Back in the dim light of the stables, a small wooden crate had been draped with a clean cloth. Atop it sat the box Richard had brought, its lid open to reveal the delicate and expensive toothbrushes.

  Heron stood over it with one brush already in his hand.

  All right… Focus on the spin and the intensity together this time. Let’s go.

  He drew a breath and closed his eyes.

  He could imagine the toothbrush, head turning in a slow circle. The motion started cleanly enough, but within seconds it slipped from his grasp, accelerating wildly. A sharp ping rang out as the head flew free and skittered across the floorboards.

  "Curse it!" Heron yelled.

  “It’s fine,” Irene said immediately. “You’re still dialing it too high.” She stepped closer and nodded toward the box. “Let's try something different. Try to imagine several spins, then stop it deliberately. Then repeat.”

  "Alright, I'll give it a go." Heron gave a firm nod.

  It’s fine, he thought to himself. I’ll just buy myself a replacement toothbrush for the one I broke. Just don’t break this one.

  He closed his eyes and rebuilt the image.

  One… two… three… four… five. Stop.

  The toothbrush stopped spinning.

  Hmm, didn't seem to break. Going for the second run.

  Then he started again.

  One… two… three… four… five. And stop.

  When he opened his eyes, he was almost afraid to look.

  "Did it spin?" he asked anxiously.

  Irene smiled. "Good job."

  Heron let out a long breath with relief loosening his chest.

  Irene didn’t wait for him to rest. “Okay, now you have to do more than two sequences. Let's aim for at least twenty.”

  "How about ten?" Heron grimaced. "Let's be moderate."

  "We could." Irene tilted her head. "But this is just the first step. By the time we leave Vincha, I want you to brush your teeth with that toothbrush. With your eyes open."

  Heron gulped. "That's a really big ask."

  “Irene is aware of the difficulty,” Icarus said from behind him. “But you must understand that this is only a small part of a much larger exercise. You need to master these mechanics before we depart for Tejen so you can continue your practice on the road.”

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  “Alright,” Heron said, exhaling. “I’ll try. But I can’t promise I’ll succeed.”

  “Don’t worry about the finish line,” Irene said with a soft tone. “Just stay focused on the task at hand. There's no need to weigh yourself down with the bigger picture right now.”

  Heron took a deep breath, closed his eyes again, and began.

  He completed all twenty sequences with the toothbrush head coming to a precise stop in his palm.

  When he finally lowered his hand, and the grin broke across his face.

  Irene’s expression softened. “Good job. How do you feel?”

  Icarus spoke before Heron could answer. “Do you feel any signs of dizziness or lightheadedness?”

  “No,” Heron replied. “I feel fine, actually.”

  “Good. That means the miasma hasn’t taxed your body yet,” Icarus nodded approvingly.

  Heron’s brow furrowed. “Wait, so will I start to get sick?”

  “No,” Irene assured him quickly. “Just pressure and fatigue at first. But you have to tell us the moment it begins. The goal isn’t to push you until you black out.”

  "With tainted crystals, our bodies have a preservation mechanism," Icarus added. "You won't be injured by the crystals themselves."

  "But you can get injured?" Heron asked, catching the implication.

  "Well, yes, but if you’re careful, it is not a problem." Irene's attempt at a reassuring tone didn't quite land. "Let's say you're using gravity boots to hover over a cliff. If you overdo it and the boots lose power, you'll fall. So, the crystals didn't kill you—the hundred-meter drop did."

  She smiled, but Heron didn’t find the image reassuring at all. The thought of a crystal-powered tool suddenly turning against him wasn't exactly comforting.

  "Now, let's expand on this." Irene's voice carried a note of encouragement. "I think you can do it continuously now without stopping. You understand the flow, so let's keep the momentum. I'll clap my hands when I want you to stop."

  Heron gave a firm nod and closed his eyes once more.

  Hold the intensity of rotation steady.

  In the void, there was only him and the toothbrush, its head turning in a smooth, hypnotic rhythm. He felt no fluctuation in the power, no variation in the speed. Even the passage of time seemed to dissolve into the void.

  Then a sharp clap cut through the silence. He gave the toothbrush the final command to stop and opened his eyes.

  “Great job!” Irene clapped again, pleased.

  “You’ve done well,” Icarus added.

  Heron exhaled, relief flooding through him. But the moment he looked away from the toothbrush, the world tilted. A wave of dizziness rolled over him.

  “I’m… I’m feeling dizzy,” Heron managed to say.

  “And we’re done for the day,” Irene said, moving quickly to his side. She hooked an arm under his and guided him toward the wall. “Sit here until it subsides.”

  Icarus stepped close and pressed a handful of small, dark nuts into Heron’s palm. “Take a few of these. You'll be back to normal shortly.”

  “Ichian nuts. Good thinking, Icarus,” Irene noted with a little bit of excitement.

  “Ichian nuts?” Heron echoed, staring at them.

  “Excellent for restoring energy,” Irene explained. “They’re especially effective against miasma fatigue.” She handed him a wooden flask. “Drink. You’ve been standing there a long time.”

  Heron chewed one of the nuts and washed it down with water. It had an earthy taste.

  "How long was I out? I didn't feel time passing at all."

  “She kept you going for two hours,” Icarus said.

  “Two hours?” Heron blurted out.

  Irene shrugged, unapologetic. "I pushed your limits a bit. But hey—look at what you accomplished. You made more progress in one day than I expected in a week. At this rate, you might actually get a handle on controlling crystals."

  Heron wanted to argue, but instead, he just let out a slow breath. She was right. He couldn't afford to move slowly. He needed to grow stronger, and he needed to do it fast.