"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."
Leon nodded, and closed his eyes as he remembered the path he had followed alongside Marcus. After a while, he circulated the essence again and it flowed smoothly.
He started to direct the essence inward and follow the exact pathways he had remembered, but after a while his attempt to maintain the circulation steady began to collapse.
He resisted the urge to correct everything at once and reduced the amount of essence moving through his body.
"Pay attention to the circulation as a whole," Marcus instructed. "Do not go after every disturbance, and correct the flow before it becomes unstable."
Leon adjusted his control. The essence was weakening again, but this time he had managed to steady it before it collapsed.
Minutes passed, and Leon was struggling to maintain the circulation throughout his whole body. Sweat had gathered on his face and his breathing became heavier.
His flow remained imperfect, and occasionally strayed from its intended path. At his side, Marcus watched him without interrupting.
At the edge of the chamber, Vera stood beside Roland, her hands clenched together, and Roland remained quiet as he watched his younger brother.
Eventually, Marcus raised his hand. "That is enough for now. Let the essence settle."
Leon slowly brought the circulation to a stop. He opened his eyes, and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"How do you feel?" Marcus asked.
"I am tired," Leon admitted. "But I can maintain the flow now."
"You have touched the threshold for Vessel stage," Marcus corrected. "But do not mistake a successful attempt for mastery. You will need to practice until the circulation becomes stable."
Leon nodded. He understood that he had gained an invaluable experience, and this much progress was only a beginning of his journey ahead.
As the essence settled within him, his attention drifted towards his mind. He hadn’t circulated his essence towards his mind.
After a while, he decided to attempt the circulation in his upper body also, so he drew a small amount of essence and carefully directed it towards his mind.
At first, nothing happened. Then a faint pressure gathered deep within his head, then Leon paused. It was not painful, nor did it resemble the strain he had felt while maintaining circulation.
The sensation seemed to come from somewhere beyond his ordinary awareness, but he hadn’t felt it clearly for now, so he attempted again, and cautiously directed the essence a little further and the pressure increased more.
Before Marcus could ask what he was doing, an unfamiliar pressure settled over the chamber. Marcus’s expression changed. He felt it against his mind, a pressure that carried no physical force and yet it was difficult to ignore.
At the back, Vera and Roland also stiffened. They were also caught under the pressure, and it pressed against their consciousness. Thomas also, near the entrance, turned sharply towards Leon.
The runes on the chamber walls flickered. Then the soul power surged. It burst outward from Leon, passing through the sealed chamber without damaging its walls.
The pressure intensified so suddenly that Vera took an involuntary step back. Roland clenched his jaw as he was struggling against the uncomfortable weight pressing upon his mind, while Thomas gripped the door frame to balance himself.
Marcus remained beside Leon, but even he could not dismiss the force of the surge. He was surprised as he recognized the power spreading from the boy.
Soul power.
The realization hit him as the soul pressure was increasing slowly. It slowly covered the estate, pressing against everyone in its path.
It was gradually growing. Many felt their chest tighten beneath the pressure, and their instincts urged them to retreat despite the absence of any visible threat.
The surge continued beyond the estate walls and spread into the City. The people halted in the streets. Some looked towards the Hayes estate, while others struggled to understand why the air around them suddenly felt so heavy.
Outside the city, low level beasts reacted more violently. They raised their heads and growled towards the city. They were driven by instincts they could not resist. Knights and squires on duty felt the pressure as well. Several immediately turned towards the city, searching for the source of the disturbance.
Inside the chamber, Leon barely understood what was happening. The pressure within his mind had become overwhelming. His thoughts became blurry, and his awareness was fading. He tried to withdraw the essence, but his concentration was slipping.
"Leon!" Marcus called, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Stop directing the essence towards your mind!"
Leon tried to obey, but the sensation had already deepened beyond his control. Then something clicked inside him. It was not a sound he heard, but an sensation. It was as though a lock hidden deep within his mind had finally loosened a bit.
Leon went limp, and Marcus caught him before he struck the floor. And gradually, the soul power began to weaken, and the pressure eased from the surrounding areas. and lastly from the estate and inside of the chamber.
Vera rushed forward, immediately after Leon collapsed. "Leon!"
Marcus lowered Leon carefully and examined him. His breathing was steady, and he could find no anomalies. Leon has successfully stepped in the Vessel stage.
"He is unconscious," he said. "His condition appears stable." Vera knelt beside Leon and brushed his forehead. Roland stood close behind her, breathing heavily. Thomas entered the chamber, his gaze moving between Leon and Marcus.
"What was that?" Thomas asked.
Marcus did not answer him. He had expected Leon’s body to begin adapting to the essence, but had not his soul power to erupt when Leon directed essence towards his mind, and also spread across the surroundings.
Marcus looked down at his unconscious son. He knew what they had felt. He knew the nature of the power that had surged from Leon. But he had no explanation for why a five year old boy had released it.