Do you remember the day you awoke? Not just from slumber, mind you. Can you remember the first time you felt your own presence in the world?

I did. It was long ago. Before any river you drank from, before any mountain stood. My, even before the sun danced across the sky.

I was staring at nebulas and quasars around me, watching as they swirled, forming and reforming, ejecting mass and creating stars from the pressurized clouds—all stemming from the first Quarks.

Creation was loud and busy, hard at work. Usually, I just watched, but eventually I had ideas for what could be. So, I looked at past events and helped shape future ones.

I always looked at things behind me and far in front of me. But it was when I saw a little building block, something small and fragile yet unimaginably powerful, that something changed.

For the first time, I stopped looking outward. Instead, I turned my gaze to myself, and I recognized the thought that intruded on my functions:

“I am here now.”

A powerful phrase, don’t you think? It contains presence.

I remember it vividly. Do you remember yours?

-Unknown.

Enix landed hard, rolling to a stop and spitting out mouthfuls of grass. Ingot trotted up, and Enix used his head to hold himself up. The creature barely moved, instead chirping as its backside wagged happily. Enix struggled to his feet, his limbs shaking and his breath hitching. The open field outside the Foundry had been gouged of its grass, with patches of disturbed dirt and soil strewn everywhere. Ghiri stepped closer, two arms crossed, the other two at his hips.

It is time for rest. You are improving slightly, if not steadily. Yesterday, you could only last half as long. You still hesitate, however. What clouds your mind so that you still struggle to take action?

Enix shrugged. “I can never figure out what the best move is. I don’t want to keep failing. It hurts.”

Yes, failure hurts, Ghiri nodded, but while it hurts, it is nowhere near as grave as failure out there.

He pointed a finger up to the natural walls that surrounded the Foundry.

You need to learn to fail. To fail continuously, strenuously, and, more importantly, experientially. Hesitation will not give you any answer you seek. Only action will.

Enix grumbled, letting himself collapse and slipping into a meditative state. Through sheer repetition, he could easily slip into a trance-like state. As he felt himself leaving the focused state, he looked down to see a screen before him.

Meditation (Active) Lvl 15: 32.04%

With focus comes results. When meeting at the crossroads, with no idea of direction, simply pause to reflect, to contemplate. Reach out with your soul to the world around you, and once communed, thrive. With enough meditation, even the faintest of lights will become a beacon.

HP regen increases by 58% while meditating.

MP regen increases by 58% while meditating.

SP regen increases by 58% while meditating.

Awakening can be achieved through meditation.

Enix pushed the screen away with a hand and stood. His other abilities have also increased, but less than his meditation ability. He rolled his shoulders, feeling any damage done to him disappear.

He got in a ready stance, and before Ghiri could say he was ready, the boy launched himself, activating his acrobatic ability, and struck at Ghiri with a swipe of his hand.

Sloppy. Ghiri shoved the hand away with one of his own, holding one out to grab Enix’s face as the boy fell forward, catching it and pulling him off balance. Enix grabbed the hand but couldn’t pull free, striking it instead. Ghiri flipped the boy over and kicked him away. Enix recovered quickly, sliding on the ground before racing back in, sliding on his knees to get a low hold on Ghiri. He wrapped his arms around one leg, only to feel Ghiri yank him away by his hair.

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Good plan, poor execution. Enix growled in frustration, reaching a hand out as Vice turned into a blade. Enix threw it at Ghiri, who simply moved aside from the faulty throw. He then rushed forward, grabbing and holding down Enix’s arms. He raised a foot and drove it into Enix’s chest, holding his arms to keep him in place. The boy gasped, the air leaving his lungs.

Lashing out in anger only leaves you more open to injury. Ghiri released the boy, who sank to all fours, trying to recover.

You are impatient. Do you have somewhere to be?

“You know I don’t.” Enix croaked.

Ah, then perhaps you are trying to tire me out?

“I’m just trying to win one.”

What will that give you?

“What?”

What will one victory against me do for you? Will it give you power you don’t already have? Does a victory against me mean so much to you that you aim to win instead of learning from your mistakes? What does this victory offer you?

Ghiri walked away from the boy. You will get up. We will train no longer.

Enix looked up to Ghiri, confused, but obeyed regardless. He knew that what Ghiri said was true. But the boy had grown tired of getting thrown around. He was sick of running, of fleeing. He felt utterly powerless, and every time Ghiri knocked him down was another loss, another failure.

I have misjudged you, Ghiri said, looking away from Enix. I took my master’s choice as absolute. I assumed he had chosen a fine warrior. I now realize he searched for someone to mold into what we need.

But I can only mold something if it is sufficiently prepared. Ghiri pointed a finger at the boy. To do that, you need to understand what is at stake.

“You already said what's at stake, and I’m well aware.”

No. You had to fight for your life just to arrive here. You knew the stakes then, but now? Ghiri shook his head, bending his legs and assuming a strange stance. You will not be training. You will be fighting for your life.

Without warning, Ghiri launched himself with lightning speed. Enix barely had time to move out of the way before letting his legs go, bending to roll backward as Ghiri’s two arms sailed over him. With his Acrobatics ability activated, it was easier to react so quickly, and when he was on his back he activated his Stoneskin ability.

I hope this works. Enix thought to himself.

For the first time Enix had seen, Ghiri was unprepared, and tripped. He fell forward but recovered with a roll before jumping back up. With a single step forward, Ghiri had dashed to grab at Enix again, this time grabbing a leg and yanking it. However, Ghiri was moving faster than Enix could have thought possible because he delivered one, two, and three consecutive blows into his chest before hitting the ground. Enix rolled onto his knees, attempting to Meditate.

No rest. Ghiri grabbed the boy by his arm and yanked him roughly. In a fight for your life, you do not get to rest.

Ghiri dealt a blow to the side of Enix’s head. He retaliated with a Strike from his foot, lashing out to kick at Ghiri’s legs. He connected, but Ghiri seemingly ignored the pain, choosing to grab the boy with all four arms by the torso and beginning to squeeze. Enix kept Striking at Ghiri with his feet, harder and harder each time, but Ghiri did not relent, pressing until Enix’s lungs emptied. Enix felt his vision blur, the world slipping from his senses until he sensed that he was on the ground. He tried to get up, but Ghiri stomped down on his chest. A blue screen appeared in his vision:

Warning: excessive damage has been taken. ‘Pain Nullification’ has been activated.

Enix used Stoneskin and forced himself up, pushing against Ghiri’s weight as he tried to keep the boy down. When Ghiri realized he could not keep the boy down despite his effort, he moved to change his stance, but Enix grabbed his ankle, holding him as he slowly rose. He held Ghiri’s foot up high before pushing it higher, using another hand to Deflect the few blows from Ghiri he could see. When Ghiri was sufficiently off-balance, he delivered a single strike, punching him in his mid-section.

He struck repeatedly, and while Ghiri dealt his own blows to the boy, Enix did not let up. His Stoneskin helped minimize the damage, and Ghiri could not hit hard due to his poor balance. When Ghiri grabbed at him to try to grapple, he Deflected any that came near. He kept at it until he aimed a shot straight to his chest, watching as Ghiri finally fell backward, landing on his rear.

Enix stood there, unsure of what to do. Even Ghiri, for a split second, was frozen before he stood back up.

Well done. You put your opponent off balance and landed a solid blow. Good.

Enix’s heart swelled as his Stoneskin disappeared. He stood there, noticing he only had a quarter of his health left and none of his Mp.

But not good enough. Ghiri stood, straightening to his perfectly rigid posture. Perhaps it is not your life I should threaten, but theirs? His head tilted towards Ingot and Vice.