The Essence

ASHER BLACKWOOD

"You mentioned the Essence, what is it?" I asked, my gaze shifting from one demigod to the other.

Radkiel sighed. "Essence is raw divine energy."

I gasped. "So you mean to tell me that divine energy is what's flowing through my body right now?"

"Yes." Gabriel snorted with his hands folded and his eyebrows frowned, clearly angry at Radkiel.

"I want to know more." I said to Radkiel seeing that Gabriel clearly would not reply to me at all.

A seat took me up from my feet. I was in it already. Radkiel waved his hands and conjured seats for both him and Gabriel as well as a table where a kettle and teacups lay.

They both sat down and then the kettle started moving, pouring tea in each of the teacups.

A teacup floated to each of us. I looked inside and saw that it already had milk in it.

I tasted it and it was sweet. Radkiel smiled as he saw the delight in my eyes.

"Now shall we begin?" Radkiel asked, his eyes becoming serious.

"Yes." I replied with enthusiasm, very eager to know what he had put inside of me.

"Essence is the foundation, it is what you humans would call the fire of creation." Radkiel began.

My eyes moved to Gabriel who didn't move or say anything, he just drank his tea calmly.

"Essence is the omnipresent, omnipotent energy that flows through every aspect of the universe." Radkiel continued with his explanation. "It exists in a state of pure potentiality, awaiting the touch of a conscious mind to shape it into reality."

"Hmm, I still don't get it thoroughly though." I said to him, "What I understand is that it's an energy source and that's it."

"Essence is the raw material with which the gods themselves fashioned the universe."

I stared at my hands. I tried to draw out the new power but failed to do so.

"You won't be able to do anything with it aside from it passively strengthening your body." Gabriel said to me.

"To be able to utilize it, you'll need to have an intricate understanding of it." Radkiel added.

"When do I start?" I asked before drinking from my cup once again.

"Normally, mortals shouldn't be able to use Essence as it severely damages the bodies of normal humans." Radkiel explained.

"But since Radkiel gave you this perfect body, you should be able to handle its power efficiently."

I stared at the body I was given by Radkiel. A demigod that has shown to be capable of doing anything.

If I could learn how to use Essence, then I would be a match for them. My mind raced to Samiel and the others who eradicated my world.

"You still would not be a match for them." Gabriel said, interrupting my thoughts.

"Huh?" I turned to him surprised. "You know it's not appropriate to read other people's minds right?"

"It doesn't matter, you'll be able to do this soon anyway." Gabriel replied.

"Gabriel is right though, Samiel and the other Lords of hell as well as Draneeve are able to use Essence." Radkiel revealed.

"So that's why…?" My mind raced to the feats they were able to perform. With those sort of abilities, they would be able to eliminate me in nanoseconds the way I am now.

"Well, it's good you know that you're no match for them." Gabriel pushed his chair back and got up. "Now. We resume training."

He punched me right in the midsection but for some reason, I didn't feel the pain that much.

I touched my stomach to be sure and I felt absolutely nothing.

"Yes." My gaze shot up and I stared at Gabriel as he continued. "Your body has been strengthened by the Essence."

I went at him again. My body felt exponentially lighter and my speeds I was hitting were far superior than what I was getting previously.

But even at that, Gabriel was able to block all of my attacks with one hand.

I punched and kicked with every piece of kickboxing, karate and taekwondo I knew and it still didn't have an effect.

I ran at him again and he just put a forceful palm on my chest. I saw my body falling but I also saw myself floating.

"Hahaha!" Radkiel laughed from where he sat. I looked down and saw my body on the floor, unconscious.

"What's going on?" My voice echoed. Gabriel's face was unfazed and then with a gesture, I was getting pulled back into my body again.

I inhaled deeply. "What was that?" I asked as I got up. My skull aching.

"I removed your soul from your body." Gabriel replied.

I regained my composure and then I attacked once again. I was still getting used to my new physical characteristics.

I used my martial arts techniques and still wasn't able to land a hit.

I nearly gave up.

I felt the energy flow into my foot but I stopped it short. A giant blast of energy erupted from my foot.

Gabriel clearly surprised, swatted it away with the back of his hand. The outcome of that was a giant crater that was the size of the Jardel continent.

I opened my eyes wide in shock. So this was the power of Essence.

"That's just weak." Radkiel said. He was standing close to me.

"I'm surprised you were able to use it." Gabriel chipped in cleaning the back of his hand.

"What do you mean it's weak?" I said to Radkiel. "But still, I'm not sure I'll be able to use it again."

Radkiel stretched his hand forward, a tiny ball of energy came from his palm.

It flew away from us, and then it started expanding and expanding. Then it exploded.

The destruction was larger than what mine was, it eliminated stars in the distance.

"You destroyed some galaxies in the distance as well." Gabriel commented.

"I know." Radkiel replied and then snapped his fingers.

Everything came back to the way it was, even the giant crater that was created when the energy blast erupted from my foot was removed as well.

Radkiel turned to me and smiled. "This is what you can do with Essence. Everything is within your grasp."

"Shall we formally begin your training?" Gabriel said to me.