Morning.
Arion woke Keal before sunrise and took him deep into the forest. Cold air. Silent trees. No beasts anywhere.
Keal noticed it but didn't ask.
They reached an open clearing.
Several wooden targets were placed across the area — some near, some far, some behind trees, some at different heights.
On the ground… many swords.
Keal stopped walking.
Keal: …Why are there so many swords?
Arion: Because today you learn control.
Not strength.
He threw one sword toward Keal. It landed near his feet.
Arion: Lift it.
Keal nodded and closed his eyes.
Arion: Don't use hands.
Bring the energy inside your body into your hands.
From there… extend it outward.
Keal focused.
Energy gathered slowly inside his body. He pushed it toward his arms, then into his palms. He imagined invisible threads coming out and wrapping around the sword.
The sword trembled.
Slowly… it lifted.
Keal opened his eyes slightly.
Keal: It's moving…
Arion: Don't get excited.
Stabilize it.
The sword shook in air like it would fall anytime.
Arion: Your control is unstable.
Because your mind is unstable.
Your thoughts are scattered.
Keal tried to focus harder.
The sword steadied slightly.
Arion: Good. Now send it to that target.
He pointed to a tree nearby.
Keal pushed forward mentally.
The sword moved… halfway… then dropped.
Keal frowned.
Again.
Same result.
Again.
Same.
Keal: …Why does it stop halfway?
Arion walked closer.
Arion: Because your control only exists near your body.
Beyond that distance… your mind becomes weak.
Keal looked confused.
Arion: When you control a weapon with energy…
it is not strength that moves it.
It is awareness.
He tapped Keal's forehead.
Arion: Your awareness is only here.
Near you.
But the sword travels away from you.
Once it leaves your awareness range… control breaks.
Keal stayed silent, listening carefully.
Arion: Close your eyes.
Keal did.
Arion: Don't feel the sword.
Feel the target.
Keal focused on the tree.
Arion: Imagine you are standing near that tree.
Not here. There.
Place your mind there first… then connect to the sword.
Keal tried.
He imagined standing beside the target tree. Slowly… he extended his awareness from that point back to the sword.
His eyes opened.
The sword rose.
It flew forward.
Thak.
It hit the tree.
Keal's eyes widened.
Keal: …It worked…
Arion: Again.
Second time — hit.
Third — hit.
Keal felt excited.
Then Arion pointed much farther away. A target almost at the edge of the clearing.
Arion: Hit that.
Keal focused and threw.
The sword flew… but dropped before reaching.
Again.
Same result.
Again.
Same.
Keal breathed harder.
Keal: It won't go that far…
Arion: Because your awareness still cannot reach that distance clearly.
You are trying to push the sword there blindly.
Keal stayed silent.
Arion walked forward and stood beside the far target.
Arion: Look at me.
Keal looked.
Arion: Fix this location in your mind. Every detail. Distance. Direction. Position.
Keal focused deeply.
Arion: Now return your awareness here… but keep that location clear.
Connect both points.
Keal inhaled slowly.
He imagined two points — himself and the target — connected by a line.
He extended threads again.
The sword lifted.
It shot forward.
Thak!
Direct hit.
Keal exhaled heavily.
Keal: …This is hard…
Arion: This is basic.
Keal looked at him.
Arion then placed many targets around the clearing. Different distances. Different directions.
Then he placed five swords on ground.
Keal stared.
Keal: …You want me to control all?
Arion: Yes.
Keal: That's impossible.
Arion said nothing.
He simply stepped forward.
Five swords on ground suddenly lifted.
No shaking. No delay.
They floated around him calmly.
Then—
Without even looking—
All five shot in different directions.
Thak!
Thak!
Thak!
Thak!
Thak!
Every target struck perfectly at same moment.
The swords returned and floated behind him in air.
Keal froze.
His chest felt heavy.
Keal: …How…
Arion: This is not strength.
This is divided awareness.
He lowered the swords.
Arion: When you control one sword…
your mind holds one thread.
One intention.
When you control five…
you cannot use one intention.
You must split your awareness into multiple streams.
Keal frowned.
Arion: But if you split mind carelessly… control weakens.
So instead… create a core control.
He drew a circle on ground.
Arion: Think of your mind as center.
From it… multiple threads extend.
Each thread carries same clarity. Same strength.
No difference.
Keal listened silently.
Arion: Try two first.
Keal nodded.
Two swords lifted. They shook violently.
One hit target.
Other fell.
Again.
Again.
Sweat formed on his forehead.
Keal: It's… too hard…
Arion: Because you are trying to control both separately.
Don't do that.
Keal: Then how?
Arion: Control space.
Not swords.
Keal looked confused.
Arion: Everything inside your awareness…
is inside your control.
Don't chase swords.
Create a field of control… and let them move inside it.
Keal closed eyes slowly.
He expanded awareness around himself. Slowly spreading like a thin web across the clearing.
He included swords. Targets. Air.
He opened his eyes.
Two swords rose.
Steady.
They shot.
Thak!
Thak!
Both hit.
Keal's breathing turned heavy.
Arion: Now five.
Keal looked at the swords.
Silence.
He closed his eyes again and expanded awareness more. It felt like holding many heavy stones inside his mind.
Five swords rose.
They trembled violently.
His head hurt.
Keal: …I can't…
Arion: Hold.
Keal clenched teeth.
He stabilized his mind slowly. Threads connected. Space stabilized.
Then—
All five shot.
Different directions.
Thak!
Thak!
Thak!
Thak!
Thak!
All struck.
The swords fell.
Keal dropped to one knee, breathing heavily. Head spinning.
Arion looked at him quietly.
Arion: Remember this feeling.
Controlling many things at once… will always feel impossible at first.
Keal wiped sweat slowly.
Keal: …I thought… my head would split open…
Arion: Good.
That means your mind expanded.
He turned away slightly.
Arion: From today… this is your daily training.