Chapter 17: The Energy of the World

Maxim, Daniel, and Lila were sitting in the quiet corner of the library, surrounded by books on ancient history, legends, and fantasy. They had spent hours scouring through the pages, looking for something, anything, that might explain what Maxim was experiencing. It wasn't easy—magic wasn't exactly a common topic in their world, at least not in the real sense.

Maxim flipped through the pages of an old, dusty book. It was titled The Forgotten Arts, a text that claimed to explore long-lost rituals and mysterious phenomena. He wasn't expecting much, but then again, nothing in his life made sense anymore.

"I think I'm starting to understand," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Daniel leaned over, excitement lighting up his face. "What? What did you find?"

Maxim traced his fingers over a passage about energy manipulation. The book spoke of how ancient civilizations believed everything around them had a unique force, a hidden energy, which could be tapped into by those with the knowledge and ability.

"It talks about energy," Maxim said, "but not just any energy—every object, every element has a different kind. That's what I've been feeling when I move things. I can sense the energy inside them."

Lila, sitting opposite them, looked intrigued. "So, you're saying that each thing has its own... signature?"

"Something like that," Maxim replied. "When I lifted that stone, it was like... I could feel its weight, but more than that, I could sense what was inside it. That's why I could move it. But it's not the same for every object."

Daniel raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Maxim paused for a moment, thinking. "It's like... each material has a different kind of energy. When I moved the stone, it was easy because I was in the right state of mind. But when I tried to do it again later, it didn't work, because I wasn't focused in the same way. And then, when I tried with something else, it felt completely different."

"So, it's not just about moving things—it's about understanding them first," Lila said thoughtfully. "You have to know what kind of energy you're dealing with."

"Exactly," Maxim said. "And there's more. I've noticed that the more I use this... ability, the more tired I feel afterward. It's like I'm draining something from myself to make it happen. Like mana in those fantasy games."

Daniel nodded slowly. "You're using your own energy to control the energy in the objects."

Maxim sighed. "Yeah. And it's not unlimited. If I push too hard, I'll collapse."

Lila leaned closer, her eyes narrowing as she studied Maxim's face. "So, you need to figure out how to control it without draining yourself."

Maxim leaned back in his chair, his mind racing. It was all starting to make sense now. The strange sensations, the way objects responded to his touch, and the exhaustion that followed—it all connected to this hidden energy, this force that lay beneath the surface of everything around him. He had to learn how to harness it without burning himself out.

"I think I can," Maxim said finally. "But I'll need practice. Lots of it."

Daniel grinned. "We've got your back, man. Whatever you need."

Lila smiled softly. "We'll figure this out together."

Maxim nodded, feeling a surge of determination. His journey had only just begun, but with every discovery, every revelation, he felt closer to unlocking the full potential of his powers. Now, he just had to learn how to use them without losing himself in the process.

The real training was about to begin.