The three of them were in the dojo’s courtyard, the master standing in front of his pupils, who were sitting in meditation position. "Alright, guys, you've been improving your control over your essence these past months, and you've managed to make your movements more precise, faster, and stronger," the master said calmly.

"But you have a big weakness: the maximum amount your bodies can handle at once, and the reserves you have." Towan and Elliot listened attentively, and the latter added, "We're going to start a physical training, right?"

The master looked at them and nodded. "You need more endurance if you want to use more essence at the same time..."

"As you know, there’s a village at the foot of the mountain. You will run to and from the village at your maximum speed until you can’t go anymore, using essence," the master said.

"How much essence?" Towan asked. The master didn’t respond, instead walking away as he said, "That’s for you to decide..."

Towan and Elliot exchanged a glance, trying to decipher the master’s words.

"What do you think?" Towan asked while standing up and stretching his arms.

"That it’s not going to be easy," Elliot replied with a small smile, also standing up. "If we use too much essence, we’ll burn through our reserves quickly. If we use too little, the journey will feel endless."

"I guess the master wants us to figure something out on our own," Towan said, adjusting the bandages on his hands.

The two young men began jogging towards the path that descended from the mountain, with the wind at their backs and the sun’s rays warming their shoulders. The village wasn’t too far, but the challenge wasn’t the distance—it was maintaining a steady flow of essence while pushing their bodies to the limit.

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As they moved forward, Towan started using essence to propel his steps, feeling his speed increase. "This is great!" he exclaimed, leaving a faint energy trail behind him. But after a few minutes, his breathing became heavy, and his legs began to feel tighter than usual.

"Calm down," Elliot said, easily catching up to him, his posture calm and his pace steady. "You’re using too much too quickly. Control the flow."

"Control the flow?" Towan panted, slowing down a little. "And what about going faster?"

Elliot shook his head. "It’s not always about speed. You also need to make it to the end."

Halfway through, both young men started noticing how the journey was becoming more difficult. The trees around them seemed to move faster than they expected, and sweat dripped down their faces as exhaustion began to take its toll. Towan, always more impulsive, decided to stop for a moment.

"What's wrong?" Elliot asked, stopping as well.

"I think... I’m using too much essence," Towan admitted, leaning forward and placing his hands on his knees. "But how the hell am I supposed to know how much to use? It’s like... trying to balance water in a broken container."

Elliot looked at him calmly. "That’s what we’re training for, Towan. Finding that balance. Come on, try again. If you need to slow down, do it."

With a sigh, Towan stood up again, and the two continued their journey to the village, constantly adjusting their essence flow.

By the time they reached the village, both were exhausted. Towan collapsed on the ground with his arms spread out. "Is this going to be every day? Because if it is, I think I’m going to hate this training."

Elliot, on the other hand, took a deep breath, stabilizing his energy. "If we learn to do it right, it’ll be less exhausting over time."

"I hope so," Towan murmured, looking at the path that awaited them on the way back.

In the distance, in the dojo’s courtyard, the master watched the scene from afar. A small smile crossed his face. "They’ll understand what effort and endurance mean... sooner or later."