Evan sat cross-legged on the floor, his back straight, his hands resting lightly on his knees as he tried to stay still.
Tried.
Because staying still, apparently, was harder than it sounded.
"…How long do I have to sit like this?" he asked, shifting slightly before catching himself and straightening again.
Lyra stood behind him.
Calm.
Unmoving.
"…Until your body stops asking that question," she replied.
Evan frowned.
"…That's not a real answer."
"It is the only one that matters right now."
Evan let out a quiet sigh but didn't argue further.
Instead, he closed his eyes again.
"…Fine."
For a few moments—
Nothing happened.
Just silence.
Just stillness.
And then—
"Focus."
Lyra's voice came quietly from behind him.
Not sharp.
But precise.
"…On what?" Evan asked, his brows furrowing slightly.
"…On yourself."
Evan resisted the urge to sigh again.
"…That doesn't help."
A brief pause.
Then—
"You are thinking too much."
"…I'm literally doing nothing."
"…Exactly."
Evan almost opened his eyes to argue—
But stopped himself.
Instead, he took a slow breath.
Then another.
"…Okay," he muttered. "…I'll try again."
Silence returned.
This time—
He paid attention.
Not to the room.
Not to the outside.
But inward.
His breathing.
The rise and fall of his chest.
The faint rhythm of his heartbeat.
Slow.
Steady.
For a brief moment—
It almost worked.
And then—
A presence shifted behind him.
Evan felt it before he fully registered it.
Lyra stepped closer.
Much closer than before.
"…Stay still," she said quietly.
And then—
He felt it.
Before he could fully process what was happening, Lyra's hand moved with quiet precision.The fabric over his upper body loosened, then slipped away, leaving his back exposed to the air.A faint breeze brushed against his skin, cool and sudden—and then—
her hand followed.Resting against his back.
Evan's entire body stiffened instantly.
"…!"
The reaction was immediate.
Uncontrolled.
Not because of fear—
But because it had been a while.
A long while.
Since she had been this close.
Since she had touched him like this.
Back then—
It had been normal.
Necessary.
He had been smaller.
Dependent.
But now—
Now he moved on his own.
Did things on his own.
And that small difference—
Made this feel…
Different.
"…Relax."
Lyra's voice came again, calm as ever.
Unaffected.
As if nothing had changed.
Evan swallowed slightly.
"…I am relaxed."
"I can see that you are not."
"…I'm trying."
"That is not the same, You have to try harder."
Evan let out a slow breath, forcing himself to settle.
"…Okay… just—give me a second."
Lyra didn't move her hand.
Didn't pull away.
She simply waited.
Patient.
Unbothered.
As if his reaction meant nothing.
Which—
To her—
It probably didn't, she had no expectation for his first circulation anyway.
After all it's hard for a 5 years-old child to learn it in one go in the first place.
After a few moments, Evan finally managed to steady himself.
"…Alright," he said quietly. "…I'm good."
A brief pause.
Then—
"…Good."
Her hand shifted slightly.
Not just resting anymore—
But guiding.
"…Now listen carefully."
Evan straightened instinctively.
"…I am."
"…What you are about to feel," she continued, "is not something you can control yet."
Her tone grew slightly more serious.
"…So do not resist it."
Evan nodded slightly.
"…Okay."
For a moment—
Nothing happened.
Then—
It began.
A faint warmth.
Subtle.
Almost unnoticeable at first.
Starting where her hand rested.
Evan's breath caught slightly.
"…I feel something."
"…Do not speak."
He immediately shut his mouth.
The warmth grew.
Slowly.
Spreading outward.
Not randomly—
But in a path.
A clear path.
It moved along his back.
Upward.
Then down.
Flowing like something alive.
Evan's brows furrowed.
Not in discomfort—
But in focus.
"…That's…"
Strange.
But not unpleasant.
Just unfamiliar.
"…This is Qi," Lyra said quietly.
"…Wait—this is Qi?" Evan asked, unable to stop himself.
"…A controlled flow of it," she corrected.
Her hand pressed slightly more firmly against his back.
Guiding the movement.
"…Your body does not yet know how to move it."
The warmth shifted direction.
Turning.
Circulating.
"…So I will show you."
Evan focused harder.
Trying to follow it.
To understand it.
"…It's moving," he muttered.
"…Yes."
"…Like… a path."
"…That path is what you must learn."
The warmth continued.
Circling.
Repeating.
Again.
And again.
Each cycle clearer than the last.
More defined.
"…Don't lose it," Lyra said softly.
"…I'm trying not to."
For the first time—
Evan wasn't distracted.
Wasn't thinking about anything else.
Just this.
This feeling.
This movement.
This flow.
"…This is what cultivation begins with," Lyra continued. "Not power."
Another cycle.
"…Not strength."
Another.
"…But control."
Evan's breathing synced with the movement without him realizing it.
Slow.
Even.
"…If you cannot feel it—"
The warmth dimmed slightly.
"…You cannot guide it."
Then returned.
"…If you cannot guide it—"
Stronger.
"…You cannot use it."
Evan swallowed slightly.
"…So this is the first step."
"…Yes."
The warmth completed another full cycle.
This time—
Clearer than before.
More stable.
Evan's eyes remained closed.
But his expression shifted.
From confusion—
To understanding.
"…I think…"
A pause.
"…I can follow it."
Lyra didn't respond immediately.
But her hand remained steady.
"…Then do so."
The warmth slowed slightly.
Not disappearing—
But giving him space.
Evan focused.
Carefully.
Trying to trace the path on his own.
For a moment—
It worked.
Just barely.
"…I—"
The flow broke.
Scattered.
Gone.
Evan's eyes snapped open.
"…I lost it."
"…Of course you did."
Evan frowned.
"…That fast?"
"…You are not meant to succeed immediately."
Lyra's hand finally lifted from his back.
The warmth vanished completely.
Leaving behind only the memory of it.
Evan exhaled slowly.
"…That felt…"
He paused.
Trying to find the right word.
"…Important."
"…Oh, it most definitely is."
He turned slightly, looking up at her.
"…You're going to make me do that again, aren't you?"
Lyra met his gaze calmly.
She moved behind him, her presence closing the distance until the chill of the breeze vanished.
Her arms reached around, her hands coming together over his chest as she pulled herself flush against him. She held him tightly, as if trying to shield his bare skin from the cold with her own warmth.
Evans body stiffened again.
"…Many times, My prince."
He glanced back, catching the soft curve of her smile just inches from his own. As she squeezed him tighter, the joy in her expression seemed to radiate a warmth that the cold breeze couldn't touch.
Evan let out a quiet groan, leaning back slightly.
"…Yeah… figured."
But despite that—
A small smile formed.
Just slightly.
"…Still…"
He looked at his hands.
Then back at her.
"…That was kind of amazing."
Lyra didn't respond.
But—
For just a moment—
Her expression softened.
Barely.
"…Rest," she said.
Evan blinked.
"…Again?"
"…Your mind is more exhausted than you realize."
He sighed.
"…You really like saying that."
"…Because it is true. Trying to focus on something that you don't have control over is taxing for you mind."
Evan shook his head slightly.
Then leaned back, lying down.
"…Fine…"
A small pause.
"…But next time…"
He glanced at her again.
"…I want to do it myself."
Lyra nodded.
"…You will."
Silence returned.
But this time—
It felt different.
Not heavy.
Not tense.
But…
Progressive.
Like something had begun.
And wouldn't stop.
"Okay, I got this."