Louskas began his training with Eldron. He needed to understand every point of his body, from head to toe. He had to feel his body as if he could see it, before absorbing spiritual energy or anything else.
Eldron's sword technique held tremendous potential. By understanding your body well, you can avoid attacks that might damage vital organs. At the same time, you can strike at sensitive areas of your opponent. But of course, no two bodies are the same.
The next exercise involved the power of the shard Eldron had stored for him. Louskas needed to focus on his surroundings without using spiritual energy or anything else, just by honing his sharp senses. Humans, by nature, are strong and adaptable. These senses became his weapon.
These senses would be incredibly useful for detecting enemies if he had no spiritual energy. With training on this method, and awakening his core, he would begin to feel far beyond that.
Afterward, the training moved on to sparring with Eldron's ghost. Neither could land a hit on the other, but that was enough; it was like training his mind alongside his body. The sword training was difficult—since Louskas was a slave, he couldn't find a real sword. Instead, he used a small tree trunk and began training with the ghost.
Nyktos helped him, though "helped" might not be the right word, as Louskas found himself taking a beating every time.
Once Eldron felt the basics had been refined, he would begin teaching Louskas how to forge his core and awaken his shard.
Thus, passed four months of daily routine. In the mornings, Louskas worked like a slave, and in the evenings, he met Nyktos at the same spot to train. Their relationship deepened. These four months were spent solely on learning the basics and strengthening his body, and they were incredibly difficult. But thanks to Louskas's mature mind, he was able to grasp most of the lessons. His teacher was incredibly strict, almost as if in a rush for something, unlike Louskas, who was patient. After all, rewards only come after hardship.
During these months, Louskas didn't face any harassment. Kailos, whom Louskas was sure would try to take revenge on him, was punished by the Elder. The other Elders, meanwhile, were busy preparing for the upcoming competition.
Now, the moment to awaken his powers had arrived. The weather was reminiscent of the night he had first come to this place. He splashed some lake water on his face, after the grueling training he had gotten used to. He wore only the brown slave pants and looked at his reflection in the lake. His dark eyes had grown even darker, and his black hair was still slicked back, extending down his back. His body had changed slightly—his muscles were a little more defined, though he still looked like a young boy. He was already eleven years old and had grown a little taller.
Louskas began to prepare. He crouched, brought his hands together, and focused on the dense spiritual energy in the air around him, beginning to draw it inside. It was really difficult, but Louskas's mind was steadfast, and because of that, he was even more determined. The energy flowed inside him, gathering below his navel. Each particle of energy accumulated and aligned as if they were pieces of broken glass. If one piece didn't fit with another, he would have to try again. That was what was happening with these light particles.
Nyktos sat indifferently, watching without showing any concern, but inside, he felt a growing hope that Louskas could do it. If he didn't awaken his powers at such a young age, it would be extremely difficult. He saw Louskas sweating heavily, his face taut with concentration… But suddenly, winds began to form around Louskas as though they were welcoming their master. The trees swayed as if singing, and moonlight descended upon him as if opening a door to the sky.
Nyktos was taken aback by this strange sight. This was anything but normal.
"What is your background, Louskas?" he wondered inwardly. How could a slave…
Louskas opened his eyes, and the winds shifted in the opposite direction. The singing stopped, and the moonlight returned to its normal state. Their eyes met. Nyktos felt a chill run down his spine—Louskas's black eyes, like an abyss, stared at him as a hawk would its prey. In that moment, Nyktos felt as if he were the slave, and the one before him was his master.