“Let me guess,” I said. “Start with the basics?”

Master Gene nodded solemnly at me. “Of course.”

I pulled my aura up to form a defensive screen at once, reveling at how easy the motion had become now. I’d practiced the sensation several times this morning on the way here, and managed to keep the screen up for just over twelve minutes. I doubted I could manage it with Master Ivan pummeling me every few minutes, but it was still progress.

“What are you doing?” He asked me, sounding stern.

I looked up, confused. “I’m… bolstering my defense? You said to start with the basics.”

“Non,” he said, looking stern as he shook his head. “You practice that with the meatheads like Selena and Ivan. With Master Gene, you practice control.”

“Oh,” I said, straightening up and letting my aura relax. “How do I do that?”

“Like this,” he said. “Watch closely.”

He didn’t move his body at all, but I felt his aura grow in size, stretching out from his body until it occupied twice the normal space. It was less dense, but as it began to swirl around his body, that didn’t seem as important. Even standing five or six feet away from the outer edge, I could feel the pressure it generated. Looking closely, it didn’t seem to fade or diminish.

“How can you do that without spending aura?” I asked, fascinated. “I’d have run out in the first few seconds.”

“I am not using a technique or attack,” he explained. “I am simply moving my aura. You understand?”

I wasn’t sure I did, but I didn’t reply. Instead, I closed my eyes for a moment. I felt the pressure from Master Gene fade slightly and knew that he’d withdrawn his aura to allow me to fully focus. I concentrated on the hot wind that surrounded my body. I’d already learned how to pull it in and push it outside my body. What was stopping me from pushing it out further? Well, for a start, it didn’t seem to want to move farther away from my body than a few inches.

“That’s hard,” I said, opening my eyes and relaxing. “I’m not sure I understand.”

“It takes much practice,” Master Gene assured me. He seemed more patient with me now that we were on track. “It is easier if you practice against some resistance.”

Before I could ask what he meant or even blink, his aura had swelled again. Instead of spinning around him, it surged forward and wrapped around me entirely. I immediately became aware of a smothering feeling as his aura surrounded mine. Despite the new situation, I knew instinctively that he had me in a bad position. If he were an enemy, I’d be screwed.

“Do not allow panic to overwhelm you,” he said. His voice sounded slightly muffled as if the compressing aura actually blocked sound. “Push against my aura. Fight to free yourself.”

I ignored the fear swelling in my chest and closed my eyes, forcing my breathing to settle. It reminded me of the first time I’d been put in a headlock while wrestling. With all my senses cut off, I’d wanted to panic and give in right away. My opponent had had me right where he’d wanted me. How had I gotten out of that? It took me a second to remember.

When I finally felt the idea come to me, I remembered what Master Mikel had said. “As a wrestler, you have to control your opponent’s body, as well as your own. The same principle transfers to spiritual combat.”

So how did I get out? A small burst of power limited to one direction. Put on a spurt of speed to break out of the hold, and, before your opponent can put you in a hold again, gain the upper hand and overpower him. I gathered my aura in a more concentrated field around my body. I was vaguely aware of Master Gene’s brief look of concern, and his aura withdrawing. He’d obviously thought that I’d succumbed.

Before he could pull his aura away, I forced my body and soul forward towards him, my aura forging the way like a crashing wave. I broke free of Master Gene’s trap with a shout. My instincts carried me a bit too far, and before I could blink, I was pinned again. Somehow, my scythe was in my hand. Had I moved to attack him right away? How awkward.

“Well,” he said, sounding more impressed than angry. “You may have prioritized power over control, but you did do it right. Good work.”

I glanced up, surprised. That was the first compliment I’d heard from the man. In spite of my shame, I felt a surge of pride. “Thanks!”

“Now,” he said, his voice once more stern. “You will attempt the same on me. If you can grab me with your aura by the end of the month, I will pronounce you fit.”

I leaped to it with a will. It was a relief to practice something that didn’t cause my aura to dry up faster than a cup of water in a furnace. No matter how much I swung it around, my aura never diminished. Every few seconds, just to test my defenses and reflexes, Master Gene would attempt to grab me again, but I managed to duck or roll away just in time. It was confusing to be in such an intense struggle without physically touching each other, but it was exhilarating.

I hadn’t honestly expected to be able to grab Master Gene by the end of the day, but I still felt a little twinge of disappointment when he called a halt to the training at the end of the day. I finally understood what control of my aura felt like. With that feeling came the realization that here, at last, was something I was good at. Very good. I could see it in Master Gene’s eyes in the last hour, noticing his slight frown of concentration as he swatted my aura away with his own. Most of the day, he hadn’t moved at all to avoid me. But the last time, he’d been forced to take a small step back.

“How was training, dear?” My mother asked me when I finally made it home. “Did you learn a lot?”

“Loads!” I said with a grin. “Today was a great day!”

Both Lily and my mom looked alarmed at my buoyant attitude, but I only grinned wider. I felt fulfilled after the day’s training. I’d appreciated the training that Master Selena and Master Ivan had given me, but it was only with Master Gene that I’d truly enjoyed it. I didn’t know much about spiritual combat just yet, but I was sure that whatever specialty Master Gene had, I had it too. Maybe it was my time as a wrestler, or maybe it was some natural ability I never knew I’d had. Who knew, maybe it was my ancestor, whoever it was. All that mattered is that, for the first time, I felt confident. I was going to crush this training, then I was going to win the Crucible.