Though vast and lacking in obstacles, the sparring chamber of the Black Shield base had an ominous and even eerie vibe, given the lack of significant light. Stefan was just barely able to see Gareth standing about five feet from him.

“So this training will make me even stronger?” Stefan asked.

“That’s our objective.” Gareth replied.

“Why didn’t I learn it earlier?”

“Casting is a form of Initiation that consumes a lot of Reserve and tires you out quickly. Even among the Titanians, these techniques are not commonly used. I wanted to wait a few more months for your Reserve to strengthen naturally overtime, but the Anbieter said that after what happened in Marius, he’s not willing to take second chances. If I were in charge of this, I wouldn’t put you in this so soon.”

An image of the living Kroon brother flashed in the boy’s mind. Seeing his apparition ask where his brother was and wondering why he could not fulfill his promise shattered his heart. Another vision of a girl familiar to him crumbling as she realized that her oldest connection in life had passed on cruelly taunted him. Seeing another young man he knew withdraw himself from his peers and friends did not help him either.

I can’t let those things repeat. I need strength.

“Alright,” Stefan said. “Show me what I have to do.”

Gareth approached Stefan and placed a silver chain in his palm, adorned with a purple, Utrium gemstone.

“This chain is somewhat similar to the healing ring I gave Leon,” Gareth explained. “They’re alike in the way that both allow Reserve to be discharged from the body, but instead of transferring into another person like with Leon’s ring, you discharge your Reserve right into the environment.”

“So… I can basically use Reserve itself in a physical form?” Stefan said after a couple seconds of reflection.

“Yes, that’s it,” Gareth responded.

He doesn’t need my help; he just needs my instructions.

Stefan swiftly put the chain around his neck.

“The key point here is to always allow that gemstone to make contact with your skin, if not then, the Reserve cannot discharge properly.” Gareth added, slipping it underneath the boy’s leather training armor so that it was pressed against his bare chest underneath.

“Let’s get to the casting, please. I can’t stand the waiting!” Stefan cried, his desire to become better fueling his wish to learn.

“You already know one technique,” Gareth explained. “Healing transference is a form of casting, but since it transferred through a ring into another person’s body through the contract, it doesn’t spend your energy. However, that’s the exception. All other casting will spend your energy. We’ll start with one that is simpler… a barrier technique.”

Gareth turned around so that he faced the same direction as Stefan. He extended his hands in front of him and spread them across the air. Within seconds, a tall rectangular apparition made of pure, glowing Reserve manifested before him, easily three yards in height and length, although its width was negligible.

“Interesting…” Stefan remarked. “But it doesn’t look like it’ll hold up.”

“The idea with this one is that it’s cast in order for an enemy to break with a few hits. It buys the user a bit of time to create extra distance or begin to flee. Now, you won’t know how well it’ll hold up until you strike at it. Pick your sword off of the ground and hit it.”

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

The boy lifted the sword above his head and pushed off his right foot. The sword glided through the air soundlessly as he swung it down on the construct from left to right. The blade cut through it like cobwebs, shattering into thin air in one strike.

“I thought you said these things would make you tired,” Stefan noticed. “You haven’t broken a sweat.”

“Well, this is one of the weaker barriers,” Gareth explained. “And I happen to have years of experience, it would take a much more powerful barrier for me to be tired. However, for you to break it in one strike is commendable.”

He shouldn’t have been able to break it so easily, even the weakest barriers are diamonds compared to physical armor. He put his rage and anger into that strike. He surely is the son of his parents.

“That was good, wasn’t it?” Stefan asked.

“Your turn to make that barrier now.” Gareth instructed, dodging the boy’s probing for validation.

“A-Alright.” Stefan said with noticeable conviction.

Stefan stretched his arms forward, attempting to imitate Gareth’s movements.

What did he do? Did he just think it into existence?

Picturing a purple rectangular construct in front of him, a manifestation did appear, only for it to crumble almost as quickly as it had come to.

“That’s not how you do it.” Gareth evaluated as Stefan sighed in frustration.

“B-But you made it look so easy!” Stefan protested. “All you did was move your hands!”

“It’s easy for me because I’m not new to it. And no, I didn’t just move my hands. I had a visual image of it beforehand, and I’ve done it so many times, that I no longer have to think about how it will appear. All it takes for me is that I know what barrier form I need at that moment.”

“Why didn’t you just say that then?” Stefan asked.

“Because I wanted to see how you would approach it. You’re halfway there. You must close your eyes, and on that blank canvas, you’ll need to picture the form of the barrier. Spread your hands as soon as you open them, and your barrier will appear. Try again.”

The boy shut his eyes and began to picture the purple hue of the barrier, determining where its edges would be, which marked their height and length. Before he could lift his eyes and have the barrier manifest, Stefan was suddenly shoved to the ground and found the muzzle of a gun pointed at his head.

“You’re taking too long,” Gareth reprimanded him. “It’s supposed to be quick, spontaneous. You can’t afford to close your eyes for any more than a moment. It only takes the span of a blink.”

He reached his hand out to the boy, who took it and used it to get back to his feet.

“Just a blink, huh? I got it.” Stefan affirmed to himself.

The chime of an incoming elevator prevented him from repeating his barrier attempt. He turned to the training chamber’s entrance and saw two figures step out and approach him and Stefan.

“Gareth, we found out more about that book.” Anwen said as she joined her father’s side.

“Hmm?” he wondered.

“It’s a really old book that has Reserve and Pool techniques, and we think Hugo was using one of—

“The Leistung protocol.” Gareth cut her off.

“Huh?” she asked, baffled as to how he already knew what she was about to say.

“It was the Leistung protocol, isn’t it? That technique uses the Reserve of one’s kin to compound and strengthen one’s own mind and body.”

“Y-Yeah. How did you know?” Anwen asked.

Before the unlikely event of Gareth responding to that question adequately, Vigdis gently pushed her aside.

“Ah, so you’re the man Jay and the Anbieter have been buzzing about this whole time. Nice to finally meet you, I’m Vigdis Maas. I’m the Black Shield’s engineer.” Anwen’s immediate superior said, holding a hand out for Gareth.

The man looked at the woman’s hand with a raised brow, almost like he didn’t know what he was supposed to do.

“He doesn’t really do handshakes.” Anwen whispered into Vigdis’ ear.

“Oh, I see.” she whispered back, awkwardly withdrawing her arm. “Well, hopefully we get to see each other more often and have the chance to hold a proper conversation,”

She gave a forced, friendly smile to Gareth before her attention was swayed to his pupil.

“Oh, I know you!” she exclaimed. “You’re Kallista’s boy, aren't you? You look just like her!”

“Y-You knew my mum?” Stefan said, astonished. Many people knew his mother’s name, but fewer knew how she looked like, let alone how much she and her younger son were alike.

“We were in the same resistance group for a bit… the Free Army of Yeupis. I know, way cooler name than the Black Shield, but I’m hoping we’ll live up to the same glory as they did. I’d love to talk some more, but I’m really busy. See you soon, alright?”

Vigdis scampered back to the elevator, expecting Anwen to follow right behind her, but she had decided to stick around for a few more moments.

“Hey, Stefan. You’re training, right?” she asked her companion.

“Uh, yeah.” he confirmed.

“Good luck,” she simply wished, a weak smile formed across her lips. “Don’t push yourself too hard.”

“R-Right.” he muttered, as she joined her new mentor in the elevator, immediately after they were out of sight.

Don’t push yourself too hard, Stefan repeated in his head. I think I needed to hear that.