"Alright," Morrigan said, her tone shifting back to the task at hand. "Let's get started. Lily, you'll be focusing on manipulating space again, but with more precision. Zola, your task is to start weaving threads of Amrita into the environment. These will be the foundations of your future abilities."

Lily knelt down on the mat, taking a deep breath as she closed her eyes, trying to center her thoughts. She extended her Anima outward, feeling the space around her. The sensation was familiar, but still challenging. She envisioned her needles, the intricate tools she had chosen as medium when she bonded with Quantum, floating in her mind's eye.

"Focus," Morrigan's voice echoed gently in her mind. "Space is not just distance; it's an ever-shifting fabric. You must learn to weave it as effortlessly as you breathe."

Lily exhaled slowly, pushing her Anima farther, feeling the subtle vibrations in the air, sensing the boundaries of the room and the shifting nature of the space between objects. She raised her hand, imagining her needles slicing through the unseen threads of reality, aiming to connect two points within the room. Her brow furrowed in concentration as she visualized the space between her fingers bending, stretching.

"Don't force it," Morrigan cautioned. "Let the space yield to your will. Guide it. Coax it."

Lily adjusted her approach, softening her mental grip on the space. Slowly, the tension eased, and she felt the faintest flicker of connection. The air shimmered in front of her, like the edges of a rippling reflection on water. It wasn't much, but it was progress.

Meanwhile, Zola stood at the other side of the room, her posture relaxed yet focused. Morrigan turned her attention to her next.

"Zola, you're not just observing space. You're learning how to manipulate the flow of energy within it. Amrita is the current that runs through everything. Feel for it."

Zola closed her eyes, stretching her senses outward. Amrita had always been elusive to her, something she could sense but not fully grasp. She recalled her previous tests, the puzzle-solving exercises, and her observations of the sports event. This was different. Now, she was required to engage with the flow itself, to manipulate it.

"Feel the threads of energy around you," Morrigan instructed, her crow form perched nearby, watching her closely. "You've always been a strategist, Zola. This is no different. You're weaving a web of intent."

Zola's hands moved gently through the air, as though she were tracing invisible lines. Her Anima slowly reached out, intertwining with the Amrita surrounding her. At first, it felt like trying to grasp water with her bare hands. Slippery, evasive. But then, something clicked. She felt the faintest tug, the smallest thread slipping into her grasp.

"There," Morrigan said with approval. "Now, weave it. Pull the Amrita into form. Your fans will act as both a tool and a channel, but for now, use your hands to guide the energy."

Zola focused, her hands moving in a fluid, deliberate dance, guiding the Amrita as though it were an extension of her will. Slowly, threads of energy began to form, faint and flickering at first but growing more solid with each movement. She visualized them weaving together, forming a loose but stable network around her.

"Good," Morrigan said. "Both of you are making progress. But remember, this is only the beginning."

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Lily's needles shimmered as she continued her work, her control over the space strengthening with each passing moment. She could feel the boundaries bending, her Anima stitching the fabric of reality in a more precise, controlled manner. Zola's threads of Amrita pulsed faintly, forming a delicate web that danced between her fingers.

"Now," Morrigan said, stepping back to observe, "you'll work on this until it becomes second nature. For Lily, the goal is to move through space seamlessly, to blur the lines between dimensions. Zola, you need to strengthen your control over the Amrita threads. In time, you'll be able to manipulate events around you by shaping the energy that flows through them."

Both girls nodded, the determination in their eyes clear. Morrigan's guidance was harsh, but effective. They knew that this was only the beginning of their journey into mastering their respective Archetypes. The challenges ahead were many, but with Morrigan as their guide, they felt more prepared than ever.

As the hours passed, the room filled with the soft hum of Anima and Amrita in motion. Lily's stitches grew sharper, and Zola's web of threads became more intricate, their control and confidence deepening with each attempt.

Morrigan, still in her crow form, watched them closely, a faint glimmer of approval in her sharp eyes. "You're both progressing faster than I expected," she remarked, her tone softer now. "But don't get complacent. There's still much to learn, and the tests ahead will only grow more difficult."

"We'll be ready," Lily said, her voice steady as she opened her eyes, her needles dissolving back into the ether.

Zola smiled faintly, her threads fading into the air. "Yeah, we've got this."

Vas slowly opened his eyes, blinking against the dim light. He had spent the entire day meditating, which, contrary to popular belief, was an exhausting exercise. His body felt stiff, his mind drained.

"Got tired already?" Morrigan teased, her voice light but probing.

"Yeah," Vas muttered, rubbing his temples. "Mentally more than anything."

"Good," Morrigan replied. "It means you're pushing your limits. Meditation is a great way to increase your Anima and mental strength. You'll need both for what's coming."

"Well, that's something," Vas sighed, sitting up straighter. He glanced over at the girls, who were still catching their breath. "How was the training?"

"Exhausting too," Zola replied, wiping sweat from her brow. "But I feel... better. More complete, somehow." She smiled, the fatigue in her expression replaced by a quiet sense of accomplishment.

"I agree," Lily added, stretching her arms above her head. "I wonder if Mom and Aunt Anya could ever join us for something like this."

Morrigan's sharp gaze shifted to Vas. "Are they trustworthy?"

Vas hesitated for a moment. "It might be a good way to pay off my debt to Madeline," he said, half-joking.

"Debt?" Zola asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah," Lily cut in, grinning. "Whenever my mom helps Vas with something, she adds it to his tab."

"Why don't you just ask your own family for help?" Zola asked, her tone turning curious.

Vas shrugged. "Couple of reasons. The main one being, I doubt they'd help. Plus, I need to keep this a secret from them."

Zola leaned in slightly, her voice lowering. "What about your grandfather's men following us?"

"When he said you two were being followed, I wasn't," Vas replied, his tone matter-of-fact.

Morrigan, still in her crow form, hopped closer. "And the one following you lately?"

"Probably a Hunting Dog," Vas said. "I figured my grandfather would send one eventually."

"Hunting Dogs?" Zola's eyes narrowed in confusion.

"Grandpa's special unit," Vas explained. "No one really knows much about them. I only know they exist because he once told me about the best way to gather information."

Lily, intrigued, leaned in as well. "What's the best way to gather information?"

"Infiltration," Vas said simply. "According to my grandfather, the best people at it are those who live their lives unnoticed. That's what the Hunting Dogs are—remarkably normal on the outside, but dangerous beneath the surface. I've never met one, and I don't ever want to. The one following me now can't report everything I do. For instance, he can't look in here without risking me noticing. And that would be a problem because Grandpa is very strict about boundaries. He can't know what I talk about with Morrigan, what I do in my forge, or anything I discuss with Elliot."