I waited patiently for Instructor Kossi — well, Teacher Kossi now — to finish her meal. It took her less than five minutes to finish the entire platter. Her appetite was something to behold or, in this case, scary.

"Alright, kid, you ready?" Teacher Kossi asked. "Go ahead and sit in the middle of the office."

"Understood," I replied without hesitation.

Teacher Kossi watched me with a small smirk as I sat cross-legged on the floor of her office, the barest glint of mischief flashing in her eyes. A cushion had been tossed under me, which she’d laughingly called a “gift.” Her office was a strange place for meditation training, but I had a feeling she did things her own way. Besides, I wasn’t in any position to be picky.

“Alright, Lucien,” she began, crossing her arms and leaning back against her desk. Her gaze was sharp, despite the laid-back look on her face. “We’re going to take a good look at your constitution, your innards… your affinity~.”

I nodded. “Yes, Teacher,” I replied, though I couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at the unusual phrasing.

“Good,” she said, tilting her head to the side with a sly grin. “And with me as your mentor, you’ll either be amazing or hopelessly confused. But hey, that’s the fun, right?”

She was different from most instructors I’d encountered, far more casual than I expected from someone of her rank and power. But that didn’t mean she was any less effective.

Teacher Kossi straightened, stepping closer until she was looming over me, her arms still crossed, that smirk never wavering. “Alright, let’s start. I want you to close your eyes, clear your mind, and then tell me… What do you see?”

Her tone was casual, but I could sense the weight of her expectations.

I closed my eyes, taking a slow breath. The room faded around me, and I focused on clearing my mind, letting go of the thoughts that usually buzzed around in the background. After a few moments, I was left with… well, not much of anything.

“Nothing,” I replied.

Teacher Kossi chuckled. “Nothing? Not even a hint of light? A shadow? Nothing at all?” Her voice had that teasing edge, like she knew something I didn’t.

I hesitated. “Nothing meaningful,” I amended, wondering if I should be seeing something by now.

She leaned down, resting her hands on her knees to look me in the eyes. “Alright, let’s try again, but this time, I’ll be taking a peek inside you,” she said. “Meditation isn’t just sitting around trying to feel peaceful. It’s about depth — finding the layers hidden underneath what you think you already know.”

Taking her advice, I tried again, but this time, I shifted my focus, pushing deeper into the stillness. I let myself fall into the darkness behind my eyelids, feeling the weight of the air around me, the quiet hum of energy I usually ignored. I needed to completely concentrate.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

“So?” she asked. “Do you see anything yet?”

There was something faint this time — not a vision, exactly, but a sensation, like a pulse or a heartbeat that wasn’t my own. I frowned slightly, leaning into it. It wasn’t something I’d noticed before, and it felt… distant. Alien, almost.

“I feel… something,” I murmured, not opening my eyes. “It’s faint, like a heartbeat.”

“Not bad. Now we’re getting somewhere,” she said, a satisfied tone creeping into her voice.

“I can almost reach it…” I said.

“Good,” she said. “That’s the affinity you’re looking for — the first layer, at least. Your affinity is like a quiet river. You’ll need to dive deeper and expand that river.”

I nodded, feeling the weight of her words.

She began to guide me, her voice steady and low. “I want you to think of that pulse as a thread connecting you to the deeper parts of yourself, the parts that don’t rely on sight or sound. Imagine following that thread like a pathway, and let yourself go. Let your mind travel down it, like a swimmer diving into the depths.”

I did as she instructed, focusing on that faint pulse, feeling it grow stronger as I moved deeper into it. It was strange, like I was peeling away layers I hadn’t known were there. There was a clarity in the darkness, a sense of peace I hadn’t felt before.

“Now, tell me, what do you see?” she asked again.

This time, I saw faint glimmers, like stars in a night sky. They flickered in and out of my vision, some closer, some further away, forming patterns I didn’t quite recognize. It felt surreal, yet somehow… right.

“Lights,” I murmured, a note of wonder slipping into my voice. “Like stars, but… different.”

“Good. Those lights represent the pieces of your affinity, waiting to be drawn out. Think of them as seeds you’ll cultivate through this training. This is just the beginning, Lucien. If you want to boost your affinity, you’ll have to come here often, following that thread each time, diving deeper.”

I opened my eyes and looked up at her, my face serious. “And this… this meditation technique, it’ll help me grow?”

She tilted her head thoughtfully, watching me with a steady gaze. “Yes. But it’s not just about becoming stronger. It’s about understanding yourself, your limits, and where your true power lies. However, you can’t rush it.”

I nodded, letting her words sink in. I’d always believed in hard work, in pushing myself to my limits, but I knew she was right. There were no shortcuts here since I was extremely weak right now.

“I understand Teacher,” I replied. “I’ll take my time with this.”

She chuckled, crossing her arms again. “Good. Now, practice this technique daily, preferably after your other training sessions. Don’t expect immediate results, but if you stick to it, you’ll notice a difference.”

I stood up, giving her a small nod. “Thank you, Teacher Kossi. I appreciate it.”

“Don’t thank me yet,” she said with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “You’ll probably hate me by the end of this training. But hey, at least you’ll be stronger. And take this, it might be useful for you.”

She handed me a book, a simple one with no more than a hundred pages. It didn’t seem like anything special, really. As I looked at the cover, the title read Journey of the Orcasuses.

“What’s this?” I asked.

"Just read it," she said, giving me a smirk. "Now get out of here before I teleport you back to the Prism."

“Ha ha…” I replied with a sarcastic laugh, masking my unease. “Then I’ll be off. Thank you again for today.”

With that, she waved me off, already shifting her focus to some paperwork on her desk.