章節 23: Chapter 23: New skill
"Emory," Michael called, motioning for him to step behind. "Come here and watch closely."
Emory complied, positioning himself behind Michael as he strode toward the center of the room. With deliberate movements, Michael raised his hand, forming a tight fist before extending his index finger outward as though indicating a target.
He traced a horizontal line through the air, followed by a vertical one. Turning to Emory, Michael queried, "Did you catch any of that? If so, give it a try."
Emory stared at Michael with a furrowed brow, confusion evident in his gaze. "Try and replicate what? Drawing imaginary shapes?" he queried, his voice tinged with uncertainty.
Michael's expression remained stern as he motioned for Emory to direct his attention towards the wall in the direction of his "air drawing." Emory complied, but still, there was nothing apparent to his eyes. "Look closely," Michael instructed, his tone firm, "Use your aether to aid your vision."
Emory followed Michael's guidance, manipulating the aether within him and directing a fraction of it towards his retina. In an instant, the world around him shifted, clarity washing over his senses like a tidal wave. "Everything is so... clear," Emory murmured in amazement, awe lacing his words, "Is it even possible to be capable of seeing this clearly?"
Ignoring Emory's incredulous remark, Michael urged him to focus on the wall once more. Emory obliged, his eyes widening in shock as he beheld the astonishing sight before him. The wall, once solid and unassuming, now bore the marks of meticulous precision, cut cleanly in both vertical and horizontal lines, forming a perfect cross.
Emory's astonishment overflowed into words as he turned to Michael, his voice a mixture of disbelief and wonder. "How is this possible?" he breathed, unable to tear his gaze away from the miraculous display.
A faint smile graced Michael's lips as he regarded Emory with a knowing look. "You are about to find out," he replied cryptically
"Emory," Michael commanded sternly, "expel your aether again."
Emory's brow furrowed with uncertainty. "Is this some kind of test?" he asked cautiously. "Didn't you say never to do it again?"
"It's safe," Michael reassured him, his tone firm. "Here, no one will sense you, even if you spent all day expelling your aether."
Reluctantly, Emory obeyed. As he began to release his aether, Michael urged him on. "Don't stop," he instructed. "Keep going."
Emory continued, feeling the strain as Michael directed him to focus the expulsion to just one arm. It was challenging, but he managed.
"Now," Michael said, his voice commanding, "increase the concentration and reduce the area of output."
Emory grunted with effort, his arm trembling as he struggled to comply. Slowly, the area of expulsion shrank, the aether becoming more concentrated.
But then, in a sudden moment of lost control, Emory's focus wavered, and the concentrated aether exploded with a loud bang.
Emory let out a relieved sigh as he assessed his minor injury, grateful that the explosion hadn't caused any serious harm. Accepting Michael's offered hand, he listened intently as Michael began to explain.
"This skill," Michael began, "requires you to limit the area of output to as little as the tip of a needle"
"A needle?" Emory interrupted, incredulous. "I could barely get it to the size of my fist."
Michael ignored his protest and continued, "By doing so, the aether has no other mode of exit than the limited area. It becomes concentrated and extremely sharp, able to cut even the toughest of materials."
Emory's eyes widened with understanding as he grasped the implications of what Michael was saying.
"It's a basic skilI used to utilize," Michael explained further, "and it works even better with a weapon. By limiting the output to the edge of the weapon, you can give it an unimaginable sharpness."
**(
Emory stood in the training chamber, beads of sweat forming on his brow as he struggled to compress his aether. Michael's steady gaze bore down on him, a silent reminder of the task at hand.
"Try again," Michael's voice echoed in the quiet room, his tone urging Emory to continue
Emory clenched his jaw, determination flickering in his eyes as he focused his concentration once more. He summoned the latent energy within him, willing it to condense into a smaller form. Yet, despite his efforts, the aether stubbornly refused to comply, swirling around his fist in a loose, amorphous form
Frustration gnawed at Emory's resolve as he attempted to subdue and control the aether. Hours passed, each attempt yielding the same result—a condensed mass no smaller than a clenched fist. Michael finally spoke, breaking the oppressive silence that had settled over the chamber.
"Emory, it's getting late," Michael's voice was gentle but firm. "Go home and keep practicing. You'll get it eventually."
Emory nodded, a sense of defeat weighing heavily on his shoulders as he took a hold of his backpack.
As he reached for the door, however, he was halted by the sudden appearance of Gabriel, his presence a welcome distraction from Emory's frustrations.
"Emory," Gabriel's voice was warm, tinged with concern as he approached. "So how's the progress with the communication between you and the record?"
Emory hesitated, his gaze dropping to the floor as he admitted, "I haven't tried since the last time. To be honest, I'm still a little scared to try again"
Gabriel placed a reassuring hand on Emory's shoulder, his touch a comforting anchor amidst Emory's doubts. "Take it slowly," he advised, his tone gentle yet insistent. "But not too slowly. Zalos is coming, and he won't be the only one coming at us for long. Even if we do make it through Zalos, dangerous individuals and factions will soon be after you. The value you hold is none like anything you could ever imagine"
Emory stiffened at the reminder of the looming threat, the weight of Gabriel's words settling heavily in his chest. He knew he couldn't afford to remain stagnant, paralyzed by fear and uncertainty. He was bound to try communicating with the record again sooner or later, it might as well be sooner.
"Now that you're able to circulate your own aether," Gabriel continued, his voice steady and reassuring, "you can try communicating on your own. If you sense anything going wrong, cut off the circulation to free yourself. But don't overdo it."
Emory nodded. With a final word of encouragement, Gabriel bid Emory goodbye, leaving him to contemplate the daunting task that lay ahead.
Emory trudged wearily through the door of his apartment, the frustration the day's failures still heavy on his shoulders, he did not like the feeling that came with failure. The note on the fridge caught his eye—a reminder of simpler times, when his worries didn't extend beyond the confines of his own struggles.
"Dinner is in the microwave, I'm working an extra shift. Be back later tonight"
With a sigh, Emory set about warming up his dinner, the familiar scent of macaroni and cheese filling the air. He ate in silence, lost in his own thoughts as he mulled over the events of the day.
As the last remnants of his meal disappeared, Emory walked over to his bedroom, exhaustion tugging at his limbs.
In the quiet darkness of his room, Emory's thoughts returned to Gabriel's words, lingering in the back of his mind like an elusive whisper. He wrestled with his doubts, his fear threatening to consume him . But amidst the chaos of his thoughts, a spark of determination was born—a stubborn refusal to succumb to the fear that threatened to engulf him
With a resolute nod and a determined expression, Emory made his decision. Right now; tonight, he would try again—to commune with the record, to unlock the secrets that lay hidden within its depths. He knew the risks, the dangers that came with it, but he also knew that he could no longer afford to cower in the face of uncertainty for time was running out.
Closing his eyes, Emory reached out into the darkness, beyond the darkness towards the space beyond the darkness, searching for the physical form of the record. He found it and yet again he was confronted with the colossal figure of the record once again and this time he was not planning to fail.
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