Lyra's scrutinizing gaze didn't waver as she circled Einar, her light form moving with an almost predatory grace.
The other Soul Wardens in the Training Conclave continued their exercises, their focused movements a testament to years of discipline.
The air hummed with the controlled release of spiritual energy, a stark contrast to the raw, untamed power Einar felt simmering within him.
So, you felt the Void, did you? Lyra finally spoke, her voice carrying a crisp, no-nonsense tone. A fleeting brush in the darkness. That's a far cry from wielding it.
Einar nodded, the memory of the chilling emptiness in the conduit still vivid. It… it was cold.
Powerful. Like nothing I've ever felt.
That's because it isn't 'felt' in the way you understand feeling.
Lyra stopped her circling and faced him directly. The Void is the absence of inherent resonance, the space where potential resides.
To wield it is to shape that absence, to give it form and purpose.
She extended a hand, and a wisp of pure darkness, like a miniature swirling galaxy of nothingness, materialized above her palm. It pulsed with a silent intensity, a stark contrast to the vibrant light of the Soul Society.
This… this is the Void? Einar asked, a mixture of awe and apprehension in his projected thought.
A fraction of it. Lyra's lips curved into a slight, almost imperceptible smile. Enough to show you the difference between a fleeting sensation and true control.
Your imprint allows you to sense this… emptiness. But sensing it is only the first step.
What's the next step?
Control.
Lyra's gaze sharpened. You need to learn to draw upon the Void within you, to channel it without being consumed by its inherent lack of definition.
It's like trying to grasp smoke – too much force, and it dissipates. Too little, and it remains intangible.
She dissipated the wisp of darkness with a flick of her wrist. Your unusual imprint… it suggests a natural affinity. But affinity alone means nothing without discipline.
She led him to an open space in the center of the Conclave. Your first task is simple. Focus. Reach within yourself. Try to feel that… absence you sensed before.
Don't try to grasp it, just… acknowledge its presence.
Einar closed his eyes, focusing inward. The humming energy of the Soul Society was still present, a constant thrumming around him.
But beneath that, he began to sense it – a deep, silent well within his core. It wasn't cold in the way the conduit had been; it was more like a profound stillness, an absence of the vibrant resonance that defined everything else around him.
He focused on that stillness, trying to connect with it, to understand its nature.
It felt… vast, like an endless expanse waiting to be filled.
Don't strain. Lyra's voice cut through his concentration, though not unkindly.
The Void doesn't respond to brute force. It yields to understanding, to intent.
He relaxed, trying to simply observe the stillness within.
Slowly, tentatively, a faint spark of that absence seemed to flicker to life in his mental awareness. It was tiny, fragile, but undeniably there.
Good. Lyra's voice held a hint of approval. You have the spark. Now, try to hold it.
Don't let it dissipate back into the ambient resonance of your being.
Einar focused with all his will, trying to maintain that fragile spark of Void.
It flickered, threatened to fade, but he held onto it, his mental focus as tight as a physical grip.
Sweat, though he no longer possessed a physical body, seemed to bead on his brow.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the tiny spark of Void stabilized, a small, contained point of nothingness within him.
That's enough for today. Lyra's tone softened slightly. Holding even that small amount of raw Void requires significant focus.
Tomorrow, we will begin to shape it.
Einar let the spark fade, feeling a sense of exhaustion he hadn't thought possible in this form.
Yet, beneath the weariness, there was a thrill of accomplishment.
He had touched the Void, and for a brief moment, he had held it.
Lyra regarded him with a thoughtful expression. Your connection is indeed strong, newcomer.
But the true test lies not in sensing or holding, but in wielding. And that… that is where the real challenge begins.
Around them, the other Soul Wardens continued their practice, their movements fluid and powerful.
Einar knew he had a long way to go before he could move with such grace and control. But he had taken the first step.
He had found the first spark of the Void within himself. And in the silent emptiness of that power, he sensed the potential to become something more than just Einar, the man who had died on a busy street.
He sensed the potential to become a Soul Warden.