him, but he held his ground, determined not to falter.

"Good! Now strike back!" Aria encouraged, her voice cutting through the noise.

Seizing the opportunity, Ethan shaped the ice wall into a spear and hurled it toward her. Aria sidestepped, her reflexes honed, but he wasn't done. In one fluid motion, he conjured a wave of frost, aiming to slow her down.

As the icy mist enveloped the space, Aria adjusted, her laughter ringing out. "Not bad, but you'll have to do better than that!"

"Better?" Ethan exclaimed, excitement propelling him forward. He focused, feeling the Essence pulse within him, calling him to harness more power. With a flick of his wrist, he turned the mist into a swirling cyclone of ice, swirling around Aria like a storm.

She grinned, a glimmer of challenge in her eyes. "Now you're thinking!"

With a sudden burst of energy, Aria launched herself into the air, sending out a series of sonic waves that cut through the ice cyclone, shattering it into a million glimmering shards. The shards sparkled in the air like falling stars, and Ethan watched in awe as she gracefully maneuvered through the chaos, her movements fluid and powerful.

"Impressive!" she shouted as she landed lightly on her feet. "But you need to think defensively, too!"

Ethan understood her point. He quickly erected a barrier of ice around himself, reinforcing it with the Essence he had stored within his core. Just as he finished, Aria charged at him, her sonic energy crackling with intensity. The impact of her attack resonated through the barrier, but Ethan held firm, gritting his teeth against the force.

"Good! Now counter!" Aria shouted, backing off momentarily.

With renewed determination, Ethan responded, channeling all his focus into creating a massive wave of ice that surged toward Aria. It was a bold move, a culmination of everything he had learned in their short sparring session.

Aria dodged gracefully, but not before Ethan could conjure a series of smaller ice spikes that shot up from the ground, forcing her to retreat further. He could feel the power coursing through him, the Essence harmonizing with his movements. This was what it meant to wield power—an exhilarating dance of strength and strategy.

As the fight continued, Ethan lost track of time, each clash igniting a fire within him. He and Aria moved like two dancers locked in a fierce ballet, ice and sound intertwining in a dazzling display. He felt alive, the thrill of combat sharpening his senses, each moment bringing clarity and purpose.

"Now you're getting it!" Aria shouted, her voice echoing through the gymnasium. "Use your surroundings! The environment can amplify your powers!"

Ethan's mind raced as he absorbed her words. He glanced around, spotting the training dummies scattered throughout the room. An idea struck him. He quickly conjured a thick layer of ice, sending it crashing down onto a dummy, which shattered under the impact.

"Great! Now use that ice to your advantage!" Aria encouraged, a competitive edge in her voice.

Ethan's heart raced. He transformed the remains of the dummy into a series of small projectiles, launching them at Aria. She laughed, the sound vibrant and filled with energy as she danced away, avoiding the shards with ease.

"You'll have to do better than that!" she taunted, her own sonic blasts carving paths through the icy debris.

But Ethan was undeterred. He sensed the energy within him surging, an unquenchable thirst for growth. With a deep breath, he focused, allowing the Essence to guide his movements. He used the shards to create a barrier around himself while simultaneously sending more projectiles toward Aria.

As the two forces collided, a shockwave erupted through the gymnasium, the air thick with energy. Ethan felt invigorated, each strike strengthening his resolve. He was no longer just reacting; he was becoming one with his powers.

"Now you're really showing promise!" Aria shouted, her eyes bright with exhilaration. "But let's see how you handle this!"

With a fierce determination, she unleashed a powerful sonic wave, a shockwave of sound that reverberated through the gymnasium. Ethan braced himself, feeling the vibrations shake his very core.

Channeling his Essence, he created a thick shield of ice in front of him. The sonic wave slammed against it, the impact resonating with a thunderous roar. Ethan gritted his teeth, pushing against the force with every ounce of strength he had.

"Stay strong!" Aria urged, her voice cutting through the chaos.

Ethan focused, pouring his Essence into the shield, reinforcing it with the energy he had gathered. The shield crackled, but it held, deflecting the wave of sound back toward Aria, who had to dodge the rebound with impressive agility.

"Nice work! But remember, it's not just about defense. You need to counterattack while maintaining your guard!"

Ethan nodded, absorbing her guidance. He conjured a series of ice blades, launching them in rapid succession toward Aria, each one a test of precision and timing.

As the blades hurtled toward her, she spun gracefully, deflecting them with sonic waves, the sound slicing through the air like a knife. The two of them moved in perfect synchrony, their powers clashing and dancing around each other, a beautiful chaos of ice and sound.

"Keep it up, Ethan!" Aria encouraged, her laughter ringing out amidst the fight. "You're doing great!"

With a newfound sense of confidence, Ethan pushed forward, drawing more Essence from the environment. He concentrated on the space around them, feeling the vibrations of the air, the pulse of the ground beneath his feet. He was beginning to understand the interconnectedness of it all—the Essence flowing through everything.

In a final surge of determination, Ethan raised both hands, creating a colossal wave of ice that surged toward Aria. She met his challenge head-on, unleashing her sonic

power in a breathtaking clash of sound and ice. The gymnasium erupted into a brilliant explosion of energy, a dazzling display of their powers in a perfect storm of chaos.

As the dust settled, Ethan found himself panting again, exhilaration coursing through him. He looked at Aria, who stood a few feet away, breathless but smiling.

"Impressive Ethan, You've come a long way in just one session," she said, her tone a mix of respect and encouragement. "You've got a natural talent for this. Just keep pushing yourself, and you'll grow stronger."

Ethan couldn't help but grin, pride swelling in his chest. "Thanks, Aria. I'm ready to learn more!"

Korin, who had been observing from the sidelines, stepped forward, a proud smile on his face. "Well done, both of you. That was a fantastic demonstration of power and skill."

As Ethan caught his breath, he realized that this was only the beginning of his journey. With mentors like Korin and Aria by his side, he was more determined than ever to master his powers and honor his parents' legacy. The path ahead was challenging, but Ethan was ready to embrace it, one step at a time.

"Now Ethan that was great practice, and there is more to come but first let's get some food… and a new shirt" Korin laughed at the exhausted, sweaty, wounded, kid that seem like he just return from war.

Aria laughed wholeheartedly since the kid did seem like he need a year of sleep to recover, but deep down they both new, Ethan was no regular boy, his talent at 13 years old was too much for both of them.

"He almost got me there" Aria whispered to Korin as Ethan went aside to change to the THOE academy shirt korin just brought him.

"He really is scary isn't he, a fast learner for sure. I guess this is what happened when you let two beasts have a child" korin replied back.

"I will make him scarier if you give me a raise" Aria smiled with half her face and with the second gave a penetration look.

"We will talk about that" he rolled his eye while looking at Ethan's whereabouts as he walked towards them, still in an awe of the kids performance as his second day with his powers.