Leon walked through the corridor, stopping in front of a door, and knocked it.
"Come inside." Marcus said, and Leon walked in. Inside Marcus was seated behind his desk with a pen in his hand, and several reports spread before him. Leon locked the door behind him, and walked towards his father.
After managing the documents on his desk, he looked towards Leon. "What is it, Leon?"
"I want to learn how to circulate essence inside my body."
For a moment, he said nothing. He had expected Leon to ask for more difficult exercises or perhaps to learn how to control the essence he could already sense. But internal circulation was entirely different matter.
"How long have you been attempting it?"
"About a week."
Marcus set his pen down. "A week?"
Leon nodded. "I can draw the essence inside my body and move it, but I can’t follow the internal pathways. When I try to guide it, the flow becomes uneven, and I lose control."
"You have been trying to establish a circulation path by yourself?"
"I wanted to see whether I could do it."
Marcus studied his son as he was surprised. Leon had been progressing steadily since the beginning of his training, but he had not expected him to reach this point so soon, much less to attempt it without asking for guidance.
"Show me what you have been doing."
Leon sat on the floor and closed his eyes. He drew a small amount of essence inward, then carefully moved it through his body. The flow was smooth, but when he tried to direct it inside, it began to waver, and he stopped before it could become unstable.
Marcus watched the entire process without interrupting, and he had seen enough to understand why Leon had come to him.
Leon lacked the experience to guide it through a continuous circulation. Even so, the fact that he had reached this point on his own was remarkable.
Leon opened his eyes, and stood up, staring at Marcus.
Marcus rose from his seat. "Come. Let’s speak with your mother."
Leon followed him, wondering what his mother would say. He already knew she would worry for him, but he had hoped that his father’s agreement would make it easier to explain.
They found Vera in one of the training rooms. She was overseeing Roland’s training, while he was deep in his meditation, and middle of his training.
Vera turned towards the door when Marcus entered with Leon, and quietly went towards them, as to not disturb Roland.
"What happened?" Vera asked, noticing the seriousness in her husband’s expression.
"Leon has been attempting internal circulation."
Her attention immediately shifted to her youngest son. "You have?"
"For about a week," Marcus answered before Leon could say something. "He has managed to move essence through his body, but he cannot yet maintain a proper path. I examined what he could do, and I believe he is ready to begin learning the process correctly."
Vera’s expression tightened. "He is five, Marcus."
"I am aware."
"He has only recently begun training. Must he attempt this already?"
Marcus did not dismiss her concern. He had been surprised by Leon’s progress himself, and he had no intention of treating the boy’s abilities as proof that he could do anything.
"That is why I will be guiding him," he said. "I have examined his condition. His body is stable, and he is ready to begin. We will proceed carefully, and I will stop him if there is any sign of strain."
Leon stood quietly beside his father, neither arguing nor insisting that he be allowed to proceed.
After talking for a while, Vera placed a hand on his shoulder. "You will listen to your father, and follow his instructions carefully. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Mother."
Marcus then contacted Thomas through his essence, and he appeared shortly afterwards.
"Leon will be attempting his breakthrough tomorrow morning, so prepare the sealed chamber," Marcus instructed. "and have the runes inspected to ensure that the room is completely sealed for essence bursts. I want everything ready before we begin."
Thomas glanced at Leon as he was surprised, then back at Marcus. He had not expected Leon would attempt to breakthrough this early, but he did not question the order.
"Of course, my lord. I will see to it personally," Thomas said as he left to prepare the chamber for tomorrow.
Once Thomas had left, Marcus looked down at Leon. "We will begin tomorrow. Until then, do not attempt any further internal circulation on your own."
Leon nodded.
That evening passed without further discussion, but Vera remained stressed. Marcus also found himself questioning Leon’s progress. He had examined Leon carefully, and his condition had shown no sign of instability. Still, the speed at which Leon had reached this point had caught him off guard.
The following morning, the chamber was ready. It was located away from the more frequently used rooms of the estate, and the runes were inscribed in its walls.
Vera and Roland remained at the edge of the chamber where as Leon remained at he middle of the room, and Marcus standing beside him. Thomas also remained near the entrance, ready to respond if Marcus called for him.
"Begin by drawing the essence inward," Marcus instructed. "Do not try to force it along a path. Let me see how you respond to the flow."
Leon closed his eyes.
He gathered the essence around him, and then drew it into his body. He began to move it internally, but as always his flow began to weaken.
"Slow down," Marcus said. "You are trying to control too much at once."
Leon reduced the flow.
"Pay attention to where it is moving. You do not need to force it forward."
Marcus slowly injected his own essence, and began to guide Leon’s essence through correct pathways. He corrected the direction whenever the essence wandered from the intended path. Leon followed his father’s essence, and gradually became more familiar with the circulation.
The process demanded more effort as sweat gathered along his face, and his breathing became heavier, but Marcus remained close, watching for any indication that he was pushing himself too far.
After a while, Marcus instructed him to let the essence settle. Leon obeyed, allowing the essence to quiet before opening his eyes.
"How do you feel?"
"I feel tired," Leon admitted. "But I understand it better now."
"This is enough for the first attempt. Rest and try again," Marcus said. "This time, guide the circulation yourself. Follow what I taught you, keep the amount of essence same, and don’t rush."