Towan and Elliot sat in their usual secluded training area, away from the bustling academy grounds. The tranquil setting had become their sanctuary over the past week, a place to sharpen their skills undisturbed. This time, however, they had an unexpected companion—Alira. Despite her drive to climb the rankings, curiosity had drawn her to the brothers’ mysterious training routine.

“So, what do you guys usually do? A hundred push-ups? A hundred squats? Run laps around the academy?” Alira asked, her tone brimming with excitement as she surveyed the space.

Towan smirked. “Hate to burst your bubble, but we do all that in the mornings.”

“Yeah,” Elliot added, casually stretching. “Before breakfast at the cafeteria.”

“W-what? You’re kidding, right?” Alira blinked, her earlier enthusiasm faltering. She stood frozen, staring at the brothers as though trying to gauge if they were joking.

“Nope,” Towan said, a small grin tugging at his lips. “But don’t worry—we’re not doing any of that now.”

“Then… what are we doing?” Alira asked, still recovering from her surprise.

“Meditation,” Elliot replied simply.

“Meditation?” she echoed, tilting her head.

“We’re refining our Essentia channels,” Towan explained as he and Elliot settled cross-legged on the ground. “Better pathways mean more energy output and control.”

Alira raised an eyebrow. “Really? From what I’ve tested myself, the basic technique they teach here isn’t exactly... efficient.”

Elliot glanced at her, a hint of amusement in his eyes. “So you’re sharp enough to notice that. Not bad.”

Towan nodded. “We don’t use the basic method. It’s full of leaks and inefficiencies.”

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“Oh?” Alira’s surprise deepened. Only the academy’s top-ranked students were rumored to have developed custom Essentia techniques, and now these two were claiming to have their own.

“We can show you how we modified it,” Towan offered, gesturing for her to sit.

“Fine by me! Learning a better method is always a good idea,” she said, quickly joining them and settling into a cross-legged position.

“All right,” Elliot said, his tone calm but focused. “Follow my lead.”

He placed a hand gently on Alira’s back. She flinched slightly at first but quickly composed herself, her curiosity overriding her hesitation.

“Start with slow, steady breaths,” Elliot began. “We’ll use the initial technique as a baseline. For now, focus on gathering Essentia in your forehead—that’s the nearest node to your breath.”

The three of them closed their eyes, their breathing synchronized as the tranquil atmosphere deepened. Thin strands of energy began to flow toward their bodies, faintly glowing in the air like ethereal threads.

As Essentia gathered at her forehead, Alira broke the silence, her voice soft but tinged with impatience. “How do we continue?”

“Don’t worry,” Elliot replied, his tone reassuring. “I’ll redirect the energy so you can feel the proper flow.”

Alira tensed as she felt a warm surge of Essentia entering her body through Elliot’s hand. Carefully, he guided the energy downward, tracing the path toward her heart node.

“There,” Elliot said. “Let it settle in the heart node. This is the primary reservoir where your Essentia is purified and stored naturally.”

Alira frowned slightly. “But… this isn’t much,” she remarked, her tone betraying a hint of disappointment.

“Of course it isn’t,” Towan said, opening one eye to glance at her. “Refining Essentia isn’t about instant results. It takes time, discipline, and patience.”

Elliot smirked. “And judging by that look on your face, patience might not be your strong suit.”

Alira huffed but said nothing, her determination flickering back to life. “Fine. Show me the rest, and I’ll prove you wrong.”

Towan chuckled, but there was a note of approval in his voice. “That’s more like it. Now, let’s focus—you’ll need all the practice you can get.”

The three of them returned to their meditative states, the quiet hum of flowing Essentia filling the air as they worked together in harmony, each moment a step toward mastery.

The quiet hum of Essentia faded as the three of them ended their meditation. Alira stretched her arms, feeling the subtle warmth lingering in her body from the gathered energy. She glanced at the brothers, her curiosity growing.

“That was… something else,” she said, breaking the silence. “This method is leagues ahead of what they teach here. Who taught you this, anyway?”